What They Are
Full-vehicle vinyl wraps can be a great way to express yourself, get a temporary new look, or get that unique color that Elon wouldn’t sell you.
How They Work
Vinyl material has to be applied on absolutely every visible surface of your vehicle. Installers have to tuck material around edges and fully wrap items like mirrors, door handles, and shark-fin antennas. This means your shop will have to disassemble many of these parts to get enough access to hide the original color of your vehicle.
If your car or truck is dark, that is more forgiving – bright yellow or red paint is much more obvious at edges than something darker
Is a Color-Change Wrap Right for Me?
Maybe, maybe not.
- What are your goals? Is there some other color you simply have to have?
- Are you okay with increased maintenance requirements to keep your wrap in top shape?
- Can you forego automatic car washes and wash by hand — or have us wash your car once a month?
- What is the condition of your car’s finish? If it has scratches, paint flaws (even minute ones), or rust – these can actually be amplified by films, especially gloss ones.
- Are you comfortable with a look that is going to last three years or less – or even shorter if you’re parking outside in harsh Houston summers?
What They're Not
- Vinyl wraps are not protective, they give little-to-no aid to your vehicle’s finish from rocks, scrapes, or other debris. If that’s what you are seeking, you’ll need to look to paint-protection film (PPF) or color PPF
- Vinyl wraps aren’t a substitute for refinishing and painting your vehicle. They’re temporary. They are going to wear out. And as noted above, they’re not going to hide surface imperfections – they might even make them more obvious.
- Vinyl wraps are not “cheap”. The materials may be relatively inexpensive ($1,000 or less for most cars), but they are labor intensive, taking 25-40 hours on average. Multiply that out by competitive labor rates for expert installers, and you quickly get into a few thousand dollars. And that’s on top of part removal and reinstallation, plus any necessary surface prep
How Long Do They Last?
3M warranties “horizontal installations” – like hoods, roofs, and trunks – for just two years in North America. Given our harsh summer sun in Houston, some customers can see wear and fading in as little as a year.
Can you extend the life of your wrap? Absolutely. You can ceramic coat it to reduce UV damage. You can also professionally maintain it with one of our aftercare packages to help preserve its finish and enhance longevity.
Available Colors
3M
Avery Dennison
