What is car wrapping and is it worth it?

Car wrapping is just one of many ways of customising your car to make it stand out more on the road. In a world of silver or white sensible vehicles, making your car more individual sounds appealing - and while car wrapping can still be expensive, it’s considerably more affordable then respraying your car.

If you wanted to professionally respray a moderate-sized hatchback, you can expect to pay upwards of R50,000 for the job. The larger the vehicle, the more you’ll have to pay – potentially over R100,000 in total. On top of that, once you respray a vehicle, there’s no going back from the permanent process.

Alternatively, you can choose to wrap your vehicle. Car wrapping, as the name implies, involves wrapping your car in a plastic vinyl coating on top of its existing paintwork.

Whilst it sounds rudimentary in principle, in practice a car wrap can look just as good as a professional paint job for a fraction of the cost, with prices sitting at around R15,000 to R20,000 for a medium-sized vehicle. Technically, anyone can wrap their car, but it’s a fairly fiddly process that involves taking millimetre-accurate measurements of body panels, and then applying the wrap with a level of precision that leaves no creases or air bubbles on the panel. It’s best, therefore, to get the wrapping done at by a professional.

Unlike a typical paint job, there’s virtually no limit when it comes to design. You’re not just limited to a simple colour; car wraps can be any multiple colours, patterns, or even images! If it can be printed onto the vinyl, it can be applied to your car. If you get bored of it after a while, it’s just a case of removing the wrap to reveal the original paint colour underneath.

You might also want to consider a car wrap if you’re concerned about the longevity of your bodywork. The vinyl wrap acts as a protective layer for the panels, resisting scratches and chips and also protecting the paint against harmful UV damage from the sun. It could end up saving you some money in the long run, since a car kept in good condition will always hold its value better. (Are you thinking of selling your car? If so, click here to list your car on our website and get a quick valuation.)

If the idea appeals to you more than ever, there are a couple more things to bear in mind. Firstly, vinyl is fiddlier to maintain than paint. Water can seep underneath and cause rust, and bird droppings can degrade the material quickly. Be sure to get the wrap done professionally, too, so that your bodywork underneath isn’t damaged.

Overall, though, car wrapping is a fun and alternative way of allowing your vehicle to stand out when done properly. Its popularity is increasing, with Tesla now offering customers in China the option to have their cars wrapped without visiting a third party. There’s no word on the service coming to South Africa just yet, but as interest grows worldwide, manufacturer-spec wraps are likely to arrive in countries across the globe.

For now, though, if you’re looking for a cost-effective way of making sure your car is the only one of its kind, professional car wrapping could be your answer.