[Hokieman]

I've seen this mentioned here and I've also done a search but not really finding anything of recent. Considering doing this since car is only 2.5 mos old., stays in garage most of time, both retired so it doesn't sit out in sun all day, and I wash on a regular basis. Those of you who have done this, is it really worth it and would you do it again? Do it yourself or have done professionally? I clay barred the car and used Meguier's Gold Class Carnuba the first week I had the car. BTW, car is Crystal White Pearl. Thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated.

 

[PDX.Outback]

I’ll be using the 303 graphene product myself. From the videos I’ve watched, it seems like there’s some really good products out there.

Following for info’s sake


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[Bass Model]

I just picked up mynew 2021 premium today! At the dealership I noticed little boxes of Zürich treatment. When I got home I looked it up and sure enough it’s ceramic coating. I’m curious too. There’s a company near me who will do a basic one coat job including the windshield for $700.

 

[Tmontague]

It can save you money if you apply it to a new car (assuming there are no swirl marks) as opposed to waiting to do it months later.

Much of the labor you pay to have this done is due to the paint correction needed before the ceramic coating is applied.

If you are DIY I would recommend Cquarts 3.0UK coating. It is worth it if you want your car to go the distance past 10 years. If you plan to sell it down the road and get a new vehicle then it likely won't be worth your investment.

I coat both my daily drivers once per year due to the nasty environment our cars are driven in over here. It is also one of the reason the paint looks so good on both my cars (11 and 9 years old)

Do three coats in the headlights, and also coat the plastic trim. It will help avoid the oxidization that the UV Ray's cause.

I coated my father's new rav4 in 2 coats when it came right off the lot. There were no swirl marks as he told the dealer not to touch it. I simply washed it and wiped with IPA and then got started on coating it. Much less time to do in total.

Ask a few shops what it would cost if they don't do paint correction beforehand it can take hundreds off the price.

 

[provels]

FWIW, I've had my '15 since birth and have waxed it twice in 5 years (NuFinish liquid). Also retired, also a garage queen, also looks like new. I wouldn't bother with the expense. Curious, why would you clay a new car?

 

[Hokieman]

You'd be surprised what I pulled off w/ the clay bar. I guess b/w sitting in the lot of factory, port and transport truck it just picks up stuff. Both this car and my CRV seemed to have a sort of film on them when new. I'm guessing the new car prep at dlrs is not what it used to be. It also gives me a feeling of a clean slate to detail my car for the first time. Probably a bit of OCD as well

 

[chvvkumar]

What ceramic coating is: Hydrophobic and dirt and mud wash off easily as they don't stick to the coated surface.
What it is not: Impact protection from rocks etc.

As such it is important that you do not take your ceramic coated car through a car wash with brushes. Only use touch-less car washes. Otherwise the brushes will damage the coating (as well as damage the paint by putting in swirls in clearcoat).

Keeping this in mind, I have used CQuartz UK 3.0 on my car. It's relatively easier to apply and is up there with the pro only coatings and is available to purchase by consumers.

 

[Pilot1226]

I used the spray on ceramic and more recently the spray on 303 Graphene coating. I’ve used the Turtle Wax ceramic and thought it was good and used the Graphene the last time and it was better. I am planning to put that on my Onyx as soon as things warm up. I’ve seen some reviews of the new TW Flex line of graphite and probably would have bought that if I didn’t have the 303 one.

 

[Hokieman]

I think I'm interested in the ceramic in order to minimize scratches and swirls. I never take my cars to any carwash except touchless and even then only once or twice a year. Maybe I'm bored and just looking for something else to do to the new OB during lockdown.

 

[Harplayr]

I just picked up mynew 2021 premium today! At the dealership I noticed little boxes of Zürich treatment. When I got home I looked it up and sure enough it’s ceramic coating. I’m curious too. There’s a company near me who will do a basic one coat job including the windshield for $700.

Unless your dealer uses professional detailers I'd skip their offering and have it done professionally. The hard work is in the prep. Most dealers just run the car through the car wash and slap the stuff on while a professional detailer spends hours prepping the car before beginning the application process. Some of the better coatings need several layers with time to cure between layers. It can take several days.

Another thing to look into is PPF (paint protection film) to protect against rock chips.

 

[scoobydoo2]

To the OP, I think the ceramic glaze craze is just that...a craze. I do with our subies exactly what you do with yours...wash, clay bar and then wax. Has always worked for me. Anything I see as overkil.

 

[WVUOutback]

I put a ceramic coating on my 3rd gen about a year before selling it. A trip through the car wash would make it look amazing. My new-to-me 4th gen will be getting one once the weather warms up. If you ever clay and polish your car the ceramic coating is just an extra step. There are coatings out there that are as easy to apply as carnauba wax.

I buy cheaper coatings that claim to last 18months -2 years as they are usually more user friendly. It's up to you if you think its worth it. In your case it would be a bit a overkill, and I usually go overkill when protecting paint.

 

[Hokieman]

So if I'm doing it myself, would the best process be to clay, polish then ceramic coat. I'd probably go w/ one from Meguiers or Griot's Garage. Not looking to spend hundreds on this project.

 

[WVUOutback]

So if I'm doing it myself, would the best process be to clay, polish then ceramic coat. I'd probably go w/ one from Meguiers or Griot's Garage. Not looking to spend hundreds on this project.

I used a 25 dollar one from amazon. I used a clay bar but people seem split on that. A good washing with hot water and tons of dish soap, didn't use iron remover, was pretty sloppy putting it on and it still turned out good.

 

[P3foto]

I think it's great but I admit....all the crazy "prep" work makes me insane. So I probably would need to have someone do it for me....and at that point, it's too expensive for the benefit.

 

[Bow_Hunter]

I think it's great but I admit....all the crazy "prep" work makes me insane. So I probably would need to have someone do it for me....and at that point, it's too expensive for the benefit.

Crazy prep? That’s a fun weekend for me! I picked up a Griot’s G9 rotary polisher and really enjoy polishing my vehicles.


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[P3foto]

Crazy prep? That’s a fun weekend for me! I picked up a Griot’s G9 rotary polisher and really enjoy polishing my vehicles.


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Hmmmm...Covid syndrome is taking over. Ya gotta get out more ! Maybe fishing, golf, skiing ??

 

[SilverOnyx]

I think I'm interested in the ceramic in order to minimize scratches and swirls. I never take my cars to any carwash except touchless and even then only once or twice a year. Maybe I'm bored and just looking for something else to do to the new OB during lockdown.

That's the thing - ceramic doesn't minimize scratches and swirls. It's still an ultra thin soft sacrificial layer that typically needs a topper on it, so instead of using sealant on clear coat, it's topper on "ceramic" on clear coat.

The "ceramic" coat itself is not like putting enamel over your clear coat. It's a very durable long-lasting chemical resistant coating but it won't protect from scratches if you drive through brush or wash the car with a plastic brush, or a mitt that has dirt in it, or any of the things that cause actual scratches and swirls.

In my opinion after getting a professional ceramic coat you're still left having to now take care of that ceramic coat. Considering the cost I'd rather spend it on new wheels.

If you want to DIY professional quality ceramic it makes more sense but it's still a relatively difficult process because of the prep.

You still need to wash your cars and the so-called self-cleaning ability is where I think it's over-hyped. It really depends on your area and what kind of fallout you end up with. I have salt in my air and a thin coating of salt will form on the car no matter what super duper coating I have on it.

 

[Icemateo]

I recently had the opportunity to have my car in a garage for 48 hours (which I don't have at home), so I went ahead with a ceramic coating project. Washed, claybar, and polished first, which all was relatively easy since I've only had the car for a couple months. After that, I used Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic Spray. For sure the prep work took the most time, the actual application of the spray was simple and easy. Did the first coat, waited 24 hours, then did the second coat. I also live in a salty environment, and I definitely did NOT take care of my Tacoma as well as I should have given the elements, so I'm hoping to at least lay down the foundation of some better paint protection and keep going with it. All the supplies probably cost around $100, so if you have the time, it's a better option than getting it professionally done.

 

[Hokieman]

I recently had the opportunity to have my car in a garage for 48 hours (which I don't have at home), so I went ahead with a ceramic coating project. Washed, claybar, and polished first, which all was relatively easy since I've only had the car for a couple months. After that, I used Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic Spray. For sure the prep work took the most time, the actual application of the spray was simple and easy. Did the first coat, waited 24 hours, then did the second coat. I also live in a salty environment, and I definitely did NOT take care of my Tacoma as well as I should have given the elements, so I'm hoping to at least lay down the foundation of some better paint protection and keep going with it. All the supplies probably cost around $100, so if you have the time, it's a better option than getting it professionally done.

What type of polish did you use and was it hand or buffer applied. I would prefer hand as I don't own a buffer and don't really want to buy one. I'm kinda intrigued by what I've seen on Chemical Guys. Anyone use their products?