Car detailing- anyone had experience with ceramic car coating?

[Goffy 39]

Greetings guys i have been looking at doing a ceramic car coating on my car. Has anyone had any experience with this negative or positive? 

cheers

Goffy

[Jacko 2156]

Sonax Profiline CC36, its legit. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Jacko

[User Name 19]

When its done right its awesome and looking forward to having my car done in future just remember to detail correctly (how many people i see pay $$$ for it then go to super cheap and ruin it by trying to wax it)

My friends brother does it over in Aussie and does travel around the world, i know for awhile there was an NZ counter part.
Shoot him a message for a price or he might know someone in NZ.
https://www.facebook.com/InTheClearAuto/

 

[LoganC 23]

All depends on the coating, a majority of them are all made in the same factory and just relabled. A good coating will change the appearance of the car and not solely be just about water beading. We use Kamakazi Coatings at my work and they are incredible! Completely change the look of the car and each one of the coatings they offer give a different finish from glass finish to a soft "glow" if you will. 

[M3AN 4016]

Do NOT pay detailer prices, the mark-up is like 1000%. Just buy the stuff from eBay at like 30 bucks and apply it yourself.

And keep in mind that, compared to the promises made, it's pretty much snake-oil. Just look it up.

Edited October 24, 2019 by M3AN

[m325i 709]

If you don't like washing / waxing your car and want easy maintenance it is good. 

If you are paying for a detailer to do it, you are really paying for the prep, which is legitimately hours of work to do 100%.

It is especially good on wheels, I would definitely recommend that. 

But personally I like wax/sealant better. And it performs as well during it's life time. 

There are dozens of options, DM me if you like. 

 

[Contrails 317]

Just spoke with OCD. $750 for detailing as my car is starting to get light swirls. Another $750 for Ceramic coating. 

They are very good, but my car is a E92 335i, not an Aston. I am gonna shop around. 

[M3AN 4016]

OCD aren't unique, all places I've heard of charge a ridiculous amount for it. Yes, prep is critical but if you've just paid $750 for that, you shouldn't be paying another $750 for $40 of product.

You could always get some place to detail your car and then apply the coating DIY and save $700. Check on eBay, sort by price and have a bit of a laugh, they have all brands there, some even selling the same product for $400 that others are selling for $40. I suspect they all come from the same, or similar factories, in China.

Yes, they are hydrophobic, yes they repel liquids for a while and yes, they're not worth $750. As for scratch resistance, 9H or 10H is bug level scratches, not stone level scratches. They do make your car or wheels or whatever easier to clean for a while though.

I'd love to be convinced some are worth 10 or 20 times more than others, with science, not marketing BS.

Edited November 10, 2019 by M3AN
sp

[Contrails 317]

Cheers Dave, gonna buy you a pint next time. 

[Jacko 2156]

Just do it yourself, the Sonax CC36 stuff above is legit, and not the same as the generic ceramic you see everywhere. Its two stage, gives epic shine (more than a wax) and car was still beading 6 months later. The rest of the ceramic marketing talk is nonsense, totally agree. 

Go get a DA, some bug/tar remover, a couple of pads and decent compound, crank the stereo up and spend a weekend, save yaself $1300  Watching a few videos and getting a feel for the DA, and you cant go wrong (short of being a bellend and sitting in one spot with it cranked up to 11)

Ceramic is no more work than doing a decent wax, sans the prep, the actual process of applying/removing takes way less elbow grease than a paste wax. 

[M3AN 4016]

I might try these guys for the 130 (paint has been punished): http://www.mobilecarspecialists.com/car-detailing.html - and they're honest about the benefits of ceramic coatings.

They come to you and charge less than $100 for ceramic "nano" coating after they've done a cut and polish. Which is the proper price point, not $700.

Looks like for $349 + $89 I can get a cut, polish, detail, wax and ceramic coating. For $440 it's probably worth a punt.

Anyone used them? Experience?

 

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by M3AN

[GorGasm 563]

It's all about the polish in my view.  You can chuck anything decent that you might like on after that, ceramic or otherwise.

$440 is cheap.

[Navin 180]

17 hours ago, M3AN said:

I might try these guys for the 130 (paint has been punished): http://www.mobilecarspecialists.com/car-detailing.html - and they're honest about the benefits of ceramic coatings.

They come to you and charge less than $100 for ceramic "nano" coating after they've done a cut and polish. Which is the proper price point, not $700.

Looks like for $349 + $89 I can get a cut, polish, detail, wax and ceramic coating. For $440 it's probably worth a punt.

Anyone used them? Experience?

 

 

Redin through their website, it seems like they have quite a bit of experience in the industry. Might give them a go too for the golf

[Jacko 2156]

Kind of on topic, but has anyone tried Fusso coat?

Wax, not a ceramic, japanese stuff that apparently its legit shiny and lasts 6 months.

[Jacko 2156]

Last time the Japanese got together with the Germans it didnt end well, but will give it a go, and its definitely JDMAF

[Jacko 2156]

Fusso King of Gloss. 

It's definitely very glossy, goes on easily. Need to put on thinly as it dries hard and white, gets cakey if thick. Leaves quite a bit of dust buffing off... But it's definitely easy and very glossy

[Jacko 2156]

Gave it another wash in the weekend and then used the fusso spray wax thats the recommended "top up", its now even shinier. The fusso remained really glossy the whole time, and 10000 dead bugs came off really easily.

This stuff is new favourite wax, its better than stuff 4 times the price.  

[M3AN 4016]

But if you believe the sales pitch you shouldn't need anything on your ceramic coating for years right? Putting a sealant (wax) on a sealant (nano coating) shouldn't be required unless the first sealant has degraded.

This ceramic coating industry needs to go out of business and the only way that will happen is if enthusiasts revolt and spread the word. 

It's snake-oil. If it were as good as it's claimed to be all manufacturers would apply it at the factory.

[Jacko 2156]

1 hour ago, M3AN said:

But if you believe the sales pitch you shouldn't need anything on your ceramic coating for years right? Putting a sealant (wax) on a sealant (nano coating) shouldn't be required unless the first sealant has degraded.

This ceramic coating industry needs to go out of business and the only way that will happen is if enthusiasts revolt and spread the word. 

It's snake-oil. If it were as good as it's claimed to be all manufacturers would apply it at the factory.

Its not a total scam, just got to think of it as really long life wax, and not some invincible force field. 

[str8_6 275]

Snake oil or not, I had the M5 done last week and it looks unbelievable for a car that’s just about 20 years old. Initially, the company I used, Elite Detailing in Wellington, wondered why I’d brought it to them because it already looked reasonably good. I wanted paint correction on some of the clear coat scratches an un-named dealership created when they changed my windscreen last year and so in addition I decided to give their coating a go.

I’m so impressed. Obviously different colours would have different results in terms of that deep glossy look.

If it lasts the 4/5 years they claim, and I’m sure it will as the car is not a daily, then it’s money well spent. The team were very professional, knowledgeable and set the proper expectations about the product they use. 
Yes it can scratch, yes you can still chip it however I was more than happy to give them my money for their time. It’s really good to see some of their other work and see their passion for detailing.

I have a light scratch on the passenger side door of the Porsche that doesn’t quite polish out, I want to avoid painting and after seeing the amazing work Elite did on the M5, I’m happy to hand it over and get them to apply the coating too. It will be good to see how it lasts on a daily. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by str8_6

[M3AN 4016]

4 or 5 years? ? Are you mad? You could put it in a time capsule and it might not last that long.

It absolutely does look f'ing amazing when applied, better than a new car. That's why it sells. You're paying for 4 year "protection" and you're getting a max of 9 months, it's bollocks.

Seriously, if it were that good it would already be on every surface we can see. Every window on every building would be coated with it, it would literally save hundreds of millions of dollars.

Not so much, it's simply not magic, look it up.

[str8_6 275]

Very mad I’m told.
The coating was applied to a very loved and already very very tidy garage queen who gets very minimal use. 

As I said, IF it lasts 4/5 years, then it’s money well spent. If not, then its cost in comparison to the value of the car is not really a lot. I think one of the rear tires cost me more and I think I know which made me smile more when I saw it for the first time last week.

[HalfJobHarry 106]

I'm trying to make this decision now. Fresh cut and polish done......

I've ALWAYs been Klasse + Collinite + Some soft paste wax on top of that person....

I am curious to try a ceramic coat though, I'd apply myself as it doesn't look all that difficult. Yeah... 9 months of beading would be nice...but I'm worried for all the effort it won't be as shinyas sealant + wax is on a proper freshly cut and polished car... 

I hear people saying it's not as shiny..but it is different to sealant + wax....more of a reflective mirror type thing than the depth of wax...? 

[Sammo 2544]

8 hours ago, HalfJobHarry said:

I'm trying to make this decision now. Fresh cut and polish done......

I've ALWAYs been Klasse + Collinite + Some soft paste wax on top of that person....

I am curious to try a ceramic coat though, I'd apply myself as it doesn't look all that difficult. Yeah... 9 months of beading would be nice...but I'm worried for all the effort it won't be as shinyas sealant + wax is on a proper freshly cut and polished car... 

I hear people saying it's not as shiny..but it is different to sealant + wax....more of a reflective mirror type thing than the depth of wax...? 

If you don't mind doing it yourself and if you're like me and actually enjoy the process, I don't see any real need for ceramic.

Modern good sealants (spray or liquid) are extremely easy to apply and can last 3+ months, much longer if you're topping up or using SiO2 wash or spray wax regularly.

My process now is to clay and light polish, IPA wipe down and apply sealant every 6 months, wash every week or two and use a topper (little more sealant or spray wax) every month. I use a bit of spray wax with Carnuba in it when drying too to help drying and put a little more gloss on it.

Car looks amazing almost all the time, and I park on the street. 

 

[m325i 709]

^Agree if you are keen to put the work in, sealant /wax is all good. 

I've heard the 'look' of ceramic has improved a lot lately, and is brand dependent.