Ceramic Coatings
Discussion
So, I took a bit of a gamble and ordered a less expensive (~£70) ceramic coating for my car. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was feeling I wasn't getting the longevity from my current setup (DA machine polish with Poor Guys polish, and topped with Dodo Juice wax). The car always looked good after this, but I felt it reduced in shine quite quickly (plus it was a pain in the ass to apply).
Before applying the ceramic, I gave it a thorough wash, dried it off and then followed the instructions on the ceramic coating. This boiled down to applying a very small amount of a cleaning fluid to the car and then wetting it down again. Car was then dried and the ceramic applied as directed. Entire process took less than an hour.
The coating isn't from a brand I recognise, so I was dubious that it would actually dry to a ceramic, but during application I could see some glassy formation about the neck of the bottle.
After application, the car looked just as good as the wax I previously used, but the broken English directions did say that full shine was only achieved after a 24 hour drying period. It sounded like bulls
t to me, but boy was I wrong.
I woke up the next morning and glanced out the window - the car looked like a mirror, it was remarkable.
It's been used for two weeks now, and to be fair it seems to be lasting much better than the wax previously - it still shines like hell and is super hydrophobic. I'm super impressed!
I've not added the name of the manufacturer here (this isn't and advert) and to be honest it's not been on long enough for me to be fully convinced, but I'm certainly optimistic.
Anyone else tried this?
Pic attached, 10 year old Porker looking not too shabby.
Before applying the ceramic, I gave it a thorough wash, dried it off and then followed the instructions on the ceramic coating. This boiled down to applying a very small amount of a cleaning fluid to the car and then wetting it down again. Car was then dried and the ceramic applied as directed. Entire process took less than an hour.
The coating isn't from a brand I recognise, so I was dubious that it would actually dry to a ceramic, but during application I could see some glassy formation about the neck of the bottle.
After application, the car looked just as good as the wax I previously used, but the broken English directions did say that full shine was only achieved after a 24 hour drying period. It sounded like bulls
t to me, but boy was I wrong.I woke up the next morning and glanced out the window - the car looked like a mirror, it was remarkable.
It's been used for two weeks now, and to be fair it seems to be lasting much better than the wax previously - it still shines like hell and is super hydrophobic. I'm super impressed!
I've not added the name of the manufacturer here (this isn't and advert) and to be honest it's not been on long enough for me to be fully convinced, but I'm certainly optimistic.
Anyone else tried this?
Pic attached, 10 year old Porker looking not too shabby.
Certainly looks very good that and I've got a lot of time for coatings.
That said for applying myself, I tend to stick to waxes as I'm just familiar but I have my Merc CLS coated and will be having it re-coated before the winter as I know they last a hell of a long time.
Good on you for trying an unknown brand too. There's so much snobbery with detailing where people assume that paying a lot of money for a product means a better product by default, not always the case.
Next test will be longevity I guess mate.
That said for applying myself, I tend to stick to waxes as I'm just familiar but I have my Merc CLS coated and will be having it re-coated before the winter as I know they last a hell of a long time.
Good on you for trying an unknown brand too. There's so much snobbery with detailing where people assume that paying a lot of money for a product means a better product by default, not always the case.
Next test will be longevity I guess mate.
I was always a "wax guy" and thought that these ceramic coatings were a fad and unnecessary, however, I had my mind changed about 3 or 4 years ago when I had "Max Protect" ceramic coating on the paintwork of my M135i.
I ran the car as a daily for nearly 3 years and ~34K miles and never once had to do anything other than wash the car, I was constantly amazed at how the water would bead after a wash, and the process of washing was easier as well!
I would now have no hesitation in recommending the use of ceramic coatings, my personal recommendation is Max Protect, I've had nothing but great results using their products.
I ran the car as a daily for nearly 3 years and ~34K miles and never once had to do anything other than wash the car, I was constantly amazed at how the water would bead after a wash, and the process of washing was easier as well!
I would now have no hesitation in recommending the use of ceramic coatings, my personal recommendation is Max Protect, I've had nothing but great results using their products.
Steve Rance said:
I have Kamikaze ISM hydrocarbon coat on my 964. Its topped with Kamikasi overcoat. Very impressive
Had the same done to my M2 by Ultimate Finish and have been really impressed. I find the biggest benefit with these coatings is the ease with which you can clean the car. Using a pre cleaner, followed by snow foam, you only need to use very light pressure with the mitt when you wash meaning reduced risk of swirls. I was offered the William F1 ceramic coating for my Aston but I don't feel it's as good as the Kamikazi. That was a few years back now so maybe the technology has moved on since then. Here's mine being done.http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/car-care-blog/n...
Edited by P.Griffin on Wednesday 22 February 15:28
mon the fish said:
GTechniq, Gyeon, Carpro - can any of these coatings be applied by me at home, or do they all need to be done by a pro?
I would take the same view as I would DIY at home. Yes you can do it yourself, but I'd rather spend the extra and have a professional do it, rather than potentially bodge it and then need to go to the professional afterwards to fix it. This is advice from many years of expensive f**k ups. mon the fish said:
GTechniq, Gyeon, Carpro - can any of these coatings be applied by me at home, or do they all need to be done by a pro?
You get certain brands that can be applied at home. I would say it's not necessary to have a pro do it - not much more difficult than a standard polish. Also, if you fk it up you can remove it with an abrasive polish.If you're looking at applying at home, you'll just need somewhere warm and dry to apply the coating - and then leave it over night.
The paint needs to be perfect before application as any swirls and things will be locked in for a long time to come. It'll also help the coating bond if the paint has been prepared properly.
If you do mess it up, it needs to be machine polished off, or even wet sanded if it's one of the harder coatings.
I have cars coming back for maintenance that were coated a couple of years ago and they're still holding out very well.
The paint needs to be perfect before application as any swirls and things will be locked in for a long time to come. It'll also help the coating bond if the paint has been prepared properly.
If you do mess it up, it needs to be machine polished off, or even wet sanded if it's one of the harder coatings.
I have cars coming back for maintenance that were coated a couple of years ago and they're still holding out very well.
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