Ceramic Coating, is it worth it??

Easydistracted

Easydistracted

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I am a proud owner of a 2020 4Runner Premium, and wanted to pose the question on here to see what experience is out there. I traded my 07 a few weeks ago, and am really happy with my new 2020. I am looking into getting this white model and to make it easier in the long run to take care of the exterior.
I have a local Auto Spa that can apply the ceramic coat and I am not totally familiar with the dynamics (other than what they have told me) and needed to get a better clue to see if it is truly worth it.
1) Does it really help the look in the long run? 2) does it really cut down on the exterior keep up? 3) will it help to keep the surface cleaner (bird crap, guts etc) by making it easier to clean?
While it is expensive, if it helps the upkeep in the long run, THAT is what I am looking for. I am also looking into just having the windshield done as well to help with that aspect, and long term water deflection.
As previously stated, experienced help would be a plus on here.
Thanks.....
 
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I had this done on our Land Cruiser but didn't think it was truly worth the cost. I was using CarPro's Reload every few months to keep the surface "slick". I prefer more traditional and use a coat of PowerLock then top it with Collinite liquid insulator wax. It is the best combo of a sealant and wax i've ever used, and I've tried them all. The bugs and crap wash right off and I never have to use anything other than a wash mitt. I feel there is a lot of hype around Ceramic - which i'm sure others will oppose.
 
I watched a ton of youtube videos on this subject. I recommend you do the same.

Its not worth the cost at all.
 
Had mine done and for me it was a huge difference. I am going to hold onto my truck longterm and it was an investment but glad the paint is protected now. I believe upkeep is important. It might be extreme but I use the CarPro reload after every wash.
 
I’m a fan. I had my car done 2.5 years ago, and it still looks amazing. Much less dirt sticks during normal exposure to rain, etc. All I do is top it off with Reload every few months (silica based topper/sealant).

Sure, a freshly waxed car likely looks very similar, but the big difference is the lack of a need for reapplication. For me, much of the cost associated with the ceramic coating application was due to the paint correction. Considering that I haven’t spent any time applying wax ever since, it’s been worth it to me.


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GripT4R said:
I watched a ton of youtube videos on this subject. I recommend you do the same.

Its not worth the cost at all.
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I too have seen a lot of you tube posts and find the opposite to what you are saying. A bunch talk very highly about the pros of ceramic coating. I wasn't asking about you tube videos though, but expert opinions and facts.
 
I would agree that it isn’t worth the cost because the places you pay to perform it are charging 15-2500 for a tru multi stage paint correction and detail and coating. I would pay to have that done on a Pcar but not for the 4runnr, just doesn’t make sense. Just have a good detail with paint correction done depending on your paint color and then use some of the off the shelf ceramic coating yourself and you’ll see a good benefit, THAT I agree is worth it.

I have all my vehicles coated in some way or another, the 4runnr just isn’t worth the buy in cost to have it done correctly by a pro, in my eyes, to be done correctly it is really expensive and time consuming. You can find “deals” on it in the $600+ range for sure, but I’d save your money with those deals.

Does it make washing the vehicle a breeze? Yes, yes it does. Looks like you just had the vehicle detailed after a quick hand wash down.



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I thought everyone moved on to graphene now?

Either way I just dry using bead maker for my 4runner, since it'll be full of pin stripes sooner than later
 
I had it done on my 4Runner when it was brand new and it’s great. The dirt doesn’t stick to the car as much and it’s easier to clean. The average ceramic coating only lasts maybe 2-3 years depending on the brand and where the vehicle is stored at night.

I think it all comes down to the price. I’d consider going with some paint protection film if the price is similar.
 
I did my coating, takes a long day. Truck was about 2 years old, removed the wax, polish and coated it (bunch of steps involved). I'm happy with it, windshield always needs reapplying but everything else is still good. My puppy put some scratches on the rear bumper and hatch, some fine cut polish made short work of them. My bug kill count is off the charts down here in the swamps and again pressure washing makes short work of them until i hand wash it. Makes maintenance go a bit quicker, but its not the wizardry people think it is.
 
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I stopped detailing before ceramic coating went mainstream. I used it on my own brand new 4runner last month. It's nice but I certainly would not pay anywhere close to what shops are demanding. It's a hype product for sure.
 
I’ve got a buddy who does this type of work on cars. Ceramic coating, paint correction, etc. it all really depends. I personally think it’s worth it if you are able to find a place, or a guy in my case, that does a good job, and does not charge an arm and a leg. It definitely makes the vehicle easier to clean, makes the vehicle look great, and helps protect it. However you will have to maintain care on it, otherwise you won’t actually get the benefits of it.


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I did it myself after I picked it up from the dealer. Like Charlievee said, makes cleaning up easy. If you don’t have it done, at least buy the stuff yourself and do the wheels inside and out before the brake dust gets to bad. It’ll help the wheel cleaning unbelievably, especially if you have the Pro Black wheels.
 
miket92 said:
Does anybody have experience with graphene as opposed to ceramic??
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I think graphene is too new for any kind of long term test, but from what youtubers like waxmode, apex, papasmurf and others have said, it seems like the real deal. Supposed to be a 5+ year coating, easier to apply then sio2, usually only requires 1 layer.

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unfortunately the hype for anything "ceramic" has inflated people's expectations as well as lead detail shops to charge more than the value you get out of it.


i tried out ceramic coating for the first time when i got the T4R, used Gyeon Q2 Mohs on a friend's recommendation and have found it to be superior in every way to my go to wax (Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant). the friend that recommended the ceramic coating for it is 2 years into coating his vehicle and water still beads off it
 
usdmej said:
unfortunately the hype for anything "ceramic" has inflated people's expectations as well as lead detail shops to charge more than the value you get out of it.


i tried out ceramic coating for the first time when i got the T4R, used Gyeon Q2 Mohs on a friend's recommendation and have found it to be superior in every way to my go to wax (Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant). the friend that recommended the ceramic coating for it is 2 years into coating his vehicle and water still beads off it
Click to expand...

I just made an appointment to get the LEVEL 2 GYEON QUARTZ
CERAMIC COATING SYSTEM - running about $1500. Glad to hear you had a good experience with it.
 
Easydistracted said:
I too have seen a lot of you tube posts and find the opposite to what you are saying. A bunch talk very highly about the pros of ceramic coating. I wasn't asking about you tube videos though, but expert opinions and facts.
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You consider customers on a forum “expert opinions and facts” got it....:lmao:

Sounds like you know what answer you want to hear. Good luck to you.
 
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