After your house, your car is the most valuable thing you are likely to own. Just like your house, your car needs plenty of love and attention to keep it in top condition, and one way you can do this is with a ceramic paint coating. Ceramic coatings are the best way to keep your car looking shiny and new, and it’s seriously worth looking at getting one.
So, here are some reasons why you should keep your car protected with a ceramic paint coating.
What are Automotive Ceramic Paint Coatings?
Simply put, ceramic coatings are like a second skin for your car. They give your paintwork the extra protection it deserves, and they make it easier to keep your vehicle looking good. The coating uses nanotechnology, where tiny particles form a thin, invisible layer over your car’s paintwork, helping to protect it from the elements. The particles bind to the paint, sealing the pores and giving your car a water repellent outer shell. CARPRO first introduced ceramic coatings in North America, and now they’re becoming much more accessible to the average car owner.
This semi-permanent layer won’t break down when washed, keeping your car protected for a significant amount of time. With a good ceramic paint coating, it can last for a matter of years, helping you keep your car in good condition. This allows you to make your paint more water repellent, UV resistant, and protect it from many chemicals and scratches.
Why Do You Need a Ceramic Paint Coating?
Obviously, your paintwork has a certain level of protection against the elements, but keeping it looking good takes a lot of hard work. Wear and tear is an inevitability, and no matter how careful you are, scratches are going to appear. That’s not to mention how much time you spend lovingly cleaning it, only to drive a few miles and find it has become completely filthy again. Throw in the birds that love treating your car as target practice, and it can be challenging to keep your car looking good.
A ceramic paint coating helps to protect your car by giving your car a hydrophobic, dirt-repellent outer shell. Whereas mud will stick to your regular paint, the qualities of the ceramic coating allow the mud to slide off before it sticks to your car. This means that much of the dirt and grime simply runs off your car, and the most persistent dirt becomes much easier to wash off.
If you take pride in keeping your car in good condition and looking nice, then a ceramic paint coating can make your life much easier.
More Accessible
Ceramic coatings were initially used in the oil and space industries, but, recognizing the benefits the technology could have for cars, the automotive industry soon jumped on board. However, protecting your vehicle with a ceramic coating was originally very expensive, and you had to have it done by a professional detailer. With the advancement of technology, though, high-quality DIY kits have been developed, which make ceramic coatings much more accessible for the average car enthusiast.
Now, ceramic coatings are available to people with all budgets. From those people who own supercars and want to keep them in showroom condition, to the people who just want to keep their car clean and wash it less frequently, there’s an option for everyone. Professional applications will still set you back a fair amount of money, but high-quality DIY kits can be reasonably priced and still do a good job.
Which option you choose will depend on what standard of coating you’re after and how much you want to spend on the job.
What are the Benefits?
While a ceramic coating can’t protect your car from everything, it will go a long way to keeping it clean and keeping your paintwork looking good.
Hydrophobic
A ceramic coating will make your car much more repellent. The water simply rolls off the surface, rather than sticking around to dry and leave streaks. The coating forms an impermeable bond with the underlying paint, ensuring water can’t get to the paintwork. In this sense, it’s a little like a poncho for your car; it keeps everything dry and allows the water to quickly run off the car, keeping it looking as clean as the moment you washed it.
Mud and Dirt Repellent
The same applies to mud and dirt – rather than sticking to the paintwork, with a ceramic coating, mud and dirt will simply run off the car, helping to keep it clean. The make-up of the ceramic has different qualities to your paint, which makes it more difficult for mud and dirt to stick around. When the mud is allowed to stick to the paint for any amount of time, it will dry in and can become very difficult to get rid of when cleaning. A ceramic coating stops the build-up of mud, meaning you can wash your car less frequently, and it’s easier to wash when you do come to doing so.
Protects from UV Damage
While your car is sat out in the sun, it is exposed to UV rays that can cause your paint to fade and oxidize. You can always give your car a good wax to try and get that shine back, but a ceramic coating goes the extra mile and protects your paint before it starts to lose its shine. If a car is too exposed, then oxidization can lead to rusting, which is the last thing you want for your vehicle.
Durable
A good ceramic coating can last you two to three years, which means a lot of protection for your car. When you think about the value that’s tied up in your car, then protecting it for a couple of years is well worth it.
In the past, it could be an expensive process to get your car ceramic coated, but today you can do it without spending too much money. In a couple of years, you’ll probably have earned that money back through less cleaning and a higher sell-on value for your car.
