Ceramic Coating Failure Or Unreal Expectations?

[PrISM]

 

[riccnick]

This has nothing to do with black vehicles, and everything to do with proper paint care and coating expectations. The color doesn't matter, all paints swirl, mar, and scratch. It's just more difficult to see with the lighter colors. Any deep color will be just as bad as black.

 

[FirstTimeRamDriver]

Dang, this thread should be made a sticky with “Before you buy a black vehicle” as the heading. I’ve known for years that black looked wonderful when clean, and that lasted maybe an hour.
Here in NC the spring pollen is murder on dark finishes. Even shows on my Ivory...

Sticky won’t help. This is my 3rd black vehicle. Some people never learn. Sigh...

 

[Sfoster0717]

This has nothing to do with black vehicles, and everything to do with proper paint care and coating expectations. The color doesn't matter, all paints swirl, mar, and scratch. It's just more difficult to see with the lighter colors. Any deep color will be just as bad as black.

All dark colors have a tendency to magnify the swirl marks. Especially a black that has no metallic to it. You are correct all paint shows swirl marks but having a dark color makes it easier to see them. Much like a piece of glass that is clear its harder to notice a scratch in it once you tint the window it now has a dark back ground which makes the scratched glass much easier to see.

 

[Fidomac]

Hey everyone,

I bought my truck about 3 weeks ago. Immediately from the lot drove to a local detailer who has been in business for over 30 years for ceramic coating. He used a Team Puris product with two coats. I washed the truck by hand a few days ago and noticed some scratches and then started noticing lots of swirl marks and things. Washed it again today with a power wash and I'm finding them everywhere. I used a microfiber mitt from Simoniz and the Chemical Guys towels to dry. I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on. In my mind, the ceramic coating should prevent things like this and I shouldn't even be getting the marks in the first place using these towels etc.

What do you guys think? Are my expectations of the coating unrealistic? Is this unavoidable or am I using crap mitt/towels....maybe detailer guy didn't do any paint correction despite telling me he did. So frustrated and looking to see how you guys would handle it.

Thanks,

 

[rrjjpp74]

Ceramic coating is not a easy thing to do. I did mine myself as I have detailed on the side before. I 2 bucket washed, clayed, washed again, 3 step paint correction. Then started with ceramic prep, apply the coating and let it cure overnight and then ceramic booster. I had approx 22 hrs in all that process. And that isn't including all the fine details afterwards like removing the wheels and cleaning the back barrels, inner fender liners, tonneau cover, and tires. It makes you understand why these detail shops charge so much to do this.

 

[AbitaPro]

Hey everyone,

I bought my truck about 3 weeks ago. Immediately from the lot drove to a local detailer who has been in business for over 30 years for ceramic coating. He used a Team Puris product with two coats. I washed the truck by hand a few days ago and noticed some scratches and then started noticing lots of swirl marks and things. Washed it again today with a power wash and I'm finding them everywhere. I used a microfiber mitt from Simoniz and the Chemical Guys towels to dry. I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on. In my mind, the ceramic coating should prevent things like this and I shouldn't even be getting the marks in the first place using these towels etc.

What do you guys think? Are my expectations of the coating unrealistic? Is this unavoidable or am I using crap mitt/towels....maybe detailer guy didn't do any paint correction despite telling me he did. So frustrated and looking to see how you guys would handle it.

Thanks,

There are lots of people that apply Ceramic Coatings to vehicles. I used a company called Kleentech, in Covington Louisiana. They had several steps to apply the coating, and have done all of our vehicles. The owner is a perfectionist, which I appreciate, when it comes to polishing Black.

Swirls could be from the coating process or a Carwash,not sure about microfiber towels, unless it was contaminated.

The only wash we use now after Ceramic coating is either a hand wash and air dry or Tommy Express CarWash, they don’t use anything that will damage the coating or waxes others may have on their vehicles, and their foam brush doesn’t swirl the paint.