The short answer
If you want to change your vehicle's colour or brand it for your business, a wrap is usually the better choice. It protects the paint underneath, it comes off when you're done, and it's quicker.
Paint makes more sense when the paint you have is already damaged, or when you want a colour that stays on for good.
Cost
A full colour change at our shop usually costs $4,500 to $7,000 plus HST, depending on the vehicle, and more for some vehicles. A good-quality paint job usually costs close to double that, and it can't be undone.
For business vehicles you don't have to cover everything. A decal kit is the most affordable, then a partial wrap, then a full wrap. A partial wrap uses the vehicle's own colour as part of the design, so you get a strong look for less. Quotes and designs are free.
Time off the road
A colour change takes about 4 to 5 days on average. For commercial vehicles it's usually one to four days: a decal kit takes a day, a partial wrap two or three, and a full wrap up to four. A good paint job usually keeps a vehicle off the road longer, while each coat cures.
Protecting the paint and resale value
Vinyl covers your factory paint and protects it from minor scratches, UV and winter salt. When the wrap comes off, the paint underneath is just as good as it was before, so the vehicle keeps its resale value.
That's also why a wrap suits leased vehicles: premium vinyl comes off cleanly without leaving glue behind. A respray can't be taken back, and a non-factory colour can make a vehicle harder to sell.
Choices you don't get with paint
A wrap comes in gloss, satin or matte, and in colours that would be costly to paint. It can also carry printed graphics: logos, photos, patterns, a phone number. For a business, that's the whole point.
For a fleet, every vehicle can match. Our software records exactly where every decal and print goes, and at what measurements, so the tenth truck looks like the first.
When paint is the better choice
Vinyl needs a sound surface. If the paint is peeling, rusted through or badly chipped, the wrap won't hide it and won't stick well. Fix the paint first, or paint the vehicle instead.
And a wrap lasts 5 to 8 years. If you want a colour for the whole life of the vehicle, paint is the more permanent choice.
