Before we jump in, let us get to know what car wrapping is. Simply put, car wrapping is a method through which you can change your vehicle’s outlook without the need for a potentially expensive and complicated new paint job.
PROS AND CONS OF WRAPPING A CAR
A car wrap is generally a large decal or vinyl graphic that you can apply to all or some of your car’s surfaces. But why would you do that, you may ask. Car wraps are widely popular among car owners because of their ability to quickly change your vehicle’s whole outlook.
It has many other names, such as color change wrap, paint wrap, or paint protection film.
How Does Car Wrapping Work?
Car wrapping generally comprises three phases. They are as follows.
Design Phase
This phase includes taking accurate measurements of the car. And then, you will have to choose the finishes, colors, and the design of the graphics that you want to apply.
Production Phase
In this phase, you will have to print and laminate the vinyl. That way, there will be a layer of protection against UV rays and abrasions. Otherwise, these factors will cause the condition of the graphics to deteriorate and fade over time.
Installation Phase
It is the final phase. In this phase, you will have to apply or install the vinyl wherever you want to.
A Short Overview
In the case that you do not have much time but are still interested in the topic, here is a short overview of car wrap pros and cons. And we thank you for sticking around with us for so long. Here is a concise car wrap review.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Wrapping your car shows that it has a personal touch and is an expression of your personality. | The quality of your car wrap depends on your willingness to spend. As a rule of thumb, the cheaper the wrap is, the lower the quality. |
| Car wrapping protects your paint job from outside harm, such as small chips, dings, and scratches. | As the wrap begins to collect time under its belt and suffers from external damage, the color underneath seeps through and starts losing its overall finish. |
| It is a very cost-effective way to give your vehicle a brand new look. | Cheap materials or services may make the wrap look thin, cheap, bubbled, and ragged at the edges. |
| When the vinyl starts to wear out and starts looking worn, it is relatively easy to replace it. | If inappropriately fitted, the vinyl may have water trapped underneath. This trapped water can lead to rust and damage the paint underneath. |
| You can use it to cover the small damages to the paint and give your vehicle a fresh, new look. However, if the damage to the bodywork is too prevalent, wrapping is not recommended. | If you pick colors that clash, it diminishes the outlook of your car rather than enhancing it. |
| You can earn money with car wraps. Some companies pay people to use their car wraps as a means of advertising. Do note that this option is not available to everyone. | If you are not up for taking care of your wrap regularly, then car wrapping is not for you. |
Now that you have had a short overview of the vinyl car wrap pros and cons let us get into the detailed discussion on the car wrapping pros and cons.
Benefits of Wrapping A Car
Customization
This is one of the most prominent, most apparent, and most significant advantages of wrapping your car. With the help of car wraps, you can create designs to your tastes and makeup one-of-a-kind finishes. You can experiment with different designs and patterns to get a unique look.
One of the many options available to you is underlays. These underlays will create the appearance of embossed text or logo in the finish. Basically, you can use the chassis of your car as a canvas. There is no limit to your options aside from your imagination.
Cost
As a car owner, you may want to change your automotive’s appearance from time to time. But adding a new paint job is worth a lot of money. That is where car wraps come in.
While car wraps are not exactly cheap but compared to a new paint job, a full vehicle wrap will have a lot less significant impact on your wallet.
Paint Preservation
Vinyl wrap is a cover over your vehicle’s original paintwork. That way, it offers a layer of protection. After you have finished wrapping it, the wrap will protect your car’s original paint from small scratches and abrasions.
Moreover, as the car wrap is covering the body of your car, the paint is not directly exposed to sunlight. So, the wrap is protecting the paint job from UV rays.
Durability
Another question that may pop into your mind is how durable is a vinyl wrap on a car. A premium vinyl wrap can last for five to seven years, and you are set for that period.
Preferable to Repainting
Applying a new paint job to your car is a big job. There is a lot of preparation work. After that, you will have to apply layers of primer, leave it to dry. You would have to put in a lot of work and stay off the road for several weeks.
On the other hand, wrapping a car is a much quicker job. There is not much prep work. And the prep work, such as taking the measurements and fixing a design, and laminating, does not take much time. You also do not have to stay off the road for a long time. You simply have to wait until the wrap has set and you are good to go. It does not take a car wrap more than two to three days to fix.
So, in a debate on the topic of wrap vs. paint, pros and cons, we can see a clear winner here.
Increases Resale Value
In the used car market, most buyers prefer the car’s original paintwork. So, if you have half a mind to sell your vehicle in the future, it is better to wrap the entire car. That way, the wrap will protect the original paint job of your automotive.
When you are finally going to sell the car, you can simply remove the wrap and bring out the preserved original paint job. That way, the car wrap will maintain the resale value if only it does not increase it.
Easily Removable
You may get bored after some time with the current look of your automotive. With car wraps, you can easily change it. The removal process of car wraps is a straightforward one. And it leaves behind no residue, so the original look remains intact.
Drawbacks of Wrapping A Car
Let’s not think everything about wrapping is cool. There’re some major facts that you need to count.
You Get What You Pay For
If you think that you do not need to invest a healthy amount in car wrappings because they are all created equal, you would be wrong. That is because, when it comes to car wrappings, you get what you pay for.
Some high-quality vinyl wraps for cars offer adequate protection and durability to your automotive. Not to mention how they enhance the appearance of your vehicle. While some cheaper brands may look the same, but do not think that they offer the same services. These cheaper products will fade in time and will not offer the same degree of protection as their more expensive cousins.
Worst of all, if you have used cheap car wraps, they may even end up damaging your car’s paint upon removal.
Needs Regular Maintenance
The car wraps need regular maintenance as they collect dust. And if you are not willing to take care of your car daily, it does not matter if you have used premium vinyl. They will not last for a long time.
Requires Perfect Setting
The first and foremost condition of using car wraps is to buy premium wraps and get professional help to install them. But if you get the wrap installed by someone who does not know what he or she is doing, you are in for a world of disappointment. Even though the vinyl car wraps nowadays contain many features to make the installation process super easy, it still needs a good amount of knowledge to install it to get what they are looking for.
The Legalities
If you are looking to change your car’s entire outlook using car wraps, you will need to inform the insurance company and the DVLA. It is a long winding process that is not worth the hassle if you are only looking to change your car’s appearance for a short period.
Does Not Work on Damaged Cars
Vinyl wrappings are a perfect choice if you have a car with no prior dents or imperfections. However, if you are only applying wrapping sheets to your automotive to hide those imperfections, that will not work.
Vinyl wraps are unable to hide any dents or paint imperfections. Moreover, if your vehicle has significant defects, the damage may get worse upon removal.
Final Words
Car wraps are a great way to liven up the appearance of your car. After going through the pros and cons of wrapping a car, you can see that most of the cons can be taken care of with little effort. While wrapping a car has pros and cons, the pros outweigh the con. So, if you are willing to put in the effort, car wrappings are the right choice for you.
