Ceramic / PPF + Car Wash

[supra23]

Greetings everyone,

I've read a lot of posts and done lots of searches and appreciate all the shared info on this forum and community.

I just got a Nitro Yellow Supra; it came with Toyoguard from the factory, so I couldn't exclude the spray they use to protect it - I'd rather get Ceramic coating.

I'm in Kansas and rent an apartment with outdoor parking. So it'll be outside 24/7. I've come to accept my paint will fade a lot faster than other cars out there. I'll use a sunshade to help with the interior.

Since it'll be outside all the time, it'll be difficult to keep clean. I tried out a No-Touch Car wash and it did not do very well, still dirt was on it from when it rained. It ended up raining 2 days later and it looks bad again. It would be difficult to hand wash it every time it rains to get the dirt off or when it snows in the winter and i need to get the salt off the car.

There is a Tommy's Car Wash here that has a $12 monthly plan for unlimited washes (they also have more expensive plans that clean the undercarriage too). If I did Ceramic Coating would it protect the paint underneath? I'm not trying to have my car look show room clean - just good enough that it doesn't look like a sporty junker.

I talked to a detailer in Kansas City about doing Ceramic coating but he suggested that I do Front PPF (around 2800), skip the ceramic, and do detailing twice a year (300 each time). Any thoughts on this?

Optionally, it would cost more but I think full PPF would be around 6-7k or maybe it's better to just do a re-paint later?

i also inquired about tinting, he mentioned 250 for regular tint but 500 for ceramic? tint (never heard of it before). is it worth it for the ceramic tint?

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[Backtrack]

Maybe I don’t know WTF I’m taking about, but those prices would make me shop around a bit more.

 

[Avarela99]

PPF is essential on these cars they eat rocks like crazy. I have track package Xpel on my car and a coating. not a single chip in 5k miles looks just like the day i got it Xpel is essential IMO.

 

[supra23]

Maybe I don’t know WTF I’m taking about, but those prices would make me shop around a bit more.

I think it might be this particular region unless anyone else knows of any good installers in the Kansas City area.

 

[bushido]

• also live in apt, so, relatable
• screw the undercarriage, only avoiding physical damage matters
• ceramic makes washing the car easier, protects from the sun's elements, 100% worth it
• ceramic tint is amazing, it rejects infrared rays better than traditional, therefore keeping the cabin cooler and better protected

i'd say do PPF front bump & hood, ceramic treat the car, ceramic tints

fwiw: i paid $480 for Xpel XR Prime all windows (including winshield), got quoted for $1300 for detail + one-stage paint correction + ceramic coat. have yet to research PPF. Miami, FL

if you're willing, PPF everything.. i swear even leaves scratch this pathetic layer of paint. these cars kick rocks like crazy, too

 

[tucker90]

If you can't wash your own car then I think ceramic may be a waste, it needs a neutral balanced soap to maintain and a big purpose of ceramic is making self washing much easier, eliminating the need for waxing and clay barring it yourself.

 

[calmeda1]

I've used a pretty good alternative to ceramic coat. I've used Adam's Advanced Graphene Ceramic Spray Coat. It's essentially a slightly diluted version of the ceramic coating. I've had it on my previous cars and it's lasted almost 2 years. Yes the cars were outside the whole time, but I did wash them weekly or at least bi-weekly, helping the coat las that long. Also, proper prep was done (wash, strip wash, clay, Iron/tar remover, polish and coating prep). I didn't have a garage at that moment, but I had a friend who lent me his garage for a day and I did all of that there.

If you
With that coating water beads off like crazy and it makes the car SOOOOOO much easier to clean. Just mentioning all of this as am alternative that helped me.

Also, if you care about swirls then DO NOT take them to a car wash. Guaranteed you'll have swirls all over the car. Also, it will damage any coat (full ceramic and semi-permanent ceramic). If your plan is to take it to a car wash, you will waste your money on the ceramic coat. It'll a bit, but waaay shorter than the average lifespan.

If you're set on ceramic, I would stick to hand wash or touchless. Touchless doesn't work well on un-coated cars since the dirt is sticking to the clear, rather than the ceramic or wax coat. If you're coated, you'll see the difference on the touchless.

Key take away is:

-Ceramic does protect your paint, but requires maintenance washer.
-Ceramic is useless on regular carwashes
-Cheaper alternative if you'll be in harsh environments and don't want to waste money on full ceramic coat

Hopes this helps a bit

 

[calmeda1]

• ceramic tint is amazing, it rejects infrared rays better than traditional, therefore keeping the cabin cooler and better protected

Highly agree, they may be expensive but they're sure worth it. I did Llumar IRX all around the Supra and it's VERY nice. I live in Florida and it's always hot af. Even when temperature reaches 100⁰F, the car interior stays very nice. It'll also keep your interior from fading. A great investment, IMO

 

[Bigboss]

Dont bother with ceramic coating you can do that yourself if you really want it. ppf is the most important thing you can do for you car especially if your going to be leaving it outdoors most of the time

 

[Allenyao09]

Ceramic coating is like a "permanent" wax. It shines and makes cleaning easier, but it doesn't offer any protection against chips. The rain here in Seattle always keeps my car dirty, so I got full car paint protection films. I hand wash my car most of the time, but will also go through automatic car washes to save myself some trouble. Almost 2 years now and it's still pretty good. PPF is pricy but I think it's worth the peace of mind.

 

[Benjilis]

Yea. Do the ceramic tint. Especially in a hot environment.

 

[Romin91]

I did full PPF + Ceramic coating, the cost was $6.5k. For full front PPF+ Ceramic coating they wanted $2.5k. It really depends on your budget and long term plans, I wasn't planning on selling the car any time soon so I invested the money for long term protection, but you should do the Front PPF at bare minimum. the Ceramic coating will keep your car cleaner both in snow and rain, as the water wouldn't stick to it. I even left the car under the rain to dust it off, and saw no water stains.
For the tint, I'd go ceramic since you'll be leaving it outside outside and could get hot on sunny days. I garage my car so went with the regular tint.

 

[LateBraker5]

If a traditional hand wash is not possible, give this No Rinse wash a try

Provided that your car is not SUPER crusty, this is a good solution. Been washing my car this way for 15 years, this is my preferred process.

 

[supra23]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

I'm definitely going to do at least some PPF, trying decide whether to do just front or full. Full just costs quite a bit more.

• screw the undercarriage, only avoiding physical damage matters
• ceramic tint is amazing, it rejects infrared rays better than traditional, therefore keeping the cabin cooler and better protected

We have a lot of salt on the ground during winter time, I know in some areas it causes rust if it gets on the under-side of the vehicle. Don't know if it's no longer a concern with modern vehicles.

Now, y'all have me interested in the ceramic tint

If you can't wash your own car then I think ceramic may be a waste, it needs a neutral balanced soap to maintain and a big purpose of ceramic is making self washing much easier, eliminating the need for waxing and clay barring it yourself.

Does this mean that ceramic tint will also suffer from the car wash?

Also, if you care about swirls then DO NOT take them to a car wash. Guaranteed you'll have swirls all over the car. Also, it will damage any coat (full ceramic and semi-permanent ceramic). If your plan is to take it to a car wash, you will waste your money on the ceramic coat. It'll a bit, but waaay shorter than the average lifespan.

I think I just want to protect the original paint and also have the car not look janky; I'm okay with it being clean and having minor defects in the protection film/coating. I'm not looking for showroom-beautiful but rather monet-beautiful.

I wish I had a garage where i could get a steam-cleaner (chief / fortador)

 

[jtsang25]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

I'm definitely going to do at least some PPF, trying decide whether to do just front or full. Full just costs quite a bit more.



We have a lot of salt on the ground during winter time, I know in some areas it causes rust if it gets on the under-side of the vehicle. Don't know if it's no longer a concern with modern vehicles.

Now, y'all have me interested in the ceramic tint



Does this mean that ceramic tint will also suffer from the car wash?



I think I just want to protect the original paint and also have the car not look janky; I'm okay with it being clean and having minor defects in the protection film/coating. I'm not looking for showroom-beautiful but rather monet-beautiful.

I wish I had a garage where i could get a steam-cleaner (chief / fortador)

Fenders and rockers a must. Magnet for rocks.

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