I looked int it and I was getting quotes in Los Angeles at $3500 from one of the best companies.

After negotiating i got it down to $2k.

I would not pay anything over $2K

 

I'd say if that's what you want to do, go for it. I am going to attempt to place some flat black vinyl on certain areas of my car myself. Looking to do the wing, rocker panels and mirror covers in flat black. Definitely post pics if you do it!

 

I like matte...Looks even better on the N-Ring

 

Here's the best example of why you shouldn't wrap. From a distance, people drool because it's cool looking. Up close, it can look really shabby:

 

oooooohhhh....

me no like

 

Like I said...from a distance, wrapped cars look fantastic. But most Porsche owners are very finicky...and any flaw we see is a disappointment. If you change the color of the car, you will see defects in the sheet metal gaps. Even a dark wrap on a black car will show defects in the gaps to the most discerning owner.

Buyer beware...car wraps are far from perfect.

 

Great point....seeing those pics,I wouldn't do it unless your car is black now!
This way you wouldn't see any color....just my $.02.

Stacy

 

great data and thankd to the other person for those pics..... my car is seal grey so would not stand out as much as the red thats for sure, but stand out never the less.... not sure I would be happy with that result... thanks again for those pics... quite helpful

 

I know a few members have done this and there are no gaps such as that particular job. I think for 2k its a very nice mod and your car will definitely stand out.

 

Will any shop guarantee the quality of their work? ie, not seeing the paint exposed in a few spots. Or that just what happens?

 

There are some things that is very important to note when it comes to vinyl wrap.

1. Finding a very good installer for this is no different than anything else. We have seen countless vinyl installs with razor blade cuts to the paint that is visible even when the product is still on the car. This has become a new trend in the luxury / exotic automotive industry. It has been around for well over 15 years with it being applied to company vans, buses, etc. Due to it being fairly new (new in the sense of the past 2 years), the criteria is very different in providing a quality product without damaging the vehicles' paint surface. These installations, in the past and now, were put onto vehicles that did not require as much care because it is generally for promotional purposes onto vans, buses, and fleet vehicles. We have removed quite a bit of vinyl work on luxury / exotics and have found 95% of vehicles with vinyl wrapping having razor paint cuts. This why we say, find a quality installer that will put it in writing that paint damage or razor cuts will not be an issue.
2. the vinyl wraps are generally only 2mils thick. Paint protection film is 8.5mils. There is quite a bit of difference in product durability and strength.
3. if you do plan on moving forward with vinyl wrapping, be sure to go with a laminated product. Having it laminated will bring the thickness of the product to 4 mils thick. This will also extend the product durability in terms of fading. With a base vinyl application only at 2 mils, the product will likely last no more than 2 yrs before the color starts to wane. With a laminated vinyl, product life expectancy is increased to 4+ years. Keep in mind, a laminated product will cost more. Currently the market price for vinyl wraps will range from $2500-$4500. This will depend on where you are located (the higher the cost of living, doing business, etc.) AND most importantly the skill of the installer will play a huge role in the cost of this application. Expect that the larger your vehicle (psgr car vs. suv) and the more complex the body panels to cost more.
4. the vinyl will get chipped because it is merely a 2-4 mils product. Do not expect the vinyl to protect the paint as well compared to paint protection film at 8.5 mils
5. the vinyl can be removed without damaging the paint
6. pro: retains factory paint. Also cheaper than a full body paint job. Even at its highest point with the vinyl at $4500, it is still cheaper than a complete repaint from the best painters, which can cost in excess of $15k

A lot of information, but hopefully this will help you make an informed decision. Just a fyi, we are quite familiar with vinyl because it is also a product / svc we perform.

 

It will look like crap after a few days of road use.

 

The part about razor paint cut would make me go ballistic

John

 

How about doing a matte clear wrap, it would provide protection and matte seal greay would look amazing

 

I have it done on my car. Looks good IMO. My main purpose behind doing it was to protect the paint since the environment here is quite dusty and i couldnt stand the effect it had on the paint. This way, when u decide to peel it off after a couple of years, the paint is still fresh and new!