If you’re reading this, you probably have some basic knowledge and the motivation to seek a service to wrap your Tesla Cybertruck. If so, you’re in the right place. If not, then I have some concerns to share with our SEO team. This guide aims to provide valuable advice and steer you away from common mistakes, whether you’re a first-time wrap-shopper or someone looking to improve from their previous purchasing experience.
Tesla Cybertruck Wraps: A Brief Recap
If you haven’t read our previous article regarding Cybertruck Wrap Colors, you really should. It offers a lot of insight in terms of what’s out there. If your valuable brain space is limited to only one reading per day though, then the recap below will have to suffice:
Wrapping your Cybertruck is the way to customize and protect its exterior. Whether you want a fresh new look or an opportunity to advertise your business; using vinyl, paint protection film (PPF), or a combination of the two are the best ways to do it. If you decide to go the extra mile and choose a third party instead of Tesla for this endeavor, a whole new world of options become available to you.
We’re confident that the unique value third parties can bring will sway most Cybertruck owners away from Tesla’s own wrap offerings. If you took my advice and read our previous article, you’ve already learned about the pros and cons of the different materials that can exotify your Cybertruck.
Perhaps, you also have a solid idea of what you’re looking for. Up next? Finding the right technicians for the job. This is where things get interesting. Let’s dive in!
The Price Is Right
If you’ve assembled your harpoons and begun your hunt for the proverbial white whale with the best price, you’ll find that you actually didn’t need much artillery at all. Local businesses in healthy markets are eager to fight hand over fist to offer their best price so they can capture your project for social media points – at least while Cybertrucks are still in short supply. It should take no more than a few phone calls to see who is willing to go lowest.
“Perfect!”, you say to yourself. “I found the best deal!”…… but did you?
The colored wrap industry draws many parallels with the tattoo industry. Even if you’ve never had a tattoo or never wanted one, this comparison should be clear-as-day to you. If you approach a newer tattoo artist that’s offering an extra-good price, there is actually a solid chance that your artist will be using the same high quality tools and materials that any professional would to complete your sleeve.
However, the experience (or lack thereof) is where you actually saved your money. To put the work of a newbie against a 20-year industry veteran is simply incomparable. The veteran’s linework is dramatically cleaner, the colors more evenly saturated, and the composition more technically sound. It’s not even in the same league. Why is that?
Not Just a Numbers Game
“Okay, okay, I get it. Finding the cheapest installer probably isn’t the best idea. How do I figure out who I can trust to deliver a high quality job that I would be happy with?”
Now, we’re getting somewhere. The good news here is that you don’t need to spend a fortune or even choose the highest-price option available to get solid results.
The even better news is that the Cybertruck is objectively easier to wrap than virtually any other vehicle on the planet. This should incentivize installers to offer these jobs at a fair price to begin with. If you can afford the sales tax on your Cybertruck purchase, then you can afford to wrap it.
So, what are we really looking for in an installer?
Reputation
Any shop with hundreds of Google reviews and regular shoutouts from your local Tesla forum is worthy of a call or visit. Reputation reflects not only experience and quality, but customer service as well. You can’t build street cred in this business without really wowing your clients, or offering support when things don’t go as planned.
The opportunity for imperfections in this line of work is limitless, so you’ll want to make sure that the company that installs it is going to be around for a while, and is prepared to offer service when something with the job just didn’t settle correctly.
Side note: Beware of shop owners that patrol your local Tesla forums and actively hunt down new Tesla owners to rope them into their shop. If they’re that hungry for work, there’s probably a good reason for it. These are known in the industry as “SoundCloud Wrappers” since nobody knows who they are, and they only ever seem to be self-promoted.
Portfolio
Bringing a new type of vehicle to a shop that has never worked on one before might cause some hesitation. In the case of the Cybertruck, this will be a common scenario – at least through 2024. If a shop has already been working with Cybertrucks for a while now, and they have some examples to cite, that should help ease your nerves. Conversely, if you’ve approached a shop that has never done one, you may feel hesitant. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t work with a shop that’s new to the Cyberverse. Every shop will experience their “first” at some point.
What’s important not to lose sight of is that a seasoned installer should really be well-equipped to handle your Cybertruck. While having experience with this exact vehicle certainly helps, my previous point regarding reputation should really take precedence.
Guarantees
This might be the most important thing you read in this article. If you think you know what a PPF or vinyl warranty covers, you’re probably wrong. “Sneaky” isn’t exactly the word I would use, but perhaps “fine-print-heavy” is a better descriptor.
Whether you’re having PPF, vinyl, or a combination installed; you will be getting some kind of warranty from a certified shop. What does that warranty actually cover? It depends.
Across the board, virtually every manufacturer backs their product when installed by a certified shop. Where their assurance begins and ends, however, is with the actual material itself. After all, what else can the manufacturer really do for you other than send another roll of film?
To further clarify, there is no manufacturer we’re aware of actually backs the labor of the installer that completed the project for you. This is the “gotcha!” that some Cybertruck owners will inevitably face if they fall into the trap of choosing the cheap installer in their area.
What many fail to realize is that labor is the lion’s share of the cost to wrap your vehicle. If your installer doesn’t explicitly offer a labor warranty, prepare to cough up a decent amount of cash when things don’t pan out – even if the cost of the material is covered.
A labor warranty should be the nail in the coffin for any prospective shopper. Every business is going to have their own policy regarding labor warranty (ranging from none at all, to 10 years or more). If I’m spending thousands of dollars, I should feel confident knowing that the business I’m working with will stand beside their work and ensure I get my money’s worth.
Live in the Atlanta Area?
If the numbers 404, 678, or 770 ring a bell, then you’re in luck. Along with several back-to-back national awards from XPEL, AP3 carries a tremendous reputation among the Atlanta car scene for quality and service.
AP3 also offers some of the most extensive warranties in the industry. With thousands of Tesla vehicles wrapped already, you can feel confident knowing that our team is committed to delivering world-class results. Call or visit us today to learn more!
