Paint Correction & Ceramic Coating

[MattR]

Most of what you are paying for is labor. If your paint is in good shape already, it shouldn’t need that much work so you shouldn’t have to be paying a ton for it. That said, you’re also paying for warranty.

If your paint is in decent shape, no reason to need a two stage correction. Ceramic is a hype word right now but the true 9H coatings do hold up well and protect from the elements. It’s like having a fresh wax for years rather than a month or two.

It still requires maintenance washes and boost coatings. It isn’t some magic but I am liking it so far.

 

[Hghlndr85]

As a person who has a detail business and has done it for 15 years, here is my input.
None of the spray "graphene or ceramic " products even come close to true ceramic. The sprays work to a point. There is a very small amount of ceramic in it. They are better used as maintenence items not the backbone of your protection. As far as paint correction. My goto for consumer line is meguiars ultimate compound and ultimate polish. There isn't much I have run into I couldn't solve with this combo. Ceramic sprays maybe be good for 3 months depending they also do not have the hardness layer that comes with a true coating. I use all carpro products for my coatings. I have had zero issues or complaints with them. Just my input from experience. If you want a good wax instead of ceramic I use collinite . I am also in northeast pa if anyone is looking good detailer and not a quickie shop that are around here.

 

[WKUSMC]

To a few that have said basically what you said, to do a clay bar and a spray coating and it's pretty much the same, I'm assuming you have never seen the before and after when a quality shop does a paint correction. To compare the two is like saying a Honda Ridgeline is the same as a Raptor. There is an astounding improvement, even with the brand-new OEM paint I had, when a good shop does a full correction.

It looked like I had taken my truck to a high-end custom paint shop and had it repainted. The shop that did my Ceramic Pro and Expel, Shine Techs in Easton PA, has me take it in once a year for a check, they charge $100. For that fee they go over it and clean up any imperfections. I needed to replace my right front fender flare (dealer damaged it by accident) and they also put the ceramic on that for no extra charge. I don't think that's bad at all. I would do the correction, ceramic, and PPF IN A SECOND on any nice vehicle I get in the future. I'm not a guy who doesn't care about money, I think this is a reasonable value if you are an*l with your vehicles like I

So you have to put a spray coating on once a year by the installer for 300-400 bucks to maintain it. Why not use a quality spray on like Adams advanced coating or Chemical Guys twice a year? Same protection for less than the annual maintenance of the high dollar coatings. They also require you to fix all scratches or imperfections each year to maintain the warranty. So you add that cost on top of the yearly maintenance. It’s a rip off for trucks.https://adamspolishes.com/products/graphene-ceramic-spray-coating%e2%84%a2-advanced

My stuff always shines, adams on the interior, Turtle Wax Spray on the body. Adams wax spray every two weeks.

 

[WKUSMC]

Farts, I have a 911 and have had the Ceramic coating completed. They did a test on my 22 Raptor to show the improvement and there was not much of a improvement. My silver truck always looks great. They said save my money.

Mine wont fit in the garage mine

Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray is what I use.The paint is clean and I used a clay bar. The clear bra saves the front end from the sand and dirt from pitting the front. No wax or ceramic is going to save you. I hated having chips in my hood! My 2022 has zero now!​

Im in Calif had it installed. The whole front with expel

 

[downforce137]

Ultimately you just want the nicest, smoothest paint you can have before putting these coatings, as with any wax or other top coat on.. most of the labor is clay, cutting and polish. Maybe they're even wet sanding some areas but some of the prices that people pay with new vehicles boggles my mind..

When I got my truck, I spent around 10 hours fixing the paint and about 3hrs installing adams ceramic uv coating. It still looks great despite off road pinstripes, sand blasting on the dunes and too many car wash wipe downs. 3 years later it is ready for another round and a new coating.

 

[Oldfart]

Farts, I have a 911 and have had the Ceramic coating completed. They did a test on my 22 Raptor to show the improvement and there was not much of a improvement. My silver truck always looks great. They said save my money.

Im in Calif had it installed. The whole front with expel

A shop had your truck and they said they couldn't improve the finish?

 

[WKUSMC]

A shop had your truck and they said they couldn't improve the finish?

Yep they said maybe more protection but the finish no way. My 911 was done by them. They weren’t going to scam me. I spent a day doing my Raptor, it had very little gritty on the paint to start with. They did the front end prior to the clear bra.

 

[Oldfart]

Yep they said maybe more protection but the finish no way. My 911 was done by them. They weren’t going to scam me. I spent a day doing my Raptor, it had very little gritty on the paint to start with. They did the front end prior to the clear bra.

Then Ford has improved their paint A LOT! My 2020 Race Red was a factory order I made that went from delivery to me, then right to the detail shop. The difference after they did the correction was hard to believe. The truck as delivered looked good, no question, but after the shop finished it looked incredibly better. It had a depth of shine and deepness of color that was just not there before they worked on it for me. I would say it went from a 7 to a 10.

 

[WKUSMC]

Then Ford has improved their paint A LOT! My 2020 Race Red was a factory order I made that went from delivery to me, then right to the detail shop. The difference after they did the correction was hard to believe. The truck as delivered looked good, no question, but after the shop finished it looked incredibly better. It had a depth of shine and deepness of color that was just not there before they worked on it for me. I would say it went from a 7 to a 10.

 

[WKUSMC]

I guess your correct the paint process has improved.