Frequently Asked
Questions
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about vinyl wraps, our wrapping process and our shop in general. If you don't see your question answered below, feel free to give us a call!
How much does a wrap cost?
Getting straight to some general pricing, an average graphic advertisement wrap is about $2500 and the average color change paint replacement wrap is closer to $3600. If you're looking for a more in-depth pricing information, check out our personal vehicle wrap pricing guide.
Chrome wraps? Most chrome wraps start in the $6,000 range… yes, it’s that expensive! Chrome vinyl is the most expensive film and hardest to install.
Want to just wrap your rooftop or hood? That can cost closer to $200-$450. All the chrome trim on the outside of your vehicle, $500 to $1200. These are all of course just a ballpark range and your price could be slightly less or possibly even more expensive.
Check out our detailed commercial wrap pricing guide for in-depth wrap pricing.How do I care for a wrap?
Maintaining your wrap is easy. The same way you would want to take care of a quality paint job, you would with a wrap. Hand washing is always best. You can go to a full service car wash station which uses actual humans to scrub your car.
Avoid drive through car washes with those crazy spinning whips but you also want to avoid touch-less car washes which use extremely high pressures.
You don’t need to, but you can wax your wrap with using waxes recommended for leather and plastic parts and make sure they do not contain any Carnauba aka Palm wax, as the acid content in this type of wax doesn’t play well with vinyl.
Check out our wrap care guide for a more detailed breakdown.Can I wrap my windows?
Yes, we do wrap windows! In California (at the moment this is written at least), you can pretty much do anything to the windows behind the driver and passenger seats. We can use perforated vinyl or partial cut-vinyl decals to allow for visibility. We can also black out your back windows if you don’t care to see out of them.
Do you contract out your work?
No, we don’t contract our installations to freelance vinyl installers. We do this for a bunch of reasons, but the primary one is: quality.
A lot of shops will contract out work to 3rd party installers if their shop is at capacity, or they may not even employ any of their own installers. Vinyl installations, when done incorrectly, can lead to body and paint damage, peeling, and can be costly to repair or remove.
We employ all of our installers in-house to ensure quality is consistent across all of our projects, so your car leaves our shop with a wrap installed to last.How long does it take to wrap my car?
The average install time for most wraps is 1-3 business days depending on the coverage. The standard color change wrap take 4-5 days for installation. Most commercial graphic wraps take only 2-3 business days for a full coverage installations and partial graphics installs take typically between 1-2 business days.
Our calendar tends to book up a few weeks in advance, so be sure to contact us to schedule your appointment.How long will my wrap last for?
Another question that has many variables. A standard color change wrap film usually has an expected outdoor durability of 7-12 years on vertical surfaces and printed graphic wraps have 5-7 years durability. The amount of sun and dew exposure plays a large part in the durability of all materials. Horizontal areas (such as the roof, hood and trunk of vehicles) which are exposed to UV rays and acid buildup from dust and dew will greatly be reduced down to about 1 to 3 years depending on color, finish and manufacturer.
Perforated window graphics only have an outdoor durability of about 1 year. Matte and metallic finishes have the least durability while gloss finishes have the best outdoor durability. Factors which can greatly improve the life expectancy of the vinyl are, garaging the vehicle, washing it regularly, waxing gloss finishes (no carnauba waxes and nothing that requires a serious buff to polish up).Do I need an appointment?
Yes, in many cases you need an appointment before we can take in your vehicle. On any given day, we could be booked out as far as 2 to 3 weeks before we can take in your vehicle for installation. In the event you have a smaller job such as a roof wrap or some vehicle letters for your doors, we can occasionally squeeze you in sooner than the first available appointment. The only way to know is to contact us and ask.
Will a wrap damage my paint?
If your wrap was professionally installed and removed, it should not hurt your OEM paint. In many cases wraps preserve your paint underneath. We have seen damage to vehicles for several reasons. Installer that are not trained or experienced can cause damage by cutting into your vehicle with a blade. Also if the installation was not done right it will cause premature lifting and then lead to failure of your wrap. Using the wrong or inferior wrap film cause cause damage to your wrap by either etching its adhesive into your paint finish or by ripping your paint off during removal.
We only use the best wrap films available by 3M and Avery and we are one of the few wrap shops in the area which hold multiple certifications from the manufacturers. The use of these films and our expertise in installation means that not only will you wrap last for years to come, but your new factory paint underneath won’t be damaged when you have your wrap professionally removed later down the road.Can you help me design my wrap?
Yes, we can! We have multiple designers on our staff to help you modify an existing design or create an entirely new one. We can design a wrap according to your specifications or help you on the right path if you don’t have many specifications in the first place.
Can vinyl wraps cover rust or chipped paint?
If you can feel a rough texture on your car surface, a vinyl wrap will not help since those imperfections will show through the vinyl. You will need some body work before we can wrap your car if there are dents and/or bumps. Rust and oxidation are a sign of failure and all these areas will show through if not right away, in the near future.
Do you offer any warranties on wraps?
We offer a one-year installation warranty on most wraps. Our vinyl manufacturers each have their own vinyl warranty policy but the general rule of thumb is, if the manufacturer warranties it, we’ll warranty it.
Why should I wrap my car? Why not get a paint job?
There’s a lot of reasons if you have good existing paint… not so many reasons if your paint already looks like it needs some attention. Refer to our is it cheaper to wrap or paint a car post to determine if a car wrap is right for you.
Can you wrap my car in chrome?
We do offer chrome wraps for vehicles but please note that chrome wraps start at $6,000 and go up from there. Installation is at least 5 to 6 business days for chrome finishes and we are usually always booked outwards of 2 weeks.
We only use quality Avery wrap chrome vinyl which is currently the only conformable wrap vinyl available on the market. If you saw another brand online, or saw some pictures from a wrap shop offering an install for less, chances are high that the product is junk.Is there anything you can't wrap?
We get asked all the time, what can you vinyl wrap? We can wrap almost anything, but that doesn’t make it right. It is not recommended to wrap unfinished and textured plastic parts. There are a group of materials which are considered “low energy”, and unfinished plastics are at the top of that list. We also hate wrapping and will not wrap, chrome front grills, emblems, helmets or other ridiculously curvy or complex surfaces which can really push the materials capabilities to their limits. Car wheels are also on the "DO NOT" list.
People seem to think that since the part is small, that somehow it justifies being cheap. Often times, the most expensive parts to wrap are the smallest. Aside from being expensive, we probably wouldn’t warranty the installation anyway. So please leave your helmets, riding bicycles and motorcycles at home or consider buying some vinyl and attempting to wrap it yourself before you end up getting mad at us for not doing it for you. Dang, my fingers hurt just thinking of this.Do you wrap car rims?
No, we do not wrap car wheels nor we we recommend it. It’s likely you saw a Youtube video of someone doing it or maybe saw a cool instagram post, but that doesn’t mean its right. Wrapping wheels is extremely time consuming and the durability of wrapped wheels just sucks. We can send out your wheels for powder coating though, and that stuff is tuff. You can expect on average between $600-$800 for a set of wheels powder coated.
Do you do vinyl removal if my car is already wrapped?
Yes, we do vinyl graphics removal but would need to see the condition of your vinyl in person in order to provide you an estimate. Vinyl removal is charged at a flat hourly rate. Please with more information as well as any pictures if possible so that we can better help you. A few important key points to cover would be, how old, what type of vinyl was used and what condition is it now. You can upload images on our contact page as well.
Do you do on-site vinyl installations?
We do occasionally perform on-site vinyl installations. It really just depends on the specific job and our current work load. Vinyl installation really needs a controlled work environment, not to mention that most installations can take several days. This is one reason that we prefer to do vinyl installations in our shop here in Fremont. If you have a standard vehicle wrap install, chances are that the additional costs for something like this will not add up.
We rarely go off site to work but there are occasionally special instances where we need to accommodate an on-site vinyl installation. Please inform one of our staff members with the details of your request so that we can give you a quote.