OEM Prius badges & paint protection?

Debadging on the rear hatch is a simple matter.

Here is a thread that covers the most common methods:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-what-use-debadge-without-damaging-paint.html

The fender-mounted HybridSD badges are available separately and go
for about $19:

toyotapartsbarn

For all intents and purposes, the back of the badges are essentially flat.

There is a small wrinkle in your plans. These badges have two plastic
pins on the back (that mate with positioning holes in the fender) These
will have to be carefully cut off and sanded flat. It shouldn't be that
hard to do, but you will have to be careful not to lift the film on the
adhesive that is pre-mounted on the back of the badge.

I can't speak directly to the paint protection. Without it, it is best to
apply a few extra coats of wax where the OEM badges were mounted.

 

Paint protection is a scam.

 

AS for the PPF material. Toyota and Lexus use 3M 3rd gen films. These are required to be maintained as your would your paint which means washes and wax on a regular basis. As you may know the warranty on dealer product is the same as the vehicle warranty. If you had the product installed at a certified dealer the warranty would be 5 years. Getting back to the care of the film. ALso you do not want to use any products which are abrasive or have dyes. Use only products which are recommended for urethane.

We recommend using a paint protection sealant like XPEL Sealant which is an acrylic vs poly sealant. This product bonds to the porous urethane film to protect it. Need more info you can PM me.

 

To provide input on your fading issue. Your vehicle has 3M film. 3M film (others as well) have UV protection to protect only the film and NOT to protect the underlying paint. You do not want the film to product the paint from fading so when you remove the film, you do not have a fade line. The fade line comes from the black bras. Hope this helps. Remember paint fades when the paint is not polished and protected with a wax/sealant etc. There are other factors too - enviromental, where the vehicle is parked etc. But this can be over come with professional car care products.

 

Could you go back to the dealer and ask for a "touch-up" on the spots
bared by your debadging? -- perhaps when they are treating a new car.

It's at least worth a try ... :nod: