Car wrap

Car wrap or Do you want to have your car wrapped?

Car wrap -Some do it for visual reasons because they like a different color better, others to protect the paintwork and safeguard the value of the car: having the car wrapped in foil has become a popular form of cosmetic surgery on the vehicle. Auto wrap costs can vary widely.
They are based on the quality requirements, how high the quality of the wrap is and how detailed it is processed during car wrapping.
The older a car gets, the more the vehicle’s paintwork suffers. The color becomes dull, and scratches from parking or a marten visit accumulate on the car. A new car is not financially feasible; a complete repainting of the car is also too expensive. What then remains as an anti-aging treatment is car foiling. Car wraps are the inexpensive alternative to let the car shine fresh again.
An advantage of the foils: They protect the surface of the car from scratches and signs of aging. If the vehicle is then sold or exchanged for a newer model , you can easily remove the wrap from the car – and the paint shines almost like new.

Car wrap

Foiling the car instead of painting it: what is the point?

High-quality foils are mostly digital printing foils. They are coated with a protective laminate that is matte or glossy depending on your taste. The foils are usually made of PVC. Lately there are more and more PVC-free wraps, which may also have better scratch resistance.
Digital printing makes it possible for you to choose a very special color. Therefore, you can customize the vehicle according to your taste. The expert distinguishes between different foils. Classic car wrapping means that the entire car is given a new wrap in the color of your choice.
Protective wrap is also popular. This wrap is transparent and thicker than car wrapping. After all, it should also ward off scratches and other damage from the wrapped vehicle as well as possible. There are also partial foils. An example of this is the emergency vehicles of the police, paramedics, or company cars that bear the company logo, for example.

Car wrap and good preparation and careful detailed work

Do you want to wrap your car? Then you should consider whether it is worth doing the foiling yourself. Because this requires special knowledge. Before wrapping, you should have the car and especially its paintwork inspected. Additional preliminary work may be required.
You should not save too much when choosing the right wrap. You can recognize cheap wraps by their unclean details: door and trunk handles, body seams and radiator surrounds are some of the sensitive areas where good detailed work is important.
We recommends that you test the foiling in an inconspicuous place, especially for classic cars and special paintwork. The foiling should be carried out in a room that is as dust-free as possible. The room temperature should be between 15 and 25 degrees.

Prices for car wrapping: Between 500 and 5,000 $

The prices for the foiling vary greatly. The offers range from 500 euros for simple foiling, where details such as door handles, exterior mirrors or sills may be left out. You pay a price of up to 5,000 euros for a very professional, high-quality car wrap. However, even this price is still significantly cheaper than the tariffs for a complete full paint job.
Prices for the complete painting range from 6,000 to 10,000 euros. The type of vehicle and the size of the body also play a role in the offers of the providers. A simple example: With the VW Polo, both the car wrapping and the paintwork are cheaper than with an Audi Q7.
For a reasonable and solid car wrap, you should calculate between 1,500 and 2,000 euros. The specialist companies not only take care of wrapping the car. They also take care of the previous cleaning and the final cleaning of the wrapped vehicle.
Manufacturers of quality wraps also provide a longer-term guarantee. The company 3M, for example, grants a three-year guarantee; and even five years on vertically mounted wraps. 3M also assures that the wraps can be removed without leaving any residue.

Car wrap

Car wrap and what to do if the foil needs to be removed again?

The ravages of time also gnaw at car wraps. Above all, the weather affects the plastic. The optics become paler, the foil wrap more brittle. Foil removal can be cumbersome if the material is brittle and tears. Here it is worth investing in high-quality wraps.
Not only are they more resistant, but thanks to special additives, they can be removed more easily and, above all, without leaving any residue.
You should calculate around 500 to 600 euros in a specialist company that also has the appropriate premises and the necessary equipment to heat up the old wrap.

What you can do with car wraps

• Car wrapping with individual coloring, usually between 1,500 and 2,000 euros, in some cases up to 5,000 euros
• Protective wrap to protect the paint, depending on the version, 1,500 to 2,000 euros
• Partial foiling, for example, to protect sensitive areas of the body, a few hundred euros depending on the effort

Branding with an individual look depending on the effort involved in visual design and foiling: The price for this depends on the effort involved and can only be calculated individually.
You want to change the color of your car because you fancy something new. Alternatively, do you just want to protect the factory paintwork from stone chips and other weather influences? You do not necessarily have to spend money on expensive painting; the car can also be wrapped in foil and then shines in new splendor and in the desired color.
We clarify all questions about wrapping a car for you.

Car wrap

Car wrap is the cheap alternative to expensive painting

If someone wants to change the exterior of their car, they do not have to have an expensive new paint job done right away. The alternative is foiling, the so-called “car wrapping”. The car is covered with a wrap specially developed for this purpose. This can be complete or only partial.
In addition, such a foil can be removed at any time. Well-known wrap manufacturers usually give a 5-7 year guarantee on the product. This also includes the detachment or fading of the foil. Wrapping a car has a number of advantages over painting: Lower costs and protection of the original paint, e.g. from stone chips and scratches.
More information specifically about this is available in our article on stone chip protection wrap. When selling your vehicle, you have a good chance of getting a better price if the paintwork is intact.
A foil helps! Foiling can make your own car unique and you can let your imagination run wild almost without limits.
For example, you can transform a company car into a moving advertising poster if you use car wrapping with appropriate information about your company.

Car wrap the different possibilities

Car wrapping: In car wrapping, a plastic wrap is applied over a large area to the vehicle. The special wrap is self-adhesive and also particularly elastic. A high degree of elasticity ensures 3D bonding on the vehicle. Digital printing makes it possible to individually print car wrapping wraps according to customer requirements.
Partial wrapping: With partial wrapping, the vehicle is only partially wrapped . For example, a wrap is only applied to the bonnet, the sides, the exterior mirrors or the roof. Official vehicles such as ambulances or police vehicles are identified by a corresponding partial foil .
The paint protection wrap: The paint protection wrap is selected if you want to protect your car from scratches and stone chips, for example. Often only, the front area is covered with the paint protection wrap.
This wrap is up to 3 times thicker than the simple car-wrapping wrap, making it more durable. The wrap is available in two variants, matt and glossy transparent. This paint protection wrap can be applied as a protection for loading sills and on entrances.

Car wrap

Foiling and car wrap: how does car wrap work?

Wrapping a vehicle is done in four steps. In principle, almost all vehicles or even individual components and countless interior components can be wrapped .

• Step: Before foiling, the vehicle must be washed, whereby polish or wax should be avoided so that the foil adheres well.
• Step: The car is cleaned again by the foiled so that the foil does not come off later. This professional cleaning takes about 2 hours. Then the smaller body parts are dismantled, such as taillights, door handles, bumpers and if possible other components such as the doors, hood or tailgate. In this way, the foil can be glued more precisely and areas that are difficult to access, such as the entrances, can be foiled without any problems.
• Step: The vehicle is measured and the wrap is roughly cut to size. First, details such as the recesses for fog lights or the air intakes are processed. The wrap is then placed on the surface to be covered and then smoothed over the vehicle using a squeegee. It is important that bubble formation is avoided. Meanwhile, the foil is heated to approx. 70 to 85 degrees with the hot air gun. This makes it more elastic and so it can be optimally adapted to the car.
• Step 4: Protruding wrap remnants are then cut off precisely with a cutter knife. Then you lay them over the edges and work them into small cracks. Finally, the wrap is sealed and the vehicle is polished to a high gloss using a special product. Attention: The vehicle that has just been wrapped in foil must not be cleaned in the car wash for 2 to 3 weeks, as the foil can become detached again.

How much time does car wrap and foiling take?

After the foil has been applied, the vehicle is left standing overnight so that the adhesive can achieve its full adhesive strength.

Car wrap

Can every car be wrapped ?

Every vehicle can be wrapped. Almost anything is possible with this procedure, from full car wrap to partial wrapping. However, it is important for a vehicle with a rare or old paint (old-timer) to note that the foiling is first carried out on an inconspicuous place for testing. Undesirable reactions of the paint with the adhesive of the wrap can thus be prevented .
Therefore, you can also test the removal of the foil and check whether the paint can withstand the procedure at all. In addition, if you want, you can wrap the interior parts of a car, such as the center console or parts of the dashboard (trims, etc.).
Even small changes to the vehicle can be implemented for a small amount! Attention: Some interior materials cannot be wrapped well. A coated plastic is one such example. It is possible that the foil simply does not stick to it. Ask a professional if the wrapping can be done inside the car.

Is it possible to wrap a car yourself?

The employees of the special workshops know how to handle the car foil very well. This ensures that air pockets and errors due to excessive dust exposure can be prevented. A room in which a car is covered with foil should also be 16 – 25 °C warm. You should also trust experienced, well-trained wrappers when removing the foil. Be sure to avoid the following mistakes:
Do not let the wrap get too hot, as this can result in unsightly shiny or faded areas.
Always cut out the foil generously.
Remove body parts such as exterior mirrors, door handles, etc. that interfere with foiling.
Test the adhesion of the wrap in advance!
Only use suitable tools such as a squeegee, knifeless tape, paper tape, etc.
Choose a good quality wrap as it will last longer and be easier to work with.

Can motorcycles also be foiled or car wrap?

Of course, motorcycles can also be wrapped . Here, too, it is important to dismantle as many parts as possible and wrap them individually. In general, this should be easier than on a car. Due to its design, however, a motorcycle has smaller surfaces with more curves, beads and edges.
car wrap a motorcycle in foil is therefore usually more complicated. Here you should consider whether a paint finish might not be a better choice.

How do I recognize a high-quality car wrap?

In order to recognize a high-quality car wrap , you have to look closely. If the wrap used is unsuitable, the wrap will begin to shrink and on your vehicle or it will wrinkle. In the worst case, it detaches itself from your vehicle. For this reason, you should take a very close look at the following areas on your vehicle:
The body crevices on the doors
The body columns on the trunk
The body columns on the hood
The body columns on the exterior mirrors
The body gaps on the wheel arches/fenders
The body crevices at the license plate indentations