Black tape instead of paint

Fred_viber · Post by **Fred_viber** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 4:01 am

I noticed that the black surrounding the windows on the doors was black tape instead of paint. The tape is slightly wrinkled up at the corners and it overlaps on the back door. I am concerned that this won't hold up very well over time. I have since noticed that the Vibe and the RAV4 have tape as well. None of the dealers I talked to seemed to be aware of this and some of them also seemed concerned about it. Is anyone else concerned about this? Has anyone had any problems with the tape yet?

d_m_kolb · Post by **d_m_kolb** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 4:07 am

I'm just being curious but what is under the tape? Would it look better if you just removed the tape or would that screw something up?

Post by **NSimkins** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 4:11 am

Good point. I may stop by a lot and check one out tonight. I've heard about this before, but never thought to look for it.Definately something to keep an eye on!

Post by **NSimkins** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 9:24 am

Stopped out at the lot today and snapped a pic of the tape on the door. The pic is about 400k (sorry 56k users) but in enough detail to see.You can notice the tape overlapping in the center of the pic which is near the corner of the front driver's side door.Hope this helps.

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Fred_viber · Post by **Fred_viber** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 8:29 pm

it's seem to have paint in the same colour of the boby under the tape.

Shibby · Post by **Shibby** » Wed Jul 03, 2002 8:00 am

If it helps at all, I drive a 2000 nissan sentra with the same tape on the b-pillar between the doors. on the sentra, behind the black tape is body colored. except for the black sentras, which has no tape at all. Here is a picture of one of the guys at the b15sentra.net boards car with the tape removed. All that has to be done is to peel the tape away with either a hair dryer, or heat gun. once you get that done, there will be residue from the adhesive, just take some goo gone and rub the residue away. Now, i'm not saying that it is definitely body colored underneath the tape of the vibe, but it's something to look at.hope this helps.h&.dnm=Side+Pic.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/seriousleeper/lst%3f%26.dir=/Cars%26.srch%26.view=t" TARGET="_blank">http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/seriousleepe ... %26.view=t[Modified by Shibby, 12:01 AM 7/4/2002]
[Modified by Shibby, 12:04 AM 7/4/2002]

Lori19 · Post by **Lori19** » Sat Jul 13, 2002 2:12 pm

You really got my curiosity going on this one. I went and checked it out and sure enough, I got it and my Vibe is black. I looked down under the foam moulding and saw the the paint is black under that tape. I don't have the nerve to attempt to peel it off. Mine has that overlap and little wrinkle in it to. I don't like this at all. Why couldn't they just have painted it and avoided this. I also notice it hangs onto fingerprints real well.

d_m_kolb · Post by **d_m_kolb** » Sat Jul 13, 2002 10:22 pm

quote:You really got my curiosity going on this one. I went and checked it out and sure enough, I got it and my Vibe is black. I looked down under the foam moulding and saw the the paint is black under that tape. I don't have the nerve to attempt to peel it off. Mine has that overlap and little wrinkle in it to. I don't like this at all. Why couldn't they just have painted it and avoided this. I also notice it hangs onto fingerprints real well. On the color of your Vibe, my vehicle is Black. Finger prints show up very easy but you'll learn not to touch the finish once cleaned. You just get used to it. Also black is the hardest to keep clean since dark colors show dirt the easist. But when kept waxed and clean nothing looks better.

Lori19 · Post by **Lori19** » Sun Jul 14, 2002 1:40 am

Sorry for the misunderstanding I was referring to the black tape hanging onto the fingerprints.Love the V!

pimpingnu · Post by **pimpingnu** » Sun Jul 14, 2002 2:33 pm

well went to the dealer yesterday to testdrive a car on the lot agin(i already ordered my car) i ripped the tape off the door and side of the car by the back wheel. its just car paint under it. same color as your car. no biggie. some retard prolly decided it looked better w/ black molding round the wondeow so tape was applied. the body colored stickers by your back tire are for stone/ chip protection. my monte carlo came w/ them when i bought it last year.... its so when the dealer is movin the car it dosent get screwed up. rip it off if you want. the lot car looked fine. i will be leaving mine on for now at least

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:06 pm

So many options! To rip off the tape or to not rip off the tape...hmm...

NovaResource · Post by **NovaResource** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 12:03 am

Before you rip the tape off your Vibe go to a Toyota dealership and look at a base Matrix (no black tape on the window frames) to make sure you like that look.Personally, I think it looks dumb. The rear window (behind the rear doors) has black around the edges and would stand out like a sore thumb if the door frames weren't black. Plus, when the door windows are tinted, it gives the appearance on one long, dark window front to rear.

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MrRich · Post by **MrRich** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 3:48 am

I totally agree with Nova!

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 4:25 am

Good call. Never thought about that back window. Well, that just makes my decision easier! Thanks!Plus, my tape is in good shape - not peeling anywhere or anything, so I'm cool with it...but yeah, it does hold fingerprints unusually well...I have trained myself not to use the door frame to close the door, but my friends and other passengers can't seem to handle it. LOL! I find the invisible glass gets it off, so I just clean the tape when I clean the windows...

Fievel · Post by **Fievel** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 3:46 am

I have an abyss Vibe, and when washing it today, I decided to look for this tape, as I figured I just hadn't noticed it before.I don't have it. Is it because my main color is black anyway?

NovaResource · Post by **NovaResource** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 5:05 am

Probably.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 5:10 am

My car doesn't appear to have it, but I sense it does because everyone else's does...I have Satellite...and I didn't even know it was tape until someone on here said something...so maybe you do and just can't tell like I can't.

Fievel · Post by **Fievel** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 5:57 am

I thought of that too...but my abyss paint job has a metallic look to it....almost looks like it has little reflective "Glitter" (i know it's not glitter) in the paint.The B post has that same sparkle.I wouldn't think that tape would.

SCTM · Post by **SCTM** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 9:24 am

Also noticed that it was a black tape applied with took delivery of my Vibe last January... there was 2 small "bubbles" on my driver's side windows mount and dealer took note of that. The tape will be changed as soon as they will be back on service (dealers in Quebec city area are on lockout since mid-december!!!)

JayAyeEm · Post by **JayAyeEm** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 11:03 am

Make it 3... my two tone Abyss GT does not have the tape either.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 11:29 am

Maybe it's something with manufacture dates? Maybe they strayed away from tape? Can those who have it, and those who don't say when their car was built?

joatmon · Post by **joatmon** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 2:06 pm

My Satellite two tone has the tape. There's an obvious strip on the upper part of the post between the two doors. On the actual door, it's easiest to see that it's tape at the top rear inside of the driver door. Mine has som eripples where it was folded over. The front door seems to have a one-piece tape on it, but the rear door, at the top rear of the window has an obvious seam where the two pieces overlap. If I dig my fingernail (gently) into it, it feels like heavy black vinyl electrical tape.The mfg sticker on the driver door jamb says 07/2002,It sounds cheap, but it looks ok for now. I hope it holds up well. The picture Scott doctored to show a Satellite Vibe without the black window frame shows why the window frames are black. I'd guess tape's not needed on the Abyss because it's already black. I imagine GM wouldn't call it tape, probably something like "vinyl frame protector" or "window frme treatment"

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 11:58 pm

Just trying to figure out why they couldn't paint them black instead of taping them...

Geo · Post by **Geo** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 12:17 am

Just checked mine this morning - it was built 03/03 and it has the tape on it, although there is no line on the front doors, there is only a small barely noticible line on the passenger side doors - but both are covered now almost wholly with the wind defelectors, so I notice them even less

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 12:58 am

Yep, confirmed today, I do have the tape. I can see it wrapped over the back side of the door, and it is kinda coming up in the inside corners...very odd...mine was built 8/02

Rouse · Post by **Rouse** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 11:48 am

I too have the tape. But it looks fine to me and I have no intentions of taking it off. I don't have any problems with mine though. (i.e. peeling off or bubbles).

Black tape instead of paint

Black tape instead of paint

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fred_viber)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (d_m_kolb)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fred_viber)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (NSimkins)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fred_viber)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fred_viber)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Lori19)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (d_m_kolb)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fred_viber)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (pimpingnu)

Re: Black tape instead of paint

Re: Black tape instead of paint (NovaResource)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (MrRich)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (ragingfish)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fievel)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (NovaResource)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (ragingfish)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fred_viber)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Fievel)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (JayAyeEm)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (ragingfish)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (joatmon)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (ragingfish)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (Geo)

Re: Black tape instead of paint (ragingfish)