Diamondbrite - is it worth it?

[Chappers]

how much does it typically cost to get it detailed and coated?

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[hinch]

how much does it typically cost to get it detailed and coated?

depends whats used and what extreme its done to mine was about 600 just for the detail/paint correction and coating then i put PPF on too which really bumped the price but to me is well worth it.

 

[Kristian87]

how much does it typically cost to get it detailed and coated?

Very difficult question to answer. As an absolute minimum I would say from around the £300 mark, but that's for a traditional full thorough clean/detail, and some paint sealant/wax as a last step product for protection, which is not as durable or as long lasting as the ceramic coatings. You'll get some ceramic coatings added for not much more than that I reckon.

If you add a light machine polish to that, or a 2 stage polish for paint correction, and add a ceramic coating on top of that, then you're easily above the £500 mark, not at all hard to get close to £1k if you're going for the top end coatings.

Worth a note that ceramic coatings, whilst brilliant, do require maintenance - probably best done by a detailer.

I personally stick with standard waxes & sealants as I like doing it

Best bet as always is speak to a detailer & tell them your budget and what you would like. You'll very quickly get an idea of what you can get for your budget.

 

[Adam83]

Don’t do it, even if they say it’s free you have paid for it (they just knock an extra few hundred off the car price and include it). Plus as mentioned it’s not applied properly. Pay for a detail if you must over dealer offered paint protection products.

 

[Garvin]

The treatments available through dealers are invariably low quality and not applied very professionally. Just don’t do it.

I would personally recommend a ‘proper’ ceramic coating. I paid a not inconsiderable sum to have the GTechniq Crystal Serum with Exo finish (9H) applied by a professional detailer a couple of days after taking delivery of the car. He fully prepped the car beforehand including a light polish and did some paint correction - just minor bits on the front offside wing, he remarked that the paint finish straight out of the factory was actually very, very good. The finish is guaranteed for seven years!

Was it worth it? To me yes but at just under a grand for the complete treatment, including wheels, it is expensive. However, this is the easiest car to clean I have ever owned, the wheels in particular. It always looks clean and just a quick once over with the power washer - just water, no shampoo - brings the car up looking very respectable when there is no time for a proper wash. After a proper wash it gleams and beads water as though it has just been waxed.

Gtechniq now do a 10H version guaranteed for even longer. At the 9H and 10H hardness they do need to be applied by a professional as any mistakes are not easily rectified - the coating cannot just be removed chemically, it literally has to be ‘sanded off’. Indeed they don’t (or didn’t) sell it directly to the general public because of this.

Like most things in life, ‘you pays your money and takes your choice’.

 

[Charlie Brown]

The treatments available through dealers are invariably low quality and not applied very professionally. Just don’t do it.

I would personally recommend a ‘proper’ ceramic coating. I paid a not inconsiderable sum to have the GTechniq Crystal Serum with Exo finish (9H) applied by a professional detailer a couple of days after taking delivery of the car. He fully prepped the car beforehand including a light polish and did some paint correction - just minor bits on the front offside wing, he remarked that the paint finish straight out of the factory was actually very, very good. The finish is guaranteed for seven years!

Was it worth it? To me yes but at just under a grand for the complete treatment, including wheels, it is expensive. However, this is the easiest car to clean I have ever owned, the wheels in particular. It always looks clean and just a quick once over with the power washer - just water, no shampoo - brings the car up looking very respectable when there is no time for a proper wash. After a proper wash it gleams and beads water as though it has just been waxed.

Gtechniq now do a 10H version guaranteed for even longer. At the 9H and 10H hardness they do need to be applied by a professional as any mistakes are not easily rectified - the coating cannot just be removed chemically, it literally has to be ‘sanded off’. Indeed they don’t (or didn’t) sell it directly to the general public because of this.

Like most things in life, ‘you pays your money and takes your choice’.

I paid out a lot just like you and it was a great investment. Just the other day my car was really dusty after being parked up near a farm and I was going to clean it using all the proper gear, then decided I was too busy. It rained the next day and I kid you not it just looked like it had had a proper wash - amazing stuff

 

[Bedwelljp]

What’s the view on diamondbrite and if worthwhile? Just ordered an MY19 and been offered it for £200 which doesn’t seem bad if it works as described.

I had my ford dealer do it for me however I don’t think they did it properly as the car was still wet when I picked it up. That said I did do my wife’s car properly and it turned out really well.

Preparation of the paintwork before applying is key.

I have found it works really well if you apply the diamondbrite shampoo which prolongs the life of the initial coatings. There is a wax spray as well which I have just ordered and awaiting it to be delivered.

The shampoo after applying only needs a shammy leather after rinsing. This gives a really nice shine without waxing. Going to see if the spray wax they supply gives an even more enhanced shine. Will let you know how that goes.

All in all I think it works well. I am convinced though using the shampoo definitely keeps it topped up to repel water.

PS: I did my wheels in it and that also works really well..

 

[hinch]

The shampoo after applying only needs a shammy leather after rinsing. This gives a really nice shine without waxing. Going to see if the spray wax they supply gives an even more enhanced shine. Will let you know how that goes.

this bit makes my brain cry in pain.... are you intentionally trying to scratch the shit out of your paintwork?

 

[Bedwelljp]

this bit makes my brain cry in pain.... are you intentionally trying to scratch the shit out of your paintwork?

Do you think I am harming the paint by using their own Diamondbrite wax?

I would only wax it once a month

 

[Kristian87]

this bit makes my brain cry in pain.... are you intentionally trying to scratch the shit out of your paintwork?

I too winced when I saw the shammy word come out.

@Bedwelljp nothing wrong exactly with using a shammy, but it's an outdated drying method and is far less effective than a nice plush microfibre towel. Yes, you'll get the car dry and it will look shiny after a rinse and shammy dry down, but as Hinch says - that is a good way to scratch the paintwork, minor scratches for sure, but it'll build up over time.

In answer to your question - the wax won't harm the car, but the wash method & preparation is key. If you don't already, you should really be clay barring the car before you lay any protection down, otherwise that's another way minor scratches get introduced.

 

[hinch]

a shammy has no particulate pickup ability so all those bits of grit that you didn't clean up or were embedded in the paint or have since landed on the car from the atmosphere are now being scoured across your paintwork shine a torch like at 45 degrees to the paint and look along the surface you'll see thousands of small scratches it'll look like spiders webs.
Another quick test is put a plastic bag over your hand pull it tight and gently run your hand over the paint work you'll be amazed it feels like sand paper.

 

[Manders Mustang]

shammy... It's chamois you illiterate fuckers !

But yes, i used a "shammy" on my old car, never again it drags dirt along the surface, does it dry the car well? yes. does it fuck the paint in the process? yes. You weigh it up lol!

 

[hinch]

shammy... It's chamois you illiterate fuckers !

i'm from yorkshire not using any of these new fangled french words spell it as its spoke like proper

 

[Leeroy]

Wow, spending a bag of sand to detail the car - I admire your commitment and efforts. Not for me though.
Having owned a significant amount of new cars over the years, can honestly say looking after the paint with great care and attention (as I did in the past) made precisely f*ck all difference to the value when sold/traded in...but I guess if I’d planned to keep the car that would’ve been a different story

 

[Kristian87]

Wow, spending a bag of sand to detail the car - I admire your commitment and efforts. Not for me though.
Having owned a significant amount of new cars over the years, can honestly say looking after the paint with great care and attention (as I did in the past) made precisely f*ck all difference to the value when sold/traded in...but I guess if I’d planned to keep the car that would’ve been a different story

and that’s just the thing with detailing...there’s no in between, you're either bothered or your’re not. As you say, unless you sell on to anyone who can appreciate perfect paintwork then it really isn’t worth it. Keeping a car properly detailed is definitely a minority group...
Me? I plan on keeping mine forever, i enjoy doing it - another perk of ownership for me, so my time and money is going in to it

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