Ceramic detailing paint finish

[Oldblue98]

Anyone schooled on the do's and don't do's of using ceramic on the paint finish ? Prep etc etc etc.
I have seen some paint finishes done with ceramic and it is a awesome shine, but what is it like down the road to re do or to take off when needed ? Good & bad ?

 

[big_mike]

Got a buddy who does it for a living. You need to do a VERY detailed wash to get all the dirt and grime off, even from behind the emblems. Then do a cut/buff before applying the ceramic. It's a pretty in depth job if you want it done right.

 

[Oldblue98]

Been doing lots of reading on it, thinking maybe leave it up to the pro. I did not realize it was as critical as all that ! Thanks for the reply.

 

[Sparkysikes]

If you get a new car get it and apply it yourself. If there car has miles Teflon spray on wax. On my wife's new car it still took me 8 hours total (including wheels) But we went from San Diego to North Arizona and there was mucho bug guts. They literally wiped off with a damp rag. I love it but it was a pain in the first place. I also was told the first time was killer but it was easy enough to reapply annually and keep better than new paint job

 

[big_mike]

If you get a new car get it and apply it yourself. If there car has miles Teflon spray on wax. On my wife's new car it still took me 8 hours total (including wheels) But we went from San Diego to North Arizona and there was mucho bug guts. They literally wiped off with a damp rag. I love it but it was a pain in the first place. I also was told the first time was killer but it was easy enough to reapply annually and keep better than new paint job

Depends on how good a job you wanna do. My mother in law bought a brand new $80k Denali Yukon and my buddy did it. He sent me pics with lights on the paint and from the factory the paint was jacked. Swirl mark city. Also once it's applied you are supposed to avoid automated car washes and using car wash brushes as well. Just a prewash and application is ok for average protection but for maximum performance a good cut/buff is required first.

 

[Oldblue98]

Depends on how good a job you wanna do. My mother in law bought a brand new $80k Denali Yukon and my buddy did it. He sent me pics with lights on the paint and from the factory the paint was jacked. Swirl mark city. Also once it's applied you are supposed to avoid automated car washes and using car wash brushes as well. Just a prewash and application is ok for average protection but for maximum performance a good cut/buff is required first.

Yes after the paint job I had light buffer swirls from the buffing, after the wait time I used Blue Diamond polish and poly sealer then waxed with carnuba wax. It looks good and swirls are gone but when things cool down here in the oven I was thinking about stripping it and doing a ceramic coat. But I am a little nervous about the prep and making sure it has a good base to stick to. I guess it is not rocket science, I just have never done it. From what I gather it can be a little expensive to farm out to have it done.

 

[big_mike]

It can be, my mother in law paid $1k for a full exterior/interior detail and ceramic coating.

My buddy charges an average of $600 for his service on say a car the size of a Porsche. He does a ton of higher end cars and even those need proper paint correction before ceramic application.

 

[ima93chevyguy]

A DIY ceramic coating kit is not cheap, plus all the other tools and products you need to prep for application.

Ceramic coating is great though, most companies I've seen say that it will last around two years with proper care.
Tons of prep work though because you're sealing in everything beneath the coating so everything will show.