[lixiang7349]

With ceramic coat costing as much as 1.2k. Isn't it a better idea to have a body shop add another layer of clear coat? Am I missing something?
My car is almost 2 years old and I wanna make the paint last longer and also make it shiny. 😀

[RoundelM3]

No, that won't help anything, and it would probably cost more than double what a professional-level ceramic coating would run. Ceramic (SiO2) coating increases gloss and is hydrophobic and will bead water more so than carnauba or other types of car wax. The professional-level jobs include the cost of prep (cleaning and polishing) as well as the application of the coating itself, most of which require protective gear and have to cure for a few days. There are DIY products you can use to polish your paint and apply your own ceramic coating that will last up to a year and will cure in a couple of hours. It's easy enough to do once a quarter if necessary. I use Aerolon TechShine (applied while car is still wet after washing and rinsing) and use Griot's Ceramic 3-in-1 for touch-ups. My 2015 M3 and 2016 228i convertible look better than new after treating with the above products.

[lixiang7349]

Originally Posted by RoundelM3

No, that won't help anything, and it would probably cost more than double what a professional-level ceramic coating would run. Ceramic (SiO2) coating increases gloss and is hydrophobic and will bead water more so than carnauba or other types of car wax. The professional-level jobs include the cost of prep (cleaning and polishing) as well as the application of the coating itself, most of which require protective gear and have to cure for a few days. There are DIY products you can use to polish your paint and apply your own ceramic coating that will last up to a year and will cure in a couple of hours. It's easy enough to do once a quarter if necessary. I use Aerolon TechShine (applied while car is still wet after washing and rinsing) and use Griot's Ceramic 3-in-1 for touch-ups. My 2015 M3 and 2016 228i convertible look better than new after treating with the above products.

Thanks! Just put Aerolon TechShine in my amazon cart. How long does it last for you? Why do you use the Griot's Ceramic 3-in-1 instead of applying another layer of Aerolon TechShine?

I like that it can be done wet and doesn't need polishing. I always feel polishing will take a thin layer of clearcoat out so that's why I wanted to just add more clear coat like those show room cars do. Google search told me avg price is 1.3k so that seemed close to ceramic coat cost.

[John in VA]

Paint protective film will save/protect your paint vs. make water & dirt easier to remove.

[lixiang7349]

Originally Posted by John in VA

Paint protective film will save/protect your paint vs. make water & dirt easier to remove.

that's 4k and further away from my goal.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by lixiang7349

that's 4k and further away from my goal.

It's not necessary to do the entire car for most typical protection. I had the front half, including lamp lenses, side view mirrors, full fascia, for about one thousand dollars with a local Xpel dealer. 6 years of no stone chips in the paint at all. By using the same ceramic or sealant products on top of the film, it also feels slick and Xpel says it's fine to do that.

[lixiang7349]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

It's not necessary to do the entire car for most typical protection. I had the front half, including lamp lenses, side view mirrors, full fascia, for about one thousand dollars with a local Xpel dealer. 6 years of no stone chips in the paint at all. By using the same ceramic or sealant products on top of the film, it also feels slick and Xpel says it's fine to do that.

Right i wanted to do just front part but wasn't sure if the front paint and rear paint would age differently because of the uv protection film provides..

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by lixiang7349

Right i wanted to do just front part but wasn't sure if the front paint and rear paint would age differently because of the uv protection film provides..

After 6 years, there is absolutely no difference on my car and I still have to look closely to find the edge of the film.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by lixiang7349

Thanks! Just put Aerolon TechShine in my amazon cart. How long does it last for you? Why do you use the Griot's Ceramic 3-in-1 instead of applying another layer of Aerolon TechShine?

I like that it can be done wet and doesn't need polishing. I always feel polishing will take a thin layer of clearcoat out so that's why I wanted to just add more clear coat like those show room cars do. Google search told me avg price is 1.3k so that seemed close to ceramic coat cost.

You do need to make sure the paint is polished BEFORE applying ceramic - at the very least, use a claybar to get any type of contaminant off the clearcoat. If not, the ceramic will seal the contaminants to the paint. I use the Griot's Ceramic 3-in-1 as a touch-up, particularly in cool/cold weather when it's not practical to wash my cars in the driveway. I usually start with 3 coats of TechShine at first, and that should last 6 months to a year, depending on how often you wash the car and whether you go to an automated wash or do it by hand. When it warms up enough here in coastal NC, I'll do another coat or two of TechShine.

[lixiang7349]

Originally Posted by RoundelM3

You do need to make sure the paint is polished BEFORE applying ceramic - at the very least, use a claybar to get any type of contaminant off the clearcoat. If not, the ceramic will seal the contaminants to the paint. I use the Griot's Ceramic 3-in-1 as a touch-up, particularly in cool/cold weather when it's not practical to wash my cars in the driveway. I usually start with 3 coats of TechShine at first, and that should last 6 months to a year, depending on how often you wash the car and whether you go to an automated wash or do it by hand. When it warms up enough here in coastal NC, I'll do another coat or two of TechShine.

hmm I watched a yt video that said to use Aerolon Tech Shine, the steps are
rinse, wash, rinse then apply, that's why I bought it. I didn't know polishing is needed.

https://aerolon.com/pages/applying-tech-shine

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by lixiang7349

hmm I watched a yt video that said to use Aerolon Tech Shine, the steps are
rinse, wash, rinse then apply, that's why I bought it. I didn't know polishing is needed.

https://aerolon.com/pages/applying-tech-shine

Polishing is what makes your paint shine - and it usually eliminates fine scratches and other minor defects. Professional detailers always polish the paint before applying the coating to make sure you get maximum gloss and eliminating any swirls and so forth. You don't have to do this every time, just the first time before applying the coating. After that, assuming you don't get any swirls/scratches, etc., you can just re-apply.

[TemjinX2]

buy a higher end ceramic coat and just diy. wash, clay and apply the ceramic coat.

just do it once a year. its not hard..just very labor intensive.

I would say its not tooo much labor considering how small the f22 is. If it was like a ford king ranch f450 or some huge suv i might pay someone to do that.

[TemjinX2]

ceramic coats are only good for cleaning your car easily and you have less issues with dead bugs getting stuck on your car.

This will not prevent chips or scratches...only PPF would do that

[mooby]

Definitely do not pay $1k for a ceramic coating application.
If you're looking at DIY coatings you should consider graphene coatings. This is a newer technology in regards to automotive finishes and can be applied with little to no prep (if you so desire). Application is incredibly easy and it lasts a year.

I picked up 303 graphene spray for $20 and am quite impressed.
It's best to apply after a 1 step polish, but you don't have to.

This will not provide the same type of protection as a film, but it is (arguably) a smarter move vs. ceramic.

[lixiang7349]

Originally Posted by mooby

Definitely do not pay $1k for a ceramic coating application.
If you're looking at DIY coatings you should consider graphene coatings. This is a newer technology in regards to automotive finishes and can be applied with little to no prep (if you so desire). Application is incredibly easy and it lasts a year.

I picked up 303 graphene spray for $20 and am quite impressed.
It's best to apply after a 1 step polish, but you don't have to.

This will not provide the same type of protection as a film, but it is (arguably) a smarter move vs. ceramic.

Thanks I ended up getting Aerolon Tech Shine. Love it so far.