Ceramic Coating or Not?

[Vapor Blue GT]

There are quite a few easy to apply ceramic coatings for the DIY. They aren’t as difficult as they were just 4-5 years ago. Clean paint and prep work is a must for a long lasting coating. One thing I would advise is to not use Dawn soap. It’s a misconception that’s been out for decades that it takes off old waxes and sealants and it doesn’t. People believed it stripped off the old wax because water would stop beading but what happens is the chemicals from Dawn are causing the water to sheet off as that’s a trait of Dawn soap. A good IPA or panel prep will remove most of this though but you still have old protectants on the paint. Also, a ceramic coating only does two things, adds UV protection and acts as a sacrificial layer for bird droppings and bugs. It will make cleaning a little easier but there are also a ton of hood waxes, sealants and spray ceramics that do the same thing for much less hassle. You just need to reapply them more often.

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[Zig]

Does the application supplant or impact Fords warranty in any way?

 

[LCDRChemEng]

There are quite a few easy to apply ceramic coatings for the DIY. They aren’t as difficult as they were just 4-5 years ago. Clean paint and prep work is a must for a long lasting coating. One thing I would advise is to not use Dawn soap. It’s a misconception that’s been out for decades that it takes off old waxes and sealants and it doesn’t. People believed it stripped off the old wax because water would stop beading but what happens is the chemicals from Dawn are causing the water to sheet off as that’s a trait of Dawn soap. A good IPA or panel prep will remove most of this though but you still have old protectants on the paint. Also, a ceramic coating only does two things, adds UV protection and acts as a sacrificial layer for bird droppings and bugs. It will make cleaning a little easier but there are also a ton of hood waxes, sealants and spray ceramics that do the same thing for much less hassle. You just need to reapply them more often.

Not sure what you mean about blue Dawn. I use it because it is as close to pure surfactant as you can get easily at a cheap price. No moisturizers, waxes, or perfumes. That's why they use it to wash oil spillage from wildlife. Sheeting water is what a surfactant does (i.e. reduce surface tension)

I have no illusions it will strip off old waxes and coatings, that's what the clay bar and polishing compound are for, but at least Dawn will not add to the mess. Only drawback is its not pH neutral, but only slightly so, not enough to be of concern.

Always open to new ideas though, what is IPA?

PS I got the Dawn tip from Zaino Bros, they know a thing or two about detailing.

 

[Vapor Blue GT]

Not sure what you mean about blue Dawn. I use it because it is as close to pure surfactant as you can get easily at a cheap price. No moisturizers, waxes, or perfumes. That's why they use it to wash oil spillage from wildlife. Sheeting water is what a surfactant does (i.e. reduce surface tension)

I have no illusions it will strip off old waxes and coatings, that's what the clay bar and polishing compound are for, but at least Dawn will not add to the mess. Only drawback is its not pH neutral, but only slightly so, not enough to be of concern.

Always open to new ideas though, what is IPA?

PS I got the Dawn tip from Zaino Bros, they know a thing or two about detailing.

I guess I didn’t realize you could still buy plain Dawn soap anymore. I haven’t seen that in 20 years. Every Dawn I see now has perfumes and oxi clean and whatever else added to it. Yes, I remember Zaino, I used their products in the 90’s and into 2000’s. Top of the line stuff back then, high quality and they were ahead of the game. I have since switched to other companies so I don’t know much of what they have. And yes, I followed their advice on Dawn soap as well but from what todays “experts” are saying Dawn is not the best option. I used it for years and I never saw any problems but I always protected the weatherstripping, seals and paint when I finished. Apparently Dawn over time can strip the oils out of the rubber and plastics on todays cars. I also believe the original Dawn still leaves a film on the surface after rinsing but don’t quote me on that.

An IPA is an isopropyl alcohol water mix that you use after polishing before applying your protection. It takes all the oils and residue off the clear coat so the clear air is perfectly clean of contamination.

 

[LCDRChemEng]

I guess I didn’t realize you could still buy plain Dawn soap anymore. I haven’t seen that in 20 years. Every Dawn I see now has perfumes and oxi clean and whatever else added to it. Yes, I remember Zaino, I used their products in the 90’s and into 2000’s. Top of the line stuff back then, high quality and they were ahead of the game. I have since switched to other companies so I don’t know much of what they have. And yes, I followed their advice on Dawn soap as well but from what todays “experts” are saying Dawn is not the best option. I used it for years and I never saw any problems but I always protected the weatherstripping, seals and paint when I finished. Apparently Dawn over time can strip the oils out of the rubber and plastics on todays cars. I also believe the original Dawn still leaves a film on the surface after rinsing but don’t quote me on that.

An IPA is an isopropyl alcohol water mix that you use after polishing before applying your protection. It takes all the oils and residue off the clear coat so the clear air is perfectly clean of contamination.

Hey, thanks for the tip, I'll check out the IPA thing. Never occurred to me to use alcohol to wipe off grease, but it does make sense. A solvent is a solvent. One thing for sure, we've come a long way since washing the car meant Vel dish soap and paper towels.

I was a big fan of Zaino, and if my 13-year old Acura is any testament, their stuff works. I sealed the paint early on with their product(s) and 300K miles later it still looked fantastic. I see they still have a web store, but their product lineup has not changed in a while. I wonder if they will come out with a ceramic treatment too.

And congratulations on your new "blue valor" convertible, I saw you just picked it up in Orlando. Best wishes. Don't be surprised when the troopers pull you over just to check it out.

 

[Vapor Blue GT]

Hey, thanks for the tip, I'll check out the IPA thing. Never occurred to me to use alcohol to wipe off grease, but it does make sense. A solvent is a solvent. One thing for sure, we've come a long way since washing the car meant Vel dish soap and paper towels.

I was a big fan of Zaino, and if my 13-year old Acura is any testament, their stuff works. I sealed the paint early on with their product(s) and 300K miles later it still looked fantastic. I see they still have a web store, but their product lineup has not changed in a while. I wonder if they will come out with a ceramic treatment too.

And congratulations on your new "blue valor" convertible, I saw you just picked it up in Orlando. Best wishes. Don't be surprised when the troopers pull you over just to check it out.

Thank you on the car. Lol, Vel dish soap. Holy cow that’s bringing back some memories. Both my grandmothers had gallons of that stuff in their houses. And yes, zaino products work. A buddy of mine just sold his ‘04 vette that we coated and it still looked amazing. Mind you it was garage kept and only had 49k on it but it still looked beautiful. It seems car car products are trying to keep up with computers these days. What’s new now is old news next year or seems. I don’t go through products like I use too so I find something and it takes awhile for me to go through them except soap and wheel cleaners.

 

[DFB5.0]

For those interested, I authored this article on the differences between the various forms of vehicle protection, from waxes and sealants, to spray sealants and ceramic coatings, including why you would choose one over the other and benchmark choices.

The Difference Between Wax & Ceramic Coatings | Detailing Shed

For the OP, if you are looking to apply a ceramic coating yourself, I would highly recommend looking at either Gyeon Can Coat EVO (1 year durability) or Gyeon Cure EVO (3-year durability). In both cases, these are geared towards user friendliness, perfect for someone new to ceramic coatings.

 

[marcekb]

For those interested, I authored this article on the differences between the various forms of vehicle protection, from waxes and sealants, to spray sealants and ceramic coatings, including why you would choose one over the other and benchmark choices.

The Difference Between Wax & Ceramic Coatings | Detailing Shed

For the OP, if you are looking to apply a ceramic coating yourself, I would highly recommend looking at either Gyeon Can Coat EVO (1 year durability) or Gyeon Cure EVO (3-year durability). In both cases, these are geared towards user friendliness, perfect for someone new to ceramic coatings.

Very nice article!

 

[Vapor Blue GT]

I just used DiyDetail 5 year ceramic coating on my ppf. It went on pretty easy and once I got the flash time figured out it was simple to remove.

 

[Vaporblue]

I have a spray bottle of Xpel boost also. They told me to apply the boost 3 or 4 times a year.

It has to be boosted or reapplied, they don’t last 5+ years without Maintenance

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