STOP Don’t Make These 3 Biggest DIY Car Wrap Mistakes

If you’re considering a car wrap for your vehicle, then the first thing we’d like to say is: you’re on the right track!
Across the country, millions of people are protecting, beautifying and adding value to their vehicle thanks to a high quality, durable and protective car wrap. And in the years ahead, the number of car wraps on the road will grow exponentially. After all, there’s simply no downside.

Well, that’s not exactly the case. There are some risks – but not because car wraps are a bad idea. It’s because taking the DIY approach is a bad move! Indeed, people who try to install a car wrap without the right preparation, products, tools, knowledge and equipment end up wasting their money and time. They also risk damaging their vehicle. We regularly hear from frustrated car owners who need us to repair a DIY car wrap job. Of course we’re there to help, but naturally, there is a cost involved.
The good news is that since you’re reading this article, you haven’t yet taken the DIY car wrap route. You should feel very relieved, because it means you won’t deal with any, some or perhaps all of these BIG mistakes:

It’s not as easy as it looks.

Generally speaking, YouTube is a wonderful thing. But sometimes, good people share bad ideas, and various DIY car wrap videos are a perfect example. The problem is that these videos make the process seem easy and simple. But that’s not the case. And if you look past the videos and check out forums where real car owners share their experiences, you’ll see that the overwhelming number of them comment that the process was MUCH harder than they were led to believe. What’s more, most of them didn’t get the results they expected (we’ll talk about that in a moment!).

It’s not a quick job.

Aside from thinking that they’ll save money, some people opt for a DIY car wrap because they want to save time. Unfortunately, that’s not what ends up happening. Instead of a quick project that was supposed to take an hour or two on the weekend (with the ballgame on the radio and a few beers in the cooler!), the experience turns into a prolonged ordeal that typically stretches out over days – and is highly frustrating, since climate and lighting conditions are never optimal, and dust and debris are everywhere.

It’s not going to look as good as you think.

The most disappointing aspect of taking the DIY car wrap approach is that it doesn’t end up looking good. For example, there are usually bubbles everywhere, the seams don’t align perfectly, the wrap is stretched, and the whole thing looks very amateur. And beyond the esthetics, an improperly installed and treated car wrap is not going to last very long, and so the protection-related benefits aren’t there, either.

Lucent Graphic solutions: Doing Car Wraps Right!

At Lucent Wraps, we have nothing against the DIY concept when it comes to car care and maintenance. Indeed, people who know what they’re doing and have the right tools and equipment can save thousands of dollars a year. Heck, even knowing how to change an air filter – which takes about 5 minutes – can save hundreds of dollars over the life of a single car. But with this in mind, there are some things where DIY just doesn’t work, and a car wrap is on this list. After all, you wouldn’t let an unlicensed dentist give you a root canal, or let a guy whose legal experience involves watching every episode of Law and Order represent you in court. Sometimes, you really do need an expert.
At Lucent Graphic Solutions, the only thing we love more than providing affordable, professional quality work that stands the test of time is exceeding our customers’ high expectations. That’s why we specialize in doing car wraps right! For example, we install wraps in our custom-built indoor installation facility that is 100% dust free and climate controlled. We also use top quality wraps from 3M and Avery that minimize seams and stretch, and our wraps feature a high-gloss UV coated cast laminate for added protection. Plus, we stand behind our work and products with a comprehensive installation and material warranty. To learn more, contact us today.