Bumping this for conversation...

How and why is ceramic so incredibly affordable vs a full XPel wrap? And why would I pay for Xpel if ceramic is so cheap? What is the argument against ceramic coating?

 

Two completely different products. Both great. Some choose to do one or the other and some choose to use both. The simplest way to explain the difference:

- XPEL PPF is meant to protect your paint from road debris, etc

- Ceramic coating is meant to make your car easier to keep clean (bird poop, sap, brake dust, etc doesn't stick as easily)

 

Xpel protects the paint from debris, even though a ceramic coat will also protect your paint it will not stop rock chips. I have Xpel Ultimate from the Windscreen forward to protect from rock chips. Xpel Ultimate has a 7 year warranty and is self healing so you should not see swirl marks in it or get any rock chips.I am considering a ceramic coat for the rest of the car. to protect the paint and enhance the shine. My car already has swirl marks and it has less than 2000 miles on it.

 

what fr5000gt said as far as application is correct.

ceramic coatings will not really protect from any major rocks or damage despite what some marketing is out there trying to claim. it's simply a more permanent sealant - most ceramics will last in the 2-5 year range depending on how the car is stored and maintained. ceramic coatings can still swirl and are very prone to water spots.

as far as cost is concerned. it takes about 50-60++ more hours in labor to install ppf correctly.

 

ceramic coatings can still swirl and are very prone to water spots, dont like the sound of that, what do you mean by prone to water spots, is this if not dried off, not to sure what to get on the car now after all these options

http://www.detailsmatterllc.com/comp...amic-coatings/

 

pretty much. even though coatings are very hydrophobic, water left on the surface can spot just like with unprotected paint.

every different ceramic or glass coating has an aftercare and water spot remover that can usually remove most spots, but in some cases can require it to to polished out and the coating to be re-applied

 

I use SunTek instead of XPel. High gloss is high gloss and they are the same thickness and still have self healing properties. 10 yr MFG warranty. Overall quality seemed to be good.
I don't use ceramic because scratches can still happen and then it requires more work than a buff to remove. I use sealant and wax, instead. I do like maintaining vehicles however, so if you want to spray it once and have it generally be good looking, ceramic is a good fit. Removing it is more expensive than removing say wax, obviously.

 

This water spot issue is putting me right off now,so if it rains on it and is out in the sun , some water spots may occour and need to be polished out , thats bad, so car is brand new and being done at the dealers, should i go ahead with it,

Vehicle will get

Machine polished
Glass sealant
Wheel sealant
Gtechniq sealant to all paintwork & plastic
Exhaust also sealed
Interior plastic & leather sealed
Fabric sealant
Check interior glass
Tyres dressed, engine dressed

1st is crystal serum then 2 coats of gtechniq exov3

 

it's definitely possible. you can try something like Kamikaze Water Spot Remover | Esoteric Car Care or Gyeon Q2M WaterSpot | Esoteric Car Care if you do get water spots.

typically rain won't cause any issues it's sprinkler systems that you have to worry about

 

Seems Gyeon and Gtechniq are the main ceramic coating types, which is better

 

Get the specs. Typically the higher the hardness rating, the better.

 

honestly they're all pretty close to each other in terms of durability.

the difference that i've noticed between the few different major brands is ease of use to work with, whether you need multiple layers, etc and the depth of color it provides.

i personally like the kamikaze stuff now. i just did kamikaze ism on the new car and it's great to work with because it is no voc (you don't need to wear a respirator when applying it)

 

I assume doing both on the car is overkill, but ceramic, then a front hood Xpel and maybe doors is sensible, right?

I also assume that the ceramic is basically a nano paint that fills in gaps on a molecular level, so it's basically just more smooth, hence easier to wipe down and clean.

I also assume only long-term owners do this, because a lessor or someone who might sell the car in a few years will have this effecting the value?

What's the ceramic look like long term? I know someone else asked prior to me bumping this, but not sure there was an answer.

 

This is more or less exactly what I had done to my car almost 3 years ago (same products), and it still looks like it did when I received it after the treatment.
No swirlmarks, no water spots and the same shine. All I have done is using Gtechniq quick detailer after every 3. wash (very easy - just spray on when the car is still wet and dry off with a microfiber towel). And washing it is just as easy now as it was right after the treatment (dirt and bugs comes right off).
It has got a few stonechips, but that was to be expected.

Could not be happier with it, and would do it again.

 

I had the entire car cQuartzed and then the whole front of the car (doors forward) and the rocker panels xPel'd. Full shine, no swirls after 24k miles (2.5 years). However, I will have the rockers refilmed this year. Massive road rash right in front of the rear wheels.

 

I have Ceramic Pro 9H over a Peelable Paint job

 

I've been detailing cars for about 16 years now and charge $250-$300 per coat of Gyeon Ceramic Moh2. I recommend usually 3 coats for a 5 yr warranty. Paint correction is almost always needed before applying paint coating . You alway want the paint to look as good as possible before applying coating. While I do a really nice job removing scratches, I only charge between $299-$499 for paint correction. A complete paint correction and ceramic coating should be around $800-$1300. Its not cheap but its worth it. Heres some pics of my F-type I just bought. It was pretty scratched up so I polished scratches and applied 3 coats of Gyeon Moh2.

 

Also I would be happy to answer any questions regarding detailing our F-Types. I just got mine so I'm not an expert on the vehicle itself but I know a thing or two about detailing and would be happy to share any knowledge.

 

me going to get ceramic coating for my 2017 F type S for $800

 

for the best results, your vehicle should clay bar treatment to remove contaminants & then polished to remove any small scratches first.