[LiteraryLark]

I have recently bought a new, grey Nissan Versa, and I am torn between putting bumper stickers on it or keep it the way it is. I had a few uplifting bumper stickers on my old SUV, but it was an old car and I thought why not, it won't last forever, might as well make it pretty.

I did buy a very cute bumper sticker that has my hometown and a whale on it, but I'm concerned it's too nice of a car to deface with bumper stickers even though I love looking at other people's bumper stickers and to me it's fun to personalize cars with a sticker that makes me smile. But you just don't see too many new cars with bumper stickers on it...so I'm not sure.

What do you think, what's your golden rule when it comes to bumper stickers on cars?

I have in the past ... Nothing right now, but I want to have a couple made.

One will be political and state ... NOBODY FOR NOTHIN'.

The other one will be for all the reckless drivers out there that probably can't read anyhow or simply won't get it or care anyway ... It will state ...
YOUR HURRY SHOULDN'T BE EVERYBODY ELSES WORRY.

Oh, and maybe one for Christmas that states ... BE NICE, SANTA'S COMING.

PS ... If you're concerned about the bumper stickers messing up your chrome or paint, put them on the back windows ... That way if you decide to remove them, you can clean the glass and there will be no lasting damage.

[SorryShaped]

"a natural, zesty, enterprise. Maude Lebowski" from Lebowski fest
Several small record labels. ie bloodshot. Nettwerk.
Couple of music shops. ie Corner Music in Nashville
"#iamkratom"
Pops resale shop in Lexington KY
Some political ones when I truly believed in the candidate and knew them personally.

[Skeezyks]

I recall, several years ago, hearing about a study that was done regarding people who put bumper stickers & other similar decorations on the outside of their cars. What the researchers concluded was that people who do this type of thing tend to consider the outside of their vehicle to be personal space, more-so than do people who do not. And thus people who do tend to be more prone to road rage. I have no idea if that's true. But that's what was reported.

[possum220]

No bumper stickers here. Decades ago it used to be quite the trend to put many stickers on the back of car windows and bumpers to the point where all the stickers covered the rear window. Now there seems to be much more restraint. Most cars have no stickers but if they do there might be one large sticker or they might have a collections of humans and pets that depict who their family is made up of.

There are also stickers/decals that people put on the walls inside their houses. Trees or birdcages etc. As a renter I am worried that these stickers/decals will somehow damage the wall which would not be a good thing. So now I have a decal of a cat on a glass covered coffee table.

[Mountaindewed]

My mom used to have some honor roll stickers that my Brother and Sister got in Highschool. But she sold that car years ago. We don’t have any on our current car. I like the ones that stick on the windows since they peel off so easily.

[downandlonely]

I have ones that I got for free from my college.

[Medusax]

If I had a car, yes I would have them.

[Guiness187055]

No bumper stickers here I was never a fan of them. Now my wife on the other hand she loves them.

[WishfulThinker66]

Yes I do. I also have a vanity plate for my favourite team. I have a sticker for the team and am looking for one of a specifically green dragonfly.

I am not a fan of many of them however. It sickens me to see vulgar and hateful slogans on cars especially those that are racist, religiously intolerant, anti-women, and homophobic in nature. This is hate mongering which is actually illegal. I just don't know how the manufacturers get away with making them in the first place.

[WishfulThinker66]

Originally Posted by Pfrog

.......PS ... If you're concerned about the bumper stickers messing up your chrome or paint, put them on the back windows ... That way if you decide to remove them, you can clean the glass and there will be no lasting damage.

'Goo gone' is an excellent product that takes off sticky residue from glass. Another option is to apply some dish detergent on the surface beneath the sticker. The sticker will remain affixed yet will peel off cleanly.

[lizardlady]

I don't have any stickers on my bumper but have two window decals and a couple of large magnets.

The window stickers say "Silly boys, trucks are for girls." and "Born to ride, forced to work."

Also, I love being behind cars that are covered in all sorts of bumper stickers.

It gives me something to read while stuck in traffic.

The best one I ever saw said:

I don't smoke but I warn you I chew ...
Don't blow your smoke on me & I won't spit on you!

[SlumberKitty]

No bumper stickers but I do have a license plate frame of my university that the alumni association handed out for free.

[Raindropvampire]

No bumper stickers but a couple of Happy Bunny window clings. I've known too many people that damaged the paint on their cars with stickers.

[luvyrself]

At some point you are going to have to get a different car. You will lose a lot in resale value or have a mess taking them off.
I see from your photo change that you really need to express yrself right now. And the goth look sure projects some anger. Or a don’t mess w me vibe. Maybe you can tell us if you want us to understand something from that. I know you have had conflicts w yr parents. You are surely on a great path pursuing a wonderful career goal. I do envy you that you have found that much direction when nothing seems to fit me after a lifetime of working and accumulating degrees.
Your stressful search for the absolutely perfect Xmas gifts when your choices were so lovely shows a high level of perfectionism which many of us share.
I find a lot of relief in serious aerobic exercise. It limits a lot of my more difficult tendencies.

[lizardlady]

Lark, have you decided whether or not to put the sticker on your new car? How about a compromise of taping it in your rear window?

[ArtleyWilkins]

Not a fan on my own cars. They cost too much money to deface them in my book. But I enjoy reading other people's bumper stickers. They are my driving reading material.

We did put a window decal on our van for our son's high school band. It was one of those easily removable vinyl decals.

I don’t do Bumper stickers because they are very hard to get off and it makes your car lose some value for when it’s time to trade it in for something newer.

[LiteraryLark]

I simply am not the person who upgrades cars like you would every two years with your smartphone. My SUV was an 03 and I would have held onto it until all the wheels and engine fell out, but my parents wanted to trade it in to reassure them that I had a safer, more reliable car in the Oregonian weather. My parents had maybe driven 4 cars each from when they first got their driver's licenses till today, and they raised my brother and me to take good care of our cars and make them last.

So I can see that when I "trade-in" my 2017 Nissan, it'll probably be 2035 and sold for parts. I do not expect any of my cars to be sold to another person for actual driving use.

So I think I will give my car bumper stickers to give it personality. I just worry which stickers are worthy to put on my car...once it's on there...I ain't taking it off!

[LiteraryLark]

Originally Posted by luvyrself

At some point you are going to have to get a different car. You will lose a lot in resale value or have a mess taking them off.
I see from your photo change that you really need to express yrself right now. And the goth look sure projects some anger. Or a don’t mess w me vibe. Maybe you can tell us if you want us to understand something from that. I know you have had conflicts w yr parents. You are surely on a great path pursuing a wonderful career goal. I do envy you that you have found that much direction when nothing seems to fit me after a lifetime of working and accumulating degrees.
Your stressful search for the absolutely perfect Xmas gifts when your choices were so lovely shows a high level of perfectionism which many of us share.
I find a lot of relief in serious aerobic exercise. It limits a lot of my more difficult tendencies.

My outward projection is vastly differential than to my inward thoughts. There's no real sadness, though. On the outside, I am exuberantly joyful, but in the car or when I'm alone I blast Evanescence, Volbeat, and Disturbed. The only stress is school, but I absolutely love the challenge. Not to toot my own horn but to totally toot my own horn I'm my English teacher's favorite student, she's always so excited to see what I have to write. I view the world differently with each Psychology chapter, and so far I'm at a 98% in Math and last class I got 100% on all the new problems. I chose the vampire chick because well, one, I really hate my appearance and I get tired of seeing my ugly face on Facebook, and two, I just want to embrace the dark side of me, the darkness inside can be quite beautiful and serene and very calming, and three, I've always loved vampires. So luv, it's all good. I'm just tired of faking the overly happy all the time and I enjoy embracing my inner goth.

[sarahsweets]

I use magnets that look like bumper stickers. Mine are "coexist" and "tolerance" which can sometimes be ironic if I accidentally cut someone off.

[LiteraryLark]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

I use magnets that look like bumper stickers. Mine are "coexist" and "tolerance" which can sometimes be ironic if I accidentally cut someone off.

On my SUV I had a magnet that said "Crazy Cat Lady" which I found humorous but my mom found distasteful, but one day it fell off while going through a car wash and I decided against the magnets.

I have a couple ideas of where I want to put my whale sticker.

Since my car is a Nissan Versa, I think it'd be hilarious to get one small sticker that says "Vice" and put it above the "Versa" so that my car is a "Nissan Vice Versa". It's so stupid but it makes me chuckle at the thought.

I don't like sarcastic, mean, religious, or overly political bumper stickers. I prefer more kind, thoughtful bumper stickers. A close friend gave me a bumper sticker that read, "Commit random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" and one driver was so moved by it, he pulled over when I parked and got out of the car to tell me "Hey, I loved your bumper sticker so much I wanted to pay it forward by letting you know you had a taillight out because I didn't want you to get a ticket over it." That became my favorite bumper sticker theme, a thoughtful message to be kind to others and to pay it forward.

[Velvet Lounger]

I dislike car stickers - for myself. I think they would devalue cars, and on mine especially would look downright silly. I adore my car. It looks fabulous, understated and powerful with great presence on the road. Stickers would therefore be unthinkable!

[metalchick]

I have a few...I drive a really common car, so it helps to differentiate.