It’s easy to tell who truly cares about their car. It’s not just about keeping it clean and well-maintained; those who truly take care of their car understand the value of preventative care, like getting their vehicle a professional ceramic coating. Think of longer-lasting protection and shine in terms of what a ceramic coating can do for your car.
WHAT IS A CERAMIC COATING FOR YOUR CAR?
Ceramic coating is a curing property that chemically bonds to the car’s exterior, usually offering better and longer-lasting protection than wax or other car paint sealants. These protection methods help protect your vehicle, but the ceramic coating is the strongest and longest-lasting paint protection agent.
Initially, the ceramic coating was invented to protect helicopters in the United States military. During the Vietnam War, sensitive areas of helicopters were being damaged by shrapnel and debris, and company 3M was tasked to develop lightweight protection for rotor blades. Eventually, the technology became widely available for cars, and race car drivers in the 1980s began using it to protect their vehicles on dusty racetracks.
Following its popularity in racing, ceramic coating technology started becoming more widely available to consumers in the 1990s, and today ceramic coating for your vehicle is becoming a standard service in auto detailing shops and premium car washes all over America.
Ceramic coatings are typically applied by hand by an experienced car technician, who will know precisely how to prepare your car for this procedure and use the ceramic coating so that your vehicle has a seamless finish.
1. Ceramic Coating Protects Your Vehicle’s Paint
The paint is not just there to make your car look nice. It’s also there to protect the metal underneath from rust. The more your paint gets chipped or wears down, the more your vehicle will start to disintegrate.
That’s why it’s so important to protect your paint! Your vehicle’s first line of defense should be that extra layer of armor it gets from wax or ceramic coating. Not only is that healthier for your car, but it’s also better for your finances: it’s usually more expensive to have paint damage fixed up than to invest in the proper preventative care for your vehicle.
2. A CERAMIC COATING IS LIKE SUNSCREEN FOR YOUR VEHICLE
In sunny states like Texas, our cars see many suns, which can be unhealthy for their paint. Extreme heat and ultraviolet radiation exposure can make paint crack or fade, and ceramic coating can help by deflecting the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Most car waxes offer similar protection, but the problem is how quickly wax can wear off and leave your car exposed to UV radiation. If you have a darker-colored car, it’s essential to ensure your vehicle is equipped with good protection because studies have shown darker cars get hotter than silver and white cars.
3. CERAMIC COATING PROTECTS AGAINST DIRT THAT CAN DAMAGE PAINT
Dirt, bugs, bird droppings, tree sap, and gasoline are some of the most common pollutants that can damage the paint on your car. The harder those natural pollutants stick to your car, the harsher chemicals a car wash will likely have to use to get them off. And those harsh chemicals can wash off wax if not also damage your vehicle.
A ceramic coating offers additional protection in that it is resistant to moisture and common car wash detergents. This is because ceramic coating chemically binds to the surface of your vehicle rather than just sitting on top of it.
4. CERAMIC COATING PROTECTS AGAINST MINOR DINGS AND SCRATCHES
Anyone living in the Dallas area is no stranger to hail and fall tree branches, and a ceramic coating is great to have on your vehicle to protect against these types of hazards. While ceramic coatings usually do a decent job protecting against minor dings and scratches, they aren’t bulletproof. Of course, large branches and hail can do severe damage to all sorts of vehicles, but nobody wants to have to take in their car to get fixed because an acorn put a dent in it.
5. CERAMIC COATING PROTECTS THE VALUE OF YOUR VEHICLE
Adding a ceramic paint coat can often increase the value of your vehicle, but don’t wait until right before you’re ready to sell or trade in your car to get a ceramic coating. It’s better to lock in the value early and slow down value depreciation. Plus, the earlier you get a ceramic coating on your vehicle, the longer you’ll get to enjoy having a beautiful shiny car!
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET CERAMIC COATING FOR MY VEHICLE?
When applied professionally, and assuming you take proper care of your vehicle by washing it regularly, the ceramic coating should offer you protection for several years. In contrast, wax usually needs to be reapplied every three months.
WHAT CAR WASH IS BEST FOR VEHICLES WITH A CERAMIC COATING?
One of the main benefits of getting a ceramic coating for your vehicle is that you can take it to pretty much any type of car wash and expect it to hold up well. That said, there will always be some car washes that are better than others, and you want to make sure your vehicle is in good hands no matter what kind of paint protection it has.
Also, remember that having a ceramic coating doesn’t mean you should have your car washed less frequently–a ceramic coating means waxing less regularly. A ceramic coating is excellent for people who like to have their vehicle washed more regularly, like our WashGuys Unlimited members.
Without a ceramic coating, it’s possible to overwash your vehicle or expose your paint to cleaning chemicals that aren’t good for it. Frequent washing can also wear down the wax coating too quickly, so you wouldn’t be saving time or money if you have to get a wax every other time you visit for a wash.
Save yourself both by getting a ceramic coating as early as you can, and then feel free to become a member of the WashGuys Unlimited Club so you can get as many washes as you need and keep your vehicle clean and protected.
