Wrapping a hatchback

10Wagon · 04-07-2019, 10:07 PM

What’s the cheapest way to wrap a hatchback? I heard buying the material and doing it yourself is really cheap. Just want some advice from y’all!

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redrexmeister · 04-08-2019, 01:37 AM

It seems like you would spend close to $1k for DIY wrap and tools. For a similar budget you can get a car painted in MAACO. They warranty their work for 4-5 years depending on the package. That's about what you will get from a wrap if applied correctly.

Turpid Porpoise · 04-08-2019, 08:15 AM

I really hope your not suggesting a Maaco orange peel job over a DIY wrap. With a bit or research and a friend to help out you can easily make a wrap look 1000000x better than some half ass maaco job

guyandbluesti · 04-09-2019, 12:32 AM

It really depends I guess on what finis results you are looking for. Ask yourself why do you wanna wrap it? To hide imperfections from your paint? Or make it more attractive?
Then choose high-quality film, may be 3m. Yes, it is gonna cost you. Plus i would highly recomend a garage or preferably a shop, clean shop.
Also i would recommend to have a friend who have done it before who can guide you.
You will get a great result but you gonna need to put some work into it.

redrexmeister · 04-09-2019, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turpid Porpoise

I really hope your not suggesting a Maaco orange peel job over a DIY wrap. With a bit or research and a friend to help out you can easily make a wrap look 1000000x better than some half ass maaco job

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Entry level package is indeed questionable. However, if you double the money the paint quality improves quite noticeably. Warranty is 4-5 years depending on the package. Work quality varies, but you can find a good shop if you check reviews of several shops in the area.

Basically, I am in the same boat as OP. Spend $1k for DIY wrap with uncertain results, or have the car painted by Maaco. Our local shop is pretty decent.

The same budget, you don't do the work. Color matches OEM, plus 4-5 years warranty.

On the other hand, wrap if done correctly has comparable longevity, and you can make your car stand out. Next owner may or may not like your color choices. Unsure, how the microabrasions/scratches hold under the wrap, corrosion-wise.

I am on the fence about this decision, perhaps I could try the wrap as I am an avid DIY-er. However, not sure it is worth my time and I couldn't find DGM wrap equivalent.

Turpid Porpoise · 04-09-2019, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrexmeister

Entry level package is indeed questionable. However, if you double the money the paint quality improves quite noticeably. Warranty is 4-5 years depending on the package. Work quality varies, but you can find a good shop if you check reviews of several shops in the area.

Basically, I am in the same boat as OP. Spend $1k for DIY wrap with uncertain results, or have the car painted by Maaco. Our local shop is pretty decent.

The same budget, you don't do the work. Color matches OEM, plus 4-5 years warranty.

On the other hand, wrap if done correctly has comparable longevity, and you can make your car stand out. Next owner may or may not like your color choices. Unsure, how the microabrasions/scratches hold under the wrap, corrosion-wise.

I am on the fence about this decision, perhaps I could try the wrap as I am an avid DIY-er. However, not sure it is worth my time and I couldn't find DGM wrap equivalent.

As long as you aren't covering over chips/large scratches I would bet that the DIY wrap job will end up looking much better than a Maaco job and you can always remove it later if you end up changing your mind. A Maaco paint job on the other hand will take 3-4x more money to replace/respray if you end up unhappy with the quality of the work. The only time I would recommend paint over wrap is if you are looking to repair deep surface imperfections.

willowlee · 04-16-2019, 03:00 AM

Unless you know what you are doing or know someone who knows how to wrap, then go that route. Wrapping is alot harder than it sounds. Just like painting a car, anyone can grab a can and start spraying. With wrapping, it also takes skill to do a good job. Btw, don't buy cheap ebay wraps. Those thing will chip, crack off, or color fade in the sun. In time, the heat will make the wrap brittle.... the lesson is don't go cheap. You really get what you pay for.

redrexmeister · 04-21-2019, 11:09 AM

So talking about quality wrap supply, what company do you buy it from?

subaru_gc8 · 04-21-2019, 01:09 PM

3m is always a good choice

JaeminLim · 04-24-2019, 11:51 PM

I'm actually looking into getting the front my mine wrapped soon, as I just got a new bumper after hitting a deer. I like to DIY things and hate when other people touch my car, so I researched how to do wrapping at home.

For small things, like headlights or a small areas, yeah, you can do it yourself. But if you want to get larger panels wrapped, and especially that swoopy intricate bumper, then definitely go with a shop. Some places will either use computer-cut wrap or hand wrap/cut. Not to mention there's the whole prep process of washing, claying, correcting, polishing.

If you go with a reputable brands (suntek or xpel), then it'll last 5+ years, definitely worth the cost IMO.

04-07-2019, 10:07 PM	#1
10Wagon Scooby Newbie Member#: 498474 Join Date: Mar 2019	Wrapping a hatchback What’s the cheapest way to wrap a hatchback? I heard buying the material and doing it yourself is really cheap. Just want some advice from y’all! * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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04-08-2019, 01:37 AM	#2
redrexmeister Scooby Specialist Member#: 111692 Join Date: Apr 2006 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Jersey burbs	It seems like you would spend close to $1k for DIY wrap and tools. For a similar budget you can get a car painted in MAACO. They warranty their work for 4-5 years depending on the package. That's about what you will get from a wrap if applied correctly.

04-08-2019, 08:15 AM	#3
Turpid Porpoise Scooby Specialist Member#: 476573 Join Date: Oct 2017 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Lovettsville, Virginia Vehicle: 2008 Impreza WRX STi Silver	I really hope your not suggesting a Maaco orange peel job over a DIY wrap. With a bit or research and a friend to help out you can easily make a wrap look 1000000x better than some half ass maaco job

04-09-2019, 12:32 AM	#4
guyandbluesti Scooby Newbie Member#: 499623 Join Date: Mar 2019	It really depends I guess on what finis results you are looking for. Ask yourself why do you wanna wrap it? To hide imperfections from your paint? Or make it more attractive? Then choose high-quality film, may be 3m. Yes, it is gonna cost you. Plus i would highly recomend a garage or preferably a shop, clean shop. Also i would recommend to have a friend who have done it before who can guide you. You will get a great result but you gonna need to put some work into it.

04-16-2019, 03:00 AM	#7
willowlee Scooby Newbie Member#: 358533 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: central california Vehicle: 2013 sti sedan wrb	Unless you know what you are doing or know someone who knows how to wrap, then go that route. Wrapping is alot harder than it sounds. Just like painting a car, anyone can grab a can and start spraying. With wrapping, it also takes skill to do a good job. Btw, don't buy cheap ebay wraps. Those thing will chip, crack off, or color fade in the sun. In time, the heat will make the wrap brittle.... the lesson is don't go cheap. You really get what you pay for.

04-21-2019, 11:09 AM	#8
redrexmeister Scooby Specialist Member#: 111692 Join Date: Apr 2006 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Jersey burbs	So talking about quality wrap supply, what company do you buy it from?

04-21-2019, 01:09 PM	#9
subaru_gc8 Scooby Specialist Member#: 29292 Join Date: Nov 2002 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Orange County CA Vehicle: 2004 WRX wagon silver	3m is always a good choice

04-24-2019, 11:51 PM	#10
JaeminLim Scooby Newbie Member#: 497877 Join Date: Feb 2019 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: central NY and central NJ Vehicle: '14 wrx - hatschbaq blaQ	I'm actually looking into getting the front my mine wrapped soon, as I just got a new bumper after hitting a deer. I like to DIY things and hate when other people touch my car, so I researched how to do wrapping at home. For small things, like headlights or a small areas, yeah, you can do it yourself. But if you want to get larger panels wrapped, and especially that swoopy intricate bumper, then definitely go with a shop. Some places will either use computer-cut wrap or hand wrap/cut. Not to mention there's the whole prep process of washing, claying, correcting, polishing. If you go with a reputable brands (suntek or xpel), then it'll last 5+ years, definitely worth the cost IMO.