Vehicle Wrapping for Change of Color

D

danny_acs

Member
 London
My Z4MR is in interlagos blue and to be honest when I bought it I gave more priority to options/mileage than color. Now I want something cool :driving: with a "wow" effect :thumbsup: (who doesn't? )

Vehicle wrapping is getting popular and I've seen several cars with some quality viny on them. My idea is first to change to a bright color that was not available as an option; I like pearlescent white or signal yellow with black BBS LMs with a red lip... how would that look?

Now to the wrapping part... loads of companies out there, cost will be probably around a grand (maybe 800 because smaller car with no roof or pillars).
Pros: no permanent color change, protects paint
Cons: Scratches will require reapplying of vynil (i guess better than respraying!!), no pressure washing (?), v5 change (?), etc

Has anyone had experience with wrapping, what's your thoughts?
 
The cost is not only down to the size of the car, but the complexity of the cutting required and as such the Z4M is quite difficult.

Some companies simply print a sheet of vinyl, lay it on the car and then carefully cut where they need to (sometime nicking the underlying paint in the process).
Other companies have pre-cut templates for each vehicle so that they can position them correctly and avoid any blade work.

There are also a few methods for blending/hiding the edges too. One is simply to have the vinyl/stencil a few mm short of the edge of a panel so that it stops short, another is to have the vinyl a bit big so that it can wrap around the edge of the panel.

I'd just make a short-list based on a telephone call and then go around and see their work.

BTW, don't assume a wrap will absolve you of cleaning/detailing duties, as it picks up dirt as easily as the standard paintwork does, and even if well cared for you'll probably find it takes more effort than the normal paintwork to keep it in top condition (e.g. stone chips/tears/scratches are a pain, as are lifting edges, bubbles, creases, etc.).
 
mmm-five said:
BTW, don't assume a wrap will absolve you of cleaning/detailing duties, as it picks up dirt as easily as the standard paintwork does, and even if well cared for you'll probably find it takes more effort than the normal paintwork to keep it in top condition (e.g. stone chips/tears/scratches are a pain, as are lifting edges, bubbles, creases, etc.).
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This is my greatest concern actually, as I know how to detail normail paintwork, but will be clueless with the vynil...

Also what if some punk decides to rip it off when the car is parked in the street? I guess that wouldn't be covered by insurance... which brings up the question - should that be disclosed to the insurer?
 
danny_acs said:
Also what if some punk decides to rip it off when the car is parked in the street? I guess that wouldn't be covered by insurance... which brings up the question - should that be disclosed to the insurer?
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If you change the colour then you're supposed to inform the DVLA & the insurer anyway - even if it's temporary for 1 week or 10 years.

If you don't tell your insurer then they will not cover the cost of the wrap if you should have an accident (fault or non-fault) and if you want it replaced it will be up to you to pay and reclaim off the other party (if it's a non-fault).
 
chrismann85 said:
the black one just looks like it desparately needs a good wash. not a fan of matt black i suppose :?
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You can have matt white, pearl white, gloss white and matt & gloss in most other colours - even chrome :(

If I were doing it, I'd be going for a race-car scheme - a la the Gulf Aston Martins, Martini Porsches or BASF BMWs.
 
Good stuff.

Got quoted 1160 for normal color (ie signal yellow) and 1395 for pearlescent white with some discounts at the south london location, normal prices would be about 20% more expensive.... it's kinda steep..
 
danny_acs said:
Good stuff.

Got quoted 1160 for normal color (ie signal yellow) and 1395 for pearlescent white with some discounts at the south london location, normal prices would be about 20% more expensive.... it's kinda steep..
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There are probably cheaper places, but I can't recommend the work of any as I've never had the bottle/money to go ahead with it.

I've seen plenty of scratches caused by shoddy fitting - but you don't see them until you take it off a year or so later, and then proving it is another matter. I did see a stunning 911 GT3 RSR at the 'Ring last year in what I thought was satin grey paint - but after a much closer look I found the edges of the wrap had been finished about 1cm around the edge of each panel to make it look perfect.
 
I know a handfull of folk that do body wrapping and they are good at it.
You can actually get wraps that are paint correctable as I have seen one on an american detailing forum so not complete pita if lightly scratched 9 dependant on depth )
 
chrismann85 said:
the black one just looks like it desparately needs a good wash. not a fan of matt black i suppose :?
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recently i have seen a matt black audi (A6 I think), i just looks bloody awfull, previously i have only ever seen pictures of matt black cars, pictures look good, but in real life, nooooooooooooooooooooooo
 
Say to the company you go to loads of shows and will advertise their company. MY mate did this on his RX7, and he got it done for £600 by the end of it. Matt black looks good, but loads have done it now, so something a bit crazy i would go for :D

There was a lambo near me that had it done too, looked amazing. Anyone near Southampton may have seen it as it was always near Bartley BMW.

Do it imo :thumbsup:
 
chrismann85 said:
has anyone seen a Z vinyl wrapped? Would love to see what it look like
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Ta-da!!! Audi then Z4 wrapped here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8whinMqjOFM
 
mmm-five said:
You can have matt white, pearl white, gloss white and matt & gloss in most other colours - even chrome :(

If I were doing it, I'd be going for a race-car scheme - a la the Gulf Aston Martins, Martini Porsches or BASF BMWs.
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Or get it wrapped to look like a tiger rrrrrrrrrrrrrr :rofl: :chophead:
 
A quick and dirty preview - a 5 minute photoshop job as i was not able to find anything in the net

5284f828-7ce7-ab23.jpg


Looks pretty good, no?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
mmm-five said:
White one

Black one

Lots more (non Z4s) in their gallery though.
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I have never seen such a large selection of chavvy motors, especially the range rovers with the bonnet in a contrasting colour, seems to be popular around manchester for some reason and looks total shi*. have to agree with some of the other comments regarding matt black, at first it was ok (years ago) but now looks naff as everybody is doing it.
 
you missed a bit under the grill. :poke:

Will it really come out that bright? You'd need to darken your wheels to get that effect I think
 
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