Is it worth getting the car ceramic coated ?

[Vim Schrotnock]

Ceramic is absolutely amazing IF you get top quality ceramic and have it properly applied and cured. I've got 5 coats of Ceramic Pro and it really is amazing how easy it is to wash, how the water just beads up and the car only picks up a fraction of the dirt on wet/snowy days that it normally would. Definitely get it.

What it doesn't do, is protect against stone chips. I'm not aware of any ceramic that claims they offer protection against chips. If you want this, you'll need to get a wrap. If the wrap is done right, there should be absolutely no exposed seams to collect dirt, even if it's just a front bumper/hood wrap. I agree the whole car wrap is not necessary, probably just the front bumper/hood and mirrors, and possibly the front fenders if you really want to be safe.

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[WES]

is is a problem If you do ceramic coating, then later decide to do wrap?

 

[Vim Schrotnock]

is is a problem If you do ceramic coating, then later decide to do wrap?

Yes, you can't wrap over ceramic.

 

[robborover]

Is it worth getting the car ceramic coated

I would say so and echo the quality points made above. Don't be oversold a three year cover though, 18months max imo in the UK given our weather etc.

 

[evanevery]

I would say so and echo the quality points made above. Don't be oversold a three year cover though, 18months max imo in the UK given our weather etc.

Do it yourself, learn the process, and you are free to do it anytime and as often as you wish for far less.

A bottle of CQuartzUK 3.0 (which will do more than one car) is less than $70 here in the US and it comes with a sample of RELOAD which is used to enhance and/or refresh the ceramic surface. (You can "Reload" a whole car in less than 30 minutes with a simple apply-and-wipe rubdown). There are also many other products which support/enhance this process (like ESSENCE and GLISS), but just doing the ceramic coating yourself would be a good start.

I can't do the window film (or the PPF I expect) as I've tried it and it was a miserable failure for me. Its way too "artsy" a process. But anyone can do a ceramic coating if they take their time and follow the process carefully.

 

[bootsie]

@evanevery is right, you can do it yourself, as I've done on my last two cars. However, I'd suggest that doing it this time of year in the UK is a non-starter unless you've got a well-lit and warm garage. Also, if you really want to apply CQuartz or similar properly, you should really machine polish the car first (CarPro Essence works well for this). You can spend a day just correcting the paint even before applying the coating.
Most (but not all) of the stuff the Pros are using is harder wearing but often needs to be cured under IR light.
I really like the process of applying it myself - you get to know every inch of your car really well - but in the middle of a UK winter I'm happy to hand it over to someone else.

 

[Vim Schrotnock]

@evanevery is right, you can do it yourself, as I've done on my last two cars. However, I'd suggest that doing it this time of year in the UK is a non-starter unless you've got a well-lit and warm garage. Also, if you really want to apply CQuartz or similar properly, you should really machine polish the car first (CarPro Essence works well for this). You can spend a day just correcting the paint even before applying the coating.
Most (but not all) of the stuff the Pros are using is harder wearing but often needs to be cured under IR light.
I really like the process of applying it myself - you get to know every inch of your car really well - but in the middle of a UK winter I'm happy to hand it over to someone else.

I would agree on a few of the points made in previous threads. You can certainly apply it yourself, but I would HIGHLY recommend paint conditioning. The result is absolutely stunning, and you really won't know unless you try or see one that has been done professionally. Second, my shop insisted on IR curing of the final coats to make sure it is cured. Otherwise it can take up to three weeks. Finally, they give a lifetime guarantee on the wrap and coating, but insist on an annual refresh of the top ceramic for $120. I also use the cleaner recommended by Ceramic Pro when I do a complete wipe down, which takes maybe 5 minutes in my garage.

I just drove into work in the freezing rain, and there was a fair amount of dirt on the back of the car and behind the wheels. I just carry a large rag in the trunk, and wipe down the back and wheel areas. Takes maybe 2 minutes and the car looks like it's just been waxed. Amazing.

 

[evanevery]

@evanevery is right, you can do it yourself, as I've done on my last two cars. However, I'd suggest that doing it this time of year in the UK is a non-starter unless you've got a well-lit and warm garage. Also, if you really want to apply CQuartz or similar properly, you should really machine polish the car first (CarPro Essence works well for this). You can spend a day just correcting the paint even before applying the coating.
Most (but not all) of the stuff the Pros are using is harder wearing but often needs to be cured under IR light.
I really like the process of applying it myself - you get to know every inch of your car really well - but in the middle of a UK winter I'm happy to hand it over to someone else.

The Pro's like to tell us their coating is "different" or "harder" but you can also find a lot of traffic on various forums saying this is basically BS. Many folks (me included) think its basically the exact same formula which might simply be "thinned down" a bit to make it easier to apply. Generally, most folks apply 2 coats of the coating anyway as there is little demonstrated value in applying any more. Ceramic Coating simply doesn't stick to itself unless it is applied at just the right time (after it flashes but before it does most of it curing = a couple of hours). Put a couple of coats of CQuartz on (with proper timing) and then finish off with GLISS (or Reload). You'll never go back.

I agree, paint prep is a major part of the first step on a new car. But you should only have to do it once. I also love ESSENCE as it is a nice final polish which doesn't have to be wiped down before applying the CQuartz.

Once you have all the prelim paint prep done, ESSENCE actually makes it quite easy to touch up the surface from any swirl marks you may have mysteriously acquire and then you can apply CQuartz again right on top of it. ESSENCE is magic in a bottle!

Once I stripped off all the pre-delivery crap the Porsche Prep guys lathered my car with, I unfortunately did have a bunch of scratches and swirls to repair. (It was like the prep guys washed my car with a dirty rag and coated it in Pledge furniture polish). While I did have to use a buffing/polishing compound on several areas (trunk lid, and rear wheel arches), ESSENCE took care of most of the rest of the prep all by itself.

Basically (First Application):

- Wash/Strip (DAWN Detergent)
- Decontamination (IRONX)
- Clay Bar
- Wash Again
- Paint Prep (Buffing as needed)
- Wash Again (RESET)
- Wipe Down (ERASER or IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol/Water 50:50 mix))
- Final buff/Prep (ESSENCE)
- CQuartz (2 Coats)
- GLISS

(You think some kid in the corner detail shop is going to do all that? Color me skeptical...)

Then all that is needed moving forward is the occasional wash and surface enhancement with RELOAD, GLISS, or ELIXR.

(Yes, the "detailing" cabinet in my garage looks like a chemistry set...)

 

[Vim Schrotnock]

THIS is why you want PPF!

Just caught this while wiping the car down. About 6 inches above the crest on the hood - about 1/8 inch diameter. This would definitely have gone through the paint...

 

[TaycanCM14]

I have just got my car back after ceramic coating and I am really pleased with the results. It really makes the car stand out and it looks a lot better than when I collected the car from OPC. I would say it is worth it.

 

[Norfolkporsche]

I have just got my car back after ceramic coating and I am really pleased with the results. It really makes the car stand out and it looks a lot better than when I collected the car from OPC. I would say it is worth it.

That looks stunning!

 

[UroDoc]

The Pro's like to tell us their coating is "different" or "harder" but you can also find a lot of traffic on various forums saying this is basically BS. Many folks (me included) think its basically the exact same formula which might simply be "thinned down" a bit to make it easier to apply. Generally, most folks apply 2 coats of the coating anyway as there is little demonstrated value in applying any more. Ceramic Coating simply doesn't stick to itself unless it is applied at just the right time (after it flashes but before it does most of it curing = a couple of hours). Put a couple of coats of CQuartz on (with proper timing) and then finish off with GLISS (or Reload). You'll never go back.

I agree, paint prep is a major part of the first step on a new car. But you should only have to do it once. I also love ESSENCE as it is a nice final polish which doesn't have to be wiped down before applying the CQuartz.

Once you have all the prelim paint prep done, ESSENCE actually makes it quite easy to touch up the surface from any swirl marks you may have mysteriously acquire and then you can apply CQuartz again right on top of it. ESSENCE is magic in a bottle!

Once I stripped off all the pre-delivery crap the Porsche Prep guys lathered my car with, I unfortunately did have a bunch of scratches and swirls to repair. (It was like the prep guys washed my car with a dirty rag and coated it in Pledge furniture polish). While I did have to use a buffing/polishing compound on several areas (trunk lid, and rear wheel arches), ESSENCE took care of most of the rest of the prep all by itself.

Basically (First Application):

- Wash/Strip (DAWN Detergent)
- Decontamination (IRONX)
- Clay Bar
- Wash Again
- Paint Prep (Buffing as needed)
- Wash Again (RESET)
- Wipe Down (ERASER or IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol/Water 50:50 mix))
- Final buff/Prep (ESSENCE)
- CQuartz (2 Coats)
- GLISS

(You think some kid in the corner detail shop is going to do all that? Color me skeptical...)

Then all that is needed moving forward is the occasional wash and surface enhancement with RELOAD, GLISS, or ELIXR.

(Yes, the "detailing" cabinet in my garage looks like a chemistry set...)

Thanks for this! Do you have a video or a step-by-step manual of sorts we can follow?

 

[evanevery]

Thanks for this! Do you have a video or a step-by-step manual of sorts we can follow?

Here is a link to an outline I worked up in the BMW i8 forum.

The process can pretty much be as detailed or simple as you would like it to be. My process (and chemicals) has migrated (and expanded) a bit over the years, but its basically the same.

BASICALLY:

1. Strip all the crap that the dealer put on your car (or crap YOU have put on the car over the years), by washing the car with a dish detergent (like DAWN dish detergent). (Not a car shampoo - its not alkaline enough!)

Now that you have a surface with no additives on it...

2. Use a solution (like IRONX) and/or a Clay Bar to remove any physical contaminants which may have been embedded in the paint via driving ("Brake/Road Dust") or transport ("Rail Dust")

Now that you have a contaminant free surface...

3. Paint/Surface Prep. This can be the largest, most laborious, expensive part of the process depending on the condition of your paint. (My car was a mess when I got it from Porsche - likely from the dealers pre-delivery prep). Here, it would be wise to invest in a good buffer, some pads, and a collection of compounds (you won't regret this!). You can get some nice starter buffer kits on Amazon. You never want to be too aggressive with this part of the process, so proceed slowly and carefully.

I would add...

Finish your paint prep with ESSENCE as the last polishing compound. You will really like this. It will not only serve as a very nice final polish but also a base for your CQuartz which will NOT need to be cleaned with a final wipe down. If you don't use ESSENCE, you will have to wash/wipe down the surface (IPA or ERASER) prior to applying the Ceramic Coating!

Now that your paint is "perfect"...

4. A couple of coats of CQuartz (4 hours apart if I remember correctly) to get the actual Ceramic Coating down. Timing is important here. Too soon between coats and you will simply wipe away the previous coat - too long and the second coat won't stick to the first.

and

5. GLISS or RELOAD 24 hrs after that to enhance and increase the "slickness" of your coating.

you can then...

6. Maintain your car after washings with ELIXR as a detailing spray... That's pretty much all you need moving forward (ELIXR).

yearly maintenance (recoating)...

7. You might give the car a light buff (with ESSENCE) once a year and then recoat with CQuartz/GLISS again as long term maintenance - but your paint prep days should be over! If/When you want to recoat, you would want to prebuff with ESSENCE as you will need to buff away/prepare the old Ceramic coating so you can apply a new one. I don't think you have to be too anal about thoroughly removing the existing coating completely as ESSENCE will scuff/fill/prep at the microscopic level as required to accept the new ceramic coating.

*** I will also say, there will very likely be additional washings in here between steps to remove any residue from a preceding step. (I.e. Clay Bar / IronX / Buffing (unless using Essence)). Additionally, you may ALSO want to wipe down the surface with an IPA solution (50/50 Isopropyl Alcohol/Water) or ERASER to remove any residue from a prior step. IPA/ERASER especially before the application of the Ceramic coating UNLESS you used ERASER as your prior step.

Your personal recipe will likely change over time, get more elaborate, yet still become more efficient. Lots of info on various forums with all kinds of "personal deviations". The CARPRO forums (who's products I obviously prefer) are filled with good info...

...and it gives us "eco-criminals" a good excuse to keep our garage heated:

 

[bootsie]

Just to add from my own experience if you’re doing this yourself - buy a large stack of the CarPro suede cloths to level and remove the excess coating on each panel. Expect to use 5 cloths at least for each coat, probably more for a car the size of the Taycan. Soak them in an APC solution immediately after use before the coating crystallises otherwise you’ll need to throw them all away (and some people will tell you to do that anyway). Once it hardens it’s like glass and you won’t want to wipe your panels down with it.

 

[evanevery]

Just to add from my own experience if you’re doing this yourself - buy a large stack of the CarPro suede cloths to level and remove the excess coating on each panel. Expect to use 5 cloths at least for each coat. Soak them in an APC solution immediately after use before the coating crystallises otherwise you’ll need to throw them all away (and some people will tell you to do that anyway). Once it hardens it’s like glass and you won’t want to wipe your panels down with it.

Yeah, CQuartz is the real deal. Its not snake-oil. If you check a few postings up in that link I previously included, you will see I completely messed up the trunk lid of my i8 by expecting the same application/flash process as the prior ceramic coating I was using.

I had to really work to buff off the mis-applied CQuartz. (On my brand new i8!) It was purely my fault (I didn't read the instructions). It was no joke. The stuff will NOT come off via wiping, chemicals, or additional applications if you screw up. You have to physically grind (buff) it away!

I typically TRY to preserve my suede buffs as well, but I also will never re-use them on a "first coat" ever again... (You can see a pile of them on the middle shelf, right side, of that photo).

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