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.
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.