Wrap and Ceramic Coating??
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 656
From: San Diego Ca
Wrap and Ceramic Coating??
I have a question. I have Suntek wrapped the front of my Z06 and the areas underneath the crease along the doors and around the brake ducts in the rear. Today (after ceramic coating my DDer) I ceramic coated the rear of the car including the quarters and the doors above the crease. Essentially all the area not wrapped.
I know we have a number of folks that ceramic coat over wrap, but I am concerned about eventual removal of the wrap. Wrap can be removed with heat and with care and perseverance. But as ceramic coating needs to be wet sanded to remove it, I am guessing that once the wrap is coated it cannot be removed without wet sanding. And for any one that has ever wet sanded a car, that is not a step to be taken lightly, particularly if you don't have a couple extra coats of clear laid on to allow the wet sanding.
Any input from somebody with knowledge of what the combination does to the removal process?
I know we have a number of folks that ceramic coat over wrap, but I am concerned about eventual removal of the wrap. Wrap can be removed with heat and with care and perseverance. But as ceramic coating needs to be wet sanded to remove it, I am guessing that once the wrap is coated it cannot be removed without wet sanding. And for any one that has ever wet sanded a car, that is not a step to be taken lightly, particularly if you don't have a couple extra coats of clear laid on to allow the wet sanding.
Any input from somebody with knowledge of what the combination does to the removal process?
Last edited by pkincy; Nov 11, 2017 at 08:59 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: I love you & miss you Linda
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Contributor
Ceramic coating over clear film wrap? Is thay what you're saying? That's crazy and overkill. Ceramic coating does not need to be wet sanded off by the way. You can wheel it off with a light (fine) compound.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 324
Likes: 57
From: South Dallas Tx
Wrap and ceramic coat generally do two different things. The wrap protects from damaging hits, and the ceramic coat makes any gunk slide off like butter. Some people think it's overkill to do both. If I had the means, I would do it, but that's a lot of coin to put down.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: Georgetown CA
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
I have my car fully wrapped, no ceramic coat on top. I have heard from several people on here that you can get nice results with a ceramic coat on top of a wrap. Including from the XPel rep on the forum and my installer.
I’d like to see a sample spot on my car before investing in it, just have not made it that far yet.
And I’m not sure where you got the wet sanding info from. Regardless of that, it is a top coat on top of the film. If you peeled the film off the coating comes with.
I’d like to see a sample spot on my car before investing in it, just have not made it that far yet.
And I’m not sure where you got the wet sanding info from. Regardless of that, it is a top coat on top of the film. If you peeled the film off the coating comes with.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 656
From: San Diego Ca
Here is one of many You Tube videos by professional detailers describing wet sanding to get through the ceramic coating after it is applied. I generally start Wet Sanding with 1000-1500 grit and move quickly on to 2500 and than 3000 before I then move to finishing compound. This guy starts with 600 grit paper!! Then goes to 1000 and then to 3000 and then on to compound.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: I love you & miss you Linda
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Contributor
Exactly. It's easy to do if you have time and patience and not very expensive at all. I've done 3 cars, all daily drivers and 2 years later they look and clean up like they were waxed yesterday.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 19,557
Likes: 1,470
From: I love you & miss you Linda
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Contributor
Here is one of many You Tube videos by professional detailers describing wet sanding to get through the ceramic coating after it is applied. I generally start Wet Sanding with 1000-1500 grit and move quickly on to 2500 and than 3000 before I then move to finishing compound. This guy starts with 600 grit paper!! Then goes to 1000 and then to 3000 and then on to compound.
https://youtu.be/hdbt08415SM
https://youtu.be/hdbt08415SM
I use Gtechniq EXO v3 Ceramic
The guy in the video is wet sanding to remove scratches in the clear coat.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Senoia Ga
Friend had a quote of $1900.00 to do his 17 vert. probably more for a coupe from a Xpel dealer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Kannapolis MA.
Can't see the money spent to do the ultimate finish.Paint correction etc. Then spend cash again prepping the surface to reapply?
At 5k miles my WAX is fine.Washed once.I touchup area's with spray on wax,bugs etc.No PPF.One nick so far.
If you can do all the proper steps yourself or if Cash is no issue? Go for it.
At 5k miles my WAX is fine.Washed once.I touchup area's with spray on wax,bugs etc.No PPF.One nick so far.
If you can do all the proper steps yourself or if Cash is no issue? Go for it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: Georgetown CA
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
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Add to that the ceramic coating on top of that, if you choose to go that route.
XPel for the chip/scratch protection, ceramic coat for additional gloss/depth, but I'm not convinced yet doing both is worth it....will be checking a spot....
I was more into the XPel for the scratch / chip protection...
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Texas Hill Country
About half my car is Xpel'd and the whole thing is ceramic coated. I did it because I am NOT a waxer. Wash and go now forever, maybe an occasional reapplication of ceramic coating but I drive it about 2k miles a year so maybe not.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: Georgetown CA
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That's kind of why I did the XPel over the whole car :-) I'm quite happy with the overall look of it after some pretty simple washing.
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I have Expel on the front , ground effects and a few other key places. Ceramic Pro over. Expel for chips, CPro for ease of maintenance and protection from the elements. 
Wide variation in pricing on the Ceramic Pro depending on the package, paint correction, your location etc. Supposedly you can only buy it if you are a certified installer and it's expensive. After a year I like it, rare I need to wash and never wax.
Wide variation in pricing on the Ceramic Pro depending on the package, paint correction, your location etc. Supposedly you can only buy it if you are a certified installer and it's expensive. After a year I like it, rare I need to wash and never wax.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 656
From: San Diego Ca
And I agree. I had my 08 Z wrapped over the entire front and mirrors. My maintenance on a car admittedly not a DDer and not driven in the rain, was wetting a microfiber towel and using that one small damp towel to wipe the dust of the car and then dry it. That was it. The 16 Z was also wrapped on the front, mirrors and under the door crease and the brake duct area due to this model's propensity to throw pebbles particularly from my SCs. But still the maintenance was that damp towel. I now have gotten some Chemical Guys sealant designed for wraps that I use after the damp towel, but that is the only addition. I will say this. I was very very impressed with the smoothness and glossiness of my DDer that sits outside after a CQuartz application. Given its banishment to a non garage environment I gave it the ceramic coating. But it has worked so well and looked so good, I now have coated the non wrapped portions of the Z. I will see how that works before I think about coating the wrapped portion.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 656
From: San Diego Ca
I have no doubt that it looks good with coating over xPel, but my hesitation is what that does to us when we need to repair or remove the wrap with that ultra hard coating over the wrap.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 324
Likes: 57
From: South Dallas Tx
Just make sure if you wrap you do it before ceramic coating. I have a buddy that is a professional detailer, and said he had a client try to wrap about six months after he coated the car. Client didn't tell the wrap installer it had ceramic coat. Let's just say the install didn't go well. lol
8th Gear
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Westfield MA
I have a question. I have Suntek wrapped the front of my Z06 and the areas underneath the crease along the doors and around the brake ducts in the rear. Today (after ceramic coating my DDer) I ceramic coated the rear of the car including the quarters and the doors above the crease. Essentially all the area not wrapped.
I know we have a number of folks that ceramic coat over wrap, but I am concerned about eventual removal of the wrap. Wrap can be removed with heat and with care and perseverance. But as ceramic coating needs to be wet sanded to remove it, I am guessing that once the wrap is coated it cannot be removed without wet sanding. And for any one that has ever wet sanded a car, that is not a step to be taken lightly, particularly if you don't have a couple extra coats of clear laid on to allow the wet sanding.
Any input from somebody with knowledge of what the combination does to the removal process?
I know we have a number of folks that ceramic coat over wrap, but I am concerned about eventual removal of the wrap. Wrap can be removed with heat and with care and perseverance. But as ceramic coating needs to be wet sanded to remove it, I am guessing that once the wrap is coated it cannot be removed without wet sanding. And for any one that has ever wet sanded a car, that is not a step to be taken lightly, particularly if you don't have a couple extra coats of clear laid on to allow the wet sanding.
Any input from somebody with knowledge of what the combination does to the removal process?
