FAQ: What is the Warranty on a Vehicle Wrap?

What is the warranty on a vehicle wrap? That’s a good question because it depends on several factors. These are a few of the questions that need to be determined to answer the question—What is the warranty on a vehicle wrap?

• What material and overlaminate is being used?
• What part of the U.S. is the vehicle located? Southwest sun exposure affects the life of vinyl graphics greatly.
• Who will install the graphics?
• What is the surface condition of the vehicle?

What Is the Warranty on a Vehicle Wrap? 

So, What is the warranty on a vehicle wrap? The short answer—it depends on the material, but usually 3 to 7 years. We work with several manufactures of adhesive vinyl who offer hundreds of material choices. One of the more common materials we use is 3M™ Graphic Products IJ180. This material is recommended for several uses including wraps for vehicles, straight trucks, semi-trucks and semi-trailers, but the warranty on this material varies depending on the following:

1. Color of Graphics
Some colors, such as reds and yellows, may fade faster, shortening the warranty. Sun exposure and climate have an effect on the life of vinyl graphics.

2. 3M™ MCS™ Certified Warranty
TKO Graphix is an 3M™ MCS™ Certified Warranty Manufacturer, which means we’ve passed on-site inspections; and all materials and inks are approved and qualify for the most comprehensive warranty offered by 3M™.

Not all graphics providers carry the 3M™ MCS™ Certified Warranty, which may limit the coverage of their warranties. For instance, using an inferior or unapproved ink on a quality vinyl could nullify the warranty. At TKO Graphix, we follow all MCS™ guidelines to ensure the warranty of your vehicle wrap qualifies.

As a 3M™ MCS™ Certified Warranty Manufacturer, we do more than print adhesive vinyl graphics properly. We recommend the proper materials and overlaminates specified for different applications, locations, and use.

3. Overlaminates — Overlaminates on vehicle wraps provides protection against road grime, environmental pollutants, sun exposure, and moisture. The UV protection provided by using an overlaminate will help protect the printed graphics against fading and deterioration.

What is the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty?

Not all 3M graphics warranties are the same, so be sure you are getting the coverage you need. The 3M™ MCS™ Warranty protects the end used from defects. Here’s a very basic look at the coverage.

• Visual defects in 3M product
• Adhesive defects and failure on recommended substrates
• Image defects when printing (not including misprints)
• Excessive image fading
• Image cracking, crazing, or peeling
• Gloss changes
• Blistering

How Long Will You Need It?

Consideration should be given to the length of service of your vehicle. A vehicle with a 3 year lease may not need a 7 year warrantied material. Check out our blog, How Long Will My Vehicle Wrap Last? The answer to this depends on who you choose to provide your graphics, the use of the best materials for the application, and using certified and experienced installers to install your vehicle wrap.

What’s Best for You? 

What is the warranty on a vehicle wrap? The answer begins with a consultation with a knowledgable graphics provider to evaluate your goals and expectations of your vehicle graphics. The bottom line is, an established, reputable, and experienced, large-format graphics provider can advise you what best fits your needs. So, if you’d like to learn more Contact Us.

TKO Graphix is a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphics solutions such as design, digital printing, screen printing, installation and removal of fleet graphics, vehicle graphics, and commercial graphics.