Ceramic Coating?

[Itsafram]

Just curious if anyone has used a ceramic coating on their ride?
Thoughts? Suggestions?

I have been seeing a lot more info on it, and from what I can tell makes keeping your ride clean a whole lot easier.

If you haven't seen it, it sounds pretty cool and lasts a year or two.

 

[Itsafram]

https://youtu.be/hnyTZ0kMCuk

Link to vid cause I am not a smart man.....

 

[trey99ek]

I would use it on a new car without scratches but on my 4Runner is pointless. Then again mine is 10 years old and already has countless scratches and chips. They do a good job at protection and help keep the car looking cleaner but that's only against light scratches. Having a detail shop do it is expensive and time consuming. From what I've heard it can be done DIY but watch your videos on how to do it.

 

[Jbatman]

I'm going to do it in the next month or so. The only thing holding me back atm is I keep going back and forth on adding a clear bra to the front which if I would have to wait on the coating because it would have to be applied over the bra.

 

[Rondigs]

Probably gonna try the Opti-coating next weekend. Probably will try a correction and polish before hand. I plan on sending several days on the prep. We’ll see...

 

[opteron]

Paid 1k for opticoat pro it comes with a 5year warranty. Actually picked up the car from the detailer today. This included the wheels. Great place I need to take back in 10 days so they can check it's curing correctly and hand wash. Then their going to show how I should wash my car.

 

[Timberland]

I did a full paint correction and ceramic coating on mine about a year ago. It's in my ownership journal below.

Ceramic coating isn't for everyone. If you plan to baby your rig and keep it clean, it's great. If you're planning on neglecting it, I would stick to a paint sealant and a strong soap (reapplying the sealant often).

Coatings don't like to get dirty or contaminated. The gentle soaps that detailers recommend you use on coated vehicles aren't strong enough to truly get rid of heavy dirt and grime.

I don't want to be spammy, but I break down all of the ceramic coating myths here if you'd like to read more.

The Gtechniq coatings I used on mine are holding up pretty well. Washing is easier in some ways, but I've had to take much more care of it and use more products regularly. Feel free to PM me or contact me directly if you have more questions.

 

[bigguy02]

I did a full paint correction and ceramic coating on mine about a year ago. It's in my ownership journal below.



Ceramic coating isn't for everyone. If you plan to baby your rig and keep it clean, it's great. If you're planning on neglecting it, I would stick to a paint sealant and a strong soap (reapplying the sealant often).



Coatings don't like to get dirty or contaminated. The gentle soaps that detailers recommend you use on coated vehicles aren't strong enough to truly get rid of heavy dirt and grime.



I don't want to be spammy, but I break down all of the ceramic coating myths here if you'd like to read more.



The Gtechniq coatings I used on mine are holding up pretty well. Washing is easier in some ways, but I've had to take much more care of it and use more products regularly. Feel free to PM me or contact me directly if you have more questions.

I’m planning on doing a coating, most likely Optimum gloss coat, but also want to get my truck really dirty some times. Now I plan to clean it right and often, is it worth in in your opinion? Or would something like jescar powerlock and collinite 845 as a wax be a better idea?


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[Timberland]

I’m planning on doing a coating, most likely Optimum gloss coat, but also want to get my truck really dirty some times. Now I plan to clean it right and often, is it worth in in your opinion? Or would something like jescar powerlock and collinite 845 as a wax be a better idea?


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If you plan to take care of it, you should be fine. A power washer will do a lot of the heavy lifting on a coated vehicle so it'll be easier to clean after wheeling. I wouldn't let it sit and build up over time though.

The benefit to using the sealant/wax combo is that you can use a strong soap if it gets really dirty and neglected. It'll take all the grime off, as well as the sealant. Re applying powerlock and 845 is quick and easy afterward.

If you have the time and money to dedicate to caring for a coating properly, it will no doubt offer the best protection. With the right products and washing it often, it'll be great. If you'd rather not worry about it at all, stick with a sealant and strong soap.

 

[Trojan4x4]

If you plan to take care of it, you should be fine. A power washer will do a lot of the heavy lifting on a coated vehicle so it'll be easier to clean after wheeling. I wouldn't let it sit and build up over time though.

The benefit to using the sealant/wax combo is that you can use a strong soap if it gets really dirty and neglected. It'll take all the grime off, as well as the sealant. Re applying powerlock and 845 is quick and easy afterward.

If you have the time and money to dedicate to caring for a coating properly, it will no doubt offer the best protection. With the right products and washing it often, it'll be great. If you'd rather not worry about it at all, stick with a sealant and strong soap.

Ceramic coating has a major advantage over wax. The coating is actually making a chemical bond with the clear coat( and in most cases to get off it after curing you have to sand the car). You can still put wax and what not over ceramic coating just fine. The reason it's not recommended is because the wax or sealant U'll put on the ceramic coating will actually yield less shine compared to just the ceramic coating.

If you can afford it, it's great and I would recommended it. You are basically adding another hard layer of clear coat on top. I wouldn't do it urself and go to a professional however, if you mess up you are stuck with it.

Source : I sell/rep car wash/detail chemicals

 

[bigguy02]

If you plan to take care of it, you should be fine. A power washer will do a lot of the heavy lifting on a coated vehicle so it'll be easier to clean after wheeling. I wouldn't let it sit and build up over time though.

The benefit to using the sealant/wax combo is that you can use a strong soap if it gets really dirty and neglected. It'll take all the grime off, as well as the sealant. Re applying powerlock and 845 is quick and easy afterward.

If you have the time and money to dedicate to caring for a coating properly, it will no doubt offer the best protection. With the right products and washing it often, it'll be great. If you'd rather not worry about it at all, stick with a sealant and strong soap.

I don't plan o letting stay dirt. A pressure washer, foam cannon and CR spotless filter are in the works to rinse it off once or twice a week.

Ceramic coating has a major advantage over wax. The coating is actually making a chemical bond with the clear coat( and in most cases to get off it after curing you have to sand the car). You can still put wax and what not over ceramic coating just fine. The reason it's not recommended is because the wax or sealant U'll put on the ceramic coating will actually yield less shine compared to just the ceramic coating.

If you can afford it, it's great and I would recommended it. You are basically adding another hard layer of clear coat on top. I wouldn't do it urself and go to a professional however, if you mess up you are stuck with it.

Source : I sell/rep car wash/detail chemicals

For the price difference I'm gonna try and apply it my self. THere are a few that dont appear to be too hard. Im kind of stuck between Opti gloss coat or Ammo Reflex.

 

[trey99ek]

I don't plan o letting stay dirt. A pressure washer, foam cannon and CR spotless filter are in the works to rinse it off once or twice a week.



For the price difference I'm gonna try and apply it my self. THere are a few that dont appear to be too hard. Im kind of stuck between Opti gloss coat or Ammo Reflex.

There are plenty of YouTube videos on application. It doesn't seem hard to do it mess up. I think the biggest thing is letting it cure before running around.

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[bigguy02]

There are plenty of YouTube videos on application. It doesn't seem hard to do it mess up. I think the biggest thing is letting it cure before running around.

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Agreed. This video makes it look down right easy. https://www.theragcompany.com/pages/videos/adam-lzs-600-hp-bmw-335i-detail-drive-washwednesday/

If I screw it up, I might pay to get it done.

 

[Lambert695]

I don't plan o letting stay dirt. A pressure washer, foam cannon and CR spotless filter are in the works to rinse it off once or twice a week.



For the price difference I'm gonna try and apply it my self. THere are a few that dont appear to be too hard. Im kind of stuck between Opti gloss coat or Ammo Reflex.

Opti Coat would be a better choice over Ammo Reflex. I have Reflex on my shelf but it is not a glass coating. Larry explains it as a hybrid - will be longer lasting than a sealant but not exactly a glass coating. It is very easy to apply but is then meant to be layered by a sealant then a wax.

Glass Coating is very good idea in my opinion. Not sure if everyone else is the same but my paint is some of the softest I have seen in a while. Glass coating can help protect in the car wash process by not allowing dirt to stick to it as much. I have only one of my vehicles left to coat and it cuts down my wash time significantly.

Mine is coated - no regrets!

 

[Ultraphage]

I recently got a WHITE 2004 T4R sport. If you haven’t had a white vehicle or heard people *****ing about it, the Toyota white is not a clear coat over paint application, it’s mixed in with the paint or something. A wash and wax would last 1 week max before returning to a powdery-like sheen. Also anything that would sit on the paint for more than a few minutes would sort of “stain” and require polishing/buffing.

I was looking into ceramic/nano coatings and was scared, but decided to go with the McKee’s 37 product because it seemed like it would give me the benefits I wanted with a decent price and be able to apply it myself. I knew this product wasn’t going to deliver the deepest shine or probably last the longest, but I could do it myself. Application was easy after proper prep and it made a world of difference for my paint. The product is extremely hydrophobic, eliminated all the “cloudy/dusty” look to my finish and definitely collects less dirt.

Foaming, light sponging, and rinse/squeegee/micro fiber wipe brings it right back to looking freshly buffed and waxed. My only issues are, the recommended “after care” spray product from McKee’s seems to make the finish less shiny for some reason, and even though you get enough to do 2 or possibly 3 cars, there’s no good way to clean the pump sprayer without contaminating the product, so the pump is clogged after the first use and the kit only comes with one application sponge (which again is good for one use). This stuff also seals yellowed headlights after polishing and keeps them clear.

So for those so inclined, this product is the best of both worlds for a DIYer. It may not be as good as CQuartz or whatever, but it costs a lot less and provides good protection and they say it should last at least a year or two!

 

[Kove32]

Thanks for the tip! I'll give it a shot for sure!

 

[MSRP.]

I recently got a WHITE 2004 T4R sport. If you haven’t had a white vehicle or heard people *****ing about it, the Toyota white is not a clear coat over paint application, it’s mixed in with the paint or something. A wash and wax would last 1 week max before returning to a powdery-like sheen. Also anything that would sit on the paint for more than a few minutes would sort of “stain” and require polishing/buffing.

I was looking into ceramic/nano coatings and was scared, but decided to go with the McKee’s 37 product because it seemed like it would give me the benefits I wanted with a decent price and be able to apply it myself. I knew this product wasn’t going to deliver the deepest shine or probably last the longest, but I could do it myself. Application was easy after proper prep and it made a world of difference for my paint. The product is extremely hydrophobic, eliminated all the “cloudy/dusty” look to my finish and definitely collects less dirt.

Foaming, light sponging, and rinse/squeegee/micro fiber wipe brings it right back to looking freshly buffed and waxed. My only issues are, the recommended “after care” spray product from McKee’s seems to make the finish less shiny for some reason, and even though you get enough to do 2 or possibly 3 cars, there’s no good way to clean the pump sprayer without contaminating the product, so the pump is clogged after the first use and the kit only comes with one application sponge (which again is good for one use). This stuff also seals yellowed headlights after polishing and keeps them clear.

So for those so inclined, this product is the best of both worlds for a DIYer. It may not be as good as CQuartz or whatever, but it costs a lot less and provides good protection and they say it should last at least a year or two!

I assume you're using Mckee's longer lasting coating that applies like a traditional sealant where you let it cure and buff off right?

For my fleet of cars (and family), I rarely handwash anything but for the once a year when I clay and apply their si02 spray and rinse product. It lasts 3-4 months if you handwash the paint, but I'm pretty sure it lasts longer if you don't need a spotless car. I only ran mine through touchless car washes over winter, and I swear it was still doing something.

If you handwash with any regularity and can settle with your paint looking 95% great, I would highly recommend Mckee's si02. My routine: Powerwash the paint once a week or every other week, handwash every other month, apply si02 every 3 months during a wash, and clay once a year.

It's so painless and quick, and your 4R will look damn clean if you drive it after every rain shower to sheet off the water beads before it dries.

 

[J.F. Sebastian]

The new "spray-on-wipe-off ceramic coatings" coming-out these days are amazing. Hydrosilex's Recharge is another.

 

[MSRP.]

The new "spray-on-wipe-off ceramic coatings" coming-out these days are amazing. Hydrosilex's Recharge is another.

Amen from a "now old" detailer.

Started in highschool, used stuff like Meg 16 and Poorboy Natty Wax.
Quickly accumulated a hole bunch of stuff and never used them because I found Collinite 845.
Shortly after, found Zaino Clear seal (wipe on, walk away).
Then ZCS expired and no longer worked well, bought Optimum Opti coat.
Before I even get through half the bottle, I stumbled upon the spray and rinse coatings.

NEVER
GOING
BACK

Winter prep on 2x 4Runners, 2x sedans, and a hatchback used to take several weekends.

With the advent of clay sponges/mitts and the spray on, rinse off coatings, I can do all 5 vehicles over a single back breaking weekend. Love sealing all surfaces without taping stuff off or "avoiding" trim.

I have to "LOL" at $1000 ceramic coatings as it simply isn't worth it on a daily driver. Sure it may "harden" the paint marginally, but even if you have PPF film, if a large enough rock bounces off your bumper, it isn't going to be unscathed. You still have to handwash your car, and you inherit the hassle of dealing with water spots and additional upkeep. For an exotic car, it makes sense. On a 4R that MIGHT even see a pin-stripping trail?-no way.

Funny thing, on most days, both the '99 and '03 4runner look nicer than 90% of the 4runners on the road that are 15 years newer... even moreso after a rain shower (at least from 20' away)

 

[J.F. Sebastian]

Funny thing, on most days, both the '99 and '03 4runner look nicer than 90% of the 4runners on the road that are 15 years newer... (at least from 20' away)

Full Xpel Ultimate+ bra and spray-on ceramic coating, periodic details and maintenance washes, is my solution to maintaining my candy glass Super White as much as possible.