Chrome Car Wraps

A few years ago, the idea of chrome car wraps was not in many people’s minds. Only a few cars in Canada had that luxurious shiny look from chrome wraps. However, as vehicle customization has started to get the better part of car owners, chrome car wraps have become a common vocabulary. More and more car owners have become familiar with chrome warps and using them to distinguish their favorite rides on the road.

But what makes chrome car wraps a must-have and a popular topic among car owners?

A chrome car wrap is not an ordinary wrap. It’s a subtype of vinyl wrap and is commonly used because chrome is among the most attractive and vibrant of all car finishes. Chrome wraps are also known as chrome vinyl wraps. A chrome wrap gives your car surface a shiny, glossy, metallic, and reflective look making it stand out from the other vehicles on the road.

Chrome vinyl wraps come in various colours that share a metallic quality. They are thin but also durable. A high-quality chrome vinyl wrap can last between 5 to 7 years when applied well by a professional. Chrome wraps not only give your car a luxurious glossy look, but they also protect your car paint and surface from small chips and dings from stones and other road damages.

If you are a car dealer and would like to attract more customers to your car collection, consider applying chrome vinyl wraps on your merchandise. If you’re a car owner and plan to sell it out later as a used vehicle, installing a chrome car wrap will help protect the original paint and preserve your car’s resale value.

Famous Types of Chrome Car Wraps

Chrome Full Car Wrap

If you want to make an ultimate statement and fully stand out on the road, you’ll go for a full chrome vinyl car wrap. Unlike partial chrome car wraps, your vehicle will be covered from top to bottom except for the wheels and the glass surfaces (windows & mirrors), of course. The chrome wrap will cover the sides, the bonnet, and the truck. The cost for a full chrome wrap is a bit higher than for partial wraps.

Chrome Partial Car Wrap

There are several types of partial or panel car wraps. They include:

•  Chrome bonnet wraps – This involves wrapping your car with chrome on the bonnet alone. Usually, professionals recommend wrapping your bonnet with bright or dark colours to contrast extreme.
• Chrome Roof Wraps – It involves wrapping your car with chrome on the roof only. This kind of chrome wrapping is critical and requires a professional to execute. This is because you need to select the right colour (dark, either gloss or black) and install it in such a way that the reflective nature of the chrome vinyl wrap directs heat and sunlight away from the car. This technique imitates what black roofs do. You still have to make sure that the car wrap is stylish.
• Chrome side mirror vinyl wraps – This is stylish car customization that involves installing chrome vinyl car wraps on the wing mirrors of a car. The reflective nature of the wrap will enable the approaching traffic to see themselves as they pass your car.

Factors to Consider Before Installing a Chrome Car Wrap on Your Vehicle

If you’re thinking of getting a chrome vinyl wrap for your vehicle, here’s what you should consider first:

Is it Legal?

Modifying your car with a chrome vinyl wrap is perfectly legal in Toronto, and it does not change your car warranty. However, legality depends on the reflectiveness of your car wrap. If it’s too reflective that it may compromise other drivers’ visibility on the road, you may be ordered to remove the wrap and possibly fined. Otherwise, the normal reflectiveness that’s no threat to other drivers is legal for now.

Durability and Maintenance

When applied by professionals, a high-quality chrome car wrap can last up to 6 years and 7 years maximum when properly maintained by the car owner. Manufacturers offer a 5 years warranty and at most 6 months for chrome. Chrome can be easily scratched, and the off-side is it doesn’t possess the auto-healing capabilities like other car wraps. Therefore, you need to establish countermeasures that usually involve installing laminated chrome vinyl on your car.

How much does it cost?

Chrome vinyl wraps are more expensive than other car wraps due to the higher cost of the materials and the added installation complexity. Only professionals can install chrome wraps that last longer, and it takes twice as long as other car wraps. Therefore, expect the cost to be high. The average cost of a chrome vinyl car wrap is about $6500, and the most exotic chrome wrap can cost you $10000 or more. Maintenance costs might also be high because once the wrap is damaged, it needs to be replaced due to its lack of self-healing ability.

Installation Complexity

Chrome vinyl wraps are not easy to install. It’s hard for you to DIY chrome wrap, so you need a professional. Chrome is 3X thicker than other vinyl wraps and can turn dull when overheated or stretched over a curvy surface. This means that the installation process should be taken seriously as it’s easy to waste a lot of time and money trying to chrome wrap your car without success.

Value and Convenience

If you’re not a celebrity or one who likes to show off,  a chrome car wrap may not be a thing for you. Chrome wraps are perfect for show cars but not for your daily use car. Except for the shininess and the reflectiveness, most people find no other reasonable value and reason to install a chrome wrap on their cars. So, before you go for a chrome wrap, ask yourself what value you’ll get from it.

Pros and Cons of a Chrome Car Wrap

Chrome Vinyl car wraps have their advantages and disadvantages. The table below shows the pros and cons of chrome car wraps.

Chrome Vinyl Car Wrap – Is It Worth It?

If you’d like your car to stand out from the rest, can afford the installation and maintenance costs, and it’s legal in your area, nothing should stop you from getting a chrome car wrap. However, if you don’t have a show car and are looking for an affordable but glossy way to wrap your vehicle, you might want to consider other vinyl car wraps.