As the phenomenon of coating vehicles with Plasti Dip grows, more and more people are asking what is the average cost of dipping a car. First, an explanation of “dipping” a car with Plasti Dip is in order. Dipping is a term coined by people who coat/paint/wrap their vehicle with a product known as Plasti Dip in its sprayable form. This rubber coating is sprayed on and acts like a second skin on your vehicle. It protects the original finish while offering the user a way to change and enhance the color. With the proper technique the finished result is very aesthetically pleasing. A main attraction of the product is its ability to be removed by peeling. A unique property allows the rubber to strongly bond to the car’s finish and with a certain procedure the coating peels away. Too cool! Many folks are dipping their entire cars themselves.
If you are planning on dipping a car yourself, the cost will be determine by the size of your vehicle, the spray gun you acquire (if you do not already have one), and which type of finish you select. For instance, a standard or matte finish will be more economical than a finish that includes enhanced colors (with or without pearls and metal flakes added), a satin or high gloss finish. Keep in mind, you can select from many types of pearls at varying prices that can be added to the dip. Masking material and masking tape as well as a pre-dip cleaning solution are items that should be factored into the budget.
Here’s a rough guideline for the amount of product required for varying sizes of vehicles:
Sub-Compact — 2 Gallons
Compact — 2-3 Gallons
Mid-Size — 3-4 Gallons
Full-Size — 4 Gallons
SUV/Mini-Van — 4-5 Gallons
Large SUV — 5-6 Gallons
So, if we take a mid-size vehicle and use 3 gallons of the economical basic color sprayable rubber coating at average cost of $60.00 a gallon, the cost of the applied finish is around $180.00. Add the cost of a quality spray gun system ($160) and prepping materials ($20.00-$30.00), you can figure $360- $370 as a ballpark figure to do a basic job. Four gallons used would up the price $60.00 or so. The more product or coats applied to the vehicle, the easier it is to peel.
If you are going to use a premium color, say, Flame Red, it’s going to cost $10-$12 more per gallon. Then, on top of that, whether it’s a basic color or premium color, if you want to add some additional coats with pearls or metal flakes to make your finish pop, you have to figure the cost of the additive and the dip/gloss you’re adding it to. Pearls can range from $10-$35 per 25 grams, depending on the type. The extra gallons for the additive to be used in will add extra expenditure to the project, also. Using high gloss gallons for the mixing may run $80-$90 per gallon. You can use the high gloss without the additive which will give will a result of a high gloss finish, whereas the mixture with pearls will create a satin finish. You can see that the cost of dipping your car can escalate substantially, depending on how elaborate you make your project. If you are a beginner it may be wise to begin with dipping a car with a basic color plan until you’re a more experienced dipper.