# Ceramic coating lasts 3 years??



## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

A fella at the place I work is having a ceramic coating put onto his car, and apparently he’s been told that it lasts 3 years! I’m dubious about this. 

My question is , can ceramic coatings last this long?


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## The Rover (May 4, 2012)

Simple answer is yes they can.
There's plenty of different ceramic coatings available, some will last up to 1 year & others can last up to 5 years as long as they are maintained properly.
Most of the long lasting coatings need to be applied by an approved detailer such as Gtechniq Crystal Serum.


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

Cheers Rover. So he will still need to maintain the coating over the next three years in order for it to last.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Rylad said:


> Cheers Rover. So he will still need to maintain the coating over the next three years in order for it to last.


Yes, I would hope, the detailer that's applying it, will give him information of what / how to do


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## The Rover (May 4, 2012)

Rylad said:


> Cheers Rover. So he will still need to maintain the coating over the next three years in order for it to last.


Definitely keep away from the £5 hand car wash dudes, but a good washing & drying technique will help preserve the coating along with use of a top up spray like CarPro Reload.

(this is looking like a Lancashire only thread-like it


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

The Rover said:


> Definitely keep away from the £5 hand car wash dudes, but a good washing & drying technique will help preserve the coating along with use of a top up spray like CarPro Reload.
> 
> (this is looking like a Lancashire only thread-like it


Perfect, I'll let the fella know. Thanks for the replies. :thumb:


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## wish wash (Aug 25, 2011)

Big claims from manufacturers now. You have to take it back to whoever applys the coating at least once a year for a (maintenance) detail which is still a couple hundred quid to keep the warranty. 

It's not a, now the coatings applied I can do whatever I want to it for 3 years and nothing will affect it.


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

I had Cquartz applied to mine around a year ago - I'd be very surprised if there is any coating still left. BUT, then again, i'd be surprised if there was any coating on it in the first place as i was doubtful....


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

I've got gtechniq CSL and EXO V2 thats been on some panels since August 2016. Applied by myself and outside without a garage or workshop to leave it to cure. 

It's still beading better than panels that are freshly waxed an get top ups of BSD or reload


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

Thanks guys. I’ve never had a ceramic coating on my car, so was good to get afew opinions , cheers


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

I would love to see actual proof a coating lasts this without a 'top up' product....


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

-Kev- said:


> I would love to see actual proof a coating lasts this without a 'top up' product....


Yeah same. I'll keep an eye on this and post some more information when I see the guy next.

Also apologies for posting in the wrong section, seems the obvious place for it now :newbie:


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

-Kev- said:


> I would love to see actual proof a coating lasts this without a 'top up' product....


There is absolutely no way I could either way whether I've topped it or not.

Guess it last easier for some to believe I make false claims!


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## voon (Apr 28, 2010)

It's very easy to make it last 10 years, by never moving the car inside a garage. Or make it last 1 minute by washing it with something superaggressive acidic or whatever.

And each one of us is somewhere between those two, depending on kilometers driven, weather, care, mechanical rubbing and so on.


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

There are retail coatings out there that will last that long without going back to the detailer once a year for a top up. Obviously common sense will apply, AND it isn't every coating. Its not a general thing. 

The detailer will hopefully have educated him on what it will and wont protect from, will advise him on how best to wash the car and he will have a few years of easy maintenance


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

Well just a quick update. 

The detailer came today and applied the ceramic coating. 
He went through the usual steps first:
Prewash / rinse 
Snowfoam 
2BM touch wash
There was no decontam step , but the car is fairly new.(however I thought he would still do it)
No polish stage 
Then he applied the coating, With a microfiber wrapped around an applicator. 

The car looks decent from a distance to be fair but , not sure how long it’s going to last.
The fella at work is happy with it but I’m not so impressed. 
Is the ceramic coating usually applied with this sort of set up (a microfiber and an applicator )?


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Rylad said:


> Well just a quick update.
> 
> The detailer came today and applied the ceramic coating.
> He went through the usual steps first:
> ...


Yes a lot use a suede applicator wrapped around a (usually) blue block. What coating is it?


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

stangalang said:


> Yes a lot use a suede applicator wrapped around a (usually) blue block. What coating is it?


I didn't get to ask him , but looked like a drexler bottle.


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Rylad said:


> I didn't get to ask him , but looked like a drexler bottle.


Ah, ok, was it a 2 layer product? Ive had to fix a couple of cars that have had drexler installed


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## Rylad (Apr 16, 2017)

stangalang said:


> Ah, ok, was it a 2 layer product? Ive had to fix a couple of cars that have had drexler installed


Not sure if it was a 2 layer product to be honest.

What's the problem with drexler?


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Rylad said:


> Not sure if it was a 2 layer product to be honest.
> 
> What's the problem with drexler?


Ive had 2 owners who were not happy with the results, and one was applied hideously so wasn't really the products fault. But neither was anything special in terms of beading or keeping clean. Thats not to say the installer didn't just do a pants job and so it never reached its potential, but I can only give my experience so far and its been underwhelming in all honesty


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## Chris Donaldson (Jun 26, 2016)

It’s interesting to see what the general publics interpretation of what they are being told about these products is. I wonder if the person who ordered the product fully understood that maintenance would be needed before ordering the product - even if they were told so. My next door neighbour has just agreed to have his car detailed by a local guy. The guy was advertising on Facebook a special offer which included a “ceramic wax lasting 6 months”. My neighbour took that to mean that he didn’t need to wash his car for 6 months. It’s frightening just how many people think our cars are only clean because of a “secret product” that keeps it clean. They seem to forget the amount of time we spend washing and maintaining them.


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## -rob- (Apr 4, 2011)

Rylad said:


> Well just a quick update.
> 
> The detailer came today and applied the ceramic coating.
> He went through the usual steps first:
> ...


No polish stage? I coated a 2018 Black Focus and still did a light correction. i find that very suspect. Or is that just me?


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

I do too. At the very very least it needs decontamination and claying with proper panel prep so the product bonds. Even brand new cars have plenty of defects. 

Sounds like a cheap job unfortunately.


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