Ceramic Pro - Very disappointed with performance and results

[Johnb102]

This is a cautionary tale about purchasing a Ceramic Pro coating for your car. I won’t go so far as to say that Ceramic Pro is a scam, but in my case it has been a total waste of $2K. I am sure others have had better experiences, but this is my story.

I am not good about keeping my cars washed and waxed, so a low maintenance way to protect my car for the long-term seemed like a reasonable investment. I paid for a gold package on my red Tesla Model 3 in May 2018 right after I received the car. I had it done at a shop I found on the Ceramic Pro website and they kept the car for several days in order to apply 4 layers of 9H and 2 layers of Pro Light. They applied one coat of each to the wheels as well.

The gold package comes with a “lifetime” warranty. Be warned that to maintain your warranty you must take the car to the installer (or another Ceramic Pro shop) every year for an “inspection”. The inspection requires a wash, so expect to pay a minimum of $60-$80 per year, but in reality they will suggest you get additional layers of coatings installed each year. That will likely result in a charge of $200-$400 per year to maintain your “lifetime” warranty.

I had the inspection done in May 2019 by the original installer, but in May 2020 we were in the heat of COVID and I didn’t want anyone working on my car. I delayed until early 2021 when I contacted my installer to do the inspection. After several weeks of trying to contact him with no return calls I gave up and contacted a different installer on the Ceramic Pro website and scheduled my inspection for March 17th, 2021. The original installer maintains a website and active phone number, but does not seem to be operating the business anymore.

Here is what the new installer wrote after the inspection:

After wetting the vehicle we noticed very low or no coating characteristics. We proceeded with our wash & decontamination process to see if it would change the coating behavior at all. Throughout washing zero difference was noticed. The coating was then re-foamed and clay barred with a synthetic mitt. Zero difference in coating behavior was still noticed. The vehicle was then dried and rewashed with Dawn Dish Soap & warm water to see If any waxes or polymers were clogging the coating. During the second washing zero difference in coating behavior was noticed. We finished washing the entire vehicle and dried It a second time. Following that we wiped half the hood (passenger side) with "Americana" stripper and retested water behavior. Zero difference was observed. We dried the area again and updated both our customer and Ceramic Pro Rep about the situation. The customer decided they would like to submit a warranty claim as they believe the coating Is failing or has failed.

Water spots, scratches, swirls, and bird drop etching can be observed on the vehicle. The chrome trim surrounding the windows Is also very spotted up and appears oxidized.

The owner of the vehicle states its only hand washed and they use a microfiber wash mitt with ·Optimum No Rinse Wash &Shine solution. Last Maintenance completed before us was May 18th, 2019. Vehicle left with no paint protection on It besides what may be there from Its original CP Install.

I submitted the warranty claim on March 18th. It is interesting to note that the options to describe the problems you can check off include:

I have water spots, I have scratches or swirls, I have rock chips, I have high spots or streaks due to poor installation, Water doesn't seem to bead, I got in an accident and need to reapply the coating, I have stains on my Kavaca PPF, I have lifted edges on my Kavaca PPF, I'd like to verify my warranty, Other.

Based on the report from the Ceramic Pro installer I checked off Scratches and Swirls and Water Doesn’t Seem to Bead. I also attached photos and the write-up from the Ceramic Pro installer detailing his findings. Perhaps they didn’t read his report, because I got the following response from Ceramic Pro:

Unfortunately, our warranty does not cover water spots. Ceramic Pro is a glass coating or silica dioxide. A sunroof of a car or windshield still gets water spots and Ceramic Pro is susceptible to them as well. Water spots can still happen over any coated surface, no matter how good the coating. This is going to depend on the hardness of the water causing the water spots in the first place. This is also affected by the amount of contamination in the air as well as the type of contamination.

The great thing is that because your car is coated removing those water spots is a lot easier. Not only that, but water spots can often etch and damage paint/gelcoat. But on a coated car/boat, the water spots are superficial. This means that you could more easily remove them than if your vehicle was uncoated. If you are unsure on how to do this, please refer to your installer. Your installer will be able to recommend the best removal procedure for water spots. Many times, a mixture of 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar can remove mineral deposits from the coating.

Ceramic Pro is a great protection for your vehicle, but not bulletproof. It is a very thin layer of protection that prevent water and environmental contaminants from getting into the pores of the substrate. This thin layer will reduce or resist some swirls and marring but can the surface can still be scratched. We do not warranty Swirls and Scratches.

Did you get paint correction before the coating was applied? How long did you let the coating cure after the car was delivered to you?

Additionally, how are you washing your vehicle?

One of the best parts of Ceramic Pro is that it is a sacrificial layer for your car/boat/plane/etc. Many times, the damage that happens to the coating through abrasion is only superficial and can be removed/repaired through a simple polish by a professional. This ensures you are not sanding away the clear coat every time you have a scratch or swirls as it can be repaired in the Ceramic Pro coating.

At corporate level we do not cover scratches and swirls. We cover product failure. Swirls and scratches are not product failure. Please contact your installer for further assistance.

I would recommend you go back to your installer and have him do a solvent bath (probably car was washed with soap that contained wax), your coating must be contaminated. Please make sure you wash your car with a soap that does not contain wax.

It seems to me that they have a canned response that says their warranty does not cover the items which you can check off when you submit the claim. So, what do they cover? Only “product failures” but what exactly is that? I seem to have a clear-cut case of a “product failure” but they still haven’t acknowledged it. I responded that they should read the info I attached and that I have a “product failure”. Two weeks go by and I get the following response:

Unfortunately, at corporate level we do not cover scratches and swirls. We cover product failure. Swirls and scratches are not product failure. Please contact your installer for further assistance.

I would recommend you go back to your installer and have him do a solvent bath (probably car was washed with soap that contained wax), your coating must be contaminated. Please make sure you wash your car with a soap that does not contain wax.

My car has never been waxed or washed with a soap containing wax. I have only used the Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine on it.

I have been calling Ceramic Pro every couple of days for the last couple of weeks. I have been told that my case has been sent to the CEO for review. Then I was told it was sent by the CEO to David Dicks who was following up with my installer. Yesterday I was told that they did not know why it was sent to David Dicks because he doesn’t handle warranty claims, but that the person would talk to a manager there and get back to me by the end of the day. In the month since I have submitted my warranty claim I have never received a phone call from anyone, and the occasional emails are not responsive to the claim information I have submitted.

It is possible that my original installer did not do the job properly. It is also possible that the product was installed properly but does not last. Either way, Ceramic Pro should stand behind their product and installer to make things right. Maybe others have had better results. Just be aware that at a minimum this is an ongoing investment and if things don’t go well the company will blame you for improper washing or maintenance and will not honor the warranty. My goal in getting this in the first place was to protect the paint and minimize the maintenance. I would not recommend dealing with Ceramic Pro.

 

[UncertainTimes]

That sucks they have a very aggressive marketing campaign it’s too bad they won’t stand behind their product.
Personally I’ve done the whole spend thousands on PPF and ceramic coatings once and I’ll never do it again. Car sits outside most of the time and I don’t have time to wash it properly that often. If PPF and coatings need to be as meticulously maintained as bare paint then what’s the point. They still get water spots, fallout contamination, etches, swirls, scratches, and if you get in an accident they do nothing and need to be reapplied. Does nothing for resale value. A dirty car is a dirty car who cares is there’s a thin layer of Wax, ceramic, graphene, bullsh*t underneath. Dirt hides all paint imperfections.

 

[Needsdecaf]

That sucks they have a very aggressive marketing campaign it’s too bad they won’t stand behind their product.
Personally I’ve done the whole spend thousands on PPF and ceramic coatings once and I’ll never do it again. Car sits outside most of the time and I don’t have time to wash it properly that often. If PPF and coatings need to be as meticulously maintained as bare paint then what’s the point. They still get water spots, fallout contamination, etches, swirls, scratches, and if you get in an accident they do nothing and need to be reapplied. Does nothing for resale value. A dirty car is a dirty car who cares is there’s a thin layer of Wax, ceramic, graphene, bullsh*t underneath. Dirt hides all paint imperfections.

PPF is designed to protect against impacts, for which it does work. Has nothing to do with keeping the car clean.

Regarding coatings, I agree. They are aggressively marketed and hideously overpriced. The warranty doesn't mean squat. They are huge money makers for those in the industry.

I would never spend thousands on a professionally applied coating. You can pick up the consumer grade versions of GTechniq, etc., and do your car for less than $150, and it only takes an hour. Works well. Will it last as long? No. But who cares. Easier than waxing.

Yes, dirt hides all paint imperfections, so if you like looking at a dirty car, go that route. LOL.

 

[UncertainTimes]

PPF is designed to protect against impacts, for which it does work. Has nothing to do with keeping the car clean.

Yes I understand that’s the advertised claim. The front bumper and hood of my sold (BMW) M3 with XPEL Ultimate would reapectfully disagree with you. Does it work? I suppose. Do I think they’re worth the cost? No but then again I also don’t see the value in $10k with of software unlocking.

 

[Needsdecaf]

Yes I understand that’s the advertised claim. The front bumper and hood of my sold (BMW) M3 with XPEL Ultimate would reapectfully disagree with you. Does it work? I suppose. Do I think they’re worth the cost? No but then again I also don’t see the value in $10k with of software unlocking.

Depends on your use case I guess.

PPF will never protect completely against impacts all impacts. It's only so strong. But I drive 25-30k / year in Houston, which has some of the worst road debris of anyplace I've ever lived. And the PPF has definitely saved me from lampshades, small rocks, bags, you name it. Bigger stuff will unfortunately get through.

Considering it was $1,500 for me for the front end, I didn't think that was too bad for as much driving as I do. But my weekend car doesn't have it.

 

[KenC]

This is a cautionary tale about purchasing a Ceramic Pro coating for your car. I won’t go so far as to say that Ceramic Pro is a scam, but in my case it has been a total waste of $2K. I am sure others have had better experiences, but this is my story.

I am not good about keeping my cars washed and waxed, so a low maintenance way to protect my car for the long-term seemed like a reasonable investment. I paid for a gold package on my red Tesla Model 3 in May 2018 right after I received the car. I had it done at a shop I found on the Ceramic Pro website and they kept the car for several days in order to apply 4 layers of 9H and 2 layers of Pro Light. They applied one coat of each to the wheels as well.

The gold package comes with a “lifetime” warranty. Be warned that to maintain your warranty you must take the car to the installer (or another Ceramic Pro shop) every year for an “inspection”. The inspection requires a wash, so expect to pay a minimum of $60-$80 per year, but in reality they will suggest you get additional layers of coatings installed each year. That will likely result in a charge of $200-$400 per year to maintain your “lifetime” warranty.

I had the inspection done in May 2019 by the original installer, but in May 2020 we were in the heat of COVID and I didn’t want anyone working on my car. I delayed until early 2021 when I contacted my installer to do the inspection. After several weeks of trying to contact him with no return calls I gave up and contacted a different installer on the Ceramic Pro website and scheduled my inspection for March 17th, 2021. The original installer maintains a website and active phone number, but does not seem to be operating the business anymore.

Here is what the new installer wrote after the inspection:

After wetting the vehicle we noticed very low or no coating characteristics. We proceeded with our wash & decontamination process to see if it would change the coating behavior at all. Throughout washing zero difference was noticed. The coating was then re-foamed and clay barred with a synthetic mitt. Zero difference in coating behavior was still noticed. The vehicle was then dried and rewashed with Dawn Dish Soap & warm water to see If any waxes or polymers were clogging the coating. During the second washing zero difference in coating behavior was noticed. We finished washing the entire vehicle and dried It a second time. Following that we wiped half the hood (passenger side) with "Americana" stripper and retested water behavior. Zero difference was observed. We dried the area again and updated both our customer and Ceramic Pro Rep about the situation. The customer decided they would like to submit a warranty claim as they believe the coating Is failing or has failed.

Water spots, scratches, swirls, and bird drop etching can be observed on the vehicle. The chrome trim surrounding the windows Is also very spotted up and appears oxidized.

The owner of the vehicle states its only hand washed and they use a microfiber wash mitt with ·Optimum No Rinse Wash &Shine solution. Last Maintenance completed before us was May 18th, 2019. Vehicle left with no paint protection on It besides what may be there from Its original CP Install.

I submitted the warranty claim on March 18th. It is interesting to note that the options to describe the problems you can check off include:

I have water spots, I have scratches or swirls, I have rock chips, I have high spots or streaks due to poor installation, Water doesn't seem to bead, I got in an accident and need to reapply the coating, I have stains on my Kavaca PPF, I have lifted edges on my Kavaca PPF, I'd like to verify my warranty, Other.

Based on the report from the Ceramic Pro installer I checked off Scratches and Swirls and Water Doesn’t Seem to Bead. I also attached photos and the write-up from the Ceramic Pro installer detailing his findings. Perhaps they didn’t read his report, because I got the following response from Ceramic Pro:

Unfortunately, our warranty does not cover water spots. Ceramic Pro is a glass coating or silica dioxide. A sunroof of a car or windshield still gets water spots and Ceramic Pro is susceptible to them as well. Water spots can still happen over any coated surface, no matter how good the coating. This is going to depend on the hardness of the water causing the water spots in the first place. This is also affected by the amount of contamination in the air as well as the type of contamination.

The great thing is that because your car is coated removing those water spots is a lot easier. Not only that, but water spots can often etch and damage paint/gelcoat. But on a coated car/boat, the water spots are superficial. This means that you could more easily remove them than if your vehicle was uncoated. If you are unsure on how to do this, please refer to your installer. Your installer will be able to recommend the best removal procedure for water spots. Many times, a mixture of 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar can remove mineral deposits from the coating.

Ceramic Pro is a great protection for your vehicle, but not bulletproof. It is a very thin layer of protection that prevent water and environmental contaminants from getting into the pores of the substrate. This thin layer will reduce or resist some swirls and marring but can the surface can still be scratched. We do not warranty Swirls and Scratches.

Did you get paint correction before the coating was applied? How long did you let the coating cure after the car was delivered to you?

Additionally, how are you washing your vehicle?

One of the best parts of Ceramic Pro is that it is a sacrificial layer for your car/boat/plane/etc. Many times, the damage that happens to the coating through abrasion is only superficial and can be removed/repaired through a simple polish by a professional. This ensures you are not sanding away the clear coat every time you have a scratch or swirls as it can be repaired in the Ceramic Pro coating.

At corporate level we do not cover scratches and swirls. We cover product failure. Swirls and scratches are not product failure. Please contact your installer for further assistance.

I would recommend you go back to your installer and have him do a solvent bath (probably car was washed with soap that contained wax), your coating must be contaminated. Please make sure you wash your car with a soap that does not contain wax.

It seems to me that they have a canned response that says their warranty does not cover the items which you can check off when you submit the claim. So, what do they cover? Only “product failures” but what exactly is that? I seem to have a clear-cut case of a “product failure” but they still haven’t acknowledged it. I responded that they should read the info I attached and that I have a “product failure”. Two weeks go by and I get the following response:

Unfortunately, at corporate level we do not cover scratches and swirls. We cover product failure. Swirls and scratches are not product failure. Please contact your installer for further assistance.

I would recommend you go back to your installer and have him do a solvent bath (probably car was washed with soap that contained wax), your coating must be contaminated. Please make sure you wash your car with a soap that does not contain wax.

My car has never been waxed or washed with a soap containing wax. I have only used the Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine on it.

I have been calling Ceramic Pro every couple of days for the last couple of weeks. I have been told that my case has been sent to the CEO for review. Then I was told it was sent by the CEO to David Dicks who was following up with my installer. Yesterday I was told that they did not know why it was sent to David Dicks because he doesn’t handle warranty claims, but that the person would talk to a manager there and get back to me by the end of the day. In the month since I have submitted my warranty claim I have never received a phone call from anyone, and the occasional emails are not responsive to the claim information I have submitted.

It is possible that my original installer did not do the job properly. It is also possible that the product was installed properly but does not last. Either way, Ceramic Pro should stand behind their product and installer to make things right. Maybe others have had better results. Just be aware that at a minimum this is an ongoing investment and if things don’t go well the company will blame you for improper washing or maintenance and will not honor the warranty. My goal in getting this in the first place was to protect the paint and minimize the maintenance. I would not recommend dealing with Ceramic Pro.

this would be a good opportunity for some pictures. Original after treatment. And now after failure.

 

[Johnb102]

this would be a good opportunity for some pictures. Original after treatment. And now after failure.

I didn't take pictures after it was originally done so can't do a comparison. For the current state, you can't really tell from the photos I tried to take. You see either a clean car or a dirty car depending on when it was last washed, but the state of the ceramic coating is not easy to detect in the photos.

 

[fortunex]

Photos of the current state of the car should be easy. Spray it down with water and take a picture of each area. If it doesn't bead, it doesn't work. Water should pour off the front of the hood with no effort.

Also, tell them that you aren't concerned about the water spots but the lack of water beading.

When you were washing your car with ONR, did you notice the effect the coating had on water? It should be observable and different than hand washing a car without the coating.

 

[Mattallica]

This is a cautionary tale about purchasing a Ceramic Pro coating for your car. I won’t go so far as to say that Ceramic Pro is a scam, but in my case it has been a total waste of $2K. I am sure others have had better experiences, but this is my story.

I am not good about keeping my cars washed and waxed, so a low maintenance way to protect my car for the long-term seemed like a reasonable investment. I paid for a gold package on my red Tesla Model 3 in May 2018 right after I received the car. I had it done at a shop I found on the Ceramic Pro website and they kept the car for several days in order to apply 4 layers of 9H and 2 layers of Pro Light. They applied one coat of each to the wheels as well.

The gold package comes with a “lifetime” warranty. Be warned that to maintain your warranty you must take the car to the installer (or another Ceramic Pro shop) every year for an “inspection”. The inspection requires a wash, so expect to pay a minimum of $60-$80 per year, but in reality they will suggest you get additional layers of coatings installed each year. That will likely result in a charge of $200-$400 per year to maintain your “lifetime” warranty.

I had the inspection done in May 2019 by the original installer, but in May 2020 we were in the heat of COVID and I didn’t want anyone working on my car. I delayed until early 2021 when I contacted my installer to do the inspection. After several weeks of trying to contact him with no return calls I gave up and contacted a different installer on the Ceramic Pro website and scheduled my inspection for March 17th, 2021. The original installer maintains a website and active phone number, but does not seem to be operating the business anymore.

Here is what the new installer wrote after the inspection:

After wetting the vehicle we noticed very low or no coating characteristics. We proceeded with our wash & decontamination process to see if it would change the coating behavior at all. Throughout washing zero difference was noticed. The coating was then re-foamed and clay barred with a synthetic mitt. Zero difference in coating behavior was still noticed. The vehicle was then dried and rewashed with Dawn Dish Soap & warm water to see If any waxes or polymers were clogging the coating. During the second washing zero difference in coating behavior was noticed. We finished washing the entire vehicle and dried It a second time. Following that we wiped half the hood (passenger side) with "Americana" stripper and retested water behavior. Zero difference was observed. We dried the area again and updated both our customer and Ceramic Pro Rep about the situation. The customer decided they would like to submit a warranty claim as they believe the coating Is failing or has failed.

Water spots, scratches, swirls, and bird drop etching can be observed on the vehicle. The chrome trim surrounding the windows Is also very spotted up and appears oxidized.

The owner of the vehicle states its only hand washed and they use a microfiber wash mitt with ·Optimum No Rinse Wash &Shine solution. Last Maintenance completed before us was May 18th, 2019. Vehicle left with no paint protection on It besides what may be there from Its original CP Install.

I submitted the warranty claim on March 18th. It is interesting to note that the options to describe the problems you can check off include:

I have water spots, I have scratches or swirls, I have rock chips, I have high spots or streaks due to poor installation, Water doesn't seem to bead, I got in an accident and need to reapply the coating, I have stains on my Kavaca PPF, I have lifted edges on my Kavaca PPF, I'd like to verify my warranty, Other.

Based on the report from the Ceramic Pro installer I checked off Scratches and Swirls and Water Doesn’t Seem to Bead. I also attached photos and the write-up from the Ceramic Pro installer detailing his findings. Perhaps they didn’t read his report, because I got the following response from Ceramic Pro:

Unfortunately, our warranty does not cover water spots. Ceramic Pro is a glass coating or silica dioxide. A sunroof of a car or windshield still gets water spots and Ceramic Pro is susceptible to them as well. Water spots can still happen over any coated surface, no matter how good the coating. This is going to depend on the hardness of the water causing the water spots in the first place. This is also affected by the amount of contamination in the air as well as the type of contamination.

The great thing is that because your car is coated removing those water spots is a lot easier. Not only that, but water spots can often etch and damage paint/gelcoat. But on a coated car/boat, the water spots are superficial. This means that you could more easily remove them than if your vehicle was uncoated. If you are unsure on how to do this, please refer to your installer. Your installer will be able to recommend the best removal procedure for water spots. Many times, a mixture of 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar can remove mineral deposits from the coating.

Ceramic Pro is a great protection for your vehicle, but not bulletproof. It is a very thin layer of protection that prevent water and environmental contaminants from getting into the pores of the substrate. This thin layer will reduce or resist some swirls and marring but can the surface can still be scratched. We do not warranty Swirls and Scratches.

Did you get paint correction before the coating was applied? How long did you let the coating cure after the car was delivered to you?

Additionally, how are you washing your vehicle?

One of the best parts of Ceramic Pro is that it is a sacrificial layer for your car/boat/plane/etc. Many times, the damage that happens to the coating through abrasion is only superficial and can be removed/repaired through a simple polish by a professional. This ensures you are not sanding away the clear coat every time you have a scratch or swirls as it can be repaired in the Ceramic Pro coating.

At corporate level we do not cover scratches and swirls. We cover product failure. Swirls and scratches are not product failure. Please contact your installer for further assistance.

I would recommend you go back to your installer and have him do a solvent bath (probably car was washed with soap that contained wax), your coating must be contaminated. Please make sure you wash your car with a soap that does not contain wax.

It seems to me that they have a canned response that says their warranty does not cover the items which you can check off when you submit the claim. So, what do they cover? Only “product failures” but what exactly is that? I seem to have a clear-cut case of a “product failure” but they still haven’t acknowledged it. I responded that they should read the info I attached and that I have a “product failure”. Two weeks go by and I get the following response:

Unfortunately, at corporate level we do not cover scratches and swirls. We cover product failure. Swirls and scratches are not product failure. Please contact your installer for further assistance.

I would recommend you go back to your installer and have him do a solvent bath (probably car was washed with soap that contained wax), your coating must be contaminated. Please make sure you wash your car with a soap that does not contain wax.

My car has never been waxed or washed with a soap containing wax. I have only used the Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine on it.

I have been calling Ceramic Pro every couple of days for the last couple of weeks. I have been told that my case has been sent to the CEO for review. Then I was told it was sent by the CEO to David Dicks who was following up with my installer. Yesterday I was told that they did not know why it was sent to David Dicks because he doesn’t handle warranty claims, but that the person would talk to a manager there and get back to me by the end of the day. In the month since I have submitted my warranty claim I have never received a phone call from anyone, and the occasional emails are not responsive to the claim information I have submitted.

It is possible that my original installer did not do the job properly. It is also possible that the product was installed properly but does not last. Either way, Ceramic Pro should stand behind their product and installer to make things right. Maybe others have had better results. Just be aware that at a minimum this is an ongoing investment and if things don’t go well the company will blame you for improper washing or maintenance and will not honor the warranty. My goal in getting this in the first place was to protect the paint and minimize the maintenance. I would not recommend dealing with Ceramic Pro.

Im always skeptical of ceramics, and in my last one, BMW M3, thought I’d treat myself and see what the fuss was about.

left the car with the Detailer for two weeks (largely due to heavy snow) and got the car back after about 2hrs of general chat and wishy washy BS about various products to use.

The vehicle looked nice but the effects of the water beading seemed to last about a month on the glass. The body work seemed to last maybe 3 months or so.

I think it is largely a scam, your car gets a good detail but aside from that, the solution that gets applied (if any? If anyone is watching them 24/7) lasted no longer than a good marine wax.

 

[tyuo9980]

I ceramic coated DIY and it took an hour and $100 in materials. The car was already clean so I didn't have to waste time with prep but it really shouldnt take more than an afternoon to do 2 layers. I still have half the bottle left.

 

[Willy’sEV]

People, wake up and smell the roses about this Ceramic coating which costs thousands of dollars.

 

[IamGaryGnu]

FWIW I run my cars through brushless car washes (they have the nasty big shammies in strips, but not brushes). My current bad boy is a Benz S550 until my MS comes, and I'll run that through the wash as well. I DO see some swirl marks. I also wax my car myself annually or so.
I've seen some of the videos, OCDetail comes to mind, and others. I get it - folks want a GREAT, beautiful finish, but to me at least, between birds, rain, pebbles, shopping carts, well, at the end of the day, to me at least, it's just a car.
I bought my Benz, and am taking a bath on it.
I'm leasing my S and nearly every other car - so the swirls won't affect me as much as a purchase.
I'm about to purchase my daughter's lease for her, as I can't get decent leases right now with the chip shortage, and then I'll dump that car after I get a decent lease for her.
I know some folks really baby their finishes, but between hail, rain, pebbles, etc. I don't see how damage to the car is unavoidable. and if you're going to use a PPF, then to me at least, it hides the imperfections anyway.
Maybe I'm wrong. I am saying, to me at least, the beauty of the lease is it is someone else's problem after 3 years.

 

[Willy’sEV]

FWIW I run my cars through brushless car washes (they have the nasty big shammies in strips, but not brushes). My current bad boy is a Benz S550 until my MS comes, and I'll run that through the wash as well. I DO see some swirl marks. I also wax my car myself annually or so.
I've seen some of the videos, OCDetail comes to mind, and others. I get it - folks want a GREAT, beautiful finish, but to me at least, between birds, rain, pebbles, shopping carts, well, at the end of the day, to me at least, it's just a car.
I bought my Benz, and am taking a bath on it.
I'm leasing my S and nearly every other car - so the swirls won't affect me as much as a purchase.
I'm about to purchase my daughter's lease for her, as I can't get decent leases right now with the chip shortage, and then I'll dump that car after I get a decent lease for her.
I know some folks really baby their finishes, but between hail, rain, pebbles, etc. I don't see how damage to the car is unavoidable. and if you're going to use a PPF, then to me at least, it hides the imperfections anyway.
Maybe I'm wrong. I am saying, to me at least, the beauty of the lease is it is someone else's problem after 3 years.

You have a right to wash and treat your cars as you wish. In decent weather I wash and detail my own car. In my work I use my head all day, it is nice to use your hands at times. My son on the other hand who lives in warm climate all year takes his car to the car wash.

Why are you taking a bath on your Mercedes? Carvana and Carmax are paying top dollar for quality used cars.

I lease also, so after 3 years, off she goes.

 

[McMoo]

Applying this spray every few months is all I need. $13 for half a dozen applications and about 30 min each. It’s a dime a dozen car, it’s going to have imperfections and get chip marks or other scratches. No way in hell I’m paying thousands of dollars for a coating or PPF especially after hearing this horror story.

Turtle Wax 53409 Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating - 16 Fl Oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XYPS3P...abc_WSER133D02QBSFRQ5RPS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Willy’sEV]

Applying this spray every few months is all I need. $13 for half a dozen applications and about 30 min each. It’s a dime a dozen car, it’s going to have imperfections and get chip marks or other scratches. No way in hell I’m paying thousands of dollars for a coating or PPF especially after hearing this horror story.

Turtle Wax 53409 Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating - 16 Fl Oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XYPS3P...abc_WSER133D02QBSFRQ5RPS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I have been using the same Turtle Wax hybrid on my car and my wife’s Subaru Crosstrek with great success.
Wondering if anyone has used the Meguilar hybrid competitive product instead? Instead of spraying on when the car is dry, you apply when the car is wet.

 

[Candleflame]

I would presume a ceramic coating was never applied.

There are ceramic coatings for all kinds of people.

There are short term ones (i.e. slightly less than 1 year) which are great for people who want something a bit longer than a sealant or apply it on a nonpolished surface. There is one in particular which is meant to be a topcoat and lasts around 6-8 months which is perfect for people who want to use it as a pseudo-sealant.

There are also longer ones which last 2-3 years or anything up to 10 years on the multicoat products (i.e. modesta)

You were scammed by the installer and they didnt apply the product or applied just a spray sealant which usually lasts 2-3 months.

Ceramic coating also doesnt protect against rockchips and spray. The pro coatings can protect against swirls due to their thickness ,however, you end up getting swirls in the coating which looks the same as in clearcoat and needs to be polished out.

 

[Candleflame]

I have been using the same Turtle Wax hybrid on my car and my wife’s Subaru Crosstrek with great success.
Wondering if anyone has used the Meguilar hybrid competitive product instead? Instead of spraying on when the car is dry, you apply when the car is wet.

turtle wax ceramic hybrid also exists as a wet applicable product called turtle wax ceramic wet wax.
Its ok, the real strenght is that it can be used as a drying aid.

 

[dduffey]

Can't compare it to other waxes, but I was happy with Griot's Ceramic 3 in 1 spray wax. I am not a pro though and haven't tried other Ceramic wash/wax products.

They also have a Ceremic wash and shine.

Ceramic Family Kit

Protect and shine your car with our collection of Ceramic auto care and protection products from Griots Garage.

www.griotsgarage.com

It didn't add a lot of depth, but looked okay after a couple coats.

My concrete driveway still beads water from when I washed the car 3 months ago, so it certainly has that property.

 

[techlogik]

Going with the above poster that I think the installer never did his job and is sketchy.

I swear by ceramic, for $800-1000 for a quality product like IGL Kenzo...which I have on two cars, and my previous car, for years they continue to have hydrophobic properties and make cleaning/maintenance and make love bug season easy to deal with and prevent typical issues over time down here in FL.

People saying it is scam must not have had a good ceramic every professionally put on their car, or were told by their PPF guy who charged them $3k that it is the real solution...which none of them are going to stop a big ass rock from denting your car.

Anyway....I know you posted something about it, but you should have seen pretty quickly when it stopped beading up, if it ever had any hydrophobic properties to begin with if it really was applied, that it failed. For fun maybe this weekend or next I will take a photo of my ceramic IGL Kenzo on my M3 and wheels and the crazing beading of the water while washing it...it is real obvious when it is working/applied right. Simple to maintain.

$2K for ceramic is a waste...I know a lot of brands high absurdly high prices, and add-ons...I got a local IGL Kenzo installer, who does the least expensive job, but it is 100% quality, paint prep, knowledge/skill...as good as anyplace that charges 3x what he does. No affiliation with that company at all...just experience with it and one local installer who knows WTF he is doing.

Good luck.

 

[matnetik]

I almost pulled the trigger on the "Ceramic Coating" bs, the amount of stories I have read about it working and not working has been insane. I decided to order some 303 Graphene Nano Spray Coating from Amazon and their speed detailer. Spent 2 hours cleaning the car and then applying the 303, wiping off the 303 and then the speed detailer. Best decision I've ever made, water falls off like its super hydrophobic, it's honestly insane how well it works. Did that and some Rain-X on all the glass. It's been a month and washing the car has never been easier, I literally pressure wash it was spray soap and a very light wipe down, dirt and dust comes right off. I'll apply the 303 again in 2-3 months.

I live in SoCal and in the valley it's nothing but dust everywhere, it truly made the cleaning process super easy. Sorry to hear about your experience, hope they take care of you with the warranty!