Ceramic coating how to locate a good shop?

[Free Spirit]

So I'm just outside of Philadelphia Pennsylvania about 50 min to get to the center but I'm willing to drive if it's a good shop. I'm trying to stay skmewhat on a budget and get my 2017 paint corrected and ceramic coated. (Clearcoat is chipping off pass ever door at edge but I think ceramic cost will somewhat blend/hide it, it's not peeling it's thick chunk missing). There's some shops charging 3000 for a basic simple 1 step polish and 3 year coating and other mobile shops I keep seeing pop up on Facebook doing the same work for $1050. Any ideas if those Facebook shops are scams or any good? Here one I see the most ads for that I can seem to find anything bad on but nothing good on either https://www.facebook.com/share/1AvzZTS5va/

Any shop suggestions? Trying to stay below 1500 ish car has 62k miles and isn't in the best shape paint wise. But I'd like to get some of the depth and revive it with a coating and correction. (Front hand was repainted so it's in better shape but was kinda a shitty paint job)

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[Bitten in '69]

Personally, if the paint isn't in good shape, don't bother spending the money on ceramic. You should be able to find a good shop that will buff and wax for $500-750. Then it's just up to you to maintain the finish.

 

[Free Spirit]

Personally, if the paint isn't in good shape, don't bother spending the money on ceramic. You should be able to find a good shop that will buff and wax for $500-750. Then it's just up to you to maintain the finish.

by not in good shape it's still half good. The back has a ton of scratches and deep ones that WONT buff out I already know it especially where the decklid meets the bumper looks like it's been rubber with a ton of scratches (probably have some black vinyl put over that eventually) but the front half fenders, hood and bumper were repainted through insurance (not the best work but eh not worth making a scene). I figure a buff and ceramic will hide most and make the car look great. Because ATM I still haven't found a wash routine for the newly painted section, I've just been using touchless car washes which does fuck all for cleaning. Been debating running it through the touch carwash since the back half already needs paint correction. I want to get it clean for my vacation in 1 week so idk. Might see if the shop I work near can fit me in for a quick exterior detail but they don't do the best work either. I can grab a photo of the clear coating chipping if you want but it's only 1 spot. The car needs touchup pen in places but I can do that after ceramic coat it if it still bothers me (back of trunk rubs quarters)

 

[CBETPTA]

Check out Nexus Auto spa in Norristown. Colin and Mitch do good work

by not in good shape it's still half good. The back has a ton of scratches and deep ones that WONT buff out I already know it especially where the decklid meets the bumper looks like it's been rubber with a ton of scratches (probably have some black vinyl put over that eventually) but the front half fenders, hood and bumper were repainted through insurance (not the best work but eh not worth making a scene). I figure a buff and ceramic will hide most and make the car look great. Because ATM I still haven't found a wash routine for the newly painted section, I've just been using touchless car washes which does fuck all for cleaning. Been debating running it through the touch carwash since the back half already needs paint correction. I want to get it clean for my vacation in 1 week so idk. Might see if the shop I work near can fit me in for a quick exterior detail but they don't do the best work either. I can grab a photo of the clear coating chipping if you want but it's only 1 spot. The car needs touchup pen in places but I can do that after ceramic coat it if it still bothers me (back of trunk rubs quarters)

 

[Free Spirit]

Check out Nexus Auto spa in Norristown. Colin and Mitch do good work

I'll take a look at it, got a quote from this place which seems to be more legit than a Facebook ad. 1000$ starting price for 2 year coating and 1500$ starting price for 5 year. Seems like the best value and easiest solution but I'll still have to buy some soap and products for 2 bucket washing. Any suggestions on 2 year vs 5 year or just get the cheaper 2 year? https://berardisdetailing.com/window-tint/

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

I'll say that it's not complex or difficult work, and that a mobile detailer obviously will have far less overhead so of course it will be cheaper. Personally, 3k is nuts unless your car is a basket case... but if they're doing it to show-car condition, i could see them charging that much.

Just need to make sure you know which coatings you're buying, do some research if they're any good, and hopefully they bring their own lighting setup etc because trying to ceramic coat your car in a typical garage lighting setup is probably the hardest part of the process.

 

[Free Spirit]

I'll say that it's not complex or difficult work, and that a mobile detailer obviously will have far less overhead so of course it will be cheaper. Personally, 3k is nuts unless your car is a basket case... but if they're doing it to show-car condition, i could see them charging that much.

Just need to make sure you know which coatings you're buying, do some research if they're any good, and hopefully they bring their own lighting setup etc because trying to ceramic coat your car in a typical garage lighting setup is probably the hardest part of the process.

These guys have a legit shop and said 2years (lvl 1, they outline each level on their page I linked) starts at 1000. Level 2 is 5 year coating at 1500. Honestly its a daily car but I don't foresee selling it anytime soon, would I be better to go for 5 years and not really have to worry about it for awhile besides cleaning it like normal. Or just get the car paint corrected and keep it clean?

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Hard to say, you can get your car detailed and perfectly corrected and it can be swirled back up in a few washes depending on how you’re washing it or if you’re god forbid taking it to a car wash place, so if that were the case you wouldn't want to spend thousands of dollars.

If you are really into taking care of your car and don’t want to DIY polishing it out, then sure. I don’t know if I believe in the whole 10 year coating deal, sometimes they just make you take it into them every year or so and they apply a spray product that can make it seem like the coating is still on there. @DFB5.0 knows a lot about the different coatings, maybe he can weigh in and let us know if its BS or not.

 

[Free Spirit]

Hard to say, you can get your car detailed and perfectly corrected and it can be swirled back up in a few washes depending on how you’re washing it or if you’re god forbid taking it to a car wash place, so if that were the case you wouldn't want to spend thousands of dollars.

If you are really into taking care of your car and don’t want to DIY polishing it out, then sure. I don’t know if I believe in the whole 10 year coating deal, sometimes they just make you take it into them every year or so and they apply a spray product that can make it seem like the coating is still on there. @DFB5.0 knows a lot about the different coatings, maybe he can weigh in and let us know if its BS or not.

Im actually talking to him in his cabinet thread about wash equipment going forward. Going to finally start hand washing it myself and gathering stuff for 2 bucket method unless dfb thinks waterless/washless is the way to go. I plan to take good care of it and I also don't believe anything lasts 10 years. 2 years for 1k doesent seen bad but 1.5 for 5 years seems like a good in-between. Also project farm just did a costing test and for cheap coatings, the griot spray on was damn good for spray bottle, there was another that was super good too but required hand application to each panel which isnt bad but I have bad experiences with those. Hell I still have the hand applied ceramic coating I bought awhile ago but it was terrible. Called proje or something.

I'm thinking that lvl 2 1500 for 5 year coating is my best value for the money.

 

[MiamiGT350]

I would just hit it with iron remover, buy your own DA and some 3000+ polish. You can then ceramic it yourself with something like Gyeon which is very easy to apply.

 

[Ewheels]

I'm no paint expert but I will say ceramic will do absolutely nothing for making bad paint look good. It doesn't hide any sort of blemish. It protects what's already there and makes it a bit shinier but that's it.

If I were you, I would spend my money on a good paint correction and then do the ceramic myself.
Get all the scratches/haze/clear coat issues sorted and then get a solid spray-on ceramic and call it a day. The spray-on ceramic coatings, granted don't last 5-7 years like the pro stuff, but works just the same for a shorter time and are super easy to apply.

I use Adam's Polish Graphene spray ceramic and apply it after every time I wash the car. Paint looks great, maintains the hydrophobic nature of ceramic, applies in 10 minutes.

 

[Free Spirit]

I'm no paint expert but I will say ceramic will do absolutely nothing for making bad paint look good. It doesn't hide any sort of blemish. It protects what's already there and makes it a bit shinier but that's it.

If I were you, I would spend my money on a good paint correction and then do the ceramic myself.
Get all the scratches/haze/clear coat issues sorted and then get a solid spray-on ceramic and call it a day. The spray-on ceramic coatings, granted don't last 5-7 years like the pro stuff, but works just the same for a shorter time and are super easy to apply.

I use Adam's Polish Graphene spray ceramic and apply it after every time I wash the car. Paint looks great, maintains the hydrophobic nature of ceramic, applies in 10 minutes.

Given it's black car that shows a lot. I'd just feel more comfortable having a shop do it Incase anything goes wrong. If I fuck it up then I'm toast. If they fuck it up then they fix it. They will also do a much better job. I've polished a car once for a family members and sure it looked much better but it was not worth it. I have a really bad back after a motorcycle accident and spending time with a polisher getting into all the corners is rough. This is the only spot of major damage besides scratches, but I was told by a ceramic coated that the coating will blend this and make it less noticable (not invisible) but it's also at the bottom/middle of the passenger door edge and unless your looking for it then it's hard to find. I only ever found it after a accident where the panel next to it got repainted.

 

[Ewheels]

Given it's black car that shows a lot. I'd just feel more comfortable having a shop do it Incase anything goes wrong. If I fuck it up then I'm toast. If they fuck it up then they fix it. They will also do a much better job. I've polished a car once for a family members and sure it looked much better but it was not worth it. I have a really bad back after a motorcycle accident and spending time with a polisher getting into all the corners is rough. This is the only spot of major damage besides scratches, but I was told by a ceramic coated that the coating will blend this and make it less noticable (not invisible) but it's also at the bottom/middle of the passenger door edge and unless your looking for it then it's hard to find. I only ever found it after a accident where the panel next to it got repainted.

Maybe my post wasn't clear but I meant have a shop do the paint correcting. I agree, it's a ton of work and a pain in the ass. Let the pros make the paint pretty again and then do just the ceramic yourself. Spray on and wipe off - it really is that simple.
The sprays work and protect just as good as the multi-thousand dollar pro coatings....they just don't last as long. If you re-apply every month or two, you're golden.

 

[Free Spirit]

Maybe my post wasn't clear but I meant have a shop do the paint correcting. I agree, it's a ton of work and a pain in the ass. Let the pros make the paint pretty again and then do just the ceramic yourself. Spray on and wipe off - it really is that simple.
The sprays work and protect just as good as the multi-thousand dollar pro coatings....they just don't last as long. If you re-apply every month or two, you're golden.

Yeah I tried a pad applied coating before and it ruined the paint and windows on my old car and left rainbow streaks that could not be washed off or buffed off easily. I did see project.fsrms video on spray on and pad coatings and griot blew it away compared to the others (for spray on not pad applied). But honestly I'd a shop if doing the paint correcting I feel like for me it's easier to have then do a pro coating for peace of mind. I'm still not sure if it's worth getting that door repainted along the edge or not or if I just have them coat over the chipping clearcoat. I do all of my own work but I just don't want to do this myself. A coating I just have to wash and not worry about reapplying for the next 5 years or so. Or even if I did the 2 year coating for 1k since alot of correction places are 600 around me that extra 400$ is good. It'll really suck if I have to dump 500$ into repainting the door.

 

[MiamiGT350]

... but I was told by a ceramic coated that the coating will blend this and make it less noticable (not invisible) but it's also at the bottom/middle of the passenger door edge and unless your looking for it then it's hard to find.

Ceramic coating will not hide this. If any shop is telling you it will be better, I would avoid them, as they are willing to lie to you.

What will help/make it better is to use Xpel PPF which will smooth it out quite a bit. They make pre-cut film specifically for the door edge.

I would just hit it with some touch up paint and smooth it with a fine edge like a plastic razor blade.

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