Ceramic coating

Just got a Nano ceramic coating put on our 4Runner! Looks really nice and is supposed to protect against rock chips and bugs sticking so hard. Supposed to last 5-7 years so I guess we’ll see how long it lasts. When you wash it water beads up and runs off just like you would have rain-ex on the entire vehicle. Everything was coated including windows, plastic trims, and wheels!

 

Looks really good!

Hope you got the rock chip information in writing. Not being a smart ass but ceramic coating isn't an egg shell. The only real protection comes form having the nose wrapped.

 

Ya we just got it done today so I’ll have to watch it and see how it does

 

How much did all that set you back?

 

Around $350 for my 4Runner. My bro-n-law has him do his 1-ton Chevy dually and that was right at $500. Had 3-4 guys working on it and took right at 3 hrs

 

Yea, I saw the local dealership offered that to a friend. I would really love to know how a coating protects from rock chips? Here in CO they use whats called sand on snowy roads in winter but back East we called it really small gravel! Windows take a beating here, I could see a coating stopping some small sand pits from wind and tires thrown up but as for rocks that make the chips, I don't understand how its possible to stop??

 

Ya I don’t suppose it’ll keep bigger rocks from chipping but hopefully some of the small stuff and hopefully make the bugs and such wash off easier

 

350.00 to ceramic coat a 4R? That's cheap!!

 

Ceramic coating will not protect against any form of rock chips. If the rock was going to chip the paint without the coating it’ll chip with the coating. The only way you’ll be able to protect against rock chips is a wrap.

I’ve had 4 cars ceramicly coated and rock chips still happened. My latest 4runner I got wrapped and have no rock chips thus far.

also I agree with @DGP1961 that price is really cheap. I paid 1400 for my coating. However my application and install time was over a 2 day period.

 

As others have said, that is fantastically cheap... I am in northern NJ and I was quoted $1500 for a Ceramic Pro job. The best I can find is the Ceramic Pro Sport for $400, but it only lasts 6 months they say. There is an auto-wash place that will do something called Flight Shield for right around $550, but I don't know much about that one... I am debating.

 

That’s the brochure. I was wrong on the rock chips. And ya i thought $350 was cheap for something like that to but if the guy is willing to do it for that I’ll gladly pay that over $1400. It looks like he did a good job so I’ll see how it lasts and maybe try to leave updates along the way

 

At least your paint will be protected up to 1,800*C!

 

Seems like you got a deal! Please let us know how it holds up for you. I am going to look into finding an installer for that coating around here.

Does anyone else recommend a specific coating? Seems like some say they are a total waste of money, others swear by them.

 

The price you were quoted for 1500 is more than likely ceramic pro? and I paid 1400 for ceramic pro. Which has a 10 year lifespan.

ceramic pro only sales there products to authorized dealers/installers. They require the shop to send People to a class to learn about the product and to install it.

Which means you can go to any authorized dealer for your yearly maintainers or warranty issues. I believe this is why there is a price difference between the two products. Not saying one is better than the other or not.

 

It seems a lot of money is in the initial prep.......clay bar, buff and polish, ect..... and not so much in the actual ceramic coating application, right?

Did they do a bunch of prep work on your vehicle @harms ?

 

This has been my experience as well. The ceramic application is a relatively small part of the process.

I have ceramic coated 3 of my vehicles now over the last couple years. Literally takes all weekend to strip wash, clay, paint correct, polish, and then apply the coating. (With various intermediate steps). I personally wouldn’t trust or purchase any product / service that doesn’t emphasize these steps.

My experience has been that the vast majority of the improvements in appearance and hydrophobic performance is due to the prep work.

Considering any quality ceramic coating needs maintenance at least once a year, especially if you live on a 4 season region, you aren’t really getting your money’s worth when it comes to years of coverage. Ceramic hybrid waxes applied twice a year will offer just as much protection / performance, and will look much better if someone thinks they don’t have to do additional prep and maintenance just because they have ceramic coating done.

In the future, I’m biting the bullet and just doing PPF if it’s a vehicle I plan on keeping long term. The technology in that field is blowing up, and truly is amazing.

 

"In the future, I’m biting the bullet and just doing PPF if it’s a vehicle I plan on keeping long term."

Check

 

Yes! The $1500 quote was the Ceramic Pro application. They have a few tiers as far as I can tell... the cheapest is the Ceramic Pro Sport package, which was like $500 or something, but only lasts 6 months or something...

 

ya @nimby, the guy I had do it does auto detailing for a living so he washed it,clay bared it, polished and buffed it, and applied the coating.

 

Really good price then!

Looks great!

 

Mine was fully wrapped with XPEL yesterday, at Toyota. And no not the whole car, just the Normal spots, had him do right above windshield too.

 

I found out about that “The Last Coat” products and watched S loads of video’s with people using and testing it. Looked good. I bought a bundle kit with lots of there products. Now that my T4R has the XPEL paint protection (clear bra) where it needs to be, I am free to proceed with the TLC stuff. only thing is I have been rather ill and I have to wait until better, my wife won’t let me do Jack shit, and she is right..... pneumonia.

 

Nice. May I know the total cost? I'm thinking of wrapping my rig with Xpel also.

 

To do all the forward facing surfaces. Front end painted surfaces, front end hood, headlights. Front fenders forward ends, door mirrors, door handle pockets where fingernails strike, very lower rocker panel paint all the way back and up the rear wheel well flares. I had him do just above windshield glass too, typically not included but my last one got chipped up there, not this time. Like about $1200ish from my Toyota dealer I just put all in the financing.

 

What do you mean you"wrapped" the front end?

 

Probably that is not what I meant if I said that. Just had XPEL PPF done for the T4R. So clear bra for all forward facing surfaces, and few other places.