CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF PROS AND CONS AND FIND OUT IF CAR WRAPPING IS WHAT YOU NEED

Do you ever get tired of the same old color on your vehicle? Wanting to breathe new life into your automobile is common, and that’s when this question pops into our minds: should I repaint or vinyl wrap my car? One thing is for sure, Wrapping vs painting is a decision that you take after carefully considering the current condition of your vehicle.

If the paint on your car is old, chipped, or if it has visible scratches, you should fix those issues by repainting it even if your mind is set on wrapping your car afterward.

Bumps and scratches or rusty irregular surfaces are going to stick out on a wrapped car like a sore thumb. Nobody likes that, so make sure the car exterior is nice and smooth before you put your favorite color vinyl film on it.

HOW LONG DOES A VINYL WRAP LAST VS. HOW LONG DOES PAINT LAST?

Let’s be honest and admit that the less your vehicle is going to be exposed to harmful exterior factors, the better and longer it will last. If properly taken care of, a wrapped vehicle will last up to 5-7 years.

Of course, there are weather factors that are hard to fight against, like excessive sun exposure if you live in a year-round summer area. The heat from extreme summer temperatures can “bake” in the vinyl, and it may come off along with the factory paint, especially if it’s old.

Extreme sun exposure can damage the paint job as well. First, your color is going to have to suffer. Even if you clean and polish your vehicle regularly, your paint will chip, your car will eventually rust, your color will fade.

Painting jobs will last longer than any wrapping job but there are multiple downfalls to this kind of a permanent commitment that we’ll point out further in this article.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CAR WRAP PROBLEMS?

A well-executed car wrap shouldn’t cause you any problems, but that is the case with a good paint job too. What you need to take into consideration is the maintenance job. Wrapping does not come without a commitment.

Permanent and extreme sun exposure will damage your car’s wrap job, and so will the salt and humidity from the ocean if you’re located near it. If you live in a snowy area, the salt from the ground will damage your car’s wrap job and paint job as well.

Covering your vehicle overnight or parking it in a garage will prolong its life on the outside and the inside as well.

Washing your vinyl wrapped car is not going to be a difficult job, only thing is, you’ll have to actively avoid going to an automatic car wash if they use harsh brushes.

The best way to maintain a wrapped vehicle is by handwashing it with microfiber cloths.

WRAPPING VS. PAINTING

The duration of  wrapping vs. painting is the first thing we’d like to tackle. Unlike vinyl wrapping, painting your car is an almost permanent decision. You can’t just peel off a coat of paint like you can with the vinyl film. The paint will protect your vehicle partially, but it’s also way more susceptible to exterior damage, rust, and chipping than wrap is.

Once you repaint your car, get ready for a decrease in its value, especially if you pick a non-traditional color. With a wrapped car, expect it to go up in value since it preserves the paint from underneath. The color will look like it did the day you decided to wrap your vehicle.

The time it takes to repaint your car is significantly longer than the time it takes to install vinyl film on it. It usually takes up to two weeks to paint a vehicle and approximately 24 hours until it’s completely dried off and ready to go back on the roads. It takes up to five days to install the vinyl wrap on your car, van, or pickup truck.

Uniqueness is another factor to consider. Painting on graphics is a strenuous task, that’s when you choose to cover your vehicle in the custom print film. The versatility of vinyl offers you a distinctive look, especially if you own a business vehicle and need it to stand out from the crowd.

Uniformity across all your vehicles. Painting a car used for business purposes is a good idea until you have to do the same thing for the other four vehicles, and you want them all to look the same. Vinyl car wrapping is the solution you’re looking for if you want a professional-looking fleet.

 HOW MUCH TO PAINT A CAR? VS. HOW MUCH FULL WRAP COSTS?

We realize that money talks and the price of services may become the ultimate tipping point in making a decision.

The cost of a good paint job varies from $3000 to $10.000, whereas a fully wrapped car will cost you up to $5000.

Keep in mind that with some finishes, you will be forced to go with the wrap, like if you want a chrome color, pearl, or a satin finish on your vehicle. For a factory look, painting is the way to go even if it’s going to cost you a pretty penny.

To sum up:

Based on your vehicle’s condition and your desires, you can make an educated decision whether to paint or wrap or do them both in this order. For regular color change or painting job, the prices are almost the same. What we know for sure is, if your car has dents, scratches, chips, or cracks, you’re better off repainting it, then wrap it if you wish so, and if it’s smooth, you can either paint it or wrap it.