I recently purchased a 2020 F-150 XLT. It is the magma red color. I am thinking about getting a ceramic coating, but it is a lot higher maintenance than I thought it would be after researching. I was hoping to be able to still take it through automatic car washes, but it sounds like hand-washing is preferred over that. Also, there is some kind of re-sealant that you need to so often apply. Does anyone else have experience with this? Is it worth it?

 

I guess I'm not sure how different all the coatings are but I just got the same truck and did a coating on that one and I had the same ceramic coating on my old truck and mine really wasnt even that much maintenance. I would have to look and see what brand he uses cause I can't remember. There are ones you have to apply once a year and some that are permanent that have to be wet sanded to get off(which is the ones I've done). The biggest thing he told me is to use a pH neutral car wash and stay away from the ones with wax and you can go thru the car wash just try not to use all those surface protection options. Ill usually just pick the cheapest one with underbody spray and a dryer if I go through a car wash. Even hand washing time is cut down significantly cause the water just rolls right off.

 

Do you have some room, time and elbow grease.

Did the 19 F150 in Agate Black with the clay bar detail-er first then followed up with the ceramic wax.

One tip on warmer days don't over do the area you working on and have a good supply of clean & dry micro fiber towels.

Only use a touch less car wash because of water issues at home.

Truck was done early this summer and still looks great. Water beads right up and blows of easily while driving.

Also did my sister in laws 2011 Chrysler 300 in bright white with 50k miles.

Recommended to do touch ups first so the touch up on the 300 touch up work was done a week prior.

Did have to use a cleaner on the lower rocker panel road grime areas first then followed with the clay bar cleaner then the wax. Came out looking great.

Next up spouses 19 Platinum White Escape.

https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products

https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...hybrid-ceramic

https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...-g190526-26-oz

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19 F150 agate Black

 

Assuming it's a real ceramic coating, not a spray coating, or wax coating, it will not last very long taking it through touch or even touchless car washes. The touchless washes use extremely aggressive chemicals that will degrade it much faster. And of course touch car washers (aka the grinders) will scratch the living crap out of any paint, coated or not. Hand washing using the 2 bucket method with a pH neutral shampoo like Adam's Car Shampoo or CarPro reset is what you would have to do to maintain the coating properly.

 

I've ran my old one through a car wash all the time if I don't have much time to hand wash, usually after 2 or 3 touchless car washes ill hand wash with the carpro reset and it looks just as good as when I bought the truck. But yes obviously hand washing like mentioned is the best way to maintain it other than that there was hardly and other upkeep to mine in the almost 4 years I had the truck and it still looked like new.
I would definitely recommend getting one applied, even if there is a little bit of maintenance which isn't much it really cuts down on the overall time you spend on other things trying to keep the truck looking good like waxing or clay bar which you should never have to do again.

 

I put a ceramic coating on three vehicles over a year ago and I'm very happy with the results. Before I did that again though, I would try the simple spray-on ceramic products. This video gives an unbiased review of them and there is a huge difference;

 

So let me ask a question....
What is the appeal to ceramic coating for you personally.
And please identify the type of product you are asking. Are you asking about a professional installation of ceramic or an at-home-application type of new products available to the market in the past several years.

I'm not asking a general question, I'm asking why OP they wish to have ceramic before I go any further.

 

I had Opti-Coat Pro applied to our 14 Durango in Aug 2014. I have never done anything since but go through auto touchless car washes. The Opti-Coat is still there, but there is build up on it in some spots. It does need to be clayed. But the sides and windows all bead excellent yet. The hood and windshield need the clay pretty bad. At the time I got it done, it had a lifetime warranty. I think they changed it to 7 years now. But its not cheap. IIRC it was $1200 for Durango.

I used spray ceramic on my F150, and I'd say its good for 6-8 months before it should be reapplied. BTW truck is hardly ever garaged. I used Turtle Wax on the truck. I asked about the Opticoat for my F150. The place I had it done wanted like $1500 or so. I decided it probably wasn't worth it to me because I knew I'd be scratching the paint and stuff using it off road and hunting.

 

BTW IMO professional coatings should be no more maintenance then any other protection or nothing at all.

 

I've read the ceramic wax/coatings don't last much longer than regular waxes, so not sure of the added benefit.