# Ceramic coating or a wax?



## rossman (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi guys I’ve just recently bought a new car and although I’ve polished my cars in the past and done bits and pieces this car is the most expensive thing I’ve bought and I’m a bit worried if I mess it up,plus I don’t have a garage and times a bit limited with work so I need a bit of help with a decision,a quick back story that’s got me wondering about this,I bought the car from a dealer with some small scratches and was told these bits would come out and when I went to pick the car up they were still there,so the car went back and they said they couldn’t do anything else so that has led me to go to a professional detailer to get these bits looked at and get some ppf for the front,but the rest of the car will need to be protected so what route do I go down?

The coatings being offered by the detailer are from Gtechniq some of which can last for 9 years in the case of the Crystal Serum ultra that’s just come out,now they say you get increased scratch resistance and helps to stop getting swirls and other imperfections but with the likes of the Crystal Serum if you want to remove the coating the only way it to wet sand the clear coat which I’m not to keen on if there is a problem further down the line and another point is that the car will still get scratches but to remove them it’s so much harder as no polish or compound will really touch this stuff, they do offer a Crystal Serum light which doesn’t last for as long, doesn’t have the same level of protection as the others but can be removed by a compound,so I suppose you could say it’s semi permanent but will still last for 3-5 years.

The second option is to have the car waxed,he uses Swissvax so I can get any of thier waxes applied, I know the waxes do really make the car shine and have many of the same hydrophobic properties of the coatings but they don’t last as long and there is a reduced scratch resistance so what do I do?

Thanks 

Ross


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## gshyoung (Jul 20, 2016)

This vid provides the pros and cons of a coating vs. a traditional wax:





He will of course be a little biased towards waxes, but you can form your own judgment.


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## rossman (Sep 18, 2012)

gshyoung said:


> This vid provides the pros and cons of a coating vs. a traditional wax:
> Swissvax: wax- vs nanocoating - YouTube
> 
> He will of course be a little biased towards waxes, but you can form your own judgment.


I actually watched that just before putting up the thread,but let's say I do go down the wax route will a wax still offer some scratch prevention as I'm having the car polished,I don't want to have to get it redone every year or so ?

Cheers


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## iCraig (Aug 9, 2017)

It does depend on what you want, I would personally never use a ceramic coating as I like waxing and putting the effort in to making my car look great.

I'd think having a ceramic coating would take all the fun out of detailing, as the thing I like is trying new and different products or waxes.

But it's each to their own I suppose.


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## rossman (Sep 18, 2012)

iCraig said:


> It does depend on what you want, I would personally never use a ceramic coating as I like waxing and putting the effort in to making my car look great.
> 
> I'd think having a ceramic coating would take all the fun out of detailing, as the thing I like is trying new and different products or waxes.
> 
> But it's each to their own I suppose.


See I've had a think and I'm going to go for the wax,one it's cheaper,I can do it myself, which is something I've always enjoyed,I mean when people do look at your car you know it's something you've done and as well as that it says it all in the video,for a reps car or something like that it's great and then they take it back but I intend to keep it for quite some time so I don't mind putting the effort in to waxing it and looking after it.

Thanks guys


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## budgetplan1 (Aug 10, 2016)

I'm a coating junkie so that's the way if go; easier cleaning, some self cleaning properties, not as many worries about water spot/bird bomb etching.

That said, on a daily driver in a harsh world, I fail to see the benefit of a coating that claims anything over 2 years (providing longevity claims are true). 

Just too many things can happen to a daily driver to think it's not gonna get some kind of damage that will require compound/polish during those years.

Now a self healing coating would perhaps be worthwhile for a longer term, but a non self healing product seems questionable to me long term.


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

Have a look at Nasiol ZR53 as a coating, so so easy to apply and remove.





I've previously used CQUK, loved it, but you have to get used to it's application/removal to appreciate it.

With the ZR53, it was an absolute doddle with a stunning finish to boot.


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## TonyHill (Jul 28, 2015)

Where can the Nasiol be purchased from? Any idea on price??:thumb:


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

TonyHill said:


> Where can the Nasiol be purchased from? Any idea on price??:thumb:


It can be had via Amazon, I was lucky enough to receive it as a sample from them, check their DW Threads http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=400085


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## C7 JFW (Jul 29, 2007)

Very, very helpful thread - thanks for posting this. The Swissvax video is very informative.


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## Kyle 86 (Jun 15, 2013)

iCraig said:


> It does depend on what you want, I would personally never use a ceramic coating as I like waxing and putting the effort in to making my car look great.
> 
> I'd think having a ceramic coating would take all the fun out of detailing, as the thing I like is trying new and different products or waxes.
> 
> But it's each to their own I suppose.


Exactly the same reason why I won't have one. I'm going to put one on the Mrs car eventually

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Why not get it coated and then come the warmer climate put a wax on top. Simple as that.
This new Carpro Gliss coating is so easy to apply. It can be used as a stand alone coating or applied onto C Quartz uk. It's idiot proof simply apply it as you would with a normal coating but it flashes and hazes over like a glaze in about 30 secs then just simply remove. You have no hassle with residue and streaking. I watched it last night on a SEMA channel


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## wish wash (Aug 25, 2011)

I think a lot get put off from coatings with not having a garage. I do really like coatings and have used them for years. Some people just don't like change


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## garycha (Mar 29, 2012)

C7 JFW said:


> Very, very helpful thread - thanks for posting this. The Swissvax video is very informative.


Sorry but it biased.

Swisswax video is completely loaded and presented by a man who heads up a multi- million dollar business that depends on folk buying and waxing little and often, as many do. The nano coatings are eating his lunch and attracting away many of his former customers - not just sales reps and trackers as he arrogantly suggests.

I used to use Swisswax and it was very good. Expensive too. You can pay serious amounts for their oils.

He is also being highly disingenuous about car paint preparation time for a wax compared to a nano coating. Times to prep a car properly for wax or ceramic are the same - unless he is suggesting that folk who wax will just slap it over imperfections, and rely on the masking nature of some waxes.

I've used several ceramic brands (Nanolex, Dlux, gtechniq and Gyeon) and will not be rushing back to wax soon. I still keep some Dodo juice fir the odd wing, but it lacks clarity of a good ceramic, especially on metallics.

On maintenance, One can top and patch ceramics as well as one does wax. He's not being straight with his agenda. With one exception - the super hard substrate coating like Crystal Serum do need pro applications and removals. Every other coating can be stripped, the clear coat refined locally, or totally, and the Exo, Mohs, etc reapplied with little more effort than a high carnuba wax.

What is correct about is that the ceramic will invariably last longer. It will also attract less dust, and present a less tacky surface for bugs etc to stick to than a wax. He failed to mention those.

Now, I know why folk do like wax, but am not slightly convinced by his clever negative loaded critique.

@ OP. try both. Wax up, but leave one wing or decent panel and stick a CIA of Exov3 on it. Then review it in 2 months.

Just thought a balanced view needed


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## LeeH (Jan 29, 2006)

Excellent post. 


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## rossman (Sep 18, 2012)

I went with a coating in the end and was blown away,he ended up putting Crystal Serum ultra and it’s fantastic,the water just beads off and after a few days of driving in pretty crappy weather the car still looks super clean,so I’m really happy with the result,I will apply a wax once the weather brightens up to see how it looks but I doubt I’m going to improve the look of the car.

Thanks for the help and input everyone


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