Ceramic Coating / Swirls - Help

[Fry_Esq.]

Okay, I have a blue Y. I have a huge pet peeve, swirls from automated car washes. I have a monthly membership and wash pretty much twice a week. Washing my own car is not an option, I just don't have time. PPF doesn't interest me unless it's the best against swirls. Thinking about ceramic coating but I've heard it doesn't really do much against swirling. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[steve841]

PPF is actual plastic coating ... no chance of swirls.
ceramic coating is just that .. a coating. So, swirls are possible.

How about finding a hand washing deal? or wake up early on a weekend and do it yourself? You'll be far more satisfied with the outcome.

 

[kirbo20]

Get ceramic coating and go to touchless car washes. It is amazing how easily it cleans with the ceramic coating applied.

 

[Y_NOT]

Okay, I have a blue Y. I have a huge pet peeve, swirls from automated car washes. I have a monthly membership and wash pretty much twice a week. Washing my own car is not an option, I just don't have time. PPF doesn't interest me unless it's the best against swirls. Thinking about ceramic coating but I've heard it doesn't really do much against swirling. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Properly paint corrected & ceramic coated you will never have to deal with swirls ever. People sometimes skip paint correction process and just add ceramic coating on top which is not a bad thing. It still protects from future damages and makes it much easier to wash/maintain paint. I prefer to spend bit more money to get Paint corrected prior to coating simply due to when the paint is corrected it looks like a mirror with no swirls, scratches, any debris, 99% perfect paint and add ceramic coating on top which hardens like thick layer of glass that has hydrophobic effects. At that point your actual paint will be super protected and you won’t ever have to deal with swirls.

 

[Y_NOT]

You can check out my recent correction/coating experience on my MY

Paint Correction & Ceramic Coating

 

[raggedy]

PPF actually can end up with swirl marks

 

[2020]

Don't believe all the marketing hype. Both ceramic coatings and PPF will get you swirls. Ceramic coating with paint correction looks amazing. After a few months of normal hand car washes the swirls were readily apparent on my black car. The installer admitted that it wasn't totally swirl resistent. In my current car I went for a full body PPF. I swallowed the "self healing" hype. I did it to use an unlimited car wash as Mr Esq wants to do. Swirls, swirls, swirls. And no, self healing is total B.S., even with a heat gun. My installer offered to buff out the PPF and apply a ceramic coating over that, however he advised not using the automatic car washes afterwards. My recommendation is to save your money, go use the car wash and get it detailed every 2-3 months.

 

[kirbo20]

I cannot stress touchless enough. Nothing touches your car and you get no swirls. I take my Ego Leaf Blower with me when I go and use it to finish drying it off. I may have to use a high quality microfiber to get a few spots but for the most part I do not touch my car. I go about every two weeks. I cannot imagine only washing your car every 2-3 months especially in the winters we have in the Midwest.

 

[prerak77]

Exactly, even with PPF and ceramic the only way to minimize swirls is to minimize contact.

I make sure to use high quality microfiber wash mitts along with my foam cannon. For drying I use my Air Blaster side kick, and then touch up as needed with a microfiber. In addition the more frequently you wash, the less road grime is on the vehicle to cause swirls as you wash.

Two bucket method should be also obvious. In the winter when it's too cold to wash at home and you run the risk of water freezing I fill up a bucket of hot soapy water and take it to a coin operated wash to use just the water spray to rinse.

 

[Fry_Esq.]

I definitely don't mind getting it detailed (presuming you mean wax, polish, etc.) Occasionally. Does a hand wax or polish from a detail places get them out? If so I'll just do my monthly membership and then take it to a full service place every once in a while.

 

[raggedy]

A full detailing job includes wash, clay bar and paint correction usually. Paint correction is the "buffing and polishing" to get swirls out. Then finish with a wax/polish/sealant/ceramic. It usually costs a couple of hundred or more depending on the shop or area.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Everytime you paint correct, you are removing some of the very thin clear coat. Don't expect that your paint will last long if it's getting paint corrected every 2-3 months, especially if your detailer put his latest high-school dropout to work on your car with a high-speed rotary buffer.