Vinyl wrapping? Any experience? Advice?
Discussion
I was just wondering if anyone can lend any experience to what they are actually like in real life. I’ve seen a million pictures of cars that have been wrapped and they look fine, but I'd like to know what the quality is like in real-life?
Also, how do you clean them? Do they scratch easily etc?
It would be for a colour change i.e. say put a white wrap on a black car.
Thanks
Also, how do you clean them? Do they scratch easily etc?
It would be for a colour change i.e. say put a white wrap on a black car.
Thanks
Dont do it, I wish I hadn't.
For starters I found it incredibly difficult to get anyone to insure me with a wrap, despite the wrapping company saying that you didn't need to notify your insurers, which is wrong. From a distance my wrap looks ok, but close up it looks crap. For example I had a passenger in my car, she asked me why I had black tape wound around my wing mirror! I think I was very unlucky as it seems I unfortunatly chose an extremely dodgy and devious company.
If you do choose to have a wrap, be very, very careful, make sure that the companies previous work was actually done by them, and that they haven't just stolen the images from someone else.
For starters I found it incredibly difficult to get anyone to insure me with a wrap, despite the wrapping company saying that you didn't need to notify your insurers, which is wrong. From a distance my wrap looks ok, but close up it looks crap. For example I had a passenger in my car, she asked me why I had black tape wound around my wing mirror! I think I was very unlucky as it seems I unfortunatly chose an extremely dodgy and devious company.
If you do choose to have a wrap, be very, very careful, make sure that the companies previous work was actually done by them, and that they haven't just stolen the images from someone else.
Edited by P101 on Friday 5th August 17:57
DayTrader said:
Why not?
If you get someone respectable and recommended to do it it looks fantastic...protects the paint...and means you can change it back when you feel like it.
If it is done badly it will look shocking - so make sure you use someone good!
I added a bit more to my statement.If you get someone respectable and recommended to do it it looks fantastic...protects the paint...and means you can change it back when you feel like it.
If it is done badly it will look shocking - so make sure you use someone good!
ouch pete, hope it all works out okay in the end....
op, try this company...
http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/2...
op, try this company...
http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/2...
lambo_xx said:
Do tell 
. I must admit that looks pretty bad but surely that's more the companies fault rather than all vinyl wraps are bad.
Oh i will do, once the legal stuffs over. I am sure there are some very good companies out there, i hope to be using one to do some remedial work on mine, if they can. Im just bitter after being stitched up yet again. I must have mug written all over my face. . I must admit that looks pretty bad but surely that's more the companies fault rather than all vinyl wraps are bad.
but life goes on!Pete - I saw some of your pictures on FB the other day. I sympathise with you on that....it's not just the wrap that looks bad, but where it has been cut you won't be able to tell how much damage has been done to the original paintwork at the moment. I hope you get it sorted.
OP: There are some good companies out there but I would recommend that you ask to see example of their previous work and speak to the owners myself. I paid out £1.5k for a wrap on the smart and it looks s
t right now. When I picked it up it looked good, but the wrap rippled in the heat and it's now damaged. That's 12mths down the line....get some real world feedback before proceeding with the company, even if it's a decent named franchise (as P101 will testify to).
A good wrap is fantastic though.
OP: There are some good companies out there but I would recommend that you ask to see example of their previous work and speak to the owners myself. I paid out £1.5k for a wrap on the smart and it looks s
t right now. When I picked it up it looked good, but the wrap rippled in the heat and it's now damaged. That's 12mths down the line....get some real world feedback before proceeding with the company, even if it's a decent named franchise (as P101 will testify to).A good wrap is fantastic though.
shanes said:
IT's a long way to go though! 
The wrap on my GTR was done by www.motormode.co.uk. It's been on almost 2 years and apart from a tiny, tiny bit of wrinkle around the edge of the tightest curve of the spoiler it's still perfect.
Most people think it's paint.
It will scratch in a similar way to paint gets swirl marks, but I think that is because it is a matt wrap. I think a normal shiny wrap would be more scratch resistant like Amourfend. Motormode say the scratches can sometimes be removed or reduced by appling a hairdryer to them, but the ones I have so far are so small I haven't bothered trying.
Be aware that it's easier to wrap a car into a similar shade of colour to the underlying paint because you can get away with not wrapping do shuts, etc and nobody will notice. Mine is gun metal grey paint underneath. There are a few small bits they didn't wrap and it just looks as if it's supposed to be like that.
If done properly I think wrapping is a great idea and I would definitely have it done again.
Most people think it's paint.
It will scratch in a similar way to paint gets swirl marks, but I think that is because it is a matt wrap. I think a normal shiny wrap would be more scratch resistant like Amourfend. Motormode say the scratches can sometimes be removed or reduced by appling a hairdryer to them, but the ones I have so far are so small I haven't bothered trying.
Be aware that it's easier to wrap a car into a similar shade of colour to the underlying paint because you can get away with not wrapping do shuts, etc and nobody will notice. Mine is gun metal grey paint underneath. There are a few small bits they didn't wrap and it just looks as if it's supposed to be like that.
If done properly I think wrapping is a great idea and I would definitely have it done again.
Hi Pete. As I said at pub club, the company that did your car appear to be fraudulently using my car to advertise their business. My car appears all over the side of their van and the head of their web page. I only found out by chance about 2 months ago. Their statement "if we can wrap a car of this value......etc etc" is definitely a bit naughty.
If they bought out the company that did my car, I still find it hard for them to justify what they are claiming if none of the staff still remain (which they don't). At the time I thought "bit of a cheek" and let it go. I think I should perhaps say something and get it removed in protest to how badly you've been treated?
If they bought out the company that did my car, I still find it hard for them to justify what they are claiming if none of the staff still remain (which they don't). At the time I thought "bit of a cheek" and let it go. I think I should perhaps say something and get it removed in protest to how badly you've been treated?
diablo_pete said:
Hi Pete. As I said at pub club, the company that did your car appear to be fraudulently using my car to advertise their business. My car appears all over the side of their van and the head of their web page. I only found out by chance about 2 months ago. Their statement "if we can wrap a car of this value......etc etc" is definitely a bit naughty.
If they bought out the company that did my car, I still find it hard for them to justify what they are claiming if none of the staff still remain (which they don't). At the time I thought "bit of a cheek" and let it go. I think I should perhaps say something and get it removed in protest to how badly you've been treated?
Hi Pete, I had an interesting chat with a director of Racoon the other day. Seems like I am not the only one going down the legal root. I am led to believe that Racoon are incredibly pissed off that images of wraps including yours are being used by a company that didn't even do the work. Racoon did your wrap didn't they Pete, A***r wraps didn't. There is no connection between the two companies now. So what they are doing with your car is actually a criminal offence I do believe. You just need to compare the quality of your Murci's wrap and the lack of quality of my gallardo's to see that they are obviously wrapped by different people/companies.If they bought out the company that did my car, I still find it hard for them to justify what they are claiming if none of the staff still remain (which they don't). At the time I thought "bit of a cheek" and let it go. I think I should perhaps say something and get it removed in protest to how badly you've been treated?
diablo_pete said:
Hi Pete. As I said at pub club, the company that did your car appear to be fraudulently using my car to advertise their business. My car appears all over the side of their van and the head of their web page. I only found out by chance about 2 months ago. Their statement "if we can wrap a car of this value......etc etc" is definitely a bit naughty.
The main reason I used them! I had a very good experience with ValetMagic in Ascot, they wrapped my old Murci from silver to white;
Pros of Wrapping:
-Can turn a dated car into a good looking modern one
-A lot cheaper than full re-spray
-Change colour every year for 4 years on the trot with it still being cheaper than spray.
Cons:
-its not perfect so you will see the seams close up on parts of the car
-pigeon sh*t becomes your worst enemy, especially on matt colours
-you can no longer go to the £6 polish car washes as they dont understand the extra car required in cleaning them
Pros of Wrapping:
-Can turn a dated car into a good looking modern one
-A lot cheaper than full re-spray
-Change colour every year for 4 years on the trot with it still being cheaper than spray.
Cons:
-its not perfect so you will see the seams close up on parts of the car
-pigeon sh*t becomes your worst enemy, especially on matt colours
-you can no longer go to the £6 polish car washes as they dont understand the extra car required in cleaning them
From seeing the best ones close up, personally I wouldn't recommend it myself or even contemplate on doing it.
You can see joins and overlaps if you look very closely. It seems to me, it's almost like wallpapering, but a car as opposed to a house/walls.
Guess it all comes down to what you are happy to live with. I hate even the odd stone chip, so I couldn't live with the various imperfections myself that come with having your car wrapped.
Long term views would be interesting to hear about in terms of care, weathering, excessive heat etc.
Also, stone chipping etc.
You can see joins and overlaps if you look very closely. It seems to me, it's almost like wallpapering, but a car as opposed to a house/walls.
Guess it all comes down to what you are happy to live with. I hate even the odd stone chip, so I couldn't live with the various imperfections myself that come with having your car wrapped.
Long term views would be interesting to hear about in terms of care, weathering, excessive heat etc.
Also, stone chipping etc.
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