Everybody knows the importance of keeping your vehicle mint. The notion is equal regardless of whether your car’s a Ford or Ferrari. There are some things that you need to know about new car ownership. It’s virtually impossible to retain a factory-like appearance while using it as intended. However, there are detailing products that could enhance the visual appeal of your car whilst prolonging its “like-new” looks.
While it would be a miracle to have a one-stop-shop solution for complete vehicle aftercare, sadly, there isn’t. The closest you can get is through a Paint Protection Film (Clear Bra), however, that’s pretty expensive. Another possible solution is to Ceramic Coat your car.
Although it’s relatively inexpensive, some fundamentals need to be discussed. Namely, what does it do? And, what does it not do? We’ll be tackling both these aspects and give you an idea of whether you should Ceramic Coat or leave it to the good ol’ wash and wax.
Here’s us explaining the exercise behind Ceramic Coating and what it exactly does to your car.
Ceramic Coating Explained: What Does It Do
Fundamentally a ceramic coating is a liquid polymer that chemically bonds with the vehicle’s factory paint, creating a layer of protection. It should be noted that the said bond can be permanent or semi-permanent depending on various factors like improper maintenance, exposure to excessive sunlight, water, and so on. Contrary to what many think ceramic coating is not equivalent to PPF but rather a better-protective premium wax.
What a ceramic coating does is, it forms a hydrophobic layer over the paint through chemical bonding. The significant advantage of having a ceramic coat is the ease of maintenance. As opposed to conventional wash and wax, the ceramic coating’s water-repelling nature means less dirt will stick onto the car.
In essence, most of the mud and grime fall off as they have nowhere to bond to. Another advantage is largely eliminating any form of chemical formation. Because the road has everything from nails to all sorts of chemicals, having a chemically resistant surface acts as a barrier between any form of corrosive reactions.
Another pro is UV protection. If a vehicle is often exposed to the sun, its paint will begin to oxidize, resulting in dulled and faded paint. A layer of Ceramic Coating protects a vehicle’s paint from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, thereby reducing the amount of oxidization.
Ceramic Coating Explained: What Does It Not Do
As mentioned above, a ceramic coating isn’t a one-stop solution to paint protection. It is fundamentally a liquid that eventually wears off in say one to five years, depending on its quality and how well you look after it. There are certain aspects to ceramic coating that one must comprehend. While ceramic coating has decent levels of scratch resistance, it’s not as good as say, having a screen protector on your phone. It’s not a physical layer that prohibits damage, so expect rock chips to find their way onto the paint. While PPF could be a resort to this, the cost involved is far greater.
While it is true that some water will be repelled from the hydrophobic surface, other water droplets will bead and remain on the vehicle, creating the opportunity for water spots. Another greatly overlooked factor is the lack of maintenance. Even with a Ceramic Coating, you will still need to wash your car regularly in order to maintain its look. The benefit of Ceramic Coating is that the cleaning process will be easier.
Eliminating the need to wax your car every now and again is a considerable time-saver. The idea of Ceramic Coating is to prolong the life of your car’s paint and just like every other form of paint protection, it’s not maintenance-free. The bottom line is that while it costs more than wash and wax, investing in quality ceramic coating is certainly a no-brainer.
Sources: Ceramic Pro, Exclusive Detail