Thoughts on ceramic coatings (1 Viewer)

[kcjaz]

I'm thinking about doing paint correction and some level of ceramic coating plus redo the factory PPY in the high impact areas. I struggle with the high cost of the ceramic coating (anywhere from $500 to $2100 around here depending on length of warranty). Is a $2100 ceramic coating (10 year warranty) really worth it for a truck that gets used pretty hard off road? I do have a set of Rhinohide armor for the main body panels that I plan on installing/using when off road. Still scratches and dents are likely (this is my second 200 after I totaled my last one on an overland trip). This past LCDC was m y first off road trip with the new rig. Took some pin strips but it will all buff out. I plan on keeping the rig forever or until I wreck another one. I know the ceramic coating won't help against deep scratches but maybe help with minor pin stripes and would make cleaning easier. I'm suspicious of the actual value of the warranties. Most of the shops around here are franchises and have nice web sites but at the end of the day, are mostly shops that have not been in business very long and are likely to go out of business (just based on observation and google searches). What am I really getting for $2K?

 

[daneo]

$2000 is steep. For about $100 bucks you can buy a nice ceramic coating of your choice (I like Adam's and Ammo Reflex) that installs in 30-60 minutes after your car is clean. It used to be that ceramic coatings required UV lights to cure, so there was some barrier to entry for the DIY'er, and that helped justify the install costs from detailers. That's not the case anymore.

If you're already getting the paint corrected and they'll throw on the ceramic coating for a couple hundred more bucks, probably worth your time to let the detailer do it.

I wouldn't think of it as any kind of protection against scratches of any kind. More of a long-lasting wax that you only have to reapply every few years.

 

[Leaky2014]

Do it yourself.
I did mine last year, all in under $400, and that did 3 vehicles.
That included new buffer, pads, all chemicals.
Took me about 5 hours to do the 200.
Wash, chemical iron remover, wash, clay bar, wash, buff, polish, coat.

 

[kcjaz]

$2000 is steep. For about $100 bucks you can buy a nice ceramic coating of your choice (I like Adam's and Ammo Reflex) that installs in 30-60 minutes after your car is clean. It used to be that ceramic coatings required UV lights to cure, so there was some barrier to entry for the DIY'er, and that helped justify the install costs from detailers. That's not the case anymore.

If you're already getting the paint corrected and they'll throw on the ceramic coating for a couple hundred more bucks, probably worth your time to let the detailer do it.

I wouldn't think of it as any kind of protection against scratches of any kind. More of a long-lasting wax that you only have to reapply every few years.

Yeah, they'd do the 1 year warranty for $300. That might be worth it to me to not have to DIY (I'd rather spend time on other things).

 

[coleAK]

I paid ~2k for lifetime ceramic pro gold on my new (at the time) 2018 model 3. I get it put on before it came home. I liked it so much I did the DIY cQuartz, on my LX570, MB and Subaru. I’ve since also DIYed my daughter’s Colorado ZR2. The Tesla was just re done (at no cost) this past spring, don’t essentially lasted 5 years. The LX I re-applied after 4 years.

The hardest part of DYI on a not new car is the paint prep and time between, I had to clay bar and iron remove for prep. Also to get the best surface I’ve found to do 2-3 coats ~1 day apart. So the car must sit in the garage for 3-4 days start to finish, which isn’t an issue for me as I have extra vehicles.

Now for what the ceramic does. It does not protect from rock chips, does protect some from branch scratches. But makes it very easy to wash, for me in Alaska I have to hand wash my cars in my garage ~6 months a year. With ceramic and No rinse wash and shine it is an easy ~15 min even when it’s -40F outside.

I would bet the $300 one year is relative garbage. For $200 you can get everything you need for prep and application that will be on par with the $2k. For time it would take, 1-2 hours a day for 3 days in a row.

 

[tbisaacs]

Embrace the patina!

 

[daneo]

Embrace the patina!

Sir, you are 160 serieses away from the right section of the forum.

 

[tbisaacs]

Sir, you are 160 serieses away from the right section of the forum.

nah, I’ve seen how @kcjaz uses his truck

 

[Artie]

The best part, for me, with the ceramic coating is how easy washing the cruiser is. After a long road trip the the bugs come off much easier, road grime and dirt as well. PPF will protect against scratches, ceramic coating for easy cleaning.

I completely understand the hesitation over cost, especially when talking PPF. My calculation went as follows:

I like a clean vehicle but I do not enjoy the process of cleaning and I’m too cheap for the mobile guy to come over often, so I wash it myself and want it as easy as possible. The investment for ceramic was worth it for me.

 

[CT3]

What others have added is in line with my experience as well.

The real benefit in my mind has come from paint protection film, which is the only reason I still have paint on the sides of the LC. I did that years ago, and I will say that prices have probably doubled since then which makes it harder to justify.

The ceramic coating was largely “thrown in” after I spent a small fortune on the PPF so I can’t speak to its merits without the film, other than to say it’s made clean up a breeze as others have indicated.

 

[kcjaz]

nah, I’ve seen how @kcjaz uses his truck

Pretty sure I made the trail wider for you on Stoney Pass.

 

[gasman4u]

I used Gtechniq stuff on mine along with some PPF on high impact areas (whole front, rockers). The ceramic coating will not prevent scratches as you said, but will make cleaning easier. The $2k is for the labor involved with prep. I've seen good product applied over a sh*t prep and people complain their coating doesn't last the advertised amount of years. Prep is key. You want to take your time. Mine took a weekend between the prep and cure times. And that was with me getting after it.

Whoever you pick should you decide to go with this, get a well-reviewed installer who has a lot of volume. I found a guy somewhat local to me who's a top installer for Gtechniq with incredible cars he posts on social media that go through his shop. Our rigs aren't exotics by any stretch, but someone who handles these types of cars can easily handle whatever love the LC single stage paint needs.

 

[dudemancool1904]

I actually just got this done (decon wash, two stage paint correction, two stage CQuartz ceramic coating) on my ‘19 along with ceramic tint. It took 5 days and the majority of the time/labor was for the paint correction and time between curing of the multiple ceramic coats. It looks a million times better, is easier to keep clean, doesn’t require any special care. Let’s be real: I’m gonna thrash this thing on the trail. It’s not a cream puff. But I wanted to do the most to protect Toyota’s less than stellar paint. And the two quotes on full body PPF were in the $7500-10k range which is a non starter. This is about a quarter of the cost and is guaranteed for 5 years.

Like others said you can do it yourself. I actually find washing and detailing my car therapeutic. But I just don’t have the time or a wash bay big enough to stash the car for a week.

 

[burtlively]

Your biggest issue may be your truck color. Toyota may have changed between your year and mine (2008), but my guy wouldn’t ceramic mine because of some deal with the black paint in 2008. I can’t remember exactly what it was, but that’s the only reason mine isn’t ceramic coated. I have a white tundra I had done and it is butter.

 

[jlm43]

I'm thinking about doing paint correction and some level of ceramic coating plus redo the factory PPY in the high impact areas. What am I really getting for $2K?

What did you end up doing?

I just scheduled my LX to get coated on April 10th using SystemX Crystal+. I thought of doing it myself but there’s 12 years of small scratches and swirl marks that I just don’t have the time to take care of. I was told $800 and it has a 3 year warranty. It will be $200 each year for an exterior detail and touch up of any coating that is needed. The LX is black and I see every imperfection and hopefully this brings back some of the shine.

 

[kcjaz]

What did you end up doing?

I just scheduled my LX to get coated on April 10th using SystemX Crystal+. I thought of doing it myself but there’s 12 years of small scratches and swirl marks that I just don’t have the time to take care of. I was told $800 and it has a 3 year warranty. It will be $200 each year for an exterior detail and touch up of any coating that is needed. The LX is black and I see every imperfection and hopefully this brings back some of the shine.

I did paint correction and a 5 year ceramic coating. I also had them replace the failed PPF on the hood. It turned out really well. the paint correction was pretty amazing. Spendy, but glad did it.

 

[rlynch356]

ok, so I don't really get it.. Ceramic coating fills the pours in the the paint.. via a synthetic - Ie. SiO2.. which is hydrophobic.. so water does not stick (i.e. it beads.. and runs off). Under a microscope paint is pretty rough no matter what the finish looks like until its mechanically polished (which is basically sanding it down with a very fine grit)

But other than that, I don't see the point.. Yes it last longer than traditional wax, and costs 5x more.. to get applied..
I guess filling the pours in the paint would hep with light scratches, a bit anyway ..

are there other advantages?
I am truly asking, yes it looks great but also does a freshly waxed surface.

I am going to Bush Wrap my truck b/c I am tired to scratches I cannot see ceramic coating helping protect it in my use case.

So I'm curious.

 

[coleAK]

ok, so I don't really get it.. Ceramic coating fills the pours in the the paint.. via a synthetic - Ie. SiO2.. which is hydrophobic.. so water does not stick (i.e. it beads.. and runs off). Under a microscope paint is pretty rough no matter what the finish looks like until its mechanically polished (which is basically sanding it down with a very fine grit)

But other than that, I don't see the point.. Yes it last longer than traditional wax, and costs 5x more.. to get applied..
I guess filling the pours in the paint would hep with light scratches, a bit anyway ..

are there other advantages?
I am truly asking, yes it looks great but also does a freshly waxed surface.

I am going to Bush Wrap my truck b/c I am tired to scratches I cannot see ceramic coating helping protect it in my use case.

So I'm curious.

I’m eight years in with ceramic coating now. Had one car professionally done in ceramic pro which I would never do again because ceramic pro is one of the worst companies I’ve ever had to deal with from a customer service standpoint. I’ve done four of my other vehicles myself now.

I’m still a big fan of ceramic overall. The reason I like it so much is it makes my car is very easy to wash especially in my garage when it’s -40 outside but my days of caring about my car being clean and being meticulous about cleaning them are long gone. I don’t think I’ve washed my LX 570 in eight months.

 

[kcjaz]

ok, so I don't really get it.. Ceramic coating fills the pours in the the paint.. via a synthetic - Ie. SiO2.. which is hydrophobic.. so water does not stick (i.e. it beads.. and runs off). Under a microscope paint is pretty rough no matter what the finish looks like until its mechanically polished (which is basically sanding it down with a very fine grit)

But other than that, I don't see the point.. Yes it last longer than traditional wax, and costs 5x more.. to get applied..
I guess filling the pours in the paint would hep with light scratches, a bit anyway ..

are there other advantages?
I am truly asking, yes it looks great but also does a freshly waxed surface.

I am going to Bush Wrap my truck b/c I am tired to scratches I cannot see ceramic coating helping protect it in my use case.

So I'm curious.

I don’t think this ceramic coating provides much scratch protection maybe a little bit. For me it was the paint correction was the big thing and sure I probably could’ve DIY it but I’m not really into what was probably literally 30 hours of buffing and polishing. I’m also not a show card guy who’s into waxing a vehicle. In fact I had never waxed the cruiser which is probably why the paint was kinda not awesome. I think of the ceramic coating as wax on steroids that does not need to be applied as frequently. The practical benefit of it is the really good hydrophobic nature of it washing. The car is noticeably different now. When I get covered it dirt mud grime, or whatever it’s really easy just a sort of hose it down and hand dry it.

For true pinstripe and scratch protection, I use RhinoHyde panels.

 

[gasman4u]

Gtechniq fanboy here. I’ve got all sorts of their stuff for paint coatings, washes as it’s good kit. Did their CSL ceramic and EXO/HALO myself on my 200. Prep was a pain in the ass, but worth it to get desired results. This was 4 years ago and it’s still VERY easy to keep clean vs other cars not coated.

It’s expensive for sure, but if you’re wanting to have an easier time keeping road grime off your car, this is it. PPF is what you want for the big hits/scratches that would otherwise be on your paint vs the sacrificial film. I’ve got this on the rockers, a pillars, hood, front surfaces of mine. It’s got a few hits already that I can see, but the paint underneath seems intact.

If you DGAF what the exterior looks like, it’s not for you. No problem - different strokes and all that. Money would best be spent elsewhere in this case.