[ScaldedDog]

Originally Posted by JennyMac

Now I am all stressed out, I pulled the trigger today on PPF (full front) and ceramic coating. They are backed up one month so end of Oct. I am in Ohio with pot holes and salt in the winter so feel like I should do it. Place comes highly recommended so hope I am happy!

Who are you working with? Esoteric in suburban Columbus has a great reputation, and a good YT channel.

We did exactly the same thing on my wife's 45e, and it's been terrific. I wash the cars around here, and the ceramic coating absolutely makes that easier. When it came time for me to get a new car, though, I couldn't justify the cost, so I had the same shop we used (in CO) do the PPF, and I did the coating myself with Gyeon Mohs. It has performed at least as well as the job we paid for, even with nearly twice as many miles on it.

Mark

[CGG]

Originally Posted by LDT

I’ll say again. Ceramic and PPF is done by only a very small % of enthusiasts. Most of us simply cannot comprehend how one can justify spending thousands of dollars in addition to the cost of a new car which presumably/absolutely has been professionally manufactured.

I think location may also have something to do with it. In Canada, with heavy snow for six months of the year there is lots of sand and gravel on the road. If you drive in the winter, it is absolutely inevitable that you will get lots of rock chips on the front end of your car from the sand and gravel. Essentially the front of your car is getting slowly sandblasted.

I can understand that someone from the southern states, like Florida, may not really have an appreciation that a few years of winter driving can result in literally hundreds of rock chips on your front end.

For me, I have PPF professionally installed on the hood - a few hundred dollars. I buy a roll of PPF for $50 and install on a few places like the mirrors and rocker panels to protect them from the sand and stones. As for a ceramic coating, I polish the X5 myself with a DA polisher and put on a coat of UK 3.0 for under a hundred.

Each to their own, but to me it seems reasonable to spend some dollars for PPF and ceramic to protect your car and have it looking the best it can be.

[CGG]

Originally Posted by cobramite

Hard pass here on the high school dropout grinding down my clear coat in some fashion. I can live a full and happy life with the minimal if any orange peel seen in current clear coats.

I was going to respond but decided not to take the bait.

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by CGG

The main advantage of a ceramic coating is the paint correction and paint polishing that takes place before the ceramic is applied.

With the exception of a quick shampoo and hand mitt applied clay job by a mobile detailer, didn't do anything to the X5 but wipe down the panels with some dilute isopropyl before applying CarPro CQ UK3.0 ceramic. Easy peasy - wipe on, let set for about a minute, wipe off. Microfiber cloths work well to wipe off.

I paid a mobile guy, a vet, about $130 to detail my 2019 X5 inside and out. The "out" part was a prep for me then doing an application of this wonderful coating. 6 pack of Bud later and my Miss Daisy never looked so good. Car was fairly new.

I only shampooed the Z4 with some Dawn/water before doing the coating. Not a bad shine, eh?

If your car is years old, then yes, you might want to do the works regarding prep. Also depends on how anal you are.

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by CGG

I was going to respond but decided not to take the bait.

There is no "bait" and you have actually made my point with your previous post about harsh climates, winter, sand, cinders, rock salt, etc., beating up a vehicle that is driven year round in that type of climate. There is a rational case that can obviously made for this stuff when living and driving under those conditions. I get that, lived in SW PA for many years and therefore have some idea what Canadian winters are like although I have never been there at that time of year.
I see no need for PPF or Ceramic here in Florida where I live now.

[P1]

I'm quite vocal about this and you can check my other posts for proof.

But paying what some of you are for ceramic coatings is just insanity. It's not a miracle product. And don't get me started on the "maintenance" you'll need to yet spend another few hundred dollars on. Just stupid. It's a scam and so many of you are still falling for it.

1) Take delivery of your car
2) Be a man and slap on a layer or two of your favorite sealant
3) Get on with your day and rest assured that in 100,000 miles your paint will still look perfect

[LDT]

Originally Posted by P1

I'm quite vocal about this and you can check my other posts for proof.

But paying what some of you are for ceramic coatings is just insanity. It's not a miracle product. And don't get me started on the "maintenance" you'll need to yet spend another few hundred dollars on. Just stupid. It's a scam and so many of you are still falling for it.

1) Take delivery of your car
2) Be a man and slap on a layer or two of your favorite sealant
3) Get on with your day and rest assured that in 100,000 miles your paint will still look perfect

Amen brother!

[leo923]

Originally Posted by P1

I'm quite vocal about this and you can check my other posts for proof.

But paying what some of you are for ceramic coatings is just insanity. It's not a miracle product. And don't get me started on the "maintenance" you'll need to yet spend another few hundred dollars on. Just stupid. It's a scam and so many of you are still falling for it.

1) Take delivery of your car
2) Be a man and slap on a layer or two of your favorite sealant
3) Get on with your day and rest assured that in 100,000 miles your paint will still look perfect

what sealants you recommend?

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by P1

I'm quite vocal about this and you can check my other posts for proof.

But paying what some of you are for ceramic coatings is just insanity. It's not a miracle product. And don't get me started on the "maintenance" you'll need to yet spend another few hundred dollars on. Just stupid. It's a scam and so many of you are still falling for it.

1) Take delivery of your car
2) Be a man and slap on a layer or two of your favorite sealant
3) Get on with your day and rest assured that in 100,000 miles your paint will still look perfect

Well stated.
Local Lexus dealer nearly had friends of ours who are oblivious to anything automotive talked into a $1,700 "Ceramic Job" guranteed for life that also requires some kind of a redo every year which totally invalidates any ridiculous claims of a permanent wax job.
A guy here in our highrise had a reputable local shop do a ceramic job on his new 911 GTS about 2 weeks after taking delivery. It looked like a freshly waxed car at that point and after washing for a good while. At 2 years it was easy to see that any claims of a permanent shine were BS. He is at about 3 years now and the car looks like it has never been waxed at any time. I'm sure some products work better and last a little longer than others in that league but understand that any claims of these treatments being a "lifetime wax" are nothing more than a snake oil scam.

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by cobramite

Well stated.
Local Lexus dealer nearly had friends of ours who are oblivious to anything automotive talked into a $1,700 "Ceramic Job" guranteed for life that also requires some kind of a redo every year which totally invalidates any ridiculous claims of a permanent wax job.
A guy here in our highrise had a reputable local shop do a ceramic job on his new 911 GTS about 2 weeks after taking delivery. It looked like a freshly waxed car at that point and after washing for a good while. At 2 years it was easy to see that any claims of a permanent shine were BS. He is at about 3 years now and the car looks like it has never been waxed at any time. I'm sure some products work better and last a little longer than others in that league but understand that any claims of these treatments being a "lifetime wax" are nothing more than a snake oil scam.

"a fool and his money....."

I think I paid about $60 bucks for the UK 3.0 coating.

I sprayed all the internal painted surfaces like inside the open doors, back, etc. with a polymer sealant - Opti-Seal. Like I said, it's been over 4 years and that looks like a newly applied treatment too leo923. Spritz, wipe off.

Treated the new Z4 seats with a cleaner then a ceramic leather coating, Gyeon brand. Sonax is OK (on the X5), but I like the Gyeon better.

The CarPro Reset shampoo is unreal. Best I've used in my 50 years of car ownership.

"Better living thru chemistry".

[cobramite]

^^^^^I see a Sonax product in your picture there. I have not yet tried any of their offerings but hear that they make good stuff.

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by cobramite

^^^^^I see a Sonax product in your picture there. I have not yet tried any of their offerings but hear that they make good stuff.

I edited that post. Sonax is not bad.

[leo923]

Originally Posted by Mixitt

"a fool and his money....."

I think I paid about $60 bucks for the UK 3.0 coating.

I sprayed all the internal painted surfaces like inside the open doors, back, etc. with a polymer sealant - Opti-Seal. Like I said, it's been over 4 years and that looks like a newly applied treatment too leo923. Spritz, wipe off.

Treated the new Z4 seats with a cleaner then a ceramic leather coating, Gyeon brand. Sonax is OK (on the X5), but I like the Gyeon better.

The CarPro Reset shampoo is unreal. Best I've used in my 50 years of car ownership.

"Better living thru chemistry".

Awesome info! I will start looking online for ordering options. thank you

[leo923]

Originally Posted by Mixitt

"a fool and his money....."

I think I paid about $60 bucks for the UK 3.0 coating.

I sprayed all the internal painted surfaces like inside the open doors, back, etc. with a polymer sealant - Opti-Seal. Like I said, it's been over 4 years and that looks like a newly applied treatment too leo923. Spritz, wipe off.

Treated the new Z4 seats with a cleaner then a ceramic leather coating, Gyeon brand. Sonax is OK (on the X5), but I like the Gyeon better.

The CarPro Reset shampoo is unreal. Best I've used in my 50 years of car ownership.

"Better living thru chemistry".

Can you use drive through car wash with all this? or still hand wash only (touchless car wash as well?)

[Lionel Hutz]

Originally Posted by Mixitt

I edited that post. Sonax is not bad.

Sonax is hit/miss IMHO. Their wheel cleaner is excellent and I recently used one of their polishes that was great as well. I dislike all of their spray coatings and their car wash.

[Boardmember]

What?!?! Another OPINION?!?

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by Lionel Hutz

Sonax is hit/miss IMHO. Their wheel cleaner is excellent and I recently used one of their polishes that was great as well. I dislike all of their spray coatings and their car wash.

Sounds like Chemical Guys, some products are great while others are just average stuff.

[LDT]

I find most, if not all, P21s and Zaino products to be excellent.

[Lionel Hutz]

Originally Posted by LDT

I find most, if not all, P21s and Zaino products to be excellent.

This is going to be contentious, but P21s and Zaino were really good products 20 years ago. I used the Zaino "twins" exclusively for years. Modern sealants and coatings are literally generations ahead in terms of ease of use and performance. A decent spray coating is going to apply in 1/2 the time of Zaino, last 4x as long, cost less, and look just as good.

P21S is still a good option if you really want something carnauba based. I always found that P21S protection fell off in about a month. But pro tip--S100 (marketed to motorcycles) is identical to P21s and is about 1/2 the price.

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by leo923

Can you use drive through car wash with all this? or still hand wash only (touchless car wash as well?)

Probably, but I hand wash using a long handled brush with hard well water then head off to the greenhouse to blast my faves with rainwater I collect for a spot free rinse LOL. 4.5 years ago I accidentally got a UK smear on a rear window. The rainbow sheen is still there! Stuff is tough.

I watched a dozen YouTube videos on this stuff paying close attention to those which compared a dozen or so products over a few to many months.

Been using this for years and no, it doesn't induce swirls or fine scratches. I have a special tire scrub brush but I use this instead most time.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

Have fun!

[Mattgigem]

Originally Posted by cobramite

Enjoy chasing your tail with the miracle shine of the month club.

I have PPF and ceramic coating on my car. I just thought we should appreciate the "miracle shine of the month club" comment.

[cobramite]

Originally Posted by Mattgigem

I have PPF and ceramic coating on my car. I just thought we should appreciate the "miracle shine of the month club" comment.

Glad you liked that!