- The Tesla Cybertruck's stainless steel body is proving to be quite unfriendly to owners who want to stick vinyl to it.
- One owner found out that the vinyl lettering used to promote his business left a long-lasting imprint on the bodywork.
The Tesla Cybertruck has been on the market for a year. It’s still one of the most controversial vehicles in the world, but now that there are hardly any secrets behind it, the “wow” factor is slowly going away.
Cybertruck drivers still get a lot of attention on the street, though–as our own Mack Hogan found out during his early review of the angular electric pickup–which is why some owners choose to use the EV as a mobile billboard.
Famous tech YouTuber JerryRigEverything has a Cybertruck that’s used as a mobile advertisement platform for his wheelchair-making business, but he’s not alone. Take Aaron Cash, for instance.
He runs the website ABetterTheater.com, a “streamlined gateway for enhancing your in-car infotainment experience.” While I’m not exactly sure what that means, I know he also has a Tesla Cybertruck which was used as a mobile billboard to promote said website.
According to Cash’s X account, he had his business name put on his electric pickup for eight months–simple vinyl lettering on the front and rear of the EV. Yesterday, he decided to take down the lettering to try a cleaner design for his advertisement, but after removing the vinyl, the letters were still imprinted on the stainless steel body.
“Lettering was applied right after delivery 8 months ago,” Cash wrote on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum. “Removed yesterday and detailed with Windex and microfiber. Not surprising the stainless is now etched.”
He tried several different cleaning products and methods to remove the ghosting, but after many scrubbing sessions, it was still there. His latest update is from yesterday when he said he would try Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser and a Scotch Brite Zero Scratch sponge, but the results are yet to be published. Previously, he said he used Windex with microfiber towels, as well as Goo Gone.
Some commenters recommended a rotary buffing tool with a red or yellow pad and Bar Keepers cream, followed by Windex. That seems like a pretty convoluted solution to a problem that shouldn’t have existed in the first place.
According to other Cybertruck owners who experienced the same results after removing vinyl wraps, the imprint left behind is actually oxidation. Exposure to UV radiation and other factors can cause the chemicals in the vinyl to break down, leading to adhesive residue, etching and even corrosion. The solution? Using high-quality vinyl and monitoring its condition over time so that it can be removed before it goes bad. Another better alternative is to go for paint protection film or PPF, which can allegedly slow down the oxidation process.
