[bhp]

Originally Posted by SRK

That looks really great. Nice theme.
Could you give some more details like the material used and cost involved.

Thankyou.

Have spend 35k since its a large sized car. Regarding the quality of material i have no clue because i didnt bother to check since it was done at a friends place. Although they stock different kinds of quality and shades.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by bhp

Thankyou.

Work done at Wrapitup, Andheri west. Have spend 35k since its a large sized car.

Looks good BHP and I think the pricing is decent too. Did you get a quote from the 3m center or D.A.D for the same?

Did they have to remove external parts such as tail lamps, door handles etc to do the wrapping?

Do keep us updated on how the wrap holds up in the monsoons.

[bhp]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Looks good BHP and I think the pricing is decent too. Did you get a quote from the 3m center or D.A.D for the same?

Did they have to remove external parts such as tail lamps, door handles etc to do the wrapping?

Do keep us updated on how the wrap holds up in the monsoons.

Thankyou Sahil.

3M and D.A.D were twice or more expensive. Although 3M quality is better for sure but i am not sure about their installation process.

Yes, tail lamps, head lights, front grill, side mirror, door handles, front and rear bumper were removed for the wrap.

[Prodigy07]

Originally Posted by BraveArc

Does anyone know a good place in Chennai

Hello, Could someone let me know if there's a reliable place in Chennai for wrapping the car. Also, what would be the approximate cost to wrap a Fiesta in Matt blue?

[Scorcher]

I think what most people has in mind when they wrap their cars in matte grey is this,



or this,



..but all the cars just end up looking like a cement block





Hence I say a wrap never matches the finish of a paintjob

[bhp]

Originally Posted by Scorcher

I think what most people has in mind when they wrap their cars in matte grey is this,


Hence I say a wrap never matches the finish of a paintjob

I agree, a paintjob will always have better finish and will last longer then the wrap. But painting is also a lengthy process and i personally wouldnt strip the car for a colour change.

And regarding wrap or paintjob a sample is always shown, so the customer always knows what hes getting. So there stands no point of confusion.

[fash_1]

Just curious, how would you fix scratches (and dents)? Wouldn't a deep scratch end up being a starting point from where you can start peeling off the wrap?

[SRK]

Originally Posted by bhp

Thankyou.

Have spend 35k since its a large sized car. Regarding the quality of material i have no clue because i didnt bother to check since it was done at a friends place. Although they stock different kinds of quality and shades.

Great work for the budget you spent.
Might not be 3M as the material itself is expensive but this looks great.

Just keep your car away from direct heat as these imported ones tend to get back to their original shape when hot and in doing so will lift.

Originally Posted by fash_1

Just curious, how would you fix scratches (and dents)? Wouldn't a deep scratch end up being a starting point from where you can start peeling off the wrap?

Yes. A deep scratch which is deep enough from where you are able to lift the wrap, peeling will start. Incase of dents your wrap will rip.

But if your car is equipped with a high quality wrap it can protect you during minor accidents where mostly its just the paint surface that gets damaged. Here the wrap will take the beating and your factory paint stays safe.

Usually to fix it you would have to redo the whole panel.

[twister]

Wraps done by steam and shine. pics taken from their facebook page.

[twister]

Some more cars wrapped by Steam and Shine Auto Spa

[StrangeWizard]

Just curious. Approx how much investment is required to start a car wrap business? Excluding the rent of the garage /working space.

Since these vinyls are imported I would guess the cost of shipping +customs would be slightly high.

[SRK]

Hi members,

I see there is not much detail on the forum here about vinyl wraps. So I thought might share some of the knowledge I have. Customizing vehicles has always been my passion, so when I got know about vehicle wrapping I began my research about it and it’s been quite some time since then.

Vehicle wrapping industry is currently growing in India but at a slow pace. One of the main reason for it is because the whole exercise of wrapping a car is expensive (You do have cheaper options but I’ll let you know why you shouldn’t go for them later. I have experienced many grades of materials right from the cheapest ones to the highest quality ones I could get my hands here.)

First the important part. What material should you choose?:
There are basically two types of materials – 1.) Calendared and 2.) Cast. The main difference is in their manufacturing process but I won’t get into much detail here, just remember one thing; always choose a premium grade cast vinyl for full body wraps. Cast vinyl is more conformable and durable than the Calendared ones. Calendared vinyl is good for decals or on flat surfaces; it won’t stay there for long on your car’s curved body parts. Also a Calendared vinyl tends to return back to its original flat form over a period of time.

Things to take car before proceeding for a wrap:
Once you’ve decided to get your ride a unique look with a wrap, you need to do a few things so you can get a perfect finish -
1.) Make sure your vehicle does not have any areas where paint can peel off, like a rusted spot or a poorly painted area. In case you have had an aftermarket paint job let your installers know that.

2.) Clean the whole vehicle. Advisable to get it washed and detailed a day earlier than the application of the wrap. Getting your vehicle clayed is also highly recommended as any spec in the surface can lead to a not so perfect finish. Waxed layer should also be removed for proper adhesion, so make sure your vehicle isn’t waxed when detailed before a wrap.

Once this is done, it’s time to leave your car for the wrap application.

It is Wrap time:
Youtube made wrapping a car look easy but here is what you might want to know.
Before the wrap begins, a few more steps will be taken. The removable parts on the vehicle will be dismantled for a proper wrap. It adds to the cost of labour but this type of wrap can stay longer.

It is possible to get the wrap done without going through the trouble of removing everything and putting it back together, saves money and takes lesser time but chances of edges peeling are more here.

Once this is done, the film is carefully installed on a clean panel one by one and care is taken not to produce any wrinkles or bubbles while doing so.
Use of heat is made where required. Extra material is cut off, edges finished off and after giving it some heat treatment the wrap is complete.

The removed parts are again installed, the surface cleaned and the ride is good to go to its customer. Though it is advisable to allow 24-36 hours for the adhesive make its bond strong before the vehicle is normally used.

After care for your wrap:
A wrap though acts a protective layer for your factory paint, needs care too.
Normal washing can be done. A good spray cleaner would work well with a soft cloth over the vinyl or you could get a special vinyl cleaner as well.

It is not advisable to pressure wash a wrapped vehicle, so advise the service station guys when you send in your car for maintenance.

If you have a Matte or some other finish (carbon,brushed) make sure you avoid using any type of wax products. It will get embedded in the small pores and change the look.

Do not park under direct sunlight, if possible get a cover.

With things taken care of your wrap should last you long enough, until you make up your mind for a new look.

And now why you shouldn’t use a cheap wrap material:
I am sure you might have been surprised by the quotes you received for a vinyl wrap and sometimes felt you could just get your car painted in that amount. But then there are some who could provide you a full wrap at fraction of that cost. Ever wondered why?

There can be two situations – 1.) They are getting the high quality material at a really great price or 2.) They aren’t using it at all.
The cheaper vinyls or the so called generic “Imported” ones are usually calendared vinyl. Which means they will at some point of time will give away and peel off.

It is also said to be less durable then a cast vinyl, which will lead it to fading and cracking earlier. Make sure you remove the vinyl as soon you notice it is cracking, as one that happens, the film won’t come off in one piece and you would be left with millions of tiny pieces to be removed.

But the main reason, I wouldn't advise you to go in for these “Imported” ones is because they do not use a high grade removable adhesive that the premium cast vinyls come with. Many of them actually use permanent adhesive, which rather than protecting your paint is going to harm it.

One example I can give you is the difference between a cheap sun film and a high quality one. You might have noticed the cheaper ones tend to get distorted and leave a bad residue when taken off, in the end making you spend more for cleanup.
Or you might have come across a stubborn decal/sticker that cannot be removed unless you scracth it out. These too use permanent adhesive.
Imagine that same situation on your painted surface with a cheaper wrap film.


In the end it is, ’You get what you pay for' scenario.

I hope this post gave you some idea of what a wrap is and what things should be taken care of. If you do have something to add into, do so as the knowledge collected will help others.

For those interested in vehicle wraps, the 3M Series 1080 wrap, according to me are currently the best. These come in various colors and finishes.
Here is the look at sample cards from 3M.


Wraps can also be given a custom graphic job (digitally printed) like I did here. This is again 3M's graphic film with a gloss overlaminate.


I have also creating some designs which will be used for DIY projects.



Regards,
Shoeb

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by SRK

Hi members,

I see there is not much detail on the forum here about vinyl wraps. So I thought might share some of the knowledge I have.
.....
I am also creating some new designs which can be used for DIY projects.
I currently have a CamoWrap and a StickerBomb Wrap design. More will be added soon. These can be used on vehicles, gadgets,or any where you feel creative enough.

Thanks for the informative post SRK. Just an area of concern - as far as I know, Camouflage patterns are meant only for army vehicles and are not supposed to be used on civilian vehicles. I think owners can get into trouble for this army imitation offense if they use that on their cars.

[SRK]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Thanks for the informative post SRK. Just an area of concern - as far as I know, Camouflage patterns are meant only for army vehicles and are not supposed to be used on civilian vehicles. I think owners can get into trouble for this army imitation offense if they use that on their cars.

Thanks for pointing it out.

These are meant mostly for DIY projects and not full body wraps. One can use it on their phones, ipads, computer, etc.

As for vehicles I advise it to be used only on a panel or certain areas, for example a hood of an off-roader or fenders of a hatchback and not wrap the whole car in it, as that would make it illegal as you said.

This is something similar to what I am trying to explain for what should be done on cars.



Still if need be I'll pull it off and add a new design, actually this digi camo looks cool doesn't it .

Regards,
Shoeb

[moralfibre]

Spotted a Golden wrap on an F10 BMW on my way back from Amby Valley on Friday: