cecilt

Stopped by a local shop that does PPF and Ceramic on Monday. Got pricing. My question is on CC. I hear all the time people say washing is a breeze. What does this mean? Let me ask this way. My wife and I have C8's(we don't just an example) and I have CC and she doesn't. We keep them in the garage and drive them exactly at the same time every day to the same place for say a month Rain or Shine. After one month why would mine with CC be easier to wash/clean than hers.

We both have to use the 2 bucket method, get out the mitt, spray with a foam cannon and go to town. Dry them both off. If she has sealant, wax or Ceramic spray applied she won't be heavy scrubbing I would assume. So enlighten me on how easy it is when your car is CC vs. not. Seems they both will require the same cleaning.

BTW, shop said $1250 to CC whole care and another $250 to do wheels and they don't do the barrels behind the wheels due to wheel weight issues in the future as they can fly off. To me the barrels behind the spokes is the area hardest to clean so seems the $250 on wheels would be a waste. tks

dohabandit

The car with CC will not attract grime as easily as a non CC car will. If you are driving in the rain, the rain itself will help to wash away any dirt that is coming up from the road and spray from cars in front of you.
You should still use a foam cannon and two bucket method, but in general the car will have less oils, grime and contaminants stuck to the surface. You'll still see a lot though. Always surprised to see how much ultra fine black particulates (probably brake dust, carbon/soot from exhaust, etc.) come off when wiping mit across the lower portion of the car. Always wash from the top down!

If you are coating your wheels, you don't have to put CC in the area where weights would be attached to balance the wheel. People say that ArmorAll Outlast works much better to repel brake dust though. I powder coated mine and it seems easier to clean just with being powder coated.

wbrands

I prefer to drive my Corvette than to spend the hours washing as you describe in your foam cannon, two bucket, yada, yada description. For me at my age, it is enough trouble to bend down low enough to wash this low slung beauty once a month or so, and it is a daily driver although not to work every day as you suggest.

In my case, to sort of answer your question, ceramic coating makes washing much easier for the following reasons. Dust does not seem to attach to the car (particularly the rear end) as much. Bug guts wash off with a soft mitt (or sponge if that is your preference), or easily spray off at high pressure car washes in between hand washes. The car just generally seems to look cleaner than any of my previous non-ceramic coated Corvettes all the time.

As for the wheels, if you have the Z51 option, you will appreciate the coating to help with the dusting. It takes quite a while for it to become objectionable with ceramic coating, not the two trips to town many on this forum complain about. When it does get noticeable, it cleans up easy with high pressure washing and does not require any extra effort during a hand wash. With Z51, you will probably need to pay the $250 or pay more for low dust brake pads IMHO.

I am a convert to ceramic coating and highly recommend it. Sounds like your quoted price is not too bad either, I paid $1,350 for the car and wheels last December.

scithera

Think of CC as like a non-stick coating. You can use the same pan to cook the same things, but when it comes to cleaning, the one with the coating will clean much quicker/easier.

Bird67

Why do you need a professional to apply it? Whether professional or do-it-yourself, it’s the prep work (up to, or including, paint correction) that makes the end result. When it first came out, ceramic was unique and only available through professionals. No so anymore. Lately I’ve discovered 303 Graphene Nano Spray, which is incredibly easy to apply, and acts exactly like Smithera describes - like a high-quality non-skid pan, and with a shine that is every bit as good as the professional ceramic applications I’ve seen.

I’m guessing some will say “durability, ceramic lasts years.” Quite possibly true - but as I understand it, to maintain the many-year warranty requires returning annually to have it reapplied. I’enjoy using that that time to apply it myself, and it’s nice to save the difference between $1200 professional application and $25 for do-it-yourself ($17 bottle will easily do your car 4 times or more, plus $8 for an applicator and microfiber towels to buff it off).

Spamburger_Hamburger

I've had full ceramic coating on mine for over a year now. I can tell you in my experience, after a road trip with dust, dirt, and 3.45 million bugs splattered on the car, the hose rinse to begin a wash is almost all it takes to get 95% of the car clean. Bugs and all. Only the stickiest guts need a rub. Usually between a rinse, foam canon and re-rinse the car looks perfect. Does wonders on the wheels for brake dust also. My family owned a car dealership when I was growing up and I washed more cars than any human should during the summers for spending money in middle and high school. A good CC is worth the money in spades. I had it professionally applied, a 10 year multi layer with warranty. The shop included paint correction and prep. It doesn't require yearly re-application, but I do get a free detail yearly covered under that warranty so they can check the coating and paint and fix any spots that may need it under warranty.

CJ Willys

Less dirt sticks to my ceramic coated cars (Z06 & wife’s car). They stay cleaner, longer.
When I wash them, it takes less time & with no waxing, I simply blow them dry.
I find the washing is easier.

I do like the look of a waxed car, I wax my Z71. But everyone says the ceramic coated cars look great, too.

JillyBean

Been through the whole ceramic thing with my different cars over the last five years. I found this works nearly as good and it’s very easy to wash needs to be applied about three times a year in the Arizona sun but works amazing.

Ryan Ol Ghanta

Like others said.
I drove the first 300 miles after delivery without CC = grime/dust/etc was caking on the front bumper and rear
I then CC myself with Adams Graphene (2 hours total, washed it prior to this, no correction/prep needed as it was brand new)
Now = nothing, very minimal dirt n grime, rained the other day and she looks super clean

(I daily drive 40 miles total through construction zones etc)

Myfourth1

I was told to go to this thread with my questions regarding ceramic coatings.....

I just got this quote from a local (Mesa, AZ) company that does ceramic and tinting, etc. Is anyone familiar with these products and do you think this is a fair and reasonable price for a full ceramic coating? I'm planning to have them do Expel window tinting on the 2 side windows for $275 as well. I am not a "do-it-yoursef" person so I plan to use a professional....

Ceramic: Our meticulous paint correction and ceramic coating process is as follows: Before we seal in your vehicle's finish with a ceramic coating, we carefully prepare the finish with a two-part chemical pre-rinse to decontaminate painted surfaces, then a synthetic clay (clay bar) paint exfoliation treatment. We then bring the car in for a final alcohol or vinegar wipe-down and start the machine polish process. We polish for about 8-12 hours until we have reduced or eliminated all the imperfections.

We then apply professional-grade FEYNLAB Ceramic. The formula we use most is the Feynlab Ultra true 5-year coating, which is about 10x harder than factory clear coat, non-porous, and is designed to protect your finish from the elements, such as UV/oxidation, tree sap, bird droppings, and hard water. The Ultra ceramic has a five-year warranty, and with proper maintenance can last even longer. Feynlab Ultra requires no additional applications at additional cost.

Your C8 with a single-stage correction and FEYNLAB Ultra ceramic with a 5-year warranty would run $1099.

Ryan Ol Ghanta

Your brand new c8 doesnt need a single stage correction..... 8-12 hours of polishing ahahahaha give me a break
a lot of this is just mark up.
DIY for 100$ or spend money there its all up to you.

Myfourth1

Thanks for the input. That is why I came here. I guess you didn't see my comment about DYI though

Ryan Ol Ghanta

Sorry I didn't.
I was leery about doing it DIY after I heard of streaking and high spots. Its pretty easy actually, its a nice afternoon spent with you car and away from the wife n kids.

BADBIRDCAGE

I am in agreement as the professionals at Autogeek advised on fresh paint to simply apply a ceramic coat product such as Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating. Did a single application over the entire paint surface and a second application from the doors forward. Easy application and great results on a Dark Shadow Gray car.

Red Mist Rulz

I don't think ceramic coating will make the car significantly easier to clean than a car with a good sealant or wax on it. The biggest advantage of ceramic is that it lasts. Instead of reapplying wax every month or so, or a good sealant every few months, ceramic will last for at least a couple of years. Some manufacturers claim up to 10 years.

Red C8 of Jax

My favorite also, it is amazing.

napalm39

I did Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light with a topping of EVO after doing paint correction on my Audi S7 I got Feb 2019. First it really enhances the the cars looks. It enhances the gloss and depth of the paint. I plan on doing it first thing on getting the C8 next week. Most of all though, my wife and I have been amazed at how clean the car stays, compared to our other cars. As other's have said, simply, it helps the dirt not stick in the first place. I did the coating 18 months ago, and it still beads water like it was just done. I did one maintenance coat of Cv2 after 1 year. Here are a couple of pics after I first did it.

Bird67

Agree. Great for those for whom car cleaning / polishing etc is a chore or something to dread. Some like the act of mowing the lawn or pruning the hedges. I like the process of cleaning the car, so the magic of ceramic would be lost on me. That money could go toward rims...😉

Myfourth1

Thanks for the input on ceramic coating. Anyone have experience with Expel XR Prime Window Tint?

cecilt

Been using this on my vehicles for the last year or so but may try the 303 Graphene next. The TW hybrid is good stuff but I do notice streaking with it.