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Vehicle Wraps instead of Painting?

Feb 11, 2015 | Fleet Vehicle Graphics, Graphic Wraps, Vehicle Graphics and Wraps

DriversSide

Vehicle Wrap Vinyl vs. Paint

Ever since 3M, Avery, and other leading manufacturers of premium vehicle wrap vinyl started offering many stunning varieties of color-change, and specialty wrap vinyl, inquiring consumers want to know if they should wrap their car vs. painting it.

I’m definitely no expert when it comes to vehicle paint, and I’d say if you have a classic car that you’re restoring or maybe have your eye on a one-of-a-kind custom color for your pride and joy, you would probably are best served by going to a reputable vehicle paint shop to get it professionally done.

However, with the introduction of the newest-technology in vehicle wrap vinyl, there is a great alternative to painting in many cases. Here are 5 reasons why you might wrap your car vs. painting it:

Cost and Resale Value

A good quality paint job on an entire car can range from $2,000 to $10,000+, while a good quality color-change vinyl wrap can range from $2,000 to $3,000+. And unless a potential buyer of your car has the same taste in color as you, being able to easily return to the factory paint color gives a “resale” advantage to wrapping vs. painting.

Protection

Premium vehicle wraps protect your paint by taking the UV light hit. The vinyl film provides a barrier to your vehicle’s paint underneath. Things like sand, insects, and dust have to first go through the vinyl before it hits your paint. Understand that a thin layer of vinyl won’t protect against rocks, deep scratches (like “keying”), and vandalism. Anything that dents or scratches vehicle paint will do the same to vinyl wrap. However, you could always re-wrap the damaged area of the vehicle in the same way you can “spot repair” a paint job

Time to Install

When you choose to paint your vehicle you are probably going to be without it for a couple of weeks. When it comes to vehicle wraps you’ll be waiting only 2-4 days before you have it back.

Maintenance

If you want your paint job to last, you might want to keep it waxed. Not an easy job by any stretch… Vehicle graphics on the other hand are very easy to maintain. The most important thing with a wrap (same with paint), is to keep it clean. Handwashing with mild dish soap or baby shampoo is a great way to keep it clean. Another effective form of caring for your wrap is to use a microfiber rag and diluted isopropyl alcohol to wash away fuel spills, dirt, or smudges.

Safe Removal

Premium wrap vinyl that is taken care of will last many years. The vinyl’s life will be dependent on whether it’s maintained well, garaged, etc. Make sure the vehicle wrap you use is made with removable (not permanent) adhesive. This allows the vinyl to be safely removed between the 5-10 year period without affecting the existing paint underneath.

Stop by, call, email, or fill out our Vehicle Wrap Quote Request and let Connecting Signs advise you on your vehicle wraps decision.

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