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I've read the ceramic wax/coatings don't last much longer than regular waxes, so not sure of the added benefit.
Those spray on ones that were mentioned in that YouTube video above are ones that don't last much more than wax. Im guessing the spray ceramic wax is more for the hydrophobic properties. There are ones that are professionally applied and the only way to remove them is to wet sand them off. The one i had on my old truck was 4 years old and still worked like the day it was applied.
Last edited by Wfar1512; Aug 24, 2020 at 12:30 PM.
I've read the ceramic wax/coatings don't last much longer than regular waxes, so not sure of the added benefit.
That's just wrong. I put Gtechnique ceramic coating on three cars and one has been on for 2 years and looks as good as new, and shines better than any standard wax I've ever used.
I did my truck and SO's truck with Armor Shield IX (a DIY ceramic, not a spray) back in February. Both vehicles are hand washed regularly they are DDs. This was my first foray into ceramic. I dont enjoy detailing, I see it the same way as oil changes. The novelty has long worn off. However, I have found both vehicles appear to stay cleaner looking, longer, so I have to wash them less (another win). They don't seem to build up as much grime or attract dust / dirt. The coating is still going strong after 8 months. When it rains I don't find water spots.
I used to wax 2 to 3 times a year. If the ceramic holds up for 12 months, then it saved me a lot of work, while keeping the cars looking better. I don't see any reason why this coating wont last another 4 months, it is still beading very strong. I'm coming around on it and think I will abandon conventional waxing going forward. Same prep work, similar application, but much longer lasting results.
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?
Exactly what kind of ceramic coating are you considering? A professionally-applied ceramic coating is quite different from the ceramic hybrid wax spray-on done at home.
Really depends on you and how you treat your ceramic. A real ceramic coating (not spray on) will add hydrophobic properties to make your truck easier to clean. It will add gloss and shine as well.
The ceramic coating is actually the easy part. The hardest part would be all the paint correction. A paint job may look good on the surface but you really need to look under a light.
My boss just bought a brand new platinum. The paint was trash. Had a lot of swirls and micro scratches.
I wouldn’t go through one of those automatic type washes. They beat up your paint . Go to a brushless wash if you absolutely need to wash it.
So far after 2 years, regular washes including the automatic touchless in winter, still have a great shine and repellentcy of day 1. I used Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0.
If you just want to protect the paint and for it to look nice without too much hassle, you can just use turtle wax Ice Seal N Shine (cheap and works) or go with a more expensive sealer like 'the last coat'. Beyond those, you're looking at a bit more effort and maintenance for results like the dude that used CQuartz UK 3.0.
FYI, just put QC.UK 3.0 on my 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, will let you know what I think about the results, but in the future I might just use some of that turtle wax stuff or spring for TLC2 (both just spray and wipe on, although you should always prep appropriately before doing any sort of sealer/ceramic). Alternatively, if I feel like doing another ceramic coat I'll probably do Kamikaze ISM 1.0.
I just had mine done. It is so much easier to wash now. I'm going to hand wash only. It dries so much faster now. Seems like nothing realy sticks to it. Like it used to.like its just on the surface and wipes off easier now. I'm happy so far. It definitely added gloss and shine.
If you just want to protect the paint and for it to look nice without too much hassle, you can just use turtle wax Ice Seal N Shine (cheap and works) or go with a more expensive sealer like 'the last coat'. Beyond those, you're looking at a bit more effort and maintenance for results like the dude that used CQuartz UK 3.0.
FYI, just put QC.UK 3.0 on my 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, will let you know what I think about the results, but in the future I might just use some of that turtle wax stuff or spring for TLC2 (both just spray and wipe on, although you should always prep appropriately before doing any sort of sealer/ceramic). Alternatively, if I feel like doing another ceramic coat I'll probably do Kamikaze ISM 1.0.
I paid for someone to clay bar my brand new Platinum and then apply CQuartz UK 3.0. It’s good for a year but primarily I wanted a good start on the new car to get rid of paint swirls and decontaminates I would not have been able to do. Now it’s easier to maintain using the carpro reset and occasionally adding a sealant on top like Reload.
I paid for someone to clay bar my brand new Platinum and then apply CQuartz UK 3.0. It’s good for a year but primarily I wanted a good start on the new car to get rid of paint swirls and decontaminates I would not have been able to do. Now it’s easier to maintain using the carpro reset and occasionally adding a sealant on top like Reload.
Yeah, so far I'm happy with the results, but tbh it's a lot of prep work. Rinse, wash, dry, clay bar, polish w/ DA buffer, spray and wipe with IPA, coat *wait 45min* coat *wait 45min* finish with reload. Also, conditions have to be right if you don't have a large enough garage, don't apply if it's in direct sun or too hot, etc. etc. So really, it might be worth it to have somone else do it like you had done. Also when the car is new or the paint is at its best is the perfect time to have it done, then just wash and use reload every 1-3months, probably will last up to two years before you need another ceramic coat or any clay bar action.
