Matte Imperial Blue

TeckWrap Matte Imperial Blue is a matte blue film, catalogued as VCH420-M. TeckWrap lists 24 other blue shades, so it is worth seeing them side by side before you settle on one.

This is color change wrap vinyl from TeckWrap's catalog. It resurfaces the car in a new color and can be removed later without touching the factory paint underneath, which is why wraps hold resale value in a way a respray does not. Vinyl changes how the car looks; it is not impact protection, so if you also want the paint shielded from rock chips, the same kind of color exists as color paint protection film at a higher price.

The matte finish

Matte kills reflection completely, which makes body lines read sculptural instead of shiny. It is the most demanding finish to own and the rules are simple but absolute: hand wash only, no wax, no polish, no machine buffer, and no automatic car wash. Any of those will burnish shine into the surface permanently, and the shiny patch cannot be undone.

Living with blue in the Pacific Northwest

Blue reads very differently under Seattle overcast than under direct sun, often shifting several shades darker and flatter. It is worth seeing the sample outdoors on a grey day, not just under shop lighting. Mid-tone colors are the easiest to live with here: they hide both road film and water spotting better than either black or white.

Care: hand wash only. No wax, no polish, no machine buffer and no automatic car wash — all four permanently burnish shine into a matte surface.