Custom car paint jobs can cost thousands of dollars. Car wraps, on the other hand, can cost a fraction of the price. They also have the added benefit of protecting a car’s original paint job.
But that doesn’t mean self car-wrapping is necessarily easy. TikTok user Kristina Nguyen (@mcloving.friedrice) delineated the difficult she had in trying to wrap her 2024 Tesla Model 3. In a viral video with more than 800,000 views and counting, she documented some of the laborious work that went into wrapping her car.
And although several TikTokers applauded her work, Nguyen still didn’t seem too enthused with the outcome.
A ‘painful’ car wrapping process
Nguyen looks into the camera, apparently not amused. “Do not wrap your own car if you’re not prepared for war,” the overlay reads.
As the TikTok progresses further, she explains what she means. She holds up a piece of the car, covered in what looks like pink shrink wrap. After presenting this to viewers, she adds another photo to her video.
This second picture shows her Tesla in the mid-wrapping process. It seems like there are larger sections of the vehicle where the wrap is flush with its body. However, the back of the car visibly needs more work, specifically the hanging loose flaps of crumpled wrap material.
The third image shows the side and front of her Tesla Model 3. It seems like the light pink wrap Nguyen chose distributes evenly along the side of the vehicle.
Is she being too self-critical?
In the comments section, viewers said they actually think she did a great job with the wrap.
Several commenters replying to her video added that they thought she was doing a great job.
“IT CAME OUT SO GOOD THO!!” one person writes.
Another says, “The result is so worth it tho.”
“You ate that up girll,” another TikToker remarks.
But Nguyen doesn’t seem all too happy with the end result of her work. Responding to another user on the app who complimented her car’s aesthetics, she downplays her Tesla’s looks. “Only if you look from far away.”
How difficult is it for you to wrap your own vehicle?
Is wrapping your own vehicle really all that bad? Before listening to a lot of people’s opinions on the difficulty of self vinyl wrapping, you can check out this clip here. In this tutorial, YouTubers GearHeads and FinallyHeSleeps apply wrapping to the front driver’s side of a car.
The process appears to be a meticulous one. First, they cut a portion of Vinyl that is only slightly larger than the surface area they’re applying it to. Then, before peeling the vinyl to apply it to the car, they make sure the portion is thoroughly washed. In addition to cleaning it, they rub it down with alcohol before laying the peeled vinyl piece on the whip.
Once it’s on there, they painstakingly take a “squeegee” which they then use to remove any bubbles/bunching in the wrap. After the vinyl is flush against the car’s body, they then take a razor sharp X-ACTO knife to remove excess material.
What tools do you need to wrap a car?
The Gearheads YouTube video suggests this installation kit, which comes with some ancillary tools. These items make the vinyl application process less frustrating and cost around $20. Another necessary component for self car-wrapping: This heat gun. This $23.19 is necessary to “bond” the vinyl to one’s car after it’s been set in place.
According to the YouTubers, with a bit of practice, anyone can wrap their car in a single weekend. And the cost, they say, is definitely cheaper than what one would spend to have their vehicle professionally wrapped. “With practice, you can wrap a car for about $350 – $500 in a weekend,” they write. Although they do add that this depends on one’s proficiency level and the cost of the vinyl they purchased. Conversely, J.D. Power says a shop-wrapped car job retails for about $2,000-$4,000.
If car wrapping interests you, there are other online tutorials you may want to check out as well. Such as Vivid Vinyls, which provides a list of some more granular “tips & tricks” here.
Patience is a virtue
Redditors in this r/carwraps post advise a beginner to car wrapping to be extremely patient with their first time application. They also emphasize purchasing extra wrap material as “you will make mistakes.”
However, folks in this r/cars post told another would-be car wrapper to probably leave it up to professionals. Ultimately, they conceded that practice makes perfect. Furthermore, wraps can be removed more easily than custom paint. Which could help you resell your vehicle if you wanted to rock a unique aesthetic that may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
@mcloving.friedrice Do not wrap your own car if you’re not prepared for war😭 i was soooo humbled thinking it was easy esp because i have a tesla.. tons of shaking hands bc of exhaustion. Send help. Im so close to giving up and to drive around with a grey bumper and trunk..
♬ drowning – ru *ੈ✩⋆₊⋆
The Daily Dot reached out to Tesla and Nguyen via email for further comment.
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