Cost / Longevity Wrap Vs Paint?

Cost / Longevity Wrap Vs Paint?

Author
Discussion

KTMsm

Original Poster:

28,404 posts

275 months

Monday 3rd March
quotequote all
I have a LWB van I'm converting into a camper - I've fitted one tinted window but want the other 7 window panels blacked out so it looks like they're windows

The choice is gloss black paint or wrap has anyone got an idea of cost and longevity ?

Google suggests 3 yrs which doesn't seem long

Alex_225

6,841 posts

213 months

Monday 3rd March
quotequote all
Wraps last a lot longer than 3 years but it's generally not ideal to leave them on bodywork beyond that. I bought a car with a wrapped bonnet, it had been on for 6+ years and also garaged.

I bought it, UV hit it and the wrap started to deteriorate. Trying to remove the glue resulted in removing lacquer and the bonnet required re-painting.

On glass, you don't have that issue so it can be left on as long as it looks decent. Alternatively, you could fit it inside so it won't get quite the same exposure as it would on the outside.

EDIT - I just re-read your post, are they windows you're blacking out or panels you want to look like windows? If it's the latter, then painting them would be a better option as it will last the age of the car.

996TT02

3,334 posts

152 months

Monday 3rd March
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Painting the panels yourself with cans of 2K (ideally) is easy and naturally much cheaper than getting someone to wrap them. Now I know very little about wraps but since it won't stretch around anything in your case I wonder whether it will stay put. The paint is theoretically forever.

Cakey_

197 posts

38 months

Monday 3rd March
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If I understand correctly you have windows but want them blacked out to look tinted but in reality there will be units behind them?
Paint will be far cheaper, if wrap it's going to be more or less the same price as getting them tinted, it's the same process just wrap instead of film.
Either way assumimg they're glass, whatever you do if it goes on the inside its going to last indefinitely

KTMsm

Original Poster:

28,404 posts

275 months

Monday 3rd March
quotequote all
They're currently metal panels but I want them to look like windows

They'll be motorcycles in the back of it and hopefully if it looks like a minibus (from across a car park) they won't investigate further

I went to get a price from a painter today and he suggested I'd be better off wrapping it which surprised me


RenPug

635 posts

180 months

Tuesday 4th March
quotequote all
KTMsm said:
They're currently metal panels but I want them to look like windows

They'll be motorcycles in the back of it and hopefully if it looks like a minibus (from across a car park) they won't investigate further

I went to get a price from a painter today and he suggested I'd be better off wrapping it which surprised me
Why not fit blackout glass designed for this purpose?

KTMsm

Original Poster:

28,404 posts

275 months

Tuesday 4th March
quotequote all
RenPug said:
Why not fit blackout glass designed for this purpose?

Weight, cost, risk of them being broken

Paint is surprisingly effective, here's my old one


SimonTheSailor

12,767 posts

240 months

Tuesday 4th March
quotequote all
What colour is the van ? Maybe you could find some pre-shaped window tint that you could just stick over the panels ? Not too sure how good it would look, but cost wise, it might be the cheapest option ?

DaveyBoyWonder

3,000 posts

186 months

Tuesday 4th March
quotequote all
If you're just doing the windows and not the whole vehicle, wrap wouldn't be expensive even if you had to re-do it every few years. Not really going to suffer with stone chips etc there either. Paint will last (a LOT!) longer but be more expensive... swings and roundabouts...

QuattroDave

1,639 posts

140 months

Tuesday 4th March
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KTMsm said:

Weight, cost, risk of them being broken

Paint is surprisingly effective, here's my old one

Whatever you did there, do that again, it looks great!


KTMsm

Original Poster:

28,404 posts

275 months

Wednesday 12th March
quotequote all
Quotes have come back -

Wrapping £500 & £750

I was shocked how much it is for what appears to be a simple job

I'm going to get it painted for £500