Ceramic coating? Views and suggestions

C

CPBLondon

New member
Thinking about having a ceramic coat applied and most should be good for 5 years they say.

Anyone have good/bad experience of these and if they are worth it? Live in London so if anyone knows a good detailer who can do it would welcome some recommendations- but also happy to travel
 
I really like Ceramic Coatings and gTechniq are my goto product. But I'd have to say I'd consider a PPF for the front end if doing again to protect against those stone chips.
 
I have a ceramic coat and front-end PPF. Makes washing so much easier... and that's just using a garden hose and 2 bucket method.

Had mine done by Auto Curators near Hook, Hampshire. They also have a London establishment.
 
I’ve jumped off the ceramic band wagon. I may have had a couple of bad experiences but I’ve never seen any tangible benefit from the exercise. Certainly it never reduced the frequency of needing to wash my car and I think a coating that claims to last five years is stretching the claim by a good four years.

Doubtless others will disagree - especially those who sell the promise - but I’d be asking myself, what am I actually getting in return for my money? Then I’d buy some polish.
 
NZ-400 said:
Certainly it never reduced the frequency of needing to wash my car ....
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From what I've read you still have to wash the car as often, but it's much easier and quicker.
 
scm said:
NZ-400 said:
Certainly it never reduced the frequency of needing to wash my car ....
Click to expand...

From what I've read you still have to wash the car as often, but it's much easier and quicker.
Click to expand...

That’s the promise but even so, washing my car is not that hard in the first place. I gained no practical benefit from the ceramic exercise and to be honest, I feel like I bought the emperor’s new clothes.
 
NZ-400 said:
I’ve jumped off the ceramic band wagon. I may have had a couple of bad experiences but I’ve never seen any tangible benefit from the exercise. Certainly it never reduced the frequency of needing to wash my car and I think a coating that claims to last five years is stretching the claim by a good four years.

Doubtless others will disagree - especially those who sell the promise - but I’d be asking myself, what am I actually getting in return for my money? Then I’d buy some polish.
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+1 I’ve thought about ceramic coatings a lot but decided that I can get a good shine by waxing the car about every 6 months and it washes really easily. Ceramic coatings don’t seem to help against stone chips etc but thee are claims that it reduces swirling. I actually quite enjoy spending a little time cleaning cars but do understand some people don’t.

I have decided to get the front bumper and side skirts ppf’d though, to give some genuine protection to vulnerable areas, comes with a guarantee for as long as I own the car.
 
CPBLondon said:
Thinking about having a ceramic coat applied and most should be good for 5 years they say.

Anyone have good/bad experience of these and if they are worth it? Live in London so if anyone knows a good detailer who can do it would welcome some recommendations- but also happy to travel
Click to expand...

In my opinion they are a fashionable waste of money...and go hand in hand with pressure washers and snow foam. ;)

Have experience of Ceramic coatings from Gtechniq and Autoglym.
Gtec was put on our 2014 F-Type from new. Waste of time and money. The water beaded nicely for about the first 8 - 10 months.
Autoglym was put on the 2014 XFS from new. Again apart from beading, the coating did nothing more IMO. The only thing that lasted with that particular coating is the sticker on the windscreen!
The coatings will still scratch, it will still suffer with stone rash, so what's the point?...because the internet tells you it's easier to wash...is that it?


It's all down to the way you wash your car...if you're getting swirls then you need to up your game!
Use good quality MF cloths, 2 buckets with grit guards and use a simple shampoo. Never had an issue with swirls using this method if done with care on modern paint surfaces.

Use a decent wax (I use Swissvax high Carnuba content) will give the same beading effect that a Ceramic coat does....and that's all a ceramic coat will do IMO, it's reasonably hydrophobic, that's it.


If you intend to keep the car, and really want to be quite relaxed with your washing regime, them a Self healing PPF is the way forward. 6 Years after having that applied to our most recent F, not a stone chip or swirl in site. The car gets a lot of cleaning attention for shows, and any blemishes disappear in the warmth of the sun. Simply clan with clean water and a MF cloth.

If you want to follow others that must have a sacrificial coating put on, snow foam and pressure washers to clean, then go for it...you could have afforded a PPF in the long term!
Yes, I've done snow foam, pressure washers and that malarkey, it's a false economy and a lot of agro just to clean a car.
 
I'm in Gus's camp.
Recently treated my wife's new car with Angelwax Enigma and topped with QED Ceramic detailing spray. it's as or even slicker then my previous professionally detailed and coated car for about 1/10 of the cost.
Just curious how long it will last.
Nick
 
Update on this.
Found great detailer in north London who did not pull my pants down on the price.
Had paint correction then applied Gtechniq serum light followed by 2 coats of EXO v4. Very pleased with the work which took two days of the car in the workshop. They also offered to put a coat on the windows so also had that done.
All of this was done for under £550 which includes dreaded VAT.
I had seen some quotes upward of 1.5k - so shop around to find a good deal.

It gives a great shine and I liked the removal of the swirls in the paint correction - and I still have my pants.
 
I'd rather have my pants down and have perfect paintwork after 6 years of use (Thanks PPF) than keep my dignity and a shiny coating that does diddly squat!

You pay's yer money, you takes yer choice! 😏
 
I got mine detailed and coated when I bought it 18 months ago and love it.

Yes I use the snow foam, yes I use the kartcher, but the finish is perfect (in my eyes and that’s all that matters) and I’m done and dusted in half an hour or so (including the chamois) which is fine, plus I actually enjoy it to be honest. Having spent years waxing and polishing my other cars, with varying success, I’ve found the coating to be a 1000 times easier and gives me better results.
 
Washing, polishing Is very therapeutic.

Unfortunately not so, once the gravel rash starts to build up.
 
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