F-150 owners will soon be able to add a whole new level of protection and customization to their pickups by covering them with personalized vinyl wraps, Ford says.
The wraps, similar to the “digital mud” decals offered on the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, have a thin membrane that adheres to body paint and helps protect against occasional nicks and scratches. Nearly 50 designs will be available, covering small portions of the truck or full body panels.
“Wraps for new trucks will be covered under the F-150’s standard three-year, 36,000-mile warranty,” Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski said. “If it’s a used or older truck, the warranty is twelve-months or 12,000 miles.”
The vinyl wraps may cost only half as much as a custom paint job, and they can be cleanly removed to install a new design or to return the vehicle to stock condition to help sell it, according to Jim Abraham, Ford’s licensed accessories manager.
Prices will range from $200 to $1,200, depending on the design and the amount of the vehicle covered.
Before selecting a custom wrap, owners can see how the pattern will look on the truck by visiting fordcustomgraphics.com. Once a design is selected, the wrap will be installed at a Ford dealer.
There are a few caveats that buyers should be aware of before putting a wrap on a truck. According to an FAQ page that Ford has published for the new Fiesta compact car, owners with wrapped vehicles should avoid carwashes that use brushes or high-pressure nozzles. Hand washing is recommended over automated washes. Wax shouldn't be applied to the stickers, either. When cared for properly, the graphics are designed to last three to five years.
Ford hopes to offer its custom vinyl graphics to other Ford vehicles by the end of the summer, including the new 2011 F-Series Super Duty and Ford Ranger compact pickup.
[Source: Ford]
