Coatings worthwhile?

[Daniel]

A benefit from ceramic coating is ease of cleaning.

I did paint correction + cquartz UK 3.0 on my car and my current method of cleaning is:

1.pressure wash with water
2.foam gun
3.Pressure rinse
4.Leaf blower/compressed air to dry

I've found aslong as you don't wait too long between washes, dirt will come right off without having to 'scrub' the car with a wash mitt. The coating allows the water to bead right off the car with a leaf blower thus swirls are kept to a minimum with this method. Anytime something touches the surface of your car, there is a chance of getting swirls, even a microfiber towel or well lubricated wash mitt. I ceramic coated my wheels and even when I run track pads, the brake dust comes right off with high pressure water.

I still use a microfiber for non 'cosmetic' surfaces i.e door jambs, underneath hood, trunk, etc.

It was a lot of time doing paint correction and ceramic but I think it's worth it.

[timmo]

Right now I’m testing NV Car Care products, the Turtle Wax Seal and Shine and the Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic spray.

How have you liked the Seal and Shine? Turtle Wax never seemed like a company to buy detailing products from until now... I've been seeing some videos and it's seriously impressive how long it seems to last, especially given the price.

I'm thinking I'd stay away from semi-permanent or permanent coatings for now - say if I graze a cone at autox, I'd like something that can easily be stripped, so I can repair the scuffs, then re-seal. I was thinking of going with the tried-and-true Jescar Power Lock + topped with Collinite 845, but given the advent of all these new SiO2/Graphene/Ceramic spray waxes, not quite sure what to do. My plan is to do a full decon + paint correct + protection after this summer track season, so my car is protected for a cross-country road trip I have in October.

[Tbonem3]

Seal and Shine is insane. Doesn't last too long as it's a faux-ceramic (sio2), but man it looks good and easy to wowo. Under $10 too.

That said, Mother's CMX (sio2/tio2) gives me more depth. Not quite as glossy as seal and shine, but looks deeper, like there's a real layer of ceramic on top.

I like to top 100% carnauba over the sio2/polymer products the next day.

[timmo]

I wonder if anyone has tried the new Hybrid Graphene stuff? They even have a liquid wax, which I came across in Car Cleaning Guru's video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P9M70m9k5QY&t=627s

It is much pricier though. That paste wax on this side of the border is $40 CAD!

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[R60BBA]

I wonder if anyone has tried the new Hybrid Graphene stuff? They even have a liquid wax, which I came across in Car Cleaning Guru's video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P9M70m9k5QY&t=627s

It is much pricier though. That paste wax on this side of the border is $40 CAD!

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Graphene is a buzzword and from my understanding does not add much extra to existing wax, sealant or coating formulations.

Graphene paste wax is also more grabby and thus less pleasurable to apply and remove than a carnauba wax or a carnauba/polymer/PTFE based wax. (I have not dealt with a graphene coatings or graphene spray waxes/sealants however so cannot comment on these).

In reg to the OPs original comment, I don’t think coatings are worth it at all. If you enjoy cleaning your pride and joy, by slapping on a ceramic coating you are taking away the opportunity to apply different waxes and sealants (whether it be for functional reasons [ie applying a show wax before a car show or a winter wax/sealant combo to keep the car protected during the colder months] or for just pure fun).

Ceramic coatings also provide a ‘glass look’ finish which although suits some colours more than others, it is not what everyone wants. They do not fill as well as waxes and imo do not look as good as a nice carnauba wax which provides a warm glow finish.

Coatings are also more prone to water spotting (however from experience most LSPs suffer from this). The only products I have found which are resistant to water spotting are fluorine/PTFE infused products (like Gyeon Wax), but they do not last as long as polymer based formulations.

As mentioned by others, swirls are an inevitable part of car ownership (regardless of whether you maintain correct washing methods or not), and the drawback of a coating is that in order to remove the marring, you need to compound it off with a machine polisher, correct the paint and then re-apply. Whereas waxes and sealants can be easily removed via chemical decontamination and/or a clay bar.

I only use coatings for my wheels and brake calipers, but even then I question the benefits. After just 6 months the coating I put on my brake calipers quite simply baked off. The same coating has been on my wheels for over a year and is still going strong (albeit the water behaviour is not as good as it was when it was first applied), however I have found when washing other people’s cars (with non-coated wheels) I get a better finish from using a spray wax as a drying aid. Even tried the likes of SiO2 ceramic sprays (like Gyeon Wet Coat) and the finish does not match a spray wax.

Now I understand that your average Joe is not bothered about the differences I have explained above, however I would always recommend a sealant/wax combo (something like Menzerna Powerlock + Collinite 845) every 3-6 months followed up with a spray wax or quick detailer applied as a drying aid after every wash to keep the car clean and protected instead of a ceramic coating.

[fattycharged]

Graphene in wax 😹


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[oceansize]

I'm impressed with "Turtle Wax 53477 Hybrid Solutions Pro Flex Wax". I've used so many OTC spray waxes but this might be the best. Incredibly slick and seems to be very durable so far. It is the first Graphene that I've used so I'll try a few other brands. I like it better than any ceramic spray wax I've tried as well. I did thoroughly clean and clay followed by a second coat 24 hours later. I enjoy detailing and when you like something you go down the rabbit hole of products and I certainly have.

[lvm3sm46]

Ceramic coatings are for the wifes daily driver. If you enjoy waxing and washing your car don't bother with them. The go to for me is the Powerlock and Collinite 845, it lasts long enough and gives an incredible glow/shine.

[bigjae46]

I tried a ceramic coating. I found it to be a total PIA if you get it wrong. I've stuck with wax every 4-6 months and spray wax when I wash with great results. I see no reason to change unless I can apply a coating and then not have to maintain it for 3 years.

[tlow98]

I applied CarPro UK to a street parked car in SF, never did anything other than wash it, and got 2+ years out of it.

I washed it maybe once every two months.

the ‘maintenance’ is simply for the shine and slickness. The coating is still on there and working just fine if you do nothing.

For me, it was completely worth it for the protection alone. So easy to clean and then when you want it to look nicer just throw some topper on it. Takes 15 minutes.

I agree there are some best practices when applying and it can go sideways if you apply it to the wrong plastic, but the same things exist in the wax world and you have to apply it at least 4x as often.

with little ones running around I just don’t have time for that!

[Maxima SE]

I tried a ceramic coating. I found it to be a total PIA if you get it wrong. I've stuck with wax every 4-6 months and spray wax when I wash with great results. I see no reason to change unless I can apply a coating and then not have to maintain it for 3 years.

I keep it simple with wax too and use the Meguiars line. I put on 2 coats of hybrid ceramic wax by hand then use the hybird ceramic soap to wash then build up the wax layer with the hybird ceramic spray wax which you simply spray on and rinse off. Then I dry the car and wipe all the panels with hybird ceramic quick detailer. This should keep the layer of wax reinforced. Once a year I apply a layer of wax by hand again. I find this to be the easiest way to maintain it and you can easily strip the wax any time you want.

[Tbonem3]

As a detailing hobbyist who is progressing through the various products, I see a place for ceramic coating even in some of our situations where the car is not a daily, maybe garaged, we have the time/desire to apply wax/sealant often.

As much as I like the warmth of the appearance of wax, it just can't come close to the depth of gloss that a true coating serum can, not to mention the other benefits. And there are coatings that give a warmer, "candy" look. Coatings give more depth and gloss such that the appearance of the paint is beyond glossy, it really is "glassy" or sometimes I've seen people say like "clear molten lava."

The only spray product that I've used that can create that "glassy" look is mother's cmx primer + CMX spray (2 coats), becuase of how much sio2/tio2 content it has (towel/mf applicator dries hard the next day just like true ceramic. I'm sure there are a couple of other products that give that look, like Gyeon's Cancoat (evo now), but that really is a true coating, just in spray form (like Wolfgang's uber ceramic spray).

After those, I'd say the next level down is something like P&S Beadmaker - doesn't get any glossier than that, but it still isn't as deep as a true coating, nevermind longevity/chemical resistance. Beadmaker attracts a fair amount of dust in my case (even diluted), and is a little streaky on my black car, but does fully evap/wipe away.

I think it's also a lot more attractive to go with a true coating because of the tech and price now. You can get Gyeon Pure Evo for $60, it has a more wax like look, 2 years, all the other benefits, and you get 5-10 minutes to wipe it off, no professional training needed. You can do whole panels or even up to half the car! Or get Mohs evo for $20 more for a crisper look and more resistance/longevity. Cquartz' latest "SiC" looks great and only $67.

In my situation, esp since I have so much wax/polymer product anyway, I'll continue to use it on my E46 that sits in a garage so much, but for my E90 that is outside often enough and does 8k a year and gets washed weekly/bi-weekly, I'll be doing a coating. Reasons - 1. Looks 2. Water beading so I can dry the car with air or at least if by towel, with much less contact because the car is black and fine scratches show up so easily 3. Longevity - I'm going to get fine scratches, just a fact of life, but I can do a light polish, not take off too much clear coat on my flawless all original paint, and apply a new coating after 12-18 months, applying sio2 detailer spray (touchless even/wash off) to keep the coating topped as Tflow98 mentioned above. I'll have the E46 where scratches don't show as the car that I touch more often with waxes/sprays/waterless washes since it just gets some dust on it, etc.

Anyways, my main point is - it depends. Depends on DIY level of preparing the paint for coating, depends on enviro/driving conditions, depends on your "need" for the best appearance. I don't think cost is a factor really, unless you're paying for the application.

[oceansize]

What do you think about the Graphene sprays? I’ve been experimenting with those as of late and I like the gloss. It isn’t a “hard” coat but seems durable.

[Tbonem3]

A professional detail I know thinks it's a gimmick. I'm not sure why Id bother with it if it's not glossing, more hydrophobic than sio2/tio2 or polymer coatings/sprays.

Maybe the selling point is chemical resistance/longevity, I'm not sure. I think it's fairly toxic versus silica or tio2 which are not, though even those coatings/sprays contain vocs as carriers maybe bonding agents too. Again, not too sure.

[oceansize]

A professional detail I know thinks it's a gimmick. I'm not sure why Id bother with it if it's not glossing, more hydrophobic than sio2/tio2 or polymer coatings/sprays.

Maybe the selling point is chemical resistance/longevity, I'm not sure. I think it's fairly toxic versus silica or tio2 which are not, though even those coatings/sprays contain vocs as carriers maybe bonding agents too. Again, not too sure.

Hmmmm... that is a weird take from a detailer since I've been using it, a lot, and can say it isn't a gimmick. Although, I suppose he could be referencing the actual chemistry and saying that the addition of Graphene isn't responsible for the end result. Truly possible but how the common man can know is beyond me (I was a double major in Chemistry and Computer Science). I'll also have to do some research into the toxicity claims.

What I liked about the particular spray I'm using is it seems highly antistatic, super glossy, and super slick. Can I say its better than Si/O2 sprays? No I can't but I think I would classify it as equivalent and maybe better where slickness and gloss is concerned. To be super clear I'm not referencing coatings.