California drivers: Show us pictures of your CAV stickers!

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studio460

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Messages
281
Location
Los Angeles, CA
I saw a funny Nissan Leaf thread about "creative" CAV (Clean Air Vehicle) sticker placement. I plan to place mine very carefully, using a level and a transparent ruler. I would love to see some photos of anyone's HOV sticker application (even if it's a photo of someone else's FFE). Thanks!

Apologies if this Nissan link has been posted before, but these are pretty funny: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5219
 
Never saw that Leaf link before, thanks!

It seems that over half of the stickers out there are "creatively placed", so I wrote this up to hopefully help folks out:

http://ev-vin.blogspot.com/2014/07/eyeballing-it.html

My first attempt to sticker a plug-in came out straight, thanks to WattsUp's advice:

FFELeft.jpg
FFERear.jpg
 
v_traveller said:
http://ev-vin.blogspot.com/2014/07/eyeballing-it.html

My first attempt to sticker a plug-in came out straight, thanks to WattsUp's advice
Great write-up, v_traveller! And thanks for the kind reference.

I'm still happy with my FFE sticker placement. Just to note, I don't really see too many "badly" done sticker jobs on FFEs, say, as I do Leafs or Volts. But, probably just because they (FFEs) are fewer in number.
 
v_traveller said:
It seems that over half of the stickers out there are "creatively placed", so I wrote this up to hopefully help folks out:
Excellent write-up, v_traveller! Thanks! Your blue tape actually gave me a new graphic idea (whether I actually proceed is another story). Oh well, thanks to Watts' posts, I know I still have many weeks to think about it. Now, I have to wait for the plates (standard-issue California plates). I remember ordering my special plates (press plates), and those took forever (8 weeks?).
 
Here's the graphic idea:

I may apply the CAV stickers on top of another sticker. The idea I got from seeing v's photos is to create a blue gradient in Photoshop, then print it onto clear adhesive-backed acetate or some other plastic (I'll check with a signage or tint shop to see what they recommend--maybe that clear film people use for bras). This will give the CAV sticker a "badge" look. Of course, it may end up looking totally lame, too.

Unfortunately, my car is Oxford White, which is really optically white (I'm really picky about this stuff), so the CAV sticker's off-white background won't blend in as well as on Watts' FFE. I was even thinking of over-laying a color-correction gel (e.g., Lee 1/8th CTB) over the top of the sticker to subtract the warm pigment out of the sticker (it would then appear "white"). I read that they self-destruct to discourage tampering, so I know I'll only have one shot at the overlay application.

Another option is to heat-laminate the correction gel on top, sandwiching the CAV sticker between the adhesive backed under-layer.
 
WattsUp said:
Just to note, I don't really see too many "badly" done sticker jobs on FFEs, say, as I do Leafs or Volts. But, probably just because they (FFEs) are fewer in number.
Perhaps it's because FFE owners are more sensitive to the cars' aesthetics (since it's such a pretty car, and the Leaf is, um . . . )
 
Down here the San Diego county Ford dealers put those stickers on the FFEs while they are still on the lot before they are sold. They pay the $8 fee for you and buy a bunch of the stickers for all their supply of hybrids & electric cars in batches ahead of time and apply them. All they have you do is sign a form for transferring ownership of the decals to you instead of the dealer.

20141004_180735.jpg
 
Yesterday, I received a letter from the DMV denying my CAV application because the decals assigned to my VIN had already been issued to the dealer six weeks ago! It's been almost two months since I bought the car, and now this? After checking my mailbox day after day . . . imagine my disappointment (though, describing my reaction as "disappointment" is a huge understatement)! Well, after a rather pleasant series of inquires at two dealerships, the CAV stickers are now in my hot little hands.

Since my car was a dealer-trade, they were first mailed from the trading dealer to the selling dealer's corporate office. Then the corporate office mailed it to the selling dealer. Then, they just sat on someone's desk for a couple weeks. But, I really should count my blessings. They weren't lost, stolen, or given to another customer (another application, and another four-week wait). They were supposed to be applied to the car already by the original dealer (that's their standard sales procedure for hybrids and electrics--they pre-order the decals using the VIN only somehow, and apply them to the vehicles prior to sale), but for some reason weren't. Certainly glad of that!

Now that I have them (I've been driving illegally in HOV lanes for weeks now, and almost everyday on the 110 freeway since I picked up my FasTrak transponder), I was wondering if anyone has considered mounting them on their window glass instead of on the body? I just taped one to the rear-passenger, fixed-window just to try it out. I was thinking of placing the small decal on the lower-right area of the rear-hatch glass (right-justified to the "electric" badge). I know the DMV instructs drivers to place them on the rear bumper and "behind the rear wheel well," but my decal package contained no such instructions.

CAV-1.png


[ . . . some time passes.] Yeah, I think I'd like a glass-only application. I can always tell the CHP that I plan on painting the car, so I couldn't mount them on the body (half-true). During my illegal HOV usage, I've had two CHP officers pass me by--one cruiser, one motorcycle--neither one batted an eye, but boy was I nervous. At least I'm mostly legal now. Finally, I'll have (almost) nothing to fear when I see CHP officers while driving in the HOV lanes now. Tomorrow, I ride the HOV lane with gusto!
 
studio460 said:
Yesterday, I received a letter from the DMV denying my CAV application because the decals assigned to my VIN had already been issued to the dealer six weeks ago! It's been almost two months since I bought the car, and now this? After checking my mailbox day after day . . . imagine my disappointment (though, describing my reaction as "disappointment" is a huge understatement)! Well, after a rather pleasant series of inquires at two dealerships, the CAV stickers are now in my hot little hands.

Since my car was a dealer-trade, they were first mailed from the trading dealer to the selling dealer's corporate office. Then the corporate office mailed it to the selling dealer. Then, they just sat on someone's desk for a couple weeks. But, I really should count my blessings. They weren't lost, stolen, or given to another customer (another application, and another four-week wait). They were supposed to be applied to the car already by the original dealer (that's their standard sales procedure for hybrids and electrics--they pre-order the decals using the VIN only somehow, and apply them to the vehicles prior to sale), but for some reason weren't. Certainly glad of that!

Now that I have them (I've been driving illegally in HOV lanes for weeks now, and almost everyday on the 110 freeway since I picked up my FasTrak transponder), I was wondering if anyone has considered mounting them on their window glass instead of on the body? I just taped one to the rear-passenger, fixed-window just to try it out. I was thinking of placing the small decal on the lower-right area of the rear-hatch glass (right-justified to the "electric" badge). I know the DMV instructs drivers to place them on the rear bumper and "behind the rear wheel well," but my decal package contained no such instructions.

[ . . . some time passes.] Yeah, I think I'd like a glass-only application. I can always tell the CHP that I plan on painting the car, so I couldn't mount them on the body (half-true). During my illegal HOV usage, I've had two CHP officers pass me by--one cruiser, one motorcycle--neither one batted an eye, but boy was I nervous. At least I'm mostly legal now. Finally, I'll have (almost) nothing to fear when I see CHP officers while driving in the HOV lanes now. Tomorrow, I ride the HOV lane with gusto!
I've always disliked the look of bumper stickers. I'd go with the glass application. Since our FFE came used from New York, it had the New York version of the CA white stickers on it. When we were rear-ended and the bumper was replaced I asked the body shop to remove all the stickers. When I came to pick the car up they commented about what a pain it was to remove them since the stickers wouldn't peel off in one piece but instead flaked off in little pieces.
 
hybridbear said:
When we were rear-ended and the bumper was replaced I asked the body shop to remove all the stickers. When I came to pick the car up they commented about what a pain it was to remove them since the stickers wouldn't peel off in one piece but instead flaked off in little pieces.
You wanted them removed simply to ensure they were destroyed?

I wonder why the body shop didn't just do something easy then, like grind them off, instead of pick them off by hand.
 
WattsUp said:
I wonder why the body shop didn't just do something easy then, like grind them off, instead of pick them off by hand.
Or use a heat gun. I haven't met a sticker yet that could withstand some heat (even just a hair dryer).
 
WattsUp said:
hybridbear said:
When we were rear-ended and the bumper was replaced I asked the body shop to remove all the stickers. When I came to pick the car up they commented about what a pain it was to remove them since the stickers wouldn't peel off in one piece but instead flaked off in little pieces.
You wanted them removed simply to ensure they were destroyed?

I wonder why the body shop didn't just do something easy then, like grind them off, instead of pick them off by hand.
The rear bumper had to be replaced. The new rear bumper had no stickers. We asked them to remove the stickers from the front bumper. We have no use for them in MN and didn't want the car looking goofy with only stickers on the front bumper and none on the rear bumper. They couldn't grind them off the front bumper without damaging the paint.

jmueller065 said:
WattsUp said:
I wonder why the body shop didn't just do something easy then, like grind them off, instead of pick them off by hand.
Or use a heat gun. I haven't met a sticker yet that could withstand some heat (even just a hair dryer).
They did use heat. The stickers still disintegrated when they tried to remove them. Somewhere I read that the Cali stickers are designed that way to prevent misuse.
 
I've always thought they were obnoxiously ugly. And furthermore you are stuck with them forever even after they are invalid. ( like the old gold hybrid stickers)

Why not issue distinctive license plates like the handicapped ones?!

Oh... And why not make the Phev stickers yearly renewable subject to showing the driver is actually plugging in a reasonable amount of the time. I bet very few plug in Prius cars ever get plugged in...except at the shopping mall.

My volt reports total miles and electric miles... 9400 and 6400 respectively..so I can prove its legitimately used as a Phev. I'm 68% electric which is below average for the volt fleet because I use it only when the FFE won't do the job.

The green Phev stickers are in limited supply. They should be allocated only to people actually Phev-ing.
 
michael said:
I've always thought they were obnoxiously ugly. And furthermore you are stuck with them forever even after they are invalid.
No, they are fairly easy to remove with a heat gun.

But, you are right, license plates would probably be a better approach.
 
WattsUp said:
But, you are right, license plates would probably be a better approach.
yes indeed - a special license plate or plate sticker would be much better, I hate the ugly big bumper stickers and that there are so many of them!
If the dealer hadn't already installed them on my FFE's rear bumper, I probably wouldn't have had put them on at all since I rarely can take advantage of the one HOV lane in my area since it doesn't bypass much even at rush hour, only about a couple miles and then it ends and the slow freeway traffic still goes on for more miles anyway that can't be bypassed. I easily would have traded a clean looking rear bumper for that tiny savings if I happen to drive in that area during a rush hour...
 
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