Would you like to change your car’s appearance drastically, add personal touches, or transform it into a one-of-a-kind vehicle?
You’ve probably considered a new paint job, but that’s time-consuming, permanent, and not cheap. A high-quality paint job runs from $3,000 to $5,000. If you choose a unique finish, such as matte, metallic, or pearlescent, you can expect to pay much more than that. Once you start adding customization, like multiple colors, lettering, or graphics, you could be looking at $6,000 to $10,000 – or more.
Vinyl wrapping is an alternative to painting, and it’s growing in popularity. What was once primarily reserved for high-dollar and commercial vehicles has grown to a multi-billion dollar industry in recent years.
That’s because wraps allow for infinite color and customization at a reasonable cost. Moreover, the process doesn’t take long. It’s easier to maintain than paint, protects your car, and is reversible. And, when properly cared for, a vinyl wrap can last as long as ten years, though 3 to 5 years is about average.
A wrapped car is covered with a thin sheet of vinyl glued to the exterior surfaces. A fitter will stretch the vinyl around all contours and cut it at its edges and corners. After applying the vinyl, the fitters use a soft squeegee to smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles created during installation. The fitters may use a heat gun to make the vinyl more malleable and help it adhere to the car.
After applying the vinyl, the fitters use a soft squeegee to smooth out air bubbles. Once completed, the car looks freshly painted. However, in some cases, vinyl can have unique characteristics that aren’t found in regular paint, such as a plasticized, carbon-fiber, or high-gloss chrome finish.
Credit: Group4 Studio / GettyA matte car wrap on a mainstream passenger car such as the Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, or Tesla Model 3 should cost you between $2,000 and $4,000, including labor. Approximately one-third of the cost pays for the materials and design, while the rest covers the labor. Larger vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks can cost nearly twice as much because there’s more surface to cover. Luxury and exotic vehicles are significantly more expensive to wrap as well.
The cost varies widely based on the size of the car and the labor’s complexity, not only because of the design choices but also the car itself. Some vehicles are easier to wrap than others, thanks to their simple shape and lack of excessive lines, curves, and trim pieces.
Metallic car wraps and jobs with intricate graphics are more difficult to apply and more expensive. A high-gloss metallic wrap could set you back more than double the cost of a more conventional wrap.
When properly cared for, a vinyl wrap can last ten years, though 3 to 5 years is about average.
Once your vehicle wrap is complete, keeping it in tip-top condition is critical. A car wrap can last an extended period of time if you keep it out of the elements. Direct sunlight can cause the wrap to fade faster than those kept in a garage, and that sunlight can bake it to the car, which makes it difficult and expensive to remove. It’s best to garage your vehicle as often as possible. Invest in a good car cover if you don’t have a garage. You can also get the ceramic-coated wrap to protect the vinyl, but that’s not a cheap solution.
Keeping your car wrap clean is paramount. This is especially true if you live where the roads are salted in the winter. Fortunately, cleaning a wrapped car is much easier than taking care of a paint job. Rather than washing and waxing your vehicle regularly, simply spray it off and wipe it clean with a soft cloth. There are also waterless washing products that are made for cleaning wrapped cars.
Most importantly, don’t ever take your wrapped vehicle through an automated car wash since the brushes may tear and damage the wrap or even remove it from your car.
A vinyl wrap won’t adhere well to a tarnished surface and won’t cover up paint flaws. The material should be installed over paint that’s in good condition. It can often make those blemishes more noticeable when stretched over imperfections or damaged surfaces.
Without proper care, your wrap could be due for removal or replacement in less than a year.
There are vinyl wrapping vendors located throughout the country. Like any other service shop, some are better than others, so you must do your homework first. Check online for shop reviews. Some vendors provide images, videos, and testimonials. These can be helpful, but remember that they’re there to promote the business.
Some installers are trained and certified by companies like 3M and Avery Dennison, but others may come highly recommended and boast years of experience, despite a lack of formal certification. Regardless of an installer’s credentials or certification, you should ask for samples of their work. You may even be able to watch the installers working on a vehicle or see a wrap installation in person.
Remember, these people will work on your car for hours, if not days. (Though most paint jobs take much longer, and you can’t have your vehicle back on the road in under a week in most cases.) The fitters will have to clean and dismantle your car – likely removing the side mirrors, door handles, grille, headlights, taillights, and front and rear bumpers. Sometimes it’s also necessary to take apart or remove the doors and other body panels. In addition, they’ll be working with sharp tools while taking care not to damage or scratch the car. Unfortunately, if anything is scratched or damaged, you might not know until you have the wrap removed, which could be years later.
Automotive-grade vinyl film is available from companies such as Avery or Vivid Vinyls. Products from these companies are available either on their websites or on Amazon. Most average-sized vehicles require about 75 feet of vinyl, which starts at around $500. Other notable vinyl suppliers, such as 3M and Oracal, need you to buy their products from a third-party supplier like Metro Restyling or work with an installation partner.
Sometimes, you can buy your own vinyl and take it to a shop to apply it. This could save you money since you don’t have to pay the installer’s markup. However, make sure you check with the vendor ahead of time. Many vendors insist that you purchase vinyl through their shop.
If you plan to wrap your car yourself, realize it can take days or weeks to complete. You’ll likely have to remove all the parts the fitter would have: side mirrors, door handles, grille, headlights, taillights, front and rear bumpers, and possibly even doors or other body panels.
On the other hand, partial car wraps are popular when people want to customize their car, hide imperfections such as scratches, or display marketing messages.
Here are the top 5 most common DIY car partial car wraps:
When the wrap is removed, your car’s thin or chipping paint may peel away. Similarly, the removal process may be complicated if you don’t take care of the wrap and it’s marred, torn, or baked onto the car from too much direct sunlight. It will take longer and cost more, and your vehicle may be in rough shape once the removal is complete.
Once you’re ready to have your wrap removed, you should take your car back to the original installer. Removal costs are as little as $500, but more complex jobs may cost you around $2,000 or more.
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