Protecting The Factory Paint While Changing The Look Of Your Car

Protecting the factory paint on your new car is an excellent way to help maintain the resale value down the road, but if you want to change the car's color or look, painting it can lower that resale value very quickly. There are some options, but the best one might be a vehicle wrap because it offers more than just a new look.

Understanding Wraps

A vehicle wrap is not the same thing as painting a car or truck. The wrap is made from high-quality vinyl that can come in many different colors and finishes and then is applied to the car body in sections.

The technicians putting the wrap on the car heat it and stretch the vinyl over the panels removing air pockets and making sure that each piece looks perfect. If the vinyl is not applied correctly, it will not look good on the car, so it is critical that there are no gaps, wrinkles, or bubbles under the vinyl.  

Along with solid colors, the wrap can be printed with logos and other things before it is applied. It is commonly used this way on race cars because it is much faster to apply that having a custom painter apply all the sponsor and other logos on the car. 

Protecting The Paint

The vinyl vehicle wrap is put on the car with a unique adhesive that holds it in place and allows removal of the wrap without damaging the paint under it or leaving any sticky residue behind. The car needs to be washed thoroughly before the wrap is applied to ensure no dirt under it. Even a small piece of dirt will show up in the finished product and look like a mountain under the wrap. 

Once the car is clean and dry, the wrap is applied and can stay in place as long as you own the vehicle, but when you are ready to sell your car, you can remove the wrap, and the paint under it will be in the same condition it was the day the technician wrapped the vehicle. Even if you have owned and driven the car every day for five years, the paint should look new under the vinyl.

Common Wrap Uses

Vehicle wraps are great options for companies that want their cars to all look the same but do not want the cost of custom painting. They are also excellent for owners who want a paint color that was not available or stands out after purchasing a new car. If you had your heart set on a specific color and it is no longer available, you can wrap the car in the color far cheaper than paying a paint shop to change the vehicle's color permanently.

To learn more about vehicle wraps, contact a local auto body shop.