This guide to car wrapping costs was created by Danny Woodley and was updated on the 9th April 2022 and posted in the Motoring Corner.

(Update April 2022: We updated our prices for car wrapping in April ’22 and the figures below reflect recent increases in inflation. With so much pricing volatility in recent months, we strongly urge customers to shop around and get at least three quotes. Prices may go up or down in the near future, depending on the cost of materials and labour.)

Car wrapping is one of the most cost-effective ways to customise just about any vehicle, from your day-to-day runner or sports car to a van or commercial vehicle.

With a good quality wrap, your motor will look truly unique – there are hundreds of colours and patterns to choose from. You can also decide to only partially wrap key parts of your vehicle; skirts, spoilers, bonnets and roofs are all popular places for customisation.

This page is all about car wrapping costs – how much we think you should pay based on quotes we received from specialist car wrapping firms in the UK.

But first…

How Much Do You Think Car Wrapping Costs?

We often ask visitors to our site how much they think certain projects cost.

Can you answer the question below?

(Update April 2022: Our poll was published in 2019 and has now reached the maximum number of respondents (100,000) so has now been closed. You may find the answers insightful but in reality, people generally underestimate the cost of most projects.)

Specifics That Affect The Price of a Car Wrap

No two car wraps are the same as every vehicle on the road will be in a different condition, consider the following points:

1. The size of the vehicle – in general, a small car such as a Ford Ka will be cheaper than a huge 4×4.
2. The complexity of the vehicle surface – even small cars can have lots of curves, lines, grooves and other complex design features that increase the time needed to complete the wrap.
3. The condition of the existing paintwork – vinyl will not adhere to rust and any existing dents or deep scratches on the surface of the vehicle will still be visible through the new wrap.
4. Aftermarket parts fitted – any aftermarket sills, spoilers, bumpers or other aftermarket parts will increase the time it takes to complete the project.
5. Any existing vinyl or graphics fitted – a new vinyl wrap can only adhere to paintwork in good condition, any existing graphics or vinyl will need to be removed.
6. The type of vinyl wrapped on the car – the cheapest vinyl is an off-the-shelf solid colour. Chrome, satins and two-tone colours cost more with custom-designed patterns costing considerably more.

Do Also Consider…

The car wrapping prices below do not take into account any repairs to the existing paintwork and do not include the cost of removing the vinyl wrap.

Custom car colours and wraps can devalue some cars, for example, an original red Ferrari is always worth more than a custom blue wrapped Ferrari.

While you may prefer a certain colour, buyers, in general, prefer the original paintwork and colour.

Cost to Wrap a Car – Our Price Guide

We asked eight car wrapping firms for a price to wrap a Ford Focus 2016 and a BMW 4 series coupe in solid standard colours.

Here are the details for the Focus:

• Ford Focus Zetec 2016 model.
• Existing colour is black.
• Required colour is solid red.
• The existing paintwork is in good condition, no repairs are required.

And for the BMW:

• BMW 4 Series Coupe 2015.
• Existing colour is white.
• Required colour is blue.
• Existing paintwork is in good condition with no repairs needed.

Below you’ll see an average of the 8 prices we received for car wrapping to each vehicle:

The car wrapping prices displayed above were last updated in 2019.

We hope you found this information insightful.

We did see some big differences in prices from the firms we contacted, so it’s always worth shopping around and getting lots of wrapping prices, we suggest three at a minimum.

Does Car Wrapping Cost More or Less Than a Respray?

As part of our research into motoring costs in the UK, we also looked into car respray costs.

In general; a cheap low-end respray is cheaper than an average car wrapping cost but a good quality respray costs more than a good quality car wrap.

Of course, a car wrap is only temporary and can be removed but a respray is permanent and a bad respray can cost a lot to rectify.

Check out our guide to car respray costs here.

Cost to Remove a Car Wrap

We asked several car wrapping firms how much they charge to remove a car vinyl wrap from a medium-sized car and the average cost was just over £625.

FAQs – Car Wrapping

How does car wrapping vinyl adhere to the car’s surface?

The vinyl is manufactured in rolls with a sticky back tape which is removed just prior to installation, the mild adhesive is just enough to secure the vinyl but not strong enough to damage the paintwork.

How long does a vinyl wrap last?

A car vinyl wrap is only temporary and most will last around 5 years.

How difficult is it to remove a car wrap?

It’s not easy to remove a car vinyl wrap, a heat gun set to a specific temperature is first used to soften the material, and the sticky residue is then removed with liquid and chemicals that are designed to protect the paint. The process is slow and avoiding damage to the paintwork, requires care and expertise.

Is there a guarantee that removing the car wrap won’t damage the paintwork?

Unfortunately not, there are many scenarios where a poorly installed car wrap may damage the paintwork, something that may not become apparent until the wrap is removed many years later: Moisture under the vinyl, scratches from tools, existing rust etc and this isn’t the fault of the firm removing the wrap.

Does car wrapping protect the paintwork?

Yes, but only if installed and removed by a professional. There may be other, better, ways to protect paintwork such as waxing and translucent spray paint.

Can a car wrap be used to cover and hide scratches, rust and other surface imperfections?

No, a vinyl wrap should only be used on sound paintwork. Any existing rust will likely spread under the vinyl and scratches/dents will still be visible through the thin layer of vinyl.

This guide to car wrapping costs was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.

You’ll find more motoring price guides on our site such as window tinting, servicing, paint respraying and air-con refills.

Explore our motoring guide here – UK Motoring Price Guide.