14 Myths about Vehicle Wraps, Debunked

Working in the vehicle wrapping industry for as long as we have, you’ll end up hearing some funny misconceptions about vehicle wraps. Here we list out 14 myths about vehicle wraps and explain why they simply aren’t true.

1. Vehicle Wraps Tear Off Paint

Rust spots, already peeling paint, or vehicle wraps which are left on for far too long can lift some of your paint off. But if you follow proper installation and removal instructions then this simply isn’t true. A quality vinyl wrap won’t tear off your paint.

2. Vehicle Wraps are More Expensive

This is false. Materials, labor, and design times are all lower and shorter with a vehicle wrap installation. If you’re interested in pricing check out our page on how much a vehicle wrap costs.

3. It’s Unsafe to Put Graphics on Windows

While solid vinyl graphics will block your view, this is not what is supposed to be applied to windows. If you’re going to end up having window graphics on your vehicle, the type of material used would be a perforated window film. Perforated window films are completely safe to apply to vehicle windows as you can see through them from the inside out.

4. You Can’t Wrap a Leased Vehicle

Leased vehicles commonly are only held for a couple years. This length of time ends up falling far shorter than the regular lifespan of a vehicle wrap which means a vehicle wrap can be safely applied and removed before returning it to the dealership. Still, check with your leasing contract or dealership just to be sure.

5. It’s Hard to Remove a Vehicle Wrap

Vehicle wraps just peel off when it’s time to remove them. Now, if you let your vehicle wrap go for 8 or 10 years, yes it will be more difficult to remove. If you want to have your vehicle wrap removed, plenty of vehicle wrap shops offer a vehicle wrap removal service in addition to installations.

6. No One Will Notice a Wrapped Vehicle

This is 100% a myth. Vehicle wraps provides countless more design options than a plain old paint job. This is true for custom vehicle wraps as well as color change wraps. In fact, just have a look at the picture below and decide for yourself if you’d notice this car driving down the road.

7. Anyone Can Install a Vehicle Wrap

This one is true, but with a caveat. Anyone can paint a painting, but you really do get what you pay for. Not only is there obvious skill with an experienced installer’s work, but the type of material matters as well. Not only do certified installers have access to better materials, but they will be able to help you find the best brand and color to achieve your dream look.

8. Requires too Much Maintenance

A vehicle wrap can be cleaned in the same way as vehicle paint. And it doesn’t require any more maintenance than your vehicle already does now. Keeping your vehicle garage kept and clean will extend the life of your vehicle wrap, but it will also extend the life of a paint job just the same.

9. Wrapping a Fleet is too Difficult

A large fleet wrapping project takes a lot of planning to execute effectively. Working with an experienced fleet wrapping company ensures the project goes off without a hitch. The only reason a fleet wrap project would be too difficult is if you worked with a fleet wrapping company who didn’t have dedicated project managers to manage the process.

10. Wrapped Vehicles are a Target

Occasionally we’ll hear people say that wrapped vehicles are a target for theft. We’ve combed the internet to find out if this is true and found nothing. What we did find is thieves target vehicles which are warming up, unlocked, or have easier ignition systems to bypass.

11. Vehicle Wraps Will Hide Dents and Scratches in Paint

While a vehicle wrap can help cover up differences in paint and very small scratches, the point of a wrap is it will go flush with your vehicle’s surface. So, any major dings, dents, or scratches will show up. And they will probably look more pronounced because it’s now a clean fresh surface.

12. Vehicle Wraps are Not Worth the Investment

This is incorrect. A simple vehicle wrap for a consumer not only protects paint from damage, but at the time of resale you’re giving the buyer two paint color options. Similarly, a business vehicle wrap is the MOST effective form of advertising compared to all other type of advertising—reaching thousands more people for a fraction of the price of print, radio, and even only ads.

13. Vehicle Wrapping Takes Too Long

A full color change wrap takes 2 – 3 days whereas a brand-new paint job can take 1 – 3 weeks! The length of time for a paint job obviously varies if you’re just doing one panel, but that will still require multiple coats and a need to dry overnight.

14. Vinyl Wraps Don’t Last Very Long

A properly installed and well cared for vehicle wrap can last anywhere from 5 – 7 years. Times will vary based on how much you care for your vehicle. If you have concerns about the length of time a wrap will last, consult with your local vehicle wrapping company about the materials they use and the length of time they recommend you keep your wrap on.

Here at AP Corp, we are the top-rated Maryland vehicle wrapping company. We provide a variety of services for our clients from color change wraps for trucks or cars all the way up to full fleet advertising wraps in DC, Maryland, and Virginia!