Would your buy a wrapped car?

[mattman]

So would you?

Looking around and found a car i like but has had a full body wrap to change the colour of the vehicle. The seller has an invoice and tells me the car is in great condition underneath by i have no guarentee - it could be primer and putty for all i know

Is there any way you can check other than hope a buyer has photographic evidence of the wrap in progress?

I guess if i keep the wrap on it will never be a problem, but will always be thinking, i wonder.....

[Baryonyx]

No.

[Captain Muppet]

It doesn't hide damage any better than filler and a blow over of new paint.

But it'd still put me off. I'd need it to be significantly cheaper than the same car without a wrap.

[storminnorman]

I'd not be particularly bothered if there was as you say, photos of the car before as well as evidence of it being a professional job etc.
What is the car in question?

[555 Paul]

I wouldn't buy one either. My mate bought a DB9 (green) that's been wrapped in matt black and he's worried about taking the wrap off in case it's been keyed or something and the wrap is hiding it, shame because it'd look much better in green.

[Big Fat Fatty]

Surely if you were trying to sell a car the best thing to do would be take the wrap off first?

The cost of the wrap would be swallowed up by the lower sale price anyway wouldn't it?

[Shaw Tarse]

Gaz. said:

One thing I'd like to know is, do you have to notify the DVLA & insurance company of the colour change as you would with paint?

I think the answer is no, as it's not permanent.
I could be wrong though.

[Herbs]

no

[mi1ne]

I'd imagine most fully signwritten/wrapped vans around the country still have their base colour registered with DVLA.

[MX7]

No. Well, possibly if the price was adjusted.

[StottyZr]

It depends if the buyer had a genuine story for the wrap and seemed like a genuine guy. I'd also take into account the value of the car, how keenly its priced and how much a respray would cost for the worst case scenario.

I'd buy one wrapped, in the hope that everybody else won't so I'd steal a bargain

[Sir Bagalot]

If it were me, and I liked the car, then I would put a deposit on it subject to the wrap being removed and you satisfied with the condition of the paintwork.

If they weren't happy removing the wrap then I would walk

[n1cky]

Gaz. said:

One thing I'd like to know is, do you have to notify the DVLA & insurance company of the colour change as you would with paint?

no, its classed as a temporary change and can be removed. so you dont have to declare it to the dvla. dont quite know about insurance. as you have to declare stickers...

[jonm01]

If the vehicle has been keyed then you will still be able to see the marks under the wrap if you look closely enough. Ask the guy which company did the job and they will probably have some in-progress shots of it too.

[whitecobra]

Have him send a copy of the receipt and ring the company that wrapped the vehicle and see if they'll give you any info on it's condition?

[Mastodon2]

I wouldn't buy one.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Vehicle wraps last around 7 years....but may last longer or shorter depending on many things.
Either way - consider it a temporary thing, it's not a replacement for paint.

As long as the paint underneith was in good condition before the wrap, it'll still be in good condition when the wrap is removed. There will be no stone chips, no scratches, no damaged paint from bird poo, no fading etc. Vinyl will not cover damage.

So unless the car was red and turned pink with age before the wrap - you should be fine

[mikey k]

mattman said:

The seller has an invoice and tells me the car is in great condition underneath by i have no guarentee - it could be primer and putty for all i know

There you go
You only have is word
If it is great why couldn't he provide some form of gauranty
I looked at a Vantage roadster, I turned up early and caught him taking a wrap off with petrol and a hair dryer
There were scratches and glue all over it
Soon walked away

[McWigglebum3rd]

I bought a wrapped car and it was fine for what we wanted it for.

Okay the wrap wasn't in best of tastes

Nor was it the best quality job

But it was a £100 fiesta for production car trials so the fact it had a burberry wrap using different coloured duct tape could be excused

[Backtobasics]

no