How long your car stays in the workshop, service by service
The question always follows the price: how many days will I be without my car? Here is the answer for each service and, above all, what makes a job take longer.
Reviewed by Sergio5 min read
We give you arrival and collection dates, not an ‘it depends’
We work by appointment, with one car per bay. That means when we agree the quote, we also agree the exact days, and your car does not sit waiting its turn while other jobs come in.
The times below are typical. Yours is confirmed when we see the vehicle, because paint condition and the level of disassembly affect the schedule as much as the service itself.
Service by service
- Partial car wrap
- Many parts are finished within the day: roof, bonnet, mirrors or details. It takes longer if trim or seals have to come off.
- Full car wrap
- Normally between three and seven working days, depending on the size of the car, the condition of the paint and how complex the disassembly is.
- Headlight PPF
- It is a short job and can almost always be fitted into one day.
- PPF Full Front
- Several days in the bay for preparation, fitting and allowing the film to settle.
- Full-body PPF
- The longest job we do: preparation, correction, disassembly, panel-by-panel fitting and curing, with the bay reserved exclusively.
- Ceramic coating
- The time depends almost entirely on the correction needed first. Afterwards, the coating must cure before the car gets wet.
- Vehicle signage
- A logo and contact details are completed within the day. Full printed signage needs more bay time, with design and printing added beforehand.
- Motorcycle wrapping
- Several days, because almost every part is removed and worked separately, followed by post-heating and reassembly.
What really changes the turnaround
- The condition of the clear coat: on an older car, preparation can take more bay time than fitting.
- How many parts are removed so the edges can be finished inside.
- The size and, above all, the shape: complex bumpers and lights take the hours.
- The chosen finish, because chrome or colour-shift film cannot be fitted at the same pace as a plain colour.
- Whether an old wrap or film has to come off before work starts.
- Services added to the same job, which might add a day or almost no time.
Curing is not wasted time
When the car looks finished, it still is not. Film and vinyl are fitted wet and need days to lose that moisture and settle; during that time you might see a slight haze or a few small bubbles, which disappear on their own.
Ceramic coating has its own waiting time before the car can get wet. That is why, when we hand it back, we tell you when and how you can wash it. Ignoring that wait is the quickest way to ruin a job that was already done properly.
When a job takes longer
It takes longer when something appears that was not visible during the assessment: filler under the paint, a part that cannot be removed safely or old vinyl that comes off in pieces instead of one sheet.
In those cases we stop, call you and explain what it means for the time and the quote. We never add a charge or move a date without your approval.
How to organise it so you lose fewer days
- Book your date in advance: the bay is blocked out for your car on those days.
- If you are collecting a car from the dealership, tell us the handover date and we will coordinate its arrival.
- Ask for added services when agreeing the quote, not halfway through the job.
- Leave the car free of personal belongings and clear space in the boot if the work requires it.
- If you need the car on a particular day, say so beforehand: sometimes the job can be planned in stages.
FAQ
Can I wait at the workshop for the car?
It only makes sense for jobs completed within the day, such as headlight PPF or some individual parts. For everything else, the car stays with us and we give you the collection date in advance.
Why does a full wrap need several days?
Because the bulk of the work is not sticking down film, but preparing the surface and removing parts to finish the edges inside. That cannot be rushed without the difference showing two years later.
Can the job be done in stages with the car used between them?
In some cases, yes, especially for partial work. It is not worth it for a full wrap: preparation and disassembly would be repeated, making the final result more expensive.
When can I wash the car after collecting it?
We give you the exact wait when we hand it back, because it depends on the material and the temperature over those days. Until then, it is best not to get it wet or put a pressure jet near it.
Does the turnaround include paint preparation?
Washing, decontamination and degreasing are included. If the clear coat needs correction, that adds days and we tell you when agreeing the quote, not once the car is already inside.