5 replies to this topic

[NQRSoobee]

Hi All,

 

  Wondering what is everyone's experience with Ceramic Coatings as applied to the paintwork of your cars please?

 

  I'm more after:

1.  What's available,

2.  What suppliers / franchises / applicators are out there,

3.  Who's used what coating and what their experience with it is,

4.  Are there any tricks / lock-ins (Eg. Have to use their cleaning products to keep the paint warranty going) with a specific product,

5.  Expectation of cost.

 

Given how the long term effects of the Aussie sun on modern paints I'm trying to help preserve the paint on my cars.

Over to the forum for useful thoughts & experiences.

 

[crjohnson]

I've tried the basic type stuff, not really the full on coatings:

 

- Repco eclipse ceramic polish made easy: I gave this a shot as it was on special and I saw a reasonably good youtube review. It was ok, wouldn't bother with it again. 

- Bowden's Happy Ending: I reckon this stuff is good! Although you need a cannon and pressure washer, it seems to last a fairly long time (at least a couple of months or more) and is easy to use. You get a fair few application from the big bottle too. 

- Meguires hybrid ceramic spray wax: I bought a bottle to try, saw some really good reviews on youtube again. Will let you know what its like soon! 

[Barbbachello]

+1 bowdens happy ending. Not a ceramic coat and would come under your lock ins but is good shit. If you dont have a pressure washer you can use Wet Dreams for the same result 

[NQRSoobee]

Thanks crj & barbs.

 

I've a Gerni pressure cleaner which will double as a pressure washer except everything I've ever seen says such high pressure water on Duco is a big no-no.  Will still look into the Bowdens goo as regular bubble bathing my cars is just a given.

Repco I've not been a fan of their own brands as I was burnt many many moons ago by a couple of their products.

Meguires I tried mid last year using it on a previous car, Kia (the other half super liked it), which ended up looking like it had tree sap all over it.  I've still a bottle & a bit left over from that experiment.  I presume it possibly needs more pressure than my garden hose & multi-choice spray tip can produce to spread it over the car.  The down side is I live in an area with very good mains water pressure so I do wonder what amount of pressure is needed to spread it over the car's duco.

 

Let me know how you went with the Meguires because I still wonder what I could've done wrong with applying it.

[Barbbachello]

If you have a super high pressure washer just stand back a bit further. More than likey if an article refers to it as duco and not clear coat its probably mega old school and use to single stage rubbish paints from the muscle car era. Modern clear coat is pretty tough. 

[jaydece]

Talking from personal experience and learned from my detailing friend.

 

-With any coating, prep work prior to coating is everything...Wash, Decom, Stage 1 Correction, Iso prep and then coat (in a quick summary)

-The paint on each car is different and the color, meaning 1 ceramic coat works and bonds well on 1 car paint/color but not on another (again preparation before coating is key).

 

Recommended Coatings (from the top of my head, I mean there's just soo many)

-Kamikazi ISM - (not cheap and tech to apply). This is what I have on previous, current car and Mrs car.

-CZ quartz and Gyeon Q2, Angelwax (semi afforable and easy to apply)

-Autobarn, Supercheap, Repco etc..off the shelf brands (If your on a budget, recommend new turtle wax line up, autogylm, meguirs range)

 

No specific range of products to follow within each family (can mix and match). To maintain and keep ceramic coating intact is to use a sacrifical coating (wax, spray, hybrid ceramic, applicator or similar application). Highly recommend angelwax QED.

 

Hope this helps...