Car wraps have become known in recent years. Not only do they give you the option to completely change the appearance of your car, but a wrap can also provide ample, long-term protection to the paint and the surface of your vehicle. These stylish-yet-protective layers can help prevent the chips and blemishes that often occur with daily driving and exposure to the elements.
Wrapping a car consists of covering it with a thin vinyl layer. It was first used as a way for companies to advertise their goods and services. However, over the last decade, it has become popular as a means of personalizing exterior aesthetics.
There are several different types of car wraps, including vinyl, vinyl gloss, chrome, matte, and carbon fiber. Each has its own unique look and price point, allowing you to choose which best fits your style and budget.
Cost Of Wrapping A Car
Most costs incurred from having your car professionally wrapped result from the labor-intensive nature of the process. The following price approximations generally apply to the easiest and most basic wrap applications. For example, a Tesla is surprisingly one of the simplest vehicles to wrap due to its smooth, flat, and simple exterior design. Once you begin including upgrades such as specialty vinyl, custom designs, and wheel wrapping, the price starts to increase.
Here are the average baseline costs of having a professional apply a wrap to your vehicle:
- Compact car or coupe: Prices vary depending on design, but start around $2,000.
- Family sedan: The average family sedan would run you about $3,000.
- Compact crossover: Most compact crossover vehicles start at around $3,500.
- Full-size SUV: A Full-size SUV is likely to start at about $4,000.
- Luxury sports car: Starting at about $5,000, expensive luxury vehicles can reach as high as $10,000+. For example, a Ferrari wrap would cost the owner roughly $7,000, according to experts.
The following is another cost of wrap base on the Percentage
40% Coverage – $500-$1200
60% Coverage – $1,200-$2,200
100% Coverage – $2,200-$3,500
How Long Does It Take To Wrap A Car?
The time it takes to wrap a car depends on vehicle size, curvature, and whether the job is a partial wrap or a full wrap.
If you decide to go with a professional on this endeavor, then they’ll most likely ask you to drop off your vehicle the night before the actual wrapping. That way they can clean and detail the exterior and all the areas that the wrap will stick on. They’ll make sure your vehicle is ready for the highest quality and longest-lasting wrap.
In total, it could take about 2-3 days, including time to allow the adhesive to cure. Please note there are extensive materials in order to aid you in wrapping your vehicle correctly to give you the best out of the wrap you purchase. Depending on the tools you use and the time you have set aside for this project, you can complete the wrap in about 2-3 days. Allow at least 12 hours for the adhesive to cure before taking your ride out for a spin to show off its new look.
How Long Does A Wrap Last?
If done correctly your new car wrap can last up to 5 to 7 years. It all adds up to the quality of the wrap you use, the preparation before wrapping, the installation, and proper care. Sometimes paying the right price for a long-lasting wrap is key. Some things can damage your wrap if you don’t take care of it. Sun damage is the biggest one to be aware of, extreme weather is another one. You should invest in a car cover if you don’t plan to have your car in a garage. Protecting the vinyl will help it last longer. You should also wash your car on a regular basis with the new wrap. Dirt and grease can build up on the wrap and eat away at the protective coat and color, decreasing its life.
Car Wrap Price Factors
When determining the car wrap cost there are a few factors to consider. Car wrap prices differ, in light of the size of your vehicle, the intricacy of the wrap, and how much work is required. To apply the wrap material which it is typically 3m vinyl wrap a professional will need to remove your bumper and cover details of your car so as to not damage them. This is a part of the labour costs.
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Car Size
Depending on the size of your vehicle and the preparation time the car wrap prices may vary. In terms of size, vinyl car wrapping can begin as low as $1000 for a little two-door vehicle. Whereas a bigger car and littler SUVs, trucks, and vans start at around $3500.
Carbon Fiber
This is the most common material used in car wrapping and goes for $3–$7 per square foot. The textured look adds a unique look to the car and is best used for the hood.
Vinyl Matte
This material can typically cost between $2.00 and $3.50 per square foot. A less popular choice, the flat look does not reflect sunlight.
Matte Black
Matte black is one of the more popular choices and can cost upwards of $2000.00 for a standard-sized sedan.
Vinyl Gloss
This glossy choice is best to reflect the sun and give real shine to the vehicle. Vinyl gloss typically costs between $1.50 and $3.50 per square foot.
Chrome
The price of chrome wrapping will depend on the quality of the wrap. Typically it is around $8.00 per square foot making it the most expensive option for car wrapping.
With wrapping, you are able to customize your design. The more intricate wraps (designs/custom looks) can go as high as $10,000 or more, contingent upon the labour, the materials, and again the size of the vehicle. Wrapping inside the doors or door jambs, for example, can take an extra two days or more, which includes a considerable amount of time and, along these lines, cost.
Why Would I Wrap My Car?
Before knowing how much it costs to wrap a car, you might be thinking – why?
Well, there are a couple of reasons.
Freedom of design – when it comes to cars, paint jobs are costly. Wrapping your car, though, has a substantially lower cost implication – at least initially? Whether you’re after a hot pink color, army camouflage designs, or fake carbon fiber, there’s a vinyl wrap style out there for you.
Business advertisement – let’s say you run a small business, such as window cleaning. It might be worthwhile to plaster your logo and contact information all over your vehicle. That way, anyone looking at your car can get in touch with you. It might save you on future business advertisement costs too.
Wrapping a car isn’t for everyone. Although there is significantly less cost involved than repainting it, it’s still a hefty chunk. Click here to jump down to the section where we ask the question, “is it better to wrap a car than to paint it ?
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Should I Wrap My Car or Paint?
This is one of those questions where the entirety of the internet has an opinion. Oh, everyone’s opinion is always the right one.
Our answer to this question is what we say to many persons – It depends on you.
Painting your car is costly, in fact, very costly. In most cases, it will be at least twice the price of wrapping a car. You should always expect to pay at least a few thousand dollars for a full spray. Some cars can approach and even go over $10,000! However, painted surfaces on cars can also be buffed out to be extremely smooth whereas, with wrapped surfaces, you’re stuck with what you have.
The main advantage of paint is longevity. When a car is produced and leaves the factory, that paint is expected to last for the car’s usable life. Sure, scratches and dings are inevitable, but the paint layers themselves should last for hundreds of thousands of miles.
So, for the average person, getting a car repainted or wrapped is probably something they never even consider. However, for the car enthusiast, it’s another story. For somebody who cares about how their car appears, it might be necessary to change appearance consistently.
In that case, wrapping a car rather than repainting it is undoubtedly the less costly option, and by some margin. The more often you plan on changing your vehicle’s appearance, the more you will technically save. (Equally, you will also spend an awful lot of money)
Can I Easily Removable Wrap and The Cost?
Removal is not an option with a paint job. However, if you ever change your mind with a car wrap, you can have a shop restore it back to its original condition in a matter of hours. The cost expects to spend between $500-$600.
