A high-quality vehicle wrap can last up to ten years, which is comparable to a high-quality paint job. In general, the average car wrap lasts around five years before requiring light maintenance or replacing, whereas a paint job can last between ten to fifteen years, in theory. However, paint maintenance is more expensive to upkeep and is less durable than a vinyl wrap.
Painting your car seems straightforward, and perhaps, you can’t quite wrap your head around the idea of a vehicle wrap (pun intended). In truth, vehicle wraps offer several benefits that painting your car simply can’t. This includes lower costs, improved exterior protection, higher quality, and a wider variety of design options.
What Are Vehicle Wraps?
A vehicle wrap is a large decal or graphic that is designed to cover the exterior of a vehicle. You see vehicle wraps every day! Vehicles from race cars to delivery vans to eye-catching customized luxury cars use vinyl wraps to customize their vehicle’s appearance.
You can add custom cast vinyl logos to your company’s fleet of vehicles or use an Avery overlaminate to give your car a fresh new look for a fraction of the cost of paint. These wraps can come in a variety of sizes and shapes, meaning you don’t need to cover your entire car and you don’t need to settle for a bumper-sticker-sized decal.
These vinyl wraps have an adhesive backing that attaches the wrap to the vehicle and has a laminated coat on the surface to protect its integrity. Tired of your current look? These wraps can be removed and replaced with greater ease than repainting.
The Benefits of Wrapping Versus Painting
The benefits of wrapping your vehicle far outweigh the benefits of painting it. Vehicle wraps have a better quality, are more budget-friendly, are more durable, and can be applied faster than painting.
Cost-Effective
You want to splurge and make sure your car looks exactly how you want and want it done well. However, if you can have your dream car at a lower price, why wouldn’t you? Imaging companies meet the demand for a cost-effective way to make your ride look like a million bucks.
A typical paint job can range between $3,000 and $10,000, whereas the project can be completed for between $2,500 and $5,000 with a vinyl wrap. Because painting can be nearly double the cost of vehicle wrapping, most companies opt for vinyl wraps for their fleets.
If the initial cost isn’t enough to convince you, consider the upkeep costs. Not only do paint jobs have a higher upfront cost, but they require regular maintenance to ensure their vibrancy and quality. Vehicle wrap maintenance is easier and more inexpensive due to the low installation time, saving you money in the long run.
More Design Options
If you want the maximum customization, wrapping is the way to go. With vehicle wraps, you can change your entire vehicle’s color or add specific enhancements. This is because the wrap doesn’t depend on the artistic ability of the detailer the same way paint does.
You can also attach logos with exact precision, keeping your design consistent throughout a vehicle fleet. Other details you can add include images, lettering, and custom graphics.
Premium Quality
While custom paint jobs may look stunning at first, they can crack, fade, and scratch over time. Vinyl is more resilient–for example, consider how thick Avery Dennis vinyl is: Avery’s most popular vinyl wrap is four millimeters thick, offering immeasurable protection to your car and preserving your car’s resale value. The majority of vinyl wraps on the market offer fade-resistance, protection against cracking, and more.
In a Nutshell
While painting your car seems like the obvious choice at face-value, vinyl wraps can last longer and are more cost-effective to replace or revamp. If you are choosing between vinyl wrapping and painting your vehicle, vinyl wrapping offers the most cost-effective and long-lasting result.
