Long term implications of deciding to ceramic coat new car

[CyanBurrito]

Hi all, new here. I just got a brand new 2022 honda civic. I have been contemplating my protection strategy. I have some questions my google sleuthing can't answer. 

 

1. If I chose the graphene ceramic spray kit (which I already bought, almost on a whim :/) what does that mean for me after it "wears off" in about a year? Is it truly gone or what do you do if there is still some left on the car? Forced to polish again even if no issues with the clear coat?

2. If I chose just something normal like a typical sealant or even hybrid solutions ceramic wax spray coating, and applied that regularly, would I run into reapplication issues if I didn't remove the old material?

 

I don't want to put myself in a position where in order to maintain my protection I am forced to polish the car again and again every year. I'd rather evaluate when the time comes, and decide to polish when needed, meanwhile reapplying the protection as needed as well.

[Trap]

I would and did apply Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic coating on our new vehicle last fall. It should give protection for up to 7 years if you maintain it. 

 

Not sure how the Graphene Ceramic Spray coating will last like, as I did use it on my 12 year old Jeep last fall, it still seems to be ok but they claim the best you can expect is up to a year.

 

[CyanBurrito]

9 hours ago, Trap said:

I would and did apply Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic coating on our new vehicle last fall. It should give protection for up to 7 years if you maintain it. 

 

Not sure how the Graphene Ceramic Spray coating will last like, as I did use it on my 12 year old Jeep last fall, it still seems to be ok but they claim the best you can expect is up to a year.

 

Thanks Trap. What are you planning to do when you see your Jeep's spray coating bites the dust and you want to reapply it? Do you need to repolish to remove 100% of the old spray? Or just respray after a nice wash and decontamination? Thanks

[Norton]

Welcome to the forums, @CyanBurrito!

 

All of my vehicles are ceramic coated.  The fun cars were done professionally and I did my daily.  There's no hard & fast answer about how long a coating lasts.  It's dependent on host of factors including surface prep before install, the coating used, storage & driving condtions, and maintenance regimen.  Just because a coating is rated to last up to "one year" or up to "seven years" doesn't mean it will.  Neither does it mean it's "gone" at that time.  It is, therefore, appropriate to continuously evaluate when re-application is required.  When it's not, you still need to maintain the coating with periodic use of things like Adam's SiO2-Infused product line.

 

At some point, you'll determine simple maintenance no longer produces the shine and beading a coating should.  That's when you re-coat.  Notably, however, you should not simply re-apply the coating.  To be effective, you need to properly prep the surface (again).  Skipping that process will likely produce less-than-satisfactory results and/or a coating life well-below what it's rated.

[CyanBurrito]

13 hours ago, Norton said:

Welcome to the forums, @CyanBurrito!

 

All of my vehicles are ceramic coated.  The fun cars were done professionally and I did my daily.  There's no hard & fast answer about how long a coating lasts.  It's dependent on host of factors including surface prep before install, the coating used, storage & driving condtions, and maintenance regimen.  Just because a coating is rated to last up to "one year" or up to "seven years" doesn't mean it will.  Neither does it mean it's "gone" at that time.  It is, therefore, appropriate to continuously evaluate when re-application is required.  When it's not, you still need to maintain the coating with periodic use of things like Adam's SiO2-Infused product line.

 

At some point, you'll determine simple maintenance no longer produces the shine and beading a coating should.  That's when you re-coat.  Notably, however, you should not simply re-apply the coating.  To be effective, you need to properly prep the surface (again).  Skipping that process will likely produce less-than-satisfactory results and/or a coating life well-below what it's rated.

Thank you! That does make sense. I understand the steps for surface prep for the first coat - and I am ready to do that (have everything ready to go). I'm confused about how that prep changes once there is a base layer of the ceramic spray, even if it's weak. Do you know? What removes it fully so the next prep steps work properly?

[falcaineer]

36 minutes ago, CyanBurrito said:

I'm confused about how that prep changes once there is a base layer of the ceramic spray, even if it's weak. Do you know? What removes it fully so the next prep steps work properly?

 

You will need to use a machine polisher to fully remove the existing ceramic coating or remnants of. Remember, it bonds at a molecular level to the clear coat. One thing about ceramic coatings, when layering them the law of diminishing returns applies. Adding 2+ layers does not equate to 2x+ protection. You can use steps short of polishing, but know that as Steve said, the top layer of ceramic coating will not fully bond and thus not give you the longest lasting and best results.

 

If you do not want to put yourself in the position to have to polish the car every year or so for the best results, switch to the traditional/small bottle form and get much longer lasting protection. It is still semi-permanent though, and will need to be removed and reapplied at some point down the road.

[Trap]

On 4/2/2022 at 7:38 AM, CyanBurrito said:

Thanks Trap. What are you planning to do when you see your Jeep's spray coating bites the dust and you want to reapply it? Do you need to repolish to remove 100% of the old spray? Or just respray after a nice wash and decontamination? Thanks

Since the Jeep spent most of the winter in the garage even though I did drive it weekly and washed and cleaned it as needed,I will see how it holds up and make a decision this fall. I do use either Graphene Detail Spray as a drying aid when I wash it and have also been using ceramic boost every 4th wash.