Ceramic coating help me choose

[tfraley]

Ok guys.

Have a few prices on Ceramic coatings. I have two different places that are rated pretty good and prices are close enough. But they both use different types of Ceramic.

One uses XPEL fusion and the other uses 9H

Could anyone educate me in the difference and is one better than the other.

Thanks

 

[joebruin77]

Ok guys.

Have a few prices on Ceramic coatings. I have two different places that are rated pretty good and prices are close enough. But they both use different types of Ceramic.

One uses XPEL fusion and the other uses 9H

Could anyone educate me in the difference and is one better than the other.

Thanks

I do not have direct experience with Ceramic coatings. But here is a helpful video from a detailing youtuber I actually trust and like. Somerewhere in the video, he reviews the top 3 ceramic coatings, including the one he put on his own car. Hope this helps!

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

Comparing professional grade ceramics is a challenge as most people haven’t tried multiple brands of professional grade coatings. I’d search the Autopia.org forums. Lots of retailers there so you might get some more valuable feedback.

 

[jkdman123]

It’s gonna be hard for anyone to give you detailed differences between different ceramic brands unless a pro chimes in.

I researched this extensively when I got my Model 3 in May. First off, I think unless you *really* know what you’re doing, don’t go the DIY route. One of the things that is critical for a good looking ceramic coat is totally eliminating small paint defects. Even brand new cars can have paint defects if they were washed improperly after arriving at the dealership. Since the ceramic coating bonds with the paint, any paint defects are effectively locked in if they’re not corrected first.

The guy who did my tint also does ceramic and he showed me some cars in the shop. The owners thought their paint was perfect but under good lighting you can see small swirl marks that marred the paint during improper care. The cost of ceramic coating your car will greatly depend on how much work they have to put in to correcting all the defects.

Also, there are many myths about ceramic, mostly pushed by the manufacturers and pro installers. Here’s a decent article about the advantages and disadvantages:

The Truth About Ceramic Coatings: What You Need to Know

One thing not mentioned in that article is even if an installer offers a warranty for their coating you need to carefully study it. Most ceramic warranties will be voided if you don’t follow very specific care procedures. For example, they won’t honor the warranty if you use an automatic car wash or if they think you used improper materials to wash the car.

Also, the claims that ceramic will stop chipping and dinging from rocks and what not is overblown. The surface will be scratch *resistant*, not scratch *proof*. The only way to completely protect your paint from that stuff is something like a vinyl coating which can run $4000-5000.

My estimates were that it was gonna cost upwards of about $1000 to ceramic cost my Model 3. After researching, I figured it wasn’t really worth it. My $0.02.

 

[jkdman123]

Another thing I forgot about the DIY route, if you don’t know what you’re doing and you leave the coating on too long before buffing to a shine, it will mess up the finish. Then to fix it you will need to use an abrasive compound to remove the ceramic, which always takes some paint along with it.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

If you can read, follow directions, and have ever waxed a car you can do ceramic coating. It’s really not all that difficult.

Of course I’m one of those crazy DIYers who jumps head first into most things. I’ve been a member of Autopia for ages. I go there for detailing research more than anything.

Otherwise I agree with jkdman123.

PPF and ceramic coatings serve different purposes. Don’t confuse them. Really ceramics are great at being hydrophobic and typically give a lot of shine. Protection from debris and jerks with doors is not their strong suit.

 

[zosoisnotaword]

Ok guys.

Have a few prices on Ceramic coatings. I have two different places that are rated pretty good and prices are close enough. But they both use different types of Ceramic.

One uses XPEL fusion and the other uses 9H

Could anyone educate me in the difference and is one better than the other.

Thanks

9H is a hardness level, not a brand name. Most manufacturers have a 9H base coat followed by a softer top coat. I'm not in the industry so I can't compare, but I have a Ceramic Pro coating and don't really see how it can get any better. I think XPEL is fairly new to ceramic coatings. This is the first I've heard of them offering it. It is probably geared towards cars with their PPF, so if you are getting PPF done first, then it may be a good option. If not, I would recommend finding another installer. But I wouldn't worry too much about which brand. The most important factor by far is the quality of the paint correction before the coating or PPF goes on.