ceramic coating

[Boostamoose]

Unfortunately it's all a marketing gimmick. There are some coatings that are extremely hard and must be sanded off or compounded off. Quartz/Silica ranks 7H on the Moh's scale. If the coating was truly 9H hardness, sandpaper could not scratch it. A masonry drill is rated at around 8.5H for further perspective.

What coating manufacturers are actually doing is something a little shady to be honest. They use the pencil lead hardness scale which is really only useful in the art world.

Pencil lead on the Moh's scale is only around 1-2H which is why we can scratch it with our finger nails. These manufacturers rate their coatings at the high end of the pencil lead scale which can range from 1 - 10H. In theory 95% of coatings out there are probably truly 2H on the Moh's scale. There are only a few certified install coatings that would be higher but not by much.
This is why it's still so easy to mar and scratch a coated vehicle. The main selling point of a ceramic coating should honestly be self cleaning properties and chemical resistance not the hardness.

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[Rumble GT]

Nothing will make your car invincible until force shield is invented.

Xpel PPF does come close though but at a very expensive price. I put it on my GT awhile ago and the main benefit is to make it effortless to fix swirl marks and light scratches from car wash with a heat gun. However rock chips will still leave dents and if it goes in too deep and actually get to the paint, you won't be able to fix it unless you peel off the expensive PPF.

I have Ceramic coating done on my other car, and base on my experience it doesn't offer the same level of strength/resistance as Xpel. Ceramic coating makes the color of the car more pronounced, and can protect you from swirl marks to a certain degree. You lose the ability to fix scratches with a heat gun and it definitely will not stop rock chips (It will be easier to fix them though so that's a plus). On top of that, ceramics coating will fade over time and need to be re-applied.

So here are your trade offs, there is no perfect solution here. Neither option offered the peace of mind I was hoping for (and paid for). As every reasonable person will tell you: unless you are planning to keep the car forever, these protections will not add any value to the car. Might as well just enjoy it and get the most out of it.

 

[Zissou]

I love it. I got mine(Modesta) put on along with an XPEL on the front about 8 months ago. Car is SUPER easy to wash, still beads up like new, 0 rock ships or swirl marks. I'm already planning to have it re-applied in about 4-5 years. Its pricey, but the fact I can do a full wash/dry in 45min definately makes it worth while.

For example it's cold here and I had not washed in 2 weeks. I went to a spray-n-go place since they have warm water. I did NOT use the brush, I simply sprayed down with the pre-wash, then sprayed down with the hi-pressure soap, then rinsed with the spot free rinse. I pulled to the side then dried off with my towels. Car looks almost exactly like it would have after a hand wash.

Hold up, it takes you 45 minutes to wash your car? I do mine in 15 min, wash and dry.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Unfortunately it's all a marketing gimmick. There are some coatings that are extremely hard and must be sanded off or compounded off. Quartz/Silica ranks 7H on the Moh's scale. If the coating was truly 9H hardness, sandpaper could not scratch it. A masonry drill is rated at around 8.5H for further perspective.

What coating manufacturers are actually doing is something a little shady to be honest. They use the pencil lead hardness scale which is really only useful in the art world.

Pencil lead on the Moh's scale is only around 1-2H which is why we can scratch it with our finger nails. These manufacturers rate their coatings at the high end of the pencil lead scale which can range from 1 - 10H. In theory 95% of coatings out there are probably truly 2H on the Moh's scale. There are only a few certified install coatings that would be higher but not by much.
This is why it's still so easy to mar and scratch a coated vehicle. The main selling point of a ceramic coating should honestly be self cleaning properties and chemical resistance not the hardness.

I'm late to this party but in reference to this and your other posts, good to see someone else in here who has a very comprehensive knowledge of coatings and the marketing(and it's gimmicks) behind them.

 

[fiveoboy01]

My recommendation if you are budget limited - PPF the front bumper and mirrors, and coat the rest of the car(including on top of the PPF)

Also, you should STRONGLY consider applying PPF to the rear fenders in front of the rear wheels as well as the lower part behind the rear wheels... They are MAGNETS for rocks and my car had significant chips within the first couple thousand miles.

 

[Cory S]

Nothing better than Opti-Coat.

 

[Scott.lester1]

Nothing better than Opti-Coat.

What’s opti coat

 

[Bikeman315]

What’s opti coat

Opticoat is one of the better professional coatings.

I had Gyeon Duraflex applied to my car and I am very please with it. I also use their maintenance products. Good stuff.

https://gyeonquartz.com/product/duraflex/

https://www.opticoat.com

 

[vacavillevtwin]

yeah 4k is out of my price range I was planning for about 1k to protect it, what's the best to do with that? ie: clear bra bumper and maybe fenders and then ceramic or just ceramic. I can spend a little more I just haven't really planned to

If your car is new and the paint does not need correction (even most new cars need correction) do it yourself. Checkout Chemical Guys ceramic products. Love their products

 

[Bikeman315]

If your car is new and the paint does not need correction (even most new cars need correction) do it yourself. Checkout Chemical Guys ceramic products. Love their products

Considering that you just responded to a post from January there is a pretty good chance the car was already done.

 

[hackney]

There is a very good YouTube video out there.:’Car craft auto detailing’(Australian)Sandro has a brand new Camaro come in for treatment,says it is the worst he has ever seen(it was “ceramic coated” by the dealer).Well worth the watch.

 

[Bikeman315]

There is a very good YouTube video out there.:’Car craft auto detailing’(Australian)Sandro has a brand new Camaro come in for treatment,says it is the worst he has ever seen(it was “ceramic coated” by the dealer).Well worth the watch.

Thanks for posting this. I actually found it quite relaxing. And it certainly backs up my contention that even new paint may need substantial correction. Looking forward to part 2.

 

[hackney]

Thanks for posting this. I actually found it quite relaxing. And it certainly backs up my contention that even new paint may need substantial correction. Looking forward to part 2.

Not bad is it?He has done quite a few.Very informative & knowledgeable guy.

 

[DFB5.0]

There is a very good YouTube video out there.:’Car craft auto detailing’(Australian)Sandro has a brand new Camaro come in for treatment,says it is the worst he has ever seen(it was “ceramic coated” by the dealer).Well worth the watch.

I watched this the other night, Sandro is a class act. The paint condition on that Camaro was appalling and the dealer applied ceramic coating woefully weak.



Sandro also did a series on a 2020 Mustang. He was less than impressed with the condition of the paint prior to a pretty substantial correction.

 

[G6MUSTANG]

Ceramic coating for me is for self cleaning properties, repelling dirt and grime. That makes the washing process easier, faster and more enjoyable.

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