Ceramic Coating - Is Lifetime Really Lifetime?

[PurpleRT]

Two Local businesses, been in business for 10+ years. Both offer 5-7 year ceramic coating guarantees.

Keyword most, I’m not saying every shop and every area is like that. I’ve always recommended finding someone’s that’s been in the area and in business for some years if you’re really drawn to the lifetime aspect.


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[1BADRAMLIMITED]

A lot of this boils down to maintenance after it’s been done. You can have one person who barely ever washes their vehicle and when they do they use a drive thru car wash that usually does not dispense PH neutral soap or “conditioners” and does not keep their vehicle in a garage. Also living in the “salt belt” areas affect the longevity as well. Then on the other hand you have someone who does hand washes with of course PH neutral soap and apply a ceramic detailer or protective coating when drying the vehicle. Who also keeps their car/truck in a garage. The list of variables for performance goes on and on……

 

[SShadow1974]

From the sounds of it, I might as well forget ceramic coating and just keep using what I used on my last truck.
After washing I just used this stuff:
Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax Spray

 

[Kiwiaudio]

I have zero experience with ceramic coatings, paint correction or paint protection film. I read this whole thread before going to talk with a local company that has been around for years. Owner, who seemed to really know her stuff, told me i should wait a few months before doing any of this because the truck was only built, and therefore painted, early december (lets say a month ago).
Were any of you told this, and do you agree ?

 

[Darksteel165]

I have zero experience with ceramic coatings, paint correction or paint protection film. I read this whole thread before going to talk with a local company that has been around for years. Owner, who seemed to really know her stuff, told me i should wait a few months before doing any of this because the truck was only built, and therefore painted, early december (lets say a month ago).
Were any of you told this, and do you agree ?

Your bumper will not last a month without getting chips in it with the paint they use as Ram now.
They are likely telling you to allow the paint to off gas (release gas to the air) to prevent bubbling.

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

Your bumper will not last a month without getting chips in it with the paint they use as Ram now.
They are likely telling you to allow the paint to off gas (release gas to the air) to prevent bubbling.

But a month + should be more than enough time I’m not sure that conclusion would be appropriate. I would try another spot/ 2nd opinion.

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

But a month + should be more than enough time I’m not sure that conclusion would be appropriate. I would try another spot/ 2nd opinion.

I stand corrected

Post #5

The importance of letting fresh paint outgass

When detailers say to wait 30 or more before waxing or coating fresh paint we mean it. This was a new panel replacement and painted to match the truck

www.autogeekonline.net

 

[Kiwiaudio]

Thanks Badram, that was interesting reading. One guy in there really seems to know his stuff, saying that factory finishes are sometimes "baked" and these are the only ones cured at vehicle delivery, and we dont need to wait at all. Question is whether or not Ram is a baker ?
Body shop repairs are "force dryed" or "air dryed", and will off gas for a while, hence the 30,60,90 day waiting periods depending who you talk to i guess.
As Dark alluded to, ive read many times on the forum about chips in the bumper paint, i almost went with the chrome bumpers because of it. Im going to ask a few more pros and get PPF on the front bumper and hood front edge along with ceramic when i can.

 

[bigdodge]

it usually takes over a month from assembly to arrive in your driveway.

this was my time line
"build date Dec 3, 2021, shipped Dec 4, 2021, arrived at port Dec 27. 2021 arrived at my dealer Jan 11, 2022"

 

[BowDown]

I have zero experience with ceramic coatings, paint correction or paint protection film. I read this whole thread before going to talk with a local company that has been around for years. Owner, who seemed to really know her stuff, told me i should wait a few months before doing any of this because the truck was only built, and therefore painted, early december (lets say a month ago).
Were any of you told this, and do you agree ?

The reason for the wait is to let the paint fully cure or off gas. If you wax it, seal it, ceramic coat it or PPF it within 60 days of painting, you can ruin the paint. Typically it will develop a white haze or cloudy look.
The 30-60 day window is given because of different types of paints used and the harders used to catalyze the paint.
New automotive paint is waterborne, I'm not sure of the cure times on that. When I painted cars, I used solvent based paint with a catalyzing harder and it need a min of 30 days to cure; I always told customers 60 days.

Baked paint really depends on what they were doing, some use IR lamps to speed up the flash time making the paint safe to touch but not fully cure out. IR fully cure bake time would be hours (4-6) for an autoline, I'm not sure they wait that long for production vehicles