Benefits of Ceramic Coating for your Car

What is Ceramic Coating?

Ceramic coating can also be called nano-ceramic coating or nano-diamond ceramic coating which is a permanent or semi-permanent solution to your worries depending on the coating that was used and the duration it’s intended to last.

How long does ceramic coating last?

At Capital Auto Protection located in Madison, WI, we offer ECP Auto armor ceramic which is a 5-year warranty for vehicles that are 3 years or newer.  We also carry System X which is a lifetime ceramic (requires you to come yearly for wash/decontamination/reseal).  Both offer a thick ceramic coating, including entire car buffing aka paint correction prior to application of ceramic.

Ceramic coating is definitely worth the investment in our opinion, it provides protection to your vehicle’s paint finish while providing a long-lasting shine.

Let’s talk about why you should get ceramic coating.

Think of ceramic coating as if it were a semi-permanent wax or sealant as it lasts for several years. Ceramic coating is an industry-grade product made up of chemical polymer solutions. This is applied to the exterior of your vehicle to protect the paint from damage. This is typically applied by hand, adding an additional hydrophobic layer of protection.

Because of the ceramics chemical bonding, it creates a layer over the paint’s finish, leaving the car’s factory paint job untouched.

Is it worth getting ceramic coating on a car?

If you follow the ceramic coating craze lately you may hear that ceramic coating will prevent against rock chips and that you may never need to wash your car again…That is not exactly true. Let’s point out the truth and what ceramic coatings can and cannot do for your beloved vehicle. Let’s see below what ceramic coating can actually do for your vehicle.

Ceramic coating WILL maintain paint exterior cleanliness

Okay, we all know when it comes to washing our cars it can sometimes be a lengthy process. With ceramic coating, you no longer need to worry about the polymer wearing off. Not only does ceramic blend with the paint surface of your vehicle but it will also repel water. This means that all the stuff that would normally stick to the surface of your car and sit there to dry will no longer be. No more dirt or grime drying to the surface of your paint.

Protects again tree sap, bug guts & bird droppings

Who wants bug guts and bird droppings on their car? We didn’t think so…. Did you know bird dropping and bug guts contain a high amount of uric acid and enzymes coming from the bug guts that if left untreated and unwashed can dissolve your car paint’s exterior? This goes for mud and grime left unwashed as well. Leaving mud and grime unwashed literally gets baked by the sun and this damage is costly to repair. The good news is ceramic coating is one of the best ways to prevent this from happening to your beloved vehicle. The thick ceramic layer will blend and fuse with the paint which does not give room for these contaminants to penetrate the paint’s surface.

Provides protection for the deep glossy appearance

Who does not like a shiny car? If you say no, you’re lying! Everyone wants that shiny new car look! Ceramic coating provides gloss and depth to your cars paint finish. Ceramic coating will give your car that shiny glossy look bringing the true colors out of your original paint job.

If you’re tired of your car wax because it breaks down every so often, then the ceramic coating is exactly what you need. The liquid polymer or quartz bonds with your vehicle’s paint and gives it a lasting shine.

It will provide hydrophobic or water-repelling qualities

So why do we want to have hydrophobic or water-repelling properties to our vehicle’s exterior? Because water contains minerals such as calcium deposits, these calcium deposits can cause stains on your paint surface over a prolonged period of time.  This is why it is important to keep your car dry, especially during the rainy season. This is why it is important and is a benefit to have hydrophobic properties, which means water molecules are unable to stick to the paint’s surface and instead repel and slide right off the exterior surface once they come into contact with the ceramic, it saves the hassle of having to run a cloth or towel over your vehicle every time it gets wet.

Can I do ceramic coating myself? Sure, but should you?

However, you should never attempt to DIY a ceramic coating, leave that up to the professionals (us) to apply properly.  Prior to applying ceramic, a good foundation is needed for ceramic to attach to and look its best once it’s been applied. This is why we buff the entire vehicle prior to ceramic application, believe us you do not want to attempt to buff out your brand new or beautiful car yourself, by not knowing what you are doing you could buff deeper than intended and ruin your cars paint finish!

How much does it cost to ceramic coat my car?

Professional-grade ceramic coating installed by ceramic coating specialists like the professionals at Capital Auto Protection will typically cost between $700-$1600 depending on the size of the vehicle and ceramic grade chosen for your vehicle. This cost includes paint correction (buffing out minor scratches and swirling prior to ceramic application).

How long does it take to ceramic coat a new car?

In most cases, most of the time and money spent on a ceramic coating job is the labor to prepare the paint for Ceramic Coating such as paint correction aka “buffing” to remove the tiny swirling and micro-scratches prior to application. Professional Grade Ceramic Coatings take three to four days to install, and Consumer Grade Ceramic Coatings take two to three days to install.

Final Thoughts.

At the end of the day, we want to make sure your car looks it’s absolute best! Believe us and get that ceramic coating! Once you start getting those comments from your friends like “how does your car look so good and shiny?!” Don’t forget to tell them where you went!