vinyl wrap on a van

[bluedirtydigit]

I was at a car show at the weekend and there was a guy polishing his very smart and spotless BMW car I made a comment as I was passing that polishing it anymore was probably not worth it as the paint was already gleaming, to my amazement he then told me it didn't have any paint on it it was all vinyl wrap, now I might be getting on a bit and I thought I had seen most things but I had never seen a whole car covered this way obviously seen some like the sky vans but not a complete vehicle, after a long chat with the guy he has offered to do my camper for appx £800 in a day, I thought that was a good price especially as if it gets a scratch instead of a respray they just replace the vinyl panel I am very very tempted what do you guy's think or has anyone on here had it done? I would really like to hear your thoughts.

[Plasticman]

i would mask it and blow it for less wrap over all the iffy areas etc=recipee for disaster
what do you think will happen to the seams etc ?
mm

[keith]

Loads do it.....on cars and modern stuff.

As said....you just need to be mindful of what you are covering up...

Some effects can look stunning.

Good price that...if he does a good job

[Tobyt25]

Ive wanted a wrap for ages. Cheap re spray £800 but the effect you can achieve with a wrap can look like a £4,000+ paint job. I went to look at a place in wolverhampton and they were covering a Bentley in a carbon fibre wrap for a wolves player and a Ferrari in a union jack for the gum ball rally. Looked amazing, never get it painted that good. Mind u they wanted £1200 for my camper. Two tone, metallic blue bottom, pearlescent white on top with T25 devon written down the side. You could have anything, photos, effects, pattens, changing colour, mirror finishes etc. but i think the base bodywork needs to be in a fairly good condition, but will then keep out all rust.

[Tobyt25]

these are wraps

[Thorgills]

i would mask it and blow it for less
mm

Careful what you say mike, people might try and take you on that offer......

[bluedirtydigit]

Ive wanted a wrap for ages. Cheap re spray £800 but the effect you can achieve with a wrap can look like a £4,000+ paint job. I went to look at a place in wolverhampton and they were covering a Bentley in a carbon fibre wrap for a wolves player and a Ferrari in a union jack for the gum ball rally. Looked amazing, never get it painted that good. Mind u they wanted £1200 for my camper. Two tone, metallic blue bottom, pearlescent white on top with T25 devon written down the side. You could have anything, photos, effects, pattens, changing colour, mirror finishes etc. but i think the base bodywork needs to be in a fairly good condition, but will then keep out all rust.

You are right the base paintwork does have to be perfect before they do it but the finished job looks a million dollars and you can have anything you like on it which I am not sure you could with paint unless you have a bottomless pit of money, I am very tempted I must admit and lets face it if you are going to do it up you might as well have it as you want it, I have just got to decide on colours and effect, My Goldwing is all airbrushed so I don't think it will be a straight colour my wife likes to spend her money so I am not going to stop her am I?

[Plasticman]

indeed,thast was my point, a thinners rag,tape it and blow it, same prep as a wrap, my original point was you have to have the base correct and then you have a chance,not my thing on these vans in particular but they are iconic enough to stand it so go for it
mm

[bluedirtydigit]

Thanks for your input guy's I will give it a bit more thought but at the moment it looks like I might go for it, what with that and a new upholstery fitting perhaps I should have got one all ready done but there is no fun in that is there?

[billybigspud]

We all remember the lovely wrap on wheeler dealers. mmmmmm, looked great.

[fazzer]

wheeler dealers van was wrapped but they never sold it,was crap tho

[Silky]

I've a wrap on my T25 high top (for advertising) and it's wearing well. The life span was quoted as 3-5 years but I guess this depends on the film used, if you're going to the effort of getting it done it's worth using someone who uses a quality product with good endurance. It's year 3 now and still looking good, we had any rust spots sorted out before the van was wrapped and the only little area that seems to be starting to rust is the bottom corners of the windscreen, the seams etc are afforded some protection by the thick vinyl wrap. I'll be happy it I get another couple of years out of the cover but wouldn't say no to another wrap, it's been very low maintenance.

[bluedirtydigit]

Well I have done it now we have agreed to have it wrapped the end of September, I had some prices for a decent respray and I can have it wrapped twice for the same money and some left over for the interior. We are going to make good a couple of little rust spots first but they are very minor so that's ok. the van has been measured for the vinyl the amount it takes is unbelievable, we have just got to decide whether to have one or two colours or I quiet fancy a fade front to back he is going to come back to me in the week with the final prices of the three options.
He is going to use 3M material as he say's it won't give the shrinkage that some of the other brands do and he won't use them because it's his reputation on the line he works for a company at the moment but he has been doing this for himself for three years part time he's is trying to pluck up the courage to go full time on his own, anybody that works for them self will know how he feels it's a big step but I have now seen a lot of car's he has done and I am sure he will do well. I never realized there were so many cars out there that were wrapped but I can understand why, cheaper than paint and completed in one and a half day's. When it's done I will post some before and after piccy's for your comments.
Mike

[Tobyt25]

Cant wait to see it, its so difficult to chose what you want when you could have anything!

[danmetallic]

Wow definitely interested in seeing this! Any idea how it wears with stone chips etc, also what happens to the original surface under the vinyl?