The Differences between Wrapping and Painting your Car
A lot of our life outside of home and work is spent traveling to and from locations in our cars, and while we’ve customised our homes and bodies… we are consistently looking for new ways to express our personalities. Whether you’re simply tired of your car’s boring paintjob or looking for a cost-effective way of advertising your business by using your vehicle, deciding how to stand out from the crowd requires a bit of research. We’ve created a Pros and Cons list to help you make the best decision, for not only your car, but your wallet as well.
What can Car Wrapping do?
Car wrapping has been around for many years now and has been a great way for businesses to apply their company logos and information on company or private cars. Over the past few years, it has gained popularity as consumers have discovered how easy it can be to change up the look of their vehicles, without having to spend a lot of time and money in getting it re-painted. From one-way window visuals to full vehicle wraps, having your vehicle wrapped is a great way to express your personality and have mobile advertising for your business no matter where you go. Be sure to check out our blog post The Benefits of Car Wraps for more information.
Car Wrapping is Temporary
If you have a leased vehicle or fleet of vehicles, getting them wrapped is a great way to advertise or express your individualism without permanently altering the exterior. As car wrapping is a temporary process and lasts between 5 and 10 years – depending on how well it’s taken care of. It can be a great option for someone who changes their style frequently or for a business that exchanges their cars every few years. Car wraps can be removed and protect the paint underneath. A major bonus for those who love colours that cars aren’t made in is that the choices are unlimited, as it is printed onto vinyl, rather than a mixed batch of paint and can come in a variety of finishes from matte and semi-gloss to graphics and gradients.
Cost
When weighing up the pros and cons of car wrapping versus painting your car, you will undoubtedly face the challenge of deciding how much you want or can pay to have it done. Getting your car repainted can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars, to tens of thousands, depending on how much and what parts you’re getting painted. Getting a car wrap done through BigColour starts at $350 for small printed or cut vinyl graphics and goes up to $4,500 for a full wrap on a van. You can find more information on our prices through our Price Guide section of our website, where you can also send an enquiry for a Visual Quote.
Durable
Due to the materials used to make your vinyl wraps, including a lamination process, your designs and colours are not affected by UV rays as opposed to traditional paint jobs. The thickness of the wrap can also help prevent scratching or chipping, while also being easier to clean, not requiring a good polish after washing. Keep in mind though, over years the vinyl wrap or decal can start to deteriorate due to the elements and lack of proper care.
When should I re-paint?
Deciding between wraps and re-painting can boil down to what condition your vehicle’s paint job is currently in, if your car is in great condition, we 100% recommend getting a wrap done. However, if there is corrosion, dents, or scratches the wrap may not apply well and you’d need to get a new paint job done for the vinyl to adhere correctly.
New Paint Job
One of the biggest pros for a new paint job is mentioned above – repairing imperfections. Depending on the severity of the damage to the existing paint, it may show through the wrap and potentially increase the damage when you go to get the wrap removed.
Match Existing Colour
Due to the nature of paint and how it reacts to its environment, if you’re simply wanting to touch up faded or damaged areas having your car professionally repainted is probably the way to go, as they can perfectly match the current colour. Creating a seamless appearance may be what you’re after, especially if you like to show your car or have a classic beauty.
Small Sections
When you’re looking at just getting a small section fixed, instead of putting a vinyl wrap overtop of it and calling it done, you would be better off getting that section fixed before having a wrap installed. Your paintjob should be in a good condition before getting a vinyl wrap to minimise distractions and imperfections of your awesome new designer graphics.
Personal Choice
It all comes down to your personal choice, finances, time, and condition of your vehicle. If your vehicle already has a good paint job, vinyl wrapping could be the most suitable solution. This will ensure the paint job is protected in future resales, ensuring you get value for your money. The same process can be applied to fancy designs for advertising purposes. In comparison with custom painting, it’s cheaper and takes less time.
Wrap vs Paint Car
Vinyl Car Wraps
- Car wraps provide extra protection – you can even get clear ones if you like your current colour
- A great way to advertise your business or express your personality
- You don’t have 2+ weeks to wait for your car to be finished – car wraps can be done in less than a week depending on the size of your vehicle and the vinyl itself
- If you want to be able to change your design often, wraps are temporary, and professionals can quickly remove and re-apply your new design
For those who are short on time, car wrapping is an excellent option. You can change the designs as often as you wish, and the process takes less than a week. Wrapping your vehicle’s exterior will make it more durable in areas with harsh environments.
New Paint Job
- Only a small touch-up is required or wanted
- The paint is not in good condition or is severely damaged
- Restoring a car – vintage or collector- to its original condition
- You don’t have access to a professional car wrapper
If you wish to restore the factory finish to your paint job, but the paint has been severely damaged, you should think about painting it. You may also opt for vehicle painting to customize your car because there are no vinyl wrapping professionals near you.
Get Your Wrap On!
When it comes to customizing your vehicle, vehicle wrapping proves to be the best alternative to painting. In addition to protecting your vehicle’s paint job, you can also customise the exterior of your vehicle with endless designs. Our amazing team is comprised of graphic designers, who check and prepare the files ensuring everything will fit perfectly for your vehicle wrap, and an outstanding team of automotive wrap technicians who’s experience and knowledge mean your car will be in great hands throughout every step of the process.
Contact us today on (02) 4969 5700, visit us at Unit 16/26 Oakdale Roade, Gateshead NSW, or send us an email at admin@bigcolour.com.au.