Ceramic Coating
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 209
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Ceramic Coating
Does anyone have personal experience with DIY Ceramic Coating like the Armor Shield IX that advertises on the forum? I am sure there are probably threads on this, but I cannot find them so I apologize if I am repeating history.. Specifically I am looking for how it holds up, is it significantly better than wax, how easy/hard is the application and how long does it take to do a Corvette?
Thanks for any info.
Thanks for any info.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
Pretty much weekly threads on this. Use Google search and put in corvette forum ceramic coating or similar, you will have plenty to read.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 4,294
Likes: 1,166
From: Green and Wet Western Oregon
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2018 C6 of Year Winner
I have applied Adam's Ceramic on our `19 GS convertible and Armor Shield IX on a friend's `03 convertible. Paint correction is the most time consuming aspect. Two days total to do the `03 convertible (C5 is the easiest Corvette body style to detail) and three days to do our `19 convertible (C7 may be one of the more difficult bodies because of all the sharp angles and lines). Although the `19 was new, I wanted the paint flawless before applying Xpel ppf and ceramic coating.
Longevity... I'll have to let you know in a couple of years.
Longevity... I'll have to let you know in a couple of years.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 209
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
I have applied Adam's Ceramic on our `19 GS convertible and Armor Shield IX on a friend's `03 convertible. Paint correction is the most time consuming aspect. Two days total to do the `03 convertible (C5 is the easiest Corvette body style to detail) and three days to do our `19 convertible (C7 may be one of the more difficult bodies because of all the sharp angles and lines). Although the `19 was new, I wanted the paint flawless before applying Xpel ppf and ceramic coating.
Longevity... I'll have to let you know in a couple of years.
Longevity... I'll have to let you know in a couple of years.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 955
From: Central Commiefornia
For ceramic coating, paint correction is necessary to remove flaws and imperfections from the paint surface, or they will be trapped below the ceramic, degrading the final appearance.
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Joined: Feb 2020
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2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Unmodified
2021 C7 of the Year - Unmodified Winner
Check in with @Loki 6 in the Car Care forum. He'll talk your ear off about this topic. He's a professional detailer and one cool cat.
I'm am however, a guy who really enjoys it and has a developed a hobby (read obsession) and an "internal happy place" to go to on some weekends...especially before shows. And, at no charge to you whatsoever...willing to talk your ear off about it!
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4,754
Likes: 1,651
@MMD - thanks for the mention and the kind words my friend, but I'm not a professional detailer. I don't think I ever said I was a professional, and I sincerely hope I did not mislead anyone into thinking that I am, for I am not. My apologies if you thought that.
I'm am however, a guy who really enjoys it and has a developed a hobby (read obsession) and an "internal happy place" to go to on some weekends...especially before shows. And, at no charge to you whatsoever...willing to talk your ear off about it!
I'm am however, a guy who really enjoys it and has a developed a hobby (read obsession) and an "internal happy place" to go to on some weekends...especially before shows. And, at no charge to you whatsoever...willing to talk your ear off about it!
Last edited by MMD; Jul 27, 2020 at 11:48 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Did it on my exes MB (new paint)...sure it looked shiny and all but 6 mos later doesnt look any different than the rest of the car which gets a simple hand wax twice a year. Wouldnt spend the $ to do it again.
Some spend tons on products cause they love detailing...not here.
Hell the other day spent 30 min with a claybar and detail spray on an old C4 looked new. Couldnt have cost $5 in material and looks like a few coats of clear got sprayed on it. Never was a detail freak.
Some spend tons on products cause they love detailing...not here.
Hell the other day spent 30 min with a claybar and detail spray on an old C4 looked new. Couldnt have cost $5 in material and looks like a few coats of clear got sprayed on it. Never was a detail freak.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 4,294
Likes: 1,166
From: Green and Wet Western Oregon
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2018 C6 of Year Winner
PPF - we first applied XPEL Ultimate film to the nose, half hood & half fenders on our 2010 GS convertible. 5 years and 30,000+ miles the paint was still pristine and helped get us top dollar.
When we received our new `19 GS I did my own paint correction and delivered it to our installer for XPEL Ultimate Plus on the full front, rockers, side skirts, A pillars, rear brake ducts and rear triangle. We drove from Oregon to Kentucky on the National Corvette Caravan and back home via Route 66. There is one small tear in the film on the nose from a rock (?) that did not mar the paint.
Ceramic - I installed the Adam's Ceramic (including over the XPEL) before the Caravan simply because it was the "newest, latest, greatest" and I wanted to try it. I did it for a fraction of the cost of a professionally installed ceramic product. It still shines and still protects from dirt, road grime, rain.....