Just did a wrapped color change on our 2014

Low-lustre (matte) metallic above rocker molding, black carbon fiber under molding and on front fender flare. Large MB star badges done in matte metallic. Reflective black chevron on rear door lower panel as a safety feature. Faked the back quarter panel windows with gloss black. Black PlastiDip rear hinges and badges, except hood badge. MCX Media in Portland did the job. I imagine retail would be about $2500 without badges, hinges and reflective components. Left the roof white for better reflective quality and less heat conductive surface.

Are you saying that you paid less than $2500 for a whole van paint job? That isn't realistic in my world. Good for you if you managed that.

genenkay said:

Are you saying that you paid less than $2500 ...

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I get the material wholesale and have an inside deal on application due to a longterm business relationship, but yes - doing just the wrap without all the extras I got would be (in my estimation) $2500-3K. It's not the same as a paint job, in longevity or detail. A close look in tight spots will show that it's a wrap, the door jambs are not wrapped and I'm planning on changing it within three years although the warranty is for five.

On the other hand, it is a wonderful protective barrier for the factory paint, and you can do textures and patterns (like the carbon fiber and reflective elements) not available as paint. Just another way to skin the cat. Take a run over to Louisiana Tech (where i kinda went to school) and you'll probably see a few tuners with fancy wraps among the Trustifarian student rides.

Sorry for not understanding "wrap". I have seen rental RV's with wrap but never looked closely and never thought about anything with multiple curves and indentations being wrapped and I know you can't get a quality paint job for less than twice that.

You don't know any good auto sound system installers around Tech do you? I am a 1971 graduate of Tech. Same class as Terry Bradshaw but I didn't know him.

Gene

The same material used for vinyl signs, except more high heat (commercial heat gun) reactive for shaping and flexibility. Also has microperfs throughout that let trapped air pass through, eliminating bubbles. There are a lot of youTube videos on application, pretty interesting to watch.

Terry was my neighbor when he lived in a little house in Antioch Community a few miles north of the glass plant off I-20, just before the Grambling exit. I brought back a stray cow of his from time to time when I was out riding, but we just nodded at each other. I didn't speak football and he didn't speak art student. Best kind of neighbor, silent and friendly. Haven't been back since the early 80's, so can't help with sound installers, sorry.

I was the head of the Printing Plant on campus back then. As a student I was enrolled in architecture and have a minor in Art and knew most of the art teachers and dealt with many in the printing plant. I'm not athletically inclined either, preferring design work, wood working and motorcycle riding when motorcycles were not accepted like they are now (Marlin Brando, The Wild Ones, 1954)

Gene Lueg
'07 Dodge Sprinter

Looks great! Not that I dont like it or anything, but just curious what the motivation to do the faux windows was? Aesthetics or something else?

I had done that to a Chevy van I had long ago, and liked it. Seems like we get a little better treatment from the street cops and gate attendants when the van looks like it has full windows, even if obviously faked. I learned that trick from Papilio troilus, the Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar.