Using 3m Ij35 On Vehicles?

[ProVogue]

Hey Everyone,

Has anyone, or does anyone us IJ35 on Vehicles? The stuff is cheap and I can do a basic sign or sticker for a car really quick - I'm just wondering if this is a mistake to be using on a vehicle? Thanks!

 

[striper14]

Hey Everyone,

Has anyone, or does anyone us IJ35 on Vehicles? The stuff is cheap and I can do a basic sign or sticker for a car really quick - I'm just wondering if this is a mistake to be using on a vehicle? Thanks!

I use a lot of series 50, avery 700, oracal 651 for signs on vehicles. I've got 700 on my van thats 11 years old. it weeds good & installs good. Cast & wrap vinyls are good too but for everyday signs on vehicles i'll always use 5 year stuff
with the print stuff its usually the laminate that fails first anyway...

 

[1leonchen]

it works, but it will fail quickly. wouldn't steak my reputation on it. if unprinted it work for two years. just by envision combo. will give u three years and a piece of mind.

 

[eahicks]

We use it on lots of vehicles, if they are only keeping the vehicle a few years, which is pretty typical. If they are planning on never changing the graphics or keeping the trucks for 5 years or more, we use cast. Nothing wrong with it.

 

[BigfishDM]

You wonder why the wrap market is tanking on margin, people using cheaper products not intended for cars and underbidding the competition.

 

[bannertime]

You wonder why the wrap market is tanking on margin, people using cheaper products not intended for cars and underbidding the competition.

The wrap market is, by far, younger than using calendared material to do vehicle lettering. I had a customer come in a few weeks ago that wanted blue letters on his van. Just blue letters. Some jack wagon was trying to wrap his whole van with white SAV and printed blue letters. The wrap market is screwing itself.

Go ahead use calendared vinyl, but also give a quote for using proper cast materials. Make sure the customer knows that if he plans on having the vehicle longer than a few years, that his best investment is the cast materials.

Edit: I'm talking about just doing like doors and windows on vehicles. Don't use calendared vinyl to do partial or full wraps on anything with any curves.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

You wonder why the wrap market is tanking on margin, people using cheaper products not intended for cars and underbidding the competition.

The wrap market is, by far, younger than using calendared material to do vehicle lettering. I had a customer come in a few weeks ago that wanted blue letters on his van. Just blue letters. Some jack wagon was trying to wrap his whole van with white SAV and printed blue letters. The wrap market is screwing itself.

Go ahead use calendared vinyl, but also give a quote for using proper cast materials. Make sure the customer knows that if he plans on having the vehicle longer than a few years, that his best investment is the cast materials.

Edit: I'm talking about just doing like doors and windows on vehicles. Don't use calendared vinyl to do partial or full wraps on anything with any curves.

Makes me crazy knowing you two are spot on.
Customer A says "well Bill's Bait Shack & Signs' price is $xxx less." If the customer is genuinely shocked (and yes, you can tell the difference between people who honestly don't know and the ones who are "tire kickers" or just want it cheap), I will explain that I am quoting them the correct product for the job (3M, nine times out of 10) and tell them how long it should last. Just about every single one of them will say something along the lines of "oh, they didn't tell me that" and buy from me. I also tell them I won't use material that's not correct for the job.

 

[equippaint]

We primarily use calendared too, 651 for cut, 3165 and 3551 for print. I always give the option for cast and clearly explain the difference and very few people seem to care. We just did some small graphics on a hood of a truck, told them, more than once, that it wont last and will be all cracked and faded in short order. They didn't care. I'm not here to be the police of the sign industry materials, were upfront and honest and give people what they want, not what I want.
With that said, we deal 100% with trucks and equipment for larger companies so I'm not worried that they will come back in 5 years threatening us. They generally know that they get what they pay for. We don't do wraps either.
Most customers seem content with a 3-5 year lifespan. I wont seek out the absolute cheapest off brand materials either, middle of the road stuff from well known companies is our preference.

 

[BigfishDM]

Shouldn't it be your job to give the customer what they need vs. what they want? The customer came to you because this is your industry, you are the expert, why let the customer tell you what they want, when you should be telling the customer what they really need? If the customer doesn't want what they need then why risk your reputation when their job fails? If I see a horrible vehicle wrap I always ask "what sign shop" did that for you. The customer is not always right unfortunately.

 

[equippaint]

Shouldn't it be your job to give the customer what they need vs. what they want? The customer came to you because this is your industry, you are the expert, why let the customer tell you what they want, when you should be telling the customer what they really need? If the customer doesn't want what they need then why risk your reputation when their job fails? If I see a horrible vehicle wrap I always ask "what sign shop" did that for you. The customer is not always right unfortunately.

Yes, its is your job to get them what they need. If they want their company name and phone number on the door calendared will fill the need just the same as cast. Now if they want it to last more than a few years then that may change. Most of the stuff we do is gone to auction in a few years so they dont want or need anything that's overly expensive or lasts a real long time which was my point. It's not very professional for me to sell them a 10 year product when they're telling me they need it to last 3-5 years tops.
I understand the reputation thing completely and the problems come in when you fail to properly explain things and ask the right questions about their application. If you don't properly qualify your customers usage and expectations than a failure or po'd customer is 100% on you.
The rub for me is when other people quote a job way under me or do a job with inferior materials and don't disclose it. Dont get me wrong, I totally understand where you are coming from, I just don't like a hard line stance as there are always differing situations.

 

[BigfishDM]

Yes, its is your job to get them what they need. If they want their company name and phone number on the door calendared will fill the need just the same as cast. Now if they want it to last more than a few years then that may change. Most of the stuff we do is gone to auction in a few years so they dont want or need anything that's overly expensive or lasts a real long time which was my point. It's not very professional for me to sell them a 10 year product when they're telling me they need it to last 3-5 years tops.
I understand the reputation thing completely and the problems come in when you fail to properly explain things and ask the right questions about their application. If you don't properly qualify your customers usage and expectations than a failure or po'd customer is 100% on you.
The rub for me is when other people quote a job way under me or do a job with inferior materials and don't disclose it. Dont get me wrong, I totally understand where you are coming from, I just don't like a hard line stance as there are always differing situations.

Yes, I totally understand your point and it is very valid.

 

[boxerbay]

We've done plenty of box trucks with IJ35 and GF231 overlam. 5 years later i am surprised they still look great. we always quote 3Mij180/8518 combo but these are wine distributor delivery box trucks that will be auctioned off in 5yrs. mileage will be through the roof.

PS: didnt we already have this convo about a week ago? seems people asking the same question VS using the search bar. search is your friend.

 

[tylercrum]

This whole thread makes my heart hurt...