Should You Ceramic Coat a New Car? Can You Afford It?
Got yourself a new car?
The interior still smells of plastics and adhesive – not really healthy, but man, it smells so good.
And your paint is just fantastic and shiny. Of course, you want to keep it looking fresh forever, so you meticulously clean it for the first few months. But the harsh reality is that cleaning your car gets old fast, and unless you haven’t officially married it, you’ll eventually want to skip the extra chore.
Enter ceramic coatings.
You’ve heard about them. They really do work, and the best time to get your car coated is right out of the factory.
It’s Not Just About The Shine – It’s About Paint Protection And Hydrophobic Properties
Ceramic coatings are the number one paint protection product on the market.
Professional-grade nano-ceramic coatings penetrate deep into the microscopic pores of the clear coat and physically bond to the paint, while forming a thin, hard, and smooth layer on top.
The SiO2 ceramic particles offer protection from UV rays, chemical erosion, and etching from bird droppings, bug guts, tree sap, acid rain, and more. Ceramics have high surface tension and hydrophobic properties, repelling water and ice and preventing dirt, dust, road salt, and grime from sticking to the paint of the car.
Thanks to the strong bond between the ceramic particles and the paint, the coating will last anywhere from 1 to 10 years for the really good ones.
Of course, before you race down to the detailer’s shop, there are a handful of drawbacks you should know about.
Ceramic coatings are not immune to the grit of daily traffic. They cannot protect against rock chips, scratches, gouges, and other mechanical-based erosion.
Traditional ceramic coatings are the most effective but also the most difficult to apply. It’s not recommended to DIY your ceramic coating without help or experience, as improper installation will result in a horrible and costly repair finish.
Ceramic coatings are expensive, and their installation cost at a professional detailing shop can exceed many times the cost of the product itself.