DIY: How to properly De-badge your trunk

[AudiC7Owners]

This is a short one, but it might help someone who's never attempted this. Debadging your car is a common thing in the enthusiast community, but often people rush through it without the correct tools and end up harming their paint in the process. Hopefully this will help prevent that from happening.

Difficulty Level: With the tools listed below, this should be a 1/5. It just takes time.

Tools & Materials List:
-Drill
-Fishing Line/Floss
-Plastic Trim Tool
-Heat Gun (https://amzn.to/2IsnFa8)
-Eraser Wheel (https://ebay.to/2UMEjbf)
-Drill Mounted Cut/Polish Kit (https://amzn.to/2v1DFbs)
-Microfiber Towels
-Garden Hose
-Level (If replacing rear badge)
-Beer
-Music

Noteworthy Information:

-The main Audi emblem takes a bit of work to remove compared to the other two sides. Spent a good while using the eraser wheel on it, and cut it with a heavier pad than the other two areas.

-Also, it should go without saying, but remember to always keep your heat gun moving when using it to heat up the emblems. Don't hold it steady over a spot for long otherwise you could damage your paint/vehicle.

As always, make sure your volume is up so you can hear the voiceover by yours truly talking about each step of the process.

Please subscribe to my youtube channel and look for more C7 specific videos in the near future.

You can also follow my C7 Instagram page @AudiC7Owners
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https://youtu.be/t8034Euimvw

[MolonLabe300]

Thanks for this, I have been trying to decide to shave all of them or color matching or just going to black badges. So many people have zero idea of what my car is it has put me on the fence.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Audizine mobile app

[RoadRage]

your video link is broken

[AudiC7Owners]

Thanks for this, I have been trying to decide to shave all of them or color matching or just going to black badges. So many people have zero idea of what my car is it has put me on the fence.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Audizine mobile app

Glad I could help


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[AudiC7Owners]

your video link is broken

Seems to be working just fine




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[Nick Fury]

Seems to be working just fine




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Not working for me, either.

[AudiC7Owners]

Not working for me, either.

Let me take another look at it


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[AudiC7Owners]

How about now?


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[Nick Fury]

How about now?


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working now

EDIT: looked like it was for a second, then not anymore. :(

[Nick Fury]

Used the link. I'd have never thought of using a level. Thanks for the vid.

[MolonLabe300]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8034Euimvw

[AudiC7Owners]

I don't know if it's just the fact that I'm working off tapatalk but it appears the link is working.


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[AudiC7Owners]

Used the link. I'd have never thought of using a level. Thanks for the vid.

Just gotta make sure your car is on level ground ;)


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[AudiC7Owners]

Ok, finally fixed the video. Enjoy.

[Shuga]

Microfiber towel...

[dorothy_c7]

Ok, finally fixed the video. Enjoy.

Great video dude

Sent from my SM-N950U using Audizine mobile app

[Tonymastodon]

Not sure if i agree with the residue removal process. detail spray and a clay bar makes the process a lot easier. As well as the product in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE4oeLHHb_U

[AudiC7Owners]

Microfiber towel...

?

Great video dude

Sent from my SM-N950U using Audizine mobile app

Thanks man!

Not sure if i agree with the residue removal process. detail spray and a clay bar makes the process a lot easier. As well as the product in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE4oeLHHb_U

If my car were near brand new and garage kept then yes you could do that. But having been a professional detailer for 4 years with vw/bmw, the eraser wheel is far better and safer to use to remove old adhesive and residue from cars that are older and have been in the sun a lot. It doesn't damage the paint, and it's far less time consuming.

They are also great for removing stickers on cars.

Using a plastic razor blade is a last resort and shouldn't be used on residue that isn't coming off easily. It will absolutely scratch your clear coat.

If you know how to cut and polish then it's no big deal, but the eraser wheel is a lot safer, even though it looks crazy.

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[Shuga]

That first towel didn’t appear to be a microfiber towel.

[AudiC7Owners]

That first towel didn’t appear to be a microfiber towel.

Oh that one wasn't... it was just a random towel for wiping the dust away. The microfiber is needed for when you are cutting/polishing.

[Shuga]

Oh that one wasn't... it was just a random towel for wiping the dust away. The microfiber is needed for when you are cutting/polishing.

I was just making a joke because of the detailers on YouTube say “don’t use anything but microfiber or you’ll create swirls”

[AudiC7Owners]

I was just making a joke because of the detailers on YouTube say “don’t use anything but microfiber or you’ll create swirls”

Technically they are right... but my car is a black car that has never been paint corrected... and I was only using it in spots that I was about to cut/polish anyways. I'm not super anal on things like that.

At least for now. Once I get it paint corrected and ceramic coated that's a different story haha.

[Dirt]

I’ll second using an eraser wheel. Nothing else I tried worked nearly as well (goof off, compound, detailing spray & clay bar, heat, elbow grease, cuss words)

[AudiC7Owners]

I’ll second using an eraser wheel. Nothing else I tried worked nearly as well (goof off, compound, detailing spray & clay bar, heat, elbow grease, cuss words)

So much cussing before the discovery of eraser wheels haha.

[gta7]

Paid a local high end shop to debadge my old A7. They used a squeegee tool and chipped the paint from thee corner of the A in A7. Fishing line only way to go.

[AudiC7Owners]

Paid a local high end shop to debadge my old A7. They used a squeegee tool and chipped the paint from thee corner of the A in A7. Fishing line only way to go.

Ouch

[Shuga]

Technically they are right... but my car is a black car that has never been paint corrected... and I was only using it in spots that I was about to cut/polish anyways. I'm not super anal on things like that.

At least for now. Once I get it paint corrected and ceramic coated that's a different story haha.

Oh I know they’re right. But the YouTubers would filp over even that one second of it lol. I only use microfiber towels, everything gets them even the rims lol.

[QuattroNewb]

Anyone have any experience using Goo Gone? They claim to be "surface safe", but I'm just not sure. I have a big bottle of it under my sink, and it would keep me from having to buy/order/wait for an eraser wheel.

[Dirt]

Anyone have any experience using Goo Gone? They claim to be "surface safe", but I'm just not sure. I have a big bottle of it under my sink, and it would keep me from having to buy/order/wait for an eraser wheel.

Yes, and it’s so safe it’s ineffective. :)

[Shuga]

Yes, and it’s so safe it’s ineffective. :)

To each his own. I mean some people show great results with it...

Try it.

[AudiC7Owners]

Anyone have any experience using Goo Gone? They claim to be "surface safe", but I'm just not sure. I have a big bottle of it under my sink, and it would keep me from having to buy/order/wait for an eraser wheel.

Goo-Gone itself is perfectly safe. the issue is that it usually isn't good enough to remove the adhesive residue by itself without using a plastic razor blade to scrape off the residue. That's where problems happen because the plastic razor blade scars the clear coat. An eraser wheel will not.

[Shuga]

Goo-Gone itself is perfectly safe. the issue is that it usually isn't good enough to remove the adhesive residue by itself without using a plastic razor blade to scrape off the residue. That's where problems happen because the plastic razor blade scars the clear coat. An eraser wheel will not.

It also depends on what he’s taking off. If he’s doing the rings then he probably needs something stronger but if he’s doing the others he’s fine.

[Dirt]

To each his own. I mean some people show great results with it...

Try it.

It’s great stuff in many cases, I agree. But the residue on my trunk laughed at it.