Pondering a ceramic coating, but confused by all the crazy advertisements out there? Here is a logical look at coatings without all the flashiness and unnecessary dramatics.
The title would lend itself to demonstrating something overly dramatic is going to happen in this article. Being honest, that was by design to get you to read this. But why? Well, you’re already reading so settle in for a minute and I’m going to talk to you about a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to ceramic coatings. This will be one of the realist articles you have ever read about ceramic coatings and their benefits. Buckle up and enjoy.
Ceramic coatings have been on the market over 10 years now. When they first came out no one knew what they were. Consumers are more confused now then before, but why? The problem is all the misinformation and misleading advertisements out on the market. They dumb down and simplify things to the point where they guide consumers into improper postulations on what a ceramic coating will do. This leaves them culpable for misleading consumers in my opinion, but I digress. I’m going to go through several of these common sights as well as the true features and benefits of a coating.
We have all seen the ads. The car gets smacked with a lighter, lit on fire, smashed with a shopping cart and it all wipes right off no problem! This is the beginning of that postulation creation. These ads never point out the true value of what the ceramic coating did there. They present the coating as some kind of magical barrier that is resistant to all evil. This is not the case and I’m about to tell you why.
When we look at the features and benefits of most coatings we discover exactly what they are designed to do. Let’s address the lighting the paint on fire first. When we look at the features and benefits we discover the coating is designed to resist industrial fallout, resist acid rain and pollutants, resist corrosive material, resist heavy solvents. Every one of these features is a resistance, not an all inclusive protection barrier. So, why light the car on fire? What purpose does this serve in demonstrating proper care and chemical resistance? The fact of the matter is, they do it because it gets your attention...that’s it.
Now we discuss smacking the paint with any object. That is one that I will never understand and it is directly marketed towards demonstrating the hardened layer of protection that a coating provides. Sure, a coating provides a hardened layer of protection. Will it be scratch free after this exercise, no! That is something many won’t even mention unless you ask. At Top Gun Detail, we are 100% transparent about this aspect of a coating. The benefit is improved protection and a sacrificial layer. When you smash the coating with a lighter you actually damage the coating. That is kind of the point. You damage the coating and not your paint. A coating is a sacrificial layer of protection. Still don’t believe me? Why would they void your warranty if you use touch washes when the coating can resist being smashed with lighters? Just food for thought.
We also have a lot of advertisements that go around making it look like the vehicle cleans itself. One of the biggest features of a coating is it’s self cleaning ability. The coating stays cleaner, longer because of the ability to self clean. It does this through increased hydrophobic properties and chemical resistance. Your car’s paint gets clogged up with everyday debris causing it to get dirty much faster because it is porous. Tiny little microfiber holes that allow debris or contaminates to get inside your paint, not just on top of it, which allows it to "stick". A coating provides resistance to these things with its hydrophobic properties, it covers those pores, not allowing anything to stick, and the coating itself is super smooth with no porosity. Therefore, when they get wet, they have some self cleaning abilities. Now, this doesn’t mean the coating never needs to be washed. It just means the coating is easier to wash. This also doesn’t mean the coating is water spot proof. That is scientifically impossible if you know what a water spot is. It is literally left over minerals after the water dries. Coatings do have resistance to such deposits in some scenarios,but by no means are they water spot proof.
Now let’s address the “it wipes right off” type ad. This is true 100%. Most minor paint transfer will wipe right off without an issue. Remember, we are talking about their targeted postulation though. There is damage behind that paint. Whether it be minor or major, there is damage. Again, this damage is in the coating and not in your paint. So, the coating has done the job it was intended. The misrepresentation is in the advertisement and not the performance. It is important that we educate owners on proper maintenance. We also must educate on proper expectation should an undesired scenario happen like this.
I’m sure you’re more undecided now then ever as to why you should get a ceramic coating and from who. I mean, everyone wants the truth up front, right? Well, I am here to assure you that washing a coated vehicle is FAR easier than washing an un-coated vehicle. They provide amazing added protection should a mishap happen. They act as a sacrificial layer and allow for these mishaps to be less costly in the long term because they are typically easier to fix. They provide added protection for all environmental contaminants. They keep the vehicle cleaner, longer. They deepen the gloss and appearance like nothing else on the market. They are the cats meow if you enjoy keeping your vehicle looking nice. They are not designed to put on and hope that it maintains itself. The very design is to make maintenance much easier and create long term protection for the vehicle's surfaces.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of a coating, then check out this article about the benefits of a ceramic coating. While we love applying coatings and have hundreds of satisfied clients, we must stand out from the crowd by providing an honest representation as to the purpose of a coating. Check it out here.
Thank you for reading,
Kris Mindrum, Owner
mindrumk@tgdetail.com