Do you need exterior treatments like ceramic coatings? Newbie asks.

[Don TLR]

No but I have never seen such focus on paint protection and the "need" for all the extras. I've had cars for over 40 years and with typical wash/wax care have never had to add costly options like these and my cars looked pretty darn good after 7-8 years. Just wondering if this car would meet that.

You mean like the 200,000 other Tesla's that have been made,, not just m3

 

[Lasairfion]

I once painted one car with left over army paint and a brush for applying creosote to fences. It solved the scratchy hedgerow problem as well as other vehicles not moving over when I approached.

On a more useful note, the owner in this thread managed to cover his car for a significantly reduced amount (and got a cool colour as well).

 

[Shizzrock]

You realize that when you have a shop do a ceramic seal on your car that they are going way beyond a normal exterior detail for the prep, right? When they are done they will have sanded your clear coat, polished it to an extreme shine and it will probably look better than it ever has.... whether the car is new or older.

I imagine if you wanted that done even with no application of a high grade ceramic you would still be looking at a couple hundred bucks minimum and those guys are guaranteed to do a better job on that kind of thing then the typical shadetree home detailer.

Yes, I do realize that. I don't recall saying anything bad about ceramic coating. Since it usually includes some kind of color correction, it's very labor intensive. I don't think either service is that high margin, but you specifically said that a detail was a waste of money. People who think because the actual product is like twenty bucks that somehow they're making $980 on it, like time isn't money and skill and professionalism and experience don't carry value.

 

[Lasairfion]

...like time isn't money and skill and professionalism and experience don't carry value.

The story goes that a man once complained to his plumber that he had charged him £50 for fixing his boiler; when all he had done was replace a fuse. As such he demanded an itemised bill so he could see the breakdown of costs.

The plumber duly complied with the request and delivered an invoice that stated:
1 x Fuse: £0.50
Knowing which fuse to change: £49.50

 

[voip-ninja]

Yes, I do realize that. I don't recall saying anything bad about ceramic coating. Since it usually includes some kind of color correction, it's very labor intensive. I don't think either service is that high margin, but you specifically said that a detail was a waste of money. People who think because the actual product is like twenty bucks that somehow they're making $980 on it, like time isn't money and skill and professionalism and experience don't carry value.

Then you completely misunderstand what I am saying.

A good detail is $200-$300 although some detailers will work packages for customers where they will pay by the year and get multiple details out of it.

A good friend of mine is a detailer and it has taken him a lot of work to get to the skill level where he can comfortably work on high end cars. He details many $100,000+ Teslas. Unfortunately he's out of state from me so he can't do my car or teach me the ropes. He also despises ceramic coat but that's a tale for a different thread.

My point is that you might spend $1200 for a professional grade ceramic coating that has a pro-rated 9 year warranty. Let's say in reality it's good for about 5 years and you would need a new application at that point.

$1200/5 is $240 per year, and, as long as you follow some basic rules you can maintain it quite easily yourself.

OR you can get your car detailed for $240 per year and still have to do some intermediate waxes, etc., in order to keep it looking it's best.

Ceramic coat can work out being a better cost deal for those who want to maintain a high quality appearance on their car but don't have the time to do it themselves.... and it can also save them some $$.

 

[eyespii]

SO I keep reading about clear coats, ceramic coatings etc for the paint job. Is Tesla's exterior poor quality? I have never had a car require me to spend hundreds or thousands to protect a new paint job. What is this about? Sorry for the simple level question. am a 60+ y/o female, not high tech poster like so many of you.

Short answer:
No. You're on a car enthusiast board where people care a lot about the appearance/maintenance of their cars. Go to any car marque's enthusiast forum online, and you'll see people talking about ceramic coating.

Just wash the car regularly, and get it waxed a few times a year. You'll be fine. Enjoy the car!

 

[Jedi2155]

I've been thinking this same question and I think all you really need is protection on the bumper and rocker. Those are the parts that get rock chips the most and will provide the best benefit/cost ratio. That being said you would very well still get rock chips in other areas but the chances are much reduced compared to the guaranteed parts I mentioned.

 

[P&J-W]

I was fortunate in that our red came with very few paint issues (fremont delivery so no trucking protective coating and no factory post delivery swirls etc.) All I had to do was clean a couple of spots and buff one spot with a fine swirl remover (by hand). That being said we brought the car home washed it and started the Gyeon Syncro ceramic and hydrophobic process. It is a non pro person application in my opinion ( I am just a once every year or two waxer).

If you are an extreme enthusiast or want the very best coating (Expel or the other wraps) then go for the added expense. If you just want to preserve the paint and not have to pay an arm and a leg or do the extreme "paint correction" and would normally wax the car, consider the ceramics as the modern equivalent but improved approach. If you have a good (good enough for you to be happy with as it stands) paint finish the ceramic from Gyeon Syncro is pretty easy to apply (do small areas as it cures in seconds literally). You do need 2 coats and I did 3 on the front. There is an hour between coats, so this is a day project. The next day one more application of the hydrophobic "Skin".
It is extremely slick and easy to wash from there on.

I found I needed 2 x 50 Ml syncro packages to do the whole car 2 times and the front half a third time. ($179 each).
This is in response to the original poster's (60+ y/o female, not high tech poster like so many of you.) as a do it yourself approach that I suspect this person could consider tackling. No machinery and very little elbow grease unlike waxing. (again if you have an acceptable paint job)


There are a couple of youtube videos you should watch by "Forensic Detailing Channel"

Ceramic Coating Shootout
Gyeon Syncro products review.

Forensic Detailing Channel

do a quick browse on gyeon Syncro for some other application hints
(Disclosure -- I have no association with any of these but have waxed my cars for many years and this is much much easier especially if the car is new)
Patrick