Ceramic Coating

How many folks have a ceramic coating applied? Has anyone applied their own ceramic coating? I am a big fan of DIY. Which should I use?

 

I know someone who does it for a living and he took care of me, and used a product (gtechniq CSU) which can only be professionally purchased and applied .. that being said I’ve done a lot of research, and two vehicles with a friend since and about to do another plus my new tractor if we can ever get a couple days of decent weather together. we’re using carpro cquartz 3.0 and recommend it. gtechniq crystal serum light is supposed to be very user friendly as well, but got a better deal on the cquartz at the time ... these are laid on applications

if you’re looking for spray on you won’t get the same lasting length, but products like gtechniq c2v3, carpro reload and gyeon cure are all well regarded for 6-12 months coverage .. im using gtechniq c2v3 as a topper over my CSU

Proper prepping is your friend .. that’s a whole other can of worms when it comes to products

 

Carpro Cquartz
22ple insanity

Those would be my choices. Cquartz is proven and inexpensive but very good.
Insanity is newer and more expensive but has great reviews and supposedly the best gloss of any ceramic.
Ideally you would wash, clay, polish and either prime or alcohol wipe down before applying it.

 

I used cquartz 3.0. I did not do any prep work other than wash the car. I don’t really care about swirls since the car is black and it will drive me nuts. I will go back and clay the car and then apply another two layers. Then use the reload spray whenever You wash the car.

 

@Pudge ive used isopropyl for that final residue step previously, but have seen products like carpro eraser, gyeon prep, gtechniq panel wipe, have you used any of these and thoughts?

I mean my thought is isopropyl at Walmart etc does the job well and for cheap. I’m about to run out though and haven’t come across any with this current pandemic in my limited shopping. I’ve got a couple vehicles and tractor lined up to do, but I know I won’t have enough with current supply

 

I use carpro eraser and like it alot. I won't go back to making my own IPA mix again.

 

Listen to @Pudge he knows his sh*t. I have 3.0 on both my trucks. I use reload once a week when I wash. Best combo ever.

 

I also use eraser before the quartz application. I’m doing 3 more trucks this week with it.

 

Out of curiosity, what’s the general price point for DIY vs having it done professionally?

 

Pricing is all over the place and it really depends where your paint is right now and the longevity of the coating your going to apply. 3.0 last 1-2 yrs depending on environment. I use reload 1 time a week with wash so it maintains my coating very well. Maintaining is crucial. The package of 3.0 I recommend is the 50ml with reload. $80 give or take and Autogeek-detailedimage always has sales. But that’s only 1 part of the puzzle. You will need
Wash
claybar
Iron remover or anti contamination I use ironx
Then buff/polish depending on shape of paint
Then I use eraser you can use alcohol but I always use eraser
Then coating with reload after 30 min
Keep truck bone dry for 24hrs

I would plan on 50ml so you can do 2 coats.

Washing the truck after you do this is so easy. Figure around $200-250 to get the stuff you need. Make sure you order a bottle of reset soap and a 1000ml reload this will be used to maintain the truck.

 

Where I am, the base level for installation only is $500 with the top tier at $3900. That's without paint correction which is another $500. Needless to say, this summer I will be doing this myself.

 

One thing to consider about ceramic coating is the ALMIGHTY WATER SPOTS! I was not aware of how hard it is to remove water spots off a coated vehicle. I did my camaro and the wife's pro. Came out amazing but we get stuck in a few situations we're i can't do a quick wash/dry after rain.

I just spent 8 hours last weekend on the camaro. Full decon, compound/polish, two coats of sealer and then a detail spray to finish it off. Love the durability of the ceramic coatings but just not ideal for my situation.

 

Big fan. I have a SPSGraphene coating which is a carbon based coating. Absolutley amazing. Very slippery