Ceramic Coating- Worth It or Gimmick?

There are many good coatings on the market. The latest I've tried is the Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating V2. They also make a coating specifically for glass. It has worked very well so far and is easy to apply.

Like I said before the key to making a ceramic coating work is the prep work. I use Meguires 105 compound then Meguires 205 polishing compound after a good claying. There are many good polishes on the market, those are just the ones I like. I finish the cleaning with Pinnacle Black Label Surface Cleansing Polish. I don't know if it really helps but it's what Pinnacle says to use right before the coating.

If the detailer you go to is reputable you should be very happy with the coating. I don't do anything to maintain it other than wash it and I don't baby my truck, it deals with some harsh conditions at times. But I usually do my vehicles once a year. I don't need to do it that often but I enjoy making it shine.

I did a friends SUV over two years ago and it still looks as good as the day I did it.

 

Yes it is. Check out some gloss coat YouTube videos. It should be good for close to 2 years.

 

I think its worth it. I had my lotus coated with nanohide and couldn't be happier. Bugs and dirt can literally be hosed off with water. Which is honestly one of the biggest reasons I went for it- easy clean ups. Im not a professional detailer so it was worth it to me. I chose not to treat my Tacoma since its my daily driver and monthly coat of wax is ok for me.

This is right after paint correction and nanohide application. A year later, it still looks the same.

 

If you want to protect your car and do not have ceramic don't use a wax, virtually all modern sealants are superior in this regard. They do not shine as well as a top tier wax, but most good sealants shine better than anything at auto zone and protect better as well while also lasting longer. Wax lasts a trivial amount of time, sealants last 6 months and you don't have to wash your DD as often.

There is no ceramic that does not require maintenance (if you want it to last for the specific timeframe/years). Ask your detailer what they do with their personal vehicles, at a minimum they use a sealer and possibly a wax for shine only if the vehicle is darker colored. This is very minimal maintenance and takes just as long as washing a vehicle. Takes me longer to vacuum and clean windows.

If you pay someone else to do it, I would seal it every 6 months as well, most offer a service to do this for you, but you can seal a vehicle yourself very easily. At an absolute minimum Keep some water less wash (I use Optimum No Rinse because you can change the concentration for waterless/quick detail/clay) and immediately remove any contaminants such as bird droppings, tar, or water spots before they etch through the ceramic and then your clear coat. Bird droppings are the biggest one here, they can do this in a matter of days. Here in FL, I had to fix a coworkers vehicle that was borderline clear coat failure from neighbors sprinkler after three weeks of constant spray and 100 degree temps

This all sounds like a lot but it actually saves me a butt load of time. Takes me minimal time to wash my vehicle which I never really have to do.

 

Thanks for the info! Still not 100% sure what I'm going to do, but whatever it is, I'll be having a professional do it. I lack the skills and patience for all of that.

 

Looks awesome! I just don't have the time to take it to a detailer all the time to get waxed...which is how I stumbled upon ceramic coatings. Nor do I want to pay all the time to get it done. I think I'd rather just knock it out once with a coating and call it a day (if they work like they claim). And just go once a year for maintenance.

 

I've used it on my work truck, but in all honestly it don't live up to the hype. In my area it's good for about two months worth of winter and it's done.

 

So what I'm understanding is that ceramic coatings are the best, followed by sealants, then lastly wax? And you can put a wax on top of a sealant to give it extra shine? If I decide not on the ceramic, what's a good brand of sealant to use?

 

Did you use Ceramic Pro? Or another brand?

 

All correct. My wifes car currently has ceramic on it. I don't have access to a garage big enough to house the truck while it cures, so it got sealant 6 months ago when I bought it which is still good. I use wolfgang sealant which has shine as well. It is very easy to apply. I use a DA polisher because it is faster, but you can easily do it by hand with an applicator pad and only one quality microfiber. Apply the sealant one panel at a time then just buff it off. I then apply a wax as you dry product with my once a month wash for extra shine/protection. This doesn't apply to our vehicles, but if you had say a show car, you would just use a quick detailer to spray on then buff off to apply a shine once you got to your event.

There are similiar products for your wheels. I have trail edition 4runner chrome rims and they constantly shine and do not need cleaning for months at a time because I use a cleaner/sealant from autogeek on them. All this adds up to me washing the truck really only whenever I wheel or take long travels. Regular dirt from driving really just does not stick.

If you ever want to do ceramic yourself with no specialized equipment I'd recommend 22ple or Optimum Gloss Coat as they are easier to apply as you can tell when they are ready to wipe off because you can visually see a rainbow sheen effect. CQuartz is what I used to use, but it has a very unforgiving window that of course changes with temp/humidity.

 

Lol, truth.

It's really not though. Sealant is more of long lasting synthetic wax. Ceramic coatings dry and cure and are semi permanent.

 

Call me crazy, but the trend seems to be anybody that did a half assed Sunday DIY project may have been disappointed with the results. While those who went with products that must be applied by professionals are the ones raving.

 

I’ve had two vehicles professionally coated with Optimum Opti-Coat Pro Plus and it’s not a gimmick. After 2 years, the water beads right off my wife’s Mini. I use low power pressure washer to get most of the dirt off, then a quick wipe down with Optimum No-Rinse. Takes about 10 minutes to do the entire car. Same situation with my Macan after 1.5 years.

Neither vehicle is garaged...full Florida sun.

Also, a professional coating does not “wear off”. It can only be removed via mechanical means.

 

How do you like the Evora? I have been looking at getting one. A Toyota drive train is what is selling me on it.

 

This is all good info to have, thanks! Seeing as you were in the detailing business, what's a good soap to use if I get the ceramic coating done? I currently use Meguiars Ultimate Wash and Wax--is that something I can continue to use? Or is that stuff not any good?

 

That's also what I'm starting to understand.

 

This was another brand of coating I was looking at. Glad to hear it's working out for you well! Will you be getting your Tacoma done?

 

Possibly. . .depending on the budget.

 

Its a good product to protect paint but costly. Mods to exterior should be done befote any application of ceramic. Also bevause it is semi permanent, any damages to paint, dents are tougher and costlier to repair. If you get in an accident, the ceramic coating will need to be sanded off, repainted....recoatrd

 

Also there are yearly maintenemce costs for upkeep of ceramic coating. Here in canada, $2200 for gold and $300 yearly to keep there lifetime warranty. How many car washes is that