It's a Wrap

[FlyArmy]

I rented a Model 3 on Turo to help me decide if I should convert my reservation to an order. The 3 that I rented (from Sean C in San Diego) was a black car wrapped in satin blue. While I had heard of wrapping before and seen the occasional matte car on the road that was likely a wrap, seeing his wrapped 3 really impressed me. On a black car, the door and trunk sills look completely natural even when open and you are seeing unwrapped parts that are in original paint.

So I decided to order a black car, saving $1000 on a paint color, and instead wrap the car to give me something unique. While vinyl wrap does not provide the level of protection of a clear bra PPF, it is a certain level of protection for the paint. So I expect to have this wrap for perhaps 4 years, then peel it off and have a pristine black car, which I may wrap again with something different.

Without further ado...
Before

After

This is wrapped in Avery Colorflow Urban Jungle in satin finish. Wrapping by APE Wraps and tint by Blacked Out Window Tint in Chula Vista. Very happy with both vendors and my results.

 

[patrick40363]

I rented a Model 3 on Turo to help me decide if I should convert my reservation to an order. The 3 that I rented (from Sean C in San Diego) was a black car wrapped in satin blue. While I had heard of wrapping before and seen the occasional matte car on the road that was likely a wrap, seeing his wrapped 3 really impressed me. On a black car, the door and trunk sills look completely natural even when open and you are seeing unwrapped parts that are in original paint.

So I decided to order a black car, saving $1000 on a paint color, and instead wrap the car to give me something unique. While vinyl wrap does not provide the level of protection of a clear bra PPF, it is a certain level of protection for the paint. So I expect to have this wrap for perhaps 4 years, then peel it off and have a pristine black car, which I may wrap again with something different.

Without further ado...
Before
View attachment 321072
AfterView attachment 321073 View attachment 321075 View attachment 321077 View attachment 321078

This is wrapped in Avery Colorflow Urban Jungle in satin finish. Wrapping by APE Wraps and tint by Blacked Out Window Tint in Chula Vista. Very happy with both vendors and my results.

How much to wrap the car?

 

[P85_DA]

Good job OP ..I think I have seen you driving around !...definitely unique stands out from all the standard colors

 

[KarenRei]

Beautiful wrap job! Looks like it came out of the factory like that.

So I decided to order a black car, saving $1000 on a paint color, and instead wrap the car to give me something unique.

This actually raises something I've been thinking about... and maybe there's some wrapping experts here who might know better, or perhaps I should pop over to a car modding forum... but *are* there any printable PPF films? Wraps that are clear and PPF-level protective (sun, damage, healable with heat), but can have designs printed on them?

Doing some quick searching, I already ran into solid-colour healable vinyl wraps. So it makes me think that there might be appropriate products out there. My thought was that since wrapping whether for paint protection or appearance) is primarily a labour-intensive task, I might as well do something "unique" with my car if I'm going to do it. But since I only want to wrap "likely strike zones" to save money (or at most, large flat expanses of car surface... definitely not every little piece of trim, since I know how much that racks up the cost), then I'll definitely not want a solid colour... otherwise the car would be a patchwork! With clear, I could use the car's natural background colour (black) and with imagery imposed upon it.

... BUT, if it's not protecting the car like PPF, or if it's just going to end up in cruddy condition after a couple years, then why would I bother in the first place?

So... is there anything out there that's basically "printable PPF"? Anyone know?

(Was thinking about imagery like this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this... certainly not decided yet, but there's lots of interesting ideas.... anything that can terminate/fade to black (aka to transparency))

 

[Super_Popular]

Good job OP ..I think I have seen you driving around !...definitely unique stands out from all the standard colors

NWS for language

 

[Thomas Edison]

I rented a Model 3 on Turo to help me decide if I should convert my reservation to an order. The 3 that I rented (from Sean C in San Diego) was a black car wrapped in satin blue. While I had heard of wrapping before and seen the occasional matte car on the road that was likely a wrap, seeing his wrapped 3 really impressed me. On a black car, the door and trunk sills look completely natural even when open and you are seeing unwrapped parts that are in original paint.

So I decided to order a black car, saving $1000 on a paint color, and instead wrap the car to give me something unique. While vinyl wrap does not provide the level of protection of a clear bra PPF, it is a certain level of protection for the paint. So I expect to have this wrap for perhaps 4 years, then peel it off and have a pristine black car, which I may wrap again with something different.

Without further ado...
Before
View attachment 321072
AfterView attachment 321073 View attachment 321075 View attachment 321077 View attachment 321078

This is wrapped in Avery Colorflow Urban Jungle in satin finish. Wrapping by APE Wraps and tint by Blacked Out Window Tint in Chula Vista. Very happy with both vendors and my results.

Did you take any photos of the door jambs or trunk/frunk opening?

 

[FlyArmy]

How much to wrap the car?

I received quotes in the range of $2300 to $4000. Depending on your vendor, there is some variance due to materials cost - the color shifting products are more than the basic products. Most of the cost though is the labor. But in my math, I saved $1000 buying the car in basic black. And if I were to have bought a paint color from Tesla, then put on a PPF flim on the front end, I am now at about the same cost as a color change wrap which I think gives me a cooler looking car.

 

[Chewy3]

Looks solid! - I'm thinking of getting this as a full body wrap

 

[Tiger]

I received quotes in the range of $2300 to $4000. Depending on your vendor, there is some variance due to materials cost - the color shifting products are more than the basic products. Most of the cost though is the labor. But in my math, I saved $1000 buying the car in basic black. And if I were to have bought a paint color from Tesla, then put on a PPF flim on the front end, I am now at about the same cost as a color change wrap which I think gives me a cooler looking car.

Sounds like absolute madness. With that amount of money you can re-PAINT your car multiple times over (and touch-up in case of damages tens of times). I stand my ground and won't spend on the car exterior.

 

[Chewy3]

Sounds like absolute madness. With that amount of money you can re-PAINT your car multiple times over (and touch-up in case of damages tens of times). I stand my ground and won't spend on the car exterior.

If you get the cheapest possible paint job available - yes you might be able to save some cash. But you can also get a cheap wrap for $1500. You get what you pay for, when I was young and broke I had a car painted at Maaco and it had bubbles, overspray, orange peel, just awful.

Also - look into the cost of getting a satin/matte finish paint job. I guarantee its more than those other estimates.

Much like any car mod: 'To each his own"

 

[ℬête Noire]

If you get the cheapest possible paint job available - yes you might be able to save some cash. But you can also get a cheap wrap for $1500. You get what you pay for, when I was young and broke I had a car painted at Maaco and it had bubbles, overspray, orange peel, just awful.

Also - look into the cost of getting a satin/matte finish paint job. I guarantee its more than those other estimates.

Much like any car mod: 'To each his own"

Hey, there's value and a unique look to be had if you get creative.

Back in the 80' my cousin painted his own vehicle using my uncle's shop vac, running in reverse, to run a house painting sprayer. Cost him $60 for the Tremclad + spray bottle set-up. Two coats and done. You had to get up real close to see the original urine yellow in-between the pebbles of new grey paint. That's some value and a unique look right there!

 

[FlyArmy]

Did you take any photos of the door jambs or trunk/frunk opening?

 

[P85_DA]

View attachment 323048 View attachment 323049 View attachment 323050

Nice work !!! How do u find keeping it clean ?

 

[suwaneedad]

Hey, there's value and a unique look to be had if you get creative.

Back in the 80' my cousin painted his own vehicle using my uncle's shop vac, running in reverse, to run a house painting sprayer. Cost him $60 for the Tremclad + spray bottle set-up. Two coats and done. You had to get up real close to see the original urine yellow in-between the pebbles of new grey paint. That's some value and a unique look right there!

Pictures please.
PLEASE!!