car wrapping.
Changing the colour of your car without touching the paint. Satin, matt, gloss, textured or chrome: wrapping completely changes the look of your car, and comes off the day you sell it, with the original paint intact underneath.
Unlike a respray, wrapping is reversible. That is what makes it the choice of owners who want a car with a look of their own without cutting into its resale value: when the time comes to sell, the film comes off and the original colour reappears, protected for years from fine scratches and UV.
The quality lies almost entirely in the preparation and the fitting. We work in an enclosed workshop, on a vehicle that has been washed, decontaminated and stripped of the parts that need removing: handles, lights, seals. A wrap fitted without removing those parts shows at the edges straight away.
Allow several days off the road for a full vehicle: that is the time it takes to do the job properly. We give you a firm number of days in the quote, once we have seen the car.
from the chosen colour to the handover of the car.
questions we are asked.
Wrap or respray: which is better for my car?
A wrap comes off; paint does not. That is the whole difference. The film changes the colour and the finish (satin, matt, gloss, textured) without touching the original paintwork, which sits protected underneath. When you sell the car, or simply tire of the colour, the film is peeled off and the car is back to its original appearance. A respray is permanent: changing your mind means painting it again.
Does the film damage the original paint underneath?
No. The film goes onto sound paint and lifts off again without taking any with it: the original colour reappears and the manufacturer's warranty is preserved. In the meantime the paintwork is sheltered from sun, grit and bird droppings. One caveat: where the bodywork is already chipped or has been badly resprayed, removal can pull away whatever was barely holding. We check the paint before we start.
How long does a wrap really last?
Five to ten years on the warranty, depending on the film. How long it actually looks good comes down to where the car lives: one left outside ages faster than one kept in a garage, and the roof and bonnet go before the sides. Matt and satin take harsh washing less well than gloss. We give you the exact term for the film you choose before fitting.
Can I still wash my car normally?
Yes, but not in a roller wash: a wrapped car is washed by hand. Car-wash brushes scratch matt and satin finishes and work the edges loose over time. Use a mild shampoo and keep the pressure washer back, never aimed straight at an edge of film. Rinse off droppings, insects and spilt fuel as soon as you can: once baked on, they leave a mark. No polish or abrasive wax on matt and satin.
Can I have just the roof or the bonnet done?
Yes, and it is one of the jobs we do most: a black roof, a bonnet, stripes, mirrors, a spoiler, window surrounds. Each panel is wrapped on its own and comes off on its own, with the paint underneath unchanged. It is also a way of trying a finish (a satin roof, say) before committing the whole car to it. Judge a matt or a satin in daylight, never on a screen.
If one panel is damaged, does the whole car have to be redone?
No, only that panel. The film is fitted panel by panel, so the wing is stripped, the bodyshop repairs the metal, and the panel is wrapped again. Tell us before the repair starts: film taken off cleanly beats film cut away with a blade. On a light colour fitted several years ago, expect the new panel to show a little. Fresh film has not stood in the same sun.