[beard627]

I've never plumped for any kind of coating other than wax. The highest-rated detailer in the area is pushing a ceramic coating for my '18 M240i. What is this, and is it better than wax, or does it still require wax?

Thanks.

[CP911]

I've been thinking about this myself. Supposedly, it doesn't melt away with heat like wax does and it stays effective at repelling dirt and dust for much longer. Basically makes wax obsolete. My understanding is that you can still wax over the ceramic coated surfaces to provide yet another barrier of protection, but this might very well be overkill. I came across a DIY Sonax ceramic sealer online that I'm thinking about trying on my spare set of BBS wheels before I attempt to mount them again. Car is going to get tracked in the spring, so it should be a good test of heat resistance and overall effectiveness vs. wax. I may also do the hood as well and see how it holds up against the adjacent waxed panels under typical temperatures and normal dirt/debris exposure.

Curious - what is your detailer quoting you for this type of work and what product/procedure are they planning to use? I have no point of reference as I've never bothered to inquire myself...

[MostlyHarmless]

A good ceramic coating usually includes one or more coats of the coating itself, such as GTechniq Crystal Serum and a "topper" such as GTechniq EXOv4 as an additional layer of protection. The coating should last up to 3 years if you keep the topper maintained by having it reapplied once a year.

Ceramic coatings do a great job of protecting your paint from the elements, especially bird poop and tree sap. I keep a bottle of Bird Shit Remover in my trunk and some microfibers just in case, but that stuff (bird shit and tree sap) rinses right off when you have a good coating, and the coating also makes your paint look glossier. Much better than wax in my opinion.

There are also some great spray sealants that you can use once a month or so on top of your coating, such as P&S Beadmaker, but I wouldn't go so far as to use a paste wax on top of a coating; a spray wax or sealant is perfectly fine.

[tripitz]

I have a very high end ceramic coating on my car that supposedly "self heals" when you apply warm water to the damaged area (it was an upgrade the installer did for free as my car was the guinea pig). The ceramic coating, along with the benefits listed above, makes it a LOT easier to keep the car clean. Washing is a lot easier and dirt does not stick to it the way it does on even a waxed car. I absolutely love it.

[B58togo]

I got my car ceramic coated last July and it was worth it. The increased depth and the way it repels is awesome. I notice this winter on the few occasions I've gone through the touchless wash, the car gets way cleaner than it did last winter (pre-ceramic). I have to get it inspected and topped off annually to keep the 5 year warranty in force. They basically knock $25 off their $150 exterior detail for the annual service.

[EE60]

I had my paint corrected, the front end X-Pel wrapped (whole hood) to preventchips and had the entire car Ceramic Pro quartzed.

Paint correction probably made the biggest difference in appearance, but ceramic makes it easy to maintain. Mostly just dusting (fair weather convertible) or waterless wash. Only two water washes since August. Expensive, but I plan to keep my vert a long time

[Hammy]

How much is everyone paying for ceramic coating? Personally I enjoy doing my own sealant / wax routine but for 5 months of the year here it's almost impossible due to our harsh winters. Thanks

[beard627]

I wish I could give you guys the quote I received but I have not been able to get back in touch with this detailer. Fortunately there are other high-rated businesses here. I am convinced to go with ceramic, though.

[EM240]

Originally Posted by Hammy

How much is everyone paying for ceramic coating? Personally I enjoy doing my own sealant / wax routine but for 5 months of the year here it's almost impossible due to our harsh winters. Thanks

I am also very interested in knowing what this would run. I’ve quickly learned that my alpine white M240 is very hard to keep as clean as I’d like it.

Base price and yearly upkeep quotes are welcome! I’m in Boston if that matters

[Rocky58]

I paid about $70 for Sonax's CC36 kit and it took about a weekend to wash, clay, wipe down and apply the base coat and gloss coat to my brand new car. It looks great but who knows how long it will last. I plan to treat with Sonax Polymer Net Shield in a few months. I would not recommend this unless you like doing stuff like this. Applying it requires some real attention to detail and it would be possible to mess it up if not careful.

[B58togo]

Originally Posted by EM240

I am also very interested in knowing what this would run. I’ve quickly learned that my alpine white M240 is very hard to keep as clean as I’d like it.

Base price and yearly upkeep quotes are welcome! I’m in Boston if that matters

I paid $690 for the 5 yr silver package, but also got a single stage paint correction done first. Total was around $1150 with tax. Annual upkeep is $125, which includes a full exterior detail.

https://titanmotorworks.com/auto-det...-pro-coatings/