Ceramic coating services have been among the most popular car care products to hit the market in recent years. Driven by their ease of use, long-lasting protection, and glossy appearance, they’ve quickly become a favorite among both professional and amateur detailers alike.
But what exactly are ceramic coatings? What are the benefits? And what are the disadvantages? In this article, we’ll cover the ceramic coating pros and cons, which will provide you with all you need to know about these protective coatings for cars so you can decide if it’s right for your vehicle.
First, What Exactly Is A Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic coating kits such as Ceramic Pro or SB3 Ceramic Coating are liquid polymers that create and protect the interior and exterior of your vehicle. They chemically bond to factory paint or leather seats, creating an impervious layer when applied by hand to the surface.
A ceramic coating is silicon dioxide or silica (SiO2) based. This material comes from quartz crystals and sand to create a nanotechnology coating when combined with titanium dioxide and polysilazane, water, etc. Once cured on top of the hard surface, it will form an invisible shell due to its excellent resistance properties, making this type of coatings one of the best choices for interior and exterior applications in residential and industrial settings.
Unlike Paint Protection Film, which provides more comprehensive protection for car surfaces, a ceramic car coating offers a premium wax alternative. This form of coating creates a layer of protection that does not wash away or break down over time. Ceramic coating will last several years without needing repeated application if properly cared for.
But like everything else in life, there are ceramic coating pros and cons that you need to be aware of in order to make an educated decision about applying this wonderful coating on your car.
What Are The Benefits Of Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic coatings can be applied to both the interior and exterior of your vehicle to protect and enhance your vehicle’s surfaces. Interior ceramic coatings can be applied to the leather seats, dashboard, wheels, and door panels. Ceramic paint coatings can be applied to the paint of your car and wheels which will protect your vehicle from cracking, fading, rust, and corrosion. Several aftermarket coatings can be applied to your car, truck, SUV, or van.
Protection From The Scorching Heat
They provide protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays and heat, giving you an extra layer of defense against fading or cracking paint caused by environmental factors.
The ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause the paint on a vehicle to oxidize, resulting in faded and dulled paint. A layer of Ceramic Coating protects your car’s bodywork by reflecting these harmful UVs away, meaning that you’ll be able to keep it looking as shiny and new for longer!
Protection From The Elements
There are many benefits associated with ceramic coating – not least is its ability to protect an automobile’s finish against oxidation caused by exposure to sunlight (and even things like bird droppings or tree sap). In addition, various automotive coatings also offer protection against light scratches and wind scuffs which could otherwise damage the surface during routine driving conditions.
Less Washing and Overall Maintenance
A Ceramic Coating also makes your car easier to keep clean as it does not allow dirt to stick on its surface easily. Ceramic Coating not only prevents your car from looking dirty but also protects the leather, plastic, glass, and paint, which makes cleaning a breeze. When water hits Ceramic coating, it will bead up instead of soaking in, which can help you wash away dirt more easily than ever before!
An Enhanced Candy Like Gloss
If you want your paint to pop with gloss, we recommend adding Ceramic Coating. A good Ceramic Coat will enhance the reflective properties of your car’s paint and clear coat, adding depth in addition to clarity. This is where aesthetics are all important – much like how Car Bra helps protect from scratches or other abrasions on these surfaces. The ceramic coating also adds gloss and smoothness into cars- lending them an eye-catching quality that people love!
Keeps Leather and Plastics Looking Like New
Ceramic coatings keep leather and plastics looking like new because it adds a protective layer from everyday use. Leather seats are prone to fading from getting in and out of your vehicle, while dashboards crack due to the heat that’s transmitted through them over time. Applying this ceramic coating will help reduce either or both issues, extending the life span of these key parts on your car!
Ceramic Coatings Last For Several Years
Ceramic car coatings are a popular option because they make it easier to maintain the look of your vehicle compared to conventional coatings like wax. They last up to five years, saving you from having to apply a protective coating every couple of months. This is especially important if you live in an area that has extreme weather.
Maintain The Value Of Your Vehicle
Ceramic coatings will help maintain your vehicle’s value because, besides all of the benefits already mentioned, they will keep your car looking better for a longer period of time, and a buyer will appreciate that. At San Antonio Auto Detailing, we can even report the application of your ceramic coating to Carfax, which will provide extra value at the time of trade-in or resale.
Ceramic car coatings have become very popular in recent years, and as we just noted, they also have a few disadvantages. Below, we’ll look at the three biggest disadvantages of ceramic car coatings.
The Disadvantages Of Ceramic Coatings
Some car owners might think that Ceramic Coating is a substitute for more serious scratch and chip protection like paint protection film (PPF), also known as clear bra, because it’s often exaggerated to be resistant. It’s important to understand what ceramic coatings cannot do due to accidents, lack of maintenance, and improper application techniques.
The Prevention Of Scratches, Swirl Marks, or Rock Chips
The scratch resistance of Ceramic Coating is often exaggerated. Though a Ceramic Coat can repel some light scratches, it will not protect your vehicle from rock chips or parking lot scratches completely.
Furthermore, improper car washing techniques and automated washes still create swirl marks on the surface of coated vehicles. A Ceramic Coat should never replace PPF, and every product should be maintained based on manufacturer suggestions.
Water Spots Can Still Appear
When you drive around town, your car is subjected to dirt and minerals in the air. When water evaporates on top of this layer, it can leave behind a spot that appears when there’s enough moisture. While Ceramic Coatings are good at repelling all types of liquids from their surface, not even waterproof coatings like these will keep every single drop off!
So just because your vehicle has been treated with one doesn’t mean it won’t get spots anymore – but don’t worry about those pesky droplets appearing again too soon as long as you regularly wash them away before any stick for too long!
More Expensive Than Traditional Coatings
Ceramic coatings are more expensive than a traditional wax coating, typically costing between $500-$1000 to apply and lasting up to five years. Another disadvantage is that the ceramic coatings can only be applied under strict product instructions, applicable weather, and at a specific pace, which should only be done by a trained professional.
The Vehicle Must Be Free Of Defects
If you’re planning to apply a ceramic paint coating, then your car must be free of any defects that may require thorough cleaning and paint correction beforehand. Alternatively: If the vehicle’s surfaces are not in good condition before applying the ceramics coating, there’s no guarantee it will end up looking as flawless as desired!
So those are the main ceramic coating pros and cons. I will also cover a few questions that we often get from our clients.
How Does Ceramic Coating Compare To Wax?
Waxing your car offers short-term protection more than anything else. It might add some shine to the exterior of your automobile. Still, it won’t do much in terms of protection from scratches, bird droppings, or other hard substances that could damage the interior surfaces and exterior paint job.
Spray waxes and natural oils are good for temporary solutions as they wear off easily. In contrast, ceramic coatings stay strong over time through weather conditions like rainstorms or ice patches which can cause lots of scratches when left untreated.
The application of car waxes falls right into the ceramic coating pros and cons. The cost is higher in the application of ceramic coatings but the longevity makes it all worth it.
The up-front cost may be more expensive than the average car wax, but factor in how much time it will take to reapply every month without getting satisfactory results? A ceramic coating has been shown to provide long-lasting protection, which is always desirable when taking care of your vehicle!
How long does ceramic coating last?
Although the lifespan of your car’s new coat depends on factors like application type, it can range from one year up to five years. For this quality craft and longevity in durability, three things need consideration before applying any product:
Preparation and Proper Application
When applied to a clean vehicle, ceramic coatings bond better and last longer. With the proper prep work or when installed by our team of professionals at your local car detailing shop in San Antonio, TX., we will always provide more superior protection against scratches than other types of paint coatings can offer.
Quality Of The Ceramic Coating
Ceramic coatings are a great way to protect your vehicle and keep it looking sharp, but they don’t work as well if the formula is watered down or too thick. At SA Auto Detailing, we have the experience required when applying high-quality formulas that will adhere correctly for years of protection!
How do you maintain a ceramic coated vehicle looking sharp?
The best way to keep your car’s new paint job and glossy finish intact is by regularly hand washing the entire body with water, pH-neutral soap, and towel drying it off afterward. Use this washing technique at least every other week or when necessary for more time-consuming jobs like tree sap removal so that dirt doesn’t begin accumulating on its surface without being removed right away through regular maintenance, which can be costly if it has already become ingrained in the pores of the coating over time from neglecting these basic steps!
Can I Wax My Car After Getting Ceramic Coating?
Applying car wax will negate the hydrophobic properties that make ceramics such special products in today’s world of contaminants and dirt buildup on vehicles all around us every day – so skip the wax altogether! Opt for a good quality booster rather than something as simple as applying old-fashioned carnauba or liquid waxes, which may merely work against you with your modern product application needs.
Final Thoughts About the Ceramic Coating Pros and Cons
It is quite clear that you need to be educated about the product to make a sound decision. Ceramic Coatings can benefit your vehicle and add value! However, it would not be wise if these were considered one-stop solutions with miracle effects on any exterior problems of your car -but as you can see, the benefits easily outweigh the disadvantages.
It’s important for people who want their vehicles looking great outside and inside alike to understand what this treatment entails before choosing whether or not they’re right for them. There might also come up questions like how much does ceramic coating cost? How long do coats last? That’s the reason we went ahead and answered them in this article.
A Ceramic Coating will help add value to your vehicle. At San Antonio Auto Detailing, we are leading installers of these coatings for the San Antonio, TX, and surrounding areas. If you want more info or would like an appointment with us today, feel free to schedule an appointment.
Miguel is an entrepreneur and car enthusiast. He is an expert in detailing with over 10 years of experience. He is passionate about helping others in his personal and business life.
