That's A Wrap

Back in 1914, Ford Motor Company sold their Model T to customers in any colour they wanted, as long as it was black! Fast forward a hundred years the situation is still dreadful. If you are in the market for a new car, you are limited to six colour choices; more if you're lucky. Colour pallets are pretty much the same across the board which doesn't help much. So what can you do, if the company won't offer you the car in the colour of your choice? Why, cover it in a vinyl wrap.

How does it work?

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What started life in advertising, has now taken off in the field of car customization. A wrap is nothing but a sheet of printed vinyl with adhesive on one side with colour choices as varied as there are cocktails. On offer is anything from a retina-scalding chrome to a batmobile-black in matte. And personalization is the new buzz word. You can have whatever it is that gets your fancy. Want to plaster the Nyan Cat all over your supercar like Deadmau5? Or go all Arab on your SUV with the gold? It can all be done.

Mukul Dewan of 3M Car Care in Delhi who specialize in car wrapping says "there are no limits to what you can do, but we do recommend the colours and designs based on the owners preferences and use the car will be put through." Of course you don't want to turn up for that big job interview in a radioactive green banger, but it doesn't mean you can't. Matte and brushed looks are the most popular these days, although Mukul tells us "the camouflage pattern is gaining ground". Now there's an idea for your Scorpio.

Sounds expensive

Of course it costs money and prices depend on how much real estate you want covered and amount of detail in the design. Thankfully you don't have to rob a bank, not just yet. A simple no-nonsense single colour wrap starts at ₹190 per sq. ft. while a brushed finish ones can go up to ₹550 per sq.ft. A custom printed one starts from ₹450 per sq. ft. On the other hand, a set of racing stripes only cost five grand. There's even a clear wrap which is useful for when the neighbour kids decide to play Pablo Picasso on your bonnet. And that's another advantage - the protection against scrapes and scratches.

It doesn't void your warranty either, because no mechanical changes are made, and when you do decide to drop that carbon fibre look you were drooling over, it's easily peeled off in under three hours to reveal the original paint. And to make sure it lasts long, park the car in shade when not using it and clean it regularly.

Wrap Vs Paint

Wrapping has a leg up on a paint job when it comes to design and time. A wrap can match any paint scheme that you can think of, and takes less time to apply. Where a full repaint will take a minimum of ten days, a car can be completely wrapped in three. It isn't permanent, so doesn't affect the car's resale value like a wacky paint job, which makes it the better choice.

How do I do it.

1. Find a clean, well lit place and thoroughly clean and dry the car. Remove lights, logos and door handles to allow the wrap to fold around the panel.

Start one panel at a time, measuring it at the widest points.

Add six inches to the measurements and cut the sheet of wrap to size.

Place wrap on the panel and start sticking it from one edge to the other ensuring at least two inches of excess on all sides. Use a hot air blower to smoothen out any crumpled bits.

Using a squeezy press down on the wrap in long smooth strokes making sure no bubbles form underneath.

Cut the wrap around the edges leaving enough to fold around the edges.

Make neat folds around the panel edges. This is the tricky bit and takes a lot more time.

Finish by gluing the edges with a jell sealant.

9. Repeat for entire car.

From the August 2014 issue of FHM India.