Removing old ceramic coating for new coating?

[Whipped500]

How hard is it to remove an existing coating so that you could put a new one down? Do you have to compound and polish or can you get away with a polish that finishes down good?

I am new to machines (gg6) and coatings. I've always done everything by hand but just don't have the time anymore let alone to do it 2-3x a year. I want it to look the best it can! In the past I've said I would do a complete decon/clay/polish/lsp 3 times a year...then it was 2! Well, I'm being real with myself and it will probably only be once a year with everything I have going!

With that said, I was looking at PNS/BSD combo but I'm just not sure it will handle Chicago winters? I also don't like how tacky I hear it is.

So now (thanks to Guz!) I'm looking at CanCoat/Cure (or Uber ceramic spray when more reviews/testing comes out) but I'm concerned about having the skills to machine the old coating off at the end of it's life. By this, I mean the small areas that I can't get to with the GG6 or curved areas. Or even the really small areas of the grill that are hard to get to by hand.

Am I over thinking this? I've just never been comfortable with coatings but I think it is really what I need in the end. I'm good at doing a really good wash every 2-3 weeks and I always like to use some sort of spray afterwards...wax/sio2/QD. If it wasn't for winter, I think I would be fine withan AIO once a year and a spray to maintain after every wash. I still do like to do a really good job at least once a year that is why I'm looking at a coating lite.

Thanks

[acuRAS82]

I think most consumer coatings should disappear with just a polish. A quality swirl remover with an LC orange or equivalent high/medium polishing pad will finish nicely if you’re concerned... but even a finishing polish should do the trick. Test spots are always good! You should be able to feel a squeaky clean surface (that squeeze as you rub it) after polishing an area. The areas nearby where old coating still exists won’t feel like that at all. For small areas, lightly hand polish with a microfiber applicator and it should feel squeaky clean after.

The coating route is fine. Polishing and clay/decon is probably best only once a year unless you live in a high contaminant environment. I used to go all out twice a year and realize it was pointless where I live. If I want to apply 5 LSPs a year now, I’ll go all out once and then just use a quick AIO or finishing polish or paint cleanser to remove the old... there’s not much to correct during these in-between periods.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

In the past I've said I would do a complete decon/clay/polish/lsp 3 times a year...
Thanks... Am I over thinking this?

Three times a year is way over the top. The whole idea is to get the car to a good condition, then do gentle maintenance procedures so you don't have to do it more than once a year or at all.

When a coating starts to degrade, at least here in the AZ sun, it has cloudy, murky spots. I'd rather have the coating oxidize than the paint.

Typically a vehicle that sits in the AZ sun, (which we get about 350 days per year of), and summer temps between 105 - 117, everything takes a beating. I moved here from New Hampshire, and I have to say that the word longevity doesn't exist in the desert.

With all that said, our daily commuter 2013 Honda Fit Sport, get's an annual, Wash/Decon (clay), 1-Step of Griots Correcting Cream, and then two coats of GTeqniq EXO. After that it's gentle maintenance washes and I stretch it as long as I possibly can, which in most cases is about 18 months here in the desert.

For my other car, a Garage Queen Mustang GT, it has CQUK and will last years, and years, and years, because it's out of the elements and low mileage.

But to answer your question, yes the only way to remove a decent coating is a med-cut compound, med-cut pad (i.e. Orange CCS). If it's a decent coating, i.e. CQUK, I can attest that a light polish will not remove it, it has to be a med-cut compound. I tried to bang out some high spots with a polish and med-cut pad and it didn't put a dent in it.

So yes, you're over thinking it... Keep it simple.

[The Guz]

How hard is it to remove an existing coating so that you could put a new one down? Do you have to compound and polish or can you get away with a polish that finishes down good?

I am new to machines (gg6) and coatings. I've always done everything by hand but just don't have the time anymore let alone to do it 2-3x a year. I want it to look the best it can! In the past I've said I would do a complete decon/clay/polish/lsp 3 times a year...then it was 2! Well, I'm being real with myself and it will probably only be once a year with everything I have going!

With that said, I was looking at PNS/BSD combo but I'm just not sure it will handle Chicago winters? I also don't like how tacky I hear it is.

It is not hard to remove a coating at all. A polish such as M205, Perfect Finish and the list goes on can remove a coating. Even an abrasive AIO can remove it.

If you don't like tacky then you won't like most coatings. In general they are tacky. A bit of a mute point as slickness is not that big of a deal at least for me. Perhaps I am used to coatings by this point that I don't care about surface slickness.

Am I over thinking this? I've just never been comfortable with coatings but I think it is really what I need in the end. I'm good at doing a really good wash every 2-3 weeks and I always like to use some sort of spray afterwards...wax/sio2/QD. If it wasn't for winter, I think I would be fine withan AIO once a year and a spray to maintain after every wash. I still do like to do a really good job at least once a year that is why I'm looking at a coating lite.

Thanks

Yes you are. As I mentioned in order to get by the intimidation of a coating application, one actually has to just do it and stop thinking about the worst case scenario. It is how we learn in life. We learn more from our mistakes then anything else, right? So just get out and do it if you want to try a coating.

So now (thanks to Guz!) I'm looking at CanCoat/Cure (or Uber ceramic spray when more reviews/testing comes out) but I'm concerned about having the skills to machine the old coating off at the end of it's life. By this, I mean the small areas that I can't get to with the GG6 or curved areas. Or even the really small areas of the grill that are hard to get to by hand.

It is not that hard to polish by machine. There are videos on Autogeeks channel where Mike covers machine polishing. Smaller backing plates are available for some of the tighter areas and your hands are always there for those areas a machine can't get into.

Anyway Jeff makes it look easy and it really is this easy to use CanCoat. Cure does a good job maintaining CanCoat.

[Whipped500]

I understand that a coating isn't slick but don't the boosters help?

I was kind of picking on PNS/BSD because I thought I read that the BSD still didn't add anything, but I thought Cure and others helped add a little?

I do just need to get out and do it though! I know that for what I want: hydrophobics, self cleaning and durability, that a coating is what I need. I need to get the slick feel thing out of my head because if the rest of my wants are taken care of, my life will be a little easier.

[acuRAS82]

I understand that a coating isn't slick but don't the boosters help?

I was kind of picking on PNS/BSD because I thought I read that the BSD still didn't add anything, but I thought Cure and others helped add a little?

I do just need to get out and do it though! I know that for what I want: hydrophobics, self cleaning and durability, that a coating is what I need. I need to get the slick feel thing out of my head because if the rest of my wants are taken care of, my life will be a little easier.

You’ll add slickness with boosters.

[Coatingsarecrack]

I removed 2week old CQUK3 with Car Pros Essence and a griots boss yellow perfecting pads. Was’t to aggressive and if your not looking for to much correction. If you want a little correction try an orange pad.

Essence will leave a nice Sio2 base for your Cancoat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Guz]

I understand that a coating isn't slick but don't the boosters help?

I was kind of picking on PNS/BSD because I thought I read that the BSD still didn't add anything, but I thought Cure and others helped add a little?

I do just need to get out and do it though! I know that for what I want: hydrophobics, self cleaning and durability, that a coating is what I need. I need to get the slick feel thing out of my head because if the rest of my wants are taken care of, my life will be a little easier.

Most of the toppers will add slickness. You just got to get out of your head. You’re still overthinking this.

You can use whatever you want on top of the coating and you can use it as often as you like. It’s all personal preference and whether you want to stay within the Gyeon family.

[Whipped500]

I removed 2week old CQUK3 with Car Pros Essence and a griots boss yellow perfecting pads. Was’t to aggressive and if your not looking for to much correction. If you want a little correction try an orange pad.

Essence will leave a nice Sio2 base for your Cancoat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good to know, thanks!
I would have thought something that new would be a lot harder to do. I wouldn't be doing anything until the coating is about the end of it's life which I would think most of it would be worn off anyways?

[Whipped500]

Most of the toppers will add slickness. You just got to get out of your head. You’re still overthinking this.

You can use whatever you want on top of the coating and you can use it as often as you like. It’s all personal preference and whether you want to stay within the Gyeon family.

All I was getting at is that I think a coating and then a booster would make me really happy! If it has good hydrophobics and self cleaning so all I have to do is a quick wash (self cleaning) and blow most of the water off to dry but give up a little slickness (compared to a fresh sealant/wax) but have it protected for the better part of a year...it's a winner! It will save me a lot of time throughout the year and vehicle will still look good and be protected!

As far as tacky goes...in my head, the best example I can give or think of is a damp chamois on dry hot glass that has been sitting in the sun. That's what is in my head when people say a coating is tacky. But the video you linked above looks like the towel goes across the car fairly easy!

Would using cure say once a month clog the coating and be bad for it or is it just a waste of money that is unnecessary to do that much?

I'm sold on a coating and booster combo but don't want to over do anything that screw up the coating.

Thanks