Many businesses in Seattle are turning to vehicle wraps as a way to promote their products or services. This is due in part to the tremendous reach, longevity, and ROI that they offer. A car, truck, or van with a vehicle wrap can get anywhere from 30,000 to 80,000 views per day!

Car wraps are an excellent way for small to medium-sized businesses to compete in highly competitive Seattle markets. It’s impossible to ignore a colorful and brightly wrapped car or truck sitting in front of you in traffic. They’re kind of like a television commercial that runs 24/7 no matter if the vehicle is moving or parked.

At McNamara Signs, we’ve helped countless Seattle businesses wrap their company vehicles. Over the years, we’ve heard a few myths about car wraps and would like to take this opportunity to address the top five commonly held misconceptions. 

Do Car Wraps Damage Paint?

One of the more common questions we’ve heard is “do car wraps damage paint?”

At McNamara Signs, we only use high-quality brand name vinyl to wrap our client’s cars. Our expert car wrappers have decades of combined experience and have wrapped everything from boats and trucks to fleet vehicles and high-end luxury cars. The adhesive used on the vinyl will strongly adhere to the car, but it won’t damage the clear coat or paint. 

In fact, vinyl wraps can actually help protect the paint of a car. Harmful UV rays from the sun, pollution, and even tree sap can all significantly reduce the lifespan of car paint. Our high-quality vinyl helps protect your paint job from the weather and elements. Once you’re ready to remove the wrap, the underlying paint and clear coat will look just as good as it did the day the car was originally wrapped!

Can You Wrap a Leased Vehicle?

Some businesses assume that they’re not allowed to wrap their leased fleet cars or vans. That isn’t always necessarily true. There are many vehicle leases that will allow you to add a wrap.

The best way to find out if you can wrap your leased vehicle fleet is to examine the lease itself. Or, you can call the dealership and ask them directly. We have many clients who purchase a leased car, truck, or van from a Seattle dealership, and have it delivered the same day to our shop for a wrap.  

Will Any Vinyl Will Work?

A car wrap is not something you want to cheap out on. Your car is an investment, and by using inferior vinyl from cut-rate car wrap shops, you’re taking a chance that the no-name vinyl brand might damage your car, clearcoat, or paint.

At McNamara Signs, we only use high-quality vinyl and films from brand name, reputable vinyl companies.  

It’s Challenging to Remove a Vehicle Wrap

The vinyl used in vehicle wraps is intended to be removable. 3M and the other vinyl companies realize that wraps are only designed to be on a car for a finite amount of time. Whether the lease is up, or it’s time to change the branding message, at some point in time a car wrap will need to be removed.

3M, Gerber, and other high-end vinyl wraps won’t leave behind any damage or residue after they’re pulled off the car. These vinyl companies have invested millions of dollars into research and development and created a product that is strong enough to stand up to harsh weather but is also easily removed with a simple heat gun. 

Are Vehicle Graphics on Windows Illegal?

The vinyl that we use for our window graphics have thousands of tiny perforated holes.

From a distance, the wrap looks like a solid piece of material, but the driver of the car can easily see through it. 

There are some instances where wrapping a window can cause a safety concern. The front, driver, and passenger side windows should not have any vinyl material on them whatsoever for obvious safety reasons. 

However, if the vehicle will not be driven on public roads and instead displayed at a convention, shop, or car dealership, then it is permissible to wrap the front windows provided that the vinyl is completely removed before the car is driven.

Vehicle Wraps in Seattle

If you’re considering wrapping your car, there’s no better time than now. Warmer weather is upon us here in the Pacific Northwest, and this is the perfect time to get your car, truck, or van wrapped.  

If you have any questions that weren’t answered in this blog post, give us a call at (206) 284-0809 or contact us via our website. At McNamara Signs, we’ve helped countless Seattle businesses and organizations grow their brand and companies through our custom vehicle wraps!