Painting and Vinyl wrapping are two different mediums used to enhance the physical look of your vehicle, but they are apples and oranges in comparison. Painting is permanent, whereas vinyl is used temporarily.
Painting a vehicle is a permanent medium used to change or enhance its look. A quality paint job is quite a bit more expensive than vinyl wrapping due to the labor involved in prep and the high cost of automotive paint. If you are restoring a vehicle to keep, I would recommend investing in a painting.
Vinyl Wrapping
Vinyl wrapping is a temporary and cost-effective option to give your vehicle the desired look. Although wrapping your car is not cheap, and there are more affordable paint jobs than wrapping in the quality of both mediums, vinyl is less expensive. Vinyl is not cheap, and experience and talent are needed to install vinyl; it is essential and should be considered when shopping. Depending on where you live geographically will determine the life of your wrap. The significant difference between the two is that paint is meant for permanence, and vinyl is not. If you live here in Arizona and your vehicle is in the full sun daily, we recommend removing the vinyl wrap after years. The responsibility of taking care of your wrap will also determine its longevity. A well-taken-care wrap will last longer. As a rule of thumb, a quality wrap job will be less expensive than a quality paint job.
I like to call it vinyl wrapping, which gives your vehicle a new outfit. If you are bored with your vehicle’s physical appearance and want to feel like you are driving a unique car, vinyl wrapping may be your solution. The vinyl film comes in several different colors and finishes to choose from. You select a color to change the movie or even have a custom-printed wrap designed to fit your vision. It is also known to protect your vehicle’s paint from the elements of the road. It is not permanent, so you are not upsetting the original paint job or the vehicle’s resale value. A vinyl vehicle wrap is more resilient than paint and helps protect your color from the sun and harsh elements from the road. Vinyl wrapping your vehicle is a popular choice in vehicle customization because it is affordable, serves as paint protection, and gives your car a one-of-a-kind look to set you apart from others.
If your vehicle’s paint is deteriorating, you might consider a paint job. Vinyl wrapping will not hide the imperfections of your vehicle’s exterior, and it also wouldn’t be a clean application and, when removed, could pull more of the vehicle’s paint. For clients not concerned with their vehicle’s paint, we offer wet sanding to smooth paint chip imperfections so the vinyl will lay without chipped paint.
Vehicle customization is an investment and is not and shouldn’t be a cheap process. Like many other luxuries in life, you get what you pay for. You should be very selective when shopping for paint and vehicle wraps. The material the shop uses should be reputable and have warranties, and the shop should provide an installation warranty. A reputable shop will have contracts, insurance, and a client guarantee. Vinyl wraps and painting should not occur in the provider’s home garage. Vinyl and paint should be purchased from reputable vendors specializing in vehicle customization materials. Vinyl should be applied with very little to no seams and wrapped deep enough so that when all doors are closed,d you cannot see any of the existing paint.
Let’s talk a little more about pricing. Can you get a discount paint job that is less than a vinyl wrap? Sure, but why even waste your money? A quality wrap outshines a low-budget paint job and is a no-brainer. A vehicle’s original paint is a huge factor in your vehicle’s resale. A quality paint job restoring a car should be considered for the longevity of ownership. It is more costly than a wrap but might fit your goals with your car. If you want a little more life out of your vehicle, are bored of its loo,k and want something new for the remaining time, you want to keep the car a wrap, which would make more sense money-wise.
Installation time: A paint job can take up to two weeks or longer, and vinyl wrapping takes 3 to 5 days, depending on all the little details. Wrapping your car takes less time without your vehicle.
Vinyl wraps are also easier to take care of than paint, and they are kept clean with a hand wash using soap and water. Here at ProVinyl Solutions in Tempe, Arizona, we offer ceramic coating for your wrap, which will help keep it cleaner and more accessible to wash. A vinyl wrap is also safely removable, preserving the paint underneath as long as it is removed in the suggested amount of time the shop evaluates with you. The life of your vinyl wrap depends on the sun exposure it receives and on keeping it clean.
There is beauty in paint and vinyl wraps, both serving the purpose of a beautiful exterior, but both are very different in the process and reasoning behind the choice. If you are reading this, you are considering changing your vehicle’s look. Please contact us if you want a quote for vinyl wrapping, and we can answer any other questions. We wrap cars for customization and personal projects and cover vehicles for business and commercial purposes. We realize education is vital in protecting your investments, and we will help you with all the research needed.
–ProVinyl Solutions