How to Wrap Your BMW To Get a New Look

Until recently, changing your BMW’s exterior color meant repainting, but the development of several new techniques has made the prospect of a color change viable for a much larger crowd. The most widely used of these new techniques is the wrap. Wrapping, a process that places a thin layer of colored vinyl over your car’s paint to achieve just about any look you want.

Wraps aren’t permanent, so you can even apply one for a matter of months and then switch to a different look. The possibilities are very nearly endless.

Reasons to Wrap

What if you don’t have plans to change colors anytime soon, is it still a good idea to use a wrap over a paint job? The biggest factor in answering this question is cost. While a quality paint job for your BMW could cost upwards of $5,000, a wrap can be applied for a little more than half that amount.

These are rough figures, but the wrap delivers a better-looking car for a lower up-front cost. The drawback is that the wrap isn’t permanent, but it will provide protection for the car’s body, and, when professionally applied, manufacturers claim wraps can last as long as three years.

Wraps can be applied more quickly than paint. Typically, a skilled shop can apply a simple wrap inside a day or at a maximum over the course of a few days.

Get Your Wrap on

Check out other examples of wrapped BMWs to decide if the look is for you. Decide what colors or designs you want in the wrap, and locate a trustworthy shop that has good reviews to apply it.

DIY Wrapping

If you have some artistic talent and a place to work, you might decide to wrap your car yourself. Begin by measuring the lengths of vinyl you’ll need to cover all the bodywork on the car. For the job to look professional, you’ll need to go beneath many body panels and extend the vinyl to the car’s interior or under-hood.

Wraps are sold in standardized squares, so calculate your costs based on the sizing your manufacturer of choice uses. Order more than you’ll need because, if you need to order more material, it might not color-match well.

Applying Your Wrap

Remove items that can’t be covered by the wrap, such as side markers. Clean your car’s exterior thoroughly with standard car wash and then with alcohol to prepare to apply your wrap.

Remove any backing and carefully lay the wrap down, take care not to allow air beneath the wrap as you go. Make sure not to overstretch the vinyl. If you do, you’ll ruin its appearance and potentially tear the wrap. When you’ve completed the application, use a knife to cut away excess material.

The final step is post-heating the wrap. For this, we recommend using a sun-gun. This step is crucial for long-term adhesion, so don’t skip it.

Enjoy Your New Look!

Wrapping has become popular with exotic collectors who wrap their new cars upon purchase, only to remove the wrap before selling the car. The pristine factory paint, preserved beneath the wrap, makes sure they get top price.

You don’t need a brand-new exotic to enjoy a wrap, just express yourself and be happy about how awesome your bimmer looks!

The First Ever BMW M4 CS

BMW announced today at the 2017 Auto Shanghai the first ever BMW M4 CS, an exclusive special-edition model produced by BMW M GmbH. The BMW M4 CS lines-up between the BMW M4 Coupe with Competition Package and the uncompromisingly track-focused BMW M4 GTS. The 3.0-liter high-performance engine raises the output of the BMW M4 Coupe by 29 horsepower, to 454 hp. The state-of-the-art M TwinPower Turbo technology allows the BMW M4 CS to dip below the four-second mark for the 0 to 60 mph sprint, stopping the clock at 3.8 seconds (preliminary) while the standard M Driver’s Package raises the electronically limited top speed to 174 mph. With its two mono-scroll turbochargers, charge air cooler, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and Double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing, the inline 6-cylinder engine aims at higher echelons of performance and efficiency. More aggressively styled, the first ever BMW M4 CS continues the decades-long tradition of successful M special editions, which began in 1988 with the E30 BMW M3 Evolution. The first ever BMW M4 CS will be built at the BMW plant in Munich and will be available at U.S. dealerships in 2018 with pricing announced closer to market launch.

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Keep Your Beemer Sparkling Year-Round with These 5 Hacks

Your Beemer is your pride and joy, so it’s important to you to keep it looking its best at all times. Try these hacks to keep your ride shiny year-round.

Dusting

Sometimes we forget that we need to dust our cars too until you’re out driving in the bright sunshine and you look at that black dashboard. A few common tools will help you keep every surface in your BMW free from dust. Use a cheap foam paintbrush to clean the AC vents and other hard-to-reach spots. The smaller the brush, the more places it will fit.

Keep the vacuum handy as you dust, so you’re not just moving the dust around. Hold the duster in one hand, and the vacuum in the other to pick up the dust as soon as you’ve released it. Don’t forget the knobs and buttons. Using the same technique of dusting with a brush keeping the vacuum cleaner handy, get all those buttons, handles, and knobs. When you dust, go deep, ingrained dirt is one of the  biggest health risks in a car.

Leather Surfaces

The leather in your Beemer requires special care. If something sticky gets on it, try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Make sure you get it nice and wet and rub only as hard as you need to get rid of the mess. Olive oil will condition the leather surfaces in your car. Put a very small amount on a clean cloth and rub it into seats and dashboard. Use it sparingly, or your car will smell like an Italian restaurant.

Floor Mats

Sometimes vacuuming the floor mats isn’t enough. When they get stained, spray them with stain remover and put them in the washing machine. Be sure to dry them thoroughly before you put them back in your car. You can also use upholstery cleaner on them.

Bugs on the Exterior

Remove bugs from your grille and bumpers with a dryer sheet soaked in water. Wet the car first, then wipe with the wet dryer sheet. Those pesky free-riding bugs will come right off.

Cloudy Headlights

This is an easy hack for headlights that have gotten cloudy. This is a safety issue as well as an aesthetic one, so get right on this.  Put some toothpaste on a rag and rub it on the headlight. Then just rinse it off, buff it with another rag, and you’re good to go. These handy hacks will keep your ride looking beautiful all year long.