Ceramic or PPF?

[m3incorp]

I have the same set-up and my neighbor tells me that I am going to wash the paint off, I do it so often. I've now added Xpel rinseless car wash for the times it is setting in the garage and use it in between car washes or when it gets a little dirty but not too dirty.

Thank you for your service. Car looks great. Yeah the right products and equipment determine the end result just as much as the application. At home, I have a pressure washer, foam cannon, microfiber wash mits, pH neutral shampoo, good quality microfiber drying towels and a blower to get most of the water off touchless. I could never go back to a machine wash lol, plus it is a stress reliever for me

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[Fly2High]

I daily mine too straight through the winter.

During the regular season when the outside tap is open, I do a two bucket wash pretreating with a foam cannon. I make sure to apply Turtle wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Sealant spray as late into the season as possible. Also cover that with Meguiar's Ultimate wax liquid. I will never use a paste. Each time you touch the applicator to the paint you are transferring the dirt back into the paste only to be picked up by the applicator pad to scratch your car. I am done with pastes. I prefer their longevity and application but am not willing to scratch the car for those benefits.

Winter washing is the following since the water is shut off.

1. I add ONR - Optimum Industries No Rinse Wash and Shine to a gallon of very warm almost hot water. I take 3-6x 600gsm or better microfiber towels and place them into a clean bucket. I pour enough water to cover them. The rest of the water goes into a spray bottle. The higher gsm towel seems to help prevent scratching and I find it softens the pressure I apply. Either way, the results seem to suggest less/no scratching.

2. I take each towel, one at a time, and fold them in half twice. The towel never goes back into the bucket once removed. I spray the car with the bottle to presoak the paint and then wipe in one direction only with the wet towel. When the towel gets dirty, I flip or refold exposing a clean area. I get 8 clean sides with one towel. I use a separate towel to dry. Once the towel is dirty, I place it into an second empty bucket. Towels never touch the ground.

3. Once washed, I tend to apply, as needed, Turtle wax Hybrid solutions Ceramic Coating spray. I have sprayed it in temps as low as in the 20's F without issue. I go over everything - paint, glass, plastic, etc with it

Takes no more than 3-60 minutes and gets the paint clean.

And I do not have a ceramic nor PPF coating. I did purchase a PPF film to protect rock chip prone areas but I need to touch up a couple chips and clay the car before applying. Without a heated garage, I won't get to it until next year. They indicate to apply it in 70+F weather.

 

[Rapid Red]

Foam cannon..... you say aay?

That's quite the routioun ya got going there.

My dance using 3M products, car wash, after water drains off, leaf blow dry, towel dry the residual water.

Treat the plastic with 303 Protectant, learned about this here the Mustang forum. Great product keeps the trim factory fresh.

3.5 hours tops with interior vacuumed & windows.

Using the product named above, apply past wax. The 3M on average last 6mo min, I have used it for 20 years, Past wax if applied correctly, deep reflective shin with lasting results attained

As of late have approached the ceramic world. 2 cars done, my wife's and the 34 . So far very positive, fast application, good results, clay mitt a huge plus.

Nothing wrong with turtle wax, it has been around as of the 60's. I am sure it has change for the better. The staying power was always questionable. One product offered, the chrome polish, outstanding, for chrome, no to aluminum. I do know of a polish that will do an excellent job on SS & aluminum.

Anyone interested ask .

 

[Mazman]

I had both on my Mustang.

the PPF to protect the paint from scratches, rock chips etc and the ceramic coating to make the maintenance of the car easier.

Both will require a thorough prep work to give a great result. With great result I mean

#1 Visual aspect --> Imperfections can show through the PPF and the Ceramic coating. Once PPF/Ceramic is applied it is obviously very difficult to correct the imperfections. The paint correction process also gives more depth and gloss/clarity to the paint

#2 Prepping the paint before applying the ceramic coating will make the bond with the paint better. Full wash, chemical decon, mechanical decon. Polishing as such is not needed but it goes back to #1

I have ceramic coated my wheels and my calipers as well

 

[Fly2High]

I had both on my Mustang.

the PPF to protect the paint from scratches, rock chips etc and the ceramic coating to make the maintenance of the car easier.

Both will require a thorough prep work to give a great result. With great result I mean

#1 Visual aspect --> Imperfections can show through the PPF and the Ceramic coating. Once PPF/Ceramic is applied it is obviously very difficult to correct the imperfections. The paint correction process also gives more depth and gloss/clarity to the paint

#2 Prepping the paint before applying the ceramic coating will make the bond with the paint better. Full wash, chemical decon, mechanical decon. Polishing as such is not needed but it goes back to #1

I have ceramic coated my wheels and my calipers as well

Just watched a Apex detailing video on coating your wheels and never though about the amount of heat the wheels soak up and if you do the calipers, they need a coating that is very heat tolerant. Those who coated their calipers, did you use the body coating or did you get wheel and caliper specific coating?

Which?

 

[Mazman]

Just watched a Apex detailing video on coating your wheels and never though about the amount of heat the wheels soak up and if you do the calipers, they need a coating that is very heat tolerant. Those who coated their calipers, did you use the body coating or did you get wheel and caliper specific coating?

Which?

I use different products for the wheels/calipers.
I use CarPros Dlux or Gyeon Rim.

Here are two videos I made using the Dlux



I have been tracking my MX5 and the Dlux has been holding up this season at least so that is positive! With holding up I mean the hydrophobicity, brakedust will be there but it is rather simple to remove during a maintenance wash. I have mainly be using touchless washes on the wheels/calipers and it is easy to keep them rather clean. Of course is a mechanical wash needed in order to get everything off.

The wheels for BMW has also been holding up really well, the water sheets of as the first day I applied it and those were coated with Dlux.

I had the Dlux on the calipers and wheels on my GT as well

I have video coming with Gyeon rim as well. However the prepp and application is more or less the same between the two products! I used Rim for my wheels on the MX-5, which are the set I use for track duty

I have some videos on PPF as well

 

[Fly2High]

cool
thanks

 

[Aaron1085]

I’m very interested in wheel coatings as these Brembos throw dust driving around town like crazy... it’s all good, but this winter would be a good time to prep them.

 

[YBLEHSGT350R]

Ceramic really perfected the factory finish but the prep took a few days. Now this world class car has a world class finish

 

[Dharri21]

My local car wash uses low ph alkaline soap on the wheel section, I called and asked. will that eat off ceramic coating? real or spray? its never harmed any of my cars finish, nor wheels or anything over the years.

I would like to ceramic my wheels, but if it will simply eat it off first time through, not wasting my time lol

Alkaline means ph greater than 7. So what is "low ph alkaline?" That alone scares me. Find out the ph range that your protection is good for from the manufacturer. Most will say as close to neutral as possible which is 7. High ph can be as damaging if not more than low (acidic) ph.

 

[SmokinAces]

Hey YBLEHSGT350R, your car‘s finish came out amazing. I’m very much a blue guy and impressed. It just about gives off a blue chrome sheen. That must have taken a lot of work.

 

[SoFla2016PP]

I’m actually getting ready to remove the ppf I have and ceramic coat it. certain areas are starting to peel and lift at the edges. Figured before it cracks I’ll rip it off. Ceramic coating going on in 3 weeks.

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