Wrapping Your Car: Is It Worth It?

Wrapping a car is a great way to dramatically change or improve the look of your car. If you are considering getting your car wrapped, look no further as our guide on wrapping your car is full of information and tips on how to do so, keep reading for more information.

What Car Wrapping Is

Car wrapping is where a vinyl material wrapping film is applied to the paintwork of a vehicle. Various colours and textures of vinyl can be used to alter the appearance of a car. 

Car wrapping reached big prominence when the hit TV show, Yiannimize reached our screens. The famous car wrapper also has a well known YouTube channel and he has wrapped some of the most expensive and beautiful-looking cars in the world.

As you can see in the screenshot above, Yianni and his team recently wrapped a Lamborgini Urus in a holographic vinyl. A wrap can really change the appearance of a car and this car will definitely turn even more heads than it once did before!

Why Do People Get their Cars Wrapped?

People get their cars wrapped because it can dramatically change the appearance of a vehicle. If you have purchased an older car that has imperfections on its paintwork, using a vinyl film to cover it, is a good idea of rejuvenating an exterior of a car. You don’t have to have a sports car or a supercar to have your car wrapped. Literally, any type of car can be wrapped.

How it is Done

• The first step is to remove all trim pieces, lights, bumper and grill if you can.

• The second step is to apply rubbing alcohol to the exterior of the car, as this will help make the car stickier for the wrap. It is important to note that there shouldn’t be any dirt or grit under the wrap as this will cause imperfections in the finished look.
• The third step is to place the vinyl wrap on the car, to make sure it fits the section you are going to wrap.
• The fourth step is always to start at the middle of the wrap. Use a special spatula tool to smooth the vinyl on to the car.
• You can also use a heat gun to mould the vinyl to the car, this is especially helpful for getting the vinyl to stick to the curves and contours of your car.

How Much Does it Cost?

According to Fixter, on average it costs between £1,000 – £5,000, each car wrapping company has their own prices of materials and labour. If you are looking for someone to wrap your car, it is a good idea to shop around as there seems to be quite big differences in prices.

Can I Do it Myself?

Yes, you can do it yourself if you have lots of patience and someone to help you. The process of wrapping a car is relatively straightforward, you just need lots of time and the right equipment. The things you will need to wrap your car are:

• Vinyl wrap
• Rubbing alcohol
• Scissors
• Heat gun
• Specialist spatula
• Sponges and cloths
• Gloves for your hands

The Advantages of Wrapping your Car

It dramatically changes the look of your car– If you are looking to make a big difference to your car, without changing your car, car wrapping is a good and temporary way of changing the appearance of your vehicle.

It protects your paintwork– wrapping your car is a good way to protect your car’s paintwork, as if you have a minor scratch or mark on your vinyl, it shouldn’t seep through to the paintwork.

It can easily be replaced– wrapping a car is never permanent, if you decide you no longer are happy with the vinyl which is on your car, it can be easily removed and replaced with something else.

It can prevent rust– Rust is formed on a vehicle when iron and oxygen react with the moisture in the air. Wrapping a car with vinyl means the panels of your car won’t be in direct contact with the sun or rain droplets, which means that the development of rust won’t occur.

Vinyl is easy to wash– luckily, dirt doesn’t cling to vinyl how it clings to regular paintwork, so if you are looking for your car to have an easy clean, then vinyl is the way forward.

The disadvantages of wrapping your car

It’s easy to get it wrong– If you are wrapping your car yourself, you make errors and mistakes which will make the finish of the wrap, not look as good as it can be. Equally, professionals can also do a bad job, so this is a risk you take when you are about to get your car wrapped.

You might not like the colour or texture– If you are going to choose an outrageous colour or texture of wrap, there is always a chance that you may not be satisfied with the results of the wrap, so it is best to choose a colour and texture which you are sure you will love.

Vinyl can rip or tear- vinyl has been known for tearing and ripping, but this does usually depend on the quality of the vinyl which has been used and also how it has been applied to the vehicle.

Is Wrapping a Car Better than Getting it Sprayed?

Getting a car paint sprayed is a lot more work than getting it wrapped, so it involves more work and labour. Paint spraying a car is actually a more permanent way of changing the colour of car, so it really depends on the reasons why you want to change the exterior colour of your vehicle, but overall, wrapping a car is more cost-effective and it is usually less expensive.

Final Thoughts

We hope you have enjoyed our guide on “wrapping your car: is it worth it?” wrapping a car is actually a very detailed process, but when it is done properly it gives amazing results. If you are wondering whether companies like “WeBuyAnyCar” will purchase wrapped cars, this is something that online car buyers do actually purchase, as a vinyl wrapped car usually enhances the appearance of a car.