This is a question we get quite frequently! And it is a great question that has quite a few components to consider, starting with the surface, leading into the material and ending with your aftercare habits. The short answer is wrap should last 3-5 years with general middle of the road factors across the board, but lets deep dive into the nitty gritty.
The first thing to consider is the surface. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about your project. Is there rust or paint flaking anywhere? Has your vehicle been repainted? Has your vehicle been ceramic coated? If you said yes to any of these questions you very well could see a shortened lifespan. Vinyl adheres to the surface of the vehicle, so if the paint is failing anywhere it may release overtime and then the vinyl is adhereing to nothing. If your vehicle has been repainted its not an end all but having it repainted by a reputable shop is the key here. If the surface hasn't been prepared properly you'll have the same issue as the first question. The ceramic coating also will cause issues. Ceramic is a repleant. This is an oil and water scenario. If the ceramic is meant to repel and decal is meant to stick. Even if you have a professional shop burn the ceramic off, there is still a risk of a poor bond.
The next factor is shop & materials. Having a reputable shop install the wrap will help you further your investment. Wrapping can be a tedious and involved process. There are do's and don'ts just like any other industry. Do your research before commiting to a shop. Read reviews and don't be afraid to ask the shop questions. Some questions you might consider asking is what brands of films they stand behind and why. Here at Epicenter we utilze a few different brands: Avery Dennison, 3M, KPMF and Orafol. These brands are the leaders in the industry, they are a cast film. (Read this article about cast/calendared). They have proven themselves time and time again. When looking at a shops work you may want to look at how other's projects are holding up. There is no such thing as a perfect wrap but striving for perfection is the goal every single time. A poorly installed wrap will be OBVIOUS! Lifting, peeling, and "fingers" are sure tell signs that the wrap was installed incorrectly or a poor film choice was selected (or both).
The next is factor is on you- the consumer! We wrote up an article on this already. You'll be able to find that here. It deep dives on what you can do to best ensure the longest longevity. The short is keeping it clean, NO POWER-WASHERS, handwashing is best, careful of the edges and only aftercare products that are approved for wraps specifically.
So How long does a Wrap last? With all of these factors considered you should easily see 3-5 years out of your wrap! If you're considering if a wrap is the best move for your business you may find this article helpful about ROI.
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