Cost of Vinyl Wrapping

[jasman]

Hey all,
I am interested in making my hard top white (whenever I actually get my bronco). I see a fair amount of posts here with whole vinyl wraps. Would vinyl wrapping just the top be a viable option, or am I better off having it painted? Does anyone know roughly how much something like that would cost? Any input would be great!

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[BlueBronco1969]

About to have mine done next Thursday. 3M 2080 gloss white for $1,100. $400 vinyl. $700 labor.

 

[jasman]

About to have mine done next Thursday. 3M 2080 gloss white for $1,100. $400 vinyl. $700 labor.

that is not nearly as bad as I was anticipating

 

[BlueBronco1969]

that is not nearly as bad as I was anticipating

I will post you a picture when it’s done. The installer was high on confidence that the texture was smooth enough to install without issue and could be removed/replaced (though he recommended their help with solvents not to damage). Before pic:

 

[jwrshaffer]

Hey all,
I am interested in making my hard top white (whenever I actually get my bronco). I see a fair amount of posts here with whole vinyl wraps. Would vinyl wrapping just the top be a viable option, or am I better off having it painted? Does anyone know roughly how much something like that would cost? Any input would be great!

I got a quote for $1200 for a vinyl roof and 3200 for the entire car. I don't have my Bronco yet but I ordered Eruption Green and I am going to do a white top and possibly do the wheels white.

 

[604Bronco]

I've heard that vinyl wrapping plastics isn't a great idea. I guess the plastic emits some sort of gas that doesn't allow the vinyl to stick properly?

I'm no expert on this though (@Juiced21 does vinyl stuff, maybe she can confirm or call me out on my lies).

 

[jasman]

I got a quote for $1200 for a vinyl roof and 3200 for the entire car. I don't have my Bronco yet but I ordered Eruption Green and I am going to do a white top and possibly do the wheels white.

I ordered an eruption green as well (originally cactus grey, but switched when I reordered for MY22). It just looks so good with a white top.

 

[Vico]

One of our members @BudgetBronco DIY wrapped his top for $200.

Check out his post here…

 

[Underground Graphics]

Would be very hesitant to vinyl wrap the hardtop and expect longterm reliability. Not that can't be wrapped, but in most cases the vinyl is only warrantied to a smooth paint like surfaces. Just a heads up, that if it does fail, that's a lot of material and time lost when paint is always the better solution for something if you know 100% it is what you want.

 

[snolen]

I'm going to paint mine can not wait

 

[choppersean]

My friend operates a firm that does 3M vinyl wrapping of tons of shit......RVs, race cars, busses, airplanes, etc. I just asked him how much it would cost to wrap a 2021/22 Bronco. He said they don't have templates for it quite yet, but based on similar vehicle sizes and such that he estimated full vehicle would cost $4000. Again, lots of specifics they would need to price more accurately, but that is order of magnitude for a FULL VEHICLE wrap. They base pricing off of square footage, so take that into account.

 

[BlueBronco1969]

Would be very hesitant to vinyl wrap the hardtop and expect longterm reliability. Not that can't be wrapped, but in most cases the vinyl is only warrantied to a smooth paint like surfaces. Just a heads up, that if it does fail, that's a lot of material and time lost when paint is always the better solution for something if you know 100% it is what you want.

I will try to remember to report back after a time with the Vinyl. I would need it to last until someone manufactures a white hard top. I will also go topless as often as possible. Don’t be nasty.

I will also share y’all’s thoughts with the pro installer to get his take next week. Appreciative as always for the crowd source ideation.

 

[Juiced21]

I've heard that vinyl wrapping plastics isn't a great idea. I guess the plastic emits some sort of gas that doesn't allow the vinyl to stick properly?

I'm no expert on this though (@Juiced21 does vinyl stuff, maybe she can confirm or call me out on my lies).

So, plastic off-gasses for different lengths of time depending on what their composition is, but it's more about the texture. Imagine a smooth acrylic panel that's like glass: It's plastic, but we use it all the time in signage because it's non-porous, silky smooth so the vinyl can grip onto it. But if you're talking about formed plastic like the door handles on cars or the backs of a lot of mirrors, etc then those are usually textured and rough, which means that on a macro level there's air pockets in the divots, and the vinyl can only grip onto the highest points so it's really really likely that those parts will fail if we try to wrap them. Now there are super grippy vinyls meant for wrapping floors, brick, concrete etc but they aren't compliant the way we want them to be when wrapping a car, meaning they're thick and don't flex and pull like we need, and are meant to be utilized and installed in a different manor all together.

As for the cost of a wrap: A 3M certified wrap tech is going to remove anything and everything that is in the way of where you want your vinyl to wrap and terminate. This means headlights, all the trim, handles, gaskets, anything plastic that is not getting wrapped, etc. That alone can take a day for removal and re-installation, and most shops utilize at least a two person team for each vehicle wrap.

Typical cost on a full vehicle wrap (nose to tail including door sills and bumpers) can run from $4k-$15k depending on square footage, complexity of compound curves, trim pieces listed above, and material choice. Wholesale cost on rolls of wrap material range from $350-$3k, and some cars take 2-3 rolls to wrap (think of the holographic G-wagon wraps, or the color change Lambo. Those are $15-20k easy. Expensive material + difficult as fuck to work with + time + skill).

As for wrapping the MIC top...I wouldn't do it and expect it to last more than 2 years unless it's garaged and babied. That material from what I remember when I was on the lot just isn't smooth enough for us to guarantee. But a lot of people are going to do it and love it while it lasts! Do what fits your budget and makes you happy!

I hope this helps!

FWIW: I'm looking to wrap mine like the attached (FULL DISCLOSURE: This was for my eyes only, I took a photo from this forum and tweaked the color because I liked the pattern to see what it looked like! Not my Bronco, but I LOVED the look of the urban camo and I'll make my own pattern up when I have the time to start wrapping mine for real).

 

[Juiced21]

About to have mine done next Thursday. 3M 2080 gloss white for $1,100. $400 vinyl. $700 labor.

That's a great deal on wrapping that top! And the proper material as well. Let us know how it turns out and holds up, I'm super curious!

 

[604Bronco]

So, plastic off-gasses for different lengths of time depending on what their composition is, but it's more about the texture. Imagine a smooth acrylic panel that's like glass: It's plastic, but we use it all the time in signage because it's non-porous, silky smooth so the vinyl can grip onto it. But if you're talking about formed plastic like the door handles on cars or the backs of a lot of mirrors, etc then those are usually textured and rough, which means that on a macro level there's air pockets in the divots, and the vinyl can only grip onto the highest points so it's really really likely that those parts will fail if we try to wrap them. Now there are super grippy vinyls meant for wrapping floors, brick, concrete etc but they aren't compliant the way we want them to be when wrapping a car, meaning they're thick and don't flex and pull like we need, and are meant to be utilized and installed in a different manor all together.

As for the cost of a wrap: A 3M certified wrap tech is going to remove anything and everything that is in the way of where you want your vinyl to wrap and terminate. This means headlights, all the trim, handles, gaskets, anything plastic that is not getting wrapped, etc. That alone can take a day for removal and re-installation, and most shops utilize at least a two person team for each vehicle wrap.

Typical cost on a full vehicle wrap (nose to tail including door sills and bumpers) can run from $4k-$15k depending on square footage, complexity of compound curves, trim pieces listed above, and material choice. Wholesale cost on rolls of wrap material range from $350-$3k, and some cars take 2-3 rolls to wrap (think of the holographic G-wagon wraps, or the color change Lambo. Those are $15-20k easy. Expensive material + difficult as fuck to work with + time + skill).

As for wrapping the MIC top...I wouldn't do it and expect it to last more than 2 years unless it's garaged and babied. That material from what I remember when I was on the lot just isn't smooth enough for us to guarantee. But a lot of people are going to do it and love it while it lasts! Do what fits your budget and makes you happy!

I hope this helps!

FWIW: I'm looking to wrap mine like the attached (FULL DISCLOSURE: This was for my eyes only, I took a photo from this forum and tweaked the color because I liked the pattern to see what it looked like! Not my Bronco, but I LOVED the look of the urban camo and I'll make my own pattern up when I have the time to start wrapping mine for real).

See, I knew you'd have a better answer than me lol.

I don't usually like urban camo, but this looks cool! I'd even think it'd look cool in a black/dark grey pattern. Can't wait to see an actual picture of yours once it is done.

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