[whilechukwuzout]

So my car has the dark grey poplar wood trim, but I wanted to see what it looked like in aluminum, just for laughs. So I called around to different shops in the area and landed on Savage Wraps in Milpitas. They gave me a decent deal on brushed titanium 3M scotchbright. I got about 2x more than I actually needed, but thats fine because I plan on redoing some of it now that I know some of the tricks.

Before I post the pics, I will heed a few words of wisdom I learned for anyone trying this for the first time:

-Buy more vinyl than you need. You will get better at this from your first piece to your last, and want to re-do some pieces when you are done.

-Be patient. Trying to do this fast will get you nowhere

-Have a friend help you. The trim pieces are very odd shapes and there is no great way to secure them in one place, strech the vinyl, and use the hairdryer at the same time. (this is a four-hand-job.... lol.... handjob...)

-The tiniest speck of dust between the trim and the vinyl will create a bubble you wont be able to get rid of. The best bet for doing this is on a clean kitchen counter that has been wiped down thoroughly before you start.

-Use a hairdryer, not a heat gun. The hair dryer will get the vinyl hot enough to strech adequately, but it wont make the trim hot enough to damage the lacquer on the wood.

-After you have heated and streched a corner, hold the vinyl in the stretched position and switch the hairdyer to cool mode. If the vinyl cools as it is stretched, that will help set the material and keep the shape you set it in. (this is particularly useful on inside corners for the vents) Also, this is why you want to use a hairdryer and not a heat gun, heat guns dont have cool mode.

-Get a few small pieces of material and practice inside corners before you burn a big piece. They are a bitch, but if you do them properly they will look awesome.

-Clean the trim with isopropyl alcohol before applying the vinyl, this will make a huge difference in sticktion (thats a word, right?)

Now the pics: (I will be posting some better "after" pics soon)

Before:


After:


I wasnt sure if it would look goofy with my saddle brown, but now I must say, I wouldnt have it any other way. Also, if done properly, it is indistinguishable from actual metal! I am a true believer!

[Tallest]

silver with saddle is the best. i eve prefer it to the piano black. good tips, i've done a diy on this myself and i can echo the "patience" comment wholeheartedly. do it right once.

post more pics!

[yxjackxh]

nice tips for interior wrapping! Hmm i prefer the dark grey poplar wood because i have it too! but the silver aluminum gives it a much sportier look. Looks just as good!

[Spun Crankhub]

more pics!!!!!

[e46m3lol]

Great job!

[Game]

Looks good. I went with a similar setup, gloss anthracite for my saddle brown.


btw, what type of shift knob is that?

[TitanLH8]

Nice post! I got the same 3M wrap in my interior with Terra Brown. All your tips are on point, especially the one about using a hair dryer...it's more than enough heat to allow the vinyl to stretch

[whilechukwuzout]

Originally Posted by Game

Looks good. I went with a similar setup, gloss anthracite for my saddle brown.


btw, what type of shift knob is that?

Not sure about the shift knob. It came on the car when I bought it. I believe it is the knob you get with the M package, but I dont know anything more beyond that.

[Game]

Originally Posted by whilechukwuzout

Not sure about the shift knob. It came on the car when I bought it. I believe it is the knob you get with the M package, but I dont know anything more beyond that.

Yeah I found out it was the MTech/MSport knob. Thanks.

[DiscoMike]

OK, so where can I get the 3M with Gloss or Matte Silver if I were interested in getting my trim redone? Do I stick the new trim over the current trim?

I am also interested in gloss black because I am thinking of redoing my window trim.

Never redone a trim before. First time for everything. Does someone have tips and tools I need other than a cutter, a hair dryer, Isopropyl alcohol, and cloths?

Is there a DIY tutorial available?

[Blindside_137]

I liked the wood better IMO. Only would have considered piano black. I've never thought aluminum looked good in any interior combination. But props on the work. Definitely looks like a good job.

[whilechukwuzout]

Originally Posted by Blindside_137

I liked the wood better IMO. Only would have considered piano black. I've never thought aluminum looked good in any interior combination. But props on the work. Definitely looks like a good job.

I would have stuck with the grey poplar if my vehicle had the grey-er poplar. Sadly mine is a tiny bit more brownish.

[whilechukwuzout]

Originally Posted by DiscoMike

OK, so where can I get the 3M with Gloss or Matte Silver if I were interested in getting my trim redone? Do I stick the new trim over the current trim?

I am also interested in gloss black because I am thinking of redoing my window trim.

Never redone a trim before. First time for everything. Does someone have tips and tools I need other than a cutter, a hair dryer, Isopropyl alcohol, and cloths?

Is there a DIY tutorial available?

Search the web for something like "automotive vinyl wrap". As long as your purchasing a smaller amount (enough to do your trim) they are cool with cutting you a deal.

If you search around, I believe someone actually has a post on this topic that is a little more DIY-ish.

[Game]

Originally Posted by DiscoMike

OK, so where can I get the 3M with Gloss or Matte Silver if I were interested in getting my trim redone? Do I stick the new trim over the current trim?

I am also interested in gloss black because I am thinking of redoing my window trim.

Never redone a trim before. First time for everything. Does someone have tips and tools I need other than a cutter, a hair dryer, Isopropyl alcohol, and cloths?

Is there a DIY tutorial available?

Ebay is where you'll find the best prices. It's the same companies that you'll end up finding, just their ebay listings where the prices are a little cheaper.