Is it worth getting a brand new car ceramic coated?
Even though ceramic coatings have been available for almost two decades, they remain a source of great mystery. That’s because the internet is full of various advertisements for ceramic coatings. Many of them are only aimed at selling the product. Many show that these products will make your car scratch-free, dirt-free, and almost bulletproof. Unfortunately, no product offers that.
Ceramic coating is a great solution for keeping your car’s paint in excellent condition. However, proper maintenance makes the car look great for a long time, not just the ceramic coating alone.
What does ceramic coating do, then? First, coated cars are easier to clean because the paintwork becomes smooth and hydrophobic. The hydrophobic properties of coatings repel dirt and liquids, and thanks to that, the paintwork stays cleaner for longer than in the case of an uncoated car. Of course, the hydrophobic effect will not prevent the vehicle from getting dirty. But the most significant advantage of this feature is that you can clean the dirt much easier during maintenance wash. With the right method, you minimize or avoid the chance of causing swirl marks.
Another feature of ceramic coating is that it protects the paintwork from UV rays; as a result, the paintwork doesn’t oxidize as quickly as without protection, and it looks fresh for a long time. It improves the look of the paintwork a little bit on brand-new cars or older cars that are machine-polished before the coating application. However, the great look of older cars can only be achieved by preparation and machine polishing, not the ceramic coating itself. The ceramic coating gives a chemical resistance barrier, usually from about 3-12 PH.
Does Ceramic coating protect from scratches?
Pros of ceramic coating :
– the vehicle is easier to maintain
– the paint is protected from UV
– chemical resistance
– great look
Ceramic coating does not prevent:
– stone chips
– scratches, swirl marks
– strong chemicals ( PH 1-2 & 12-14)
Also, the ceramic coating does not increase the paint’s thickness or hardness or make the car bulletproof, scratch-proof, chemical-proof, etc.
So, is it worth getting ceramic coating for a brand-new car? Absolutely yes. If you aim to keep the vehicle in the best possible condition and provide proper maintenance, the ceramic coating will help you keep the car right. However, if you want a solution to protect your vehicle from stone chips, swirl marks, etc., look into PPF ( paint protection film). The PPF, due to its thickness ( almost double the thickness of the paint) , offers excellent protection, but at the same time, it’s about ten times the price of ceramic coating. Even a car with the PPF requires proper maintenance to look well for a long time.
What is ceramic coating?
The main component of most products, known as ceramic coatings/ sealants, etc., is SIO2 (Silica Dioxide), a combination of silicon and oxygen, two abundant, naturally occurring materials. Silica is a commonly used material for producing glass and ceramic and in the automotive industry for ceramic coatings, etc. Once applied correctly to the paint or other vehicle surfaces, the product creates a microlayer ( roughly 0.1 microns), the main feature being hydrophobic. The reaction during the application causes the product to bond with the surface and cause hardening of the coating. As a result, the surface that is sealed with ceramic coating becomes glossier, easier to maintain and protected from UV rays.
How long does ceramic coating last?
Lasting of the ceramic coating depends on various factors. Most people believe that the durability of the coating depends only on what it says on the bottle. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.
Of course, the first factor is the quality of the product and the quality of the application. Skill and experience are required to ensure that the application process is correct. The coating application is only about 5% of the whole process. Preparation is the key! Decontamination, paint correction, the application itself, and curing time all play a big role in the product’s durability.
Another factor is environmental exposure. A coating used constantly in harsh conditions, such as acid rain or extreme heat, may not last the entire duration of the bottle’s promise. Most coatings give information about durability over the years. However, the coating on a car that does huge mileage and is used intensively will not have equal durability to a vehicle that is typically used or is a weekend car. The durability of the coating is usually equal to 1 year or 20000 km. ( 3 years -60000 km etc)
Maintenance is the most essential factor. Your car may look excellent once you properly maintain and use suitable car care products. Even if the most beneficial feature of ceramic coating ( hydrophobicity) starts to die down, you can easily top it up with ceramic-based sealants, etc. Overall, understanding proper maintenance is essential to ceramic coatings’ durability.
Click here to read about the proper maintenance of coated car
