sgtpeper

As the title says, what have you all seen for cost for a really good detail and ceramic coating?

What else have you done to protect your paint?

Thanks,

HBdirtbag

Really depends on the state of yoru current paint. I had my '55 done with the Ceramic Pro Gold Package. The paint job is 20+ years old, and they literally did 40+ hours of paint correction ALONE. Total out the door was around $3,500.

With that, prices are also region specific. But my expectation if I was taking a new car, or a car in pretty good shape; it'd be around $1,500.

But there's a lot of variables.

1. Which specific Ceramic Coating
2. Shape of the paint on the car
3. Location




I did Cquartz on my turbo myself, am pretty happy with it. But it is NOT at the same level of the Ceramic Pro on my '55.

I will never buy a new car and not have this tech put on immediately. Washing my cars is my "zen" do at least one car every weekend. I will continue to, but these new nano products make everything SO incredibly easy.

911mhawk

I haven't spent much time here but you may want to post the same question.

https://rennlist.com/forums/concours-and-car-care-86/

I was thinking of asking how to tell if your car already has a coating?
My wife's new twin turbo's paint is super smooth, doesn't get very dirty(for black), and is really easy to clean.

Jeff_DML

good question, been wondering the same thing.

I am in socal so expecting it is the most expensive here like everything else

manimal

+1 need to find a good place around here, though.

Do the ceramic coatings take the place of a clearbra? Or would you put the clearbra over the ceramic coating? Or, do one or the other on a given surface?

MoeMistry

Great question...

Many variables go into pricing a job properly, but most important, is to research and know the right questions to ask.

As some have eluded, initial assessment will dictate the cost and scope of work. The questions is quite open-ended, similar to asking how much would it cost to do a tune-up.

IMHO, there's a cliff-notes version of detailing, and then there's the genuine article where everything is addressed with quality in mind. That gamut can range significantly...from $$$s to $$$$s

There's a wide range, all the way from being in pristine shape already and applying a nano spray sealant like CarPro Reload...to the extreme of needing days of paint correction and detailing and nano coating are required

I would first focus on what your car NEEDS.

1. How's the overall condition of the vehicle...interior and exterior. Paint, wheels, wheel wells, engine compartment, door jams, interior leather and plastics, etc. From there, having a professional assessment, gives you the playing field.

2. Once above is diagnosed, now comes scope of the job. Do you need paint correction, interior steam cleaning, undercarriage cleaning, engine detail, removal of oxidized paint, curbed wheels, discolored/damaged body parts/trim, repainting of a panel if you find out it was repainted and done shoddy, etc.

3. Once the complete scope is compiled, now comes the cost. From there, you can decide to do the work all at once, or simply do it in chunks based on a realistic budget. Too often we hear clients come in for what they "think" they need based on reading threads, and what reality is based on THEIR project, is totally different. Some are shocked to hear they DON'T need paint correction, others are shocked because they found out the entire front end was repainted and it was not divulged, but now they want it repaired properly.

4. Now that you have been empowered, do your homework and seek out the best solution you can afford. Experience matters...specialty matters...some want a quick wash and wax and they're happy. Others seek someone that knows the car better than they do, in order to be a consultant/adviser, rather than just a guy that cleans their car.

For example, when we wash a car, we're trained to check tires, wheels, body condition, etc. So, if we notice tires are almost down to an unsafe level, we proactively let the client know and we can even handle the replacement as well, done by a Porsche specialist tire shop. This becomes a value-add and a convenience to the individual that is simply too busy to worry about such things.

I know it's not the exact answer you're looking for, but hopefully it gives you an insight into asking the right questions...and this empowers you as an educated consumer. You don't want to be the guy that just calls around and asks "how much for a detail?" It would be like calling around doctors and asking "I have a headache, how much to make it go away".

There's definitely a range of price, but without seeing your car, no one can know exactly what it needs, hence, you cannot always get accurate pricing. And just because someone on a forum with your model car got a detail for $1500, doesn't mean you'll be paying the same, more, or less.

HBdirtbag

And there's the man himself, long time no see Moe!! Man how your business has grown in the last 10 years, great to see!



One thing I can't stress enough, is making sure you trust the person you are using. There are a lot of hack job detailers out there (I ran a mobile detailing business in college).

HBdirtbag

They do not take place of a clearbra. And you'd put the ceramic coating over the clear bra. Both great products, both different products.

Ceramic pro will not prevent rock chips, etc.

MoeMistry

Great question...each performs a different function and is a different solution.

Clear Bra is a material that RESISTS, if impact is hard enough, it will penetrate, rock chips, scratches from improper washing and wiping, protecting against door dings and certain impacts like rubbing against a garage wall, etc.

Nano coating makes it easier to clean and care for any surface its applied to. Less dirt on paint, less brake dust, no need for wiper blades after 30mph, etc. Nano coating WILL NOT prevent rock chips, deep impact scrapes, door dings, deep scratches from dirty wash mitts and towels, etc. Buyer beware...if it sounds too good to be true, then it is.

So to have maximum protection, aesthetics, and ease of care, you'll want both.

Hope that helps

MoeMistry

+1...well-said

MoeMistry

Thank you Sir for following and supporting us. Since 1995, we've specialized in Porches, and it's hard to believe how fast two decades go by. I've gone from doing details from the back of my Honda Accord, to having a state-of-the-art facility in Costa Mesa, we call it the Asylum, specializing in Porsches, Teslas and Ferraris with a staff of dedicated individuals I lovingly call my orderlies.

And you're right...people on this forum are very smart and research wisely...seeking the genuine article. Service providers that put quality and workmanship before cost, are becoming a dying breed. But, lucky for both of us, forums like this put us in touch with the right client that values experience and knowledge in a specific niche. We are capable of working on any make and model, but we chose to stick to just a few and do it with amazing accuracy and consistency. Who would have thought the 993s I was working on when starting out, and now considered "modern classics". Makes me feel older, but wiser

HBdirtbag

Here is my '55 when I wash it, this is with a foaming gun which on all my other cars lays a thick layer of soap foam, with the CP it literally falls right off!

As mentioned washing my cars is my zen, gets me away from the wife and kids and im up saturday AM washing my cars at 6 am. Anything to make the time faster is a benefit, these nano coatings are awesome. Combined with a pressure washer, foam cannon, and my RO/DI setup, i can get a car done in 15-20 minutes from start to finish.

rmc1148

Just had my 135is done with Cquartz and front-mirrors sills done in suntek=paid 3050. Paid cash so that supposedly helped price? As noted depends on condition of paint somewhat, mine was pretty good so correction was minimal. Hopefully my next Porsche will have this already applied as I hate the drop off-wait-pickup process.

RClurg84

So I recently had all these done to my TT. Had a full detail inside and out (it was not dirty to begin with), paint correction, nano-1 vision 50 hydrophobic coating, and xpel ppf installed on the full hood, full front fenders, front bumper, and mirrors. The ppf was 1500 alone, and I ended up paying 2250 out the door.

sgtpeper

Interesting.

Can someone define what exactly paint correction is?