Ceramic Coatings

  • The process begins just like any other wash service I perform. But, instead of drying the vehicle I perform a few extra steps, because the coating, in order to bond properly, needs to contact clean virgin clearcoat.

    I use an iron fallout removing product that will loosen imbedded brake dust and industrial fallout from the paint. This step, in combination with a non-abrasive synthetic clay bar plucks the contaminates from the paint.

    Following that I spray on an acidic mineral cleanse. This dissolves any minerals on the surface of the paint that can cause water spots.

    And finally, if your service includes it, I take a machine polisher with various polishing compounds and pads to the car to eliminate scratches and swirls that may be present.

    Application of the coating follows and is slightly different for every coating and car.

  • All durability claims are based off of the manufactures best, extremely educated guess on how long the coating will last in ideal conditions.

    Now, I understand that most vehicles may not be in “ideal conditions” so I do not advertise the same durability that the manufacturer does. My 1 year coating is advertised by the manufacture as a 3 year, my 3 year as an 8 year, and my 4+ year as a 6 year or lifetime coating.

    Do with that info what you want. Just an extra buffer to make sure you get the longest lasting coatings possible.

  • Most detailers will make it seem like a ceramic coating must be treated with utmost care, never be taken through a car wash, washed weekly, etc… While these are all good things, a coating is made for PROTECTION, not to make your paint more vulnerable. The coatings I use have been tested and will go hundreds of car washes without scratching the paint underneath.

    Although I do recommend that you wash your car by hand at least once a month, and to not go through car washes that frequently (only when absolutely needed), your coating will have no problem resisting the chemicals and abrasion present in an automated car wash. This is why I build in a buffer for the durability of these coatings (see the above durability claims section).

    Yes, if you frequent the car wash and never wash your car by hand, it may not last as long, but it will likely be there for a long time either way. If your coating seems to not be performing well, it often just needs a hand wash, and in extreme cases (like the aftermath of a Michigan winter) it may need to be decontaminated (which I offer at a discount to those with coatings on their car) This cleans out the salt, minerals and brake dust from the pores of the paint which are masking the coating, giving it new life.

    And of course, you are able to contact me anytime with questions or concerns at avodetail@gmail.com

    1. Ceramic coatings will prevent rock chips - FALSE: the only way to complexly prevent rock chips is to never drive your car, and the next best way is through paint protection film (PPF)/ clear bra which is many times more expensive than a coating. A coating offers amazing chemical resistance and ease of cleaning and of course candy like gloss.

    2. Ceramic coating - never wash your car again - FALSE: if you never wash your car again, you will never see your coating again. it will be permanently covered in dirt and grime masking the properties of the coating (gloss, slickness, hydrophobics) Ceramic coatings make paint extremely easy to clean, but don’t eliminate the need for periodic cleaning.

    3. Coatings are cheap. False. True ceramic coatings range in price (JUST for the coating) from $60-$1000, and this is not accounting for prepping the surface to accept the coating. These ads for ceramic sprays and waxes that “make $2000 coatings look bad” are a marketing scam. They look good, for a day or week, then you need to clean and reapply. These products can work well as a topper to a coating, but some will mask the characteristics of the coating.

  • The coatings I currently offer can be purchased by anyone, but the preparation and install process is not the easiest, and that is why having it done by a detailer is a good move.

    I am working toward professional only coatings like C6 Ceramics, CarPro Finest Reserve and Roar Coatings and will update this site once they are available. These coatings last longer and look better than others I offer, but come at an increase in price. My 4+ year coating is a semi-professional coating, and is the best I currently offer.

  • There are two factors that dramatically impact the price of the service.

    1. Polishing steps - every step of polishing adds hours to the completion time. It doesn’t cost me much more in terms of product (just polish and pads) but it is extremely time consuming to go over the entire car again. You will see increases in gloss and reduction in defects with each step, but you need to evaluate weather it is worth it for you based on your own care and love for your vehicle. If it is daily driven, I would rarely recommend more than a 1 step (maybe 2 in edge cases). Please reach out if you want a deeper explanation of why at avodetail@gmail.com or via the contact form on the website.

    2. Coating Durability - coatings dramatically increase in price for me to purchase as the higher durability coatings have more expensive ingredients (detonated nano-diamonds, sillicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, polysiloxanes)