Need schooling on ceramic coatings

I'm a decade behind: Still using clay bar and a Porter Cable with Adam's Polishes and Zaino Z2/Z5/Z6/Z7/Z8. A lot of work. I think I am going to give the ceramic coating a try this vehicle, but I am a deer in the headlights. Know nothing about ceramic coatings. Can you please direct me to weblinks that will educate me before I make a mistake?

I want to have it done by a professional. My truck has less than 1000 miles on it, so I want to get it done quick. What should I look for in finding a pro.

I think I remember reading that some of you guys have a maintenance program on your coating that updates/refreshes it at intervals. If so, for how much $. Is that the direction the industry is moving to? I called a local guy and he quoted me this: price by number of coats, 1 coat guaranteed 2 years, 2 coats guaranteed 5 years, 3/10. Re-applications cost the same amount as initial applications. Said there is no such thing as a maintenance program.

Which coating should I be seeking out? Is there one that is better than the others

Since the truck is almost new, what would the professional be doing as part of the prep work before applying the coating. The guy I spoke with said all they will do is a clay bar on a vehicle as young as mine. Couldn't a machine polish with a very fine optical grade polish improve the shine before they p[ut it on? Once its on isn't it too late to polish?

Thanks for reading this. I appreciate your assistance.

 

The problem with judging how much something like this costs is you have no idea how well the shop will perform the work. Like when you buy new shocks or tires, you can shop around for the parts and have an idea what on what they cost. Then when it comes to installation the work it takes to mount those parts should be somewhat routine assuming done by competent mechanics.

With detailing the amount of effort put into the work will show in the final product. When corners are cut and minimum effort is put into the job it will absolutely show (even the best detailer could have a bad day). So when the shop says nothing but a clay bar that seems suspect, particularly if this was said sight unseen. Like you said even with a fine polish, you're at least getting whatever may have been put on the vehicle that a clay won't pickup and it's certainly going to shine better. I've always understood the bulk of the cost with a coating is all the machine time trying to correct the paint.

Maintenance is probably for the higher end coatings that have multi year warranties. Of course a great business model for a shop would be to have maintenance plans. Not that this is bad for the customer as long as they have the money. Maintenance would be washing it safe and applying some kind of topper which is usually just a sealant that is quick wipe on/off or spray on rinse off type.

Installing the coating is nothing special, you apply it in a methodical criss-cross pattern to a small section at a time. Give it whatever time it takes to setup or flash and then wipe that section down, rinse repeat.

 

My advice- join the Autogeek forum and ask your questions over there. Fine to ask here, too. Plenty of knowledgeable guys here. But there's a lot to learn about coatings (as you seem aware).

Lots of professional detailers on the AG forum that are eager to help people like you. There's also a shit ton of awesome info over there- how-to's, product reviews, etc.

 

Are you willing to do it yourself? Or not? I'll tell you right now that if you can run a porter cable, you can then apply your own ceramic coating and probably save yourself $500-1500, depending on a number of variables.

There are some very user friendly consumer coatings out there now.

 

Yes, see pics of previous work with Adams and Zaino. I'm so fuckin' anal though it takes me three days. I'm not the young buck I once was. It may take me six now! Can you recommend some of the better ceramic coatings?

 

Gtechniq.

 

The detail shop that did the ceramic coating on my truck used Car pro cquartz

 

Because of the semi-permanent nature of ceramic I was leaning towards having it done. I will check these out.

What about the maintenance of the coating? What do they do and at what interval, and what do I do?

 

On a side note...
You still entertaining selling the 4Runner of did that crazy thought pass?

 

This is my truck 8 months since having it ceramic coated !!!

This is a 17 yr old truck with 69k original miles and OEM paint

 

That's funny you ask. For sure selling that white truck. I don't know about the 4Runner. I love that truck. It's kinda' like my old Golden Retriever. It's part of the family. It cared for my kids, took them to games. Most sentimental vehicle I've ever owned. Also lowest cost per mile of any vehicle I have ever owned. It is a prominent thread in the fabric of my life. Probably keep it.

 

Chuck, that is beautiful! What do you do to it to keep it looking that good?

 

From what I have been told by people that do it professionally, its very finicky. A constant temperature should be maintained throughout the entire process, it can’t be done outside, and any condensation or moisture can ruin the job. I believe it’s around 800-1000 if I remember correctly. I would love to get mine done in the spring.

 

What coating did you use?

 

Thanks !!!!

Be honest with you I take it thru a drive thru car wash every week and this is a very nice top of the line facility were I spend $50 a month to keep it clean . One of the products they use is for ceramic coating upkeep

The truck is garage kept and I use a Calif car duster in between washes

 

Car Pro Cquartz

 

The maintenance products ("boosters") are applied like a spray wax. You can apply whenever you like. They're basically a very watered-down version of the coating in most instances- like a spray wax that contains some ceramic.

I use the booster for the Blackfire brand coating as a stand alone product. It's called Blackfire SiO2 Spray Sealant (or something like that; can't remember exactly). I don't use the coating. I just apply the booster once a month and it provides adequate protection.

 

When I had my truck ceramic coated last year it was $1100 for paint correction and the application of the ceramic coating


I live up in the High Desert of Socal and just about every car up here has had the paint baked off from the intense summer heat. This is the main reason I had it ceramic coated to protect the paint

 

Here's more pics ..

 

That is just so awesome Chuck! On a truck that old too. I thought that I maintained high standards. You are the man! Hey Chuck, I've got a Marine pilot sitting in a recliner right here beside me: B-25's, PBY's, Corsairs, Sikorsky's. 95 years young. Still rides his bike 5-6 miles a day. Still with his Marine crew-cut. Taking him to fly an SNJ in March up on the Red River. One of the first planes that he flew.