Wrapping a car has become a common practice for some car owners. There could be many reasons, from protecting the original paintwork to preventing rust.
With a car wrap costing thousands of dollars, is it worth it? Will the wrap increase the value of your vehicle, or will it devalue your car?
Whether you want to sell your car in the near future or you are just interested in how the wrap affects the value of your car, it’s important to know this before you start wrapping.
Let’s take a look at whether a wrap devalues your car.
Does Wrapping Increase Or Decrease The Value Of Your Car?
The short answer to this is: that depends. There are so many factors that affect the value of your car.
From the type and quality of the wrap, you apply to the original value of your car before the wrapping. Let’s take a look at some of these factors in detail.
The Car’s Original Paint Quality
If you have an older car with poor paintwork, then a wrap may not help much.
If you’re looking to sell your car, then you should probably consider getting rid of the wrap as soon as possible.
A good example would be a classic car. Classic cars have been around for decades and they are often very expensive.
They can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but if their original paintwork is bad, then a wrap won’t do anything to improve them.
This does not just apply to classic cars but any vehicles. When the paint quality of your car is bad to start with, then a wrap will not improve the value of your car.
It may be quite the opposite. Prospective buyers may be suspicious as to what you may want to hide underneath the wrap.
As a rule of thumb, a wrap only protects the original paintwork when it is almost brand new, and the paint is not chipped or cracked.
This means that if you want to get the most out of your wrap, you need to ensure that there is a high-quality paint job underneath.
Original Value Before Wrapping
Another factor that influences the value of your car with a wrap is its original value.
The value of your car depends on many other factors than the paint and what the exterior looks like.
The things that also influence the value of your car such as the condition of the interior, engine, and the overall appearance of the car.
So, if you want to maximize the value of your car after applying a wrap, you need to make sure that the car is in pristine condition before you wrap it.
The Type Of Wrap
Wraps can be applied to any type of vehicle including cars, trucks, and even motorcycles. They are also available in different colors and styles.
The most popular types of wraps include vinyl, canvas, and plastic. Plastic wraps are the cheapest and easiest to apply.
However, they can fade over time, and may even peel off. This means that plastic car wraps are not the most sightly, which means that they can devalue your car at the point of selling.
Vinyl wraps are the most popular and durable. However, they are more expensive.
If you use vinyl wrap as paint protection, then this can increase the value of your car.
Quality Of The Wrap
When choosing a car wrap, you must choose one that has been tested by professional car painters.
You don’t want to buy a cheap wrap from eBay or Amazon because it could damage your car.
It might look great on paper, but it could cause problems when you try to remove it. It is always better to spend a little bit extra and go for a professional car wrap.
The better the quality of the wrap, the greater your chances that your car will not be highly devalued due to the wrap.
The Design Of The Wrap
The design of the wrap has a huge impact on how it affects the value of your car and can change the way people perceive your car.
For instance, if you choose a wrap that makes your car appear smaller, then it could decrease the perceived size of your car.
But it’s not just about the visual size of your car. The pattern of the wrap can also play a big role in how your car is valued.
The design and pattern of a wrap are largely personal preferences, so you may prefer to have simply another color, or you may rather have large flowers.
All these designs are personal taste. However, when it comes to selling your car, this does impact how another buyer perceives your car.
After all, not everyone likes a car with big flowers or racing stripes. It’s important to know that the more unusual your wrap design, the more difficult it is to sell your wrapped car.
We always recommend keeping your wrap as simple as possible, with a color that resembles the factory paintwork.
It is important to note that a wrap cannot cover up all the flaws of a car. So, if you have a big dent or scratch on your car, then it will still show through the wrap.
It’s best to leave these imperfections alone so that prospective buyers don’t think that something is wrong with your car.
Conclusion
A good car wrap can make your car stand out from the crowd. However, some wraps may devalue your car and you should consider carefully whether you want to wrap your car if you plan to sell it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Remove Wrap Before Selling My Car?
No! You should never remove your wrap until you’re ready to sell your car. Removing the wrap too early could lead to unnecessary costs and delays in the sale process.
Is It Difficult To Remove Wrap?
Yes, a high-quality vinyl wrap is made to last in any weather and road conditions.
This makes it immensely durable and almost impossible to remove without damaging the original paintwork of your car.
