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Anyone get paint protection film, ceramic coating, tinting?
I'm sure there are better forums to ask this question.... But did anyone get/planning to get any of these installed?
I'm leaning towards getting PPF just for the high impact areas like the front bumper and hood, etc. But I think that's it. Seems like a good cost to benefit ratio. Just wondering what your thoughts were.
I'm also considering tinting the front side windows a bit. Anyone have photos of their tint?
I have PPF done on all my cars. Had Xpel installed and did FULL hood, front bumper, front quarter panels, mirror caps and door handle cups. I do my own ceramic protection. www.r1coatings.com
I also had the tint done with Llumar top of the line Ceramic at 35% to say within my states legal limit.
Last edited by securityguy; 11-11-2018 at 10:29 AM.
I have PPF done on all my cars. Had Xpel installed and did FULL hood, front bumper, front quarter panels, mirror caps and door handle cups. I do my own ceramic protection. www.r1coatings.com
I also had the tint done with Llumar top of the line Ceramic at 35% to say within my states legal limit.
Perfect, I think that's exactly what I want. Any disadvantages of doing the ceramic yourself? Is it fairly simple to do? And I know pricing may vary widely depending on region, but how much did the PPE and tint cost you? Same shop?
You have to take your time and prepare the paint before coating. Remove all wax using either their product or Dawn Dishwashing liquid. Claybar the car and the ceramic coat. Very easy...you can watch the on-line videos on their site. Great high quality product and will save you over $1000+ doing it yourself if you have the time and patience.
In my area, you can get the PPF done for under $1000 and the tint for $150-$200 (front windows only) based on the product you select. Same shop...they do all of the MB, Porsche, Audi, JAG dealers in town and other high end cars. Not uncommon to see Ferrari's and Lambos in his shop. Was introduced to him through a friend. Did my PPF for $800 and the tint for $100.
You have to take your time and prepare the paint before coating. Remove all wax using either their product or Dawn Dishwashing liquid. Claybar the car and the ceramic coat. Very easy...you can watch the on-line videos on their site. Great high quality product and will save you over $1000+ doing it yourself if you have the time and patience.
In my area, you can get the PPF done for under $1000 and the tint for $150-$200 (front windows only) based on the product you select. Same shop...they do all of the MB, Porsche, Audi, JAG dealers in town and other high end cars. Not uncommon to see Ferrari's and Lambos in his shop. Was introduced to him through a friend. Did my PPF for $800 and the tint for $100.
You have to take your time and prepare the paint before coating. Remove all wax using either their product or Dawn Dishwashing liquid. Claybar the car and the ceramic coat. Very easy...you can watch the on-line videos on their site. Great high quality product and will save you over $1000+ doing it yourself if you have the time and patience.
In my area, you can get the PPF done for under $1000 and the tint for $150-$200 (front windows only) based on the product you select. Same shop...they do all of the MB, Porsche, Audi, JAG dealers in town and other high end cars. Not uncommon to see Ferrari's and Lambos in his shop. Was introduced to him through a friend. Did my PPF for $800 and the tint for $100.
He only does work for dealers and not individuals and his shop is based out of the MB dealer in town. I called several highly reputable, recommended shops in the JAX area and all were around $1000. Where are you located?
I had my two front windows tinted for $100 and PPF for the full hood, partial fender, bumper, headlights, foglights, grille & emblem, and side mirrors for $1350 with Suntek film.
I generally don't like the way paint protection or films look -- I just plan on putting the money that I'd pay for that and putting it towards for doing repairs when needed. I have a good relationship with my tinter, and painters.
I had xpel done on the front bumper, 18 inches of the hood, front fenders and mirrors done for $700 then front windows with 50% for $100, 50% doesn’t do a whole lot but the lowest legal I can do here without state troopers pulling you over all the time.
as for the clear bra you can’t even tell it’s on, you really have to look up close to see it, the bumper is almost completely invisible, when I got it back I checked it and I almost thought they forgot to install it
I generally don't like the way paint protection or films look -- I just plan on putting the money that I'd pay for that and putting it towards for doing repairs when needed. I have a good relationship with my tinter, and painters.
Suntek CIR 20 Black was my tint.
If PPF is done properly, you will never see it unless you are up close and looking for it. Darker colors hide it better but I have it on my white Audi and after a year it still looks relatively invisible.
He only does work for dealers and not individuals and his shop is based out of the MB dealer in town. I called several highly reputable, recommended shops in the JAX area and all were around $1000. Where are you located?
Since I'm only leasing my RDX, I didn't do PPF. I did apply Cquartz UK which is a DIY /semi-permanent version of ceramic coating just to keep the car cleaner and easier to wash. When applied to the windows, it works like Rain-X so that it repels water and it becomes much easier to see when it's raining and dark out. The good thing is that the effect would last a long time unlike Rain-X.
On the other hand, I did do PPF to the front of my Civic Type R since I own that car, along with ceramic coating (again DIY). I heard that the paint is weak, thin, and soft on the Civic from other owners. But with PPF, my paint still looks like new with no scratches at all. If you plan to keep your RDX for a while, I'd strongly suggest doing PPF at least.
Can you guys recommend a product for Ceramic coating which I can do it myself. I have only done regular waxing / synthetic wax on my cars before, so unsure of how much involved this process is. I'm not particularly wanting a showroom shine, but more interested in reducing the exterior maintenance. Thanks guys.
I generally don't like the way paint protection or films look -- I just plan on putting the money that I'd pay for that and putting it towards for doing repairs when needed. I have a good relationship with my tinter, and painters.
Suntek CIR 20 Black was my tint.
This looks awesome. Can you post a pic of the side view of your car? I'm trying to determine if I want 30 or 20 tint. I have a black aspec with the black interior. I want the windows dark, but not blacked out.
Thanks. I see two different product lines called "Trim" and "Street". What's the difference (other than price)? Any difference in ease of application? Any particular one you recommend? The descriptions on both state they will outlive the life of the vehicle. Is that true?
Originally Posted by Coolguy
I did full front PPF from TintWorld and then GTechniq Ceramic Coating + GTechniq EXO myself
Again multiple products EXO, crystal serum (light and ultra), HALO flex, crystal lacquer - all pretty much the same price. So confusing..
A few years ago I had heard about products called C quartz and Opti Coat. I'm guessing these newer products you guys mentioned are similar to them. Hopefully they are easier to apply.
Thanks. I see two different product lines called "Trim" and "Street". What's the difference (other than price)? Any difference in ease of application? Any particular one you recommend? The descriptions on both state they will outlive the life of the vehicle. Is that true?
Again multiple products EXO, crystal serum (light and ultra), HALO flex, crystal lacquer - all pretty much the same price. So confusing..
A few years ago I had heard about products called C quartz and Opti Coat. I'm guessing these newer products you guys mentioned are similar to them. Hopefully they are easier to apply.
Yes, its kinda confusing initially. They have multiple products for different durability and ease of application. I did CSL + EXO v4 and very happy with the result.
Thanks. I see two different product lines called "Trim" and "Street". What's the difference (other than price)? Any difference in ease of application? Any particular one you recommend? The descriptions on both state they will outlive the life of the vehicle. Is that true?
You want the STREET...if you read their website you will better understand the package options. I bought the 50ml Street Essentials package for $179. They all go on very easy like water. Nothing you read on the Internet is true
I had the front clip, half the hood plug mirrors, door handles and a strip of tint at the top of my windshield. Just a bit over $1000. This company (Autobahn) has done all of my Mazda’s in the past and now my RDX.
I had the front clip, half the hood plug mirrors, door handles and a strip of tint at the top of my windshield. Just a bit over $1000. This company (Autobahn) has done all of my Mazda’s in the past and now my RDX.
I'd like to see a picture of the strip of tint, if you have time! Thanks!
I believe I ran across this product here or another car forum..Hydrosilex recharge! There seems to be a lot of these miracle "ceramic" coatings out there.....(not me calling it a ceramic coating) So I applied it to my wife's 2016 Forester....I keep it clean, but I dont show it the same love,like I do to my own personal car and bike,lol
I washed the Forester first with Dawn soap.....dried it off.....then applied Hydrosilex Rewind....just to make sure all the old wax/contaminants were off.....I didnt bother to fix any of the paint imperfections such as swirls and a few minor scratches....REWIND is simple as spraying on,wipe off with 1 microfiber towels, then again with another to make sure its all off...section by section.......I did the whole car..paint..glass..bumpers..rims.....Same goes for applying the RECHARGE. End product? It seems to provide a nice shine, but like I stated, it won't hide any imperfections. I will apply a 2nd coating next weekend, belive it states to wait 5-7 days between coatings.
I think its a fine product for those that bought a brand new vehicle and hate to polish/wax a few times a year. I dont think its better than a quality polish/wax, so I will stick with AMMO products on my Volvo,but its a good option than doing nothing at all.
Here is quick comparison of Gtechniq products .. I used it for my selection on which product to use..hope this helps
I was looking to buy this today but whenever I click on it, a warning pops up saying it should not be done by beginner applicators or those who have never done it before. Did you have any experience or special expertise in car detailing? Or did you use any special tools such as buffers or any other preparations before application? I am OK to do it all by myself as long as it’s not too much of a hassle. I also understand if they are simply saying it for their liability aspect. Thanks.
I was looking to buy this today but whenever I click on it, a warning pops up saying it should not be done by beginner applicators or those who have never done it before. Did you have any experience or special expertise in car detailing? Or did you use any special tools such as buffers or any other preparations before application? I am OK to do it all by myself as long as it’s not too much of a hassle. I also understand if they are simply saying it for their liability aspect. Thanks.
Have you ever done a paint correction before and do you have the tools to do so? To get the most value out of your ceramic (or similar) coating you need to do the right body prep to get rid of the swirls and holograms etc which requires a paint correction (along with decontamination like clay or Iron-X like products). Otherwise you'll lock in the paint damage and also cause the ceramic to wear off faster (it needs a clean surface to bond properly).
I've done a few paint corrections for my cars and it's a lot of work for an amateur - basically a full day of work consisting of: wash, iron-x, clay, polish, wash, and seal. Now that I've got a kid I'm just going to spring to have someone else do it for me - I can't spend a full day every year or 2 to make my car look great.
@Comfy, Check if you have any swirl marks. If no swirl marks, you are are in luck otherwise you have to perform paint correction (wash, iron decontamination, clay bar application (not needed if your car surface is smooth), compounding, polishing) which might take anywhere from 6-12 hours.
Applying Ceramic Coating + EXO is not as hard as you think but you have to be little careful during ceramic coating process. EXO is easy.
I learned paint correction and ceramic coating process after buying RDX so its not rocket science. I can walk you thro' the entire process if you want.
If you like the car the way it is, you can skip paint correction. Ceramic coating + EXO will enhance and protect but will not hide paint imperfections.
Hope this helps...
BTW, @supafamous , I won't suggest to "seal" the paint as it might affect the bonding between ceramic coating and paint surface.
Have you ever done a paint correction before and do you have the tools to do so? To get the most value out of your ceramic (or similar) coating you need to do the right body prep to get rid of the swirls and holograms etc which requires a paint correction (along with decontamination like clay or Iron-X like products). Otherwise you'll lock in the paint damage and also cause the ceramic to wear off faster (it needs a clean surface to bond properly).
I've done a few paint corrections for my cars and it's a lot of work for an amateur - basically a full day of work consisting of: wash, iron-x, clay, polish, wash, and seal. Now that I've got a kid I'm just going to spring to have someone else do it for me - I can't spend a full day every year or 2 to make my car look great.
I’m a novice when it comes to car detailing. And don’t have any tools either, may be other than some microfiber towels. .
Thanks for the information.
Originally Posted by Coolguy
@Comfy, Check if you have any swirl marks. If no swirl marks, you are are in luck otherwise you have to perform paint correction (wash, iron decontamination, clay bar application (not needed if your car surface is smooth), compounding, polishing) which might take anywhere from 6-12 hours.
Applying Ceramic Coating + EXO is not as hard as you think but you have to be little careful during ceramic coating process. EXO is easy.
I learned paint correction and ceramic coating process after buying RDX so its not rocket science. I can walk you thro' the entire process if you want.
If you like the car the way it is, you can skip paint correction. Ceramic coating + EXO will enhance and protect but will not hide paint imperfections.
Hope this helps...
BTW, @supafamous , I won't suggest to "seal" the paint as it might affect the bonding between ceramic coating and paint surface.
minor swirls won’t bother me, but I haven’t look that carefully either. Any information you guys post would be helpful for me (may be you can pm me instead of derailing this thread). I’d try it myself in any case and see where I go from there. If I’ve not mentioned, it’s for my 2G RDX which will be 5 years old soon and therefore I’m okay with some minor imperfections (but I don’t want to cause more damage though). Thanks
1) Get it done by professional
I wouldn't spend ~1000 for coating on 5 years old car. But if you are getting it done within 600ish .. go for it. It will cost at least 300-400 for good RA Polisher/ceramic coating/compound/polish and 2 days fo work.
2) DIY
If you have ever installed a ceiling fan or replaced electrical switch in house and have lot of patience, you can probably DIY ceramic coating.
Can you guys recommend a product for Ceramic coating which I can do it myself. I have only done regular waxing / synthetic wax on my cars before, so unsure of how much involved this process is. I'm not particularly wanting a showroom shine, but more interested in reducing the exterior maintenance. Thanks guys.
I bought the Avalon King brand after watching a few videos on DIY detailing. I had never really washed a car before and wasn't sure of what to do, but after I bought the product, the company contacted me and I started asking lots of questions. They were super helpful. I also watched hours of videos and felt pretty confident applying the coating myself.
1) Get it done by professional
I wouldn't spend ~1000 for coating on 5 years old car. But if you are getting it done within 600ish .. go for it. It will cost at least 300-400 for good RA Polisher/ceramic coating/compound/polish and 2 days fo work.
2) DIY
If you have ever installed a ceiling fan or replaced electrical switch in house and have lot of patience, you can probably DIY ceramic coating.
For now, I'm planning to go with option #2. BTW how do you protect the glass and other surfaces such as rubber edge on windows / door (use masking tape..?), or do you apply over them and the windshields?
And how many bottles you need for one car; or does one bottle do more than a car?
Originally Posted by RP from Chicago
I bought the Avalon King brand after watching a few videos on DIY detailing. I had never really washed a car before and wasn't sure of what to do, but after I bought the product, the company contacted me and I started asking lots of questions. They were super helpful. I also watched hours of videos and felt pretty confident applying the coating myself.
That looks awesome. Now you've given me more confidence to do it.
But I have one more product to add to my confusion. lol.
For now, I'm planning to go with option #2. BTW how do you protect the glass and other surfaces such as rubber edge on windows / door (use masking tape..?), or do you apply over them and the windshields?
And how many bottles you need for one car; or does one bottle do more than a car?
You don't have to protect glass/edges (I didn't). I didn't apply ceramic coating on glass but EXO. One 30ml of CSL is more than sufficient for regular sedan/RDX. I ended up using the entire bottle due to full front PPF (somehow PPF has more appetite for ceramic coating than regular paint surface). If you are going my route, make sure to apply one coat of CSL and 2 coats of EXO (including glass). CSL and EXO are applied differently (CSL - nearly 5/10 seconds drying time vs 1-2 mins for EXO) so make sure you follow their guidelines.
All the best and keep posting your progress with pics.
I put a 2nd coat of Hydrosilex on my wifes 2016 Forrester and I must say it looks pretty shiny and it beaded up very nicely in the recent rain we had. I simply washed the car with Dawn dishsoap first and I used their Hydrosilex Rewind, which is another degreaser/cleaner.....Then applied Hydrosilex Recharge..simply spray it on..wipe on with 1 microfiber towel..and buff with a 2nd.....Its very simple. On the bottle it calls itslef a ceramic coating, but I would def say its not a true 1, but my wifes car does look pretty good. I think its a fine product for those that dont want to put in a lot of time detailing their car and goes on very easy..no real worries of it streaking. Do I plan to do i ton my new car..prob not as I spent a fortune on AMMO products,lol and I enjoy detailing my car.
11-11-2018, 10:03 AM
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