Thoughts on ceramic coatings?

What is the general opinion on having your car ceramic coated? I've always been one to keep my car clean. I also enjoy the therapeutic event of polishing and waxing. Have people found it worth the $1000 to have it done professionally to eliminate that task? Or do you prefer the "therapy"?

I am also interested in this discussion . A guy at work had his F250 done by a pro and the truck always looks perfect . He had it done 2 years ago so it appears if done properly it works . Having said that modern waxes/sealants/DIY ceramics have come a long way . For my black 996 I am thinking maybe have a detail shop perform a good paint correction and seal/wax . Then I just have to maintain . Will be interesting to see what others have to say .

It really depends and you do need to maintain the coating as well. I did it to my car and anyone who�s seen my car in person can tell you the ceramics make a big difference.

I'm glad I had both paint correction and ceramic coating done when I bought mine. The paint and finish looked 'tired' when I bought it. Now washing is quick and easy and it looks like new after drying with a hand cloth.

Done professionally almost two years go. Jet black metallic shines after a wash, almost looks new. Wish I would have done a film at the same time.

Did mine myself using Avalon King and three years later it still looks like I just put it on. Well worth it IMO, particularly on a black car like mine as it helps keep dust from sticking. I would not pay someone to put it on as installation is simple. However, you cannot have any swirls or scratches as they will show through and be sealed under ceramic coat. You'll have to buff the ceramic coat off to correct the swirls and redo the coating over the area if it happens. I did my own paint correction but I can see paying someone to do that if you aren't comfortable with the task. However it's ridiculous to pay someone just to ceramic coat as it's frankly easier than a wax job.

I had mine done 6 months ago along with paint correction. I think the correction made the biggest difference. Ceramic doesn't keep the car from getting dirty but it does make washing it easier. The other plus is that you don't have to wax every 6 months. I'm not a "washing the car is therapy" guy though. I feel satisfied and love the way it looks after washing. But if I could never wash my cars again I'd be perfectly happy.

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i agree with Chunk on this as mine is also ceramic coated and always looks great.. mine has been great as the only maintenance has been a proper wash

I really didn't want a dark color because of how difficult [I thought] it would be to keep a smooth shine on it. This is right after I had the paint correction and ceramic coating done. And it looks just like this after a wash and dry now, too. It cost me more than my post-purchase inspection and basic sorting, but 10/10 would do again.

I�m going to be ceramic coating mine myself at home this week. Have spent many hours sanding, cutting and polishing and halfway done. Somewhat therapeutic�. I�ve also completely repainted the front bumper but still working on that so not quite ready to share yet 😉 Original paint on roof and doors after cut/polish.

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Very clean work.

If you already do a home detail - the ceramic coating is not any more difficult to apply than a wax. In fact it might even be a little easier since you don't have to worry about over-spill on plastic trim. I used the Adam's UV ceramic kit which has a UV dye embedded in the solution that allows you to check if you've applied the product correctly. Loved it. https://adamspolishes.com/products/c...31164282962017 Agree wholeheartedly with @TheChunkNorris - It's worth it but it must be maintained. It's not a set it and forget it treatment. Good news is there are lots and lots of ceramic spray retailers for exactly this purpose. Adam's sells a companion spray for their coatings, for example.

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Professional grade ceramic coating such as Gtechniq, SB3, etc.. requires no maintenance.. Wash and repeat for years. the lesser grade coatings will need refreshed sooner and "maintenance". This is also why i stated you better know what your doing when installing a real ceramic coating or see below for the new look. You Tube more on the subject https://drivedetailed.com/ceramic-coating-gone-wrong/ Lot's of reviews and videos out there on this subject but Obsessed garage is probably the best DIY resource. My advice is "Do your research" and if you don't have the skillset to do it then leave it to a professional. If you are looking for a professional detail shop i would ask around at car events/shows/cars and coffee, and make sure you ask if they can add the ceramic coating note to carfax. The detail shop that coated mine did and that does nothing but add value in the event you need to sell the vehicle for several reasons. It's absolutely worth every penny

Related to this, does anyone know if Track Armor or something similar will damage or remove ceramic coating? I'm thinking about using it when I go to an HPDE event at Chuckwalla (CA) in about a month.

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i don't believe so as I think it's a cling type clear bra with no adhesive. if it has an adhesive on it it could damage more than the ceramic coating.

I'd recommend it! It's DIY and if you detail your car yourself, it's very easy to do. Haven't washed my car in a year as it's just for occasional use and use a soft cloth to wipe dust away - it's still so shiny edit: ill use ONR in a spray bottle at clay bar strength and wipe away gently

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If you enjoy working on/detailing your car a ceramic coating likely won't be worth it for you; the benefit of ceramic's are long-term good looks, ease of maintenance and increased protection from chemical & environmental contamination. What coatings won't do is prevent scratches or swirls in the least bit, despite some mfg claims of "Eleventy billion h hardness". Nor will they last 10 years if the car is actually driven on a public road, professionally applied or not. If you do go with a pro-installed coating with a 'warranty', be aware that keeping that warranty valid will likely require yearly maintenance 'visits' to the installer at which time it's a pretty good bet they will 'refresh' your coating which may be done at a cost to you. Think of the old 1970's Ziebart rustproofing 'Lifetime Warranty'; you brought your car back once a year, they resprayed that goo everywhere and handed you a bill for a 'maintenance visit'. On the other hand, if you do like working with/detailing your car you may also like to try preparing for and applying a true ceramic coating; it can be time consuming at first and will require a modest investment in tools & products but if you like that kinda thing it can be enjoyable and rewarding. Despite folks who just plain don't read directions (like the video noted above), applying multi-year ceramic coating isn't that difficult...and even if you goon it up like video guy, just polish it off and try it again. You have to pay a bit more attention than applying a wax or sealant to avoid "one step forward, two steps back" but no permanent harm can come in all but the most unique circumstances. There's a boatload of great DIY ceramics out there, many very easy to use. Preparation is the time consuming part and generally what makes up the largest part of the cost if you have it done: 1. Chemical Decontamination (Iron Remover) 2. Physical decontamination (Clay) 3. Paint Correction/Polishing 4. Apply Coating A few more minor steps mixed in there but that's the general process. That said, all a ceramic coating needs to 'work' is bare, clean paint to bond to; generally you want to polish the paint to remove most imperfections (there is no such thing as 100% 'perfect' paint) but in a functional sense, not completely necessary. And, even if you enjoy waxing you *can* use some waxes that are compatible with ceramics if you simply MUST wax every now and again. And maintaining a ceramic coating is really no different than maintaining a car with a wax or sealants, you just use different products: ph Neutral 'pure' wash (instead of a wash n wax product) and a ceramic maintenance product (instead of a Spray Wax or Quick Detailer)...no big deal. Lots more general info here if you like reading: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/gl...amic-coatings/

Paint correction + ceramic with a good product averages about 1800 bucks.. This is for the guy that does all the exotics in the area.. I went with a paint detail and Xpel only front + front quarters since mine is a daily ...

For what it�s worth, I opened my books to detail 2 - 3 cars while I�m home. I�m using the rest of my chemical guys products and recently streamlined some of my products to 3M and Shine Supply. For the two cars I have coming up: Complete paint decon: - Remove Iron(Adams) - Clay Bar(chemical guys or Clay Magic) - 2 step polish(Shine supply/3M) - Ceramic Coating(Shine Supply/3M/Adams) Wheel decon - fender well: - see above Full interior detail: - shampoo + extract rugs/carpet - headliner as needed - treat leather surfaces engine compartment detailing trunk area - spare tire included and serviced For all that above I charge around 1200.00 and it takes close to 8hrs depending on the paint correction. That price is for cars and the price changes for SUVs and Trucks. Examples of my work. I�m a Master Certified Lexus detailer and 3M trained through my Lexus cert. I do this is a side gig and pick my customers because I hated working with the general public. With all that said I believe ceramics are amazing and the protection aspect can not be matched by traditional coatings. If you have the patience, you can do this yourself like Pete does and get fantastic results. I�m extremely fortunate that I have a garage and all my cars are clean except the time Jason, Aaron and Justin saw my car at the Dragon after driving through **** weather from Miami.

That�s about what I paid someone to do mine. The downside is that I only wash my car with two bucket method, pressures washer, and leaf blower to dry. Before that, I�d take it to a hand car wash place.

What is the follow up maintenance required to keep the ceramic looking good ? Do you reapply like a quick detailer spray ? Or just simply wash and dry ? ChunkNorris your pics speak for themselves , the finish looks fantastic .

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The Chemical Guys one was pretty durable until a peacock perched on my car. Before that I applied a wax on top of the coating and really did nothing. I use a two bucket system, buy new wash mitts every quarter and use a foam canon so I don�t think there�s enough contaminants that really get on the paint to damage the coating. After the peacock fiasco, I stripped the coating and corrected the paint again using the rest of my Chemical Guys two step. This time I used a 3M product and while it was definitely a better product, you really needed to keep an eye on the coating because even after flashing� it would cloud up. That kit came with a maintenance spray that had ceramics in it. A light coat of wax or spray n wipe will work with most OTC ceramic kits but as Justin said earlier, there are 7+ year ceramics that don�t require much upkeep but it�s not a bad idea to add whatever on top. Only downfall is most kits come with just enough to do one car and once opened have a shelf life. I have the Adam�s UV kit that I�ll be using on my own VW before I hit the Mojave Trail this year august. My two customers will get shine supply kits.

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The two bucket method works well for guys like us and if you�re doing multiple cars I had a 3rd and start at the wheels of the next car to maximize the soapy water. That way the water/soap bucket that has lots of metallic contaminates never makes contact with the paint.

Chunk thanks for the detailed reply . Very helpful . I may stray into the ceramic world .

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Im deployed at the moment but if you still haven�t done it by July, we can exchange info and we can talk on the phone. Peter is a fantastic dude to follow via his build thread as he outlines his technique to keep his car impeccable. Justin also has one of the cleanest cars I�ve ever seen.

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Appreciate that thank you . Stay safe out there .

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The maintenance and care of a ceramic coated vehicle is actually quite simple with the correct products. Wash with a pH balanced shampoo that contains no gloss enhancing additives/waxes/sealants Occasionally apply a ceramic maintenance product after a wash to keep things performing as they should Avoid any waxes or polymer sealants as they will mask the coatings beneficial properties Depending on mileage and climate/usage, chemically decontaminate with an iron remover periodically (i.e. generally once a year) Here's the Aftercare Guide we provide to our clients: Care For Your Coated Vehicle Hope this helps!

A lot of good posts here. I've been doing ceramic coatings for a while now, maybe 7 years or so, currently using the Opti-Coat line. Most of the cost is in the labor to get to the point where you can put the coating on. Coatings themselves can be finicky but generally are fairly easy after you have worked with them for a bit. You may not see the full benefits if you are constantly washing or waxing your car currently but if you want to step back a little and have a car that looks waxed after a wash without having to wax it then it's a better value. Personally, as someone who hates cleaning his own car since I spend so much time on other people's, I find it's great because I can wash my Porsche in ten minutes and be done with it. Generally, people approach me about it but my two biggest selling points are ease of maintenance and the fact that it will continue to stay glossy for years to come. I actually don't know when the last time I applied any sort of maintenance sealant to my 911 and it's still super glossy after 4 years. Although I do need to go through it and give it a polish since it's gotten some bruises over that 4 years. Another thing I like about coatings is to me wax or sealants make them look good, I feel like the coatings add a candy shell to the, it just takes it up another level.

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I really don�t see a problem with adding a layer of sealant or non abrasive. Like you said, sometimes I feel some coatings lack depth.

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My limited understanding is that professionally applied ceramic coatings are cured with heat. This web site details the steps after going through the stripping of wax, clay, and paint correction: 1. A primer polish is added :Most products like Opti-Coat, or Modesta will begin the application process with a primer polish being added. This helps to improve the shine underneath the coating. 2. The vehicle is moved to a sealed installation booth : Once the polish has been added, the vehicle is moved to a completely sealed installation booth of an auto detailing company; much more detailed than a professional paint booth. This is done to completely remove the potential of dust or any contaminants touching the ceramic coating or vehicle surface. 3. Wipe down the body with alcohol and water : Before actually applying the product, the professional installers will wipe down the body with alcohol and water-based solution. 4. First layer: The first layer of ceramic pro coating is then applied in two-foot by two-foot sections. The process is tedious and time-consuming. In fact, it can take up to 8 hours or more to complete an average-sized car. 5. Additional layers : Again, depending on the quality of the professional-grade ceramic coating (or the package option you purchase) additional layers of coating will be installed in a similar fashion as the primary. 6. Heat Baking : Most professional coatings require heat-treated baking in order to stimulate the active ingredients for accurate adhesion. This is completed by using the heat-lamp method, where direct heat up to 150-degrees helps to expedite the curing process. My opinion... This is beyond what most of us are able to do or invest in time and energy. AMMO NYC has a product called Reflect (and Reflect Pro) , which I have yet to apply. It's an enamel based coating, but does not require the exhausting steps above.

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That might be for a particular type of coating but not for all of them.

Let me give you my thoughts on ceramic coating in the form of a short video and picture. This is with paint correction and ceramic because my clearcoat was *rough*, and this was by far the worst spot. I just got it so I can't speak to durability but it should last 2-3 years.

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Can't disagree with that. However, I would expect baked-on products to outlast what I can do in my home garage.

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@PUZZ1 did you diy? If the full ceramic coating is too daunting, you could try something like Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating (12oz) - 18+ Month Sprayable Graphene Oxide Ceramic Coating for Cars, Boats, RV's & Motorcycle | Adds Extreme Gloss, Depth, Shine & Protection https://a.co/d/5cFR6Rc I tried it on a couple panels and it's very shiny and easy to clean. Spray on a microfiber pad, and wipe on small areas. After 2 minutes buff oof with a 'pearl' microfiber towel. Be sure to watch for highspots. Something like this gives you a taste of ceramic coating but with minimal investment and easier removal when you want to try something else, if you're into the wash n wax therapy. I've not fully detailed my own car, it's a daily and lives outside. I do try and keep all the trim and plastics coated with something, and cover the car when it's sunny and I'm not using it. UVs are crazy damaging for the old trim on our cars. Good luck!

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True but there are different types of ceramics too. Believe it or not, whenever you introduce any type of friction on paint you also introduce heat. It�s semantics though and if I�m up your way, I�d love for you to take a look at mine. The biggest different between most kits is the ceramic content. If you ever have a chance, fill a bucket with water and spray a ceramic infused Wipe n Shine or alike in the bucket� ceramics will separate from the delivery system(other things in the spray) when introduced to water. Now with that understanding, imagine a �pure� product with no delivery system other than the applicator, product flash and buff. In all honesty the hardest part of the whole process is the paint correction. There are many different ways to correct paint and sometimes you need to have an understanding of what type of paint you�re dealing with to get the best out of the prep. Lately I�ve used a DA system which is easier to manage than an orbital buffer but sometimes I�ve had to wet sand paint to remove blemishes and then polish with an orbital. I�m sure Motoo can tell us horror stories of people who tried using buffers to save money on a Ceramic coating applications only to introduce haze or holograms which cost more to remove than letting a pro do it first.

Hey there, fellow car enthusiasts! Let's dive into an interesting discussion about car detailing and paint protection film . A colleague at work recently got his F250 done by a professional, and the results are simply stunning. Even after two years, the truck still looks as good as new, proving that when done properly, professional detailing works wonders.On the other hand, with advancements in modern waxes, sealants, and DIY ceramics, it's worth considering the option of having a detail shop perform a thorough paint correction and seal/wax treatment for your beloved car. In my case, I'm contemplating this approach for my black 996, as it seems like a great way to achieve a long-lasting shine while minimizing the effort required for maintenance. I'm eager to hear from others who have had similar experiences or are considering different approaches to car detailing. Share your thoughts and let's engage in a lively discussion about the best ways to keep our vehicles looking their best. And hey, if you're looking for a reliable and top-notch detailing service, why not check out Detailing Bull? They might just be the perfect partner in keeping your ride in pristine condition. Let's keep the conversation rolling and learn from each other's experiences!

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I'm a big fan of professional PPF and ceramic coating. My jet black metallic car is now almost 4 years old and shines and looks as good as new when I wash it- so I'm definitely having it done again on my new car. I notice a big difference by having both.

I have 3 unopened ceramic coating kits I'm willing to give up for the cost of postage. Send me a PM if interested.

Been applying ceramic coats for 16 years as a detailer, they definitely work. Especially the new ones that use refined detonated nano diamonds, I've never seen anything like it. Illuma Auto Spa

So does one paint correct (sand?) then wax/buff, then strip it all off before applying ceramic? I�ve got some swirls already popping up on my new clear coat after the 3M 3 stage process. Time for a new wash sponge I suppose.