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Here’s my plan . . . take off the old logo myself. A hair dryer and a couple of hours I’ll have it ready. Might drink a beer during this time and listen to some country music. Next, I’ll pack up my wife, take the 110 mile trip to get the new logo installed, spend a great day with my wife. She’ll shop, I’ll follow her around, we’ll go out to lunch, maybe see a movie, pick up the van and come home. Not a bad day in my opinion. Much better than work!
I have taken off a couple of old phone number stickers and the stickers put on by the original dealer. Most of the stickers came off tough and I had to pull them off in several pieces for each number. It wasn’t difficult but tedious and a little time consuming. TGP disolved the adhesive (all the adhesive was left on the vehicle) but had to go over each area 2 or 3 times. Make sure you have several towels or paper towels because the adhesive wasn’t absorbed but laid on the towel surface and can be transfered back on the van, requiring more TGP and elbow grease.
Loren,
Kathlynn and I have another vehicle that we have changed the vinyl graphics on many times. I contacted the local company that makes our non-HB signs and they suggested we purchase a “stripe off” wheel. About $30.00 at your auto parts store. They said it would make short work of the little lettering (not so much time picking at those little buggers). May have to go to an auto body supply store depending on how good the parts stores are in your area. We have used an adhesive remover made by 3M to take off any left over adhesive. If you try the wheel, make sure your vehicle is very clean before you use it. Anybody out there have any experience with this type of removal? Maybe Sign a Rama could give us a few tips on removal? Maybe it would cut down on their prep work when they apply the signs?
I REPEAT DO NOT CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SIGN-A-RAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had some complaints that has gotten back to the National Account Rep. that I have been working with to get all this setup. She has told me that alot of you have contacted your local sign-a-rama with all kinds of questions about when you can have your van logos put on. Sign-a-rama is a national franchise just like us. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JUST TAKE YOUR VAN TO ANY SIGN-A-RAMA THAT YOU WANT AND HAVE YOUR LOGOS PUT ON.
IF YOU WANT TO ORDER YOUR LOGO PACKAGE PLEASE CONTACT ME AT THE HOME OFFICE. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE LOGO PACKAGE ANY OTHER WAY. We have set it up this way because of all the problems that we have had in the past with everyone doing what they want with the van and the logos. You would be amazed at all the different vans that we have running around.
Here how the ordering process for the logos will work
1. You place the order on the internet for the new logo package (same stock # as before). I will contact you about what phone # you want on your van.
2. I Fax the order to the National Account Rep.
3. The local sign-a-rama contacts you and sets up a time that will work for you to get the logos put on your van.
4. I approve the layout before Sign-a-Rama applies it to your van.ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ME!!!!! DO NOT CONTACT SIGN-A-RAMA.
I am sorry for being sceptic, but why is it so important to go through mco inc. on this. Could you explain in more detail. I would like to think that with the large buying power of our franchise we are getting the best deal out there past on to the city owners. Seeing that we are talking 100s-1000 vehicles. I have three and want to make sure that we are not over spending. If sign-o-rama is a franchise then they are also individule owners , who might make deals on multi vehicle jobs. In the surrounding 100 miles there has to be more than 15 heavens best vans. I am willing to bet that I could get the price down if we work locally together with wulti van deals.
I am sorry but I did call my local sign-a-rama dealer before you told us not to and talked to the owner. I was told that it could make a difference in price.
If it is there layout then it should not need approval it has already been approved by corperata as our new look.Probably when, not if, one of our brand new $1200 logo gets damaged by whatever…key, bushes, small to nothing ding, road stones, etc tear the vinyl, what do we do? Touch up paint, go to Sign A Rama or other sign place and attempt a fix, and then what happens if it becomes a disaster and looks like the devil?
The old logo was easily repairable for a few bucks. Heck I nearly replaced 50% of the new logo package because it was so different from the 3 year old one from corporate.
The new logo could be replaced under comprehensive insurance..but how many times are they going to shell out $600-$1700 for vinyl? Without raising rates?
Any ding at all is going to potentially pose a problem, maybe a big problem. Any suggestions? Are the panels sold separately?
Ans sorry Adam, I had contacted SAR before you had said anything as well.
Greg,
Again; I will speak bluntly. It is apparent to me that corporate is trying to make a nice profit off the signs. That is their decision. I too agree that the signs are a little on the high side. I would venture to say that corporate is shelling out $500-600 to have these signs made and installed and then reselling them to us for $1600. I don’t have a problem with a company making money, but I would think that we would get a much better deal on the price seeing that a wide sweep conversion is mandatory.
In my conversation with the local ownerlast week of a sign a rama franchise he was actually surprised and concerned at the cost (might be to low, or high). I was not clear at what exactly the scope of work was so it was hard to explain in their lingo. All I said is that it was a wrap. I found out that that does not sound like what it realy is, but rather large printed decals. He said that the only way to give me a bid was to bring the van and pictures of the layout. He was not to thrilled to find out that his corprate made a national deal with pricing either. He did say that volume could make it difference. My point was and still is that I think I can negotiate better terms locally rather than going through corperate.
I am not saying that I think mco inc is price gouging us, only that things need to be explained in more deal because it does raise a lot of concerns.
the type of machine needed to make these kinds of vinyl decals is ~$25k so not every sign shop on every corner will be even able to do this type of job. the labour and skill level to do this type of job is many times greater than our old decals, and again, not every sign shop wil be able to do this type of work.
But most important,
On each and every item that we buy from corporate, the pricing is always very good. Have you ever tried to have Franchise Express type flyers made up at your local printers? Be very happy that we are getting the deal that we are on these decals. The grass is not greener.I would like to know how we clean bug juice and bodies off the vinyl on the front quarter panels, withour ruining the vinyl and having to replace is and pay for another panel and installation?
Also, how do we repair the back panels if they get damaged by whatever? With the old logo repair / lettering repair/replacement of a letter was very simple by the local sign lady…no problem at all.
i had a van done up in what was called “high performance ” vinyl. I’m not sure which company manufactured it, but it was a lot more expensive and it looked dramaticly better, brighter and lasted much longer. From what I’ve found out, the new decals are using high quality materials.
I agree – I believe Cody is getting us the best deal possible – and I would also believe that the quality will be far superior to the current vinyl. We gotta have faith!!
I guess that my concern is the upkeep. The current decals are easy maintenance and the only inconsistency I had was from corporate changing the fonts, etc.
My experience in life has been that the higher cost expendable items usually have a higher maintenance /replacement cost associated with them as well.
As with the lettering, once the vinyl has been compromised, watch out. It will begin to deteriorate and look terrible.
I hope you are right bag.
Dave it sounds like this is a great concern for you as well as some others. I suggest talking to some of the guys around town who have sign wrap vans to get there opinions. If you look I bet you will see someone on the road today. This style is becoming the norm for companies. If there are no accidents the new logos should stay on for a long time and look great. Companies have been using this technology for a long time. I would hope and expect that sign a rama has a solid warranty with there services in the case of delamination.
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