Removable bumper political messages

August 9, 2024 8:20 PM

My spouse and I agree about politics. But we don't agree about having bumper stickers. How can we fix it so there's a message on the car when I drive, but not when she does?

I work in and spend a lot of commute highway miles driving through PA. We live (touch wood) in a blue state. I want my hatchback Prius to spend the next three months festooned with swing-state bumper-sticker messaging ("Pro-Union, Pro-Medicare, Harris Walz," that sort of thing) that both reflects my values and might get persuadable eyes as I drive. My spouse, and believe me I get it, really hates the idea of bumper stickers on the car that she also regularly drives.

The hatch and bumper of our 2017 Prius prime are non-metallic, so I can't just slap on a magnet and take it off when I get home. The hatchback slants so that taping a message in the rear windshield has subpar visibility. So far my best idea is to screw or superglue a couple of thin stainless steel plates to the plastic bumper that can then stage magnetic stickers. Is there a better way? Bonus points if you also have recommendations beyond "etsy and easy googling" for custom political stickers, or other ideas about using a compact vehicle on PA freeways to help Democrats.

posted by sy to Travel & Transportation (13 answers total)

Look for cling decals/stickers - you just set them on the window and they stick. Easy to peel off, nothing to it.
posted by tristeza at 8:49 PM on August 9 [2 favorites]

You could buy a blank plate for the front and attach a couple stickers to that. (I bought a cheap black plate off the zon for the purpose of being able to keep a sticker that I wanted to keep for my next car.)
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 9:03 PM on August 9

Are you (heh) stuck on the bumper? You could just attach a sign to the inside of the back window.

Bonus: You can keep your messaging topical.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 9:19 PM on August 9

Best answer: Maybe right something up like how car dealers hang a demo plate. Get a strip of acrylic the length of the width of the bumper. Attach a short length of nylon strap to each end of the strip and attach the other end to the interior of the car (gorilla tape?). When you are driving open the hatch and flip the bumper sticker festooned strip outside. When your spouse is driving open the hatch and flip it inside. Maybe put some stick on rubber feet/dots on the back to minimize scratches.

So far my best idea is to screw or superglue a couple of thin stainless steel plates to the plastic bumper that can then stage magnetic stickers.

Be aware most stainless steel is non magnetic.
posted by Mitheral at 10:27 PM on August 9 [1 favorite]

Bonus points: if your car has a spot to plug in trailer lights you could attach a couple of license plate lights to the strip powered from trailer plug tail light connection to illuminate the bumper stickers at night.
posted by Mitheral at 10:31 PM on August 9

A programmable LED panel might allowed you to scroll custom messages. Mount it from the ceiling or prop it by the window
posted by jander03 at 5:29 AM on August 10

You might be able to glue some magnets to the inside of the bumper if you reach up from underneath. Then with some appropriately sized metal plates to apply the sticker to, it could be made removable. Use the metal to hold the magnets in place while the glue dries.
posted by nickggully at 10:28 AM on August 10 [1 favorite]

If you attach a bumper sticker to Saran Wrap, you can stick that to a car by lightly spraying the car with water.
posted by advicepig at 10:28 AM on August 10

Maybe a metal frame around the license plate and then a thin magnet that puts a message in a strip at the bottom of the license plate?
posted by nouvelle-personne at 3:22 PM on August 10 [1 favorite]

Etsy has a variety of Harris-Walz license-plate frames.
posted by jgirl at 3:41 PM on August 10

Apply bumper sticker to metallic parts. Cover as needed with sheet magnets, the print yourself stuff.
posted by theora55 at 4:19 PM on August 10

This question is still bugging me. Maybe instead of doing some big complicated thing that may or may not work to hide your bumper stickers and that your wife will have to remember and mess with in order to feel safe on the road, you could just.... Find another way to share your message about the candidates or causes you care about, and use the money and time you would have spent on this project on doing something fun with your wife.

I would not feel heard or respected if my spouse did all this. I would feel like my spouse didn't care about my safety or feeling of safety on the road. I would be annoyed every time I drove the car and had to mess with hiding your stickers. Why are you prioritizing imaginary strangers magically changing their minds after seeing your bumper stickers over your actual, real wife and her needs?
posted by twelve cent archie at 5:17 AM on August 12 [1 favorite]

You can buy that flexible magnetic stuff in sheets or rolls, and put your bumper sticker on that. Trim the edges with a scissors and viola, car magnet!

I make vinyl stickers on my Cricut machine and then turn them into magnets with a 15-foot rolls of the stuff that I bought years ago. They happily beat the New England weather for years.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:30 AM on August 12