Summer's Here....Ceramic
 

Summer snuck up, and it is time to re-coat my CD. I use GTechniq consumer grade C2V3, but was planning to put a real cermaic coating on. Even when I put the C2V3 on, I prep the paint. I clay bar, iron remover, Gueon Prep to remove anything else, orbital buffer with polish, and then apply the GTechniq. In between I use Gyeon Cure to extend the life of the GTechniq. I planned to use a much better grade of ceramic coating,since I do so much work before. I washed my car today, and the heat and humidity is incredible. Even if I didn't feel worn out after getting the vehicle ready, I don't think that the humidity is good for the ceramic coating to cure onto the paint. Most pro detailers have large air conditioned shops. This fall I will take care of it. Meanwhile, I will add another coating of the C2V3 as it it were a maintenance coat. I will probably do two or three coats. It still beats the old waxing that lasted three months and was much more elbow grease for less protection.

Has anybody here used a really high end coating themselves? If so, what did you use? Can you prep the car on one day and apply the coating the next day?

Although after washing today, I sense most of the coating is gone (based on hydrophobic/beading pattern), it has rained all of last week. Even with the rain, the car never looked dirty.

p.s. I do have a friend in the high end body shop business, who says he is going to set up a detailing shop at his place. If he does, he will offer me a pro coating for next to nothing.....which is one more reason ro procrastinate.

It seems like you know the answer.

There are people that do next to nothing (just a good wash and maybe a clay bar) and just throw ceramic on their cars. That works, but it's just not as good.

The best way is to include paint correction and prep all over, ceramic, and a curing time. Normally at least a day. No exposure to moisture.

I called a shop who I follow on Youtube. The guy I spoke with was very nice and spent time with me on the phone. They are in a different city, so I am not a prospect and told him that. He told me that he uses C2V3 on his vehicle, because he doesn't have time to properly coat his car. He said to use the C2V3 often and especially because it is so easy to apply. He said he is a fan of the Gyeon products, and the only reason that they haven't used it at their shop yet (other than played with it on a few cars) is because Gyeon doesn't offer bulk packaging. He says that they are a large shop, so they want product in bulk containers.

I really doubt ceramic coating is ceramic. One of my colleagues, PhD in materials sciences tells me ceramic coating is BS. If you read the ingredients of all of these ceramic coating it is just glorified waxes. For me, twice an year carnauba wax...wax on wax off.

Having used waxes and sealants for many years, I can tell you out of personal experience that Ceramic is far superior. I had Gtechniq Crystal Serum + Exo V4 applied to my Audi S4 and it felt like washing...well... ceramic LOL That car was outside almost 24/7 and after 2 years, it was still rock solid. I'd get maybe 6 months out of a sealant and much less out of wax.

I defer to your opinion.

I looked on the the Gtechniq Crystal Serum + Exo V4 website and could not find the list of "ingredients."

True ceramic coating, or advanced ceramics are silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, chrome oxide, titanium dioxide, alumina-titania oxide, alumina oxide, zirconium oxide, magnesium zirconium oxide etc. Typically, these advanced ceramic materials require specialized application methods for deposition such as; oxygen acetylene powder deposition, detonation guns, plasma spray, and chemical vapor deposition. True ceramic deposition requires 500–900 °C (930–1,650 °F)https://www.britannica.com/technolog...Spray-roasting
and from my colleague a PhD in Material Sciences.

This room temperate ceramic coating is "... just a way to separate you from your money."

I have no clue what a "true ceramic" coating would be; I'm sure you are correct. I'm just speaking from personal experience maintaining vehicles for the last 20 years. Whatever it may be, what they refer to as "ceramic coating" is far more durable than a sealant or wax, especially for a vehicle that is parked outside in the elements. If it's garaged or out of the sun most of the time, it's probably not worth the extra money.