Ceramic coating

[DemonGT]

I was looking at one of the cheap amazon ceramic kits that iv seen a few people use. They say it will last 12 months. Is this what others are doing now over the periodic wax?

I'm guessing after applying the ceramic you no longer need to wax? Trying to decide if I should try a ceramic kit or stick to the typical wax.

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[larr12]

I would not use one of those cheap ceramic kits. Avalon King and Cquartz Sic are very user friendly ceramic coatings.

 

[RichGT350R]

I would not use one of those cheap ceramic kits. Avalon King and Cquartz Sic are very user friendly ceramic coatings.

I picked up Avalon King. I’m working on getting the TW Ceramic off of my car to apply it.

 

[DemonGT]

What makes the ceramic better then just waxing?

 

[Bikeman315]

What makes the ceramic better then just waxing?

Lots of good stuff here. Main + is far easier maintenance.

https://www.lenosgarage.com/blogs/auto-detailing/ceramic-vs-wax
https://ceramicpro.com/which-is-better-car-wax-vs-ceramic-coatings/
https://www.torquedetail.com/blogs/ceramic-coating/ceramic-coating-vs-wax
https://avalonking.com/blog/car-wax-vs-ceramic-coating-which-one-is-best/
https://www.turtlewax.com/blogs/how-to/ceramic-coating-vs-wax-which-is-better

 

[andrewtac]

I am trying carpro cquartz. I actually bought some decent wax about a month ago, then figured I'd clay the car, and then polish, and so on. At that point I figured spending hours of my time and effort I might as well buy the ceramic and do it right. Bottle line is it wasn't that much more than the wax and figure in my time it isn't much at all. However, car is still in the shop so I am not sure how well it works or hard it is to apply.

 

[kilobravo]

Mark: Cquartz (or any ceramic coating) is not difficult to apply or remove (as LONG as you remove ALL the excess when buffing. (Watch some Esoteric or Chicago Car Pro vids on YooToob if you haven't already.) Removing ALL the product is key because otherwise those high spots (excess SiO2) will turn into rock crystals and can only be removed with compound and polisher.

The reason ceramic coatings are so expensive is not because of the cost of the product or the labor required to apply it. The cost is in the labor required for paint correction.

I would never recommend having a vehicle coated WITHOUT DA polishing first.

Do small sections (18"x18" or smaller) at a time and buff beyond thoroughly.

Look very closely at the area of each panel when buffing is complete to ENSURE that you have not left any excess product on the paint.

Change/Flip suede cloth square every few panels. Throw the buffing towels away when half done and start with fresh MF towels. When complete, throw all used suede squares and towels away or repurpose for oily stuff just don't ever let them touch paint again.

Let the vehicle sit indoors for 24 so the product can cure.

Hope that helps.

 

[lizardrko]

What makes the ceramic better then just waxing?

A good consumer ceramic coating with topcoat (Cquartz, avalon, etc, not an amazon ceramic coating) will have the following but not limited to the pros and cons compared to a traditional wax/sealant:

Pros:
Better hydrophobic properties (beading and sheeting)
Better protection against the elements (sun, water spotting, etc)
Easier maintenance washes (dirt comes off easier, drying stage is much easier due to the hydrophobic properties)
Durability if properly maintained is much better (2 layers of Cquartz is ~2 years)
Only maintenance is to keep up on the top coat (either a sealant or actual top coat. I have carpro Gliss which lasts 1 year, so literally zero maintenance other than washes for at least a year)

Cons:
Application can be tricky for beginners (flash time can be hard to see depending on lighting, temp, color of paint)
Requires tons of prep. It is reccommended to do a full wash, decontamination (clay + iron remover), polish, IPA wipedown to ensure the paint is free of contaminates/blemishes

 

[TnWHTMARE]

A good consumer ceramic coating with topcoat (Cquartz, avalon, etc, not an amazon ceramic coating) will have the following but not limited to the pros and cons compared to a traditional wax/sealant:

Pros:
Better hydrophobic properties (beading and sheeting)
Better protection against the elements (sun, water spotting, etc)
Easier maintenance washes (dirt comes off easier, drying stage is much easier due to the hydrophobic properties)
Durability if properly maintained is much better (2 layers of Cquartz is ~2 years)
Only maintenance is to keep up on the top coat (either a sealant or actual top coat. I have carpro Gliss which lasts 1 year, so literally zero maintenance other than washes for at least a year)

Cons:
Application can be tricky for beginners (flash time can be hard to see depending on lighting, temp, color of paint)
Requires tons of prep. It is reccommended to do a full wash, decontamination (clay + iron remover), polish, IPA wipedown to ensure the paint is free of contaminates/blemishes

Spot on!

As stated, the biggest benefits are protection and ease of maintenance washes. I use Cquartz UK 3.0 w/Gliss topper and either CarPro Lift or Bilt Hamber Snow foam as a pre-wash followed by a quick pressure rinse and blow dry and I can honestly say that just doing that alone will make the car look like it has been washed.
Now, that doesn't mean its as good as following up with a contact wash BUT if I can get it 85% and not touch the car then the risk of micro-scratching is significantly reduced. Basically it reduces my contact washes per year. But that is just my process.

Point is, even though it requires a butt load of work in prep, ceramic coating makes washing much easier for 1-2 years following the effort and it is better protected.

 

[lizardrko]

Spot on!

As stated, the biggest benefits are protection and ease of maintenance washes. I use Cquartz UK 3.0 w/Gliss topper and either CarPro Lift or Bilt Hamber Snow foam as a pre-wash followed by a quick pressure rinse and blow dry and I can honestly say that just doing that alone will make the car look like it has been washed.
Now, that doesn't mean its as good as following up with a contact wash BUT if I can get it 85% and not touch the car then the risk of micro-scratching is significantly reduced. Basically it reduces my contact washes per year. But that is just my process.

Point is, even though it requires a butt load of work in prep, ceramic coating makes washing much easier for 1-2 years following the effort and it is better protected.

Yup, agreed. A good snow foam pre wash with one of the soaps you mentioned can save a contact wash if there is just some surface dust on the vehicle.

 

[Popo5ohh]

I coat my car every year. Just because. My second job is my detailing business so all it cost me is product cost. I do clay, iron x, essence plus, carpro sic with gliss as topper.
I also have my engine bay and door jams done with gliss and wheels(barrel and face) as well as my calipers done with dlux.

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