Golf cart color change price....

[GraphicZone]

Customer wants a ballpark price to color change a golf cart. Anyone ever priced it out before. The film is a color flip, but I don't know manufacturer. Probably Avery.

Any help is appreciated

Shawn

 

[Gino]

Paint it

 

[unclebun]

Paint it

Many golf carts are made from plastic now. Paint is not really a good option because they are so flexible. We just wrapped one and charged $950 (it was printed to be both a color change and to have the resort name on it). We've found it is easier to wrap when the plastics are taken off the cart. You can get each body piece done with a single piece of vinyl that way. The resort had previously been going to a competitor who only does wraps and was charged $1950 three years ago. This year the other shop ghosted them when they asked for a price to do a couple of new carts. They wrapped it on the cart and had multiple pieces of vinyl on each body part to get it to wrap. When it's on the cart the cart gets in the way of where you need to stretch the vinyl.

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

We’ve done 20 or so. Figure $800-$900

 

[Gino]

Is paint really not an option as you cannot do it...... or have a professional painter do it vs you'd just rather wrap it ??

There are quite a few paints geared towards just about any plastic out there.

 

[unclebun]

I don't do that kind of painting. And painting flexible plastic (more flexible than a car bumper) is fraught with difficulty and problems. It requires adding flex agent and even then if the plastic is bent significantly (which can happen easily when they bump other carts or sit or put a foot on the nose of the cart) the paint will crack and peel, which it is prone to do with age anyway. In addition the wrap that we charge (and apparently others) less than $1000 for and spend a day and a half on will cost double or triple that at an auto body shop--scheduled 3 months in advance, and will take 5 days in the shop. So painting is neither an economical nor a timely alternative.

 

[Gino]

Not doing that kinda work, does not equate to it being cost effect, but only what YOU offer.
I had a rear bumper on my wife's vehicle a few years back done and it only cost $90 to do it. A frickin' little golf cart couldn't be much more time and materials.......even if ya dismantel it and paint it.

Just my opinion.

 

[somcalmetim]

Not doing that kinda work, does not equate to it being cost effect, but only what YOU offer.
I had a rear bumper on my wife's vehicle a few years back done and it only cost $90 to do it. A frickin' little golf cart couldn't be much more time and materials.......even if ya dismantel it and paint it.

Just my opinion.

Sounds like you got a quick cheap respray for your wifes bumper one time, good job...barely any masking required with a standard auto color they probably had laying around.
Your $90 cash bought 20 ft of taper and beer for the bodyshop boys on Friday afternoon....but it wouldn't even pay for the time to take the bars and seats off a golf cart let alone sand and prep the surface for any sort of warrantied paint job, logos, lettering or cart number...the cart resto shop around here is about 3 hours to remove the panels for paint or wrap.
But it doesn't matter...
the Original Poster isnt looking for paint, they are looking for what others would charge to wrap a golf cart...
The cart he is asking about is just a color flip but the next one could easily be a printed wrap your magical painter cant do for $5.
Wraps are also removable at resale time leaving original finish instead of 5 year old $90 paint job...

 

[unclebun]

Not doing that kinda work, does not equate to it being cost effect, but only what YOU offer.
I had a rear bumper on my wife's vehicle a few years back done and it only cost $90 to do it. A frickin' little golf cart couldn't be much more time and materials.......even if ya dismantel it and paint it.

Just my opinion.

And Earl Scheib used to do a whole car for $29.99 a few years back but that's not really germane.

 

[Gino]

Sounds like you got a quick cheap respray for your wifes bumper one time, good job...barely any masking required with a standard auto color they probably had laying around.
Your $90 cash bought 20 ft of taper and beer for the bodyshop boys on Friday afternoon....but it wouldn't even pay for the time to take the bars and seats off a golf cart let alone sand and prep the surface for any sort of warrantied paint job, logos, lettering or cart number...the cart resto shop around here is about 3 hours to remove the panels for paint or wrap.
But it doesn't matter...
the Original Poster isnt looking for paint, they are looking for what others would charge to wrap a golf cart...
The cart he is asking about is just a color flip but the next one could easily be a printed wrap your magical painter cant do for $5.
Wraps are also removable at resale time leaving original finish instead of 5 year old $90 paint job...

Actually, the OP started out by saying a color change. Since this industry has gone from talent and know-how to pushing buttons and applique, most people only go one route anymore. Not a debate which way is better, but try to consider all options, so people in the future reading this thread will have the opportunity to ponder other avenues.

My bumper was an example of painting plastic. That happened around 2010 and now 15 years later, it still looks perfect. So my cheap paint job lasted 15 years..... would your vinyl ?? All of your silly baggage to make my suggestion appear bad/wrong is just your bullsh!t talking.

Your few worthless comments have so many 'ifs' and 'could be's'' in it, it doesn't really help the OP, but does help towards confuse anyone trying to follow along.

 

[Gino]

And Earl Scheib used to do a whole car for $29.99 a few years back but that's not really germane.

You do realize that was in the 30s til 50s. In the late 50s throughout the 70s the price increased with the times. That continued at a faster rate after that. You also had the choice of paying more if you wanted better paint and so on. That 29.99 cost was basically to make a piece of sh!t look better for a quick sale.
What's with all the worthless posts lately ??

 

[somcalmetim]

Actually, the OP started out by saying a color change. Since this industry has gone from talent and know-how to pushing buttons and applique, most people only go one route anymore. Not a debate which way is better, but try to consider all options, so people in the future reading this thread will have the opportunity to ponder other avenues.

My bumper was an example of painting plastic. That happened around 2010 and now 15 years later, it still looks perfect. So my cheap paint job lasted 15 years..... would your vinyl ?? All of your silly baggage to make my suggestion appear bad/wrong is just your bullsh!t talking.

Your few worthless comments have so many 'ifs' and 'could be's'' in it, it doesn't really help the OP, but does help towards confuse anyone trying to follow along.

The OP was using industry short hand for wrapping when he said "color change"...
the next part where he said "The film is a color flip, but I don't know manufacturer. Probably Avery." should have sorted this out.
Relax bud, your suggestion is just off topic...you got a good price way back then on painting a bumper...
Go back and get your wifes bumper requoted now...
-let us know if that shop is still in business...
-ask them how much they would charge to spray your golf cart in fancy color flip paint...
-ask what they would charge to repaint your bumper now...
Any of these would be helpful
but you think you are helping future generations adding
"Paint It"
to a discussion on wrapping golf carts in color flip vinyl...lol

 

[Gino]

The OP was using industry short hand for wrapping when he said "color change"...

I realize that and my suggestion was merely that..... another approach

the next part where he said "The film is a color flip, but I don't know manufacturer. Probably Avery." should have sorted this out.

Again, just a suggestion

Relax bud, your suggestion is just off topic...you got a good price way back then on painting a bumper...

This only pertains to painting plastic does indeed work

Go back and get your wifes bumper requoted now...
-let us know if that shop is still in business...
-ask them how much they would charge to spray your golf cart in fancy color flip paint...
-ask what they would charge to repaint your bumper now...
Any of these would be helpful

None of your questions above have anything at all to do with this thread, just some silly notion on your part to make my two word answer appear wrong.

but you think you are helping future generations adding
"Paint It"
to a discussion on wrapping golf carts in color flip vinyl...lol

Let's just try one more avenue........ up until now, your only goal has been to belittle me and try to make me presumably stupid. Where is all of your help and examples been for thr OP ?? Now, write some things down AFTER you've been told and try puffing out your chest, to feel better.

edit: I can't tell ya how many vehicles back in the late 70s snd 80s we painted with flip-flop. We didn't hafta take them apart tp paint them, either.

 

[somcalmetim]

Oh this is you TELLING ME is it? lol
This story is getting good...now you painted all these golf carts yourself?
Go on you can tell me...please tell me how many golf carts you painted in the 70's...what type of paint did you use on the fiberglass/gelcoat 50 years ago?

Nobody here has a problem with paint.
Some here are actual professional painters who know that your $90 price from 50 years ago is completely useless to the conversation of wrapping or even professionally painting golf carts in 2025.

I would have answered the OP and given a price for wrapping a golf cart in color flip vinyl but someone here already gave a fairly accurate $900ish price to wrap the cart...then some old man came in yelling about clouds.

If you think 50+ year old historical pricing helps the discussion, how much did you pay to get a painter to put logos and numbers on all these golf carts?

fyi: screenshotting this discussion to show the boys in the bodyshop, they will think this is hilarious.

 

[Gino]

Double post

 

[Gino]

Evidently, you were drinking into the wee hours of the morning.
Back then, I was also working at a van conversion shop. We, could do 3 or 4 complete conversions in a week. We had 5 bay doors and did the spraying in the last 2 bays, normally. I did mostly the pictorial work and some lettering. I'd help with spraying once in a while.

Oh, these were mostly full size vans and some fancier looking cars, mostly sports cars.

I think you're hilarious and silly.
First your reading skills seem barely above a 3rd grade level and second your comprehension seems almost non-existent. Yep, the boys will really get a kick outta you.

Oh this is you TELLING ME is it? lol
This story is getting good...now you painted all these golf carts yourself?
Go on you can tell me...please tell me how many golf carts you painted in the 70's...what type of paint did you use on the fiberglass/gelcoat 50 years ago?

By the way, nowhere did I say we were painting golf carts and I never said I was solo. I used the word WE cause there were about 10 of us at this shop.

Nobody here has a problem with paint.
Some here are actual professional painters who know that your $90 price from 50 years ago is completely useless to the conversation of wrapping or even professionally painting golf carts in 2025.

I would have answered the OP and given a price for wrapping a golf cart in color flip vinyl but someone here already gave a fairly accurate $900ish price to wrap the cart...then some old man came in yelling about clouds.

If you think 50+ year old historical pricing helps the discussion, how much did you pay to get a painter to put logos and numbers on all these golf carts?

fyi: screenshotting this discussion to show the boys in the bodyshop, they will think this is hilarious.

 

[Eric H]

How long do you think it will take you? What's your hourly rate? How much do the materials cost? It doesn't matter what they payed before. It doesn't matter that somebody painted a bumper for $90. It doesn't matter what irrelevant job somebody had 50 years ago. Color change Avery is about $50 a yard. Most hourly rates are over $100 an hour. Really depends on your skill and how quickly you can do it, $900 might be ok, might be a little light. Is it a new cart? Old, dirty, damaged?

 

[somcalmetim]

Evidently, you were drinking into the wee hours of the morning.
Back then, I was also working at a van conversion shop. We, could do 3 or 4 complete conversions in a week. We had 5 bay doors and did the spraying in the last 2 bays, normally. I did mostly the pictorial work and some lettering. I'd help with spraying once in a while.

Oh, these were mostly full size vans and some fancier looking cars, mostly sports cars.

I think you're hilarious and silly.
First your reading skills seem barely above a 3rd grade level and second your comprehension seems almost non-existent. Yep, the boys will really get a kick outta you.

I only drank for my first 20 years of large format commercial vehicle graphics...havent touched a drop for the last 10.
Nobody cares about this conversion shop unless you have recent pricing including hours and materials to compare.
Like do you want someone to give you a "good job" for getting a good price on a bumper way back then?
It sounds like you knew someone at the shop and got friends rates...also doesn't help the op.
If you worked in this paint shop you would know how long it would take to properly tape/mask off around all the bars and seats and switches on the cart if you arent going to take it apart. If you dont take it apart it will look like a quick bodyshop rush job, painted or wrapped.
These days they have to pay the guys in the bodyshop above the table and put it through the books.

 

[somcalmetim]

We do mostly semi trucks but have done a bit of everything...usually small stuff like carts are pita...

I printed/wrapped this one for a buddy and his wife this summer in 3M 180...
I did it for him for $800ish because the cart resto shop took the panels off and he brought them to me so I could do them in my shop....kinda floppy still pita.
The cart resto shop said it took them 3 hours to take off the panels...they said some wrappers wanted the panels on the cart but still wanted the handles, seats, steps, bars and most of the stuff off anyway.
They design carts now with overlapping plastic bumpers for strength around the edges so they can use molded plastic instead fiberglass...
but it also means its harder to tape or wrap up to the edge without removing panels or trim.
The bottom inch of the panels ride around in a trim channel and are not fixed...if you dont remove the panels and paint/wrap around the edge of the panel it will leave gaps at the edges when things settle in.
My buddy says the panels will shift whenever they land a good jump...lol
If I had to take it apart myself it would end up over $950...it would be more if we had to setup/design the logos or do more complicated striping...
Time is time...but if you can find someone who will paint/wrap a golf cart in Good Material with Quality Workmanship for $90...tell me who they are...
I have a bunch of trucks I can send their way, they will be so busy they will never have time for any silly golf carts.

 

[Gino]

Just one last question, som...... where did I ever give you the impression, I did golf carts ??

I was questioned on plastic paint and cited from personal experience, then you chimed in with your extensive knowledge of...... ?? not sure on/of what ?? From there you basically just made up stories based upon your thoughts, which don't seem to amount to much and go goofy about things.