Penn4S

I am prepping my car for the move to Florida. I've got Plycar booked with enclosed trailer.

I am now thinking I'm going to do a full detail before moving. Remove the PPF, full paint correction, and ceramic finish. I have had both Xpel ultimate and Suntek Ultra and like both with no clear preference with slight clarity going to Suntek. The dilemma I need help with is the ceramic choice.
I have 2 detainees I trust for the paint correction and film. Both shops do very high end cars much more expensive than mine. One uses Ceramic Pro exclusively and the other uses Modesta exclusively. I have no experience with either as I used a lite ceramic I did myself from Gyeon previously.
Both sound like good products with Modesta getting the nod for gloss. Looking for guidance from personal experience and any intimate details you can share as I know in the case of Modesta there are several different types of finishes.
Any real life experiences would be really be appreciated.

Pure745

If you're going to do it yourself - I really like Obsessed Garage (Matt)'s approach to things. I actually stumbled upon his YouTube channel while looking for tried and true methods for polishing 911 paint. I have tried his recommendations but through trial and error I have gone with all CarPro products. Matt likes Crystal Serum Light topped with Exo V4. I think between the two I listed, the user application will be pretty straight forward. Only wild card would be you doing a paint correction before the application. Obsessed Garage's YouTube has an amazing amount of information on how to do it and what to use.

I did it myself and really enjoyed the process and I love to detail my own cars. Just make sure you have an a few days to do it or don't daily drive your car and space it out more.

Here is my car with CarPro CQ UK 3.0 topped with Gliss v2. Car looks amazing all the time - the coating makes it much easier to clean and also resists dust/dirt more off the bat. I also coated my wheels with Gyeon Rim.

Also you would spend $300ish on coating and products etc. doing it yourself vs. $1500-2500 that detailers around here would charge for the same service.

Penn4S

I have 2 professional detailers that I can use I am really trying to pick the best coating.

Pure745

Out of those two I’ve heard good things of Modesta. But have heard of more places using CP. Results will come down to whoever does the better paint correction before the application.

LexVan

Good luck on your move Penn4S. My car has had OptiCoat Pro (done twice) and CQuartz (done once). Both have been excellent. To me, it's all about the prep. All the products you mentioned are excellent. Go with the detailer you like best, with the best value. Some of the Pros here use Modesta exclusively. The results always look stunning. I think the Modesta product uses a heat curing process?? Check.

Penn4S

Thanks guys. I am torn as I have worked with 1 detailer before and the other is a well known one in town. I am really looking for the best coating info as I believe they are both very good installers of film and finish. I know alot of guys use Ceramic Pro 9h but the Modesta finishes look so interesting. Neither detailer is using CQuartz Finest at this time which I have heard great things about too.

Lex thanks for the shout out on the move. I got Plycar lined up to take the car down in Oct. I'm still working in the Philly area for a while but I am in FL most weekends. Roads are nicer and no sand and stones to dodge. Should be an easy move just want to get the above done first.

LargePuppy

Give Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra with EXO 4 a look.... it is PHENOMENAL!!!!

Wujohn

But they are so flat and straight!

I've gone crazy trying to determine which of these solutions is best and I've seen nothing definitive. Lex is correct, the installer really is key - I had a higher end C Pro package done on my car and a low end C Pro package done on my wife's car. She does literally nothing to take care of her paint and the car is still slick after more than a year while my coating seems to be non-existent. Different installers...

Good luck on the move.

DBH

I cannot comment on Modesta but I've found Ceramic Pro meets all my expectations. I'll echo previous posters by saying that the tech who does the paint correction and ceramic application is the most important part of the equation.

Have fun with the move. At least the weather here in SE PA is getting you prepared for FL!!

Penn4S

Thank Wujohn
You are right they are flat and straight but sunny. I don't live in sunny San Diego so I'm going south. Plenty of places to roam down there too. We are big Key West fans and its an easy jaunt from our home.

I have PPF'ed several cars and have personally done ceramic light finishes on my own using Gyeon products and was very happy. Figured I'd go the full ceramic route before the move and see if it is really better. Have to good installers so just need to pick the product.

Penn4S

Thank you. I'm escaping this weekend and it is supposed to be hotter here than Naples.

vjd3

I’m not sure why you would remove the film if the entire car is covered, or is it just on the nose of the car?

i might think twice about taking it off prior to shipping, because you never know what can happen during transport. I had a Ferrari shipped via PlyCar and it arrived with damaged rims from being strapped down, the dealer refinished them. If the car is on the bottom row, something above may drip on it, or they may cover the car to protect it. PPF will protect better against scratches than ceramic.

There are also perils to removing film, the paint may lift. And ceramic carries some downsides when applied directly to paint, eventually it will need to be removed and it takes some aggressive buffing to get it off. Paint correction followed by film followed by ceramic is better, I think, because the film protects the paint and the ceramic makes it easy to care for. YMMV.

Penn4S

I have what's referred to as the Race package of PPF. Full front, rockers, under doors, mirrors and some small other bits. It has taken some abuse as most would expect of New England driven cars.
I want fresh PPF Xpel Ultimate Plus, if I go with a premium level package of ceramic and care for it annually it should last 5 plus years or more without crappy northeast weather. At that time if I still live the car I'll do a full refresh. I've always taken great care of my cars and at sale or trade always looked like it was worth plus money even though I drive it all the time (except winter).
I am hoping my Plycar experience is less troublesome than the ones you described. And if I do it here I at least know the installer.

_RS_

I think it may be a problem to find someone with both to compare. I had CPro applied 18mo ago and couldn't be happier. The paint correction was incredible, albeit on a 600 mile car and we'll all agree this is the critical part. I have the top package, 5 or 6 coats plus wheels, it was about $1k I think, plus correction. After a couple of months I got a big bee poop which etched it a little, I read that it could heal with heat applied so I tried that with a hot air gun. No luck, but after sitting in socal sun (black car too) the etch disappeared,
If I lived in an area where stone chips are a problem I would get PPF, but I don't and have rarely had any chips on any cars, and just touch up anyway.
You may have to toss a coin on this one

Penn4S

I'm going to go with the same PPF coverage I have now using Xpel Ultimate Plus. Then the C'Pro Gold Package which is multiple layers.