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2025 C8 Stingray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
My experience with it based on having it done to other family vehicles. It's great if you are the kind of person who doesn't wax and detail very often. Also, it makes quick work of subsequent washes or detailing. However, with that every ceramic coating I've read about or dealt with comes with qualifiers. Basically you get the same do's and don't as would apply to a traditional wax. ie, don't let bird poop sit on the car, don't take it through automated car washes, use quality microfiber cloths for detailing, wash once a week or as needed, etc. When I'm done reading the list it leaves me wondering what's the point. I enjoy waxing or detailing and do it once a month or every two months depending on how much the car is driven. My car always looks great and I don't feel as though I'm missing anything by not having a ceramic coating applied,
Lots of people swear by it, and it does seem to be a great coating. I can't justify the high price though, and will stick with traditional waxes or other coatings.
it's better justified for a daily driver, especially if you intend to drive in all weather conditions.
I've heard Ceramic Coating is the way to go. I never had this done; just good waxing. Any feedback?
I think most of the cost is usually man hours on prep the paint and paint correction. Applying the product is easy. You could do it yourself, but Google and watch Youtube videos. Is it worth it. Every single dollar that I paid. The product my installer used has a 5yr hydrophobic property guarantee.
Now that the paint correction has been done, I can easily apply this once a year or two or three...or go back to my installer and support local business.
2025 C8 Stingray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
My experience with it based on having it done to other family vehicles. It's great if you are the kind of person who doesn't wax and detail very often. Also, it makes quick work of subsequent washes or detailing. However, with that every ceramic coating I've read about or dealt with comes with qualifiers. Basically you get the same do's and don't as would apply to a traditional wax. ie, don't let bird poop sit on the car, don't take it through automated car washes, use quality microfiber cloths for detailing, wash once a week or as needed, etc. When I'm done reading the list it leaves me wondering what's the point. I enjoy waxing or detailing and do it once a month or every two months depending on how much the car is driven. My car always looks great and I don't feel as though I'm missing anything by not having a ceramic coating applied,
It definitely is the latest and greatest according to all that have spent the money to have it applied or have done it themselves. I prefer to apply a nice coat of wax each month or so.
I've been a hardcore Zaino guy since the 90's, but this stuff is next level and is totally worth it (IMO). You can do it yourself, or have it done for you.
Just so you understand, its not about protection of the paint. If you can afford to do the XPEL or other PPF coating, that is the best way to protect the paint.
Ceramic does not protect from rock chips, its basically like putting a coat of wax on the car that last for a few years instead of a few months.
You can do it yourself, if you know how to correct paint. That is where the labor cost is for the pros.
Paint correction is the key as was mentioned above. If you are competent at getting that done right the ceramic isn't terribly hard to apply so you could do it all yourself if you can get the ceramic product. I wouldn't use the over the counter stuff you can get from Walmart though, get a solid professional-grade product like Xpel or CeramicPro that will last years with only the top coat needing to be re-applied every year-ish. Once the paint is perfect the ceramic locks that finish in so you don't have to clay, polish, and wax more frequently. If you daily drive it's helpful in cutting down the amount of time you will spend cleaning and waxing. If you enjoy the clay bar, polish, and wax process I don't think you need ceramic. I will say, on my car, the ceramic makes cleaning the car so easy, I can polish her up to gleaming in less than an hour. Bugs, bird droppings, dirt, etc... all sloughs right off with minimal effort after getting ceramic pro applied. It's been almost a year and still beads up like the first day it was done.
A well prepared surface and properly applied ceramic coating results in a finish an order of magnitude deeper and more brilliant than conventional waxes on an unprepared surface. Without paint correction the result is akin to a good wax job but with improved dust and water shedding properties.
I had a combination PPF and Fusion ceramic done. The resulting intensity and depth of color has generated numerous compliments and the car simply sheds dirt and rain. IMO the best ongoing benefit is the ease with which I can dust the car off and drive it away. The car has been washed only twice in 7 months, and I only need to wash the car if some rain manages not to slither off the finish.
PROS
Appearance
Water resistance
Environmental pollution resistance
Cleanup ease
CONS
Cost
Specialized cleaning/ceramic recoating materials required
$ 2,650. for a Ceramic Pro Gold Pkg. on a '17 with 11,000 miles. Just do it, you already spent $ 65-95K on the car.....
But I have my doughts the install guy "really did 5 coats", I really don't trust anyone..... could have been 3 and I would not have known.
Guess if I had a dash cam I could start and stop remotely I would really know.
It seems to work so far, exactly 1 year later on a daily driver in NY.
Is ceramic coating worth it on a white car? I don't mind washing and waxing my car, but would only consider ceramic coating if it would improve the shine.
Is ceramic coating worth it on a white car? I don't mind washing and waxing my car, but would only consider ceramic coating if it would improve the shine.
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
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I have never tried ceramic coating on my car, but plenty of threads here on the forum about it. Costly to do if you have a shop apply it for you. I do not mind waxing my car so I just use a conventional car wax on it and am pleased with the results so far. Perhaps some day I'll look into a ceramic coating.
Is ceramic coating worth it on a white car? I don't mind washing and waxing my car, but would only consider ceramic coating if it would improve the shine.
People on THIS Thread need to spend some time reading Threads on the Car Care Forum........
Ceramic Coating is not required to produce gloss !!!! Plenty of Gloss enhancers
that are available. The addition of SiO2 to many of the "new" products greatly
enhance the gloss
You must correct the defects in your paint before any coating/topping
to achieve the results youre seeing on the show quality cars.
Either buy a DA polisher, pads and chemicals OR spend A LOT
of $$ and pay someone else (continually) to work on YOUR car.
Cquartz is the ceramic coating i had applied to my used 2007 vet when i bought it about 5 years ago.
Had the same applied to my 2017 vet when i bought that new in 2017.
The Montery Red 2007 and the 2017 Blackrose colors go crazy in the sun with it.
Both cars do extremely well at the vet shows i go to and the other local shows.
They both took alot of 1st places or 2nds.
Only went to 1 show where i didn't place at all in the last 4 years.
So yeah i love the ceramic coating on the vet's.
