Ceramic coating discussion and B.S

For those that applied the coating, themselves. Any extra steps like taping off the rubber? Removing the roof rails. I would think hitting the rubber seals at the sun roof and windows would be a no go, but hard to find info on it.

 

What did your "full front clip" XPEL include? Could you please elaborate?
I picked up my rig last week and looking to get front end done before I hit the road. The quotes I have been getting back for full front end to include - bumper, hood, fenders, mirrors, headlights and fog lights is ~$2200. Seemed a bit steep to me.

 

The "full front clip" has options.
Ours was bumper, hood, fenders, A pillars & mirrors. I maybe a bit short on remembering the price (may have been $1,200 but not $2,200) we also got the doors & rear fenders done. Along with paint correction and ceramic coating, IIRC it was about $5k total.
Hope it helps!
Ryan.

 

It does! $1200 sounds more inline with what I would expect for full front clip. Thank you for sharing the info!

 

I knew it was here!
https://www.4runners.com/threads/ceramic-coating-discussion-and-b-s.9459/page-3
#64 & 65 is mine. I will go back and look @ prices.
Ryan.

 

As IDA, international detail association certified detailer, i can say ceramic coating is the great thing. But it is also expensive, hard to maintain, and hard to remove scratches. There are other types of coating now. POLYMER, SiO2 spray, liquid wax and old fashion paste wax. Everything but ceramic coating, you can recondition the surface. Without using woolpad with hi speed buffer, clearcoat which is about 4mil will last long time. Use foam pad and DA polisher, you can re condition. At the end, you can use surface sealant to level clearcoat. Surface will feel like you touched at Toyota dealer or even better.

 

I kind of understand your thoughts on ceramic coating as after 2 yrs ours needs a detail. Please read & watch the video in Post #19 https://www.4runners.com/threads/ceramic-coating-discussion-and-b-s.9459/
Just curious of your thoughts on Xpel.
I have been washing my own cars for over 20 yrs but I am not certified or even that current on detailing. I only do & use what they told & sold me to maintain our wrap & coating.
It has been hand washed from 17 miles! Never seen a automatic wash.
Thanks,
Ryan.

 

Hand wash is one of the most important item. I have not seen any tunnel car wash for decays. Soft water, pressure wash, soft and clean wipe is almost half of maintenance, then use clay or iron remover to remove contaminants on clearcoat. Use finishing product....to keep show car condition.

 

"Finishing product" will depend upon PPF & coatings... will it not?
Again, not questioning; I want to learn.
Can I refresh ours or should I pay the installer to clean & whatever? Pardon my ignorance (first time with PPF & ceramic coatings).
Thanks,
Ryan.

 

So I just bought some ceramic and started reading that there is a new kid on the block. Graphene - lasts 7 years
Adams make one but lots of video on the net

$85 Adam's Polishes UV Graphene Ceramic Coating - 10H Ceramic Coating for Cars W/UV Glow Technology | 7+ Years of Protection | Apply After Car Wash Clay Bar Car Buffer Polisher | Boat RV Motorcycle

https://www.amazon.com/Adams-Graphene-Ceramic-Coating-Technology/dp/B08CNMTF8M

 

Paint Protective Film (some may call this clear bra) is great paint protection. I have this on my wife's Nissan. I use normal finishing product just like normal clearcoat section. Paint Protection Film will protect your vehicle for harder hit such as rock chip. I have seen this product (#19) at SEMA show in Las Vegas, and quite convincing. coating will become soft and fill scratched section. I have thought putting Paint Protective Film on my 4Runner also.

Ceramic coating is current industry trend. Just like everything was called HD for a while. Many manufactures produce product with SiO2.... I have tested several ceramic coating myself and some are easier and some are more difficult without certain training. Ceramic coating will work as hydrophobic product and so as other product such as Polymer, Paint Sealant.

I believe most products will perform as it is advertised. Some do a little less.

Paint Protective Film is thick and hard protection against damage.
Ceramic Coating is thin but protection against minor damage and UV(some products). It is a little hard to maintain.
Polymer Coating can be re-applied over and create multiple layer of coating but it is removable. This means scratch may damage clearcoat, but it is repairable.
Paint Sealant is rough clearcoat sealer to create smooth surface.
Clay and Clay Lubricant will remove contaminant from clearcoat. Iron remover also will do the same.
Compound and Polish will repair and finish minor scratches and surface.

I live in Los Angeles area. Other than rust, it is one of the hardest environment , hard water, dry condition, dirty air, pollution with iron particle. East coast are much easier on paint and clearcoat. As all you know, heat and wax do not go well. Wax will melt in heat. This is the reason I no longer use wax on my 4Runner. I do use polymer, paint sealant, SiO2 spray wax. I do not have ceramic coating or Paint Protective Film on my 4Runner right now.

I will avoid mentioning any product name or manufacture on this site. but I hope this will help you decision.

 

So I did little forum surfing and watched reviews. Seems Adams is not that good. Oddly enough turtle wax appears to have dug themselves out of the 80's and released a new winner a couple weeks ago. I ordered some and figured its relatively cheap and easy to maintain. This Graphene is not fully developed yet as its new but seams to have great potential. It's only matter of time before other manufacturers jump on the band wagon. Have not seen one bad review on the TW brand but I'll let ya know in a couple weeks.

 

I've been using Turtle wax products since last spring now. I'm very happy with them! I am in an apartment so I can't properly hand wash the 4runner. So, I go through the touchless automatic, and then use the ceramic detailer to get rid of the water spots and give it a good shine. Water beads very nicely!

 

Just got back from sweetcars, not the best shot but the window stuff they put on also really works. $1200 5 coats on body I think they said, ceramic pro gold?

steve

 

So as an amateur auto detailer I read awhile back just use 5k led in the garage and your set for lighting, wrong! Been doing my own detail for about 4 years now and learned about cri lighting a couple months ago. Picked up the scangrip and quickly learned 1 will not work, I needed three. (2) 8000L and (1) 3000L
They are Bluetooth adjustable from 2.5k to 6k color. I was shocked how many scratches and swirls I missed without these. Put two up high and one low. Different color light and multiple angles reveals every darn thing!
Just spent a day and a half striping off ceramic, clay, correct and polish. Gonna coat it tomorrow and should be set.
Pic has zero coating right now, just clearcoat

 

Scangrip is the great tool and also will upset yourself to see all scratches which you could not see before. Make sure to level all clearcoat prior to ceramic coating. any scratches will show as deeper. Good luck. I am correcting all scratches from last week mountain off-roading. 4 stages correction. finished the first 2 stages today. will do finish and paint sealant tomorrow. Then SiO2 ceramic spray coat.

 

Another very interesting thread! Thanks to all posting.
My 4R is 2 weeks old now and after stumbling onto this thread I'm wondering what move I should take on my roof.
I've never washed a vehicle and have owned 27 in my lifetime. I figure that's what rain is for
I do get to keep my vehicle(s) in covered carport...well except the 1997 Nissan pickup. It sits on in the field.

So mid-February my Bajarack will ship. It's the low model Utility-mesh. After it goes on I'll probably never touch the roof again...nor hardly see it.
So please suggest a plan of action for me.
Just know last week we had three days when it never got warmer than 13F.
This will be a freak week and we'll actually hit 45F one day if the forecasters are correct.

Something I can slather on the roof and be done with it.
I can't see me up on a ladder polishing for long....at my age.
Something that can be applied in the cold , CQ.UK maybe?

Vinyl wrap just the roof?
When I google my area for car wraps all I see is for designs/advertising. What else can I search for?

Forgot to mention the important part. I'm not vain at all. Never had a shiny vehicle for long. I just like it when they start and get me there. so my 4r's roof doesn't have to glisten like a gem.

 

I think the least amount of maintenance/best protection with a full length roof rack would be to vinyl wrap the roof.

I've been tossing around the idea before I put my full length on.

 

^that and if your concerned about water beading and keeping clean they have spray on/ rinse off ceramic and Graphene sealant that will go over vinyl or plastic no problem.

 

OK then guys and thanks.
Now what if I just put on Adam's UV Graphene Ceramic coating before
the roof rack? Better than nothing right?
I think that is the way I'm leaning. One bottle should put two-three coates up there.

 

I mean sure, it's better than nothing but......

You might as well just put a bunch of coats of Turtle wax up there, IMO.

No reason to spend extra money on expensive ceramic coating.

I just don't see the benefit.

Maybe someone else can give you a good argument for ceramic coat up there.

 

Thanks Jake for you input and candor.
So the Graphene is advertised as lasting 7 years...hmmm....so would turtle wax
last that long? longer?
Really once the rack goes on I'll never think about the roof again. I've got
2 months to do something or nothing.
It's not a daily driver and as mentioned will spend most of its life in a covered carport.

 

Well, to be honest I don't buy into the claim that the graphene will last 7 years.......but hey......I don't have experience with it. Call me a skeptic.

I don't even think vinyl wrap claims to last 7 years.

 

Just to add, this is a post from CanonShooter in the other forum. It's not the exact same topic as we're discussing right now, but it does provide some valuable insight to all these new coatings coming out.

I tend to believe what he is saying in this post compared to the claims made by ceramic coating companies. Here is a link to the entire thread for context if you'd like to read it Here is his quote:

 

About 20 years from now some random guy will find a can of regular swirl in turtle wax, follow the direction. Rinse, wash, rinse and wax and it will be the greatest thing “old school retro car washing” and he’ll make serious cash on his “ discovery”. It’s all a vicious circle....LOL

 

I'm new to this ceramic coatings circus....so I contacted my detail supplier and he suggested this product to start with, TEC582 ceramic spray. My test vehicle was a 2008 Ford Escape...black. So this should be a good place to start, especially with black paint. Overall condition of paint was good. I buffed first with Maguire's MGH30 then polished with Full Throttle finishing compound, I was not going to claybar anything. Final step was to do one panel at a time with this Technicians Choice TEC582 ceramic spray. The final look was very nice, however was that due to the buff and polish, or buff, polish and ceramic spray! I've ported cars, full time, yrs. ago when Rusty Jones, Polyglycoat, Finish Coat, Race Glaze and every other razzmataz product was out there as the latest and greatest. This is nothing new, so to speak. It did give an extremely slick finish, fairly durable (weather and such) four months ago, and ease of application was spot on. No streaks but elbow grease and constant wipe downs with good quality micro fiber towels is a must. For the DIYr, average to above average detailer this is a good product. I'm happy with the results,......but I was also happy with all the other aforementioned products as well.
Just another voice in the crowd for what its worth. Happy New Year to all....be safe...its truly a jungle out there.

 

I really need to start my own build thread but not much has happened since covid.
I do want to bring this thread back to life as it has a ton of great information in it.
This isn't a long term test or review of Xpel. I am just showing an example of what is great about it.
This is the day we picked it up from pain correction, 3/4 vehicle wrap & ceramic coating.

I haven't washed it in a few weeks due to pollen & rain. Last night it poured down rain. Then the truck was almost clean! There were drip spots etc but as I looked @ every dark vehicle; ours looked like it was in a garage (I do wish).

It was nice to see the wife get into her "clean" truck that wasn't washed.
Ryan
Edit* post 64 is the beginning of this story.

 

About time for me to finish coating my truck. I'll probably stick with Carpro UK 3.0