[F32Fleet]

How much longer do you guys think this fad will continue?

Yesterday I saw a wrapped Bentley and an i8 and they were awful.

Best described these cars as:
Dirty,
Old,
Worn out,
Tired.

[Soterios]

I don't think it's a "fad" and I don't think it's going anywhere. I think it's going to keep growing.

Wrapping is a way to change the color of your car without permanently modifying it.

As long as it's less expensive (than a good paint job) and less permanent than a paint job, people are going to wrap cars.

[VisualEcho]

I'm fine with wraps, but that trash plasti-dip is an abomination.

[Emilime75]

...but there are PlastiDip products that rival wraps and look as good as paint, yet are still peelable. They're just more expensive so few people do them.

[nioh_lbbm2]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

How much longer do you guys think this fad will continue?

Yesterday I saw a wrapped Bentley and an i8 and they were awful.

Best described these cars as:
Dirty,
Old,
Worn out,
Tired.

Sounds like you're describing tacky colors rather than wraps as a whole. There are plenty of wrapped cars that look great.

The tacky patterns, chrome, or the brushed metal look are the bad ones

[KennyFSU]

I like wraps on cars if they're tastefully done; not a fan of crazy patterns or those rainbow mirror finishes.

[detroitm2]

They've been wrapping race cars for decades. That alone means the "wrap scene" likely wont ever go away.

[9M71]

The technology will only improve and the wraps will only get better/closer to paint. Sorry bud, its here to stay.

[fiveohwblow]

Won’t see me putting Glad bags colorful cousin on my car. I bought the color I wanted and my ocd gives my eye a decent twitch when you open a door or hood and see a different color. Before this tacky plastic trend occurred that meant you went cheap on bodywork and saved money repainting a panel.

But to answer your question, doubt it disappears any time soon.

[clutchdj]

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

...but there are PlastiDip products that rival wraps and look as good as paint, yet are still peelable. They're just more expensive so few people do them.

Right, this San Marino Blue M2 used AutoFlex and looked pretty good:

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1530010

I assume it is more expensive than a traditional wrap.

[chassis]

Hopefully sooner than later, along with the pantheon of terrible blue vehicle paint colors. Starting with Gentian Blue, Phytonic Blue, and the like.

[Emilime75]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Right, this San Marino Blue M2 used AutoFlex and looked pretty good:

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1530010

I assume it is more expensive than a traditional wrap.

It's comparable to an actual paint job, with the benefits of being removable, protecting the original paint and easier to do door/trunk/hood jams and complicated bumpers than vinyl wrap would be.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by chassis

Hopefully sooner than later, along with the pantheon of terrible blue colored vehicle paint colors. Starting with Gentian Blue, Phytonic Blue, and the like.

Since my amateur photography days I have had a hate on for blues that skew purple. That's why I shot Pentax.

[detroitm2]

Wraps will continue to be popular due to their temporary nature.

For example, Avocado Green probably isn't a color that everyone wants on their car. However, someone may decide that is the perfect color for them. Rather than spending a ton of money painting it, they can get a wrap for a bit less. With the added benefit of when they are done with the car and want to resell it, they can simply remove the wrap and have pristine Arctic White under it for the next owner.

Wraps are great for this reason. It allows for individuality without forcing your style on the next owner. Or, allows you to change the color in a much repeatable/easier process.

[See5]

Originally Posted by chassis

Hopefully sooner than later, along with the pantheon of terrible blue colored vehicle paint colors. Starting with Gentian Blue, Phytonic Blue, and the like.

I really like Gentian Blue.

[MD707]

You just don’t know what’s underneath until it’s time to come off, though. Take This guys issues on Instagram with his wrapped M2. For example. Cut marks a plenty on his factory fresh paint under a badly installed wrap 😭

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by nioh_lbbm2

Sounds like you're describing tacky colors rather than wraps as a whole. There are plenty of wrapped cars that look great.

The tacky patterns, chrome, or the brushed metal look are the bad ones

Perhaps. I mostly see some shade of black or another dark color.

Something more appropriate for a 10yr old Civic Si, WRX or Corolla rather than a six-figure automobile.

[Red Bread]

Matte remains awful in any application, wrap or paint. My problem lies much more in matte than wraps.

[9M71]

Originally Posted by G21-M340i

You just don’t know what’s underneath until it’s time to come off, though. Take This guys issues on Instagram with his wrapped M2. For example. Cut marks a plenty on his factory fresh paint under a badly installed wrap 😭

Like all things in life, YMMV. This is a fault of the installer and not of automotive wraps.

[NytWolf]

Originally Posted by 9M71

Like all things in life, YMMV. This is a fault of the installer and not of automotive wraps.

Exactly! It's the installer that results in an ugly wrap. But yes, wraps are here to stay. IMHO the only way wraps will go away is if something easier to apply or less expensive replaces it.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by 9M71

Like all things in life, YMMV. This is a fault of the installer and not of automotive wraps.

Agree. I had the same issue when I had Ventureshield installed on my brand new Ducati 848. I had a friend that worked at a reputable detailing shop. I mentioned my desire to protect the paint on the bike. He said he could do a Ventureshield wrap for me. Trusting that he's my friend and a manager at said detail shop, I figured I'd give it a try.

When he started to work on my bike, my first fear was when he broke out the razor blade. I asked him if it was a good idea to get a razor blade that close to the paint. He assured me that's how the install is done. After he had finished. the wrinkles and bubbles in the wrap were pretty bad. I was stunned but didn't say much at the time because I just didn't know how to deal with this. I got my bike home to be able to really take a close look at the job. That's when I could clearly see the cut marks in the paint.

The result of this was a damaged friendship that didn't recover and a respray of the affected fairings by a body shop. This isn't an indictment on the vinyl wrap industry. I have another friend that had his pristine Mk4 Supra clear vinyl wrapped. You can tell the installer was very experienced. No wrinkles/bubbles. No cut marks and you had to look for the edge of the vinyl. I have also had my headlights on my vehicles clear vinyl wrapped to protect the housings. The installer I used is also very experienced. No visible cut lines on the clear plastic housings.

So the TLDR, is the installer makes a big difference.