Ceramic Coating

[Pengue]

I’m thinking of having a ceramic coat put on my 1971 SL.  All of these cars were painted with single stage paint and therefore have no clear float.  Any thoughts/experiences?

[johnk]

I have had it down to two cars and it’s not worth it. No scratch protection and you can’t buff your car later as you will take it off.  A lot of money just so you don’t have to wax your car.

[Tycoon]

Great investment depending on your local price, as pricing seems to vary by product and package. (3 or 5 year longevity, wheel treatment, windows, soft top application, etc.) Easier wash ( with non-wax based soap),  blow dry, and great shiny finish…..really makes a difference on deep coloured vehicles. Make sure you discuss the paint correction process prior to the ceramic application. By far the most important stage of the purchase, should your paint be in the condition worthy of the investment!
Bill

[johnk]

What are you hoping the ceramic coat will do for you?

[Pengue]

Higher gloss. 

[johnk]

I believe the higher shine mostly comes from
The paint correction (buffing) done prior to applying the ceramic coat but others may differ.

[john.mancini]

JohnK is spot on. Waste of money. It's today's version of the BS that car dealers sold for years when you bought a new or used car.

[hansr433]

The result I saw on a friend's silver 356 convinced me to have the treatment done on my navy (MB 332) W111 just now.  Prior to doing the treatment, the shop spent 3 days removing chrome trim, bumpers etc and buffing the car to a smooth glossy shine.  I am very happy the way the car looks.  Time will tell if the cost is worth it, but for now, it looks concours.

[johnk]

Hans
But as you mentioned all the time spent buffing before the ceramic coat is what makes the car look great. Adding the ceramic coating just adds a little beyond that. You can get a car buffed and detailed a lot less expensive than paint correction (buffing) and Ceramic coated.

[MikeSimon]

This fall, I used a "Torque" paint detailer, "Mirror Shine" (a DIY ceramic spray-on detailer) on my 914-6. Excellent results

[bigbobbeach]

I had my wife’s car (BMW X3) ceramic coated 2 years ago.
I did it because I make her car sit outside while my cars sit in the garage (attempt at peace keeping)
Looked great for about a year. Bottom-line--Not worth it! You still need to wax yearly.

[johnk]

My son ceramic coated our boat this year.  It did not look any shinier but it did help close the pours on the fiberglass so it was easier to wash off the black streaks. The proof will be this year when we see if we have to buff and wax it this year or if the ceramic coat will hold up enough to skip a year of buffing and waxing.  The ceramic coat materials were expensive and the process was a heck of a lot of work.