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  • 5 year Ceramic Coating

    Is there such a thing as a 5 year ceramic coating? Let's find out! We can eliminate all ceramic spray coatings because they simply do not last long enough for them to compete in this category. Ceramic Spray coatings, even though they do have some SiO2 in them, they are more like fancy car sealants. The amount of solids in them is very low compared to regular ceramic coatings. Contents: How long does a ceramic coating last? How do you guarantee that a coating will last for a specific number of years? FAQ 5 Year Ceramic Coating — Final Words Just to clarify - we are not sponsored by any ceramic coating brand or any other manufacturer of Paint Protection products, and we will test and review the product as it is in real-world conditions. We will follow the manufacturer's instructions during the application process, and we will prepare the surface to ensure the best finish and best adhesion possible. We are leaving an affiliate link to all our review products but in case the product turns out to be of low quality or not as all as advertised, we leave a warning to all our readers, and the quality of the product will always be reflected in the grade we assign to it at the end of every review. So if you do not want to sit through all of this text, you can scroll down to the Average Grade and read our Final Thoughts to get a general idea of what the product is all about. How long does a ceramic coating last? Well, most true ceramic coatings last anywhere between two and five years. That is quite the range. But that number is not a coincidence. There is more than one reason why that range is that wide. How long does a ceramic coating last not only depends on the quality of the ceramic coating but also depends on the owner and how the owner of a ceramic-coated vehicle maintains that coating. Learn how to maintain ceramic coating on your car, so it lasts for as long as possible. Let's check out how long some of the ceramic coatings on the market last: Notice that we didn't include some of the more popular ceramic coatings brands, such as Feynlab or Undrdog. The reason is that they do not disclose how long their product will last, except by stating that "it will last for years". And in our opinion, that is smart. This way, they are covered both from a legal standpoint, and they aren't deceiving their customers. It is true, though, that the coating will last for years if it is a true ceramic coating anyway. Some of these coatings have a great reputation behind their name, and most of us in the detailing industry would agree that CQuartz 3.0 will last 5 years easily - provided that proper maintenance has been applied. Or, for instance, that Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light will easily last 5 years, provided that EXO 4 was used as a top coat after initial application. Drexler also states that the coating will last 3 years, but can last 5 if two coats have been applied. We personally used some of these coatings ourselves and can say with confidence that a coating like Weiruixin 10H is neither 10H nor that it stays on a car for 2 years. Perhaps under more ideal conditions, but on a daily driver? No chance! On the other hand, we have two coatings on the top, claiming that they can last 7 years. Adams even goes a step further and claims that it can go up to 9 years! Those numbers are just crazy. Sometimes, a car doesn't even last nine years. We made a review on Adam's Advanced graphene coating, and it is a juicy one. We were certainly surprised by the way it performed. You can read the full review in the link above. Just because a ceramic coating has 'graphene' in its name, doesn't make it superior. You can read more about graphene coatings here. A graphene coating is not bad, don't get us wrong. There are some amazing ones out there. It is, after all a ceramic coating at its core. But just being graphene-infused won't give the coating an extra 2-4 years. How do you guarantee that a coating will last for a specific number of years? That one is easy - you can't! It is very hard to test whether a ceramic coating will last for as long as it claims to last. Not many people have that much time on their hands to apply a ceramic coating on a car and then wait for 5, 6, or 7 years to see if the coating is still there. And then there is the issue of whether you would still be relevant or will be eaten up by bigger detailing companies or some conglomerate. Not only that - you still have to account for the biggest problems that might affect the longevity of the coating, such as: the condition of the car was the surface of the car prepped properly? the quality of the ceramic coating do you live in a part of the world with extreme temperatures, both hot and freezing? is the car a daily driver or a show car? did you install the ceramic coating properly? how do you maintain the ceramic coating? are you using a pH-neutral car shampoo? are you performing a touchless wash? are you cleaning your microfiber towels properly? This list goes on and on and on. And we probably even missed a few key issues that someone might have. You cannot simply test out a ceramic coating and then say it will last for 7 years without giving it some context. We can always make some predictions based on the hardness level of the coating, the coating's thickness once cured, and its resistance to the elements and strong chemicals. This information helps us see if a coating will last for as long as the manufacturer claims it will last. But beyond that, in the end, it is mostly up to the owner of the vehicle to determine how long a ceramic coating will last. 5-Year Ceramic Coating we Recommend — Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating This one is actually a 5+ year ceramic coating (9+ years as advertised), and it performs spectacularly. We've already done a review on Adam's Advanced Graphene Coating(alongside the product score), but here we'll summarize our thoughts on the product in case you're in a hurry! :D This advanced formula offers an impressive longevity (9+ years!!), thanks to a 50% increase in graphene resins, which significantly enhances the coating's durability. Despite skepticism around graphene coatings, the team confirms their effectiveness, with Adam's version standing out for its protection and ease of maintenance. It boasts features like protection from weather, chemicals, UV rays, and an ultra-high gloss that enriches the car's color. The coating is also extremely hydrophobic, making the vehicle easier to clean and less prone to water spotting. Application is straightforward, with the product working well on all car surfaces, including glass and wheels. While it's at a higher price point, the team believes the cost is justified by the protection and aesthetic enhancement it provides. Made in the USA, Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating is a testament to quality and innovation in car care, setting a high standard for durability and finish. All in all — an amazing recommendation by us, the Ceramic Coating Expert (CCE) team! FAQ Are graphene coatings superior to regular ceramic coatings? Graphene coatings offer some advantages but being graphene-infused alone doesn't guarantee superiority. The overall formula and application are crucial. How can you ensure a ceramic coating lasts as long as advertised? Ensure proper application, use pH-neutral shampoos for maintenance, avoid harsh chemicals, and perform regular inspections and touch-up applications. What does 5-year ceramic coating do? A 5-year ceramic coating provides long-term protection against environmental damage, enhances gloss, and maintains the vehicle's appearance. Is there a 10-year ceramic coating? While some products claim up to 10 years of protection, actual longevity depends heavily on conditions and care. 5 Year Ceramic Coating — Final Words When delving into the world of car paint protection, the term "5 Year Ceramic Coating" often surfaces, sparking curiosity and skepticism alike. As we navigate through the realities and expectations surrounding ceramic coating, it's crucial to understand its capabilities and limitations. So, to wrap this one up: Can a ceramic coating last 5 years? Yes, it can. Will a ceramic coating last 5 years? For some, a ceramic coating will last a year. For others, it can last a lifetime. Depending on product quality and maintenance. Cheers!

  • Water spots on ceramic coating - How to deal with them?

    Water spots on ceramic coating can be a nightmare to deal with if they are left unchecked for a long time. They are the Achilles' Heel of ceramic coatings if you're not prepared for them. Because of the water-beading effect that ceramic coatings provide, water beads that stay on the car and are left to dry leave mineral deposits that can sometimes etch into the coating itself and ruin it. This guide will teach you what water spots are, what type of water spots you can run into, and how to deal with them, regardless of whether you have a ceramic coating on your car or not. Suppose you leave water spots on your car without attending to them for too long. They will etch the clearcoat and get deeper into it. If you have a ceramic coating, you might run into the same issue. Contents: What are water spots on a car? What type of water spots are there? How to remove water spots? How to deal with stubborn water spots? Using chemicals specially designed for water spot removal Using 100% undiluted white vinegar to remove water spots Using a clay bar to remove water spots Using machine polishing to remove water spots FAQ Water spots on ceramic coating - Final thoughts So, to avoid future headaches, make sure there are no water beads on the surface of your car. If you have a ceramic coating on the paint installed, then you can even use something like a leafblower to easily remove all the water beads from the car's surface. What are water spots on a car? Unless we are talking about distilled water, all other water has minerals in them in some trace amount. Once the liquid dries, the minerals are what is left. If that process happens on the paint of your car, you are left with what we call water spots. What they really are is very small rocks that are stuck in the clear coat layer of the car's paint. If you have a ceramic coating, those minerals get stuck on the coating itself. And while in most cases, water spots will not damage the coating itself, they still reduce its efficiency while they are left untreated. What type of water spots are there? There are two types of water spots that we have in the car detailing industry: mild or soft water spots stubborn or hard water spots The mild water spots can usually be removed with little effort using water spot-removing chemicals and a microfiber towel, while the stubborn ones are usually a headache to deal with and often require a more aggressive approach to remove. The mineral amount in water is usually measured on a scale from Distilled Water which has no minerals in it, and Hard Water, which has a lot of minerals in it. Depending on the area you live in, the plumbing, the water source, etc. Water that comes from an underground well will usually be heavier than the water that you use in your kitchen. But again, even that can be different based on where you live. That is why you see more people with kidney stones in some places of the world and fewer in other parts. Kidney stones are basically the same thing - piled-up mineral deposits that come from the water that we drink. How to remove water spots? What we would suggest is using a 50-50 mix of water and white vinegar. If you ever had a calcium-based rock dipped in white vinegar, you would see it start bubbling immediately. That is the acid from the vinegar starting to dissolve it. This is basically what happens on the car's paint as well, just on a smaller scale, of course. You want the vinegar diluted with water to reduce its pH value. Using vinegar and water is an inexpensive way of dealing with water spots, and we highly suggest you use that method instead of paying high dollars for products that are mostly the same thing. Vinegar does have a pretty strong odor, so keep that in mind when working indoors. It is not toxic, but a well-ventilated area goes a long way. Mix the vinegar and water into a spray bottle, shake it well, and then spray it on the area where you have water spots on. Leave it for about 30 seconds to 1 minute so that the acid can work its magic. After that, rinse it with water and dry the area well. Just by using this, you should be able to deal with most of the water spots that you might encounter. Those that you can't deal with this way are stubborn water spots that came from hard water or were simply left unchecked, and they had time to build up. WARNING: Do not try removing water spots on a hot day or in direct sunlight. Because the liquid that is used for the process will evaporate before it has a chance to dissolve those minerals, it will also likely leave stains if it evaporates before you have a chance to rinse it off with water. How to deal with stubborn water spots? You can try using the above method again. However, if the water spots are still there, then you will need to get creative. Then you can either: use a chemical specially designed for water spot removal use 100 undiluted white vinegar use a clay bar use machine polishing Using chemicals specially designed for water spot removal This method will cost you some money. It is not that expensive, but if you are not careful, this can add up. What we use in our shop is Optimum 22394 MDA. MDA stands for Mineral Deposit Remover. The product comes in a 1-gallon container. It is a brown-pinkish gel. And it is applied via a microfiber towel onto the contaminated area. You work the area using horizontal and vertical movements for about 30 seconds. Then, rinse the gel off with water and dry the area with a clean and dry microfiber towel. The area should be water spot free after that. You can repeat the process if the water spots are still visible. If the water spots have penetrated into the clear coat, this method will not be effective. Using 100% undiluted white vinegar to remove water spots This is the cheaper and more aggressive method, so take some caution. Vinegar is quite acidic at a pH value of 2.5. Water, for instance, has a pH value of 7. That number can range from 6.5 to 8.5 depending on what water we are talking about, but still, the difference is huge. In another article on our site, you can read more about pH values and why they are important when it comes to your car's paint and the ceramic coating you have installed. See 'Why ph neutral car shampoo?'. This type of acid can damage the paint of your vehicle and is generally not recommended. If you have a ceramic coating, the paint will be undamaged, but the ceramic coating, depending on the quality, might lose some of its effectiveness. With this method, you want to use latex gloves so the acid doesn't affect your skin. You might not see any damage after one use and might be thinking that you don't need gloves. But after a couple of the same uses, the damage would start piling up, and you'd see and feel the difference. Always wear gloves when working with stronger chemicals. The process is still the same. Spray it onto the hard water spots, wait for about 30 seconds to a minute, and then proceed to rinse and dry. Hopefully, this took care of your problem. Using a clay bar to remove water spots If you haven't been able to remove the water spots by using the above methods, then you might be starting to see why water spots can be such a nuisance to deal with. A ceramic coating will likely be removed by using a clay bar. Nevertheless, use lubrication that came with the product, or if it didn't, then use soapy water in a spray bottle. An automotive clay bar is an abrasive, and it will cut more if proper lubrication is not applied. If you do not have a ceramic coating and are using a clay bar on your car, make sure to use a paint measuring gauge to see if there is enough clear coat left on the car so you know it is safe to use without damaging the paint. Almost all water spots will be removed by using this method. Reapply the ceramic coating after that. Follow our 8-step guide on how to apply a ceramic coating, check the clay baring step, and go from there. If, however, you either do not have a clay bar or the water spots still persist. Then, you probably have a headache and are to proceed with the final step. Using machine polishing to remove water spots This step is straightforward but also very time-consuming. It can be expensive if you do not have the tools that are required. Check the tools in our recommended products section. If you are new to car detailing and paint correction then you can also check our guide on how to perform paint correction on a car by machine polishing to get an idea of what you will need and how to do it. FAQ Should you be concerned about water spots on ceramic coating? Yes, water spots can etch into the coating and reduce its effectiveness if left untreated. Does water ruin ceramic coating? Water itself doesn't ruin ceramic coating, but the minerals left behind from water spots can damage the coating over time. What happens if water gets on ceramic coating? Water beads up due to the coating's hydrophobic properties, but if left to dry, it can leave mineral deposits known as water spots. Water spots on ceramic coating - Final thoughts After this, the water spots will be removed. The moral of this story is - always get rid of the water that has been left on your car as soon as possible before it dries out. Especially during the summer, because the days are hotter and the water evaporates much faster. Any car is vulnerable when it comes to water spots, but those that have a ceramic coating on them are even more so because of the water beads that coating wasn't able to push off the surface of the car - especially on very large flat surfaces such as the hood or the roof. It all depends on the shape and the design of the car you're driving. The best way of dealing with water spots is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Cheers!

  • PPF vs Ceramic Coating vs Car Wax vs Car Sealant

    What is better? Car Wax, Car Sealant, Paint Protection Film, or Ceramic Coating? How do two of them compare when you put them against each other? PPF vs ceramic coating, or perhaps wax or sealant - which one is better and, most importantly — why? Let's find out! Today, we are talking about the four most common ways to protect the paint on your car - wax, sealants, ceramic coating, and paint protection film. We will see what they are all about and which one is best for you! Contents: Most popular paint protection method? Car Wax Car Sealant Ceramic Coating Paint Protection Film Best Paint Protection - Product Life Best Paint Protection - Resistance to Elements Best Paint Protection - Resistance to Damage Best Paint Protection - Resistance to Chemicals Best Paint Protection - Gloss/Shine Best Paint Protection - Hydrophobic Properties Best Paint Protection - Application difficulty Best Paint Protection - Product Cost What about Graphene Coatings? FAQ Which paint protection method is the best? Waxes have been around for what seems forever, and later came car sealants and then ceramic coatings and paint protection film. And one might think that because of the stiff competition, car waxes indeed fell out of favor in the eyes of car enthusiasts. But, historically, that can't be farther from the truth. Let us check this graph to see what the interest in each of the above was like over the years. In the graph above, we can see the interest of people living in the United States for the four items above, all the way from 2004, when the other three slowly started showing up on the market. The graphs also show the interest for the four items relative to each other. We can see that when sealants hit the market, the interest in waxes dropped significantly. But as the years went by, the interest in sealants dwindled somewhat, and the interest in car waxes slowly started growing. Ceramic Coatings and PPF started hitting the market around the year 2010. And while most of those were only professional-grade products that only business owners could acquire, around 2016, consumer-grade products started flooding the market. The interest in PPF grew very slowly, as did the interest in ceramic coatings, but both got a spike in 2021-2022. The interest in both products grows steadily, even though the interest in ceramic coatings is larger. In this graph, we have taken out car waxes, so you see a clearer picture of what the interest was in ceramic coatings compared to sealants and paint protection film: You can see how sealants had a significant drop in interest while both ceramic coatings and PPF grew in popularity rapidly over the past few years. But what does this all mean? Is car wax simply superior to the other three? Well, no. These numbers only show that the interest for Car Wax is much higher than the interest for the other three products when you stack all the numbers together. There could be numerous reasons behind why that is, but it surely has to do with the fact that car wax was first. It is likely the cheapest product on average and is extremely user-friendly, even for beginners. If you consider what each product does to protect the paint of your car, the cost of each product, how long they last, and their benefits - then car wax has very little going for it except only one thing - a very nice warm glossy effect - which the other three simply cannot replicate. Each of the four products has its place in the car detailing industry. We will go into each of them, so you see what they are about and see how they work. We will also compare each of the four across various categories so you can compare each of the four depending on what you are looking for when you think about paint protection. Let's take a closer look at each of them: Car Wax Car Wax is the most traditional form of protecting your car's paintwork from deteriorating over time. Car waxes are carnauba-based, meaning they come from Brazil's carnauba palm trees. This is why they are sometimes called Carnauba Waxes. The Carnauba palm trees secrete this wax on their leaves to protect them from the harmful UV rays of the Sun. It gives hydrophobic properties as well. So they basically used that natures-technology to help protect the clearcoat last longer by giving it more UV blockers and UV inhibitors. Carnauba Wax also gives the paint hydrophobic properties and enhanced gloss. Car Waxes are known for the "warm glow" look they give the car after application. This effect is hard to replicate, and along with the ease of use, is likely the main factor why car waxes are still so popular today. While there are synthetic waxes available on the market today, carnauba-based car waxes are still the most popular ones. They usually come in paste form. Mothers 05500 California Gold Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax Paste is a great example. You apply car wax with an applicator and wait for it to harden a small bit. Times may vary depending on the manufacturer's instructions. And then buff them off. Car Wax also comes in liquid form - Meguiar's A2216 Meguiar’s Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax, and in spray form as well. Since Turtle Wax pretty much started it off with spray waxes, we like to use one of their amazing products as an example - Turtle Wax T-9 1-Step Wax & Dry Spray Wax. It is a mouthful, but it is an amazing product if car waxes are what you are looking for. If you just want a car wax so your car looks like it belongs in a showroom, then give it some amazing prep work and use a premium wax like Pinnacle Natural Brilliance PIN-312 Souveran Paste Wax. They are expensive but are worth their weight in gold when it comes to car enthusiasts because of the way they enhance the paint on your car. You can learn more about Car Wax here. Car Sealant Car Sealants, or Paint Sealants as they are also known, are the detailing industry's answer to the short product life of car waxes. They are entirely synthetic and man-made out of polymers. This is why some people refer to them as polymer sealants. People, at one point, got tired of having to reapply for car wax every other week or so. It is expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes simply not doable at all. Not everyone has the same conditions for car detailing or extra time on their hands to wax a whole car. So, car sealants were invented. They tend to last for about 6-8 months tops. And that is even a high number in our experience, as paint protection lifetime depends on a lot of variables that we will not get into here. Otherwise, we would get into a lengthy discussion and completely detail this topic. They are effortless to apply. They are relatively inexpensive. And they work. What's not to like? Well, if it weren't for Ceramic Coatings, they would have been more popular today, but here we are. A big difference to car waxes is that car sealants give this "cold glow" feel to the car's paint once applied. Even the gloss sealants will give a synthetic feel. Same as car waxes, you can find car sealants in paste form as well. Meguiar's G210608 Ultimate Paste Wax is an amazing sealant that has carnauba wax technology infused into the product to make it even better! You can also find them in spray form, for example, Turtle Wax 53223 ICE Seal N Shine. But the most common way car sealants come in liquid form - Chemical Guys WAC_118 16 JetSeal Paint Protectant is a great example. This one is a well-known sealant used in the detailing world all over the globe. You can learn more about Car Sealant here. Ceramic Coating As you've been able to see from the charts above, Ceramic Coatings really became popularized around 2014. Detailing Companies started creating consumer-grade ceramic coatings, and they suddenly became available to everyone. Ceramic Coatings (according to science) always come in liquid form and are stored in small glass bottles. They are based on SiO2 polymer technology, and that is what gives them most of their amazing properties. An amazing ceramic coating that we always recommend is CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0. Usually, ceramic coatings come in 30ml bottles, but some come in bigger packaging. Inside the glass bottles, you will have liquid resin and solvents that help bond the resin on top of the clear coat layer of the paint. Once cured, the ceramic coating solidifies and hardness into a protective barrier that is 1 to 2 microns thick and has extreme hydrophobic properties. It also gives the car a crazy glossy appearance that is almost candy-like. Unlike car waxes and car sealants, ceramic coatings have a very high resistance to chemicals. This property ensures a long product life of up to 5 years. But we can say 2 years on average for the average customer. The lifetime of a ceramic coating is highly affected by the way you maintain the car. This way, you get amazing protection against the elements, UV protection, the looks, the water beading, and water sheeting, all in one product, for an extremely long time, and all that for a reasonable price as well. What's not to like?! A little bit after came Ceramic Coating Spray products. And just a quick disclaimer - they are not real ceramic coatings. They are Car Sealants that have SiO2 technology infused into their formula to give them some properties of ceramic coatings. But the low amount of solids that they contain is simply not enough to give lasting protection or even give the same type of protection that a traditional ceramic coating would give. We call them Ceramic Spray Coatings because this is the name they appear on the market with, and that is the name that people know them by. But again, they really are not ceramic coatings. We felt that we just had to mention that. Now, with that said, there are some great Ceramic Spray Coatings out there, such as Turtle Wax 53410 Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Wet Wax. You can check our Reviews section to get a better look at all the ceramic coatings that we have tested and reviewed on this website. You can learn more about what Ceramic Coating is in general, or if you prefer a more scientific approach, you can learn all about it here. Paint Protection Film PPF is short for Paint Protection Film. It is also sometimes referred to as 'Clear Bra'. PPF is a thermoplastic polyurethane in the form of a nylon wrap that you put on top of the surface of your car, and it serves as a protective barrier that soaks damage that would otherwise damage the paintwork of your car. PPF comes in different thicknesses and in different finishes depending on what the customer likes or needs. Usually, it has a glossy finish, and PPF is, without any discussion, the best paint protection method to protect the paintwork of your car from physical damage. Car waxes and car sealants do nothing to protect the car from physical damage. And while ceramic coatings give the paint increased hardness, they will not stop scratches or rocks that have hit your car with substantial force. This is not to say that PPF will give you 100% protection, but it is the best way out of the four to give you the best chance to avoid such damage. The paint protection film is also by far the most expensive paint protection method. It is also the most difficult to apply. All of that is likely the reason why they are not that popular. Even though we could see how their popularity has increased drastically in the last couple of years, you can buy PPF yourself, for instance, 3M Scotchgard Clear Paint Protection Bulk Film Roll, but the reason why we wouldn't recommend this is that a botched job is, simply put - wasted money. You need to be skilled in installing paint protection film to apply it successfully, and not only that. You will likely need two people to install paint protection film onto your car. You can learn more about Paint Protection Film here. We have learned what each of the four paint protection methods is and what the difference is. Let us rate them based on different categories. This way, everyone will be able to look up and read about what they care for in paint protection products and pick one that will give them what they need. Well, there is a lot of information here. Let's break it all down into digestible pieces! Let's start from the top: Product Life 1st : PPF 2nd : Ceramic Coating 3rd : Car Sealant 4th : Car Wax Here we see Paint Protection Film getting the gold medal and Car Wax getting the wooden one. Well, sometimes, minor differences make a huge difference. Not in this case, though. We are talking about a difference of up to 10 years (in ideal cases). That is A LOT! It simply cannot be ignored. Ceramic coatings do quite well in this category with an average life span of about 2-5 years depending on various factors such as: where you live, type of product used, quality of the product used, maintenance, etc. Car Sealants are all over the place here, but let us say you get an average of about 4-6 months. Some will give you more, while others will perform very poorly. And last place, car wax, gives us the least amount. While some products can give you more than a few months, the average for car waxes comes down to about 3 weeks to a month. It will heavily depend on how you maintain your car as well since their resistance to chemicals is the worst of the lot, and because of this, they tend to lose their properties quite rapidly if any stronger car shampoo is introduced. Resistance to Elements 1st : Ceramic Coating 2nd : PPF 3rd : Car Sealant 4th : Car Wax We are starting to see a trend here already, with PPF and ceramic coating battling it out on the top of the table while sealants and waxes are left behind in the dust. Well, that might not be the fairest thing to say - but we cannot deny that there might be something there. Both Ceramic Coatings and Paint Protection Film got an A in this category, but we gave the edge to ceramic coatings. The reason is that they simply perform better in the sun. UV radiation does almost nothing to coatings. And while PPF laughs at the sunlight as well, the thing is, once they start showing wear from extreme temperature, from high temps and very low temperatures, and you have to change them - ceramic coatings are cheaper, faster, and mainly less of a headache to replace, or revitalize. PPF might have a very high life span, but unless you take care of that one, you won't get to see those long years come to fruition. Resistance to Damage 1st : PPF 2nd : Ceramic Coating 3rd : Car Wax 4th : Car Sealant When we think about resistance to damage, we aren't talking about someone hitting your car with a sledgehammer or you crashing into a tree. We are talking about scratches, swirl marks, rock chips, and such. The type of damage a daily driver is bound to get sooner or later during its lifetime. And when it comes to those — Paint Protection Film is king. Ceramic coatings raise the hardness level of the paintwork and prevent some minor scratches that would've otherwise gone through. They stand second in this area because of that. However, Ceramic Coatings will not stop rock chips. Getting hit by a small stone when driving 40, or 60mph is simply too much. But... PPF might stop it! Well, not stop, but simply absorb the damage instead of the clear coat. Depending on how fast you're driving and the thickness of the PPF on your car, PPF can absorb some of the damage or the whole thing. This is why they stand at number one, almost uncontested. Car Waxes and Car Sealants simply do nothing to prevent any type of damage. Some could argue that waxes are greasy and thus serve as lubrication and thus prevent some damage, but that is simply not true. If the paint of your car is about to be damaged due to a contaminated microfiber towel or an automatic car wash, car wax will do absolutely nothing to prevent or reduce that damage. This is why both waxes and sealants get a zero in this category. Resistance to Chemicals 1st : PPF 2nd : Ceramic Coating 3rd : Car Sealant 4th : Car Wax Chemical resistance refers to what happens if you wash your car with regular car shampoo, one that isn't ph-neutral. Or what happens to the paint protection if you take your car to the car wash, a place where they sometimes use diluted hydrochloric acid, among other chemicals, in their shampoos to reduce cost? PPF comes out on top because there are really very few chemicals that will harm it. It is thick, and it is consistent. Unless you use some heavy industrial-grade chemicals, you will not damage the paint protection film. So, once you apply PPF to your car, you can be assured it will last. Ceramic Coatings are almost in the same bucket. The main difference is the thickness. PPF is from 8-12 mils thick, while a ceramic coating, once cured, is 1-2 microns thick. That means PPF is 8-12 thousand times thicker than ceramic coating. While both PPF and Ceramic Coating will get worn down eventually by using harsh chemicals, it will take you ages until you go through PPF and shows signs of wear and tear. Ceramic Coatings are thin enough that if you go heavy on them, they will eventually fall apart and start losing some of their properties. The advantage that Ceramic Coatings have over PPF is that ceramic coatings have a much higher resistance to chemicals and can withstand any chemical with a pH value from 2-12 consistently. This, of course, depends on the quality of the ceramic coating. That is why we do our tests and review ceramic coating products, so you do not have to pick blindly. Check our ceramic coating top lists and their respective scores in this category! Car Waxes and Car Sealants fall short in this category, and you can start seeing a trend here. While some top-quality sealants will resist more chemical damage, most will be removed after a couple of washes with cheap car shampoo. If some of the sealants were good, they had SiO2 technology in them and are what people call 'Ceramic Spray Coatings'. So even with those sealants, there was a percentage of ceramic coatings was needed to help. Car Waxes, on the other hand, will be washed off almost always after one or two washes unless you are using pH-neutral car shampoo. Gloss/Shine 1st : Ceramic Coating 2nd : Car Wax 3rd : PPF 4th : Car Sealant When it comes to gloss or shine, all of the products give amazing results. There are thousands of different products across the paint protection industry and all these products produce different results. We are talking about taking top-of-the-line items and comparing the results. Ceramic coatings, in our opinion, stand on top because they give crazy gloss. Almost candy-like! Car Wax gives a 'warm look' to the car. It enhances the color, almost deepens it, and leaves a glass-like appearance that has a yellowish undertone. It does look amazing and is probably one of the best-selling points when it comes to car wax! Unlike car wax, pretty much all of the other three paint protection methods leave more of a 'cold look'. White and completely transparent. We like using the analogy of looking at LED lights. White LED lights and yellow LED lights. Which one do you prefer more? The yellow light gives a warm feeling, while the white LED light has a coldness embedded in it. PPF, once installed, looks like someone poured sugar onto your car and let it dry. It can also give an amazing gloss, but we still think that ceramic coatings look way better since you get the same type of look, but just much more enhanced. Car Sealants are not to be underestimated. While many of them that we've tried over the years gave little to no shine, some of them did. And the results were nothing to laugh at. Hydrophobic Properties 1st : Ceramic Coating 2nd : Car Sealant 3rd : Car Wax 4th : PPF When it comes to water not sticking to the surface of your car, Ceramic Coatings are the clear winners. While good waxes and sealants do a great job - ceramic coatings do it better. Water sheeting and water beading are usually some strong selling points when it comes to ceramics. If you have a nicely prepped car that was ceramic coated using a quality product - you will see almost no water left on the car after rain or after doing a water test. The only issue that some ceramic coatings have are water beads that might be left on your car. And if those are left unchecked, they tend to become a headache later. This can also be improved by using toppers on top of the ceramic coatings that are designed to improve slickness even more. A great product that does this is CARPRO Gliss. PPF, on the other hand, has very little going for them when it comes to hydrophobic properties. They usually achieve this property by applying a ceramic coating on top of the paint protection film. If you are looking for the best way to protect the paint of your car - other than garaging it indefinitely - it is by applying 12 mils thick PPF and getting a great quality ceramic coating on top of it. Application Difficulty 1st : Car Sealant 2nd : Car Wax 3rd : Ceramic Coating 4th : PPF Again, we have PPF sitting in last place, and honestly, it would be fair even to put it lower. The difference in difficulty between applying a car sealant, which is spray and buff-off, vs. applying PPF is insane. The skill required is insane. It is almost always at least a two-man job. There are some people that claim they can apply PPF on a car solo. But we either call bull on that, or if there are some, we imagine them as lonely hermits living alone up in the woods somewhere, and legends are sung in their name. Suppose there are some of you that can genuinely apply PPF solo. And not do a terrible job, but actually apply it perfectly, alone. In that case, hats off to you. We want to meet you! Ceramic Coating requires some awareness of what you'll be facing, some basic training, and a good idea of how you'll prepare for the job and knowing how to apply the product. Especially those consumer-based products really made it easier for the average Joe to apply a ceramic coating DIY style. Car Wax is mostly applied, waiting for it to stiffen up a bit, and then buffing off with a microfiber towel. It's straighforward, but it still has some room for error. Car Sealants are by far the easiest to apply. It is almost child's play. You just can't go wrong. Just follow the instructions on the product. It is either apply and buff off or apply, wait, and buff off. Some sealants even are applied with a touchless method. You spray them, and by using a pressure washer, you spread the product around the surface of the car. If you mess up something or miss an area of the car, just redo it. Cost 1st : Car Wax 2nd : Car Sealant 3rd : Ceramic Coating 4th : PPF Again, PPF is last. It is by far the most costly, whether you apply it yourself or pay a professional to do it for you. Ceramic Coatings come in at 3rd place because it is generally the most expensive product after waxes and sealants. Waxes are usually considered the least expensive, and sealants are probably very close in cost to car wax. Of course, it all depends on the product you are buying and where you are buying it from. Is it from a distributor, or is it straight from the source? Also, keep in mind that you can easily find car wax that is many times more expensive than a top-quality ceramic coating because of the premium feel it entails. The same goes for other paint protection methods - if you are looking for expensive ones, you will find them. We are simply talking about the general price that you'll be paying for each of the four paint protection methods. What about Graphene Coatings? Graphene coatings became very popular recently, and they came out with promises that they help with removing leftover water beads and have some cool temperature-resisting properties. We still strongly suggest you look at them strictly as Ceramic Coatings. They do have graphene in them, more precisely, graphene oxide. But the argument of whether graphene actually does anything for the ceramic coating, or is purely snake oil, still remains an open debate in the detailing world. You can check out our opinion on graphene coatings which is based on testing results here. FAQ Can I apply ceramic coating over car wax or sealant? No, ceramic coatings should be applied to a clean, bare surface. Applying over wax or sealant can hinder proper bonding and reduce effectiveness. How often should I reapply car sealant for optimal protection? Generally, reapply car sealant every 6-8 months. Frequency can vary based on product quality, weather conditions, and car usage. Are there any special maintenance requirements for paint protection film? Yes, avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaning tools. Regular washing with pH-neutral shampoo and occasional reapplication of a top coat is recommended to maintain PPF's effectiveness. Can I use automatic car washes with ceramic coatings or PPF? While both can withstand automatic car washes better than waxes or sealants, hand washing is recommended to prevent potential abrasion or chemical damage. So, final thoughts on PPF vs Ceramic Coating vs Wax vs Sealant: Which paint protection method is best? The better question would be, 'Which paint protection is the best for you? — ppf vs ceramic coating'. We can take a look at all the data we have gotten from the above categories, and we will get this graph: Just by looking at this, you would be forgiven for thinking that Ceramic Coating is the clear winner here. And in our opinion - it is. But that has very little to do with what you can see in the above graph. The truth is, there is no 'best' paint protection method. You simply have to consider the factors that affect you the most. The things that are important to you. You have to consider things like budget, where you live, is the car a daily driver or a car that mostly sits in the garage. You have to think about exterior car maintenance - will you simply go to a car wash, or will you properly clean your car? Will you be using pH-neutral car shampoo? Are you looking for a glossy finish, or do you care about hydrophobic properties? There are simply too many factors that you have to consider depending on where you live or the way you handle your car. We suggest going through each category and looking at what matters to you the most. Start from there and see where that takes you. Our website is about Ceramic Coatings, and as we've mentioned previously - we do believe that ceramic coatings are the overall best paint protection method simply because they cover the disadvantages of all the other three paint protection methods very well and perform great overall in the categories. And in some, it is the best, which further strengthens our claim. We hope this guide sort of gave you a bit more insight into the car detailing world and helped you make the choice that best suits your needs when it comes to protecting the paint of your car. This only leaves us with your vote on what you think is the best paint protection method for you. Cheers!

  • Review: Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO

    This summer we have been quite busy in our shop, but, we have made sure to get more ceramic coating products that you guys recommended and test them out thoroughly to see how they perform - in the real world. Today on our hands, we are taking a closer look at Nano Bond Ceramic Coating. We are of a firm view that marketing is important, and that is true. Many would agree. After all, you do want to sell a product that you have created, of course. We do, however, have a problem when the marketing quite outshines the product in every single aspect. Give the marketing team a raise, great job for them, but the repercussions of that reflect very poorly on the longevity and integrity of the company that pushed out the product, and most of all - the paying customers are the ones that suffer the most. Is Nano Bond Ceramic Coating Pro a product that will leave a sour taste in your mouth once you've tried it, or will it end up being amazing? *WARNING: The above sentence is obviously a metaphor - DO NOT DRINK any ceramic coating product, ever. Thanks! Here we will find out the answer to the age-old question - is Nano Bond Ceramic Coating any good? Well, perhaps not 'age old' but we had a few people asking about how this particular product performs, so naturally, we gave it a go! Contents: Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO Specifications How to apply Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO? FAQ Final thoughts on Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO? Just to clarify - we are not sponsored by Nano Bond, or any other manufacturer of Paint Protection products, and we will test and review the product as it is in real-world conditions. We will follow the manufacturer's instructions during the application process and we will prepare the surface to ensure the best finish and best adhesion possible. We are leaving an affiliate link to all our review products but in case the product turns out to be of low quality or not as all as advertised we leave a warning to all our readers and the quality of the product will always be reflected in the grade we assign to it at the end of every review. So if you do not want to sit through all of this text, you can scroll down to the Average Grade and read our Final Thoughts to get a general idea of what the product is all about. Let's check out Nano Bond Ceramic Coating Pro Get your Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3PUv15C A small disclaimer - This product is called Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO, even though there is no "PRO" in its name. So we are not sure why that name, but there we go, that's how it is. These Chinese-made ceramic coatings have been popping up left and right since the moment ceramic coatings started becoming mainstream. Some disappeared after they received no traction in the market, but others stuck around and endured. With "Made in China", unfortunately, comes to a few question marks and some preemptive judgment. Now, we are not ones to judge before we see something in action. But red flags are always to be taken with some amount of caution. At least you know what to look out for. Nano Bond Ceramic Coating is one of those that stuck. It's been around for a while and it definitely received some good press. Nano Bond has their own website, but its main trafficking method has been Amazon. This product stands out mainly because of its price point, similar to how Weiruixin 10H Ceramic Coating does. Does this mean they are both the same? Of course not. This is why we do all these tests. To disregard presumptions and bias and stick only to real-world results and facts. Now let's see some specifications: Oxidant & Corrosion Resistant 3 years coating lifetime 20 % strength 25% color heat resistant 760 degrees Fahrenheit ( 400 degrees Celsius ) hydrophobic effect extra thick 30μm (microns) smooth, hard, and glossy finish 9H rating 30ml bottle Let's go through each one and see what they are all about. Oxidant & Corrosion Resistant This one is already starting out a bit weird. Corrosion is the side effect of oxidation. In fact, corrosion is damage caused to metal due to oxidation. That is great and all. The problem with this is that you are supposed to ceramic coat a painted surface. Ceramic coating is used to help maintain that paint for longer, as well as giving it some added benefits and hydrophobicity, gloss, and some enhanced color depth. The paintwork ( primer, base color, and clear coat ) is what is keeping the metal from corroding. So the ceramic coating directly doesn't really give any resistance to corrosion. Perhaps, if you applied ceramic coating directly on top of a metal surface would you get that benefit? But if you had that situation, then you have far bigger problems than just needing to preserve and protect the paint of your car. So, starting off with oxidation/corrosion resistance is a no. Nano Bond Ceramic Coating Pro definitely won't help you with that. 3 Years Coating Lifetime 3 years is a solid number for a ceramic coating. Some claim to provide more, and some actually do follow up their claims with some actual results. But nonetheless, if you get 3 years out of a ceramic coating, you are getting a good deal out of it. It would of course, heavily depend on how you maintain your ceramic coated car. 20% Strength 20% strength? We are not sure what they mean by that. Perhaps Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO is 20% better than its competitors? We are not sure, but we sure will test that! 25% Color A 25% increase in color depth is a lot. And after application, we will surely be able to see a clear difference. We do, however, have a red flag here because of this picture: To the average consumer, this picture looks amazing. But, it is also VERY misleading. While the right side of the picture might be what you get once you ceramic coat a car with Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO, the left side is the car before ANY preparation. If you want to go from the left side to the right side, you will need to do 7 steps of preparation to get this result. You can check out our guide to ceramic coat a car in 8 easy steps to get a clear picture of everything that has been done to the car before you got what you can see on the right side of that picture. And without any context, this does feel a bit scammy. If you were wondering if ceramic coatings are a hoax, then check out our article on that matter. Heat Resistant 760 degrees Fahrenheit ( 400 degrees Celsius ) What? Is this really a selling point that people fall for? Do you guys realize how hot 760 degrees Fahrenheit is? Any plastic or rubber surface on the car would melt. Aluminum surfaces wouldn't melt, but they would start to deform. Steel and glass surfaces would not melt, but they would be damaged. The glass that is used for windows in cars has plastic in them, they would definitely lose structural integrity at those temperatures and would become either unusable or unsafe for usage. Steel and the paintwork would also be damaged. When we see these crazy videos where people set their cars on fire to show how great ceramic coating is we go nuts, and not in a good way. People, do not set your cars on fire! And there is absolutely no situation where the resistance of up to 760 degrees Fahrenheit would be useful. Hydrophobic Effect Well, we sure hope so. This is one of the key features of ceramic coatings, and it would be a shame if Nano Bond Ceramic Coating didn't have hydrophobic properties. Extra Thick 30μm (microns) We call bull on this one. Considering that, after application, the average ceramic coating is 1 to 2 microns thick - 30 microns sounds insane. And again, not 'insane' in a good way. Smooth, Hard, and Glossy Finish All three can be easily tested once the product has been applied. 9H Rating 9H rating is the standard rating that Ceramic Coatings have. Some claim to go beyond that, while others forget to even mention their hardness rating. We have written in great detail what the 9H rating means when it comes to ceramic coatings as well, so you can learn more about that if you would like. 30ml Bottle 30ml is a standard-sized bottle for a ceramic coating. No surprises here. There is also one more issue that we've noticed. Namely, as you can see in the following picture - "... professional-grade ceramic coating." Professional grade ceramic coatings have so much solid material in them that they usually require UV lamps for the coating to be able to cure properly. And they are thicker than a regular consumer-based ceramic coating - but again, nowhere near 30 microns. Yikes! Also, another quote, "... 9H hardness coating creates an impenetrable layer of protection". 9H is not impenetrable, that is total bull, do not fall on such ridiculous claims. Again, you can learn all about what 9H means on our website. In fact, claims like these give ceramic coatings a bad reputation. So far, so crazy, if you ask us. Red flags are all over the place. Bad bad Nano Bond. What can we say? But, we are here to test this product. So let us put all of that aside and see if this ceramic coating product is any good. But then again, remember what we've said earlier regarding marketing. It can often be bloated to epic proportions just to push the product through the gates. Doesn't mean the product is automatically bad. It just shows that Nano Bond doesn't care what methods are used as long as they get results. Let's see how we are to apply this ceramic coating. How to apply Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO? First, as always - read the instructions! After that, you need to prepare the surface of your car. Once the surface is clean and prepared, you can begin the application process. On their official website, you can find instructions on how to apply it: How to apply Nano Bond ceramic coating. 1. Wrap the cloth over the coating sponge. 2. Apply a line of coating down the length of the sponge. 3. Spread the liquid on the car evenly in a cross-hatch pattern. 4. Once finished spreading, immediately use a towel to wipe and polish. Pretty straightforward, though there are a few things that e would do differently or at least specify. Use gloves Shake the bottle well before usage Work in smaller areas ( body panel per body panel ), so you know what parts are covered. Once applied, wait for the product flashing time ( note rainbow coloration ) and then wipe it down You can check out our detailed guide on how to apply ceramic coating to your vehicle. After applying the product and waiting for it to properly cure, we took it for a spin and properly torture-tested it. Check how we test ceramic coating products. Our verdict on this product: product life time when applied: B resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: D resistance to chemicals: B application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: C Average grade: C Cost: 38.45$ / 1 fl oz 1.26$ / 1 ml FAQ Is Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO effective in protecting car paint? Yes, Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO offers decent protection for car paint, with hydrophobic properties, and can last up to three years with proper maintenance. How do you apply Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO? Apply by spreading the liquid evenly in a cross-hatch pattern using a coated sponge and cloth, immediately wiping and polishing with a towel after application. Does Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO live up to its marketing claims? While Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO performs adequately in real-world conditions, some marketing claims may be exaggerated. Its effectiveness and durability are reasonable but don't expect miraculous results. Final thoughts on Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO? There is a lot of foul play involved in the marketing aspect of this product. This simply cannot be ignored as it sets a bad reputation for the Nano Bond brand and any future product they might place on the market is automatically placed under a huge magnifying glass because of it. Other than that, how did we find this ceramic coating - was it any good? Well, considering their major selling point - the price tag - Nano Bond actually has a decent product under their belt. If you go into this with a cool and reasonable approach and lower your expectations to a realistic level, this product actually performed ok. For that though, you would need some experience with ceramic coatings, because, if you had none, you would definitely fall into at least one of those misleading traps we have mentioned above. We think that with the right maintenance, the product will last you the full three years. For the average user, less though. It would heavily depend on how you wash your car and whether you are using pH-neutral car shampoo. The product is actually fairly easy to install, but with all standard ceramic coating, the precision and preparation required in the application process give it a lower grade. Its hydrophobic properties were noticeable, yet not very impressive. Although, it endured through the testing and maintained the same level of hydrophobicity the whole time. Thus, its resistance to chemicals was top-notch. It did not succumb or falter as we threw all kinds of nasty chemicals onto the car. We have noticed swirl marks and scratches showing up even after washing the car with a sponge, let alone after some more aggressive driving on offroad terrain. So its resistance to damage was not very good compared to some better ceramic coatings out there. The promised gloss and enhanced color also didn't deliver. While you were able to see a difference under a lamp or in direct sunlight, the difference was small. Overall, would we recommend Nano Bond Ceramic Coating Pro? Well.. that depends. If you are a newbie and are looking to try out a ceramic coating for the first time - then this just might be the right product for you. Also, if you are looking for a quick and cheap way to protect your car's paint, then again, this might be the ceramic coating for you. Get your Nano Bond Ceramic Coating PRO on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3PUv15C

  • Ceramic Coating near me: But which one to choose?

    If you've ever typed "ceramic coating near me" into the Google search box, you've been given a map of the place you live in and ceramic coating shops pinned around you with those recognizable red pins from Google Maps. You've also been given three options that are close to you and their respective reputation and contact. Now comes the hard part - who do you choose? And, more importantly, how do you make that decision? Contents: What Kinds of Ceramic Coatings Are Available Near Me? What to Look For When Choosing a Ceramic Coating Option in Your Area? FAQ Final Thoughts - Is It Worth It To Get A Local Ceramic Coating? Ceramic coatings have become increasingly popular in the car detailing industry. This is further proven by the absurd increase in the value of the whole ceramic coating industry. These coatings promise protection from the elements for multiple years, mirror-like gloss finishes, and the ability to repel dirt. While ceramic coatings may seem like the perfect product, it is essential to consider whether or not it lives up to the claims, if it is a good value, and what factors to consider before investing. What Kinds of Ceramic Coatings Are Available Near Me? Ceramic coatings, which are made of a chemical polymer solution, make an almost inseparable link with the paint on your vehicle. Traditional waxes and sealants will wear off over time, but ceramic is designed to be a semi-permanent finish, with several manufacturers boasting multi-year protection with just one application. Your budget will determine how long the coating lasts and how effectively it is done. What you pay for is what you get. Ideally, of course. You have to be careful how you make the decision on which option near you you'll end up choosing. What to Look For When Choosing a Ceramic Coating Option in Your Area? With multiple ceramic coating service options available, it can sometimes be intimidating, or even tiresome to choose the correct one. Cause there could be multiple 'correct' options, and frankly, there could be zero good options available. And the fact remains that if you're investing your money, you want to invest it the best you can. Customer Feedback Provides Credibility The semi-permanent effects of ceramic coatings are one of their most significant advantages. However, this implies that any errors in the application are also permanent (while the ceramic coating lasts, anyway)! It's worthwhile to look for a reputable auto detailer in your neighborhood. Only true specialists who understand the possible consequences of any mistakes should be entrusted with a task like ceramic coating your vehicle! It is not only your hard-earned money that you are trying to protect. It is also the look of your vehicle. A botched job can sometimes leave your car looking worse than it looked before it came into the shop. So always go for a shop that has a good reputation. Positive customer reviews and recommendations are always good signs. Even doing a little bit of research on Google, on car detailing forums, or on social networks goes a long way. Pricing and Services Because not all coatings are made equal, their pricing is not either. The average cost of ceramic coating a sedan-sized vehicle in decent condition might cost on average between $500 and $3000, including application fees. There is a natural tendency to choose the lowest choice, but it is important to remember that you get what you pay for. A $500 coat will simply not last as long or produce the same high-quality finish as a $3000 treatment. If you are looking to lower the cost even further, then we suggest you look into how to ceramic coat a car DIY-style. But with that comes other hidden costs, the lack of experience and skill, and of course, all the utilities that a shop already has sorted out while you might lack. All those factors are considered in the 500-3000$ cost. And that is something you need to consider strongly before dismissing the prices of ceramic coatings in professional shops. Used Products and Equipment There is a dizzying number of ceramic items on the market, but they are divided into two major categories: consumer-based products and those that require expert installation. Then there's the issue of quality and longevity. Although you may have read headlines claiming eight, nine, or even 10 years of lifetime, not all ceramic coatings are made equal. Some can survive for 10 years, but others can lose their effectiveness after just one year, despite expensive expert installation. And it is not always just the ceramic coating installed. It is also the way you, as an owner, maintain a vehicle that has been ceramic coated. That type of training is something any serious car detailing shop that specializes in ceramic coatings should implement into their price plans. A happy customer is a customer that will come back. It is also a customer that will spread the good word. And that is priceless. If you are a gun store owner and you sell an M-16 to a customer and think to yourself, "yeah, I don't care what they do with that, as long as I get my money", it is a hazard in disguise. Proper instructions and perhaps even training go a long way toward creating a positive experience not only for the customer but for others as well. The same goes for ceramic coatings, well, for pretty much any items that require some sort of expertise with it. FAQ Is ceramic coating a vehicle worth it? Yes, ceramic coating offers significant benefits like enhanced paint protection, ease of cleaning, and improved gloss, making it a valuable investment for maintaining your vehicle's appearance and protection. Think of it as you placing a protector case and screen cover on a new phone. You're investing in preserving the phone's value as well as (possibly) enhancing its looks. Is there a downside to ceramic coating? The main downside is the cost of professional application. Additionally, it requires proper maintenance to sustain its benefits and doesn’t protect against all forms of damage, such as deep scratches. What should I expect to pay for a ceramic coating service locally? The cost of ceramic coating services varies widely, typically ranging from $500 to $3000 (in the USA) for a sedan-sized vehicle. The price reflects the quality of the coating, the expertise of the application, and the longevity promised by the product. Consider, however, that the prices can range drastically depending on where you live and how competetive the area is. Can I apply ceramic coating myself, and how does it compare to professional application? While DIY ceramic coating is possible, professional application is recommended for optimal results. Professionals provide expertise, proper equipment, and high-quality products, ensuring a polished and correctly applied coating. DIY approaches may be more budget-friendly but require significant effort, skill, and access to the necessary tools and environment. Final Thoughts - Is It Worth It To Get A Local Ceramic Coating? Should you google "ceramic coating near me" and just go for it, or should you ceramic coat your car yourself? In our opinion, if your budget allows it - get it for a professional application via a certified professional shop. Why stick with a professional? Well, consider what you're getting: polished car ceramic coated car the correct way with a great quality product no stress on how to apply it or where you do not need a place or tools to do the job you require no skill If you ceramic coat your car yourself, you are forfeiting all these benefits and have to take both the labor, the cost, and the risk on yourself. It is easy if you already have the utilities and the tools to ceramic coat a car. And if you already have the experience, all the better. But not everyone has those benefits under their feet. If you are, however, going for the DIY route, then we suggest reading our guide on how to ceramic coat a car in 8 easy steps. Also, check out our top list of the best ceramic coatings for consumers on the market. If you have any questions, please contact us via info@ceramiccoatexpert.com Cheers!

  • How to restore headlights?

    Wait a minute! This is a website dedicated to Ceramic Coatings and Paint Protection in general. Well, I do want to learn 'How to restore headlights', but why am I reading about headlight restoration here? Well, that one is simple. There are two reasons. The first is that headlight restoration is a very common service that is offered in almost any shop that does any type of car detailing or even car washing. The second reason is that once you restore those headlights, you will need to protect them. And, of course, one way to protect them from getting yellow again is by using Ceramic Coating. Contents: Why do headlights yellow? How to restore the headlights of your car? How to prevent headlights from oxidizing? Recommended Ceramic Coating Full Headlight Restoration Kit FAQ Final Thoughts We were all at least once in a place where we were staring at the headlights of our car, and they looked all yellow, hazy, dull, foggy, and perhaps even cracked. In other words, they looked bad. Beyond the aesthetics, they also performed worse. So, not only did we have bad-looking headlights on our car that were ruining the overall image of the vehicle, but we also had a safety hazard on our hands. Headlight restoration is a common service that almost all car detailing or car cleaning shops offer. It is also a favorite among DIYers because it is pretty easy to do. And even if you do make a mistake, it is extremely forgiving. You, even as a beginner, have a huge amount of room for mistakes. The question that comes to mind is - when should we do it? When should we restore our headlights? Well, when they look something like this: Why do headlights yellow? Due to a process called oxidation. In older cars, headlights were made of glass. And those won't oxidize, no matter how old they get. They could get dirty, but once you give them a good cleaning, they would sparkle and look like new. On most cars today, headlights are plastic, or more specifically, they are made from acrylic. Acrylic is also more commonly known as plexiglass. And if you ever had anything made of transparent plastic, once it got old, it tended to haze up, and get cloudy. It would also start getting yellow as time passed. The reason plastic gets yellow is UV radiation. In other words - the longer transparent plastic is exposed to the sun, the faster it will yellow. How to restore the headlights of your car? Here we will go through a few steps to ensure you go from this: To this: We can polish headlights using several techniques and methods and many different variations of those methods. We will share the one we use to get great results. To restore your headlights, you will need the following: masking tape spray bottle (just use any that you have around the house) sandpaper 400 grit sandpaper 600 grit sandpaper 1000 grit sandpaper 2000 grit two microfiber applicators compound polish isopropyl alcohol microfiber towel /or/ paper towel ceramic coating Clean the headlights, or the whole car if you want to remove any dirt or bugs, or sap that might be on them. You do not want to contaminate the sandpaper with mud and dirt because it will then perform poorly. VIDEO: If you are a person that likes these things in a video, you can check out Chris on the ChrisFix Youtube channel. He does the process slightly differently and uses UV-resistant 2K Clearcoat to protect the headlights. But you will get a general idea of what the headlight restoration process entails. Masking tape You want to mask off the area you'll be working on. So, you want to tape around the whole edge of the headlight. This way you are creating a protective barrier so we don't scratch the paint. Sandpaper Sandpaper comes in grades. The lower the number, the more aggressive the sandpaper is. Contrary, the higher the number is, the finer it is. Once you've masked off around the headlight and have no car paint exposed, you are ready to begin. Take your 400 grit sandpaper and take your spray bottle that has been filled with water. Spray water onto the headlight and onto the sandpaper. Using water and sandpaper is also called 'wet sanding'. Water is added to lubricate the surface that you are working on, to collect the fine sanding dust that would otherwise make a mess. Water also helps reduce friction - this way, you have way more control over the sanding process and prevent accidental damage from heat buildup. Use circular movement. Make sure to sand the whole surface of the headlight and use light to medium pressure. Do not press too hard. And keep the surface wet at all times. If you are using low-quality masking tape or masked the headlight poorly, you might find the masking tape falling off because of the water. In that case, use a paper towel to dry the area and reapply the masking tape before continuing. It takes less time to dry and reapply a bit of masking tape than it takes to repair damage to the paintwork. You will notice a white milky liquid running down the headlight. That is the oxidation being removed from the plastic surface of the headlight. Make sure you have no remaining yellowing, old plastic, old film, or clearcoat before you go for the finer grit sandpaper. The reason you want to make sure you get all the nasty stuff now is that it will take you much more time and effort to do this with 600 grit. And it is questionable if you'll manage to do a good job even then. So stick to 400 grit until your headlight looks nice and hazy on the whole surface. Now, before you finish with the 400 grit, you want to do one final sand using horizontal movement. Now repeat the same process using 600 grit. You can use more pressure now. Circular movements first, then vertical after. 1000-grit sandpaper comes next. Circular movement and horizontal movement. Make sure to keep the surface nice and wet the whole time. Once you are done with 1000, go for the 2000 grit. Go for circular movement first and finish with vertical sanding. Now take off the masking tape because it is very wet. Dry the whole area around the headlight. Make sure to get all the droplets that are stuck around the edges of the headlight. Your headlight should look very hazy. You can barely see through it. But it should have a uniform look to it. Now you are ready for the next step. Alternative: Your hand hurts a lot by now from all the sanding. Probably even after only one headlight. Luckily there are alternative methods. You can get a headlight restoration kit that is used with a drill, such as the 3M Headlight Restoration Kit. Just follow the instructions on the kit, and attach the disc pad holder to the drill. Now stick the sanding paper to the pad, and you are ready to go. You won't be wet sanding with this method. But will instead dry sand. The idea is the same, except you have to look out for heat buildup. You will speed up the sanding process a lot, and your hand will not fall off. The only downside is that it cost a bit more, you need a drill, and it is going to be messy because you will be dry sanding. Compound and Polish If you have the option, then use a polishing machine for this step because it will speed up the process a lot. We would recommend Chemical Guys BUF 503X TORQX Random Polisher Kit. The reason we recommend this product is not only the polishing machine but what you buy is actually a full kit with polishing pads and different grade polishing liquids. And for beginners, this is a blessing. We know a lot of people that used this kit as a gateway into some more serious car detailing. If you do not have a polishing machine or do not wish to invest in one, then you can also do it by hand. It will take much longer and you'll also get an amazing workout as well. First, apply from compound liquid onto the headlight and use the applicator to spread it onto the whole surface of the headlight. Now use circular motions to work the compound into the headlight. Do the whole headlight until the compound looks like it is used up. Polishing compound and polishing liquid both work like sandpaper and both have their respective grit ratings. The compound liquid is coarser and should always be used first. The polishing liquid is much finer and is used for the final polishing step to bring out the shine in the paintwork. After the compound step, go ahead and apply a few beads of polish onto a new microfiber applicator and repeat the same step as with the compound. Once you are finished, use a clean and dry microfiber towel to buff out the remaining liquid from the surface. Isopropyl Alcohol Now all that is left to do is to degrease the surface. And Isopropyl Alcohol does an amazing job. You can also use Rubbing alcohol. Apply the IPA onto the headlight with a microfiber towel or a paper towel and clean the whole surface. This will remove all the oils that remain on the headlights after the compound and polishing step. Unlike car paint, where you only want to use a microfiber towel to avoid scratching, headlights are pure plastic, and they are much tougher than the clearcoat layer of the car's paint. You won't damage the headlight by using a paper towel. But if you want to be super sure, you can always use a microfiber towel for them as well, as it is not costly, and you will have peace of mind - and that is sometimes priceless. You now have a beautiful and new-looking headlight in front of you. Great job! If you like the way your headlights look now and you want to keep them looking this way, then you will need to protect them from UV radiation. If you don't, they will go back to looking nasty in a few months' time. So... How to prevent headlights from oxidizing? Well, that one is easy - you need to protect the headlights! That's great and all, but... how to protect headlights? Great question! Let's see what we can do about that. If you do not protect your headlights after you restore them, then it is only a matter of time before they start to yellow again due to oxidation. If it is summer or you live in a warmer climate, then the first signs of headlight yellowing can start showing even after a few weeks. This would be a shame after all the hard work you've put into making the shiny. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to keep them looking new (e.g., ceramic coating, UV protection spray, clear coat, clear protection film, etc.). Of course - using a ceramic coating is one of the better methods; and one that we will cover (this is why a headlight restoration article is on a ceramic coating website, if any of you were wondering). So all that is left to do is to pick a Ceramic Coating to your liking. We suggest you use a true ceramic coating and not a ceramic coating spray. Ceramic Spray Coatings act more like sealants instead of like true ceramic coatings. This is why ceramic spray coatings will give you only about 4-6 months only, while proper ceramic coatings will give you years. And that is if you get a good quality product! Ceramic Coating We Recommend — CARPRO CQUARTZ UK 3.0 One of the standout features of CQUARTZ UK 3.0 is its ability to maintain clarity and resist yellowing over time by resisting UV radiation that comes from exposure to the sun. This is particularly important for headlights, as it ensures that they remain clear, enhancing both the appearance and safety of the vehicle. The coating's hydrophobic properties also make maintenance easier, as water beads off the surface, taking dirt and contaminants with it. Applying CQUARTZ UK 3.0 to headlights requires thorough preparation to ensure the best results. The surface must be clean, free of any residues, and completely dry. Following the application, it's essential to allow adequate curing time, which may vary depending on environmental conditions. Once cured, the headlights will exhibit an impressive level of gloss, alongside the protective benefits. It's worth noting that while CQUARTZ UK 3.0 offers substantial protection against oxidation, regular maintenance and care are still recommended to keep the headlights in optimal condition. This includes avoiding harsh chemicals and abrasives that could compromise the coating. If you're looking for more ceramic coating options then we urge you to check out our list of ceramic coatings that we recommend. To summarize, once you get a proper ceramic coating, apply it to the polished, degreased, and clean headlight. This will give the headlight an even deeper shine and a clearer look. But most importantly, it will slow the oxidation process because ceramic coatings have amazing UV-resistant qualities. Once the ceramic coating has cured, your headlights will look almost brand new and will stay that way for the next 1-2 years. Full Headlight Restoration Kit We Recommend — 3M Ultra Headlight Restoration Kit If you're looking for an all-in-one solution, then you can get a kit like this (this one is really good). The only downside is that this kit requires a drill (you can still use it without a drill, but that'll require some serious elbow grease; with a drill, it'll be MUCH faster and easier). The 3M Ultra Headlight Restoration Kit stands out as an exceptional solution for anyone looking to restore their vehicle's headlights to like-new condition. Rated highly for its effectiveness and ease of use, this kit is designed for heavy-duty restoration tasks, making it suitable for headlights that have suffered from severe oxidation, yellowing, and scratching. Here's a brief review and a step-by-step guide on how to use this all-in-one kit effectively: Preparation: Start by cleaning the headlights thoroughly to remove any dirt, debris, or grease. Use the included masking tape to protect the surrounding areas of the headlights from accidental sanding. Sanding: Attach the disc pad holder to your drill and start with the 500 grit sanding discs to remove heavy yellowing and oxidation. Apply moderate pressure and use a side-to-side motion for even sanding. Refining: Switch to the 800 grit white finishing discs to refine the surface, smoothing out any scratches from the previous step. Continue to use a side-to-side motion for consistent results. Polishing: Use the 3000 grit Trizact refining disc for the final polishing stage. This ultra-fine disc will restore the clear look of the headlight lens, preparing it for the final protective coating. Protection: After sanding and polishing, apply the protectant (if included in your kit version) to seal the headlight and protect it from future oxidation and UV damage. Buff the headlight for a shiny finish. FAQ Can I restore my headlights myself, or should I hire a professional? Headlight restoration is definitely a DIY-friendly task. With the right tools and a bit of patience, you can achieve professional-looking results without the need for professional services. It is also a great gateway into the world of car detailing! :D How often should headlights be restored? The need for headlight restoration depends on exposure to elements and usage. Generally, restoring headlights every one to two years or when significant dullness or yellowing is observed is advisable. Does applying a ceramic coating after restoring headlights offer any benefits? Absolutely. A ceramic coating acts as a protective layer against UV rays, reducing the risk of oxidation and yellowing. This prolongs the clarity and appearance of your headlights significantly. Can headlight restoration improve the overall safety of my vehicle? Yes, restoring your headlights improves visibility by allowing more light to pass through the lenses, enhancing night-time driving safety and the overall appearance of your vehicle. How to restore headlights — Final Thoughts Restoring your car's headlights is not only about enhancing its aesthetic appeal but also about ensuring safety through improved visibility. Over time, headlights can become yellowed and hazy due to oxidation, primarily caused by UV radiation exposure. This article has guided you through the straightforward process of headlight restoration, emphasizing that anyone can achieve professional results with patience and the right approach. Moreover, we've highlighted the critical step of protecting your newly restored headlights to prevent future oxidation. Ceramic coatings emerge as a superior solution in this regard, offering a durable, protective layer that shields against UV rays, thereby extending the lifespan of your restoration work. By incorporating a ceramic coating post-restoration, you not only maintain the clarity and functionality of your headlights but also contribute to the overall maintenance and value of your vehicle. Remember, regular care and protective measures can keep your headlights shining bright, ensuring both beauty and safety on the road. Cheers!

  • How to prep for ceramic coating

    It is critical to ensure that the finish is in great condition and properly prepared before applying any ceramic coating, ceramic spray coating, or sealer of any sort. Creating the optimal environment for coating application offers the best bonding and longest-lasting results, and it's easier than you think. We will teach you how to prep for ceramic coating so that you get the best results! Contents: Why is prepping for ceramic coating important? Here is the full process of prepping a car for ceramic coating in 4 easy steps! Car Surface Prep We Recommend FAQ Final Words Why is prepping for ceramic coating important? The better your surface is prepared, the longer your ceramic coating will endure, and the better it will repel any contaminants. It is that simple! Washing a car will only remove a percentage of the chemicals, waxes, and pollutant trash that has accumulated on its surfaces. Additional surface prep techniques must be done in order to really deep-clean an automobile and ensure that a ceramic coating will function. Namely clay-baring the car's paint and then polishing. This way, you get the best possible surface and ensure the most optimal bond between the paint and the ceramic coating. Here is the full process of prepping a car for ceramic coating in 4 easy steps! 1) Car Wash! Begin by thoroughly cleaning your car. Mr. Pink pH-neutral Car Shampoo is an extremely good and economic pH-neutral car soap that we recommend. You must remove any existing sealants, waxes, oils, or glazes. You also want the entire vehicle to be free of any, or at least most, dirt, grime, and minerals that may have accumulated on its surface. Only when the surface has been thoroughly cleaned will your ceramic coating be able to bind to your paintwork effectively. If the residue is left on the surface, it will function as a barrier between the ceramic coating and the paintwork, preventing a strong connection and appropriate adherence. Learn more about why using pH-neutral car shampoo is important. 2) Clay Bar! After you've completed washing the car, you should immediately begin the clay decontamination procedure. Using a freshly cleaned surface will only help make the clay bar or clay mitt you're using more effective, so don't go on a cruise just yet! If the contamination beneath your ceramic coating is not adequately cleaned, it will remain there for years! That contamination would inflict permanent damage if left uncontrolled. PRO TIP: Make sure to lubricate the surface before you use a clay bar on it. Clay baring a car creates a lot of friction, and you do not want to burn through the clear coat. You just want to remove the embedded contaminants. If your clay bar or clay mitt kit didn't come with lube, then using soapy water (use clean water and detergent/dish soap) in a spray bottle works best. 3) Compound and Polish! After the clay bar treatment comes the stage that most do-it-yourselfers fear. And, to be honest, they should. Repairing or polishing paint to eliminate swirl marks and other flaws can be daunting. If you cut too hard, the clear coat will be completely removed, but you won't repair the problem if you cut too little. Believe it or not - It's not that difficult! Many professional detailers, even prosumers, overthink the procedure by combining different polishing compounds with different pads. In reality, hundreds of different combinations of polishing liquids and pads may be used to eliminate paintwork flaws. While you could polish a whole car only by hand, it would take ages, plus your hand would hurt so much after that "workout" that you'd be calling in sick the next day. And have a buff hand. While having a buff hand is probably nice for the ladies, you cannot beat a machine when polishing a car. Using a hand polishing machine will save so much time. Your hand won't hurt, and even though some might say otherwise - you will have MUCH more control over the whole polishing process once you get a hand on how to use the polishing machine. This might be a bit obvious, but ensure your pads and polishing liquids are at hand before you start the process. 4) Degrease! After the surface has been thoroughly washed, clayed, and polished, the next step before beginning the coating process is a washing wipe-down using a degreaser to remove any remaining oils, waxes, or silicones that were left from the polishing process. In short, you need to degrease the car's surface since the oils would prevent the ceramic coating from bonding with the paint. For optimal results, use a clean, lint-free quality microfiber towel. You are now ready to apply your ceramic coating to the flawlessly clean and residue-free surface! All that is left to do now is to start ceramic coating your car! Here you can learn how to ceramic coat a car in a step-by-step process! If you would like to go into more detail on which tools to use for the full ceramic coating process ( preparation + application ), then we suggest you read this guide! Car Surface Prep We Recommend — GYEON PREP Pre-Coating Surface Ceramic Coating prep work is a daily activity in our shop, and we've tried (hopefully) all of the methods and products out there. While there are a number of good ways of giving the car a final prep before the actual ceramic coating product, or paint protection film, sometimes (a lot of the time), you just want to give the entire vehicle one final clean to ensure there are no contaminants that would potentially ruin the coating job. In our opinion/experience, the GYEON Prep solution does a marvellous job of completely cleaning the surface, leaving it spotless. After treatment, the surface will become anti-static, meaning that dust won't be attracted to the paint. All oils/grease/lubricants will be completely removed. And best of all — there will be no streaks left! It is very easy to use. Just spray the GYEON Prep onto the surface you're working on (do a few squits, not just 1-2) and let the solution work its magic for about half a minute. After that, wipe the area dry with a clean microfiber cloth and inspect it. Use straight wipe movements; avoid circular motion when wiping. It's best to work in sections/panels, so that you can more easily keep track of your progress. FAQ What to do before applying a ceramic coating? Before applying a ceramic coating, thoroughly wash the car with pH-neutral shampoo, decontaminate the paint with a clay bar, polish to remove imperfections, and degrease the surface to ensure optimal bonding. Do you need to polish before ceramic coating? Yes, polishing is essential before ceramic coating to remove swirl marks and imperfections, ensuring the coating bonds effectively to a smooth surface for the best protection and shine. How do you clean a car before ceramic coat? Clean a car before ceramic coating by washing it with pH-neutral car shampoo, using a clay bar for decontamination, and performing a final wipe-down with a clean microfiber towel, using a degreaser to remove any residual oils or waxes. Should I wax my car before applying ceramic coating? No, do not wax your car before applying ceramic coating. Wax residues can prevent the ceramic coating from bonding properly with the paint surface. A thorough degrease should follow polishing to ensure a clean surface. Final Words — Prep For Ceramic Coating This is a pretty quick guide on how to prep the surface of a car for ceramic coating or other forms of paint protection. If you want a longer, more detailed text, you can check our more comprehensive guide for surface prep in our article "How to prepare a car for Ceramic Coating?". Cheers!

  • The Best Ceramic Coating, For You!

    Welcome to the Ceramic Coat Experts' guide to the best Ceramic Coating 2024. We at Ceramic Coat Expert pride ourselves on having an unbiased review plan for all ceramic coating products out there. We do not take sponsorship deals for that reason alone. If the product we test performs well, it will get a good review, and if it performs poorly, the following review will reflect that poor performance. No favoritism, and no second chances, only real-world results! When you purchase products through our independent recommendations, we may earn an affiliate commission. Contents: Buying Guide for the Best Ceramic Coating Products Choosing an Expert Ceramic Coating Best Ceramic Coatings 2024 - Ceramic Coat Expert's Top Picks FAQ Best Ceramic Coatings - Final Thoughts As impressive as ceramic coatings appear, ceramic coatings for automobiles have limitations, and precise application is required for protection that lasts as long as the package claims. The gleam and shiny clearcoat of a new car will never last forever, but a ceramic coating might make it appear that way. These ceramic coating formulae are praised for their ability to keep vehicles looking glossy and mirror-like while also repelling rain, dust, muck, and UV rays, among other things. Here's everything you need to know about professional ceramic coatings and do-it-yourself ceramic coating projects. Buying Guide for the Best Ceramic Coating Products Ceramic coatings are available in a variety of configurations, including sprays, sets, and droppers. There are several ceramic coatings available for various types of vehicles to enhance traditional waxes and car coatings. Some are hybrids, including ceramic wax blends and ceramic graphene sprays. If you're not familiar with ceramic coatings, it's advisable to contact a ceramic coating business or chat with a detailer about getting ceramic coating installation done. Choosing an Expert Ceramic Coating A high-quality ceramic coating acts as a protective layer on a vehicle, preventing corrosion and wear and tear caused by a variety of circumstances. While a professional ceramic coating is likely to be seen only in professional garages, other vehicle specialists and detailing fans would desire a quality ceramic coating solution to obtain that thin but long-lasting coating on cars. There are numerous options, and shoppers must consider several factors before selecting ceramic coatings, such as how long they want the coating to last, what type of paint they're applying it to, and what they want the ceramic coating to protect (a paint job, headlights, trim? ), and how much of an investment they're willing to make. Where Should Ceramic Coating Products Be Used? The most apparent area to put a ceramic coating is the paint job of a vehicle, but it is not the only one. A ceramic coating for cars can be applied to plastic trim, headlamps (which are usually plastic but can also be glass), and even glass windows to provide a showroom-quality shine all throughout. Always examine the directions for any specifics with any ceramic coatings. Prior to applying ceramic coatings, it is important to prepare the car's surface thoroughly wash the car and use a clay bar for long-lasting protection that goes on simply and uniformly, as well as to perform any paint correction required to the paintwork. This is because you want to 'preserve' the paint while it is in superb condition, plus proper surface prep helps the ceramic coatings bond with the surface. What Do Ceramic Coatings Prevent? A ceramic coating, when applied properly, protects the surface of an automobile, as well as other vehicles and boats, from water, acid rain, chemicals, bird droppings, salt, UV rays, corrosion, and minor chips or scratches. More impressively, ceramic coatings are designed to last a year or more (some even up to three years) while also providing a high-gloss surface. Where does ceramic coating layer of protection end? Ceramic coatings cannot protect vehicles against wayward boulders, door dings, and other severe damage. Serious swirl marks and scratches, on the other hand, require more than a ceramic layer to repair and typically necessitate sanding or the use of a dual-action polisher. Ceramic Coating Hardness Levels Contrary to popular belief, the hardness of ceramic coatings is determined using the Wolff-Wilborn Pencil Hardness Test, not the Mohs scale. Even yet, figures are often misconstrued. Some businesses may try to offer ceramic automobile coating bottles and sprays with a hardness rating of 10. This is understandably difficult, given that the scale only goes up to nine. Interestingly, many manufacturers offer pencil numbers up to 10H, so firms who boast this score aren't technically incorrect—but this pencil isn't any harder than a standard 9H pencil; hence, the 9H/10H in the name/description of some ceramic coatings. Furthermore, the scratch resistance of a ceramic coating for vehicles is not designed to be an indestructible covering that can withstand harsh surfaces smashing into it or severely harming its surface. It's a "sacrificial protective layer" that absorbs some damage, swirl marks, and scratches rather than the paint being the first line of defense (paint hardness is much softer than ceramic coatings, anyways). You can learn more about the hardness levels of Ceramic Coatings in this article. Best Ceramic Coatings 2024 - Ceramic Coat Expert's Top Picks Choose a premium, top-rated ceramic coating product from the list below. => Best Ceramic Coating rated my Ceramic Coat Expert: CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 Ceramic Coating | Buy Now => Best Value Ceramic Coating: Weiruixin 10H Ceramic Coating | Buy Now => Best Long-Life Ceramic Car Coating: Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) Ceramic Coating | Buy Now => Best Ceramic Coating Spray rated my Ceramic Coat Expert: System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating | Buy Now => Best Value Ceramic Coating Spray: Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating | Buy Now => Best Long-Life Ceramic Coating Spray: System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating | Buy Now => Best Graphene Ceramic Coating: Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating | Buy Now => Best Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray: 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating | Buy Now => Best Ceramic Spray Wax: Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax | Buy Now => Best Ceramic Coating for Plastics: CERAKOTE Plastic Trim Coat Kit | Buy Now => Best Ceramic Coating for Leather: GYEON Leather Shield Ceramic Coating | Buy Now => Best Ceramic Coating for Wheels: GYEON Rim Ceramic Coating | Buy Now => Best Beginner Friendly Ceramic Coating Spray: Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating | Buy Now Scroll down to view our top recommendations for the best ceramic coatings based on customer feedback. *Prices in this article were displayed in US dollars on Amazon.com (USA) as of February 2024. 1. Best Ceramic Coating rated my Ceramic Coat Expert—CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 Ceramic Coating We've been using this product for a long time and are well-versed in its intricacies. We utilize this product for our consumers because we want to provide them with the greatest quality we can stand behind. And the current version is CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0. If you're into Ceramic Coatings, you've probably heard of CarPro! We are not paid to say this, but we have opted to use this product since, when compared to other competitors, it just performed better in a way that works for us. Some of these items may outperform CarPro in some categories, but we believe this one is an all-around winner. Additionally, this Ceramic Coating promotes its 9H hardness level. CQ.UK 3.0 Ceramic Coating kit is one of the most effective Ceramic Coatings we've ever utilized. It comes highly recommended by us. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: A resistance to elements: A resistance to damage: B resistance to chemicals: A application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: A gloss / shine: B Average grade: B Cost: 47.33$ / 1 fl oz 1.60$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 Kit 2. Best Value Ceramic Coating—Weiruixin 10H Ceramic Coating Weiruixin 10H Ceramic Coating functioned more like a Spray-On Ceramic Coating but without the convenience of application or the enormous increase in product amount that sprays often provide. Overall, it wasn't bad, but if someone recommended this product to you while promising all of these things, you'd be a frustrated client with a distorted idea of what Ceramic Coatings are. This product did perform as one, but only mediocrely in all areas. Was the product diluted, or was it a diluted form of Ceramic Coating and had such a low price point as a result - we don't know, we aren't chemists, and we don't know their manufacturing method. In any case, we couldn't promote this product to our readers knowing that we couldn't stand by it. But again, if you want a cheap ceramic paint coating to test out perhaps or want some minimal protection and shine then Weiruixin 10H isn't a terrible option. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: D resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: B Average grade: C Cost: 14.79$ / 1 fl oz 0.50$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: Weiruixin 10H Ceramic Coating 3. Best Value Ceramic Coating—Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) Ceramic Coating Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light Ceramic Coating has unquestionably shown to be an excellent protective coating product and has elevated Gtechniq as a brand in our view. With so many new items arriving from all over the world, it might be difficult to know which one to trust because they all claim to be the greatest, the most durable, the one with the longest lifespan, and so on. Gtechniq CSL Ceramic Coating has fared successfully owing to its own marketing. We wouldn't say it has a dramatic influence on the paint, especially boosting, deepening, or gloss. It did, however, have a discernible impact that lasted the entirety of the torture test. Great ceramic coating overall! Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: A resistance to elements: A resistance to damage: B resistance to chemicals: A application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: A gloss / shine: C Average grade: B Cost: 65.06$ / 1 fl oz 2.20$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) Ceramic Coating 4. Best Value Ceramic Coating—System X Renew Ceramic Coating Spray It is truly a jewel among Ceramic Sprays, and we are surprised that it is not more widely recognized. We're glad we stumbled upon System X. It withstood every form of punishment we threw at it. While other ceramic coating sprays were washed away by rain, but most likely by using standard vehicle shampoo, this one lasted and lasted. As we tried to destroy it, it lost some of its gloss slickness and hydrophobic qualities. But it took a long time for it to lose its effectiveness. The only disadvantage we could find was that it is a little more difficult to apply. When buffing off the lotion, it does not buff off completely, leaving some haziness or streaks. However, you may resolve this issue by simply recoating the affected area and buffing it with a clean and dry microfiber towel. It's definitely worth your money. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: B resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: B application difficulty: B hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: B Average grade: B Cost: 3.49$ / 1 fl oz 0.12$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: System X Renew Ceramic Coating Spray 5. Best Value Ceramic Coating Spray—Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating There is a reason we began this piece with our experience with Mothers and our opinion of how most firms in the Automotive Detailing Industry function when it comes to releasing new products. We had previously tested this product at the time this piece was published, but we also had a suspicion before we started the test. Unfortunately, this one proved to be correct. Is this some kind of ceramic spray coating? It's possible! We can't test it inside a lab since we're not scientists or chemists. When exposed to these pollutants, it acted more like a car wax or paint sealant, in our opinion. It would be a solid paint protection agent if you used a pH-neutral vehicle shampoo and avoided utilizing those automated car washing facilities. In some rating categories, it may even outperform a Polymer Sealant. Is it very inexpensive for the amount of product you get? Of course, yes. Would we suggest it? Not exactly. We just couldn't say, 'yeah, it's a great product' and stand by our words when our reputation was on the line. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: D resistance to elements: D resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: E application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: D Average grade: D Cost: 0.58$ / 1 fl oz 0.02$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating 6. Best Long-Life Ceramic Coating Spray—System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating No, this is not a typo. System X is on this list more than once. The ceramic coating spray is simply THAT good, and we cannot think of a better candidate for this specific category. For a bit more detail, you can check our listing for Best Ceramic Coating Spray, rated my Ceramic Coat Expert up at number 4. System X offers a superb product, and if you are not going to opt for a traditional, or let us be specific - a true ceramic coating, then we suggest you go with this product. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: B resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: B application difficulty: B hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: B Average grade: B Cost: 3.49$ / 1 fl oz 0.12$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating 7. Best Graphene Ceramic Coating—Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating A list of best car coatings cannot go without at least 1 Adam's product. And what a product it is. They claim it is the best coating they have ever produced. And after testing, we have determined that that claim is quite true. This is one of the top coatings we've ever used. Considering all the ceramic and graphene coatings we've experimented with over the years, that is fantastic! Unquestionably, Adam's has produced something that we can suggest with ease. It is difficult to say if it will withstand the nine or more years it promises, but during testing, we gave it quite a beating, and it stood admirably after the dust had settled. It is a very durable coating, no question about it. A great recommendation! Check the full product review here. Specifications: product lifetime when applied: A+ resistance to elements: A resistance to damage: A resistance to chemicals: A application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: A Average grade: A Cost: 56.52$ / 1 fl oz 1.88$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating 8. Best Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray—303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating Simply said, this product blew us away. Surprise after surprise, and all in good fun! Even if you walked in entirely biased, you wouldn't be able to walk out without recognizing how excellent this ceramic spray coating is. 303 did a wonderful job there. And they should be commended for it. Was it the Graphene that made all the difference, or was it the Ceramic Coating recipe that was simply too good? It's difficult to say. If we had more scientific equipment to do more complex tests in those white lab coats, we could give you a clear answer. However, here we are. We were amazed by what we witnessed. If you're looking for a Ceramic Spray coating, go no further than 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating. And it is, without a doubt, the greatest Ceramic Spray coating we have ever used. We might even go so far as to say that outperforms some of the typical consumer-grade ceramic coatings we've used in the shop in the past. It comes in a conventional 24 fl oz container and should keep you satisfied for the duration of the summer at a reasonable price. If you despise all of the tedious prep work and materials required to properly ceramic coat a car, we highly recommend purchasing this product and seeing where it leads you! Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: D Average grade: C Cost: 2.08$ / 1 fl oz 0.07$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating 9. Best Ceramic Spray Wax—Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax Is this a ceramic coating product? No. At best, it functioned as a Car Wax or a Polymer Sealant. It had good hydrophobic capabilities until it was added to standard vehicle shampoo. It soon deteriorated, and once a stronger detergent was employed, it lost all of its hydrophobic qualities. For the money you pay, you get a great lot of product, a whopping 26 ounces! The disadvantage of this product is that it takes two applications when applied. We agree that only one would be enough because the second application, according to the mechanism utilized, is quite inefficient. For the second case, we would suggest a more traditional way. We would not provide a recommendation based on how well or poorly the product functioned, and we believe it is pricey, given how quickly and easily it fades. Its pricing is most likely due to the brand's name imprinted on it. Is it satisfactory? Not at all. But it's not terrible, either. If you have one of these, you may still apply it after each wash to add a little extra protection to the paint. The final grade speaks for itself, but it was also to be expected given that it is a spray-on form of Ceramic Coating or Ceramic Wax. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: D resistance to elements: D resistance to damage: F resistance to chemicals: E application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: B Average grade: D Cost: 0.74$ / 1 fl oz 0.03$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax 10. Best Ceramic Coating for Plastics—CERAKOTE Plastic Trim Coat Kit If you have faded, aged, or worn-out-looking plastic, we promise that this product will restore them to its former appearance. Of course, it doesn't matter what kind of plastic you use. But since we're talking about vehicles, let's stick to that. Do not use the product on other sorts of materials, according to the directions; we haven't tested it on other materials so we don't know how it would function, but on plastic, it is the best product we know of for that purpose. It all boils down to this: do you need to fix your car's plastic trim? CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer is available for purchase! Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: A resistance to elements: A resistance to damage: B resistance to chemicals: A application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: A gloss / shine: A Average grade: A Cost: 19.88$ / 1 vehicle kit BUY NOW on Amazon: CERAKOTE Plastic Trim Coat Kit 11. Best Ceramic Coating for Leather—GYEON Leather Shield Ceramic Coating Ah, GYEON... They've been around for about 10 years now, probably a bit more. GYEON originally started out as a car detailing company in South Korea. But, they are now a global powerhouse in the automotive detailing industry and have been for a very long time. If you are in car detailing, then you must've heard of GYEON and have likely used some of their products. We know we have. What we like about them the most is, and this is no joke - the packaging they use for their products. It is transparent, it is cool looking, and well, we love it. Their MOHS Ceramic Coating is top-notch, but. That product is not why we are here. Today we are presenting an amazing ceramic coating for the leather surfaces of your car. And out of all the leather ceramic coatings we've tried, this one took the top spot. If you have leather in your car, it doesn't matter if it is the seats, the door trim, the console, or even the steering wheel - you have to ask yourself the following question. "Do I want that nice-looking leather to look as nice after a decade?" If the answer is "No.", then we suggest you skip this product. But if, by any chance, the answer might be "Yes, yes please!", well... then we suggest you get yourself this product, apply it to all the leather trim of your car and reap the benefits. Check the article about ceramic coatings for leather here. BUY NOW on Amazon: GYEON Leather Shield Ceramic Coating 12. Best Ceramic Coating for Wheels—GYEON Rim Ceramic Coating GYEON, again! Well, they must be doing something right, other than providing pretty packaging for their products. Most people know that you can pretty much any quality ceramic coating on the wheels of your car. But, there is a reason why specialized ceramic coating for wheels was designed. Again, most people know that heat from heavy braking can leave ugly marks on the wheels. Also, brake dust is known for its difficulty when trying to remove it. Ceramic coating for wheels was designed to be a ceramic coating, but also to deal with those two pesky issues. If you want to avoid using aggressive chemicals to remove brake dust or you want to avoid getting scorch marks on your wheels, then we suggest you give this one a go and enjoy removing the difficult part in wheel maintenance while cleaning, and enjoy amazing-looking wheels for years to come! Check the article about ceramic coatings for wheels here. BUY NOW on Amazon: GYEON Rim Ceramic Coating 13. Best Beginner Friendly Ceramic Coating Spray—Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating To be honest, we were taken aback by this one. We've utilized turtle wax products in the past; some were fantastic, while others were less so. But this one, my goodness! This is a real find. And we wholeheartedly support this specific product. Given that spray Ceramic Coatings often perform poorly on all fronts except when it comes to application process difficulties, Turtle Wax Ceramic Spray Coating nailed it. We haven't evaluated all of their Hybrid Solutions goods, so we can't comment on them, but this one is - Amazing. It is affordable when you consider how many times you can use it for the price you spend. It is less expensive than some of the competition's ceramic spray coating products, which are inferior in our tests. So, in order not to irritate anyone, we will refrain from using names. This Spray-On Ceramic Coating is the best of all the ones we've tried. It will not function as well as a normal Ceramic Coating, but given how simple it is to apply, how little it costs, how long it takes to cover the entire car, and the fact that no prior training or expertise is required to work with it. "Just go for it!" is all that is left to say. If you want a more durable and long-lasting solution, read our evaluations or visit our top lists area to locate a regular Ceramic Coating that fulfills your needs and expectations, but if that is not the case, this is the one for you. Check the full product review here. Specifications: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: E resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: C Average grade: C Cost: 0.94$ / 1 fl oz 0.03$ / 1 ml BUY NOW on Amazon: Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating FAQ Which type of ceramic coating is best? The best type of ceramic coating depends on your specific needs and vehicle type. Traditional ceramic coatings, like CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0, offer long-lasting protection and gloss, while ceramic spray coatings, such as System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating, provide easier application and good durability. What is the longest lasting spray ceramic coating? System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating is highlighted for its exceptional longevity among spray coatings, offering a durable layer of protection that outperforms many competitors in its category. What ceramic coating lasts 5 years? No ceramic car coating products guarantee a 5-year lifespan (since maintenance plays a pivotal role in the longevity of ceramic coating). However, professional-grade coatings like Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) and Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating are known for their extended durability, with some products potentially reaching up to 5 years when properly maintained. What ceramic coating do professionals use? Professionals often use high-quality, long-lasting ceramic coatings such as CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0, Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL), and Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Coating. These products are favored for their superior protection, durability, and finish, making them a popular choice among detailing enthusiasts and professional garages alike. Best Ceramic Coatings - Final Thoughts Ceramic automotive coatings can shield car paint against UV rays, stone chips, brake dust, acid rain, and other potentially harmful objects and factors. These ceramic coatings, which provide long-lasting protection, commonly contain silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide. Aside from the finest ceramic coating, proper maintenance is also essential to guarantee that these paint protection films and sacrificial layers function well (no car wash immediately after application or exposing it to poor weather). The appropriate tools are also necessary. It's a good idea to have lots of microfiber towels, micro silk applicators, and sponges on hand. We hope you found our study of the best ceramic coating for vehicles useful. We strive to test various brands of Ceramic Coatings for all applications and see how they perform in the real world. We want the reader to see how a product actually performs instead of relying on brand advertisements so that you, the reader, can find a ceramic coating that works best for your specific needs. Cheers!

  • Review: CarPro CQUARTZ Lite Ceramic Coating

    Today we are looking at CarPro Lite Ceramic Coating. Is it any good? How did it perform during testing? Read on and find out! Get your CarPro CQUARTZ Lite Kit on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3KulijK Just to clarify - we are not sponsored by CarPro or any other manufacturer of Paint Protection products, and we will test and review the product as it is in real-world conditions. We will follow the manufacturer's instructions during the application process and we will prepare the surface to ensure the best finish and best adhesion possible. We are leaving an affiliate link to all our review products but in case the product turns out to be of low quality or not as all as advertised, we leave a warning to all our readers, and the quality of the product will always be reflected in the grade we assign to it at the end of every review. So if you do not want to sit through all of this text, you can scroll down to the Average Grade and read our Final Thoughts to get a general idea of what the product is all about. Contents: Why use CarPro CQuartz Lite? How to apply CarPro CQUARTZ Lite? So, how did CarPro Lite perform? What do we think about CarPro CQUARTZ Lite? So, CarPro Lite? It is no secret that we have been massive Carpro fans since the early days, and their CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 Ceramic Coating is still our top favorite out of all the consumer-grade Ceramic Coatings we have used in our career. We have the exciting task to test out and do a proper review on another Carpro product. Naturally, we are stoked and can't wait to see how it performs. On our hands, we have CarPro Cquartz Lite Ceramic Coating, the 150ml Kit Version. Just to clarify, Lite is based on the 3.0 formula, but it is in no way a successor to that product. CarPro Lite Ceramic Coating is a toned-down version of the 3.0 formula that sacrifices longevity and durability for ease of use and price reduction. Is that a worth-vile sacrifice to make? We will see soon enough. Why use CarPro CQuartz Lite? With a life of 6+ months, it provides the same resistance to UV, stains, grime, and pollutants. Because of its self-cleaning qualities, it is simple to maintain. Use it as a stand-alone ceramic coating or as a topper for an existing CQUARTZ coating. CQUARTZ Lite is perfect as a gateway ceramic coating as it is created for people who aren't ready to dive into the industry-leading strength of our professional strength coatings. Excellent choice for expert detailers, DIYers, and weekend warriors that are into cars in general. It is also handy to know that you can use this product pretty much on any surface of your car's exterior except the windshield. What did we get with the Kit? The CarPro CQUARTZ Lite 150ml Kit includes the following: CQUARTZ Lite 150ml Bottle x1 Microfiber Applicator x2 CARPRO 2Face No Lint Towel x1 3M Face Mask x1 User Manual x1 The 150ml bottle of CQuartz Lite will last you around 15 uses in a medium-sized vehicle. It is suggested, and we agree, that you apply two coatings to each car. For optimal results, wait an hour after applying the first coat before applying the second coat. The coating should last up to 6 months if properly applied. It all relies on the temperature and weather conditions in your area, as well as the methods and chemicals you use to clean your automobile. For more details, read this article to understand how to best care for your vehicle after applying Ceramic Coatings and how to keep them as long as possible. How to apply CarPro CQUARTZ Lite? You are given a handy User Manual with clear instructions along with the product. We first need to prepare the surface of the car properly so that the coating can cure on top of the paint. Otherwise, if we skipped this step, you would have uneven coverage or very little, at least. Here you can read our step-by-step guide on how to fully prepare a car for ceramic coating like a professional. Once the car has been prepared, we are instructed to apply 10-12 drops on top of the applicator and to apply the product onto the pain while working one section at a time. This way, you are ensuring complete coverage and are making sure you have no streaks. The microfiber applicators are super handy, in our opinion, as you can slide three or even four fingers into them to make sure you do not squish them while applying or that your hand doesn't slide off them in the application process, which can be annoying. We are all large-sized dudes, and we can easily stick three fingers into them. We are hopeful that that crucial information helped some of you, haha. You should be careful, however, when using them because they have one huge drawback. While the fingers inside the applicator thing are super handy for control, it also gives you a false sense of security, and what can happen is that the finger or fingers that are not inside the applicator accidentally touch the car surface. Now, our advice is - always use latex gloves when working with cars. But if, for whatever reason, you aren't using gloves, then be mindful of those fingers outside. You see, fingers have oils on them that are excreted naturally by our bodies. You might also have dirt or grease on them from touching things. All those things need to be fully removed from the paint of a car before applying a ceramic coating. We are sure you can see how this can potentially ruin a job. Or at least be a huge annoyance. Anyway, we suggest using gloves. They are inexpensive, and they can be worth gold just for preventing things that you wouldn't even think of during a car detailing job. If you get your fingers on top of it, then clean and degrease that area. Dry it and then redo it. Do not leave anything to chance because you do not want the customer to leave unhappy, even if that customer is you! Ok, now what is very different than traditional ceramic coatings is that you do not need to apply the product onto the paint first and then wait for the flash-point of the coating, but instead apply it and buff it off immediately. Make sure to use a clean and dry microfiber towel for buffing, and also make sure to remove all possible high spots that might be present. Now, should you use the applicator that is given with the package for application, or should you use the traditional block plus suede combo? That is really up to you. But we feel like you will get a better result sticking to the traditional and tested technique. That doesn't mean that you will have a botched job if you go for the applicator. That is most likely a personal preference. You know what? We will test both and see how they turn out. Two layers are recommended, so once you finish your first pass you have to wait one hour and then can start applying the second layer. Once you are done, you do not have to wait one or two days, or in some cases, a week, for the coating to cure, but instead, only about 4 hours. That surely is quick. It is further recommended that if your car is not garaged for the next 48 hours and protected from possible rain or water, 1 hour after the 1st layer has been applied, you apply one final layer of CarPro Reload to protect the coating from possible water spots. Anyone who has anything to do with the car detailing industry knows what a nuisance those can be. So if you do not have the car garaged for the next 2 days, we suggest either trusting the weather forecast or using CarPro Reload. So, how did CarPro Lite perform? First of all, we will note that we tried applying this ceramic coating with the given applicator and with the suede block method, and the latter method, the traditional one, won by a landslide. It left a much deeper shine, and the overall finish was much better compared to the panel that was done with the applicator that came with the kit. The applicator didn't do badly, but when examining it with a lamp, you could clearly see the difference. Second, the product performed very, very well. We might just say that we were impressed because from the start, we knew that CarPro tried creating this hybrid between a traditional ceramic coating and a ceramic spray coating, and, well, we weren't sure how we felt about that. Well, we have no problem admitting when we are wrong, and, well, this one truly exceeded our expectations. It was a bit tacky upon application in the buffing process, but that is normal, considering it contains around 45% solids, and that number is extremely high when compared to ceramic sprays. We didn't struggle but we can see someone new to ceramic coatings might. So while we didn't have any problems, if you are a novice, please look out for those high spots and streaks and deal with them accordingly. This article covers advice on how to deal with both streaks and high spots. The way it enhanced the color of the car was really something. You could clearly see the difference between before and after with your naked eye. It was obvious. Cquartz Lite is extremely hydrophobic, and water runs for its life when introduced. Even after dozen washes, the coating still had all of its hydrophobicity when applied, proving its promised durability and its 3.0 formula origins. Let us see how we have decided to grade this product: product lifetime when applied: C resistance to elements: B resistance to damage: D resistance to chemicals: B application difficulty: B hydrophobic properties: A gloss / shine: B Average grade: B Cost: 12.42$ / 1 fl oz 0.42$ / 1 ml What do we think about CarPro CQUARTZ Lite? Considering how much you get and how much you pay for it, and how it ultimately performed - this surely is one of the top coatings out there - at least from an economic standpoint. In our opinion, the lifetime of 6+ months is its biggest flaw. Low resistance to damage is to be expected from this type of coating, but the lifetime simply is not very good. Even though it is bottled, for a moment, we even considered ranking this product in the ceramic spray category. Numerous Ceramic Coatings are better, and heck, it is not even a traditional Ceramic Coating when it comes to it. So no, it will never be the best. But it has its place, even among professionals. Because it is so easy to work with and easy to apply, it is perfect for newcomers that want to try Ceramic Coating a car but aren't sure about themselves. It is the perfect teaching tool and will still give you all the protection of a traditional ceramic coating - at least to some degree. If you buy it, you will not regret it, and a great thing about it is that it will last you a while! We are happy to stake our reputation behind this product and recommend it to everyone out there looking to use paint protection on their vehicle or any other vehicle for that matter. If you want a better ceramic coating, then you will need to accept the increased price, likely double the amount. You will also suffer the much-increased application difficulty that also comes with a very small error margin that this product simply doesn't have. If you are experienced and are looking for the best, then CQuartz Lite is likely not for you, unless you want a topper or something that you can apply quickly for whatever reason - perhaps a cheaper package for personal use, or even a training product. Suppose you are new to car detailing, paint protection, or ceramic coatings in general. Or if you have never ceramic-coated a car before, then this is probably the best product that you can buy. Cheers! Get your CarPro CQUARTZ Lite Kit on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3KulijK

  • Ceramic Coating Bottle - Plastic or Glass?

    Recently, as the site started growing more rapidly, we have got a lot of different questions from our readers. As we go about tackling each and one of them, today we have on our plate the infamous question of whether a Ceramic Coatings bottle that is used to store the product should be plastic or glass. Or another one, that is a bit more straightforward - 'Are ceramic coatings in a plastic bottle fake?'. Just as a quick disclaimer - we aren't scientists. We do not have a fancy lab with expensive testing equipment along with a Ph.D. and an IQ of 250. But we have almost 2 decades of experience with Ceramic Coatings under our belt, and that must count for something. We will answer that question by using what we have seen and experienced firsthand in all those years while working with many different Ceramic Coating products from all over the world and from many, many different manufacturers. So here we go! Contents: Can Ceramic Coating be packaged in a plastic bottle? What is the shelf life of Ceramic Coating? So why even package Ceramic Coatings in plastic instead of glass bottles? Should Ceramic Coating be packaged in a glass or plastic container? How should Ceramic Coating be stored? What is the shelf life of a Ceramic Coating? Is a plastic container an indicator that the ceramic coating is snake oil? Can Ceramic Coating be packaged in a plastic bottle? Yes, yes it can. Should it be? Well, that is a bit complicated, but if you want to be safe - then the answer is, "No, it shouldn't be stored in a plastic bottle." If you buy a Ceramic Coating and it arrives in a plastic bottle, you are instantly thinking to yourself "Oh Lord, why me? I have been ripped off!" - calm down. Everything will be ok. We promise! The reason why this information is popular in the car detailing industry is that it had some truth to it. The problem is the name 'ceramic coating' being used for different types of products. What do we mean by that? Ceramic Coatings are basically made out of 3 things: solids, solvents, and additives. Different products have different ratios of the thee in their formula. And of course, the types of solvents, additives, and their respective quality as well. It is like trying to recreate the taste of Coca-Cola. You know the ingredients, but somehow there are hundreds of products out there that try to mimic the giant, and yet not one tastes the same. Now, the Ceramic Coating, namely the liquid, may expand in the packaging due to changes in pressure or temperature and the chemical processes that both would impose on the coating itself. And such pressure changes might compromise the packaging and thus compromise the product itself. That is why it is not recommended to store ceramic coatings in plastic containers at all, but instead, use glass or, in some cases, even metals ( usually aluminum ). The truth is that this is not very straightforward or easy to answer, though, because there is more to it than just what we have just said. You also have to consider the shelf life and the storage instructions of each individual product you might have. What is the shelf life of Ceramic Coating? The average is about one year for an unopened product and about 3 - 6 months for an opened one as air is introduced to the solution. Again, this is also not really simple to answer as you have to consider other factors as well. Not each product is one year of shelf life, and in case the ceramic coating has been opened, it depends on how long it was opened for and what type of packaging it is. It depends on whether the ceramic coating comes with a dropper or is intended to be applied via a pipette. The ones that come with a pipette have a larger opening and a letting more air more easily once it is opened, while the ones that come with a dropper still let air in, but in a much smaller volume. These two factors do not determine how good or bad a ceramic coating is at all. They only determine how long the product will last once it has been opened. It also depends heavily on where you store the bottle. Is it in a cool place or a warm one, is it in direct sunlight, or is it in a dark place? So why even package Ceramic Coatings in plastic instead of glass bottles? Easy, it costs less. And it weighs less as well, so the transport and manufacturing costs go way down if you use plastic. So, even though you might come across amazing quality Ceramic Coating products, they just might be packaged in a thick plastic bottle. You never know. This is also the reason why Ceramic Spray Coatings have not considered 'real' ceramic coatings since they almost always come in a plastic container because the amount of solids they contain is very low, around 10 - 15 %, compared to standard ceramic coatings that have 45 - 100 % of solids in them. Because of this percentage, ceramic spray coatings have almost no risk of expansion due to external elements, and plastic packaging is the obvious choice for them. Hopefully, all of the above puts some clarity on the issue at hand. But for those that are screaming for a simple and short answer, below is the summary of what we have told so far. Should Ceramic Coating be packaged in a glass or plastic container? Glass is best, but plastic can be used as well if it is thick enough and if the composition of the ceramic coating allows it without compromising the integrity of the solution. How should Ceramic Coating be stored? In a dark and cool place. Avoid direct sunlight. You do not have to store it in a refrigerator. A dark place is usually cool enough. The best practice is to follow the manufacturers' instructions to get the most out of the product. What is the shelf life of a Ceramic Coating? If it is not opened, the average is one year, depending on the product in question. But if it is stored in a cool and dark place, it can last for years even, again, depending on the product. If it has been opened, however, then the shelf life drops significantly based on how much oxygen has been introduced to the coating and, again, how it is stored. Is a plastic container an indicator that the ceramic coating is snake oil? It can be. But it isn't really. If the plastic container is thick you still might have an amazing product on your hands. If you bought a fake ceramic coating, or what we like to call 'snake oil', it is likely packaged in a plastic container. But the reason behind it is usually not what you might first think. The real reason why fake or low-quality ceramic coatings are in plastic containers is that if someone wants to scam you, they do not want to spend too much money on it. That doesn't mean that the same might not come in a glass or aluminum container. It just means that that scenario is unlikely to happen as it would involve a much higher cost and a higher risk which a scammer might not be comfortable with. We hope we didn't give anyone any ideas about that. Ok lads, that about covers this issue. We hope we have answered your question clearly but be sure to contact us via our social networks or via email at info@ceramiccoatexpert.com. You can also check out more myths regarding ceramic coatings in this article, or you can check out the commonly asked questions regarding ceramic coatings. Cheers!

  • Ceramic Spray Coating - TOP 10

    This is our new and updated top list of the best Ceramic Coating Spray in 2024. The summer is coming up, and we are ready to bring out our metallic friends for a drive. And, yes, we want them to look good and shiny! So here we go! Contents: Top 10 Best Ceramic Spray Coatings ranked by Ceramic Coat Expert Is ceramic coating spray the best product for that? Well, that depends. Do you like renting that tux so you look nice once, or do you like to buy yourself a nice suit and wear it more often? If it is the rented tux, then ceramic sprays are for you, but if it is the latter, then we suggest sticking to regular ceramic coating. Now, recently we've got a few angry emails from our readers about how we are misleading our readers by telling them that Ceramic Spray Coatings are the real deal when they are not. True Ceramic Coating cannot be stored in a plastic bottle because it would react with it on a molecular level and it would ruin the product. This is why true ceramic coating products are all stored in glass bottles. That is true. But it is also true that we have never had such claims. In fact, we have been strong anti-supporters of Ceramic Spray Coatings from the start, and we still are. We have been telling you how these products are not the real deal and how marketing can be a tricky and slippery slope that we all have to find our balance on. We didn't name these products 'Ceramic Spray Coatings'. But we all do know them by that name. That is the only reason why we are using the word 'ceramic' alongside those plastic spray bottled products. If it were to us, we would most likely just call them 'sealants'. That is it. But it is not up to us, so we call them as everyone else calls them. So, are Ceramic Spray Coatings true Ceramic Coatings? No, they are most certainly not. But. Do they have a place in the detailing industry? Well, yes. They give you some sort of protection, and while it is horrible compared to a true ceramic coating, it does come with a few benefits: it is easy to apply it is much cheaper than a true ceramic coating and you get more product quantity for more uses And with all that, will they protect your car as a true ceramic coating would? Of course not. But, again, there are some good ones in this category too. And some not-so-good ones, really. That is why we took the time to test each one, and we have ranked them for you to see which one is good and which one simply blows. When it comes to long-term and high-quality solutions to protect the paint on their automobiles, all those "wonderful, unequaled, and greatest goods" appear quite alluring to individuals who are unfamiliar with Ceramic Coatings or Paint Protection choices in general. That is natural, and it is the essence of marketing. All you need to know is that you're not receiving a traditional Ceramic Coating, or even what you'd expect a Ceramic Coating to be, but rather a substantially weakened form of one. 'Is Ceramic Coating Spray a Scam?' you might wonder. No, that would most likely be inflated as well. We're not here to inflate things to fit our story; instead, we're here to provide honest assessments of those items and how they work in real-world situations. Should you happen to look for a more serious and quality way to protect the paintwork on your car, you can check out our Top List of standard Ceramic Coatings. A little bit about us We work in the vehicle exterior detailing industry and specialize in car paint protection, namely Ceramic Coatings. We've been in the detailing industry for 18 years, so we know a thing or two about Ceramic Coatings and their weaker Spary-On siblings. You can click here if you would like to know how we test, review, and grade Ceramic Coating products. We're putting up a top-five list of the five Ceramic Spray Coatings we've examined on our site. The reason we chose only those is so you have an easy-to-read list of which Ceramic Coating Spray product is the best on our blog and why. So, with a brief summary in the style of a mini-review, you'll know which one is the worst and why. That way, you can see them as a ranked list while still being able to click on each one for a detailed evaluation if you want to learn more about them. We may also create a list of other items in the future so that you can see how all of these different products compare to one another and how they vary, as well as what makes them stand out from their competition. We've compiled a list of all the Ceramic Spray Coatings we've reviewed into one convenient Top List so you can see for yourself what's what fast and easily. So, let's have a look at this top ten list. Top 10 Best Ceramic Spray Coatings ranked by Ceramic Coat Expert: 1. System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: B resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: B application difficulty: B hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: B Average grade: B Cost: 3.49$ / 1 fl oz 0.12$ / 1 ml So with Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating dethroned, we have a new king on top of this list! Let us introduce you to System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating! To be honest, we had barely heard of it before we ordered it and had it tested. It was kinda there in the background, but if it weren't for you readers, we would have missed this gem. It tested amazingly! The biggest flaw with spray-on ceramic coating products is that they wash off so easily. Some even with plain water. Yikes! But this one, we kept punishing with soap wash after soap wash and it endured and endured. It certainly did fail at one point. But man, it puts even some true ceramic coatings to shame. Certainly an impressive product. It does come with the biggest price tag out of the lot, but again, it is cheaper than a true ceramic coating. You still get the ease of application benefit even though this one is a tad bit harder to apply. Nothing too hard, though. And you can use it on a few vehicles. Or cover yours a couple of times before you run out of product. We suggest you stick with the 16 oz bottle as it is the most economical option. And the spray coating will last you a while—no need for you to use it up in a certain amount of time. We would still favor a true ceramic coating because it still offers more, and most importantly, it will last you much, much longer. But if you do not want to spend the money or do not have all the prerequisites to ceramic coat a car yourself, then System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating is the product for you! If you would like to see our full review of System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating, then click here. If you wish to buy System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating - click here! 2. Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: E resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: C Average grade: C Cost: 0.94$ / 1 fl oz 0.03$ / 1 ml 2nd place, we still have ourselves our good old Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating! It performed amazingly then, and it still performs amazingly now. And for the price you pay for it - this one might easily take number one. But we chose quality, and System X simply is the better product when it comes to that. This one astonished us with its capacity to withstand heavier chemicals, something that many Ceramic Spray Coatings appear to lack. It repels water well and is a smart and quick solution to preserve your vehicle's paint if you're in a rush or don't have the time or circumstances to coat the surface with professional Ceramic Coating. In all of those circumstances, this will suffice, and it will last a long time and withstand at least a few washes! Without a doubt, one of the greatest Spray-On Ceramic Coatings we've ever worked with. The amount you obtain is perhaps the nicest feature of Ceramic Spray Coatings. This one comes in a 16-ounce bottle, providing it with a better quantity-to-price ratio than the rest of the pack. If you only care about getting the job done fast and don't mind if the protection lasts a long time and protects your automobile as well as it possibly can, this product is highly recommended by us! If you would like to see our full review of Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating, then click here. If you wish to buy Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating - click here! 3. 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: D Average grade: C Cost: 2.08$ / 1 fl oz 0.07$ / 1 ml At number 3, we have ourselves again a new entry - 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating! 303 is a giant in the paint protection industry, and they have been around for almost half a century. That had a lot of time for research and creating some amazing products. And, well... they did create some amazing products - and 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating is one of them. It deals amazingly with the greatest flaw of ceramic coating sprays - resistance to chemicals. The coating sticks and soldiers on for a long time before you start noticing a decline in performance. It won't cost you that much, and if the above products are not available, then this one will certainly make you happy. And we are happy to put our name behind it for a recommendation. The only flaw that we could tell was the graphene part. Whether graphene does anything to improve the quality of ceramic spray coatings or ceramic coatings, in general, remains to be seen. We certainly have our opinion about graphene coatings, and you can read all about it here. But it is not that part that we consider a flaw, but instead, the part where they are a bit harder to apply part of all graphene-infused coatings. The kind of sludginess that comes with them and the blackness that they leave on the applicators and towels. They tend to be harder to buff off as well. All that put aside, this product performed excitingly well in our testing, and we have been pleasantly surprised. Keep in mind that we have tried a lot of different products and brands, and when we say that something is above good, then that definitely means something. If you would like to see our full review of 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating, then click here. If you wish to buy 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating - click here! 4. Adam’s UV Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: D resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: B Average grade: C Cost: 2.37$ / 1 fl oz 0.08$ / 1 ml Adam’s UV Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating was the second-best product we had on the previous list. It had a bit of a fall. But it still stands strong at the top end of the top list of best ceramic spray products we have tested and reviewed so far. The graphene element of the marketing approach is probably what pushed the price up into the stratosphere, and this product would probably sell much better if it was just called 'Adam's Ceramic Spray Coating,' period, without the fancy jargon. The thing is that if graphene adds any value to the product, it does so in a minor way. Who knows, it might be exacerbating the problem. The 'Glow' technology, which can be used with a UV lamp or any UV light source to monitor which parts of the automobile have already been coated, sets this product apart from its competitors. That function is very beginner-friendly, but it might be pricey if you don't have the necessary equipment. This one comes in a 12 oz bottle, which is likely the only reason it isn't at the top of the list. Once you get the hang of it, it's quite simple to deal with, and the coating's lifetime will be far above normal for Spray-On Ceramic Coating goods. If you would like to see our full review of Adam’s UV Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating, then click here. If you wish to buy Adam’s UV Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating - click here! 5. Nexgen Ceramic Spray How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: D resistance to elements: E resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: C application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: C Average grade: C Cost: 2.75$ / 1 fl oz 0.09$ / 1 ml Nexgen Ceramic Spray was probably the most recommended product for us to review, and it did ok. It placed itself in the middle of the pack, being neither very good nor very bad. If the price on it was a bit lower, it might have been further up the list. We feel it is well-placed, meaning that if you decide to go for this product, you will not be amazed, but more importantly, you will not be disappointed or left feeling scammed. We cannot really tell you what its best feature is, apart from how easy it is to work with. It is a well-rounded product. We definitely suggest you read the full review of the product we made earlier. We do hope that with the next iteration of the product, Nexgen will absorb all the feedback it got from consumers, and they will make an even better product. If you would like to see our full review of Nexgen Ceramic Spray, then click here. If you wish to buy Nexgen Ceramic Spray - click here! 6. Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: D resistance to elements: D resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: E application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: D Average grade: D Cost: 0.58$ / 1 fl oz 0.02$ / 1 ml Mothers have been around for a long time and have produced some incredible things. This one, on the other hand, isn't something they'd be proud of. It may be sold in that manner, but don't be tricked. Is it worthwhile to purchase? We wouldn't suggest it, but if you already have it or can't find anything better, and you truly want a quick and easy paint protection treatment, we guess you may try it. If you know what you're purchasing, it's not a complete waste of money. The issue with these items is that they are surrounded by so much hype that they raise their customers' expectations to ridiculous heights, only to be disappointed when they do not perform as promised. This is still a possible choice if you are aware of all of this. With a huge 24 ounces bottle, Mothers CSC is definitely among the best bang for your buck among Spray-On Coatings. Wow. That is unquestionably worthwhile. We can recommend it if you don't mind using it a little more frequently than other products, such as after each wash or every second wash, depending on the vehicle shampoo you're presently using. If you're going to use Ceramic Spray Coatings, we still recommend going with a superior alternative. If you would like to see our full review of the Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating, then click here. If you wish to buy Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating - click here! 7. The Last Coat - Premium Ceramic Spray Coating How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: C resistance to elements: D resistance to damage: F resistance to chemicals: D application difficulty: B hydrophobic properties: D gloss / shine: C Average grade: D Cost: 2.23$ / 1 fl oz 0.08$ / 1 ml The Last Coat Ceramic Spray was also among the top-recommended products by you guys for us to test and review. And, well, it didn't do that great. There are certainly better ceramic spray products out there. Does that mean it is horrible? Well, no, not really. It had a below-average performance. It was a bit harder to work with. And it costs above average compared to the rest of the contenders on the list. They certainly might be onto something with the product, and if they play their cards well, it might be a platform to create something better in the future. The thing they probably shouldn't touch is the gloss/shine it provides. We think it does pretty well in that category of spray-on coating. Or, who knows, maybe they can just further enhance it to make it stand out more among the competition! If you would like to see our full review of The Last Coat - Premium Ceramic Spray Coating, then click here. If you wish to buy The Last Coat - Premium Ceramic Spray Coating - click here! 8. Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: D resistance to elements: D resistance to damage: F resistance to chemicals: E application difficulty: C hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: B Average grade: D Cost: 0.74$ / 1 fl oz 0.03$ / 1 ml You've probably come across the term Meguiars if you've done any research on the automotive detailing industry. They are most likely one of the most well-known car detailing brands available. And with good cause - they do offer some incredible things, but let's face it... They also have some fantastic marketing. That is something you just cannot overlook. To be honest, it performed just as expected. It has strong water-repelling capabilities and provides a considerable degree of shine while on your car's paint. The issue is that even the smallest bit of detergent will remove it. To have a chance of lasting, you'd have to use the more expensive pH-neutral vehicle shampoos. When working with this product, frequent applications are necessary. Now, to be fair, this product wasn't advertised as it was doing more than it said it would or that it would perform miracles. So we still have our respect for Meguiar's. While this product might not be the best from their line, they do have some truly amazing products for different tasks, and if you are doing any car detailing, we are sure you know which products we are referring to. With a 26-ounce container, it's certainly at the top in terms of quantity provided, but two coatings are required to be effective as claimed, and that isn't much, essentially reducing those 26 ounces to 13. Furthermore, the unusual application of the second layer is a dubious and likely inefficient technique that degrades the quantity you obtain even more. When you combine it with the high price associated with the brand name, you have a product that we would not recommend to our readers. This product is nothing more than a Car Sealant, really, and Meguiars would be better off advertising it as such and excluding the word "Ceramic" from the product name. A Sealant would be in the middle between a Car Wax and a Ceramic Coating, and they have the word "hybrid" in there... odd. Meguiar's makes several fantastic products, but the Hybrid Ceramic Wax isn't one of them. If you would like to see our full review of Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax, then click here. If you wish to buy Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax - click here! 9. SHINE ARMOR Fortify Quick Coat How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: E resistance to elements: E resistance to damage: D resistance to chemicals: E application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: C gloss / shine: C Average grade: D Cost: 2.49$ / 1 fl oz 0.08$ / 1 ml Shine Armor, oh my! If you're into car detailing and haven't heard of Shine Armor, you've probably been living under a rock. Shine Armour has been heard of and was maybe utilized by everyone and their grandmothers at some point in their lives. The excitement around this device could most likely recharge a dead vehicle battery and convert it into a nuclear reactor. They have the finest advertisements, they're everywhere, they have the nicest packaging, and their purple-colored liquid is easily identifiable. Except for the goods they're selling, they have the finest of everything. Is it effective? Yes, of course. You may spray it on and rub it off immediately away, or you can wait a little longer if you like. It becomes smooth almost instantaneously, and you can test it by placing the bottle on top of the coated surface and seeing if it slides down. We've tried it several times, and it actually works. However, some of the claims made by this firm about what their device can or can't accomplish are plainly absurd. It can be removed with one or two washes of standard inexpensive vehicle shampoo. And, unless you want to harm the paint on our car, the wash-less function they promote is perhaps just plain foolish. 'Cleaning' the paint by dragging dirt and other particles across it is a formula for disaster. While you're doing it, you may as well use sandpaper instead of a microfiber towel. Shine Armor also says that this is beneficial for conserving water. You could fill a swimming pool with this stuff before cutting your losses, considering how much it costs. Considering how eco-friendly everything is of late and the water laws in some countries - a touchless wash might seem like a great idea. But even if it worked well, damaging your car's paint with scratches and swirl marks is simply not worth it. SHINE ARMOR costs an absurd amount of money. Probably the highest price you can pay for a product with just 8 Fl Oz of packaging!!! When you compare that to the 24 or 26 fluid ounces that the goods above this one on the list provided, it's clear that this is ludicrous. You could be thinking, "Well, if the product is good, it's still worth paying," but it isn't. Apart from its attractive design, color, pleasant grapey aroma, and the one-trick pony that comes with the slippery bottle, this product offers nothing else. There is a superior, less expensive, and more cost-effective product available. SHINE ARMOUR, as a result of all of this, earns the last slot on our list. We do not suggest this product to our readers, or anybody else for that matter. After all of this, and after reading the entire review, you could still be thinking, "They're just haters." or something like that. However, in such a case, we dare you to purchase the product and put it to the test! Wait! After all the beating Shine Armor took, it wasn't placed at the bottom of the list? But how? What could be worse than that? We are glad you've asked. If you would like to see our full review of SHINE ARMOR Fortify Quick Coat, then click here. If you wish to buy SHINE ARMOR Fortify Quick Coat - click here! 10. Ethos Resist Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray How we have graded this product: product life time when applied: E resistance to elements: E resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: E application difficulty: A hydrophobic properties: E gloss / shine: D Average grade: E Cost: 2.37$ / 1 fl oz 0.08$ / 1 ml Enter Ethos Resist Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray! So, how do we even describe it? Remember Shine Armor Fortify Coat? Yes, take that and downgrade it even further. Give it a different color—no nice grapey smell. And there you have it! We do not know what happened with this product, really. Was it miscommunication in the development process where the development team was saying, 'This product is horrible, do not market it until we fix it' and management heard, 'Yes, yes, this product is amazing! Let's produce it ASAP!'. It is truly a mystery. We mean, it is a coating product that promotes hydrophobicity more than anything else. And it doesn't have it. Barely anyway. After even a double application. The day after it had no more sickness and no more hydrophobic properties at all. And the only thing that attacked it was a mild overnight rain. We mean, we get it. Rain can also have a higher pH value making it acidic. But really? What is the point? Are you supposed to apply this product every day or any time you take the car for a spin? Ethos Resist Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray is truly one of the worst ceramic spray coatings we have tried in our career. It is worse than many waxes and sealants that we have tried as well. We definitely do not recommend it and suggest you keep your hard-earned money for a product that will actually do as advertised, at least that anyway. Why anyone would want to buy this product is simply beyond us. We don't know. Maybe you are just crazy. Or you told everyone that you are going to buy the worst carp ceramic spray coatings have to offer and that nobody can stop you! We bear no hate towards Ethos, and if their product performed better, they would certainly sit higher on the list. But it is as it is. We bought it, we tested it, and the results spoke for the product better than anything else could. If you would like to see our full review of Ethos Resist Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray, then click here. If you wish to buy Ethos Resist Graphene Ceramic Coating Spray - click here! That concludes our Top List of all the Ceramic Spray Coating we've examined on our site. Stay away from bad products and go for nothing below quality. We hope that our testing gives car detailing products the name they deserve, whether it is good or bad. Because when someone new to such products looks at them, they will mostly promise similar things, and how are they to know which products are genuine and which ones are trash-tier? Well, they cannot. They have to take a leap of faith and get what they get. This is why we like to do these real-world tests. We'll definitely consider compiling a Top 15 or perhaps a Top 20 list of Ceramic Spray Coatings because there are so many, and we've utilized and tested most of them. So, even without rigorous testing and written reviews, we might reasonably put them in order to rate them fairly among themselves. Please let us know if you'd like that! You can always email us at ceramiccoatexpert@gmail.com or contact us via one of our social media groups! We hope that this easy-to-read and navigate-through list was useful and that it has provided you with a greater understanding of this ever-growing business. As long as vehicles exist, there will be items designed to keep them looking new and fresh for as long as possible. We'll be there to help you through it all. Cheers!

  • Review: System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating

    Let's be real here; there are a lot of Ceramic Spray Coatings on the market, and System X Renew Ceramic coating is just one of many. Much more than we can handle in a short amount of time. If you want a full and honest review, then you need to put in the hours and give each one of the products a chance. That is why we decided to please our readers and make a review on all the most requested Ceramic Spray Coatings that we managed to get our hands on. We have plans for more, but some of the products were temporarily out of stock. Whether they were region-locked or there was a shortage of materials to manufacture them - we simply don't know. We are, however, keeping a tab on what you guys want, and as soon as we are able, we will commit to giving you more! Contents: System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating Specifications How did System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating perform? FAQ Final thoughts on System X Renew Ceramic Coating Spray? Today on our hands, we have a perhaps lesser-known ceramic coating spray made by System X., and with the 'Renew' in its name, we first thought it was one of those products that help existing ceramic coatings last longer, but - no! While it can be used as a topper, that seems not to be the case here, as it can be used as a standalone product. We will test it as such. System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating is a stand-alone product that is meant to be used on its own. Is it good? Is it bad? Well, we do not know, but we sure are eager to find out! Spoiler alert, we had heard some good things about it from some friends that had the chance to use this one. But, we are here to see what a product is all about with our own eyes so we can write about it as it is! Just to clarify - we are not sponsored by System X, or any other manufacturer of Paint Protection products, and we will test and review the product as it is in real-world conditions. We will follow the manufacturer's instructions during the application process and we will prepare the surface to ensure the best finish and best adhesion possible. We are leaving an affiliate link to all our review products but in case the product turns out to be of low quality or not as all as advertised we leave a warning to all our readers and the quality of the product will always be reflected in the grade we assign to it at the end of every review. So if you do not want to sit through all of this text, you can scroll down to the Average Grade and read our Final Thoughts to get a general idea of what the product is all about. System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating Get your System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/36PPHL2 Let's have a look at some of the claims and features that this product has to offer: bottle size 16.9 fl oz hyper gloss ultra hydrophobic coating long-lasting protection: 9+ months true SiO2 coating multi-surface safe made in the USA You guys know that we get immediately nervous as soon as we start seeing all these big words and complex text. It immediately seems like a politician is trying to sell me something or that it is supposed to distract me from the fact that it blows. Well, we do have a lot of big words here, and we will do our best to ignore them and let the results speak for the product instead. We do like the fact that while an 8 oz bottle is available; the flagship is the 16.9 oz packaging. Perhaps they went for the usual 16 or wanted to get to 17 somehow but got confused in the production process and ended up just short of 17. Means nothing really, but we thought it was interesting and fun! We may hypothesize about what something is or how it should or could operate, but to be honest, the best thing to do is to put it to the test in real-world situations and see for ourselves. We will apply the product according to the manufacturer's instructions, as you should always do. Some items may fall into the same category as others you've used before, but they may have an entirely distinct application strategy that determines how effectively they operate. So, to be sure and get the best results, we'll always use a product that follows the instructions in the letter. Ok so before we do anything, we need to prepare the car's surface for ceramic coating. To learn what this process looks like and learn all the juicy tips and tricks click the link above. Once the car's surface is clean and ready to be coated, we'll need a microfiber applicator (or a folded-down microfiber towel if you don't have one) and System X Renew Ceramic Spray. Pre-separate the car into smaller sections so you can apply the product more easily and avoid accidentally missing a place. Apply the product to the working area, making sure it is well covered. Do not rub the product; simply apply it. You should apply the product and then wait for it to dry. After you've completely covered the area you're working on, let it sit for around 2 minutes until it hits its flashing time. You'll need to buff the area with a clean, dry microfiber towel at this stage. When buffing, never use the same application towel. Whether you're not sure whether a product is ready to buff, hold it up to the light and check if it has rainbow hues on it. This indicates that it has reached its flashing point and should be rubbed off. It's worth noting that the two minutes of waiting time will provide you with enough leverage to cover an entire panel, if not an entire side of a car. Keep in mind that once the two minutes have passed, you must exit the program. Keep in mind where you left off. Begin buffing the product until it has a great deep shine. You can only continue with the application once you've completed buffing all of the places you've already coated. If you're a newbie, take your time and work on one panel at a time (for example, the hood or the door) until you get the hang of it. According to the directions, only one coat of his product is required, but for testing purposes, we will apply two applications on half of the hood panel to assess the differences afterward. After around 30 minutes, we'll apply the second coat. You must wait a few hours after spraying the entire vehicle with System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating for the coating to dry and be ready to be tested. Unless instructed differently by the manufacturer, we wait the usual 4 hours. It is recommended that the vehicle not be used for that period of time to ensure that the coating has developed a firm and durable surface everywhere, since adding water or foreign particles, such as dirt or dust, before the curing process is complete might harm the coating. With a little planning ahead of time, the application procedure was simple and quick to complete. It was also simple to wipe off, which meant that less elbow grease was required to accomplish the process. That's always a good thing! How did System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating perform? So, after filling out the application, we parked the automobile in the garage for the night. As a result, it had plenty of time to cure. When we completed polishing, the automobile looked like this. It was still in the garage under the same light, and you could see it was shinier and glossier than it had been before application and preparation. It was off to a terrific start, so let's see what we had planned to put the coating to the test. The idea now was for the vehicle to be parked outside in the sun for the next two weeks and washed roughly ten times using standard car shampoo that most people would use at home or that you would find in DIY car washes or automatic car washes. We'd also drive the car every day in town, with some mild offroad driving thrown in for good measure. We're hoping for rain this week as well, but if not, we'll try to recreate similar conditions by using tap water and letting it evaporate in the sun to observe how the coating handles water spots. That day, we did the first wash to check whether it had any effect on the coating. Many coatings would begin to fail at this point, making this a quick and simple test to do. We used ordinary diluted vehicle shampoo as you would in any DIY application, agitated the coating using microfiber mitts, and rinsed and cleaned the microfiber gloves with the two-bucket procedure. We didn't utilize a foam cannon because we wanted to evaluate how the coating performed in real-world situations. Then we used only water to rinse it with a power washer. The water beaded off rapidly, leaving the automobile clean but coated with water droplets that had become stuck on the car's surface due to its hydrophobic qualities in some locations. We blew them off the truck using an air compressor. Because there were so few, you could have easily done it with a hairdryer or a leafblower. The first test went well. We cleaned the automobile nine additional times during the next two weeks. It was a little dusty at times. And it rained once, leaving dusty streaks behind the automobile that had dried up. We've used the same washing process each time. After a few more runs, we noted a slight decrease in its efficacy, but it still functioned well. After its last cleaning, it began to sheet water in certain parts, but the affected area was dry again after a few seconds. Given the marketing and claims, we were pleasantly pleased by how well this product functioned. It operated admirably and was one of the best Spray-On Ceramic Coating Products we've used. Our verdict on this product: product life time when applied: B resistance to elements: C resistance to damage: E resistance to chemicals: B application difficulty: B hydrophobic properties: B gloss / shine: B Average grade: B Cost: 3.49$ / 1 fl oz 0.12$ / 1 ml FAQ How long does System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating last once applied? System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating offers long-lasting protection of up to 9+ months, ensuring your vehicle maintains its gloss and hydrophobic properties for an extended period. Can System X Renew be used on different surfaces of my vehicle? Yes, System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating is multi-surface safe, making it versatile for use on various parts of your vehicle, including plastic trim, without the need for masking. Is the application process for System X Renew difficult? The application process for System X Renew is straightforward but requires attention to detail. Since it has a bit more solids than the standard ceramic spray coating (which is great), this one may leave some haziness or streaks if not buffed off properly, which can be corrected by reapplying and buffing with a clean microfiber towel. What makes System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating stand out from other ceramic sprays? System X Renew stands out due to its exceptional durability, high gloss, and ultra-hydrophobic properties. Despite its higher price point, its performance and ease of use on any surface make it a worthwhile investment. Final thoughts on System X Renew Ceramic Coating Spray? Short version - wow, go and buy it! This product started off with a few grandiose claims. Hyper gloss, ultra hydrophobic coating, a long 9 months for a Ceramic Spray product, and most of all, it is a true SiO2 product while some others were fake. And all that with odd packaging and a hefty price tag. In fact, it is likely the most expensive ceramic spray product we have covered to date. Well, that is certainly one way to enter the stage and leave an impression. Luckily, we put all that behind us, completely ignored it, and went to test it. And test it we did. Let us tell you. It performed admirably. 'Admirably' seems like a nice word to describe how good the product actually is. It resisted wave after wave of punishment we threw at it. And while some ceramic coating sprays were washed of b mere rain, but most certainly by using regular car shampoo, this one endured and endured. It did lose some of its properties in the gloss slickness and hydrophobic department as we tried to destroy it. But it took a while until it finally succumbed. Also, the fact that it can be used on any surface is of great benefit since you do not have to tape off the plastic trim, for instance, but instead focus on simply covering the whole vehicle. The slickness helps sheet water off due to the favorable contact angle and it amazingly leaves very few water beads on the car. Even some of the regular ceramic coatings performed worse in certain areas. Is this the best Ceramic Spray Coating that we have tested to date? Possibly. It certainly is worth your hard-earned cash should you go and buy one. The only downside that we could tell was that it is a tad bit more difficult to apply. When you are buffing off the product, it tends not to buff off properly, leaving some haziness or streaks. But you can solve that issue by just recoating that area again and giving it a good buff with a clean and dry microfiber towel. Everything else - just wow. Truly a gem among Ceramic Sprays, and we are very surprised how it is not better known. Glad we stumbled upon this and that you readers for suggesting it. Meanwhile, if you're seeking a nice quality Ceramic Coating that's not hard to work with and doesn't cost a fortune, you've found it in this product! Get your System X Renew Ceramic Spray Coating on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/36PPHL2

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