Ceramic coating

[911 Crazy]

Ceramic is great, lots of info and miles on cars using it. It will NOT protect from scratching, so don't think you can overland through brush and it'll protect it. Not too hard to do yourself, and if you have a new truck you won't need any paint prep. I opted for xpel wrap (clear bra) on the front, mirrors, headlights and hood to protect from rock chips, bugs, brush etc. Xpel comes in lots of colors too. A good wrap job is $$$.

@911 Crazy don't let them talk you into ceramic on anything you're going to wrap. It actually keeps the wrap from sticking well, and is a waste.

The ceramic goes on after the wrap.

 

[jabroni619]

Ceramic is great, lots of info and miles on cars using it. It will NOT protect from scratching, so don't think you can overland through brush and it'll protect it. Not too hard to do yourself, and if you have a new truck you won't need any paint prep. I opted for xpel wrap (clear bra) on the front, mirrors, headlights and hood to protect from rock chips, bugs, brush etc. Xpel comes in lots of colors too. A good wrap job is $$$.

@911 Crazy don't let them talk you into ceramic on anything you're going to wrap. It actually keeps the wrap from sticking well, and is a waste.

The ceramic goes on top of the wrap

Paint > Wrap > Ceramic

EDIT: Just noticed this was already pointed out

 

[Proflyer]

I know that guys. But a shop here tried to sell my buddy ceramic, then wrap, then ceramic again. Just a warning for those who don’t know any different. Don’t want to get taken by a piker detail shop.

 

[dblack]

I would definitely say it is worth it. The Raptor is the 3rd vehicle I've had coated and will always do it on any vehicles going forward.

 

[richnot]

Do it yourself and save some dough. I did the Avalon King product on the paint and the CQuartz deluxe on everything plastic. Turned out great and really was not hard to do. Might the pro-applied products last longer? Quite possibly, but this should last a few years and not hard to do again. Granted, did mine when it was new-ish so didn’t have to color-correct which takes more time/effort/materials. Maybe cost me $300 in materials though I bought a bit too much of the Avalon King product

My truck is not an on-road queen. I live several miles off-pavement in NW Montana, so did it mainly for easy of cleaning. It’s gonna get dinged up and pin-striped a bit. So far, it looks amazing just doing spray foam washes - sheets right off - has been about 7 months since application. Supposed to last at least a few years.

Also did the GTechniq products for glass. Have used this on another vehicle and I can vouch for gtechniq. You’ll need the C1, C2, and C4.

https://avalonking.com/shop/ceramic-coating/armor-shield-ix-diy-kit/

https://www.carpro-us.com/wheels-trim/cquartz-dlux-trim-wheel-coating-30ml-sky-kit/

https://usa.gtechniq.com/products/

I just had my truck done with Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra and according to the detailer and website it is a professional application only product. It does have a 9 year guarantee as long as it gets inspected once a year at no cost by an authorized detailer. My initial issue was with water spots on the hood decals that they could not remove. They put down Expel stealth film over them and they can no longer be seen, my other choice was to remove or replace the graphics and that was not a cheap option.

I had looked at other cars that they had in their shop and one was in for it`s one year inspection and could not believe how the water just ran off of it and they just hit it with a PFM drying towel from Groits Garage and it looked like one of the cars they just finished applying it on. After seeing that I decided to go ahead and have it done, I wish I could have done it myself especially after watching videos that the manufactures put out on how to do it, but no way I could do with a bad back and awaiting a shoulder replacement

 

[NCDAWG]

awesome responses

so how much should i expect to pay for the ceramic coating?

I am in Charlotte NC?

 

[970rap]

I don't have any experience with it so my opinion is probably stupid, but it seems too expensive/time consuming for what basically amounts to a fancy wax job. If it protected from scratches I'd be all for it.

 

[richnot]

I can tell you from what forum members have said it varies based upon your location and what product is used and the warranty that is given. I had received quotes from $1100 to $1750

If you do your research you will see the difference between wax and ceramic coating.
I can't physically wax my truck 2-3 times a year and this was the best option in paint protection for me. No it doesn't protect against scratches but it does protect the paint

 

[richnot]

Do it yourself and save some dough. I did the Avalon King product on the paint and the CQuartz deluxe on everything plastic. Turned out great and really was not hard to do. Might the pro-applied products last longer? Quite possibly, but this should last a few years and not hard to do again. Granted, did mine when it was new-ish so didn’t have to color-correct which takes more time/effort/materials. Maybe cost me $300 in materials though I bought a bit too much of the Avalon King product

My truck is not an on-road queen. I live several miles off-pavement in NW Montana, so did it mainly for easy of cleaning. It’s gonna get dinged up and pin-striped a bit. So far, it looks amazing just doing spray foam washes - sheets right off - has been about 7 months since application. Supposed to last at least a few years.

Also did the GTechniq products for glass. Have used this on another vehicle and I can vouch for gtechniq. You’ll need the C1, C2, and C4.

https://avalonking.com/shop/ceramic-coating/armor-shield-ix-diy-kit/

https://www.carpro-us.com/wheels-trim/cquartz-dlux-trim-wheel-coating-30ml-sky-kit/

https://usa.gtechniq.com/products/

Thanks for the links, What foam cannon and soap are you using?

 

[Proflyer]

I don't have any experience with it so my opinion is probably stupid, but it seems too expensive/time consuming for what basically amounts to a fancy wax job. If it protected from scratches I'd be all for it.

It’s not even close to a fancy wax job. You can’t wax a car to a level that ceramic protects. Even if you did a full hand wax daily, it’d never be the same as a 9h hardness ceramic coating. It’s expensive for a reason. The coating like Gtecniq is about $200, the time is the rest. And it depends on how much paint correction you need. A brand new truck will be less than a 3 year old truck with scratches and surface contaminants.