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Do vinyl wraps change the value equation on rare colors?

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GZtoSF

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16 July 2016
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Hey Everybody,

Just bought my first NSX, a 2002 Berlina Black.

While I'm happy with the black I was just wondering that now that you can get decent looking wraps done relatively cheaply is that putting an end to certain colors costing more?

I'm happy with the black but let's say I want a white one or a red one couldn't I just get a wrap done in GPW or New Formula Red? I've heard the white ones are the most expensive, I was looking at NSX's for about 6 months before I was messaged about the one I ended up buying and I don't think I saw a single white NSX on the market during that span. 02+ or otherwise.

But are wraps getting good enough that it's not worth it to buy the expensive colors?

Side note: I've lived abroad for a few years and I haven't seen too many wraps up close.
 
There's a big difference between getting a car wrapped and having the car painted from the factory. For starters, all the inaccessible or infeasible-to-wrap areas, for example, the engine bay (because of heat), will remain the OEM colour. Secondly, wraps don't usually have the longevity of factory applied paint, and instead of chipping or flaking, will tear or peel away when under duress, which requires the panel to be rewrapped, as you can't touch up a wrap. As far as having a car wrapped in a OEM colour, unfortunately, as far as I can tell, no such option exists. While a variety of vinyl wraps exist, you can't yet custom colour code one. You can, however get peel-able paint in OEM colours, which is close in function to a wrap, but again, you will face the aforementioned drawbacks. Another potential issue is the fact that few shops are good enough at applying wraps or peel-able paints to get anywhere near OEM quality. Generally, wraps have little to no impact on a cars value and as such don't counteract the premium of desirable colours. In short, while wraps are cool and relatively cheap, they are not yet a good substitution for a proper paint job, and prices reflect as much.
 
IMO a wrap would decrease the value of a car as you cannot inspect the current paint condition before purchase. Who knows what could be underneath.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
At some point I may get a car wrapped but it won't be the NSX. One good thing about a wrap would be the protection provided for the paint. It would probably help guard against light scratches and rock chips. I would be too paranoid to have anyone work on my car with razor blades for hours on end. I happen to think that all the factory colors look good on the first gen. NSX. Some of the brighter colors would be severe cop magnets, but they do look great. Black is a pain in the ass color to live with on a daily driver, but looks sharp if properly maintained. On a sunny day car like the NSX, a dark color shouldn't be that much of an issue.

GZtoSF, congratulations on picking up the 02. Why don't you get a really good paint correction done on your car if the paint is a bit tired. After getting this done, you should be able to keep the car looking great with careful detailing from then on. When trying to find a rare car like the NSX, finding a clean, well looked after, unmolested example, would be more of a concern for me than color.

I would not want to buy a vehicle with a wrap, as I would be worried about what was lurking underneath. Also, GZtoSF, don't forget that you bought a used car that possibly had something repainted along the way. Pulling the wrap off a repainted bumper might just ruin your day when you decide to make a change.
 
I agree. As the owner of a wrapped vehicle, I do wish I could go back in time and tell myself to not wrap it. The original factory paint may be plain at first but it holds up well and will be appreciated more as you own the car.

I have a brushed charcoal wrap on my car and it looks great up close. The main problems are:
1. Textured wrap is softer than clear coat, so a small scratch of something (let's say a jacket zipper) will very easily leave a mark that you cannot really fix. I am not sure about the non-textured wraps.
2. From far away the wrap looks very plastic-ey. Close up and in certain lights it looks extremely nice. Again this is from a textured wrap.
3. Under points of high stress like the side skirts or high heat like around the trunk area, the wrap will pleat and you will see these strange indent lines. It will never look as smooth as actual paint.
4. After three years the wrap gets baked in and may take the clear coat off when you try to remove it. So in my opinion the wrap is a short term endeavor.
5. I did have peeling problems but not too bad. It depends on how good your installer is. Mine peeled at the headlight area and has since been fixed.
6. If you are getting it for the paint protection... the wrap will rip/chip at the bumper as it is softer than clear coat (as mentioned in #1 ). It will protect the paint but it will also look pretty ugly.

I would consider using a clear coat wrap or maybe a ceramic glass coat. Then again, if I did that then I may go back in time again to tell myself not to do it. :biggrin:
 
GZtoSF said:
Hey Everybody,

Just bought my first NSX, a 2002 Berlina Black.

While I'm happy with the black I was just wondering that now that you can get decent looking wraps done relatively cheaply is that putting an end to certain colors costing more?

I'm happy with the black but let's say I want a white one or a red one couldn't I just get a wrap done in GPW or New Formula Red? I've heard the white ones are the most expensive, I was looking at NSX's for about 6 months before I was messaged about the one I ended up buying and I don't think I saw a single white NSX on the market during that span. 02+ or otherwise.

But are wraps getting good enough that it's not worth it to buy the expensive colors?

Side note: I've lived abroad for a few years and I haven't seen too many wraps up close.
Click to expand...

Congrats on the purchase. To add to what the previous posters said.

1. Wraps or dips will never effect the pricing of any NSX OEM colors. Original OEM paint in any color will be worth more than any respray, wrap or dip. That is a function of originality, desirability and rarity of the various colors. In general I believe the whites and particularly the blues command the slightly higher pricing. Again it all depends on the combination of so many factors (rarity, condition, year, mileage, interior color, auto/manual, etc).

2. Wraps have come a long way. Not sure if its worth it to spend money on a wrap that you will have to redo at some point versus spending more upfront for the color you want though. Myself, I would have loved to get a blue, but one didn't pop up that fit my more important requirements (popups, NA2, targa, manual, condition, mileage), hence I ended up with a wonderful black car. Its just a matter of how long to wait for the right car and how much to spend. That varies to much person to person to really comment.

3. If you want a white car then wrap or dip it if your paint is in good condition. If your paint is crap then go ahead and respray to what you want. If you want a red, you should easily be able to sell yours and pick a red one up. Red was the most common color.

Myself, my black was in good condition and I was contemplating a clear bra or coating. I then decided to have some fun with a color change by wrapping my car which provides the same benefits and protection as a clear bra. So whenever I get bored, I will change it to another color or rock the OEM color for awhile. I love the options. Also, everyone thinks my car is painted, lots of fellow NSXers are shocked when I tell them its a wrap. That is how far the wraps have come, along with a good installer.
 

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No, certain colors will always hold a premium, but..... As far as doing a color change on a rare car like an NSX a wrap,is the only way to go(unless you own a paint and body shop and can do it yourself ) doing a color change kills the value in cars like theses... So doing a wrap is the only way to go IMO and is the future as far as color changes go.

I'm on my third NSX in the last 13 years and have had a black, silver then I searched for a white one....long story short I finally opened myself back up to getting another silver or black and two years later I finally was back in an NSX. Found a original owner black on black 15 min from my house... And shortly after buying it I had it wrapped in a pearl white( I think the new NSX saw mine and went with pearl white as one of their color options :wink:) it's been about three years and still looks brand new and most people have no idea it's wrapped...by far my favorite mod.

Lucky for you you have a black like I did with is the easiest color to wrap without worrying about the engine bay etc...
Stick with the gloss type wraps as the matte, satin and some other types seem to stain or dirty up easily.
Like I said, it's been three years and mine still looks like it was wrapped last week. Make sure you find a reputable shop with an exotic car portfolio... Look to spend around $2500-3000 for a good wrap job. I would stay away from plastidip or other spray type ones...they have a funky texture.
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The wrap job on your car looks great 91 X. However, at this point you don't know if it is going to take some clearcoat with it when you do peel it off, like it did with furinax's car. Hopefully there are no cuts in your paint hiding under there, something you won't know for sure until it is removed. Oh well, could just wrap it again I suppose.
 
Thanks...Yeah, that's why I took it to a shop that knows what they're doing.. they don't cut anywhere on the outer surface of the car. They pretty much dismantled it like you would for a paint job.... I am worried how the 20 year old paint will hold up upon removal a bit though, but I don't plan on removing it for a long time and if and when I do I'm sure I'll just wrap it another color I always wanted like kaiser silver.
 
91 X said:
Thanks...Yeah, that's why I took it to a shop that knows what they're doing.. they don't cut anywhere on the outer surface of the car. They pretty much dismantled it like you would for a paint job.... I am worried how the 20 year old paint will hold up upon removal a bit though, but I don't plan on removing it for a long time and if and when I do I'm sure I'll just wrap it another color I always wanted like kaiser silver.
Click to expand...

Sounds like they did a very professional job. There must be some tricks and best practices for the pros to follow, so no damage occurs at removal time.
 
texmorales said:
I then decided to have some fun with a color change by wrapping my car which provides the same benefits and protection as a clear bra. So whenever I get bored, I will change it to another color or rock the OEM color for awhile. I love the options. Also, everyone thinks my car is painted, lots of fellow NSXers are shocked when I tell them its a wrap. That is how far the wraps have come, along with a good installer.
Click to expand...

I was admiring your car during NSXPO 2016 and I have to admit I thought that was painted and never even thought it might be a wrap.
 
1. Wrap definitely hurt the value of NSX. Just think if you are planning to buy a wrapped car, the seller wants premium price because he has wrapped it. Or you will wonder what is underneath the wrap? orange peel paint?
2. Unless you know the wrapping shop very very well, more than half of those shop do cut corners. Some even claim their vinyl promoter will not hurt your paint.
3. My experience is wrap can be done correctly if you take extremely long time with tons of patient.
4. Wrap technically has a life time of 5-7 years outdoor use.
5. There will be no guarantee they didn't accidently cut into your paint until you remove the wrap.
6. Wrap does get you into pearl satin, matte black, aluminum blue which get your NSX looks cool.
7. I would take time and wrap the hood, fenders, doors, roof myself and pay the professional to wrap the bumpers with you sitting there look at them doing it.
 
I wouldn't wrap a 2002 nsx. My 91 with a crappy respray? yes. But never a later model. I was even able to really spruce up the crappy respray on mine with buffers and hours of detailing. But still, wrapping it is always something I consider.
 
I saw your car at NSXPO. The color is amazing in person. I had no idea it was wrapped. Nice job!

texmorales said:
Congrats on the purchase. To add to what the previous posters said.

1. Wraps or dips will never effect the pricing of any NSX OEM colors. Original OEM paint in any color will be worth more than any respray, wrap or dip. That is a function of originality, desirability and rarity of the various colors. In general I believe the whites and particularly the blues command the slightly higher pricing. Again it all depends on the combination of so many factors (rarity, condition, year, mileage, interior color, auto/manual, etc).

2. Wraps have come a long way. Not sure if its worth it to spend money on a wrap that you will have to redo at some point versus spending more upfront for the color you want though. Myself, I would have loved to get a blue, but one didn't pop up that fit my more important requirements (popups, NA2, targa, manual, condition, mileage), hence I ended up with a wonderful black car. Its just a matter of how long to wait for the right car and how much to spend. That varies to much person to person to really comment.

3. If you want a white car then wrap or dip it if your paint is in good condition. If your paint is crap then go ahead and respray to what you want. If you want a red, you should easily be able to sell yours and pick a red one up. Red was the most common color.

Myself, my black was in good condition and I was contemplating a clear bra or coating. I then decided to have some fun with a color change by wrapping my car which provides the same benefits and protection as a clear bra. So whenever I get bored, I will change it to another color or rock the OEM color for awhile. I love the options. Also, everyone thinks my car is painted, lots of fellow NSXers are shocked when I tell them its a wrap. That is how far the wraps have come, along with a good installer.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with nearly everything said so far, except to mitigate a future potential buyer worrying about what's under the wrap, document it. Take very detailed pictures of the car showing its condition, and take pictures of the wrap going on. Then you can prove the wrap isn't covering junk.

Of course, a buyer could still be worried about cuts in the paint during installation, or peeling of the clear coat when removing the wrap . . . . .
 
I personally would not wrap good oem paint....crap paint fine....who knows what chemical reactions occur with the adhesive over many years...plus the material does dry out and become more brittle with uv exposure.
 
neuronbob said:
I saw your car at NSXPO. The color is amazing in person. I had no idea it was wrapped. Nice job!
Click to expand...

RSO 34 said:
I was admiring your car during NSXPO 2016 and I have to admit I thought that was painted and never even thought it might be a wrap.
Click to expand...

Ha, like I said everyone is always surprised. Besides the quality of wraps improving you still need a good installer who doesn't cut on the vehicle and properly removes panels and parts as needed to properly tuck the wrap around corners.

Also, just because wraps have improved they will never have the true depth of paint. But you can get close depending on the color and finish of the wrap you choose. Matte and satin wraps always look like wraps to me and they show stains and marks really easy. The gloss finishes show really well, but even in those finishes there are certain colors that show better than others for whatever reason. That's why I ended up with my color, of all the gloss finish colors I was considering the fiery orange showed the best, meaning it looked more like paint to me.

dquarasr2 said:
I agree with nearly everything said so far, except to mitigate a future potential buyer worrying about what's under the wrap, document it. Take very detailed pictures of the car showing its condition, and take pictures of the wrap going on. Then you can prove the wrap isn't covering junk.

Of course, a buyer could still be worried about cuts in the paint during installation, or peeling of the clear coat when removing the wrap . . . . .
Click to expand...

Agree with this. I would always want to see the condition of the paint. But you could always assume worse case and price accordingly in your negotiations. I would expect the wrap to be removed prior to my purchase, but that's me. Now if a buyer liked the wrap then the documentation you mentioned would go along way. This would be a reason to use a high end shop that has been around for years and warranties their work.
 
P
texmorales said:
Ha, like I said everyone is always surprised. Besides the quality of wraps improving you still need a good installer who doesn't cut on the vehicle and properly removes panels and parts as needed to properly tuck the wrap around corners.

Also, just because wraps have improved they will never have the true depth of paint. But you can get close depending on the color and finish of the wrap you choose. Matte and satin wraps always look like wraps to me and they show stains and marks really easy. The gloss finishes show really well, but even in those finishes there are certain colors that show better than others for whatever reason. That's why I ended up with my color, of all the gloss finish colors I was considering the fiery orange showed the best, meaning it looked more like paint to me.



Agree with this. I would always want to see the condition of the paint. But you could always assume worse case and price accordingly in your negotiations. I would expect the wrap to be removed prior to my purchase, but that's me. Now if a buyer liked the wrap then the documentation you mentioned would go along way. This would be a reason to use a high end shop that has been around for years and warranties their work.
Click to expand...


It's a bit of a dilemma when it comes to selling.... I think I would keep the wrap on just because it looks so much better then it did before the wrap and actually adds value...(besides the $2500 cost of wrap) I have plenty of pictures of the car before the wrap, but pictures aren't going to really prove anything to a potential buyer. Other then the paint wasn't peeling or oxidizing , not really gonna show fine detail... They're just going to have to trust the seller and also be very impressed by the wrap itself and the shop that did it....I'm 100% sold on wraps and plan on wrapping the car again when ever I get bored or the wrap starts to denigrate...which ever comes first.
 
P
texmorales said:
Ha, like I said everyone is always surprised. Besides the quality of wraps improving you still need a good installer who doesn't cut on the vehicle and properly removes panels and parts as needed to properly tuck the wrap around corners.

Also, just because wraps have improved they will never have the true depth of paint. But you can get close depending on the color and finish of the wrap you choose. Matte and satin wraps always look like wraps to me and they show stains and marks really easy. The gloss finishes show really well, but even in those finishes there are certain colors that show better than others for whatever reason. That's why I ended up with my color, of all the gloss finish colors I was considering the fiery orange showed the best, meaning it looked more like paint to me.



Agree with this. I would always want to see the condition of the paint. But you could always assume worse case and price accordingly in your negotiations. I would expect the wrap to be removed prior to my purchase, but that's me. Now if a buyer liked the wrap then the documentation you mentioned would go along way. This would be a reason to use a high end shop that has been around for years and warranties their work.
Click to expand...


It's a bit of a dilemma when it comes to selling.... I think I would keep the wrap on just because it looks so much better then it did before the wrap and actually adds value...(besides the $2500 cost of wrap) I have plenty of pictures of the car before the wrap, but pictures aren't going to really prove anything to a potential buyer. Other then the paint wasn't peeling or oxidizing , not really gonna show fine detail... They're just going to have to trust the seller and also be very impressed by the wrap itself and the shop that did it....I'm 100% sold on wraps and plan on wrapping the car again when ever I get bored or the wrap starts to disintegrate ...which ever comes first.
 
I'm sure i'm going to be very happy with the black I'm not saying i'm going to wrap mine. Nor do I think that wrapping will increase the value of the car.


Are you guys sure that you can't get custom color matching on a glossy wrap? Again I'm living in China and don't know the first thing about wraps, but it seems like you can find the Pantone codes for say...new formula red and they could make the wrap in that color. If they can print graphics on the wraps why not custom colors?
 
Sduff@Composites said:
I would wrap it. Have fun but yes make sure you get a good installer.

I wish my car was black so I could do a cool color. I'm stuck with red when I wrap my car ��
Click to expand...

i'm not sure I'm ever going to wrap it or change the color, but I like the idea of a semi-temporary color swap. Like if in a year or two I decide I want a white or red one. Blue is great too.
 
GZtoSF said:
i'm not sure I'm ever going to wrap it or change the color, but I like the idea of a semi-temporary color swap. Like if in a year or two I decide I want a white or red one. Blue is great too.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I'm wrapping really because I'm going to hold off on spending 10k for a quality paint job and such. Ultimately I want to paint myself but that's another story...

My friend locally has changed his color twice in the past three years. It was a gloss grey before and now it's a matte white. They both look great in picture and in person so hence why I'm going that route.

It also depends on the wrap itself. I think thickness and quality since not all is equal like installer.
 
lol..back in grade school in the late 60's and early 70's wrapping your books was the hot mod....we had 3D color shifting wraps boooyyyy
 

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