POLL: Should we get Ceramic Coating to help...

[ultane]

I wish I could do that to Miss Daisy!!!

 

[pnwlc250]

I had the entire vehicle wrapped in XPEL Ultimate Fusion PPF (ULTIMATE FUSION | Hydrophobic Paint Protection Film) which is an 8 mil PPF infused with ceramic coating from the factory. For me, it’s the best of both worlds as it serves as a physical protectant for the vehicle and is easy to wash/maintain. I also think that it enhanced the physical appearance of the vehicle by improving the surface clarity of the paint/finish.

 

[LandcruiserNut]

Seems silly, but I had a 4Runner with 325K, rarely washed, only if muddy, like really muddy after 4 wheeling, sold. Washed, looked brand new, Rhinos hide in the mud!!

 

[bkral]

You need a pressure washer to use a foam cannon (the ones that work on a garden hose don't foam like the ones attached to a pressure washer.) I love my foam cannon, but it's not necessary to get a scratch free wash on a car. I think any good detailer would tell you that utilizing the two bucket method to wash is the most important thing you can do to help prevent swirls. If you want to go down this rabbit hole, I recommend checking out Matt from Obsessed Garage or The Forensic Detailing channel.

I picked up my Heritage Blue LC a week ago. At my request, the dealer didn't wash the vehicle so I could ensure that it didn't go through a scratch inducing car wash. I've washed twice already. First wash to clean and the second wash to decontaminate and get ready to do a full paint correction and ceramic coating. Since the truck is getting PPF on the front clip, I didn't apply the ceramic coating anywhere on the front. Once I get it back, I'll coat the PPF with a different ceramic coating meant for the PPF. The real advantage of the coating is that it makes it so much easier to clean and maintain the exterior. I use Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light (CSL) and top it off with GTechniq EXO V5. EXO adds to the gloss and hydryophobicity and can be reapplied every 18-24 months to help maintain the look and hydrophobic properties.

I know the paint on a new car always looks good, but it still needs some work to maximize the effectiveness and appearance of the ceramic coating. So, a good paint correction is recommended prior to applying a ceramic coating. 90% of the effort of applying a ceramic coating is the prep work to get the truck ready for it. If a detail shop isn't charging a premium (think $1000 or so) to apply a ceramic coating, then they aren't doing a full paint protection and you'd be better off doing it yourself.

Here's a look at my hood after doing a paint correction yesterday:

View attachment 11770

Sadly I found a heritage blue on a lot after it arrived so they had already washed it and it has a surprising amount of swirls.

It’s going in for correction and a 5 year coating this week.

Also… the uneven clear coat is immediately apparent when looking at a reflection. You can see objects shimmer with all of the small dimples in the clear coat, but this wasn’t caused by the dealer wash, this was just a shoddy factory paint job.