Associate
- Joined
- 29 Aug 2012
- Posts
- 188
bit of room st back if you park well
Ceramic Coating - fiction or fact?
- Thread starter RedvGreen
- Start date
Just park at pace.
Man of Honour
It's nice, but I probably wouldn't pay £500 or more for it again. I feel my dab hand can do an equally good job but Collinite lasts a full year as opposed to 3yrs claimed by ceramic coatings.
I'd rather spend the money on nice smelling and long lasting cleaning products that I can enjoy using, and pocket a saving at the same time.
That is how long it takes to be done properly. Gotta be left overnight to cure fully before the 2nd and 3rd parts are applied. What is so unbelievable about that?
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Soldato
thinking of going for Gtechniq crystal serum after seeing on a car the detailer was working on when I popped in
Man of Honour
That's what I've got on my car, been two weeks now and it's fantastic in this weather. Weekend I just snow foam it with Gyeon Foam and 90% of all the dirt has come off with a rinse. Only dirt that sticks on is around the skirts where it's really thick.
The hydrophobic quality of it is brilliant. The coolest thing is, rinse with a gentle flow hose and you actually end up drying the car for the most part because the water run off is so good
2 days for mine, full decontamination, machine polish, ceramic coat then cure time. If you're going for more extensive prep work then I can fully understand 3 days.
You can't just wash your car then whack a ceramic coating on it if you want it to last more than a few weeks.
Associate
I don't think they are worth the money at all as a standalone item.
Read the small print - you're supposed to use normal coatings on top of fairly regularly to 'maintain' them. It's not some special ultra hard anti swirl coating that remains hydroscopic for 3+ years with normal irregular washing...
I use this stuff every 4 months or so:
http://www.jayswax.co.uk/product/wowos-crystal-sealant/
Costs £16 for a bottle that will last years. Takes 30 minutes to apply after a basic wash; spray with one hand & immediately buff with the other. Keeps dat beading all that time. Makes the surface feel ultra smooth, & even works on the windscreen so no wipers needed on the motorway.
Read the small print - you're supposed to use normal coatings on top of fairly regularly to 'maintain' them. It's not some special ultra hard anti swirl coating that remains hydroscopic for 3+ years with normal irregular washing...
I use this stuff every 4 months or so:
http://www.jayswax.co.uk/product/wowos-crystal-sealant/
Costs £16 for a bottle that will last years. Takes 30 minutes to apply after a basic wash; spray with one hand & immediately buff with the other. Keeps dat beading all that time. Makes the surface feel ultra smooth, & even works on the windscreen so no wipers needed on the motorway.
My favourite saying while moving cars around at work.
"Are you sure you'll get through that gap Andy?"
"Sure, as long as I drive fast enough"
Soldato
Beauty is in the eye and all that. I had Clark (previously Polished Bliss) coat my ISF with the Gyeon coating. Taking 3+ days with the stage 1+ paint enhancement, coating and everything else he does it comes in a well over a grand. But the finished result is like a new car inside and out, actually better as he removes all the paint imperfections that even new cars have. Very happy with it and should last up to 5 years supposedly. My car isn't really a daily so it may last at least 3 years.
He did my new S3 before and it was like new when I traded it in after 2 years. Next to no scratches or chips in 10k miles. I was impressed. Clark also takes the wheels off and coats them, meaning they are super easy to wash and brake dust doesn't get etched into the lacquer.
You pays your money...
The only way to get better paint protection is to go with film, over every panel. I think I was looking at £3k+ for that. I've seen it first hand and the protection it offers is incredible, but not sure it's value for money on anything less than a classic or supercar.
He did my new S3 before and it was like new when I traded it in after 2 years. Next to no scratches or chips in 10k miles. I was impressed. Clark also takes the wheels off and coats them, meaning they are super easy to wash and brake dust doesn't get etched into the lacquer.
You pays your money...
The only way to get better paint protection is to go with film, over every panel. I think I was looking at £3k+ for that. I've seen it first hand and the protection it offers is incredible, but not sure it's value for money on anything less than a classic or supercar.
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Beauty is in the eye and all that. I had Clark (previously Polished Bliss) coat my ISF with the Gyeon coating. Taking 3+ days with the stage 1+ paint enhancement, coating and everything else he does it comes in a well over a grand. But the finished result is like a new car inside and out, actually better as he removes all the paint imperfections that even new cars have. Very happy with it and should last up to 5 years supposedly. My car isn't really a daily so it may last at least 3 years.
He did my new S3 before and it was like new when I traded it in after 2 years. Next to no scratches or chips in 10k miles. I was impressed. Clark also takes the wheels off and coats them, meaning they are super easy to wash and brake dust doesn't get etched into the lacquer.
You pays your money...
The only way to get better paint protection is to go with film, over every panel. I think I was looking at £3k+ for that. I've seen it first hand and the protection it offers is incredible, but not sure it's value for money on anything less than a classic or supercar.
The 3M film is very expensive, but looks fantastic. Main issue is yellowing in the sun, and also ‘chips’ cause furrowing which looks horrible.
Ive yet to see a car where the film doesnt ruin the look of the paint.
Theyre better than they were, but still look hideous to my eye.
The best is the Ngenco product which comes down to the sprayers ability.
Awesome.
Didn't know he'd moved away from PB. Had a good browse of his new FB and found what BMW Carbon Black can really look like! WOW!
Need to get my rotary and sort swirl city.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
Indeed, he has setup on his own. Clark is probably the best in the country at what he does, but at this level of detail it's painstaking work and he appears to work all the hours.
I just use Meguiars spray wax monthly and it looks great and saves a fortune
It saves you money because you don't even begin to reach the same levels of correction, finish, lustre or protection. But hey, if you are happy with that, its all good
You drive a taxi, it doesn’t matter.I just use Meguiars spray wax monthly and it looks great and saves a fortune
Sorry, a wannabe taxi.
Ive done it proper.
Soldato
I'd be interested to see your results as from what I've read orange peel can only really be removed by wet sanding and replacing the clearcoat, and I didn't fancy going that far.