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For a fraction of the cost of one of the OPs Ceramic Coating estimates, you can buy a Flex Polisher and everything else you will need to do the job yourself with sealant and wax OR even a ceramic coating.
I have ceramic coated my two trucks that sit outside and they have held up well for the past two years BUT you cannot beat the shine of a PROPERLY detailed paint using sealant and wax.

Here is proof.
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Muscle car Red
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Hood Muscle car
 
So I’m looking at getting my car ceramic coated and paint corrected. The paint correction is a for sure, since it has a lot of swirls and what not. I have attached a picture below with the ceramic coating options and prices. I was thinking about just doing the silver package, or should I just jump to the silver plus package? Would appreciate any help/recommendations.



View attachment 996979 View attachment 996980


Questions for the OP -- and everyone else for that matter ..... I see the 2-year, 5-year, 10-year, and Lifetime levels of protection. Are the number of years guaranteed?

And if so, are they guaranteed by the product manufacturer or by the detailer/installer? What happens if/when the detailer goes out of business?

Is the guarantee transferrable to a new owner if/when you sell the car?

I've seen some amazing looking cars with ceramic coatings. Some (many) of them are even too shiny for my taste. I prefer depth and glow over a mirror-like shine.
 
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I've seen some amazing looking cars with ceramic coatings. Some (many) of them are even too shiny for my taste. I prefer depth and glow over a mirror-like shine.
^^ VERY TRUE!
I was going to mention this about ceramic coatings...... "Layering" will give you depth and shine.
Here is a pic of my wife’s Silver Lexus LS460. I have heard some people say that the color silver won’t shine OR have depth....... This has both by using sealant and wax.
Ceramic will definitely give you a "mirror like" shine, but it lacks deep depth.
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Alloy wheel Mid-size car
Automotive exterior Hood Auto part Glass Tire
 
Had mine done right after I bought it. It was done by St. Louis Auto Detail. I have all the painted areas done as well as the glass and the wheels and brake calipers. Looks fantastic and I'd do it again.

I also had them PPF the front end as well as the mirror caps and fender flares.

Will-
 
Hard to believe I bought a car with no swirls! Dealer actually delivered a car without scratching it up. About the only thing they did right. Autonation Roseville. This plan to just maintain it for now continuing to use Meguiers Blue Ceramic spray. Seems to
coat and seal pretty good. Removing insects from road trip pretty easy.
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Tire Automotive design
 
A detail shop says they use CQuartz UK 3.0, looking that up online thats a DIY ceramic coating kit would that be a place to stay away from or is that something that shops also use and is high quality? I saw in another thread people talking about it favorably
 
All the CQuartz coatings are quality. Generally you pay the most for Finest Reserve, because only a select few are allowed by the company to apply it. You can be assured a detailer who offers Finest Reserve is a high quality company. The coating is important, but the quality of the paint correction is what differentiates the best from the also rans.

If the company offering UK has good reviews, and the price is right, I wouldn't hesitate. In September 2016 I had my car paint corrected and coated with Finest (was before Reserve, which is now the top of the line CarPro product). My detailer is authorized for them, and the job he did paint correcting was astonishing. I actually had 2nd thoughts when I arrived at his shop and saw how shiny my car looked before...but after, I was blown away.

If your detailer is highly rated, and applies a quality coating, then price is the seperator. For your comparison, and this was almost 4 years ago mind you. I am in the Bay Area, maybe even more pricey than where you are looking, but comparable for rates.

I paid for a 2 stage paint correction, 14 hours @ $75 an hour (he actually did around 25 hours, but did not charge me extra). $600 for the CQuartz Finest on all paint surfaces, 2 coats. $600 for Finest on wheels and calipers (he actually did some minor correction to address some factory blemishes on the wheels). $150 for CarPro Dlux on all the plastic cladding. He had it from Saturday (started on Sunday because he had obligations Saturday), and he was finishing up when I arrived late Thursday afternoon to pick it up.

One reason I mention all this is there is a great way to tell the highest quality detailers, by seeing who is authorized for Finest Reserve


Be aware that these guys also do exotics, etc., so if they are particularly pricey, you'll know why. My detailer details million dollar cars, but he gave my cheapo car the full quality treatment, and the prices were right inline with other shops

The thing I'd do 1st, is determine what shops near you are highly rated, then enquire as to what coating they use, how many coats, do they use UV lights to cure it, and also very important, how much? Often they can only ballpark before they know what level of paint correction will be required, they can't tell that until they put the car under their lights. My car was less than 4 months old, and the flaws and factory blemishes my guy showed me were surprising...again, it looked so shiny! But the before and after...wow

Good luck, I think no matter who you choose, or what particular coating they use, as long as they are highly rated, you will be beyond pleased ;)

After correction shop pictures

997604


997605


997606


997607


Almost 4 years later, still beads water, but not as crazy as when just finished ;)

997608


A Guy
 
Yes, it's a quality coating. Supposed to be relatively easy to apply




A Guy
Thank You! I've actually read those articles and the Ivan article is the one that made me think of that coating.

All the CQuartz coatings are quality. Generally you pay the most for Finest Reserve, because only a select few are allowed by the company to apply it. You can be assured a detailer who offers Finest Reserve is a high quality company. The coating is important, but the quality of the paint correction is what differentiates the best from the also rans.

If the company offering UK has good reviews, and the price is right, I wouldn't hesitate. In September 2016 I had my car paint corrected and coated with Finest (was before Reserve, which is now the top of the line CarPro product). My detailer is authorized for them, and the job he did paint correcting was astonishing. I actually had 2nd thoughts when I arrived at his shop and saw how shiny my car looked before...but after, I was blown away.

If your detailer is highly rated, and applies a quality coating, then price is the separator. For your comparison, and this was almost 4 years ago mind you. I am in the Bay Area, maybe even more pricey than where you are looking, but comparable for rates.

I paid for a 2 stage paint correction, 14 hours @ $75 an hour (he actually did around 25 hours, but did not charge me extra). $600 for the CQuartz Finest on all paint surfaces, 2 coats. $600 for Finest on wheels and calipers (he actually did some minor correction to address some factory blemishes on the wheels). $150 for CarPro Dlux on all the plastic cladding. He had it from Saturday (started on Sunday because he had obligations Saturday), and he was finishing up when I arrived late Thursday afternoon to pick it up.

One reason I mention all this is there is a great way to tell the highest quality detailers, by seeing who is authorized for Finest Reserve


Be aware that these guys also do exotics, etc., so if they are particularly pricey, you'll know why. My detailer details million dollar cars, but he gave my cheapo car the full quality treatment, and the prices were right inline with other shops

The thing I'd do 1st, is determine what shops near you are highly rated, then enquire as to what coating they use, how many coats, do they use UV lights to cure it, and also very important, how much? Often they can only ballpark before they know what level of paint correction will be required, they can't tell that until they put the car under their lights. My car was less than 4 months old, and the flaws and factory blemishes my guy showed me were surprising...again, it looked so shiny! But the before and after...wow

Good luck, I think no matter who you choose, or what particular coating they use, as long as they are highly rated, you will be beyond pleased ;)

After correction shop pictures

View attachment 997604

View attachment 997605

View attachment 997606

View attachment 997607

Almost 4 years later, still beads water, but not as crazy as when just finished ;)

View attachment 997608

A Guy
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's the Webster dictionary definition of what a black car should look like! He did a Fantastic job! (y)

It sounds like a lot of money (and is to me) but to get that result out of a detailing that lasted 4 years (and counting) is not that bad if you take into account how much that you've saved in time to keep Darth Vader looking like that.
 
I'm happy I did it, was a lot of money for a $32,000 car, lol, but I've enjoyed the heck out of it since. I'm likely to try a spray on rinse off coating after things open up again and I get it out more. The paint correction is still evident, there are minor swirls of course, but wouldn't take much to correct. The wheels and calipers perhaps not necessary, but with him correcting the flaws, and the calipers still not a speck of rust no big regret

A Guy
 
All the CQuartz coatings are quality. Generally you pay the most for Finest Reserve, because only a select few are allowed by the company to apply it. You can be assured a detailer who offers Finest Reserve is a high quality company. The coating is important, but the quality of the paint correction is what differentiates the best from the also rans.

If the company offering UK has good reviews, and the price is right, I wouldn't hesitate. In September 2016 I had my car paint corrected and coated with Finest (was before Reserve, which is now the top of the line CarPro product). My detailer is authorized for them, and the job he did paint correcting was astonishing. I actually had 2nd thoughts when I arrived at his shop and saw how shiny my car looked before...but after, I was blown away.

If your detailer is highly rated, and applies a quality coating, then price is the seperator. For your comparison, and this was almost 4 years ago mind you. I am in the Bay Area, maybe even more pricey than where you are looking, but comparable for rates.

I paid for a 2 stage paint correction, 14 hours @ $75 an hour (he actually did around 25 hours, but did not charge me extra). $600 for the CQuartz Finest on all paint surfaces, 2 coats. $600 for Finest on wheels and calipers (he actually did some minor correction to address some factory blemishes on the wheels). $150 for CarPro Dlux on all the plastic cladding. He had it from Saturday (started on Sunday because he had obligations Saturday), and he was finishing up when I arrived late Thursday afternoon to pick it up.

One reason I mention all this is there is a great way to tell the highest quality detailers, by seeing who is authorized for Finest Reserve


Be aware that these guys also do exotics, etc., so if they are particularly pricey, you'll know why. My detailer details million dollar cars, but he gave my cheapo car the full quality treatment, and the prices were right inline with other shops

The thing I'd do 1st, is determine what shops near you are highly rated, then enquire as to what coating they use, how many coats, do they use UV lights to cure it, and also very important, how much? Often they can only ballpark before they know what level of paint correction will be required, they can't tell that until they put the car under their lights. My car was less than 4 months old, and the flaws and factory blemishes my guy showed me were surprising...again, it looked so shiny! But the before and after...wow

Good luck, I think no matter who you choose, or what particular coating they use, as long as they are highly rated, you will be beyond pleased ;)

After correction shop pictures

View attachment 997604

View attachment 997605

View attachment 997606

View attachment 997607

Almost 4 years later, still beads water, but not as crazy as when just finished ;)

View attachment 997608

A Guy
Thank for the advice man I've found the right place and price now just waiting to get an appointment. Your vehicle looks amazing for the work to have been done 4 years ago and still look so sharp.
 
Thanks, you do have to use proper washing procedures for long term maintenance. Post up some pics when done (y)

A Guy
 
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