Vehicle Magnet Problem!! Help!!

[Richard Magbanua]

I just had a customer call about his vehicle magnet he got a few months ago. He said he tried to take it off and it was STUCK to his car. I know it's recommended that it be taken off when cleaning. I was assuming it was to keep dirt from accumulating, but I never heard of it sticking to the paint! I called Magnum Magnetics and they said it could indeed stick to the paint if left on for months in the sun. They recommended but did not guarantee bug solvent to help take it off. Anyone else have this problem?

[Joe Pelonio]

That's a very common problem, and the reason I include instructions for magnetic sign care on the invoice. Not only does it stick, but left long enough can remove the car's paint when finally taken off. An adhesive remover that is auto paint safe can help loosen it up, but I have seen them bad enough that a repaint of the car door was needed.

In addition to this problem, if not cleaned in cold weather the moisture/wet soil behind can freeze and cause them to pop off on the freeway.


Your instructions to customers should be to wax the car before applying them, then remove them at least weekly, clean the car and the backs of the signs, dry well then put back on.

[Richard Magbanua]

Thanks for the response Joe. I just took a look at his new truck. They are definitely stuck. He said he's taken them off every time just fine before he's washed them. They've only been on for 2 weeks since the last wash. My plan right now is to try some heat to see if that loosens them up. If that doesn't work, I'll just peel them off and use a solvent and squeegee as suggested to get what's left.

I'm a bit ticked right now for a few reasons. I've read the care instructions from Magnum Magnetics and others from sign websites. It does suggest taking them off weekly due to fading, and preventing dirt and grime from building up. I make sure to pass this on to my customers. But it says absolutely nothing about the magnets getting STUCK or BONDING to the vehicles!! It seems to me that this is a real risk that customers, not to mention sign makers, should be informed of. I might not care much about a few scratches on my truck, but I sure as heck don't want to have to scrape magnetic rubber off my door. Imagine making a set for someone with a Bentley and having it permanently stuck after 2 weeks! All the talk on the net about magnetics says that they are a great temporary advertising solution and the biggest concern is having them fall off.

Well, here is what I've decided. First I'm gonna call all my customers with these magnets and warn them of this problem. Then, I'm going to stop making vehicle magnets. The risk just isn't worth it. My advice for anyone else that provides this service is to have then sign a waiver after thoroughly informing them of the risks and explaining the care instructions in proper context.

If anyone else has any suggestions or magic tricks please, let me know.

Thank you!!!

[Joe Pelonio]

Someone else should chime in here, but I just dropped off a set to a customer and gave him all this in writing and a verbal warning that includes the risk of them sticking, as I always do. You are right, neither the Magnum instruction sheet nor the other manufacturers mention the sticking. I do not for a moment believe that your signs were on for only 2 weeks, however that's not something that can be proven. Even in extreme heat of 110F
it would take longer than that for them to stick unless a foreign substance got behind (such as a vehicle being egged) that accelerated the process.

I have been making them regularly for 15 years now and rarely have this problem but then we're not in a hot climate, and a repaint would be covered by my business insurance if determined to be my fault or my product's fault.

If I was in the south I might take your approach and pass on them.

[Doug Bergstrom]

I agree with Joe, Those were on longer then 2 weeks. We have done thousands of magnets and I have not had one stick but have heard of it happening. We have a sheet that goes with every magnet we well explaining proper care and risk of magnets. We also try to talk most people out of them and just put graphics onto the vehicle. People do not realize that the graphics come off when they go to sell their vehicle. Most will go that direction instead of magnets. Another issue now is that a lot of new vehicles do not have metal doors ( dent resistant) so they do not work anyway.

[Joe Pelonio]

Another issue now is that a lot of new vehicles do not have metal doors ( dent resistant) so they do not work anyway.
Yes, be careful to check before making them, some are metal but won't hold a magnet, like the Land Rovers which are an aluminum alloy.

[Steve knight]

what about using a thin plastic film on back like a teflon sheet thats self stick? you can get it really thin like .0035 it should not make a difference on the hold of the magnet but ti should work well to protect the paint.

[Scott Shepherd]

There's a fabric based product my printer uses that you can print on, full color graphics, and you can put it on and remove it time after time. Very cool product and seems to work very well. I know they have tested it on jets and it didn't come off, yet you can walk up to it and peel it right off, store it, and put it back on later.

[Jim Callaghan]

Here is one for you car sign guys,
I had a buddy that put some of those cheap ebay flame magnets on his street rod as a joke about 2 weeks after getting the car painted and they pulled the metal flakes or flecks in the paint under the sign to the surface.
It only took 3-4 days for it to happen and you could easily see where the flames were after taking them off.
I only mention it so you don't have another issue come up when you sell them.
Jim

[Scott Erwin]

Here is one for you car sign guys,
I had a buddy that put some of those cheap ebay flame magnets on his street rod as a joke about 2 weeks after getting the car painted and they pulled the metal flakes or flecks in the paint under the sign to the surface.
It only took 3-4 days for it to happen and you could easily see where the flames were after taking them off.
I only mention it so you don't have another issue come up when you sell them.
Jim

If I remember from when I had my race car painted the painter told me as a matter of routine, not to apply anything to the car for 30 days if I could help it. This included waxing it. From what I understood, it takes that long (if not longer) for all the chemicals to surface and dissipate and fully cure the paint. So putting mags on when the car was still freshly painted could obviously cause that problem. -- But good tip for anyone putting mags out for a car that was just repaired too...same thing would apply. I have told people over and over again, not to let them stay on the vehicle for more than a week without taking them off and cleaning them and the area applied. But I have one customer that has never taken his off after 3 years...dont want to see what the door looks like now...