I'm tempted on ceramics, but the potential for water spotting doesn't sound attractive. Also, if a car was covered in water spots, and the ceramic coating was allowed to wear out...after several months...in theory, would the spotting disappear as the coating wears out?
Craig Encinitas after you apply a coating you add a “topper”. For instance I install for IGL as does Brian, every IGL install is topped with their silica spray sealant Premier. This helps fight spotting and keeps the coating protected, I do Premier applications every 6 months after install.
I recently was able to get myself into my dream car, and I was dead set on getting her ceramic coated because many detailers around me were making bogus claims of "lasts for a lifetime." But after a lot of research, I believe a good sealant + wax is the better option for a car that actually gets driven and has to put up with the elements, whereas a babied garage dweller might appreciate the higher gloss. It's more work on my part, but it ultimately saves money and gives me the pleasure of being able to care for my own car!
I prefer ceramic coatings for protection. I have an 05 Machine Silver convertible that I used ceramic coating to protect. To add more pop after a wash I love P&S Bead Maker. That is such a good tip about the slots in the side of the applicator to hold the cloth! I always learn new tricks from your channel. Thanks!!
Turtle Wax Ceramic spray coating and Meguiar's Deep Crystal Carnauba wax. Being a daily driver and regulating my time, this combo makes it easy to just rinse and dry when required.
Great video again. I think the only main factor keeping me away from doing ceramic coatings is that I only have a carport for my detailing services. With the weather in MD we have, there is usually a thunderstorm as soon as I’m done a detail in the summer. In the spring and fall the wind blows my neighbors tree debris under the carport and onto my cars. I think that’s a very important factor to touch on as well due to cure times, temperatures, and humidity.
I use 4 Star Ultimate Paint Protection. Been using it for 15 years. You clean the car with a dewax product. Apply the protection, go get lunch, and wipe it off. Klasse is good but if you get it on just a little heavy, it is a pain to remove
I’m with you. I enjoy working on the car and don’t have any issues with applying the sealant every so often. Saw your video on the Jescar Ultra Power Lock. Ordered and applied to hood. Very impressed so far. Just received from Canada Menzerna Power Lock #4 to test on a couple of other panels to compare. If I go to a coating I’ll be bored!! Thanks again
I enjoy maintaining my vehicles, so more times than not I choose a polymer sealant. Not to mention I love the way the paint feels nice and slick when using a quality sealant as some Ceramic coating can feel grabby. I also feel it’s much easier fixing an area if you happen to get a few scratches and need to compound/polish vs fixing a Ceramic coated car. I use Jescar Powerlock it’s a great sealant that is so user friendly, wipes off so easy and leaves a fantastic shine, also has filling capabilities and offers very good protection. After the car has been sealed I maintain maintenance washes with Beadmaker and it’s my favorite combo. Many people use Colinite 845 as a topper and it’s great also leaving a deep carnauba type shine, but I prefer just the Powerlock and then use Beadmaker after maintenance washes. This combo in my opinion is as easy as it gets and as far as sealants go I haven’t found a better combo for shine and gloss with durability that’s very user friendly. If choosing a ceramic coating I prefer Gtechniq Crystal serum ultra (pro grade) Or their Crystal serum light for retail grade, Then topped with EXO. The crystal serum line of coatings feel slicker to me like a Sealant vs most of the other ceramic coatings I have used on the market, also their products are pretty user friendly and hold up well. Keep up the great vids.
I’ve been thinking of the Jescar Powerlock as well for one of my cars along with the Beadmaker. How do you think that combo will look on a black car? Thank you.
Ceramic is ideal but I hate applying coatings so much! I prefer to put a sealent every 3.5 months 😁😁 griots one step sealent topped off with ice spray wax gives me great results
Thanks for the information. I appreciate the point of view you have about working with the product that suits the needs I or another viewer may have not pushing a particular product. Peace.
They all work to a degree , ceramics are prone to spotting but a good installer will tell you or sell you a Topper. I like the look of them both and I’ve been using Kingsguard and it’s great. Gonna try it over everything , but first is shield of course , but then Fusso Coat.
I love power lock sealant my favorite, I was going to go to ceramic coating but like you said I like to wax and polish my car doing ceramic coating I do not get to do that. I garage my cars so ceramic coating do not need that type of protection .
Excellent informative video ✊I have been watching for a long time and learned so much. I appreciate your dedication and effort you put into the channel ✊I prefer Ceramic Coatings on my vehicles. I have a older SUV that I have been messing around with I have applied the Hydrosilex just to try it out.My Camaro SS has a true ceramic coating and I did a full paint correction first. I learned it all from you so That’s Brian 👍🏻💎
Great video thank you ! Been using sealants waxes etc for quite some time but haven’t tried ceramics yet. This vid is one of the best I’ve seen on application 🙌🏼👍🏼
I drive a white BMW X5 suv and my wife drives a metallic gray BMW 3 sedan. The cars are both 3 years old. We drive our cars for daily commutes, errands, vacations, etc. and keep them in our garage at night. We wash them in the local drive thru car wash that uses the cloths and sprayers. Both cars have swirl marks but no major scratches. Neither one of us wants to be a slave to our car. We wash our cars about once every 4 to 6 weeks. Based on this, does ceramic sealant or paint sealant make more sense for us? Although ceramic is touted for durability, it seems like it is more frequent maintenance than paint sealant. So, if you are going to apply paint sealant every 6 months, but you have to apply "booster" to ceramic every 2-3 months and "renew" the ceramic every 6 months, doesnt that make ceramic more of a headache than paint sealant with wax topping? Also, does ceramic offer any better gloss on a white car? Most of the postings below are for black cars.
Hy, Brian... and everyone. I would like to discus a thing. All of the chemicals that are used on a car paint if used a lot,can and will damage your paint. I noticed a change in a base coat on many cars that used waxes,sealants,coatings etc.. maybe those solvents go thru the clear and alter the base coat I do not know for shure,but it is evident that something is happening. I can agree with Brian and maybe the safest way is to stick to a one product line. What do you think ? IPA,paint preps,solvents in waxes,sealants,coatings,topers,polish oils and cleaners. We are all bombarding a delicate clear coat.
Interesting question, I've been doing detailing and automotive spray painting professionally for 30 years and haven't seen waxes or any other products change the base coat through the clear , i could imagine it might or would on a mono metallic ( metallic without clear coat ) used alot in the 80' and early 90's.... hopefully someone else can share an experience .
@@paulreichelt3095 thanks for reply, I see this mostly on cars that owners did a lot of testing and using diferent products combined. Question...what about rock chips,scratches...where solvents get in contact with base coat or even primer. We all polish and seal over it. With time,it will react in some way...maybe I am wrong.
Hey Brian. Surprised not to see Polishangel Master Sealant on your top 3. I thought you had named that as your go-to when not stepping up to a coating.
Two things on this. Acrylic is a great filler and provides solid protection. Idk why acrylics aren’t marketed as coatings. An acrylic coating. Poly seal also has sio2 in it.
I honestly love polymers because i like to be able to get to the paint work easily if there's a scratch or mark , our cars are very well looked after so a ceramic coating just seems overboard. I have done ceramics on customers cars and always seem to be removing water marks because they don't look after the coating . I just like the playability of a polymer..
@@r.k862 yes , ceramic coatings are notorious for water spotting and most companies that make coatings make spot removers . I won't do a coating on someone's car if i know they won't look after it properly .
@@paulreichelt1259 no I asked if they are easier to get 'water etching' vs using a sealant or wax. There is difference between water spotting and water etching into the ceramic coating
@@paulreichelt1259 Aah ok thank you so much for your answer, so just to clarify, if I get paint correction and use ceramic coating it will be less likely to get water etching spotting vs if I correct the paint then use sealant and wax? I would highly appreciate your answer since you have experience in this
Been using Angelwax enigma wax with ceramic and using enigma QED to follow up with on my dark blue impala. On my truck been trying the turtle wax products Ice Seal & Shine and using turtle wax wash & dry as a drying aid. So far both work great the angelwax does give a much deeper shine and glow and bugs and dirt are easy to remove.
Great subject matter again Brian. My only question is how much work is there into actually removing a coating? This is what keeps me from trying ceramic coatings and staying with Palmer's. I have not seen a video yet we're someone removes the coating showing when the coating is off or when your then starting to take clear coat off.
Sealants work just as well and are cheap. The hydroponic properties on ceramic coatings tend to die off after a year or two. Ceremic coatings could work well on the corvette you're restoring since the paint it a little damaged.
My concern with going to a ceramic coating is that I wonder what happens when it starts to fail. I assume some panels will fail sooner than others. You mentioned having to compound or polish if there are errors in application. If you ever have the chance to show us a car where the ceramic coating is failing, I'd appreciate it. (Can't wait for the rest of the series on the barn find vette. I have a red car from the same era, so I want to see what you do with the single-stage paint.)
Can we take a min, and talk about igl eclipse. That I believe is a end all coating. Made more for machinery, but it can be applied to cars. A pain in the butt, but it is amazing
I would love to hear what you think of The Last Coat’s Black Ice. I guess you would call it a “prosumer” product. It’s supposed to outlast Gyeon cancoat, at about 2/3 the price. Thanks Brian, love watching a fellow Pennsylvanian! 😁
I was going to ask Brian about that as well. Considering the durability, the ease of application, and the super-low price, I can't believe the ICE S&S didn't make his top 3. I regularly detail a friend's daily driver and use ICE S&S as the protection. I occasionally top it with Meg's D156 and Bead Maker as drying aids. The ICE S&S seems to play nicely with any topper, whether it is another spray sealant or a carnauba wax. It really is a great product!
I have no category for it yet. Not sure if it is polymer, Teflon, ceramic. Also testing real world situations before I rate it for shop use. Stay tuned.
Thank you Brian, I needed and enjoyed this video. You helped set me straight. I like the ceramic coatings but as you said, harder to get off if needed and other toppings will not bond to them. So I am going with a polymer sealant that you recommended, Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze. Can I use Turtle Wax Premium Polishing Compound as Step1? Klasse as Step2? Turtle Wax Ice Spray Wax as Step3 and for maintaining? What is best to use after washing or after dusting off? Thanks so much. I too like to play with my 2017 black Vette.
I really like the PolySeal , used it on my car and with just a clay and decon and I wash the car once every three weeks what kind of durability could I expect. I’m also in the North East. Actually just two hours from you.
100% polymer sealants for me 👍 Polish Angel ( master sealant) or Blackfire 😀 can I ask why you don’t review more of the Palm beach products e.g Blackfire or Wolfgang products on this Channel?
I love your channel! I have used both the car pro kit, gyon q2 and skin, and well as cquartz. The first kit seemed amazing on both the cts-v and Zl1. Why do you prefer the kamikaze coating?
When they become available which my understanding will be quarter 1 of 2020 I would love for you to do a full review of one or both of Meguiar's new professional line of SIo2 coating and sealant. M788 Deep Crystal Ceramic Coating and M27 Pro Hybrid Ceramic Sealant. Thanks
Another great video Brian, thanks !! I only have 1 question, it is about the applicator block. I see you put on the suede rag just in the opposite than I do. I am sure you have a reason for that, and i am very curious to know, why you choose to put on the suede rag on th hard side, instead of using the soft side. I use the soft side, because I think that the block can easier follow the linings of the car. I am curious to hear from you why you use it the other way round.
Brian, Question on the hardness scale and what is realistic for the ceramic abrasion protection...Will the ceramic protect my car front end from Rock chipping? I understand a baseball-size rock it won't help but...What're your thoughts? Great vid as usual
Regarding a coating being a "sacrificial layer" - that doesn't tally with something Yvan Lacroix (from Optimum) said - he said that their coatings are absorbed IN to the clear coat, and do NOT form a "layer" on top. If he's correct, and other coatings behave similarly, then I can't see how these coatings can be considered a "sacrificial layer".
@@Sherukka please refer to time 25:38 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C_hb8PMP3KA.html Interestingly, he DOES seem to imply that other coatings DO sit on top, and require layering etc, so maybe Opticoat Pro is indeed unique in this respect. It's interesting though that a product that is absorbed IN to the paint is considered (by Optimum) to be superior to one that sits on the surface. I'd love to see some actual scientific testing of "coatings" to see exactly what they achieve.
Hello new to this trying to understand for a 6months protection what do you recommend I'm in the UK so we have six months of winter so carbamic or wax and what products thank you for your video's and you seem very simple to give a onis opinion thank you
Hi mate, most durable sealant around here is Fusso Coat. Lasts 12 months if car is washed twice a month. Apply Sonax BSD as drying aid or neat once a month and you're good to go. This is a very cheap combo and highly recommended. Make sure you decon with iron remover and clay bar or clay mitt beforehand.
This all new to me so be patient . i own a lincoln 2017 all black mkx . I had a ceramic sealant applied and WOW looks great . but here in florida we have hard water . so the sprinklers do a job on the car . moving forward what product would be good for the condition i mentioned . and no garage here . thank you for any insight . have a great day
The biggest problem I have with ceramic coatings is the durability on daily driver cars. I drive at freeway speeds through farm country where there is dust in the air and lots of bug guts. The sandpaper-like air pressure and drag on the front, hood, and top of the car is what taxes the durability of any coating. You also have to baby the ceramic and clean off the bug guts immediately. In addition, washing bug guts and traffic film with an alkaline wash - since neutral pH washes simply won’t work - can also strip out much of the ceramic coating. It is far easier to clean the car with a bug-gut remover like DuraGloss 472 followed by a Purple Power wash, followed by a reapplication of a durable sealant like Turtle Wax Ice Seal and Shine every 1-2 weeks especially if the sealant can stack on to the previous layer - with an occasional claying. I find that ceramic coatings are not worth it if they have to be reapplied every week or two. And you can’t even stack another protectant on top of them. Obviously you can also choose the much more expensive sealants for protection as long as durability is there.
Romeo Mariano paint protection film is probably a better option considering the amount of protection it gives. Huge plus is that you can use sealants on them too!
Thanks for the info about stacking upon a ceramic coating,I sent you a email just recently and you just indirectly answered my question. Here in Canada when I talk to friends and possible customers about certain products,you should see the deer in the headlights look I recieve Also thanks for tip about Klasse polymer,we have hard water. I personally like to apply Carpro coating,will give the other 2 a spin Keep up the great work
Thanks, Brian! It looked like you put the application sheet upside down on the block? Meaning the side of the block with the soft foam strip faces up, not down on the panel as you apply? Do you do this intentionally for specific application scenarios? 👍👌✌
@@mikeyp2447 thanks, yeah I'm aware. I too use the "finger block" once in awhile. 😁 I'm not saying he did it "wrong" or criticizing in any way. I'm just genuinely curious why he chose to use it that way, thinking he does it for a specific reason, because he works so consistently and methodically.. Like maybe he uses foam up for more consistent and firmer contact on harder clears or flat panels, foam down on soft, etc.. I'm very OCD and a huge detail nerd so I love all the little intricate details, tips and process tweaks I get from Brian that I would never think of otherwise.. 👍👌✌
Bryan preference between QP-ON 2.o and TAC? Getting ready to start work on wife's new royal blue Ford escape. I will make it slick and pretty. Love your stuff.JPin SD
Another great vid. Having watched your 303 vid a liitle while back, I wonder how you rate the 303 graphene against your recommended polymers? I think I'd possibly prefer a ceramic but I don't have facility of a garage for curing time, so for me I need a product with little or no cure time. Plus I don't mind applying every 6 months or so. Just to confuse my situation I've also seen the TW Hybrid Ceramic and Can Coat reviews, which I also like. Choices, choices.
I have noticed some paint manufactures are advertising a ceramic coating mixture to their paint. I had my kook's headers coated in a ceramic coating rated for high temps by a professional. Mainly to transfer the heat away from the engine bay. How would paint protection ceramic coating fair out on underside and areas such as behind the grille? I have a 17 Ram I have been doing upgrades to and I drive it daily in Indianapolis, IN.
Great video as always! Now, about Manzerna Power Lock, you mentioned in one of your earlier videos, that the rag you use to buff it out, the sealent will stay in it forever. Does that mean you have to throw it away or you can wash it with the other microfiber towels, just dont use it for other purposes? Also can I top Power Lock with Dodo Juice Hard Candy paste wax? Thanks :)
Brian, what’s your thoughts about doing a ceramic coat on a 2011 Lexus IS F with star fire pearl (white pearl) paint that has a 2+ year old vinyl clear bra on the nose of the car (bumper, fenders, hood, lights, back of side mirrors, door handle cups) that has some rock hits in the wrap? Can you/ should you coat over the vinyl to keep the shine uniform? I need to condition the paint in some spots as I have swirls but overall the paint is in good condition. Should I polish the vinyl before I seal and if so, how/what kind of product? Thanks ahead for your expertise and help! Another great video that has me thinking!
I am using and loving it. I just wonder if it is not enough protection according to all and so many products? My beading and sheeting is a rock star for 4 week runs easily. The application is Childs play and looks amazing. Black metallic new car.
I’m buying a brand new semi truck and it’s going to be a car hauler, I was thinking about doing ceramic on the roof where an automobile that I’m transporting could potentially leak. I was thinking about polymer on the rest of the truck what’s your thoughts?
I have mostly Ajax Wax for wash/wax matters and Griot’s Garage for correction. Do you recommend the Ajax Wax Ceramic coating? Will you (or have you) do a ceramic comparison?
Great videos! I’ve got a 2005 E55 AMG, the paint is really really bad and clear coat is just chipping away, it’s not faded but it’s been peeling off the panels, and I believe it’s way too thin for any correction. If I do a one step, then what are my options? I mean do I really have to go with ceramic coating at this stage or there are other products as well that give me enough UV protection for few months?
So talking about very light scratch resistance, do any of the polymer sealants have any scratch resistance like a true ceramic coating does? Are there any products for that matter that have similar abrasion resistance as the ceramic coatings?? Just curious, i went with a ceramic coating from adams for the most possible scratch resistance.
Brian, I see you said stacking on top of ceramic outside of the family is wasteful. I coated my truck with Avalon King, I like to top it with Beadmaker, which I really use as a drying aid more than anything. Is this counterproductive?
HELLO my friend....hope u are safe and HEALTHY......revisited this vid...i put the IGL F4 on a few months ago/2 coats - 48 hrs apart. then i purchased the artdeshine qd...1st app full strength the a couple of apps at 5/1 dilution in distilled h2o.....recently have used ecoshine enhancer after wash. maybe i was interpreting it wrong but to me the enhancer looked better then the graphene qd. what do u think???? now for the upcoming winter the plan is to reapply one coat of F4 then top with premier.......then which of the following do u sugest.....enhancer vs artdeshine qd vs polyseal?? would poly seal be a good topper on the F4.....or premier be the best choice?? we are hoping to come see u in 45-60 days......how is your schedule...will u be in town??? no auto shows will be running probably reply when u can - your are THE BEST
do you have any experience with luxcare xt thats offered on alot of new cars? I got a car where it was already applied inside and out but the haze it creates on my windows is unbearable and i would like to remove it so i can get my windows to stay clear for more than a few hours. thanks
Hi Brian. Another awesome vid. What would you recommend for a mobile detailer? I'm in the UK so the weather can change quickly, and then there's the seagulls who love target practice on clean cars so cure times are a no no. Currently I only using high carnauba paste wax which although lasts very well, and I get a lot of good feedback, I can't help thinking I should offer some sort of sealant or coating.
Hello from sunny SoCal, what is the texture of the wax you use? For example there are wax's that are pudding like and then some have firmer composition like cold butter. Please reply.
Thanks for the informative video. Can you put Polymer Sealants on top of Xpel Ultimate Plus Paint Protection Film just like ceramic coating? Due to budget constraints, I could not opt for Ceramic coating in addition to the PPF and is why I ask.
Yes. I like to use Optimum Opti-Seal. Xpel also makes their own spray sealant called "Ceramic Boost" I believe. I took my gf's Jeep to work to get filmed, Initially put CarPro Skin, but wasn't impressed, so I recently removed it, and replaced it with Optimum Gloss Coat, which is a ceramic coating.
Brian in your opinion who has the best new car paint ? USA, Japan, or Germany ? You always mention that Asian paint is very soft and thin. So is Asian paint not very good ?
Hard/soft has nothing to do with quality. Some paints are harder/softer than others, and can even vary from year to year. They also have pros/cons. Harder paint will be harder to scratch, but also harder to correct, the opposite is also true with soft paint. Hope that clears it. Cheers
