When comparing two options, we will rely on a group of determining factors: the price of turnkey work in one region; service life of the “coating”; labor intensity of the work (requirements for the overall quality and professionalism of the master in particular); Let's take into account the pitfalls; dividends and possible losses. And as a result, we will determine which option is preferable for the specific goals and expectations of the owner.

Armor film

The market offers two main types of film: armor (polyurethane) and vinyl (PVC). The first is a separate topic. Armor film is used to protect the body of new or. It can be transparent or matte transparent. This film has a very long service life (from 5 to 10 years) and provides good protection from external mechanical influence. The thickness of the polyurethane layer is about 200 microns. For comparison, the thickness of the factory paint coating on a modern car is about 120–150 microns. The work of covering with such a film is expensive, on average 160–180 thousand rubles in Moscow per car. In addition, installing such a film is more labor-intensive compared to gluing vinyl. This requires special professionalism.

Vinyl film

Vinyl film (PVC) was once invented for advertising on cars. Under no circumstances should it be taken as a protective agent. This is not its purpose, although the thickness of high-quality types of vinyl reaches 90 microns. True, when wrapping a car, it inevitably stretches and in difficult places it can become thinner by about 40%. At best, it will protect the body from sandblasting, road reagents and, for example, light scratches from branches, but no more. On the other hand, such a film has a huge range of colors and textures, giving absolute freedom of action to car styling enthusiasts. In addition, during the life of the vinyl, you can forget about caring for the paintwork of the car, which means considerable expenses - for example, on. The average price tag for high-quality vinyl wrapping of an entire body in Moscow is 80–100 thousand rubles.

The plastic nature of PVC imposes a major limitation on the service life of such a film (on average 3–5 years). Over time, due to prolonged exposure to the sun, this material will heat shrink. In this case, in some places the film can warp, crack, peel off and rise on the edges of the body panels. PVC also does not tolerate temperature changes well. If you go to the car wash in severe frost, the film may crack during bath procedures. In addition, the plastic cover gets scratched quite quickly. This film does not absorb impacts from stones and breaks through.

What is the service life of the film?

The limited service life of vinyl is also due to the effect of the adhesive on the paintwork. After three to four years, it begins to actively eat into the top layer of varnish. This is especially pronounced on horizontal body panels (roof and hood), which are often located on. If you remove such a film after five years, then even with a professional approach it can come off in pieces, leaving noticeable marks on the varnish. The body will probably have to be polished.

It is also possible that the film will seriously damage the paintwork during dismantling. Most often, this happens when vinyl is glued to body parts that were painted in a service that violated the technology, or when the wrap has been on the car for too long, more than six years.

How to cover a car body with film?

When preparing the body before covering it with vinyl (for example, bitumen stains and traces of plants) large chips are masked. At the same time, hidden pockets of corrosion and other hidden damage to the paintwork may go unnoticed, because the master does not dismantle the body parts before pasting. However, as practice has shown, vinyl film does not accelerate the corrosion process, but does not slow it down either. So the time when it is possible to treat the sores, while escaping with little blood, will still be lost.

In theory, even an ordinary car enthusiast can cover the body of a car with vinyl. The main thing in this process is patience and accuracy. There are plenty of visual training videos on the Internet. The tools you need are the simplest. But, as practice shows, even after getting the hang of it, an amateur is unlikely to be able to do the job as efficiently as professionals do. The difference will be especially noticeable on parts with complex geometry. Most likely, it will not be possible to wrap an element with one piece of vinyl, make do with a minimum number of cuts and properly hide the edges of the film. But by sacrificing some aesthetics, you can save a tidy sum on work.

What if you repaint it?

The price tag for high-quality repainting of the entire car (including openings) in Moscow starts at about 100 thousand rubles. Saving on such serious work is fraught. But the new body enamel will last for many years if properly cared for. If the technology is followed, the service life of the repainted part will be no less than that of the factory coating.

When preparing the body for painting, a lot of attachments are removed from it, such as moldings and. That is, in addition to external defects, hidden damage and pockets of corrosion will certainly be discovered. But their elimination, as a rule, does not greatly affect the final cost of the work.

When done properly, the thickness of a new paint layer is always greater than the factory thickness. If there were no dents on the body, but only scratches and other cosmetic damage, then the layer of fresh enamel is on average 200–250 microns. A thicker paint “sandwich” does not bring with it any dividends or losses when operating the machine. The service coating will age and wear similar to the factory coating. Perhaps the only noticeable plus is that a thicker layer of varnish will allow you to make several additional approaches to abrasively polishing the body when necessary.

Painting work requires high qualifications and appropriate equipment. If you are not a professional, then don't even try to do it yourself. Not only do you need to be able to paint well, you also need to properly prepare the body. Even experienced craftsmen who perfectly know all the nuances sometimes have misfires, this is inevitable. Soil subsidence, debris ingress, visible boundaries of the repair zone on a body element, varnish rejection, reappearance of internal rust - this is not a complete list of possible problems.

What to choose?

When choosing between wrapping your car with vinyl film and painting, you should be guided by two simple facts.

Vinyl was originally invented as an element of exterior car styling. This is only a temporary wrap with a very limited lifespan. It only hides the tired paintwork. On the other hand, this solution allows you to give the iron horse the desired look and experiment with it cheaply. After all, if you wish, you can try to learn how to wrap a car on your own and not pay huge amounts of money to services. However, problems with the paintwork will still have to be resolved later or the price will increase when selling the car.

Repainting a car is an expensive and long-lasting investment. This solution will allow you to refresh the body for a long time, as well as treat emerging sores in a timely manner. The new paintwork will last no less than the factory one. The current owner is unlikely to have to invest in the appearance of the car, and when selling it, a refreshed body will be a good competitive advantage. And styling lovers can always choose a new color or even use several options.

Thus, body painting initially has a significant advantage compared to vinyl. And considering that the price of covering with film (provided you turn to professionals) is comparable to painting, the conclusion is obvious: a new paint coating is much more profitable than film.

We would like to thank ATDetailing and SunTek PRO detailing centers for their assistance in preparing the material.

Painting a car is expensive, so car owners are increasingly choosing to cover their cars with film material. By covering your car with film, you can easily change the color of the vehicle. By purchasing material with inscriptions and stickers, you will create an unusual car design. Car owners do the wrapping on their own, or entrust the work to specialists at a service station.

How realistic is it to cover a car with film yourself?

Yes, it is not necessary to contact a service station if you have the skills to work with the material or want to save money. Keep in mind that the work is painstaking; it is better to start with inconspicuous parts of the machine. Once you gain experience, start applying film to the hood and other parts of the body.

Why is a car covered with film?

The film makes the car look attractive. The material has not only a decorative purpose. The film coating performs the following utilitarian functions:

• protects the body from damage: chips, scratches,
• colorless film preserves the factory paint of the body, colored material changes the appearance of the body,
• the film can be easily removed without leaving any traces,
• you can remove the old material, then cover the body with a new film of a different color.

Buy material, making a reserve. This is important if you are covering your car with film for the first time. Pay attention to preparing the body, the outcome of the work depends on this.

Read in our material about which ones will be available in Russia.

To buy a high-quality reverse alarm system, look at which manufacturers you can trust.

Which film should I buy?

There are three types of film sold in stores. First, determine your preferences and the goals you are going to achieve, then choose the material. Film for wrapping a car comes in the following types:

• vinyl,
• carbon,
• anti-gravel.

Vinyl occupies an intermediate position between carbon and anti-gravel films. Cars covered with this material look good. Carbon film looks stylish and is an inexpensive material. Choose an anti-gravel coating if you like to travel or drive on gravel roads. This film will protect the vehicle well from chipping.

How much does film cost for a car?

The cost of anti-gravel is from 2500 rubles. The material is resistant to punctures, chemical pollutants and scratches. You can buy carbon film for 450 rubles. The price of vinyl material is from 2000 to 8 thousand rubles.

The material is available in specialized stores. Sellers will help you choose the right film for any vehicle.

How to cover a car with film: stages of work

The work of wrapping a vehicle can be divided into three stages:

1. Buy the material.
2. Prepare your tools.
3. Clean the surface before starting pasting.
4. Cover the car with film.

Determine where you will apply the film. Prepare the body; the quality of the upholstery depends on this. Go to a car wash, or clean the body of dirt yourself. Use detergents and apply solvent or abrasive clay to contaminated areas. Clean the body outside and inside, as well as in the places where you wrap the edges of the film.

The material is glued to a wet or dry surface. The last method is used by craftsmen; it is more difficult than sticking on a wet surface and requires certain skills. When you decide to stick the film on a dry surface, remember that the material sticks instantly. You only have one attempt to position the film correctly.

For beginners, craftsmen recommend choosing the first method, which is based on gluing the film onto a wet base. The good thing about this method is that if the application is unsuccessful, the material can be easily removed and can be glued to a new location. Make sure there are no air bubbles under the film.

The method of application on a wet base is suitable for pasting the hood and body decoration. Having decided to completely cover the car, carefully remove the water from under the film, directing it towards the edges.

You will need the following tools:

• squeegee made of felt or rubber,
• stationery knife and scissors,
• spray bottle filled with soap solution, with
• hair dryer,
• soft rags.

Buy quality materials, use clean rags.

Try on the material, make markings, cut out a fragment. Remove the backing from the film and spray the body with soapy water. Put down the material. While heating with a hairdryer, smooth the film using a squeegee. Once dry, run a felt squeegee over the area to remove any tiny air bubbles. Carefully trim off the remaining film. Heat the edges with a hairdryer, bend and glue.

Using a hairdryer, you will get a perfectly flat surface, the material will fit tightly. Heat the film evenly; the process is accompanied by polymerization. This increases the durability of the material, ensures excellent fit, and makes the surface durable. Despite this, it is better not to wash the car in the first week after wrapping it.

How to cover a car with film with your own hands (video)

Bottom line

After completing the work, leave the car for a day in a warm garage. After this, you can drive out by car. Do not use abrasive products to wash the vehicle; they will damage the film coating.

If you doubt that you can do the wrapping yourself, then choose a service station or a specialized car dealership. The center's craftsmen will select the material, focusing on your needs, and perform the pasting.

In specialized centers, car owners will order a body design. The cost of pasting is about 8 thousand rubles.

Body protection is a headache for every car owner. We turned to the specialists of the Automotive Technology Center company to find out which film is better, and this is what we found out. For any car owner, the paintwork of their car is something that they want to protect as much as possible from any damage, which not only spoils the appearance and reduces the cost, but also becomes an “entry gate” for corrosion. Despite the sufficient strength of the factory coating, the car is subject to constant “bombardment” of solid dust particles, sand and gravel, literally tearing off the paint layer. The front part of the car is especially affected - the hood, fenders and roof.

Optical instruments are not left without “attention,” quickly turning from sparkling details into something cloudy and poorly transmitting light. In addition to aesthetic imperfection, this situation guarantees a deterioration in visibility at night, and this can end very sadly. Therefore, any car owner is ready to consider the most incredible ways to protect the body and headlights. One of the most popular methods of protection, which perhaps every vehicle owner has heard of, is armoring the car with protective film.

What is protective film for cars

Anti-gravel film, for the most part, is a transparent material. The most common are cast vinyl and polyurethane. Depending on needs, the car owner can choose a protection thickness from 100 to 250 microns. The quality of protection and service life of the film depend, to a certain extent, on the selected thickness. Protective films can also be colored - these perform not only direct duties, but also a good decorative role, allowing you to quickly change the exterior of any car at minimal cost.

Vinyl protection

Vinyl or PVC film has a thickness of 100 microns with an average service life of about eight years. Its main advantage is the ability to cover almost any entire geometric shape. Such protection “shows” its best characteristics in urban conditions. Despite the relatively small thickness, the protective film for the car has excellent elasticity and provides good protection of the paintwork from mechanical damage, as well as from reagents from city roads.

Polyurethane protection

A protective film for a car against chipping, made on the basis of polyurethane, is more durable, has a thickness of 100 to 250 microns and can last on a car for up to 7 years. It is more expensive than the previous option, but due to the increased density it is able to provide the paintwork with stronger protection. The same aspect will not allow you to cover the entire car or in areas with complex geometry.

Important! If you use colored material that will change the main color of the car, you will need to clarify the need to make changes to the documents.

Depending on the specifics of production, the protective film on the car body may become the “owner” of other quality characteristics. Of course, self-healing polyurethane protective film for cars, available in the range of some manufacturers, is interesting. This material independently heals small cracks that inevitably appear during operation. The process does not require human intervention, but can be accelerated by heating - such a film can simply be periodically watered with hot water.

Pros and cons of gluing film on cars

Pasting a car with a protective film allows you to sufficiently provide its paintwork with a really high level of protection, preserving it for many years in its original form. The most vulnerable areas of the car include the following:

In any of them you can use such anti-gravel protection. As a rule, protective film can also be glued to the windshield of a car.

It is especially effective to cover a car with protective film immediately after purchasing it, while the paintwork is in perfect condition. In the event that the car is not processed entirely, but selectively, applying the film, done by professionals, does not take much time. The only drawback of this method of protection is the inability to remove this film later. As a rule, such situations occur if low-quality material is used and the work is carried out without proper surface preparation.

To glue or not to glue protective film

Thanks to the constant improvement of protective films and their gluing technologies, today it is possible to provide high-quality protection to almost all external surfaces of any vehicle. The undoubted advantage of transparent protective film for cars is chemical resistance, and in combination with other factors this makes it possible to use it in any climatic conditions.

There are no special conditions for gluing. Therefore, each car owner independently decides what percentage of the body to provide such protection. The only thing that experts agree on is that it is better to seal the hood of a new car completely. Despite the fact that the body protective film has a certain thickness, after gluing it is completely invisible on the body and does not change its factory paint.

Fears that the film will have to be removed along with the paint are also meaningless. The special glue that covers the high-quality protective film has a fairly pronounced differentiation - for glossy surfaces, slightly rough and matte. In addition, the thickness of the adhesive layer is clearly insufficient to penetrate the car's paint.

Correctly selected film, proper preparation of the car surface and the professional knowledge of the technician will certainly become the key to trouble-free operation of a car covered with a protective film. To cover a car with protective film, you will, of course, have to spend a certain amount and time. But all this cannot be compared with the restoration of damaged paintwork - partial or complete.

The advantages of high technology in car protection

The obvious advantages of using protective film include those that all auto experts agree on:

• high resistance to chemicals;
• high elasticity of the material;
• protection of car paintwork from UV rays;
• moisture-repellent characteristics.

There are protective films for car headlights, windshields, sills - all these places need reliable protection no less than the paintwork. Of course, headlights need special protection. If they are made of plastic, after just a few months of use, especially in the summer, their surface loses its transparency. Restorative agents such as goya paste or toothpaste provide a small and temporary effect.

A cloudy headlight changes the direction of scattering, trapping a large amount of light. As a result, in the dark, driving turns into sheer torture, which is also dangerous. A protective film applied to a new headlight completely solves this problem. It is easy to change and is inexpensive. A protective film glued to the windshield, in addition to its protective properties, will perform one more task. Thanks to its water-repellent characteristics, even in heavy rain, visibility for the driver will be almost ideal, since water will not linger on the surface at all.

Is it worth gluing the film?

Of course, the question of whether it is worth covering a car with a protective film is decided by each car owner strictly individually. But you should understand that such additional protection, in addition to all of the above, will significantly facilitate and reduce the cost of car care. You will have to travel less to the car wash, and you will not need to purchase and apply polishes yourself. You don't have to carry a whole bunch of pencils in the glove compartment to remove scratches. Of course, someone might argue that you will also have to pay for the material and labor.

This is of course true, but even the most professional and constant care of a car’s paintwork is not able to keep it in that ideal condition when the car left the showroom or factory. If, when buying a car, you immediately plan to sell it, it makes sense to stick on protection so that in a year you do not lose a much larger amount in value. It is also worth understanding that an unprotected paint coating becomes covered over time with microcracks, through which moisture enters the metal, causing corrosion. You can see what the application of such material looks like in the video:

Body in film?
We often started seeing cars wrapped in film, is that good or bad?

When a person rolls up a 3D whip, the roof, or the hood, or the trunk, but not the entire car, this all looks like an amateur! Just roll up the roof and car dealerships!

What if a person covers absolutely the entire car with film?
Some people like it, some don't! But here's what you might encounter! The story is like this
A friend of mine was selling a Skoda Octavia! The body was all in jambs, it was also completely covered, but the quality of paint in Russia, you understand, is all about waves, risk and so on, he was selling for six months! It’s not for sale, that’s understandable, it doesn’t have any appearance! He goes, takes the cheapest film, and covers the whole car with it! How long do you think he was still trading? A week! The car flew away, and naturally, he told everyone, “If you take off the film, everything is perfect!”
Some film smoothes out all the unevenness, and under it you can hide scratches, jambs, and poor preparation for painting!
Have you seen how she starts to look after a couple of years? The jambs begin to fall off in pieces, water gets under the chips from Karcher, and that’s all, it begins to lead to the need to re-glue it! The price for a complete re-gluing is not small, taking into account the fact that you have to remove the old one and remove the glue! And they insist that when they glue the paintwork, it remains perfect! But in fact, not always, because the film is cut directly by machine, using a paint knife, and sometimes the paintwork is also cut through! And you will only find out about it when you take it off!

When buying a used car, it is wrapped in film.

She also beats the thickness gauge! Personally, mine measures up to 2.3 mm, which means that if the film thickness is even 1 mm (armor), then the whole element will show me as 1100-1150 microns! And what you need to be afraid of here is exactly what’s under the film, because you won’t see jambs, scratches, etc.! And, if you want to buy a cheap car wrapped in film and immediately remove it, then “surprises” may await you! Therefore, just know this in advance, and be careful! That is, you can check the body for integrity! But, be sure that there is nothing under the film! Yes, and in the future you may face costs for re-gluing! Personally, I don’t like cars that are completely covered with film in some color! This is purely for everyone, but many people love it! Simply, know the problems of the film before purchasing, not after!

Pros when selling
+ Paintwork remains like new
+You can change the appearance of your car without repainting it!
+You can hide car jambs
+Cheaper than painting
+Young people love cars in film
+Smoothes out jambs

Disadvantages when buying such a car
-Liquidity is a matter of chance, and depends heavily on the brand of car
-You can hide car jambs
- Paintwork, it doesn’t always remain like new
-They like to outbid
-Smoothes out jambs
-The film also tends to wear out!
-In case of an accident, the insurance company is unlikely to pay you extra for the film! Then you can simply prepare the parts and wrap them in film without painting! And the next owner won’t always be able to find out!
There is also a film consisting of many small pictures, the so-called “TUNERS” love it! and they glue it over, only the jambs, and often the rust, and they glue it over it, not the entire element, but only part of it, where the jambs are! Many people don’t even know this!

Armor
It's not much different! And armor is a plus rather than a minus! The film is transparent! And it saves you from chips and damage! And there is armor that you scratch with sandpaper, then heat and polish, and it’s like new again, without a single jamb or scratch! And in case of an accident, with armor there is less damage (I’m talking about a minor accident)! I remember Kruzak came, rolled up the doors in the most expensive armor! It wasn't a big accident, the door was a little dented, and the film just peeled off a little, but the paintwork remained like new! The insurer thought that the varnish was peeling off and there was a dent, and considered the element to be replaced! The man made a substantial profit, but made the dent without painting, and put it back into the armor, and is happy as an elephant, and when selling, few people will understand and see something, the element remains intact and original! Often, armor is glued to the face of the car, not much of the fenders, and the hood, if not the whole, then the front part! And I consider this a huge plus! Since, in the end, there are no chips, you can polish the film, even if there are jambs on it, almost never, there are no chips before the paintwork! Because ARMOR itself is thick, unlike a simple film!
It happens that armor is glued to the windshield, and then there are no chips that have to be repaired, and the forehead remains original for sale, and without jambs, and the film can be replaced at any time! But there are also disadvantages - the price! Therefore, these are the services that are used by those who have money! Armor is a stretchable thing, and we have only one office, it uses good, thick films, the rest glue something like armor! So do garage technicians!

BE CAREFUL WHEN BUYING, AND KNOW THE PROS AND CONS BEFORE BUYING AN IRON HORSE!