BaltimoreStreetMods


While we do sell 3M graphics for your mustang, this guide is meant to inform the buyer on how to select the right product for your mustang, not to promote our product or to persuade the buyer not to buy from other sellers.  WE do hope you grant us the opportunity to show you how we take care of our customers!!!!

SECTIONS
1.  HOW TO EVALUATE A SELLER - WHY FEEDBACK RATINGS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND
2.  HOW TO EVALUATE THE PRODUCT - READ THE TERMS!!!!!!
3.  PRE-CUT VS STRAIGHT - WHY STRAIGHT STRIPES DO NOT WORK WELL
4.  THE STRAIGHT DOPE - NOT ALL GRAPHICS BRANDS ARE THE SAME
5.  WHAT BRAND ARE THESE GRAPHICS??
6.  MOST QUESTIONS ASKED ARE ALREADY ANSWERED IN THE LISTING
7.  INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

EVALUATE THE SELLER
Feedback is YOUR FRIEND!!!!  Most reputable sellers on eBay will have a pretty high feedback rating because they have a good product and good support for their product.  Graphics are a product that you should expect a very high score for, as they are either good or they are not.  If a seller has a lot of negative feedback, odds are they either have a substandard product of provide very little support.  You will always be better off buying from a seller that has a lot of feedback - sellers with very little feedback have not been in business long, and could be good, could be bad.  Stick with proven sellers!!!

EVALUATE THE PRODUCT
READ THE LISTING!!!!!  A picture is not necessarily an accurate representation of the product, as many times sellers do not have a picture of the actual color, size, etc.... EXAMPLE:  We carry over 100 products in 25 colors, it is quite difficult to get good photos of every combination.

Most listings by reputable sellers will specify where the graphics cover, and where they do not.  EXAMPLE:  "this kit includes stripes for the front and rear bumper"  and  " kit is designed to fit the contours of the car".  (from our pre-cut 05-06 mustang racing stripes listings)  There are a lot of kits out there that only go from hood to rear deck, which you choose depends on your budget and preference. 

PRE-CUT VS STRAIGHT
the 05-07 MUSTANG has a lot of complex contours - this is why we only recommend the PRE-CUT kits for this vehicle.  Straight stripes will not lay straight.  What you will end up with is stripes that come together at the front and rear of the hood, roof and deck lid, and yo will never get em on the bumpers!!!  Bottom line - for the 05-07 MUSTANG, GO WITH THE PRE-CUT STRIPES!!!

NOT ALL GRAPHICS ARE THE SAME
There are a lot of graphics brands out there - Oracal, 3M, MacTac and Avery are the four most common brands on eBay.  WE have used all four, and are satisfied that 3M is the best!!!!  However, all four have there shortcomings.  (Yes, that's right, we are actually gonna tell ya that our product has a shortcoming - see how well we inform our customers?)

ORACAL
In our experience, Oracal is actually the hardest to damage.  However, it is also the most likely to bubble during installation.  This results in a lot of work to work the bubbles out.  It is also less conformable over complex contours. WE ALSO HAD SPORADIC COMPLAINTS OF FADING AND SPOTTING.  If you are looking for a durable product that is not as likely to be damaged, and are on a tight budget, Oracal is a decent choice.

MACTAC
We used it once, and only once.  It did not want to adhere quickly, and was impossible to get over contours without cutting and pasting.  We applied these to a 1998 Plymouth Neon, a pretty flat car, except for the deck lid.  Once on, it held up really well, but was nearly impossible to remove wehn the time came (it started to fade after about 6 months)

AVERY
Avery is actually a very nice graphic film to apply - very conformable over surfaces, and they offer a lot more color and finish options than their competitors.  HOWEVER when we used this product, we noticed a LOT of shrinkage after about 6 months.  This resulted in an adhesive band on either side of the stripes that collected dirt and turned black. 

3M GRAPHICS FILMS
3M is very conformable over surfaces (although the matte black and reflective white are a little more rigid)  this product is also backed up by 3M!!!  Talk to any car buff, they will tell you that 3M is the way to go.  3M resists fading and shrinkage, but as with ANY graphic, it will fade after a few years - hence the neverending debate over graphics vs paint!!!  Two drawbacks we have encountered - 1) dirt does tend to accumulate on lighter colors, but orange cleaner will clean it up nicely 2) you have to be careful with it for a couple weeks.  Until it cures to the paint, it is possible to cause it to lift up if you wash it in an automatic car wash or with a high pressure sprayer.  Once cured, however, it it very durable.


WHAT BRAND ARE THESE GRAPHICS
As any seller should, we keep a watchful eye on our competitors - we have noticed that some sellers to not actually say what brand they use!!!!!  They will dazzle you with statements like "this is what the dealers use!!!" or " we install these all up and down the west coast!!!"  Bottom line, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING!!!  IF they do not specify what brand they use, odds are it is either an off-brand or is a low quality film.

MOST FAQ ARE ALREADY ANSWERED IN THE LISTING
As a seller, I can honestly tell you that 85% of the questions I get in email are already answered in the listing!!!! 

If the listing is vaugue about the product, odds are that either 1) they have little experience with installing the product or 2) they rarely answer emails.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
If the listing does not either include installation instructions or specify that they will be included, odds are they have never installed them, they only sell them. 

ALL OUR LISTINGS HAVE A LINK TO DETAILED, SPECIFIC INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.  Feel free to use them, even if you have purchased from another seller.

BaltimoreStreetMods