3 Ways to Save Money on Your Car Wrap

Before I dive in to let you know a few secrets to saving money on your vehicle wrap, I thought it worth mentioning that some things are not worth cost-cutting.  One of those things is material (vinyl) used.  While some other wrap companies might issue out a cheaper quote, they might also be using a cheaper material.  This matters a great deal when it comes to quality.  Here at Crux, we use 3M vinyl, and we are 3M-certified, which means that our guys underwent rigorous training and testing to understand how to best cut, bend, heat and apply 3M’s vinyl.  All our work comes with a 3M-backed warranty 5+ years, and typically lasts 10+ years.  Many vinyl competitors out there offer a cheaper product that is simply not intended or warrantied to go around curves.  At pick-up, the wrap might look great, but a year or two down the line, odds are that the graphics will not be sticking to your vehicle like they should. 

Having said that, here are a few other ways to save you some money – without sacrificing quality!

1 - Give some thought to your DESIGN

As is the case with everything in life, designers’ time and talent costs money.  Our in-house designers at Crux Roadboardz have been designing large-format print designs for 30+ years, and they are damn good!  However, they are not mind-readers, although we do like to test them from time to time, just to make sure they’re not missing their clairvoyant calling.  Since design is billed at an hourly rate, being armed with the following information will save you (and us) time, energy and money:

-          Have a drawing/rendering – even if it’s just a hand drawing – of the design you envision.

-          If you aren’t sure what design you want, pull some images of other vehicles, windows or walls that you like from across the web.

-          Have any art elements – logo / color / stock images – you are certain will need to be included in the design ready to share with our designers at maximum resolution.  Source files are always preferred.

-          Pop in for a sit-down with one of our designers to discuss ideas, timeframe, and project management at the very beginning of a new project! 

2 – Unless You Need To, Forget the Roof!

Unless your company vehicle is going to sit in a valley or alley below where your customers – or prospects – are sitting, OR unless your prospects are truck drivers or drones, don’t worry about wrapping the roof of your vehicle.  No one, except those perched higher than your roof, are going to see what vinyl (or lack of vinyl) is atop your roof.  Because of this, our installers typically wrap the vinyl just a couple inches over the top of the vehicle’s sides onto the roof, which gives it the finished look without wasting your money on excessive vinyl. 

3 – Discuss the Partial Wrap

When you call us to discuss a car wrap, be sure you ask us about a partial wrap.  Many people don’t realize that they don’t have to fully-wrap their vehicle to promote their business.  For some of our customers, especially our customers just starting out and/or on a slimmer budget, a partial wrap is a better fit.  A partial wrap usually covers anywhere from ½ to 1/3 of the vehicle. Partial wraps can be as effective as a full wrap, especially if the background of your graphics match the vehicle color.  Ask us to send you some examples!

Hope you found this helpful!   Give us a call today, and ask for someone in our Sales Department, to discuss your next vehicle, window graphic, wall mural, or banner need today!