Brand new car: ceramic coating alternative to CQuartz?

[NikonGuy]

So just purchased a brand new car, 2022 Hyundai Tucson.

First brand new car in a while. And definitely first one since I've been a detailing hobbyist.

Car only has 35 miles and gave explicit instructions for detailer to NOT wash or touch exterior.

Car is dirty but definitely looks like exterior is 99% scratch free.

I'll go over with a simple clay, IPA, light polish (is this even necessary?) and then ceramic coat.

I've always used CQuartz UK. Was thinking about trying something else.

What is the HOT ceramic coat out there that is reasonable. Talking $50-70.

Thanks

[The Guz]

Go Graphene if you want to try something new.

[Rsurfer]

Congrats, what color? If it's 99% swirl free and you don't want to polish, don't clay.

[NikonGuy]

Go Graphene if you want to try something new.

Any particular brand?

[NikonGuy]

Congrats, what color? If it's 99% swirl free and you don't want to polish, don't clay.

It is white. Pretty much the only color I will buy short of nardo gray type colors.

I know white won't pop but it also is very good at hiding swirls.

I guess this brings up another question. So if I am confident that car is pretty much scratch free, should I still clay/polish or just go ahead and wash the car and put on ceramic coat?

My thought was always to polish to "smooth" down the paint but on a brand new car maybe not necessary?

[Bruno Soares]

If you want the coating to last you will not skip steps. Iron remover, clay, polish, and prep wipe are necessary before coating.

Although there are others out there, unless you have a reason to not use UK, it’s still one of the best consumer grade coatings. Top it with Gliss or SiC and you have a great coating installed.

[NikonGuy]

If you want the coating to last you will not skip steps. Iron remover, clay, polish, and prep wipe are necessary before coating.

Although there are others out there, unless you have a reason to not use UK, it’s still one of the best consumer grade coatings. Top it with Gliss or SiC and you have a great coating installed.

That was my thought. I don't mind putting in the extra work. I don't want to take short cuts.

I'll probably go through the full process which will include a light polish just to help level the paint even more.

[The Guz]

Any particular brand?

Any of them will be fine. They are all coming from the same blender.

[dwaleke]

I used Cquartz for years and was never really blown away. Used Cquartz TIO2, Cquartz UK, UK 2.0, then moved on to Max Protect UNC-R (amazing coating actually), Kamikaze Myobi coat topped with Overcoat.

Then I gave up on coatings for a bit when I swapped out a couple cars. Bought into the whole Turtle Wax craze and Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax. Just wasn't crazy about the performance of those products.

I came back to coatings as a coated car just stays cleaner longer and is much easier to wash.

For something different I picked up 3D's ceramic coating last year you put on my wife's Model 3. I've topped it a few times with 3D Bead It Up.

It's now been a year and while mileage is not much her car sits outside during the day in the elements including few washes over a salty Michigan winter. Just did a maintenance wash and I swear it performs just like the day it was installed.

For the money paid and effortless application I'm really happy with it and IMO it is better than all those old Cquartz coatings I used.

I hear good things about Cquartz UK 3.0 and then topped with Cquartz SIC. I would do that if I was going to use Cquartz.

I also recently used Meguiar's Hybrid Paint Coating on my full size truck. I only wanted a one year coating that was super forgiving to install with plenty a quantity to cover all the surface area of the truck at least twice. Really impressed with that one but it's so new hard to say how it'll hold up.

In the end I believe every car benefits from at least a light polish every year and I feel silly paying for or putting in a lot of effort to install some of the longer term coatings out there that I'll likely just polish off after a year. So for me I need good coating performance and inexpensive to make it worth it.

[robwoodgto]

Kamikaze Myobi coat topped with Overcoat.

How did this one work out for you? I’ve heard they were a really great pair.

For something different I picked up 3D's ceramic coating last year you put on my wife's Model 3. I've topped it a few times with 3D Bead It Up.

Can’t go wrong with 3D!

In the end I believe every car benefits from at least a light polish every year and I feel silly paying for or putting in a lot of effort to install some of the longer term coatings out there that I'll likely just polish off after a year. So for me I need good coating performance and inexpensive to make it worth it.

Exactly what I was thinking. I had to ask myself can I go a year without polishing my cars? If not, what is the point in applying a 18 month or more coating? Plus, even when I have applied a coating like CanCoat which is very forgiving I still had high spots that I had to go back and rework...that is until I bought me a good handheld light. Luckily I still had time so it was relatively a breeze.

After coating a few cars I’ve come to the determination that if possible I will prep the car one day and coat the next. I’m not as tired and I catch the high spots easier. I will probably try Gyeon One next.



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