Don't get me wrong. I love my MX-5 but I felt she lacked any unique features that would help to give her more character. After careful thought, I decided to cover the wing mirrors with a vinyl wrap. If you've ever researched different vinyl wraps, you'll be aware that there are so many choices, aside from colour.
E.g. There are various types of adhesive; the cheaper ones might suit your wallet but don't always have the longevity of the more expensive brands.
After careful research, I elected to use Avery's Supreme Wrap because it has an air release system which helps when you're trying to remove air bubbles that become trapped under the wrap no matter how expert you are. This wonderful wrap is made in such a wide assortment of colours it's truly breath-taking. I chose one of their slightly darker reds because in bright sunlight some reds take on an orange sheen.
Using a small collection of tools purchased on Amazon and my wife's hairdryer, I washed, dried and then cleaned the wing mirror with Isopropyl alcohol spray before beginning to experiment with my first ever wrap project.
The shape of a wing mirror is surprisingly complex, with some sharp angles which made my task a little trickier than I'd first expected. Although I wasn't happy with the end result. I kept going because I wanted to learn where I'd faced the biggest challenges. Avery has some great videos on YouTube and after a little more study, I dived in for my second attempt. Without boring you too much, I discovered the secret to success was the temperature of the wrap (not too warm), the direction you pull to remove wrinkles and the amount of force required to keep the wrap flat but not to overstretch it.
Having used cheaper wraps as well as Avery's Supreme, I can thoroughly recommend the more expensive wrap. The end results were noticeably better and it was way more forgiving to work with.
Around the edges of the wing mirror where the coloured section meets the black plastic trim, I discovered the way to finish the job was to secure the wrap to the plastic trim with a special tape called "mould and hold". It's great because it has a different type of adhesive and stick to the plastic trim really well and provided the end result I was looking for.
