2019 GT - Clear Bra and Ceramic Quote - worth the price??

[showbbq]

You can absolutely apply a ceramic coating on top of paint protection film. Most brands of PPF have some hydrophobic properties but you will have the benefits of the coating if applied on top. A coating will make the car easier to clean and liquids will bead instead of adhering to surface. It will also help a little with scratches but it is definitely not scratch proof. If you run a coated car through a non-touchless car wash or wash it improperly, take a look at it in the sun and you'll see plenty of swirls.

So can you throw some wax on top of a coated car? I wouldn't recommend it. You don't want to mask the benefits of the coating and some waxes (especially synthetic) are very difficult to remove. There are topper products (most are Sio2 based) made for coated vehicles, that you can use for maintenance and to increase depth and shine.

Once you go down the rabbit hole of coatings it's hard to stop...

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[IronG]

I will be getting XPEL on the front and some other key areas very quickly after I get the car. If any paint correction is needed they will do that also. I will then apply ceramic some time after that myself. I am much more used to applying coatings on a car, I know the ceramic is a little tricky and very time consuming, but based on the numerous videos on it, it looks fairly easy. Never did any clear film wrapping so for me much better to have a pro do it.

 

[Nomadic]

So, $3,300 total.
Kept my last “fun car” for 7 years and put on less than 5000 miles per year. Mostly weekend trips in the mountains, very little highway and no commuting, 2 track days per year. This GT will be about the same. Car is kept in a garage always.
Price reasonable?
For my situation is it worth it?

Hell no. I use my GT about the same as yours except no track days. I wash it a couple times a month and the paint always looks great.

Never in my wildest dreams would I spend thousands on these ceramic bras/coats/protection. Nobody is going to notice any difference when it's time to sell or not enough to get you much more for you car. On a trade it will get you zero, private party barely anything.

My GT is a fun car that I take car of but it's just a car. All these guys spending thousands for these wraps....more power to you. I wouldn't spend a dime on that crap.

 

[Schooley]

Just dropped my car off.. PPF on the front clip, hood, side mirrors, and rear quarters. Gonna ceramic coat the rest with self healing cquartz, also getting the wheels and calipers coated as well. $3,800 but the level of protection is top of the line, plus I won’t be stressing while driving the car.

 

[samanosuke47]

Hell no. I use my GT about the same as yours except no track days. I wash it a couple times a month and the paint always looks great.

Never in my wildest dreams would I spend thousands on these ceramic bras/coats/protection. Nobody is going to notice any difference when it's time to sell or not enough to get you much more for you car. On a trade it will get you zero, private party barely anything.

My GT is a fun car that I take car of but it's just a car. All these guys spending thousands for these wraps....more power to you. I wouldn't spend a dime on that crap.

I also wash my vehicles a couple a times a month, maybe once a month in this winter weather though sadly. But I disagree that nobody is going to notice a difference. Maybe it's just someone like me, that's very anal-retentive about a vehicles paint. But I imagine most people are like you describe, not going to notice it. I get comments on my current vehicle looking great, when I probably give them the most puzzling look. I mean.. I have what I consider MAJOR paint issues all over! It's definitely a '10 footer vehicle'.

I think on trade, if you have a chip that's turning into a rust spot, or peeling clear coat, deeper scratches, (my current vehicle has all of those) I believe that would affect it. I mean I got a k off buying it from the previous owner just under the guise of needing to get some of that fixed. I haven't and don't plan to get anything fixed, but appearance makes a difference imo.

In the end it is just a vehicle this is true, and does depend on the person. As anal-retentive as I am, I don't think I could ever live with myself if I bought a vehicle and didn't let it touch the elements of driving. Weather is a consideration in most vehicles design, they can be driven in it. I just want to Drive + Protect is all. Try to keep it looking like a million bucks well into it's old age is my goal, and enjoy driving it while doing that.

*minor grammar edits*

 

[Zinc03svt]

Cermaic coat for anything more than $300-500 is a complete scam imo. Lol

 

[SAWerks50]

Cermaic coat for anything more than $300-500 is a complete scam imo. Lol

This is in line with the actual coating application alone. The prepwork and paint correction/polishing before is the most important and time consuming part. 900-1200 total. The coating is just the bit of additional gloss and best part is the ease of maintenance. Even on new cars, it's easy to put 25-30 hours in to a professional correction and coating. Or you can wax the car every 2 weeks.

 

[Zelek]

Yeah, any top notch detailer will tell you it's all about the prep work. Watching your whole car turn purple from IronX is always exciting. All the crap and contaminants that are pulled from the stock paint then sealed with the ceramic coating makes it so worth it. Makes the color really pop on certain ones and keeps it that way.

 

[Schooley]

Cermaic coat for anything more than $300-500 is a complete scam imo. Lol

Good luck dealing with the person cutting corners to get you that price. Couldnt imagine a detailer who's time is that worthless to pretty much coat your car at cost. Who's the one getting scammed here? May need to take a look in the mirror - my car's finish.

 

[Kong76]

I daily my Mustang. I wouldn't spend that kind of money unless I was driving a six figure plus car. Ceramic coating does look good though.

 

[Labradog]

This is my logic when I get mine - I'd probably need to be spending a ton, but I'd love to see how much it would cost to wrap the whole car. .

$7-8,000

 

[cosmic charlie]

My Magnetic Metallic GT Fastback will be here in about 4 weeks. Getting some quotes on XPEL wrap and Ceramic Pro. Found one shop nearby and have seen their work on a new Ruby Red convertible and the results are outstanding. However, is it worth the price? Here is what I was quoted.
Full prep, polish / clay.
XPEL wrap front bumper, full hood, front fenders, miror backs nd under door handles. $1800
Ceramic Pro the remainig 2/3rds of the car including wheels / 6 year warranty. $1500
So, $3,300 total.
Kept my last “fun car” for 7 years and put on less than 5000 miles per year. Mostly weekend trips in the mountains, very little highway and no commuting, 2 track days per year. This GT will be about the same. Car is kept in a garage always.
Price reasonable?
For my situation is it worth it?

Yea, that's about right. I was just quoted the following.

5 year Ceramic Pro coating with single stage paint correction $1300
Cerramic Window Tint $335
Clear Bra full bumper, full mirrors, 1/2 fenders and hood $968
total: $2,603

 

[O.L.]

It might not be a good reference because I'm in Canada but I already have my appointement when my car arrive. 650$ CAD. Ceramic Coating with all the work (detailing and decontamination) done before the coating.

 

[Nomadic]

Maybe it's just someone like me, that's very anal-retentive about a vehicles paint.

Yup, I think so. Sounds stressful......and painful. Glad I'm free of that.

 

[samanosuke47]

$7-8,000

Full car film I got a quote of 5k from a local Xpel shop.

However, 2400 at the same shop for full front clip and rockers - so I'll likely go this route with film.

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