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This tends to be a "you get what you pay for" thing. Preparation is key, with paint decon and correction required before best results. The process is labor intensive, which is what drives much of the cost. Depending on what's included (e.g., quality/durability of the coating itself, number of polishing stages, wheel faces, wheel barrels, brake calipers, door jambs, etc), I'd be skeptical of any place quoting under $1K. FWIW, I remain very happy with the Gtechniq ceramic coatings on my vehicles.
I've had cars with professional ceramic coating and cars without. In my opinion, it's not worth what my local detailers are charging anymore. Their prices have gone up considerably over the past 6-7 years, and rightfully so given the demand. But it's just not worth it to me. And people are ceramic coating just about every kind of vehicle you can think of...not just the exotics or "special" cars. So again, good for the detailing shops that are booked up for months charging $2k to do Model 3s.
A good paint correction (professional or a DIY job if you have the tools and time) IS worth it though.
Agreed that paint correction is defiantly a game changer for whatever topper you decide to go with. Along with the 2 bucket method of washing and a blower to dry.
I have tried so many products, and I like the turtle wax hybrid solutions number 53409 product. Really easy to use, not expensive and lasts. I watched this video that compares several products and I agree with his results. Very important to paint correct (Clay bar or clay bar mitt first). Amazon has both products You wont be disappointed.
I debated getting a professional grade ceramic coating on my 2019 GS until this May when I decided to go with the Xpel Fusion coating to go with my Xpel PPF. So far, I am very happy with the coating. Since May I have washed the GS once (actually it did not need it, but after a rain storm, I wanted to wash it.). I used to wash and wax almost weekly, but not anymore. I wish I had done this sooner. Good luck with your decision.
Paint Correction will remove most of the Clear Coat so be Careful who you use. My 2016 C7 will be 7 years oil Sept 27 and still looks like new with NO Ceramic Coating. I work at a Auto Body Shop and they Don't Recommend Ceramic Coating and they said it is a Cash Grab !!
Paint Correction will remove most of the Clear Coat so be Careful who you use. My 2016 C7 will be 7 years oil Sept 27 and still looks like new with NO Ceramic Coating. I work at a Auto Body Shop and they Don't Recommend Ceramic Coating and they said it is a Cash Grab !!
I respectfully disagree with a number of your claims. When done properly, paint correction will NOT remove most of the Clear Coat. Your 2016 C7 DOES look great, but I'd argue that's because of the way you care for it, rather than because it has no ceramic coating. Auto Body Shops know paint and body REPAIR. They may or may not be familiar with DETAILING processes and products like ceramic coatings. I'm sure there are some detailing shops engaged in "cash grabs," but reputable ones perform TIME/LABOR INTENSIVE SERVICES. Assuming you choose the one(s) with which you do business carefully, you'll GET THAT FOR WHICH YOU PAY.
I have used the Adams Graphene, GTechniq CSL/EXO combo and CQuartz on numerous vehicles. All are very user friendly and have given great results.
Just to see what would happen, I applied the Adams coating on a door on my work vehicle and for over a year didn't wash the vehicle. went through multiple climates, temps, mud, dirt, rain and after the year washed the vehicle and that spot was like I just applied it.
I will always recommend coatings to people. if you are game to tackle it yourself, follow the guidelines of the manufacture, take your time and you'll be good.
the initial prep and maintenance will determine how long it'll last
Lets make this simple. If you are a DIY - there is no other product you need to buy than this kit from Adam's. It comes with everything you need to completely ceramic coat (2) cars. The nice thing about Adam's is that their ceramic shows up under a UV light (which they include) so you can see spots that you might have missed. This makes it worth every penny because I definitely found spots that I had missed. Regardless of what ceramic coating you use, you ABSOLUTELY must go through a full paint correction. That means you use a strip wash (to get rid of all previous wax and sprays), then clay it, then compound it, then polish it, then an IPA wipe then you ceramic it. My Vette took (10) hours all in (6 hours in paint correction + 4 hours for applying the ceramic). Below are the results... I was surprised how easy the process was and cant believe people paid $800 to $1000 for getting this done...but the labor is in the correction.
Adams sells EVERYTHING you need as I mentioned above (the strip foam wash, clay, pads, IPA and of course the Ceramic Kit - here is where you can buy it (don't forget to use the 20% off coupon code): https://adamspolishes.com/collection...39450748092513
