My first new vehicle (Longest INTRO thread)

I'm testing my new sig again, rather than using piercedtiger's thread I'll use mine. He's da man!

 

yeah, now see, thats a good comeback

Now you just need to debadge that sucker Take all the chrome off and leave the TRD sticker on

 

Radiant Red, I like it. Actually, if it was mine I would leave it the way it is.

You might like to splurge and by some nice carnuba wax for it and give it a good coat.

I have been trying to find someone who will powdercoat, in radiant red, some step bars for my truck. I also would like to put some dual exhaust on just because I like the looks of pipes either coming out the back or on each side of the rear wheels. Got any Mobil One in that beauty?

Jeff 06, 6spd, V6,SR5, 4x4, Radiant Red

 

I've thought about it. I just can't commit. I've never heard of anyone putting them back on (and if so, what adhesive to use) if they don't like it. I bought this truck expecting to keep it until it falls apart, but I could imagine trading it in on a new Taco if/when Toyota has something new that I want more. I understand that the trade-in is better if it stays closer to stock.

Oh, and frankly, the TRD sticker is more likely to go than the badges. It just a bit too "look at me" for my taste.

I was looking at some of sockmonkey's decals earlier and he's got a nice black one on the doors in place of the chrome badge.

 

The pic was right after a waxing -- the "Sealant Protector" that came with the truck. The last time I waxed a vehicle I was paid for it. My first summer job at 16 was at an RV dealership and I was the minimum wage kid who prepped the RVs for sale. I figure I can do a twice a year hand wax. I've got a co-worker who raves about Macguires Tech Wax which I was going to give a try after this stuff runs out. I think that's a synthetic wax. I'm not quite up on how those compare to the good old natural carnauba.

I'm one of those guys that likes black accessories. I'd rather have black step bars if I have any. Sometimes I wish the TRD OR had the black fender flares instead of colormatched. Some of that is the pragmatist in me. Black's easy to find and usually cheaper. If I were to go with red accessories I'd want a red tonneau and red tinted hood protector and window vents (if they even make such a thing).

I've only done the first 5K oil change. My dealership gave me free oil changes (as long as I pay for other recommended maintenance at that interval) so I didn't have a choice if I wanted it free. My dealership uses a synthetic blend, but I forget the brand. At the 15K interval I'll have to make a hard decision to pay them to do a lot of things or start doing it myself. But that's a year away.

 

If you do take them off you can put them back on using 3M adhesive. also, if you take them off, put a strip of painters tape above and below the badges, making sure to keep perfectly level with the badges so you know exactly where they go and you know they'll be level. thats just a suggestion in case you ever do decide to take them off you'll know where tehy go if you dont like the debadged look. (last word)

 

How well can I really judge whether I like the debadged look if there's painters tape above and below where the badges were?

I keep hearing about this magical 3M adhesive. 3M makes a lot of adhesives (I used to work there as an IT contractor). Where's a source to get the right one for this application?

 

Autoparts store.

It's red in color, and says something like body trim and emblem tape or something to that effect.

 

you can always just use clear scotch tape to see how it looks debadged

 

That's true too, they even make some wierd ass shit called easy release scotch tape now, that will easilly come right off. Mistakenly bought some to wrap Christmass gifts last year, and come Christmass morning all the ends were coming unwrapped by themselves. It was quite the pain in the ass but would probably work out fine as ND suggests.

 

I got a paint shop to debadge my truck on Wednesday. Holy crap - It looks AWESOME now!!!

 

I suppose some day I ought to go to a serious autoparts store instead of the dinky walk-in-closet sized one close to me.

 

I had imagined that, but I had to give you a hard time for that lame suggestion.

Actually, I might get even more radical and move the badges somewhere else. I wonder what those door tacoma badges would look like right in front of the door above the wheel.

 

Hey, I got my extend-a-spare the other day and starting looking into how to install it today. It's a flexible tire stem extender that's 3 feet long. I need to head to the hardware store to find the right sized nut to mount the new stem. I'm considering drilling a hole in my rear bumper next to the license plate light. It'll make checking the air in the spare to make the TPMS happy so much easier.

 

I got another accessory for the truck today (man, this is addicting). I wasn't planning on this one, but the wife had to go buy shoes and I knew it was close to a Tractor Supply store, so I went along. I spent $40 on a "stall mat" which is a hundred pound 4 ft x 6 ft x 3/4 in thick hunk of rubber. Once I cut it to fit around the wheel wells it'll be an indestructible bed mat. Nothing's going to slide on this puppy.

 

It also might help traction a bit in the snow.

 

....for those freak storms in Texas that drop 3ft in 3 hours, and take more than a day to melt away....

 

It's kind of funny to watch the news clips of people from the southern regions react to an inch of snow.

 

we react 1 of 2 ways. some of us panic and slide into tree's and ditches, others of us see it as a chance to play and we get out there and do doughnuts and have fun sliding all over the place and act like fools.

BTW, page 22!!!

 

Hey nd! ! There must be some of you up here also. Everytime it snows a little the empty parking lots are full of doughnuts! ! !