I just finished putting a ceramic coating on my 1984 Targa, here is the process I used:

1. Washed car with Chemical Guys waterless wash - I've never done a conventional wash on this car
2. Turtle wax bug and tar remover - I paid extra attention to the lower valences, wheels, front and rear bumpers, front spoiler, etc.
3. Carpro IronX - removes most of the iron contamination from the paint, I again paid extra attention to the wheels and lower areas of the car
4. Clay bar - I think it was Mothers clay and detail spray, I went over the whole car...did not get much off except on the wheels.
5. Carpro Eraser over the whole car
6. I then used touchup paint on a few very small rock chips and then let that cure a week before the next step

The above process was maybe 4-5 hours on a Saturday afternoon. I went through quite a few microfiber towels, did not re-use any during the session.

7. I then polished out all the fine scratches and swirl marks. I used a dual action polisher with Lake Country HDO pads, (cut, polish and finish pads) and Meguiars Ultimate Compound and Polish. It took about two full days to get all the scratches out. I took my time and really got it right. If you want to get the scratches out, now is the time because they will be locked in after the ceramic coat.

Here is a before and after example on the scratches:



Paint before polishing

Paint after polishing


8. Carpro Eraser over the whole car again two times.

9. Applied CQuartz UK 3.0 over the whole car two times. I went with a 5 - 7 minute cure time between application and wipe off, and waited about 20 minutes before starting the second coat. I did the paint in one session (maybe three hours total work) and then the windows, mirrors, wheels, headlights, indicators, etc. in another two hour session.

I kept my car in the garage for a day afterwards to let the coating cure. My car did not leave my garage for about three weeks during this process start to finish.

Here is my car after the process:



After application of ceramic coat

After application of ceramic coat


I'm not necessarily recommending any of the products I used, these are mostly what I happened to have around and what had good detailed test reviews online. That said, except for the time I spent polishing the car, I think the preparation process I otherwise went through is mandatory if you are going to do a ceramic coat and want good and long lasting results.

I used the process on my wife's Nissan Leaf 3 years ago (no polishing, but I used the rest of the process above). Since I applied the ceramic coat to her car I have not applied any other products (no wax or other ceramic topper products). We wash her car at the local gas station touch free car wash. After three years the paint still looks amazing and beads up water like I applied the ceramic coat yesterday:



Nissan Leaf, 3 years after application of ceramic coat, still shows excellent shine and water beading

The effort to apply a ceramic coat is high, and I don't normally go through this kind of detailing effort on my cars, but I feel that a ceramic coat is worth the effort because the result lasts for years.

 

Excellent work!

 

Look great!
Did you have to purchase the products you used online, or are they readily available at local auto stores?

 

I purchased the IronX, Eraser and Cquartz from Carpro. I purchased the Lake Country HDO buffing pads from Amazon.

I bought everything else locally.

 

That red really pops - great job!