What Happens When You Remove Van Graphics After Five Years?
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Five Years On: Van Graphics Removal After Five Years on an iBuild Van
We recently stripped graphics from an iBuild van that we wrapped when it was brand new five years ago. iBuild are selling the van, to replace it with something newer so it was time for them to come off.
Stripping vans is not exactly the glamorous side of vehicle graphics. In fact, it’s a job most sign companies would rather avoid. It can be slow, messy and awkward, especially if poor-quality materials have been used. Thankfully, this one was a good reminder of why we use the materials we do.
The van had been wrapped using 3M IJ180 with a matte laminate, and five years later it stripped cleanly, leaving only minimal glue residue, anything left behind was removed using a paint-friendly adhesive remover.
Underneath was the original factory paintwork, still looking exactly as you’d hope after five years under wrap. And that’s the bit people forget. The graphics haven’t just been advertising iBuild everywhere the van went, they’ve also been taking the hit from the weather, road grime and general van life, while the paintwork underneath stayed protected.
It’s difficult to put an exact percentage on it because every van is valued differently, depending on age, mileage, condition, service history and demand. But cosmetic condition does affect used van value, and poor paintwork can mean lower offers, repair costs, or both. So if your graphics have advertised your business for five years and helped keep the paint underneath in better condition for resale, the real cost of those graphics starts to look very different.
That doesn’t mean graphics magically turn a working van into a showroom piece, they still need to be fitted properly, removed properly, and the paint needs to be sound underneath in the first place but good materials make a huge difference.
Cheap vinyl can become brittle, leave heavy glue residue, damage paint, or turn a simple removal into a complete headache. Premium materials cost more at the start, but they can save time, labour and stress at the other end.
In this case, 3M didn’t let us down - five years on, the graphics came off cleanly, the glue was minimal, and the paint underneath was still in great condition.
So yes, vehicle graphics advertise your business, but done properly, they can help protect the vehicle too, a bit of a no-brainer, really!
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