What is the point of a ceramic coating if you have to maintain it?

[Rez90]

I am considering usong cquartz on my vehicles but I'm sort of scratching my head with it. I see the entire point of coating a car to protect it from the elements like a long term sealant or wax.

So... You spend the money. Do the prep. Coat the car. And for 1.5-2 years.... Other than washing it.... You're done.

Yet.... Every time I see some sort of tutorial regarding ceramic coatings it's suggested every 2-3 months to "top it off".... With another Si02 coat such as Reload or other product specific to your coating brand.

Given that you can use reload alone and it lasts a few months on its own.... What's the real point of the coat if you have to protect the coat?

In a perfect world... I'd apply the ceramic coat... And repeat the process in 2 years only having to ONR or wash in between.

I struggle with time. That's the big reason I'd like a long lasting coating on the car.... But again... If I have to maintain it by coating the coat.... I don't see the point of the ceramic coat in the first place.

Am I off base?

[RaskyR1]

Technically, all you have to do is wash it properly, regularly, and maybe do an annual or bi-annual decon to remove tar, iron fallout, and other bonded contaminants.

You don't "need" to use a topper, but most do as it adds slickness, gloss, boosts protection, and can restore hydrophobic properties, which is usually a result of not washing often.

[choijw2]

If you ask me, one of the huge benefit of coating is chemical resistance and self cleaning ability,
and this make maintaining car a lot easiler.


Reload/ cure and other coating maintenance products are to boost slickness/ gloss and generally maximise your coating application which you probably spent a lot of time and energy, but You can wash with coating specific shampoos such as gyeon essence/ bate + etc and call it a day if you wanted to.


At the end, even wax/ sealant needs regular maintance to maxiuse its lifespan.

[BudgetPlan1]

If you ask me, one of the huge benefit of coating is chemical resistance and self cleaning ability,
and this make maintaining car a lot easiler.

My top 2 criteria and why I like coatings.

Reload/ cure and other coating maintenance products are to boost slickness/ gloss and generally maximise your coating application which you probably spent a lot of time and energy, but You can wash with coating specific shampoos such as gyeon essence/ bate + etc and call it a day if you wanted to.

For me, I think that the toppers are not so much for gloss/slickness (some aren't really that slick) but to refresh the hydrophobic properties that lend themselves to the self cleaning aspect.

Although I have no evidence to back it up perhaps the durability of the base coating formulation alone cannot inherently provide some of the more entertaining aspects of a coating. The things that 'excite' and amplify the coating experience overall are better provided in a boosters formulation, albeit with the limited longevity compared to a base coating.

They are also noted by mfg's as providing a sacrificial layer immediately following base coat application, helping to prevent waterspotting and other contamination during the initial curing period of the base coating.

For myself, I also like them as you can alter the overall appearance every now and again while still remaining within the best practices of 'coating synergy'. While it may be all in my head, sometimes I'll use PA Cosmic Spritz to give a bit more of a 'blingy' gloss and sometimes Overcoat as it's a bit of a 'richer' gloss. And sometimes I just wanna rub something on the paint on a sunny day after a wash.

Not necessary at all as evidenced by 'The Guz' as he doesn't use any toppers/boosters as a rule and has no issues whatsoever. And if it works for him, it's the gold standard of coating advice as far as I'm concerned...I can go a bit overboard at times, necessary or not.

As for SiO2 fortified washes, been there, done that, proved to be pointless if you have a coating (and booster if used) that you think is good. Why sandwich the marginal SiO2 in the wash soap between your excellent coating and booster or why top your excellent coating with the marginal SiO2 in the wash soap?

Not all SiO2 (products) are the same and more isn't always better.

Boosters are like horsepower, good to have, fun to see on the dyno sheet but coatings are like torque, what really gets ya down the road.

[FUNX650]

Here in America, many Consumer products,
that fall within the realm of “Detailing Products”
(including LSPs), do not come under the same
scrutiny—that most other Consumer products
undergo—by the Agencies that have been duly
charged to “Protect the Consumers”.


•As a result:
-Many detailing products’ manufacturers, resellers,
vendors, etc. are, quite often, all-over-the-board
in their products’ revelations; I’ll go as far to say:
often duplicitous; not always forthcoming.
-Hard, then, for detailing products’ consumers to
sometimes know which end is up, so to say.
-Makes me approach the spending of any of my
discretionary income, on/for detailing products,
in a very cautious manner.

[Is it wrong: not wanting any those above
mentioned entities to try to, IMO, bilk me
out of even more discretionary income for
certain LSP-specific “specialty products?]


•Since it’s nearly impossible to forecast any
earth shattering changes in any of the current
Policies/Acts that oversee Consumer Products:
-We need an attention getter. ...RICO ACT...



Bob

[vobro]

I don't apply any toppers to my coated vehicles, I have CQUK and use Echo2 as a rinseless or Reset as a 2bm. The biggest benefit to me is the durability, it's been so nasty here this last month that all my cars haven't been washed since the week of New Years! Am I absolutely disgusted with how they look? You bet but I know that when given a thorough wash the paint will look as good as possible.

Since I went to the coatings I never freak out that my "protection" will last and I've seen with my own eyes that the result is worth the initial investment in time. I've tried Reload and it effects the coating to where the self cleaning effect is diminished imho. Now I will admit that my homemade Merlin mix (Elixer) is great at adding gloss and doesn't seem to effect the self cleaning. Imho THE most important maintanence you can do to a coated vehicle is to keep it clean and let it do its thing

[392hemi]

I am considering usong cquartz on my vehicles but I'm sort of scratching my head with it. I see the entire point of coating a car to protect it from the elements like a long term sealant or wax.

So... You spend the money. Do the prep. Coat the car. And for 1.5-2 years.... Other than washing it.... You're done.

Yet.... Every time I see some sort of tutorial regarding ceramic coatings it's suggested every 2-3 months to "top it off".... With another Si02 coat such as Reload or other product specific to your coating brand.

Given that you can use reload alone and it lasts a few months on its own.... What's the real point of the coat if you have to protect the coat?

In a perfect world... I'd apply the ceramic coat... And repeat the process in 2 years only having to ONR or wash in between.

I struggle with time. That's the big reason I'd like a long lasting coating on the car.... But again... If I have to maintain it by coating the coat.... I don't see the point of the ceramic coat in the first place.

Am I off base?

You also have to remember most members here dont need a ceramic coating. This is because they try a new LSP every week lol.

Quality proven ceramic coatings are good, with newer advancements a lot of sealant/waxes will last 6 months or more (to include some older ones such as Collonite, FK1000 and I think Rejex).

I would apply your coating, then continue using Ech2o to wash the car. The great thing is Ech2o can be diluted to be a clay lube, rinseless, waterless and a QD. Keep it simple.

[392hemi]

Just to add to your confusion, I have a cermaic coating I was waiting to install (waiting for time to properly prep before install). Now with Mothers CMX, I may forgo it and just use that since it's more forgiving and decent enough, time will tell about durability.

[Eldorado2k]

I think OP makes some valid points.

If you ask me, one of the huge benefit of coating is chemical resistance

Question: If coatings are so chemical resistant, why do things go south if you make the mistake of washing your car with a typical OTC car shampoo? I could see if the warnings included not spraying your paint with bug spray or weed killer, but according to some pro detailers you can’t even use a typical quik detailer once your car is coated. Yet they’re still touted as being great for “chemical resistance”?

What chemicals are they so great at resisting if they can’t even handle the wrong car shampoo?

I don't apply any toppers to my coated vehicles, I have CQUK and use Echo2 as a rinseless

Ech2o is considered a topper. Just sayin.

[392hemi]

I think OP makes valid points.



Question: If coatings are so chemical resistant, why do things go south if you make the mistake of washing your car with a typical OTC car shampoo? I could see if the warnings included not spraying your paint with bug spray or weed killer, but according to some pro detailers you can’t even use a typical quik detailer once your car is coated. Yet they’re still touted as being great for “chemical resistance”?

What chemicals are they so great at resisting if they can’t even handle the wrong car shampoo?



Ech2o is considered a topper. Just sayin.

Not defending coatings, but what it seems is these car washes and other products leave behind surfactants, gloss enhancers, residue etc that effect the coatings, but also seems to stat. I am surprised they dont shed them.

I've used all kinds of washes that do the same on a sealant, but usually dont last on the sealant past a rainstorm or two so I never care.