Professional Ceramic Coating - Which Would You Choose?

[friedmud]

https://avalonking.com/shop/ceramic-coating/armor-shield-ix-diy-kit/

Get that and do it yourself.

Thanks - really don’t want to do it myself.

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[larr12]

Thanks - really don’t want to do it myself.

Why not? Trust me, I knew nothing about paint correction. Started watching youtube videos, reading Autogeek, bought myself a Griots DA polisher and went for it.

You will love working on your car and the satisfaction that comes from it. That ceramic coating on particular, is very, very user friendly.

 

[kilobravo]

Mud: As easy as some of us make it sound, paint correcting takes patience, experience, knowledge, and the right tools and compounds. It is therapy for me but by the time you buy the right tools and supplies, you're closing in on the price to have it done. And if you don't plan to coat multiple vehicles over time, there's no sense in buying all the high dollar equipment.

So, if you, like many of us, find valuable therapy in such project, go for it but if not, don't make the mistake of doing it yourself, you won't be happy.. Take it to a reputable place.

 

[friedmud]

Why not? Trust me, I knew nothing about paint correction. Started watching youtube videos, reading Autogeek, bought myself a Griots DA polisher and went for it.

You will love working on your car and the satisfaction that comes from it. That ceramic coating on particular, is very, very user friendly.

Mud: As easy as some of us make it sound, paint correcting takes patience, experience, knowledge, and the right tools and compounds. It is therapy for me but by the time you buy the right tools and supplies, you're closing in on the price to have it done. And if you don't plan to coat multiple vehicles over time, there's no sense in buying all the high dollar equipment.

So, if you, like many of us, find valuable therapy in such project, go for it but if not, don't make the mistake of doing it yourself, you won't be happy.. Take it to a reputable place.

Thanks guys. I do not mind spending some time on my car but life has MANY other distractions: kids, work, fiancé, travel, photography, video games, house, other cars, etc. I am fortunate to make enough money where I can sometimes trade it in order to gain back some time.

Many people enjoy maintaining their lawn: I pay someone for that. Lots of people say they like the solitude of shoveling snow: I pay for that. Many take pride in cleaning their house: I pay for that. All of these things buy me back valuable time that I can spend with my family or one of my hobbies.

When it comes to any task I have to look at the trade off of my time, how much I enjoy it, how well I will do it (vs a professional), and how much it costs.

For ceramic coating: I know that a professional will do it better, and in MUCH less time. Further, I would _stress_ over doing it myself. I would spend weeks toiling to get it just right (the paint corrections and coating). I would be incredibly pissed every time I made a mistake… or if a section didn’t come out right.

In short: I know it’s not for me - and I’m happy to let a professional do their thing.

However: I know that I can wash a car better than any car wash, and nearly as good as a professional for a lot less $. So; I’ve invested heavily into car washing gear and will be keeping it squeaky clean . The ceramic coating will help with that…

 

[kilobravo]

In short: I know it’s not for me

FM: Truer words were never spoken. Like you, I pay folks for work I simply don't have the time to do. But the car, for me, that's therapy but I totally understand if it is not. It has to be in order to be successful at the task.

I don't necessarily agree that a "pro" would do a better job paint correcting and coating than yourself simply because the tons of "love" you would put in cannot be matched by anyone else. That said, if you are not confident or more than willing to spend the money, go with the pro. You can't take it witcha. <smile>

 

[Vettel-ish]

friedmud

Read through this post today and I wanted to offer some feedback. I am a pro and I would recommend the cheaper tier. I will you why. Nothing matters on the car unless you prep the surface. The pricing they are giving you is good. Its about what I would charge. My questions to you are..

Is the car getting paint correction?
Is the car going to have proper washes and care after?
How long did they say it will take?
Did they recommend a top coat/maintenance for after the coating?
Is the car your daily or weekend toy?

Andy

 

[friedmud]

friedmud

Read through this post today and I wanted to offer some feedback. I am a pro and I would recommend the cheaper tier. I will you why. Nothing matters on the car unless you prep the surface. The pricing they are giving you is good. Its about what I would charge. My questions to you are..

Is the car getting paint correction?
Is the car going to have proper washes and care after?
How long did they say it will take?
Did they recommend a top coat/maintenance for after the coating?
Is the car your daily or weekend toy?

Andy

Thanks Andy!

It’s only been off the lot for a month and after inspection he said it only needed a one-step paint correction - so he’s doing that.

Total will be 3 days:

First day is correction on the front and then clear bra (polishing done by my detailer - then he’s taking it to another place I setup to do the clear bra)

Day 2 is all of the ceramic coating - with curing overnight.

I can pick up on day 3.

No top coat recommended. I can bring it for free touch ups (don’t remember the frequency). The warranty is good anywhere that is gtechniq certified.

I will be driving the car a lot. Some commuting. Some long-distance touring.

. - I think it will be good. I may have overpaid… but hopefully it will stay nice for a few years.

 

[Vettel-ish]

Perfect, that is what I was trying to confirm. Again the prep is way more important that the coating. I see online people freaking out about the coatings as really the paint correction is what is making the car pop, not the coating. I dont think you overpaid. However it will need a top coat. Something like beadmaker or Ammo Hydrate is what I would do. Maintain the car with proper washes and you will be good for 3-5 years of protection.

 

[Bikeman315]

Perfect, that is what I was trying to confirm. Again the prep is way more important that the coating. I see online people freaking out about the coatings as really the paint correction is what is making the car pop, not the coating. I dont think you overpaid. However it will need a top coat. Something like beadmaker or Ammo Hydrate is what I would do. Maintain the car with proper washes and you will be good for 3-5 years of protection.

By the way, doesn't Seb look great in green?

 

[Vettel-ish]

By the way, doesn't Seb look great in green?

If he can get into the top 8 lol yes.

 

[GTIIIL]

Does anybody have any experience with this product- https://r1coatings.com/collections/.../r1-coatings-street-nano-ceramic-coating-50ml . The ppf installer I have been talking to is a licensed distributor.

 

[Vettel-ish]

Does anybody have any experience with this product- https://r1coatings.com/collections/.../r1-coatings-street-nano-ceramic-coating-50ml . The ppf installer I have been talking to is a licensed distributor.

I have not however does not mean its not good. So many brands out. I would just stick to what the pros use. Ammo, Gtech, angel wax, anything esoteric uses.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I know zip about ceramic coatings BUT I'm always suspicious when a company thinks their customers place a priority on withstanding 1800 degree temperatures.

But I have emailed them to suggest they use the Rankine scale instead of Fahrenheit.

 

[kilobravo]

Chris: Never heard of the brand but holy SMOKE, they're (or their or there <g>) mighty proud of their coating. Personally, I wouldn't pay a hundred and forty bones for 500ml..

However, as Andy just said, not being well-known doesn't mean it isn't a great coating. Frankly, for that price, it better be.

I check out places like the shop in question first, look around, ask some questions, get a feel for the customer service, etc., before I commit. Those in the larger cities have a huge advantage over us podunkers as there are always way more places to choose from in The Big City.

Bottom line, if you've seen AND are impressed with their recent work and, you're happy with the quote...go for it, I can almost guarantee that you won't regret it.

 

[Mikepol2]

Suggestions please... I enjoy cleaning my car and really appreciate a good deep shine. I ordered a silver Mach 1 which is due in about 2 months, and was thinking the first thing to do would be drive it straight home the 5 miles from the dealer and do some kind of paint protection and shine before any normal wear happens, including pulling the birdsnest handling package wheels and coating them inside and out.

I don’t want to spend hundreds on pro ceramic coating or try to fix any manufacturer sloppiness to make it show-winning condition. I just want a really shiny car that lasts. I’ve used the Adams spray ceramic and it looks great at first but doesn’t seem to last very long.

So knowing that - what’s the minimum prep work that I could get away with, and what products should I consider for the coating? I’m OK with spending all day in the garage if it’s necessary.

Thanks in advance experts!

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