A wrapped work vehicle is the only sign you own that goes to the customer. Here is how car wrap printing works in our Pacoima shop, the material choices that decide how long a wrap lasts in Los Angeles sun, what drives the price, and the three levels between simple door lettering and a full wrap.
The three levels
| Level | What it covers | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Lettering & logo | Cut vinyl on doors and tailgate: name, phone, license number, services | Contractors, trades, pool and inspection services — the legal minimum plus branding |
| Partial wrap | Printed graphics on the rear, sides or lower body, blended with the paint color | The best value: most of the impact of a full wrap at roughly half the cost |
| Full wrap | Every painted panel covered with printed film | Fleets, vans and box trucks used as rolling billboards |
Materials — the part that decides lifespan
- Cast vinyl (3M, Avery Dennison and equivalent) for anything printed on curves and rivets. It conforms without lifting and lasts up to seven years outdoors when laminated.
- Calendered vinyl is cheaper and fine for flat lettering on a box truck, but it shrinks and cracks on curves within a year or two of sun — we do not use it for wraps.
- UV laminate over every printed panel. Unlaminated prints fade and scuff in months; this is the most common corner cut in cheap wraps.
- Solvent or latex inks rated for outdoor use, printed at production resolution in-house.
What drives the price
- Vehicle size and shape. A cargo van is the easiest full wrap; a sprinter with deep channels or a pickup with complex bumpers takes more labor.
- Coverage. Lettering, partial or full (table above).
- Design. A layout that works on both sides, the rear and around door handles and mirrors takes design time; we template each vehicle model.
- Condition of the paint. Wraps go on clean, sound paint only; peeling clear-coat has to be repaired first or the film lifts.
Design rules that make a wrap work
- One message per side, readable in the three seconds a car is beside you: name, what you do, phone or website.
- Phone number on the rear — that is where drivers behind you read it at a light.
- Contrast over color: dark text on light film or the reverse; avoid busy photos behind text.
- Keep the license, DOT or CSLB numbers where regulations require them, in a legible size.
Turnaround and care
Design proof in a few days, printing and lamination two to three days, installation one to two days per vehicle in our shop. Hand wash only for the first two weeks, then normal washing; avoid pressure-washing edges. A laminated cast-vinyl wrap comes off cleanly years later without harming the paint.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wrap a leased vehicle? Yes; the wrap removes cleanly at the end of the lease and actually protects the paint underneath.
Do you do fleets? Yes — we template one vehicle and reproduce it across the fleet with consistent color.
Where do you install? In our shop in Pacoima; drop the vehicle in the morning for lettering, or leave it one to two days for a wrap.
See our vehicle graphics, car wraps and van wraps pages, or call (818) 723-4047 for a quote from a photo of your vehicle.
Related: vehicle graphics and vehicle wraps, vehicle lettering vs. vehicle wrap, and recent trailer and cart wraps.