WAX? Polymer Sealant? or Ceramic Coating?
There is a ton of information that can be found online about each type of paint protection you can have on your vehicle. Simply put we have done years of testing in real world situations and these are the results we have found and what you can expect to see as well. Wax will typically give you 1-2 months protection. Polymer sealant will typically give 4-6 months of protection. Ceramic coatings will typically give you 2-5+ years.
What makes ceramic coatings so much better than waxes or polymer sealants is they will actually bond to your paint's finish giving added protection against the sun's harmful UV rays, bird droppings, water spots, and harsh chemicals that may be used by automatic and touchless car washes or others during the auto detailing or washing process.
Not only will the ceramic coating provide your vehicle with superior protection, it also adds an incredible deep glossy shine and has a self-cleaning effect, making it tougher for dirt and other contaminants to adhere. It also makes washing and maintaining your vehicle a breeze.
Before having Cruising California Auto Detailing apply the ceramic paint coating, it is highly recommended that the paint correction service be performed, as any swirls and scratches will be sealed in and locked under the ceramic coating.
Here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating, we offer a variety of ceramic coatings for your vehicle. We carry a line of ceramic coatings for your vehicles paint, glass, wheels, as well as coatings for leather interior.
Ceramic coatings are truly amazing and here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating we have personally tested all of the ceramic coatings we offer our clients and educate our clients on what they can expect to see. We only offer our clients true genuine ceramic coatings that need to be applied and cured in a controlled environment. The BEST part about the ceramic coatings we offer is they come with a WARRANTY that is also backed by a 3rd party. We should also mention that the ceramic coating we use and offer do not require a yearly service in order to maintain your warranty unlike many other ceramic coatings. However we do still recommend a yearly maintenance be done to help prolong the life of the ceramic coating.
Benefits of Ceramic Coatings
1. Provides great protection that last for years “NOT” months!
2. Gives an incredible gloss and shine
3. Extremely hydrophobic
4. Self cleaning properties
5. Resistant to chemicals
6. Resistant to very light swirls and scratches
7. Resistant to water spots and bird droppings
8. Makes washing and cleaning your vehicle much easier and enjoyable
9. Can be applied to many parts of your vehicle for protection
Our pricing
Small / 2 Door Cars
$395-495 3 Year Ceramic Coating
$495-595 5 Year Ceramic Coating
$695-795 7 Year Ceramic Coating
Mid-Size / 4 Door Cars
$495-595 3 Year Ceramic Coating
$595-695 5 Year Ceramic Coating
$795-895 7 Year Ceramic Coating
Truck / SUV / Exotics
$595-695 3 Year Ceramic Coating
$695-795 5 Year Ceramic Coating
$895-995 7 Year Ceramic Coating
Ceramic Wheel Coating
$175-195 Wheel Faces
$295-395 Full Wheel, Calipers, and Exhaust Tips
Ceramic Exterior Windows and Glass Coating
$195-295 All Exterior Glass Windows, and Mirrors
Myths and FAQ About Ceramic Coatings
So what is a ceramic coating?
Well to put it simply. It is long term protection that bonds to your vehicles paint.
You should also know that NOT all ceramic coatings are created EQUAL!
Now a days the "term" ceramic coating is being used pretty loosely. There are 2 types on ceramic coatings. There is the over the counter consumer grade ceramic sprays that come in a small spray bottle that cost about $15-20 bucks. Those are NOT genuine ceramic coatings and will NOT provide your vehicle with long term protection. They will only last a few months at best.
There is also the consumer grade ceramic coatings that are actual ceramic coatings but typically won't be as durable as the professional ceramic coatings and won't come with any sort of warranty. Those consumer grade ceramic coatings typically come in a small 30ml bottle and cost around $100-150 bucks.
Now let's talk PROFESSIONAL CERAMIC COATINGS!
Professional grade ceramic coatings can not be purchased by just anyone. You have to be well educated in the use of ceramic coatings and be a certified installer by the ceramic coating company you are using. The professional grade ceramic coatings can be more difficult to work with and install hence the reason needing to be well educated and certified in the use of ceramic coatings. Professional grade ceramic coatings will typically come with a warranty. The professional grade ceramic coatings we use and offer our clients come with the BEST warranty the detailing industry has to offer.
Also when having a certified professional detailer install a ceramic coating on your vehicle you are much more likely to have a proper installation job done. Here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating we have done 100's if not 1000's of ceramic coating jobs at this point and are very knowledgable in the proper installation of ceramic coatings.
If you would like to learn more about the professional ceramic coatings we offer or the benefits of them or have questions that have not been answered here feel free to give us a call. We are always happy to help.
The cost to ceramic coat your vehicle can vary depending on a few factors.
Here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating we have professional ceramic coatings that start at just $395 and go up from there.
Here are the factors that play into how much the ceramic coating job will cost.
-Size of the vehicle
-Condition of vehicle
-How much polishing is needed
-How perfect the owner wants the paint
-What ceramic coating is being used to protect the vehicle
-Are multiple areas being ceramic coated such as wheels? glass? interior?
If you would like to know exactly how much it will cost to ceramic coat your car feel free to give us a call or schedule an appoint with us to stop by in person and have us look at your car. Will be happy to go over the different options and help you pick the right ceramic coating for you.
Does my paint need to be polished before having my vehicle ceramic coated?
The answer...
It depends...
If our client is happy with how their vehicles paint looks and wants to save some money we are happy to ceramic coat their vehicle without polishing it. However we still wash, do a multi step paint decontamination, and prep the paint before applying the ceramic coating.
If our client is unsure and would like our professional opinion about their vehicles paint we are happy to inspect it and make suggestions and recommendations. What we have seen over the years is even brand new vehicles will have some level of paint defects, imperfections, flaws, blemishes, and even swirls and scratches. The swirls and scratches we see on brand new vehicles is mostly likely from the dealerships lack of knowledge or care in the washing and prep of a new vehicle for their client.
So here is the TRUTH about ceramic coatings and their warranties. First off... There are many detailers that offer ceramic coatings. BUT be careful there are some detailers that offer a "ceramic coating" when in reality they are using nothing more than a cheap over the counter ceramic spray. Real ceramic coatings typically range from minimum 2 year protection all the way up to a LIFETIME!
The quality pro level ceramic coatings will typically be backed with an excellent WARRANTY! Some ceramic coatings will offer you a LIFETIME WARRANTY! Like with any warranty you should read the fine print. Many ceramic coatings that come with a warranty require you to bring your vehicle in for servicing every 6 months or once a year. If you don't they will VOID your warranty. Also when bringing your vehicle in for that 6 month or yearly servicing its NOT free. Typically that service will cost you around $200-300 bucks!
Now when you do have an issue with the ceramic coating depending what the issue is some detailers and ceramic coating brands will do everything they can to get out of fixing the issue or require you to pay a deductible to have the issue fixed.
Here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating we offer the BEST ceramic coating with the BEST WARRANTY! The ceramic coatings we use don't require you to bring in your vehicle for 6 month or yearly servicing in order to maintain your warranty. If there is ever an issue with any of the following it is covered 100% FREE OF CHARGE!
Our ceramic coating warranty covers the following...
-Bird poop
-Hard water spots
-Tree sap
-Paint over spray
-Insect damage
-Sun's UV rays
-And many more!
Feel free to give us a call with any questions you may have on the ceramic coatings we offer or if you would like to book an appointment with us to get your vehicle ceramic coated!
Ceramic Coatings VS PPF Paint Protection Film
PPF Paint Protection Film is a thin layer of film that get applied to your vehicles paint that will protection against rock chips, and scratches.
PPF Paint protection film can be costly. Ranging from around $1,750 to do the front end of a vehicle all the way up to $7,500+ to have an entire vehicle protected.
Ceramic Coating is an incredibly clear glossy layer of protection. It bonds to your vehicles paint and won't yellow overtime. It creates an incredibly strong and hydrophobic layer of protection that is designed to last for years! Due to the amazing hydrophobic properties of ceramic coatings it makes washing and maintaining your vehicle very easy! The ceramic coatings we offer here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating are second to none. They also come with the BEST warranty the detailing industry has to offer on ceramic coatings.
Ceramic coatings are also MUCH CHEAPER that PPF Paint Protection Film. The Pro Level Ceramic Coatings we offer our clients start at $595.
Some ceramic coatings will be more durable than others.
The professional grade ceramic coatings we use and offer here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating are very durable and come with an industry leading warranty!
The only way to remove a ceramic coating is over the years the suns UV rays breaking down the ceramic coating or some sort of mechanical abrasion.
Like with anything in life how long something will last will determine how you take care and maintain it. It's no different with ceramic coatings.
Now let's touch on the point where some ceramic coatings will be better and more durable than others. There are quick ceramic sprays out there claiming to be a ceramic coating when in reality they are NOT a true ceramic coating. They usually cost around $15-20 bucks and will only give a few months protection at best.
Next we have consumer grade actual ceramic coatings which typically come in a 30ml bottle and will cost around $100-150 bucks. They typically are not as durable as professional grade ceramic coatings and will not come with any warranty.
Lastly we have professional grade ceramic coatings. These will be the MOST DURABLE and will likely come with a warranty. These types of ceramic coatings are not available for consumers to buy. A consumer wanting to get a professional grade ceramic coating will have to have a professional detailer who is well trained and certified by a ceramic coating company to have one of these installed on their vehicle.
Here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating we use and offer the BEST ceramic coating the detailing industry has to offer.
If you would like to learn more about the ceramic coatings we use and offer our clients check out our video below on this page or give us a call directly.
No matter how many layers of ceramic coating are applied you're NEVER going to protect your paint against rock chips. If you’re looking for protection against rock chips contact us about our clear bra services we offer that WILL provide protect against rock chips.
The Ceramic coatings we offer here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating will NOT yellow or discolor over time.
Typically the way we determine if a ceramic coating is still there is when you’re rinsing down the vehicle after washing you should see the water on your paint beading up. Over time the coating will start to break down and you will noticed the water beading action is not like it once was. Then you will know its time to have your vehicle ceramic coated again.
It is not recommended waxing your vehicle after it is coated as that will limit the anti-static characteristics of the coating. What we suggest is using a dedicated ceramic spray sealant every few months if you want to boost the life of the coating.
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9H refers to the hardness test of the ceramic coating once it has cured. Some detailers and ceramic coating coatings refer to this as how scratch resistant a ceramic coating is.
Some detailers are mislead or they mislead their clients into thinking if the ceramic coating they are using has a hardness of 9H then once it's applied to the clients car their paint it can't be scratched anymore. Unfortunately this is not the case.
Now with that being said ceramic coatings in general are incredible and will defiantly help limit light swirls and scratches in your paint. They help eliminate light swirls scratches due to how hydrophobic they are. When we wash our vehicle just simply from rinsing them off with a hose or pressure washer we are able to remove most of the dirt.
The ceramic coatings we use and offer here at Cruising California Auto Detailing and Ceramic Coating will remove as much as 95%+ of the dirt off your vehicle durning your maintenance wash just simply by rinsing it off.
If you would like to learn more about the ceramic coatings we use and offer be sure to give us a call or book an appointment to stop by our shop.