Spending high $$$ on auto detailing products are a waste of money and just plain stupid. It’s just a car. Just get a simple wax and wash kit from Walmart and apply when necessary.
Just a Car? Really? Thats a pretty strong opinion for a person on a forum and in a detail thread. I respect your opinion but don't share it at all. My Car means a lot to me and I totally enjoy spending money on higher end detail products.
I have been detailing my cars since the 80's and always take tip top care of all my cars.
Ceramic coatings are legit and worth having done IF you can't do it yourself.
Well put . . . generally speaking. I'm in the transportation category. Im also a auto hobbiest when it comes to my vehicles. I take very good care of vehicles mechanically and cosmetically. I just happen to drive tens of thousands of miles annually and do not define it by how water beads or sheets off a painted surface if that makes sense.
I think there is another level more befitting when it involves spending of thousands of dollars in ceramics and chemicals. And I'll even include the term, obsessive detailing. Who has entered their vehicle in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
I didn't think so because these cars are not ever going to be at that level no matter how much lipstick on the paint job.
I find it worth it. Has made cleaning and drying my car much easier. People often compliment how clean it looks even after just a bit of rain. Sure the side skirts and such can collect dirt but its really not noticeable until you bend down and look at it
Do you seriously think that this product will supply 7+ years of protection?
Maybe if that is a show car, kept covered in a climate controlled garage and only driven on holidays. 😗
Here's a video that tells the story, the exact same story everyone who gets a coating should hear. This guys says that everyone should get a coating but then he lays down all the rules that having a coating consist of. Now if everyone followed his advice as far as maintenance is concerned, I would agree. Keep in mind that he is in the business so his opinion does come with a dog in the fight. But just as you have people who won't even look at some instructions until something goes wrong, not everyone is going to follow his maintenance advice. Some people are going to cut corners and those people are NOT the ones who should be considering a coating.
I look at it this way. The best product on the market MAY NOT be the best product for you.
The Charger is a fun car to drive, looks sexy but is NOT something you would buy to tow a trailer full of racing horses. So, the Charger could have won every reward that is given out to cars but it would NOT be the car for you if you were wanting to tow horses around. Coating have that same issue. It is for some people but definitely not for ALL. Watch the video. It says a lot. Again, he has a dog in the fight but he does manage to keep it honest.
I like his videos. I am not an expert but I have heard other opinions from reputable shops that you do not need to clean your car every week. Some even advise against it. I do like that he says don't get caught up with branding and choose based on the shop and full offering.
After researching and meeting in-person with a few shops in my area I am actually planning to go with the one that is "more expensive" because it's closer to my home but also because it's a flat fee 5-year program. They do graphene coatings which is similar to ceramic. Their flat fee price includes wheels off coating, annual maintenance included and the initial paint correction prep is included. Every other shop I went to provided an hourly rate for prep/correction on top of the ceramic coating cost plus wheels off is normally a line-item fee.
Do I think ceramic/graphene is worth it? I don't know. $1500-2000 is normal range for a 5-year plan including wheels off. So if you plan to spend about $500+ per year on hand washes or car details then it may be worth the risk if you can afford the upfront cost. I will post pics when I get it done this summer.
Spending high $$$ on auto detailing products are a waste of money and just plain stupid. It’s just a car. Just get a simple wax and wash kit from Walmart and apply when necessary.
Wasting high $$$ on auto detailing products is 100% a waste of money and just plain stupid IF the products don't do as advertised or you drive your car through mud all day and not care about how it looks and continue to spend high $$$ on detailing products.
A simple wax and wash kit may work for you. That's fine. If someone wants to spend $8000 on a full PPF wrap then they can do it if they can afford it. Some people have the money and just want peace of mind and aren't the DIY-type.
I've had my Hellraisin SPWB for almost 3 weeks now, and the dealership didn't do the best job detailing the car. I just did a quick Meguiars Waterless Wash & Wax this past weekend and it works pretty good for as quick and easy as it is. I used to detail my cars meticulously by hand and it would take me all day. I just don't have that kind of time anymore and want to get it professionally detailed. I just received a quote that for $1,000-$2,000 I can have my car ceramic coated. The ceramic coating will last anywhere from 2 years to a lifetime, depending on the "package" I purchase. Honestly I don't believe that there's any ceramic coating in the world that will last a lifetime, but is $1,000-$2,000 a reasonable quote for ceramic coating? Am I better off saving some money and just paying for a traditional wax coating? This is my dream car and I plan keeping this car for my whole life, so I want to keep it in as pristine condition as possible. It's pretty much just a weekend car at this point with the occasional weeknight drive.
Lifetime requires annual maintenance which is either included within the $1000-2000 quote or its an extra charge. Other extra charges and fine print is what happens if your ceramic gets damaged because you scratched somehow and it needs additional work or coating or even paint work if it's bad then there are a lot of times extra hourly fees or outright lifetime warranty down the drawn. I don't believe anything has a lifetime warranty lol.
1-2k seems insane for a ceramic coating/sealant job no matter where it is. I honestly would just use a consumer based ceramic wax coating like meguiars hybrid ceramic wax. Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax Review – Automotive-Unlimited
Exactly. To do a perfect application of a coating requires some tedious paint correction before any coating is applied and that can be a very involved process, depending on the shape of the paint. I wouldn't do it for less than 1.5K.
I spent 1 day doing the graphene coating and mine is a daily driver and parked in a trucking transfer warehouse with partial gravel areas which means craploads of dust. None of it sticks and been nearly 3 months since applying and water still bounces off the car. I even applied to windshield and i almost dont need to use the wipers.
cost? I days usage of about 6000 calories of elbow grease and $50 from local parts store.
now for the real question…why the hell would someone haul greasy ass shit in a porche without laying down some cheap ass f’n plastic…or i you really sure it was grease? 🤔
I spent 1 day doing the graphene coating and mine is a daily driver and parked in a trucking transfer warehouse with partial gravel areas which means craploads of dust. None of it sticks and been nearly 3 months since applying and water still bounces off the car. I even applied to windshield and i almost dont need to use the wipers.
cost? I days usage of about 6000 calories of elbow grease and $50 from local parts store. Consumer applications may last you 1 year if you are lucky before having to reapply. Professional installs can last 5+ years. Paint correction before installing a coating is the main value and quality benefit that a normal consumer isn't capable of doing on their own.
now for the real question…why the hell would someone haul greasy ass shit in a porche without laying down some cheap ass f’n plastic…or i you really sure it was grease? 🤔
I hear that. Keep in mind that being nice after 3 months is nice but you are going to have to maintain your coating by reapplying every 6-12 months. Reapply as in remove the coating and then apply a new coating.
now for the real question…why the hell would someone haul greasy ass shit in a porche without laying down some cheap ass f’n plastic…or i you really sure it was grease? 🤔
It was definitely grease. Some people see cars as nothing more than a mode of transportation, full stop. They are the ones you think of when you see a ragged out car, knowing that at one point, it was a shiny, brand new car. They just don't car like we do.