Wrap instead of paint?

I don't think you understand.. I don't even have a cearcoat anymore, there's THAT many scratches THAT deep, EVERYWHERE

well,I would paint her.invest in the stuff you will need like spray gun and paper,tape etc,go to www.tcpglobal.com and get,for example

http://tinyurl.com/7z22plm

or go to www.paintforcars.com and get

http://tinyurl.com/7ex2f6l

Have a great time,your young,learn a super skill,you seem to be meticulous,and have something that will last for years and that you can be proud of.Who knows you might even make a few bucks if you do it rite and paint a couple neighbors cars.
The wrap is cheesy.

I agree w robo. Here:
http://www.carcraft.com/howto/24820/index.html

I would not recommend wrapping an entire car. However, I am a fan of clear wrapping the front bumper/hood area and the outside rear view mirrors for rock chip protection. I have a friend who wrapped the front bumper/hood area in a carbon fiber following the lines of a car bra and it looks perfectly awesome and is much more easily maintained than a regular car bra. If you choose to do something like that, I highly recommend getting those areas done professionally if at all possible. GOOD LUCK

All good lol, looks like the painting plan will take a long while then, getting the equipment and the space to do it is a giant hassle for me when any space to work on my car is outside for me

Don't give up, Corey. Here is a thread you may have missed that might give you some ideas:
https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t8904-how-much-would-it-cost-to-re-paint-my-rivvy?highlight=paint

Wraps are plenty good for what they are: a 5 year surface coating. Beyond that, the vinyl will need replaced, as it isn't guaranteed to last as long as paint. Application can be tricky if you've never done it before. Although it might seem easier and cheaper than paint, it's actually about the same amount of work as painting it yourself, and cost of material is higher for vinyl. Although it's possible to get it right on the first try, chances are you'll get a wrinkle or scratch the finish. And with paint if you mess it up you can sand spots it and try again, but vinyl is ruined if you misapply, so you end up buying new material - pricy.

Avoid the lower priced wraps that use a liquid spray applicator. These are even more difficult to work with, and only last a year or two. The heat applied vinyl is the way to go. Good luck, whichever way you decide.

uh AA,I gotta call foul.a wrap is in no way "about the same amount of work as painting it yourself" It is a completely different kind of work.In terms of labor,painting a car is so much more involved and tedious.It takes true skill to paint a car rite.not sayin it dont take skill to wrap a car but..apples and oranges AA

robotennis61 wrote:

uh AA,I gotta call foul.a wrap is in no way "about the same amount of work as painting it yourself" It is a completely different kind of work.In terms of labor,painting a car is so much more involved and tedious.It takes true skill to paint a car rite.not sayin it dont take skill to wrap a car but..apples and oranges AA

This, I agree with, not even knowing fully how to do either.

it's a little on the arbitrary side of matters for me to just expect to paint my car with no booth or indoor facilities to speak of at all, so I was pretty much looking at other options while I have nothing else better to do :3

robo wrote:

uh AA,I gotta call foul.a wrap is in no way "about the same amount of work as painting it yourself" It is a completely different kind of work.In terms of labor,painting a car is so much more involved and tedious.It takes true skill to paint a car rite.not sayin it dont take skill to wrap a car but..apples and oranges

Sure, it's different kind of work, but imo it takes a similar amount of time for both, and the level of overall effort is about the same for a beginner. It takes "true skill" to do anything right. Having sprayed and wrapped other people's cars, I'd say neither was easy - don't assume that you will be more successful applying vinyl vs. learning to spray, because you are intimidated by how difficult painting might seem. They are equally challenging in my experience, and wrapping has its own bag of special concerns.

Painting takes a long time to get the perfect flow, but working with wrap takes a higher level of patience, imo. Wrap introduces new challenges you don't encounter with paint: 1) covering tighter, complex forms and details, 2) handling (trimming) of panel edges, and 3) dealing with potential for a wrinkle, tear, or miss-cut. I haven't mastered either process 100%, but I'm good enough that I can compare them fairly. Owners of the cars I've worked on have been satisfied with the results.

If you want to know why a good vinyl wrap job can cost $4000-5000, invest in some material and give it a shot. I don't think you'll walk away from the project thinking it was "easy". Personally, for solid colors, I would rather paint than apply vinyl. Unless there is the need to put graphics in the design, paint will be the better route.

A friend was going to try a white wrap on his 8k mile 87 Regal, the wrap place tried for a couple of weeks but could never get it satisfactory for their standards. Maybe it was the white color but on this low mile car with a crappy paint job from GM the wrap did not work. At least they did not charge him for the one door they tried to do.

It is in no way a "Similar amount of time" A good paint job can takes weeks.I mean,forget about it! removal of the trim,sanding,cleaning,filling dents,etch prime,priming,painting,clearing,wet sanding,flow coat,more sanding,buffing.and on and on. a wrap can be done in an afternoon with a couple guys and a heat gun. apples and orange anology didnt work how about...duck sauce and ketchup?
For around $500 bucks maaco will paint the car.single stage no frills.better than nothing.A wrap aint the best choice because wraps are better suited for pizza delivery trucks and red bull advert cars.

Robo, have you ever applied a wrap? You need to do the same surface prep as paint. Dents, chips, deep scratches, they don't disappear under wrap. All that stuff, plus primer, goes for both processes.

Apples & oranges? A good paint job isn't the same as a custom $15k work of art. You can spend lots of time and money on just about anything. Some wraps take weeks. "Good paint" means the same level of finish that came from the factory. It can be done in just a few days, and doesn't require magical talents, you just have to know the process, learn technique, and a bit of practice helps. Mayco isn't good paint, because most people can tell it from original paint.

This thread is about paint vs. vinyl. Each is well-suited for different applications. They are similar in total cost, and for someone with limited experience, both present a challenge. The decision on which route to take should not be based soley on the level of difficulty.

You aint gonna AA yourself outa this one AA.

Primer under a wrap? phew,I guess in extreme cases

Deep scratches?! thay aint a wrap in existance that caint cover a scratch

A custom paint job aint the same as a $15 thou work of art?! what! some paint jobs can get into the hundreds of thousands.Enough to buy a small Picasso!

Some wraps take weeks? who kares!?

How many manufactures on how many models actually produce a car with a "factory finish"? most factory finishes kinda suck.moot point. Even a decent paint job requires talent.Moot point.

Doesnt require magical talents? Uhh..HUh?

You have to know the process? NO Duh!

Learn technique and a bit of practice.NO Duh!

Macco isnt good paint. Uh yeah,we know that .But any Macco can charge you for a primo paint job with primo paints and you will end up paying a primo price.Most Maccos Can do good work,but why would you use Macco if you want a good job?Its not what they make their money on.Moot point.

The last bit about paint vs vinyl ,different applications..bla bla bla and total bla bla with experience and bla bla and challenges and best road to take and ..Dude.admit you dont have a clue.I love ya bro but come on man! give it up!

If Corey aspire to be a wrapper,Great job.There is a future in wrapping.One can make alot of money! But learning how to paint is an art. One can make a decent living at that too! For a first timer paint is the way to go.

Ahemmm... I agree with the man from "the land of enchantment." And I want what he's smoking

Robo, I can tell that you really like paint. That's awesome; I'm glad you appreciate good art. I'm sure someday your Riv will have the slickest coat of paint west of the Mississippi. But you forgot to address the question: have you ever actually wrapped a car? Do you have any experience with vinyl whatsoever?

I've wrapped two cars, and contributed what I know based on experience. What are you basing your opinions on? Do you plan on contributing to the thread, or to just keep ignoring facts and thinking you know more than someone with actual experience?

AA. Its not that I like paint per se.Its that I like reality.
This isnt about addressing the issue as much as it is You trying to win a point.
On page two of this debacle you say that you oppose the "faux" look.CF and all that.What the heck you think a wrap is any way? ITS ALL FAUX! whether its to mimic a matte finish or other. I'm not saying that a wrap doesnt have its place in the car world,if you like your favorite Exotic Taco roach coach all wrapped n purdy,but for a personal car having your ride draped in plastic is tastless.I dont need vinyl wrapping experience to see that!
I wont argue and go on and on about it. comparing a wrap to paint has no value.It doesnt take a genius to wrap.Sure,you gotta know what yer doing but its still just a job.It doesn not involve art ,it just involves experience and know how.Painting a car on the other hand IS an art.Graphics,taping off,shading etc etc takes years to learn.Kandies,clear coats,metal flake.I can go on and on but I wont.
So you wrapped a car or two.So what.From what I can see yes.I have been contributing to the thread. So you want corey to benefit from your two wrapped cars experience.cool.But you cant get away from your comment and I quote " it's actually about the same amount of work as painting it yourself" thats just not true.This is what I have an issue with.
Its one thing to have a nice little set of vinyl graphics on your ride to set it off,its another to have the whole car done in it.
So your trying to guide corey,I get it.But paint two cars and then talk about the Sameness of it all.
Oh and something else.Drop by your local burger joint/car hang out on a saturday night and declare to everyone that your car is wrapped in plastic and see what happens.

denim wrote:

Ahemmm... I agree with the man from "the land of enchantment." And I want what he's smoking

Like i said before, i think your all, "pole smoker's"!!!LOL Ya, also knock off, the bullshit........................

flyineagle96 wrote:

denim wrote:

Ahemmm... I agree with the man from "the land of enchantment." And I want what he's smoking

Like i said before, i think your all, "pole smoker's"!!!LOL Ya, also knock off, the bullshit........................

That was a fast point,nice too see it's getting lively around here!!!

I don't believe I've seen a thread bearing so much merit colors strewn about
Maybe there should be a gold color for "caution"

Yes, I agree. The merit system isn't supposed to be abused that way. If a member finishes a vinyl wrap project 3 weeks ago, for example, and has some relevant info to share, they shouldn't be told they "don't have a clue" and hit with a negative out of spite. I'm not that worried about it. robo is entitled to his opinion just like everybody else. Over time, as other members read this thread, hopefully things will even out. The merit system is pretty fair like that.

Thats kinda low AA.Making me the bad guy in this thread and crying about it by highliting my "dont have a clue"comment is childish.I did not mean for it to sound mean.But your comparison of the two disiplines were just a bit outside!.
.......for the record I aint hit no one with a neg.
and furthermore.....

This is crazy.
I highlighted AA's last post. None others, though.
I'm out of this thread.
Later [door shuts].

Hi,
I've used vinyl on one of my cars rather than paint, and it looks as good as paint. I used a pretty thin product with permanent adhesive. It can be bought at any sign supply house. The secret is patience when applying. I apply a spray of soapy water to the car allowing for the vinyl to be positioned without sticking right away, and using a squegee to remove air bubbles and water when in position. I plan on doing stripes ala SS Camaro or Chevelle to my 95 Riviera soon.

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