After washing the car, what do you use for maintenance to keep (or maybe enhance) the shine, water repellant properties (hydrophobic), and other protection properties of a ceramic coating? I have Modesta BC-04 Nano-Titanium Glass ceramic coating on the entire car which includes the front in PPF.

 

 

I do nothing to mine. I'm sure the professionals, those making money selling the "maintenance" products, and those with endless funds will tell me I'm wrong. I don't see the point in spending money on a fancy ceramic coating which repels dirt and water, only to need to apply something else over the top to protect it. I put a ceramic coating on my car. I expect it to do its job. If not, then it wasn't worth the expense.

I have tried putting CarPro Reload over the top. I notice zero difference in performance and appearance with and without the top coat.

 

You don't need a top coat but my logic is the more sacrificial layers the better. It certainly isn't going to hurt anything and a lot of guys just like to detail their cars and they want to put something on top. I always tell people they do not have to top it but their isn't any downside to doing so. It just depends on how involved they want to be. As for recommendation, Carpro Reload is a good one or see what your coating brand offers for maintenance.

 

Being a modesta installer, I can answer this one for you...

Get the m4 and m2 blast spray.

Monthly, use the m2blast after washing.

Every 6-12 months or so, use the M4 after you have washed the car, but before drying it, and re-wash the car with m4 panel by panel rinsing after each. This will reset the coating if its gummed up. From there, dry the car and then use the m2 blast.

The m2 is similar to a spray wax/coating topper. The M4 is a coating conditioner.

 

Just did exactly this to my 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster, both with Modesta BC-04 coatings. Was very impressed with both the M4 and M2. But they sure ain't cheap :-0

 

Nothing quality is cheap!

You could go the cheap as well, but they dont last and performance is subpar. Luckily, you went with the best in BC04

 

Just curious, how long are you seeing BC-04 coatings lasting under the following conditions:

1. Low usage car, garaged and covered, never driven in rain, kept spotless, driven 1x or 2x/week (my Boxster)

2. Daily driver, garaged at night, parked outside during the day, driven in rain, driven 5x/6x per week (my Cayman S), but kept very clean...

 

In terms of coatings lasting, BC04 is the best long term with easiest maintenance we have used in the last 5 years.
1- I have a client still saying his looks great and maintenance is minimal 5 years later (one of the first bc04 jobs we did 5 years ago). So I would assume the 7+ year mark is foreseeable
2 - realistic is about 4-6 years I would say on a daily driver that sees the abuses of the day to day

what it boils down to is the end look and how long it lasts, and how well it protects during that time. We have used other coatings that fail to perform and look glossy in 1 years time (advertised as a 3yr coating). But there are a lot of variables that play into expected durability.

That's why you cant put a real warranty on these products, and there is a range of length of time with them. One person might get 1 year, another might get 3 years from the same product.

 

I don’t want to start a controversy but a lot of ceramic coating manufacturers endorse touchless car washes - the kind you drive into a garage bay and they only spray the car. Does this shorten the life of the coating? Other downs sides? My car has PPF and a ceramic coating.

 

while it will be better protected, I still would not use the touchless places...

They use a ton of degreaser in their soaps, which is how and why they clean so well. This will have an impact on the coating life expectancy.

If you wanted to do a personal test with cars over thee long haul, take one car only to the touchless places and one hand wash...you will see a difference in paint looks as well as the trim and rubber seals...

 

Yeah, I have heard this before. I’m not discounting it. I drive my car average 50 miles a week and never in the rain. The most crap I get on it is dust and pollen. Very tempting to do the 3 minutes touchless vs hand wash especially in the winter. Right now it’s so hot that washing the car and getting wet is a relief.

 

Huge Modesta Fan! I have it applied to all of my cars so yes it’s expensive but worth it! I BC-2 after every wash and BC-4 every 2 weeks. By far the best Coating our there! Highly recommend it!