The Life Expectancy of a Vehicle Wrap and How to Expand it
Imagine, you’re driving down the road and you see the most beautiful car you’ve ever seen. It’s a color you’ve never seen on a vehicle before, but you’re mesmerized. Why does this car look so amazing? How does it have such an amazing color without costing a fortune? Simple answer, it’s a car wrap!
If you’re considering changing the color of your car or adding advertisements, a car wrap may be exactly what you’re looking for, especially if you don’t want to pay for an expensive paint job. Whether you are looking to wrap your car for business reasons or pleasure reasons, a car wrap is more likely to fit within your budget than a new paint job. Of course, you have questions about them though. The most important questions would be ‘How long does a car wrap last and how can you extend its lifespan?
How Long Do Car Wraps Last?
Whether you are wrapping your car for business or pleasure, it is an investment. Just like with any other investment, you need to make an informed decision. If you’re going to be spending your hard-earned money on a car wrap, it’s only natural for you to dive into topics related to the expense. You want something that is going to last, and you want to know if there are things you can do to make it last even longer.
Professional Installation
The most important aspect of increasing the lifespan of your car wrap is to have it installed by a professional. An improperly installed car wrap will begin showing signs of deterioration extremely fast and may even begin to peel quickly.
There are several other factors you will need to consider when determining how long a car wrap will last, including climate, how frequently you will be washing it, how much sun exposure it will have, and more.
The Sun and Your Car Wrap Are Not Friends
As you have probably already guessed, a wrap will not last as long if it is constantly exposed to the sun. Continuous exposure to the sun will dramatically reduce the life expectancy to around two years while parking it in the shade can extend the life expectancy to three or four years. If you park your car in a garage, the life expectancy could be extended to at least 8 years.
How to Maintain a Car Wrap
With proper care and maintenance, your car wrap will last for many years. That may sound intimidating, but the truth is that it isn’t any more of a commitment than you already have to maintain your vehicle’s paint. So, what do you need to do?
- Park your car in a garage or a shaded area.
- Keep your car clean but only by hand, this will reduce damage to the wrap.
- Don’t press on bubbles. Living in humid or harsh areas may cause bubbles, don’t push on them. Take it back to the professional who installed the wrap to fix it. Fixing it yourself can cause damage.
Caring for Your Car Wrap
Keeping the wrap clean is extremely important, but this can be a bit tricky. Washing it too often or not washing it correctly can reduce the wrap’s life expectancy.
You want to wash your car’s wrap by hand using warm water, a cleaner that is not abrasive, and a soft rag. Do not use pressurized or extremely hot water because this may lift the edges or cause the laminate to dull over time. After washing, you will want to dry it well and use a silicone-based polish. If you have a matte or textured wrap, you will want to skip the polish.