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Ceramic coating looks fantastic!

MCATDT

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Love the ceramic and it does help keep my black Jeep clean. It however did nothing to prevent pin striping. Not upset about it at all because I knew going in that several trails would be tight and I bought this vehicle to off road it and enjoy it. If your goal is to help eliminate pin striping this is not the answer. The only way to completely prevent them is to not go down any tight trails :) Whats the fun in that
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SwampNut

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I did mine last weekend. It didn't need any real correction, at a year old. I did a medium grit synthetic clay mitt, alcohol mix, and then ceramic. Came out perfect. Going to be doing our Tesla soon and that one will need some minor/spot paint correct, then the same process. Works great on the tops and glass too, the windshield and headlights seem extra clear.

Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! 1620061334140


Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! 1620061342618
 

Gohan2374

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Did the turtle wax ceramic 2 coats myself , pretty happy with results & reviews on the product
Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210401_132528
Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210401_163003
Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210405_075120
Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210331_111152
 
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SwampNut

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I'm not putting anyone down, but everyone should note that real ceramic coatings are in tiny containers and go on with a special process. Anything you spray on like that is just wax with a little ceramic in it, not a coating. Does not do much at all more than normal wax. It's a gimmick. Kind of the like the Teflon in Slick 50 did nothing extra for a motor.
 

T Ray

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I just can't justify the cost. I'm going to have a local detail shop clay bar mine and apply a paint sealant for under $300. Then I'm going to use the Meguiars Ceramic spray wax on it.
I use this on my black Gladiator, If the first application is done properly this stuff works well. Not as good as a pro ceramic coating but then it's only about $15 and some elbow grease.
 

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JWGladiator

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I did mine last weekend. It didn't need any real correction, at a year old. I did a medium grit synthetic clay mitt, alcohol mix, and then ceramic. Came out perfect. Going to be doing our Tesla soon and that one will need some minor/spot paint correct, then the same process. Works great on the tops and glass too, the windshield and headlights seem extra clear.

Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210331_111152


Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210331_111152

Looks nice. What ceramic product did you use?
 

SwampNut

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Looks nice. What ceramic product did you use?
Oh yeah, should have said that. Avalon King. Service was great, their how-to info is awesome, application went fantastically. Really went well, for my first time. I ended up doing their two-pack, then after checkout there was an option to add a third for half price, and did. I had this coupon code also: LEGIT25

One bottle did all of the Jeep except the top, including the windshield. I'm into the second bottle to do the visible parts of the top (not the very top center), and a second coat on the hood.
 

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Lots of marketing with ceramic on the shelves these day. Those products work as a quick detailing product in between washes but no real protection for your paint like a real ceramic coating. They are all just spray on waxes that don’t last.

The process really isn’t that hard to apply a ceramic coating. It is time consuming but don’t let shops scare you into thinking you need a professional to apply a ceramic coating. This can be done by anyone that wants to do it. If you can wash and wax a car/Jeep you can apply a ceramic coating.
 

SwampNut

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It's not hard, just time like you said, and being careful. A real ceramic will solidify and seal in ALL imperfections and junk. So prep is everything. For me it was just over 5 hours on an already washed Jeep. Washed Friday, started on Saturday morning by going over all details missed in the wash. Then clay, etc.

Ceramic infused wax = fake snake oil.
 
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I did mine last weekend. It didn't need any real correction, at a year old. I did a medium grit synthetic clay mitt, alcohol mix, and then ceramic. Came out perfect. Going to be doing our Tesla soon and that one will need some minor/spot paint correct, then the same process. Works great on the tops and glass too, the windshield and headlights seem extra clear.

Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210331_111152


Jeep Gladiator Ceramic coating looks fantastic! IMG_20210331_111152
What brand did you use?
 

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saltydog955i

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I had mine coated and a clear bra.

PXL_20210330_212039717.jpg
 

SwampNut

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What brand did you use?
I guess I should have said that. I went with Avalon King. They were great, fast shipment, excellent how to info on their site, good followup emails. Here's a coupon code: LEGIT25

I bought two, as the second is discounted. Then on checkout they offered a third for like half price. The metal plus windshield on the Gladiator took up one kit. I did the sides and visible parts of the top the next day with a bit of the second one. I will do the Tesla and a motorcycle with the rest.
 

TimeHater24

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As a semi-professional detailer, I'll chime in on this one a little.
Protection:
Ceramic coatings will protect the clear/paint from normal dirt and grime, bird droppings, UV They will not protect against any type of pin striping, unless very very light in nature ( would still need to remove the ceramic, and reapply if this occurs )

Spray Ceramic VS Applied ceramic:
Spray ceramics are a good choice for cost, and ease of use, where they fall short is in longevity. Typical off the shelf brands of spray ceramic ( Meguires, TurtleWax, Griots, Adams, Chemical guys ) Will last on average 3 months before you need to start re-applying. Gloss level is pretty low, but will still look great

Pro level Applied Ceramics ( the little bottles with eye droppers ) are a good choice if you are looking for longevity, ( 3-7 year ) but if they are not applied correctly they wont last very long. You can pick up a kit for usually around 100.00 from Adams, chemical guys, Gtechniq etc. Gloss level is really high, when it's clean your panels will look like mirror

The Key to making them last:
Prep, prep, prep. The more prep work you do, the better the coating will adhere to your paint, and thus the longer it will last ( with proper maintenance ). The surface needs to be cleaned, and I mean clean like white glove clean. the usual steps include a 2 bucket hand wash with a strip soap, iron decon, clay bar, paint correction / polish , and then final wipe down with alcohol based prep spray.

Maintenance:
Wash the vehicle regularly, and use an Si02 detail spray as a drying agent. This will help prolong the life of the ceramic coating, by filling in any small gaps with more Si02

Questions most people have:
Why is the cost for ceramic coating so high?
See above about prep work. Ceramic coatings are all about the labor involved to prep / apply and not the product it's self.

Can I do a pro level coating myself ?
You sure can! but do you have the time, and the tools / products? For about 500 dollars, you can get yourself everything you would need to put the coating on, and the coating. Next is time, on average I spend 10 or so hours prepping a car for a coating, and a few hours putting the coating on.

Do I have to fix the scratches / swirls on my car, in order to apply the coating? short answer is no, but you will wish you did :)

What coating is the best?
As long as you are buying a known brand ( read reviews, do your research ) they will all work pretty well. I prefer the Adams graphene coating, but I am biased as I live close to their HQ, and can get it easily.

If anyone has any more questions, or just wants to talk detailing hit me up in the DM's
-Pete
 

SwampNut

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The time estimate varies a lot by the condition of the paint. The Tesla is going to take me much longer than the Gladiator did, even though it's much smaller. The Gladiator really did have exceptionally good factory paint.
 

SwampNut

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Oh, and you can do most of this across different days. The key is that at ceramic time, you have to have a perfectly clean car and do the alcohol/water prep. But I've done defect buffing an hour here or there across days.
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