Has anyone used the Cilajet Ceramic Coating, my dealer offered it to me, so I considered it, but before I actually go with it, want to hear your opinions on this product?

 

Never heard of it............I would never go through a dealer to get Ceramic coating. My first car was done with CeramicPro silver service and was a great product. My second C8 was done with Feynlab 5 year and the results are even better.

 

I got it and wished I would’ve of gone to a high-end detail shop to have it done correctly. Also heard it doesn’t last that long. In my case I asked the dealership if it was done in the house and they told me yes, because I didn’t want it driven someplace where it ends up having 20 people in it taking Instagram photos. Well they let the lot boy drive my $91,000 Corvette 2 miles away to the shop and I wasn’t happy with the video going there and coming back. I think you’d be better off going to a professional instead of letting the dealer do it.

 

I would avoid Dealership applied coatings and get it done by a professional...

 

Most of the coating products offered by the dealerships aren't worth the money you pay. If your not interested in doing it yourself, I would look for a quality shop that specializes in ceramic coating and PPF. If you are wanting to also get PPF, it needs to be done before the ceramic coating. Ask around and check with other Corvette owners in your area.

 

Cilajet is the "choice" of many dealerships because it's a huge profit maker. Probably 30 minutes with a high school kid applying it costs the dealer $30 - $50, and they charge many hundreds. The key to a good ceramic coating is the prep: making sure the paint is scrupulously clean and smooth before you apply anything. My detailer washes the car, clay bars it, goes over the paint with an orbital to get is as smooth as possible, then wipes each panel down with isopropyl alcohol before applying the ceramic. No way the dealer does all that.

 

I had a black 2021 C8 and had dealer install CilaJet. Traded the 21 C8 Coupe for a 23 C8 HTC in Silver Flare with Black HTC. I decided to have the PPF and Ceramic coating completed near where I live in case there were any issues since both dealerships were in different states. The difference between the CilaJet and what I had put on the 23 is remarkably different. I would definitely go with an independent near where you live that will give you a better coating option and, probably, better service to keep it up.

 

Find a nearby quality detail shop and have them do it. Get PPF as well. A bit spendy but well worth the money!

 

I DIY ceramic coat all my cars using Armor Shield IX. As previously described, the prep is the MOST important, and most time consuming part. However, at the end of the day, I have used well less than $150.00 in materials, maybe eight hours of my time, and saved an average of $1,500.00 per car...

 

Adams has a Graphene Ceramic Advanced kit that has great reviews. Looks like it will last a long time. I did Armor Shield IX on my previous C7Z and my Land Rover, but I've already got an Adam's Graphene Ceramic Advanced kit ready to go for my wife's new Navigator. Am leaning towards just paying a local pro for the Ceramic Pro Gold package with 4 layers of 9H on my new C8 inbound here soon.

 

Anytime you see anything advertised as "Aviation Grade" you can pretty much assume you're getting taken, because there basically is no such thing (be it Aluminum, Titanium, Carbon Fiber, Tire Nitrogen, Coatings, or whatever). As a whole, airplanes are not ceramic coated (commercial or otherwise) for a whole host of reasons. For some reason, some sellers seem to think the general public assumes "Aviation Grade" means something premium or whatever, I guess many fall for it. The reality is many Automotive Grade things are better than Aviation Grade, but those of us in Aviation are often stuck using antiquated archaic things in place of modern higher quality stuff due to outdated rules and regulations.

Next obvious thing - if you see it advertised at a dealership on some flashy signs in the showroom, you can also pretty much guaranteed you're getting screwed.

 

I am thinking about just doing it, it was about $950. I am doing it as Criswell Chevy, they are doing it on site and assured me that their prep work will completed professionally like any other top end shop.

 

I have heard of it. And I think it is the one my dealer offered - last year when I got my car. As I recall, at the time, I looked it up and I could not even confirm that it was a "ceramic" coating. I just looked it up again, and found two different sites advertising a Cilajet product - one says "Cilajet is a proprietary polymer and acrylic formula. It is not just polish or wax. When properly applied to a painted or metal surface, Cilajet’s unique formula bonds with the surface and helps resist corrosion and damage from environmental conditions." The other one says "Using the latest in nano-ceramic with graphene technology (AKA — the strongest material ever tested), Cilajet’s ceramic coatings offer a hard protective shell against environmental elements while maintaining a showroom-ready shine for years to come." One says ceramic, the other does not. So, if I were considering it, I would first determine exactly what is being offered, and compare it to other options.

 

My buddy had it applied at Criswell ( Thurmont ) about 16 months ago. Looks really good, still seems to be holding up well. Not sure about the long run, but at this point it's good. He seems to be pleased with the job they did.

 

??? If offered by the dealer you can almost be certain it's an over-priced scam to milk you of your money and little else.

 

Good to know, could you ask your buddy if the water beads off and there are no rain spots on it?

 

It was 899 for all paint surfaces, interior items, wheels, calipers. Had another shop offer 699 for just exterior paint for Ceramic Pro.

 

Be sure and price ceramic coating from local detail shops. You will most likely find it cheaper. Just be sure to get references or check reviews. My dealer wanted to charge me 600 bucks over what I got from a good detailing shop that works on all kinds of exotic cars.

 

He does garage keep his car, and when it has gotten rained on, or washed, it DOES bead up and run off, but he doesn't let rain, or water dry on it as he wiped it down so don't know if you were to leave it out in the rain and not dry it off regarding water spots.

 

I was planning to apply ceramic coating to my C8 when it was delivered in April 2021. I was leaning toward a local detailer who applied SB3 Coatings. I was also considering applying Adam's Graphene myself. The Criswell Thurmont dealership was offering Cilajet. With an abundance of caution and several recommendations, I decided to purchase the Cilajet from Criswell Thurmont. The rationale for making the dealership responsible for the coating, would prevent multiple parties from blaming each other for product issues. Moreover, Criswell Thurmont was absolutely great to deal with throughout the purchase/delivery process. In fact, they've been great to work with over the last 15 months. The Cilajet received great praise from 2 car buyers who absolutely were thrilled with it.

My first-hand experience with a Cilajet treated 2021 C8 has been very good to date. My Accelerate Yellow Coupe is gorgeous. The car is garage kept and currently has 5300 miles. It has been driven in the rain on 2 occasions. Most rain drops repel off the moving car. It is easy to clean the car with a wet, soft sponge. I always dry the car with a soft clean microfiber towel. Bug splats are commonplace in this agricultural community. They are easily removed with a wet sponge. To date, The Cilajet is performing as well or better than the Adam's Graphene applied to my 2021 Honda Odyssey. I have no crystal ball so I can't say how long the Cilajet's protection will last. The disappointed detailer told me I'd be lucky to get 6 months out of it. I have added and replaced some exterior accessories. Presently, I have a number of carbon fiber pieces that I've treated with Adam's Graphene. The dealership was asking too much $$$ for Cilajet touch-ups.

It's worth mentioning that I've added several carbon fiber accessories that are attached with 3M double-sided tape. I've also applied decals to the C8 body. I simply cleaned the contact areas with alcohol prior to mounting the new stuff. I've had no adhesion issues with properly fitting accessories. I've heard that people have experienced adhesion problems on ceramic coated surfaces.

If I start to have issues removing insect splats and stubborn dirt, I will likely purchase with a detail shop's applied ceramic coating. But, I'm not there yet.