Yesterday was another learning experience. We had a job to do on a new Durango for a local company. The son of the owner of the company "designed" the artwork to do on this car. The company name was to go diagonally across both side windows, etc. It's not a real creative look as I've seen that type on many other vehicles but most of them are vans with a lot of side space. So, if any of you are familiar with the Durango, you'll know that the windows are framed with some type of rubber molding and vinyl doesn't want to stick to it very well. We had an insane time trying to get the vinyl over the rubber. It looks like crap but due to the design, if you cut those areas out, you lose a major part of the letter. Arrrgggghhhhh! There aren't too many wrinkles and the solution would be to do a major trimming job but we can't. We put it on wet and most of the areas look not to bad but still......
does anybody have any suggestions or comments.

Tell him the downsides - if it's left as-is, chances are the rest of the letter will eventually peel up, or if it's trimmed you lose crucial details in the design.

If left as-is, you offer no warranty whatsoever because you cannot control the peeling.

If trimmed, he'll get the warranty but now he's gotta live with his logo missing parts.

I have learned this from many bad experiences.

1. If there is a problem don't feel guilty. You didn't create it.

2. Don't start any work until you are absolutley 100% positive it will work. If there are any problems inform the client immediately. Otherwise you waste time and money.

3. If a customer comes to you and states that they designed the work you still have to charge for setup unless it is absolutely set up. That is no crossing lines correct colours and everything.

4. Use a shop book and write down any problems you encounter with signs. It really helps to have something to refer to for problems.

When we lettered our vehicle, we ran splashes of 3 different colors up the sides of the vehicle starting at the back of the front wheel well and up into the driver door glass ( and on the other side, the passenger door glass.

We applied the vinyl right over the "Plymouth" chrome letters and the rubber around the windows as well. Heated it down and "shrunk wraped" it
in place. Some of it has popped back up around the chrome vehicle logo leters.

Some of it has come off the rubber molding around the windows, the edges are curling on a letter or two, but most has stayed in place for 3 and a half years now.

THE POINT IS:

When a customer wants to do this on his vehicle, I take him out to my vehicle and I show him what will happen! good or bad. (I also have edge printed graphics on the sides and hood )

Where a bird **** on my van one day in the 110 dregree heat of the day, right on the hood graphic, it baked into the graphic, and when I tried to clean it off, some of the print came up also. So I just left it there to show the customer what happens if they take their graphics for granted, and not spend the extra money for clear coating with lamination, and do not keep them clean of bugs splatter and the like.

Then I can tell them: "I told you so! Now its gonna cost you way more than the preventative measures you should have spent some money on in the first place."