Pro/DIY/Dealer Ceramic Coating? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Syzygyone
- Start date
detailer will generally give you a clay bar and decontamination as well minor paint correction if needed they will make your paint look great before sealing it. but if you are satisfied with the paint then clay bar yourself and apply and quick buff. i found when i applied ceramic coating in the past i either didnt have enough heat or patience or it would come out all splotchy. so i leave it to the professionals and my car loos great in the end plus warranties and people to correct any issues. also after care is essential to keep a good ceramic coating so atleast you can go back to your detailer every few week or months to wash and keep it glossy
I had a full paint correction and ceramic coat done July 2024 (purchased the GX June 2024). Mine is back at my buddy's detail shop today getting the undercarriage and engine bay cleaned (lots of mud the past couple weeks), buff out the pinstripes, a full detail, and re-application of ceramic coat. I only use touch-free car washes or hand-wash but I also put the truck through a lot of off road use.
I would suggest Feynlabs ceramic, they have two lines, consumer & pro. I have gone both routes, the pro installed product, which can only be purchased by a certified trained Feynlabs detailer is fantastic. The DIY stuff is excellent as well. More importantly is you need to ask yourself if you will take care of it, if your a car wash person, forget it, don't waste your money. If you enjoy a beautiful, shiny, slick vehicle and are willing to use a ph neutral soap, invest in great cleaning products, then get ceramic. Car washes, touchless or not are harsh on your paint. I enjoy detailing, installed this last year and love it!
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What are your goals for your GX's paint? If you want perfect paint —no orange peel, car show-ready —then go professional. Spend the money on a multi-stage paint correction and ceramic coat (and maybe PPF). That level of paintwork also requires a maintenance plan and will reveal minor imperfections. If you are looking to improve the shine and slickness of your paint and add a bit of protection, go DIY. You can learn to buff your car and do basic panel prep online. Apply a DIY-targeted product, save a bunch of money, and learn how to maintain the vehicle's paint yourself in the process. You could also opt for one of the 6-month ceramic sprays, spend an afternoon doing a good wash and decontamination. Apply the spray and see how you like the results. If you still want more, then visit a professional. (I personally have gotten into car detailing and have been happy with the results. Could a better result be achieved by a professional - 100% yes. It is about $200 in chemicals and $200 in equipment to get set up for a basic ceramic coating. And you can do multiple cars for that same investment. But I also find washing my GX and my other vehicles relaxing.)
Nice set up!
To properly do Ceramic Coating you need to prep paint and have a clean environment. No issues with Ceramic if applied correctly. For dealers i would ask how it is applied. I've seen dealers run it though a machine that just sprays it on the car and still charge over 1k for it! Just a rip off. If its a sub contractor who does paint correction, has a shop with specialized HVAC (reduce dust in the air) and takes time to properly do it then its worth it 100%. I am going to have PPF installed on my wifes GX then ceramic over it (whenever we find out it will come in!).
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