March 10, 2005:
Anthracite headliner
I must say that I very much like the anthracite headliner in GBMINI#3; the dark color matches the other dark parts of the car and helps to highlight the red dash & seats …
But the airbag warning stickers on the visors really stand out and look ugly on the anthracite – much more noticeable than with the light headliner:
So a bit of searching on MINI2 gave me a few threads (this, this and this) persuading me that I could easily remove the stickers with denatured alcohol, which we have at work.
I am pleased to say that initially, all went well and the driver side sticker came off quite easily …
Sadly at that point I got confident and impatient 
The result is that the passenger side visor is a bit battered from where the sticker came off in twenty million pieces and required a metal bristle brush to pick off the residue.
To make matters worse, I got a little alcohol on the painted dash trim – and it washed away the lovely red gloss finish
Very bummed out. I can get a new trim piece ($70+) but Scott at MINI Peabody tells me the part is “on national back-order” … doesn’t MINI how critical it is that I get GBMINI#3 looking pristine again *NOW*!?
So.
Remove the visor airbag warning stickers with GREAT care.
And keep the nasty chemicals away from all the shiny surfaces.
Jared/pezboy (2005/03/10 @ 7:25 pm)
You have everything at the shop.
I bought some denatured alcohol just for this, and while it was cheap ($2-3), I have nothing to do with it now!
Why did the second one come off in 20 million pieces? If I remember correctly, when it comes off it’s almost like a very very thin rubber…it stretches. I think I was able to just get a corner or two peeling…rubbed alcohol on the entire sticker, and then it all peeled off. Maybe in 4-8 pieces, not 20 million!
Ian C. (2005/03/10 @ 9:14 pm)
Jared,
I think I did not wait long enough for the alcohol to soak in and break down the glue – so when I tried peeling it, I just kept getting tiny pieces and leaving tiny pieces …
Frustration led me to try brushing it, which just made things worse still.
Ryan (2005/03/10 @ 9:42 pm)
Ian…
Man, don’t fret about the loss of glossiness. I bought this sticker that goes over the third brake light on my Saturn Vue and I didn’t realize that I had put it on the wrong spot, so when I tried to remove it, it left this residue on the light assembly. Quickly thinking, I remembered I had some Goof Off in the basement. Running downstairs, I grabbed this miracle worker only to find out that it totally ruins the finish on plastic parts – after I already used it. Immediately I’m thinking that I need a new light assembly. However, four months later, I still have this same brake light. It’s not as big of a deal as I thought. But I can understand how you feel and know that you will still buy a new interior piece.
Josh Wardell (2005/03/10 @ 9:48 pm)
Oh no! One of the things I have always meant to do and never got around to…but I definitely remember them stressing not to let the denatures alcohol drip on anything.
Did it just remove the clear layer or the colored paint as well? I can and a few sprays of clearcoat could fix that. If not, run it by Julian, he might just be able to touch it up or something.
I always tend to do something stupid like this when I work on my car and other things. All the dirt and salt of the winter has been covering a spot on my grill where I slipped with the dremel…I’ll get to it with some touch up in the spring.
Josh Wardell (2005/03/10 @ 9:50 pm)
…and Jared, I could put the rest of yours to use on my visors!
John Secco (2005/03/13 @ 6:07 am)
Nice to see the anthracite liner as I ordered mine with it as well. But my interior will not = my exterior so we will see if it looks like a mine shaft. Nice car, Ian!
blalor (2005/05/17 @ 5:14 pm)
Any advice on removing the sticker from the dashboard? Is Goo Gone safe on the painted dash? Mine will be the same color…
Ian C. (2005/05/17 @ 5:22 pm)
The sticker on the dash peels off very easily – mine did anyway. I think just soapy water would get any sticky residue off.