Warranty info for Vehicle Wraps

Vehicle Wrap Warranties

The vehicle wrap warranties we’ll examine today are the leaders in large format vinyl -3M, Oracal, and Avery. These 3 vehicle wrap vinyls pretty much rule the vinyl kingdom. Why? because they’re easier to install and remove than the cheaper brands. The easier the installation, the better the result and the happier you’ll be with your vehicle wrap.

How long will it last?:

If you’ve been shopping around for a vehicle wrap whether online or by phone one of the important things you want to ask is “how long is your warranty?” It’s a great question, because no one wants a cheap wrap with bubbles, wrinkles, or even worse, one that starts peeling off. You’ve probably heard of a 1 year warranty, a 3 year warranty, a 5 year warranty, and I’ve even heard of shops offering an 8 year warranty on their vehicle wraps. So why all the different warranty lengths? Well when we’re buying our vinyls, the manufacturer will say “This is an 8 year vinyl” or this is a “3 year vinyl” and so on and that’s how we typically come up with our warranty length that we tell you, the customer. Sounds easy, but then there’s some fine print. This is where it gets really interesting! So those, 3,5,8 year durability ratings are based on the vinyl having no ink printed on it and being vertical to the sun; meaning, on the sides of a vehicle. So what happens when we print on it? Well now there’s ink on the vinyl so the warranty drops down to around 3 years. What if we print on it and put it horizontal to the sun?; meaning, on the top of the vehicle facing the sun as in the hood, roof, or trunk of a car??  Well,  the warranty drops down to around 1-2 years and some manufacturers won’t stand behind it all. So who wants to pay for a solid white vehicle so it’ll last them all 5 years? Well, not me, I want some logos and bright eye-catching colors!  So now that 5 year warranty you’re finding out isn’t really a 5 year warranty. You’ll probably get 3-4 years out of the sides, and 1-2 out of the hood and roof areas.

Round 2:

I bet you’re already blown away now. So let’s go round 2.  Now, to get the warranty (which is now much lower than the durability the manufacturer posts), the shop must register their printer and inks with that manufacturer and the manufacturer has to approve their printing processes to make sure they’re doing everything to spec. How many shops actually go through this process? Well, slim to none. Ouch! Why do they make it so difficult right?

The Reason:

Here’s the reason why your vehicle wrap warranty is basically like black magic: There is no way of knowing if the wrap shop takes care of their printer, if they use cheap inks, how good the installer is, and how well the customer will take of their vehicle wrap. There are a lot of variables so they have to be careful. The sun is brutal, the acid rain is too, and if you don’t wash it off it can degrade your wrap. All of these factors affect your vehicle wrap.

How Can You Make Sure Your Wrap Goes the Distance?

Step 1: Choose your wrap shop carefully. Asking what kind of printer, inks, if they’re registered with the vinyl manufacturer isn’t something you have time for or will even remember. You need someone who has been in the business for a while and knows what they’re talking about.  Don’t rush the wrap process or they’ll cut corners.
Step 2:Ask them after they print to let your prints dry or “outgas” for a 24-48 hours.
Step 3: Make sure they’re installers know how to properly apply vehicle wraps. The best way to do this is to get on their website, go to their gallery, and call the phone numbers you see on a couple of the vehicle wraps and ask them. Great advice for choosing a good shop.
Step 4: Then it’s time for you to do your part. You must wash your vehicle once a month at the very least. Stay away from harsh car washes. Brushless is ok. Do not ever point any pressure washer at seams, or edges, and wax it with vehicle wrap wax. This will assure you a long life, 3-5 years.

What About the Vinyl on the Hood, Roof, Trunk?

Do expect that around years 2-3 for any vinyl on your hood, roof, or trunk to degrade a bit. I would go ahead and say to expect to spend $200 on replacing each portion. If you compare the costs of a vehicle wrap and maintaining it to other forms of advertising you’ll see real quick that this is pennies in comparison.

The value of a vehicle wrap simply can not be understated. Their power is something to behold as they attract eyes from far and near around the clock. Using a vehicle wrap as a part of your current marketing or advertising campaign greatly enhances the effectiveness and your brand awareness.

Have any questions about vehicle wraps or the warranties? Contact Capital Wraps today.

Capital Wraps is a premier Custom Wraps and Graphics company is located in Washington DC. For more information on vehicle wraps, fleet wraps, or our other graphic products please contact Capital Wraps at 877.775.WRAP or visit www.capitalwraps.com