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      07-13-2018, 09:49 AM   #1
GrimJaw
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Has my Ceramic coating worn off?

I have a 2015 m235i bought at the dealership in MD Belair. During purchasing they told me that the car was ceramic coated as requested by the previous owner. I'm not sure if this was done in house by BMW or in a garage.

My car does not seem to repel water as much as I see on other ceramic coatings on youtube for example. I also notice the water beads on many cars not just mine. It is possible the previous owner waxed over the coating and ruined in at a car wash maybe?

I'm not sure how to check to see if the car still has any sort of ceramic coating left. Does anyone have thoughts or insight on what I should do?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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      07-13-2018, 10:06 AM   #2
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If it does not seem to be performing it means whatever was applied has worn off.

If it was something dealer applied, they don't do ceramic coatings from what I understand but rather a sealant. The sealant should be reapplied every year. So if that was what was done see if their was a warranty on it as that is what is really sold and if it was transferable to you. Usually the re-application is included. However, I highly doubt this transferred.

If it was a ceramic coating, you'd want to find out what coating was applied, and some ceramic coatings require re-application of at least a light coat every year to keep it lasting.

Without knowing what was actually done it is hard to say. But it sounds like it isn't performing so you can look to clay bar the car yourself, do some prep and do a sealant or bring it to a detailer and have them do a paint correction and sealant or ceramic coating if that is something you really want. I'm a fan of ceramic coating.
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      07-13-2018, 10:18 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyresian View Post
If it does not seem to be performing it means whatever was applied has worn off.

If it was something dealer applied, they don't do ceramic coatings from what I understand but rather a sealant. The sealant should be reapplied every year. So if that was what was done see if their was a warranty on it as that is what is really sold and if it was transferable to you. Usually the re-application is included. However, I highly doubt this transferred.

If it was a ceramic coating, you'd want to find out what coating was applied, and some ceramic coatings require re-application of at least a light coat every year to keep it lasting.

Without knowing what was actually done it is hard to say. But it sounds like it isn't performing so you can look to clay bar the car yourself, do some prep and do a sealant or bring it to a detailer and have them do a paint correction and sealant or ceramic coating if that is something you really want. I'm a fan of ceramic coating.
Thank you. Yeah I guess i will give the dealership a call and see what they say
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      07-13-2018, 10:54 AM   #4
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read all these post, good info (b-pillar, APC wash)

https://www.focusrs.org/forum/35-foc...ic-coated.html
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      07-14-2018, 08:30 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottSinger View Post
read all these post, good info (b-pillar, APC wash)

https://www.focusrs.org/forum/35-foc...ic-coated.html

Lol this is the exact thing I found on google before I did my post. It's literally all I could find on the subject. I tried checking the B pillar and ofc nothing .
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      10-21-2018, 10:58 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GrimJaw View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottSinger View Post
read all these post, good info (b-pillar, APC wash)

https://www.focusrs.org/forum/35-foc...ic-coated.html

Lol this is the exact thing I found on google before I did my post. It's literally all I could find on the subject. I tried checking the B pillar and ofc nothing .
Does water "fly" off the surface of your car? I would say that if it doesn't act like the ceramic coating videos you can see a million of on YT then unfortunately the salesperson added invisible value to the sale of your car. If you are planning on checking using an All Purpose Cleaner I would be careful and sparing when doing so.
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      10-24-2018, 04:52 PM   #7
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this is a little more complex than some of the replies here.

lack of beading isn't a sign that the coating is gone, i get that you have no way to verify that its on there. but if you have particles on the paint that need to be clayed off you would lose the performance of any top layer.
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      10-24-2018, 04:56 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by butermunch View Post
this is a little more complex than some of the replies here.

lack of beading isn't a sign that the coating is gone, i get that you have no way to verify that its on there. but if you have particles on the paint that need to be clayed off you would lose the performance of any top layer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by butermunch View Post
this is a little more complex than some of the replies here.

lack of beading isn't a sign that the coating is gone, i get that you have no way to verify that its on there. but if you have particles on the paint that need to be clayed off you would lose the performance of any top layer.

What do you suggest I do . If I wax over it would that be bad..? I know nothing about ceramic coatings other than the fact that I've been using car pro reset when I wash the car
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      10-24-2018, 05:49 PM   #9
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thats true, if my prev owner said it and i didnt know, i'd clay it and wipe with isopropyl-water mix, and recoat it, mckees was like $35 or something

now many coatings don't accept layering, so if its there previously youve done no harm. otherwise you will end up with 1 or 2 layers. don't be afraid to do it on your own, today's coatings are not difficult to apply

and then i just use meguiars xpress spray wax as i dry the car
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      10-24-2018, 06:25 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GrimJaw View Post
What do you suggest I do . If I wax over it would that be bad..? I know nothing about ceramic coatings other than the fact that I've been using car pro reset when I wash the car
are you in the DMV area? Rockville?
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      10-24-2018, 11:49 PM   #11
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Just because the car isn't wicking water doesn't mean the coating isn't there. Most products aren't going to remove ceramic coating. If the dealership polished the car, as polish is an abrasive, before selling it to you, that could have removed the coating. An APC is going to remove the hydrophobic properties of coatings, but it's not going to remove the coating itself. Coatings aren't that easily removed.

They not only have a finite life, but they also have to be maintained. Modesta uses M4 Smoke and M2 Blast, CQuartz uses Reset and Reload, Gyeon uses Q2M Bathe and Cure. The coating could require a wash to refresh the properties. You should consider checking the F80/F82 forum. There's substantially more threads on this topic as well as other LSPs such as PPF.

If you wax, the coating will repel it. Coatings repel all non-SiO2 LSPs. You'll get a haze on the car after a few days. Do you have decon washes and other products to remove the wax in case it is repelled?
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      10-31-2018, 05:34 AM   #12
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Where could I take the car to have people test if it has a ceramic coating or not?
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      10-31-2018, 07:28 PM   #13
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i would just recoat it like i mentioned, that way you know something is there
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      11-02-2018, 10:17 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GrimJaw View Post
Where could I take the car to have people test if it has a ceramic coating or not?
Find a reputable detailer in your area and they will be able to test it in different ways to see if it's still there and if it's still functional. Then they will be able to either help you get it back to normal, offer advice on maintenance, and offer you options on replacement if need be.

Although there are some consumer friendly coatings out there it isn't as easy as it sounds to do it yourself. I say this because of what it takes to properly prep the surfaces. A lot of folks don't have the skill or don't want to do the work. I'm not saying that's you but from the questions you've asked I believe your knowledge base is limited.
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      11-02-2018, 03:47 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveInfante View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrimJaw View Post
Where could I take the car to have people test if it has a ceramic coating or not?
Find a reputable detailer in your area and they will be able to test it in different ways to see if it's still there and if it's still functional. Then they will be able to either help you get it back to normal, offer advice on maintenance, and offer you options on replacement if need be.

Although there are some consumer friendly coatings out there it isn't as easy as it sounds to do it yourself. I say this because of what it takes to properly prep the surfaces. A lot of folks don't have the skill or don't want to do the work. I'm not saying that's you but from the questions you've asked I believe your knowledge base is limited.
Very helpful thank you!
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      11-16-2018, 05:37 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by butermunch View Post
i would just recoat it like i mentioned, that way you know something is there
I am not sure if you explored this route, but if you haven't, I wouldn't waste time.

Most coatings will not adhere to the car properly if there is already a preexisting coating on the paint (even if that coating is not sheeting water).

Last edited by louielouie; 12-27-2018 at 12:35 AM..
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      01-01-2019, 07:56 PM   #17
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how many miles do you currently have on the car?
what where the miles on the car at purchase?
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      01-01-2019, 10:47 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DetailersDomain View Post
how many miles do you currently have on the car?
what where the miles on the car at purchase?
Purchase 2,500 miles

Now: 9,000 miles
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