Ceramic Coating - Maintenance Polish ?

[TBrio]

Not necessarily for this instance, but I think it's a mistake when detailers and manufacturers use primarily years to describe longevity. Miles matter more than years as coatings tend to wear down from abrasion as well as exposure to the elements. I also don't buy into them lasting more than 2-3 years. I market no more than 3 years or 36k when I work with people on my offerings. There are lots of variables involved, so i won't digress more here.

I'm also NOT a fan AT ALL of CarPro Essence Plus. I've used it and tested it and feel it's complete garbage. Any use of a polisher over a coating, even with that product, isn't going to yield a longer life. Even when applied by hand, that product never produced anywhere near acceptable results for me. Again, my opinion and experience with it, having tested it on my own vehicle back in the day. If they used that within their process once or twice per year on yours, then I'm not at all surprised as your results.

To answer your question, yes, it should have lasted longer, and in my experience, it would have if all that was done was a basic wash and decon. Rain and road debris will degrade the sides of the course as I've noted above, it's abrasion. However, in 11k miles.....no. Rain and dirt being left on for 1-2 months....yeah, not great, but all that's really going to do is bond a road film and some ferrous particles to the surface/coating. Yes, over time, if left, it will degrade the coating a bit. Those ferrous particles that cause rail dust spots essentially degrade and break through the coating. I have a friend, Model Y, who is white and showing signs of that, and I coated it last year. He runs it as a daily; it's winter here, and he only does touchless washes. I have no doubt a nice spring wash and decon will bring back 90% but I'll have re-top it with GYEON's CanCoat EVO to help account for those areas that have degraded due to this exposure.

In the end, to keep it short, work back with the installer to simply make it right. As a detailer, I would 100% do it when this comes up. I have no problem doing so. It's very quick and won't need the involvement of a polisher in most cases. For you, I would take that and live with it day forward for the next 1-2 years, and when you have it re-done, simply understand the above and perhaps just keep it more clean more often and skip any "polish" with Essence Plus. Again, YMMV, but I'm not a fan of that product.

Thank you for your input and all of this information. I'm going to call the installer and let him know that I've done more research and don't feel like the Essence Plus is the right way to go and try to go the wash/decon/re-top in the failing areas route.

 

[TBrio]

I’ve never used Essence but it doesn’t jive right with me either. If it’s abrasive enough to remove even light scratching, it’s abrasive enough to remove some of the coating. It sounds like a light polish that leaves behind a ceramic sealant which really makes it no more than a ceramic AIO.

I’m curious as to the owner’s maintenance routine and what products are being used. I know that he said he only hand washes it but there are a thousand different ways to wash by hand and most of them aren’t desirable. I ask all of my customers to come back after two weeks to inspect the coating and we’ll wash it together. I’ll show how to do a proper wash and show exactly what products should be used to maintain the coating and send customers with a “gift” basket to get them started. I think a lot of coating installers need to do a better job of how to maintain a coating.

Thanks for letting me know your thoughts about Essense.

I've honestly always taken my car to get washed. Mostly back to the installer's express location for a hand wash. Or, I have someone come to my house and do a hand wash (I've asked him about his method and products).

I do wish I was give more information and/or a tutorial on how to properly wash the car after the coating, as I probably could have been doing it myself all of these years. I just didn't want to do anything wrong and ruin the coating. Yet, here I am still in this position!

 

[TBrio]

This is a prime example of why I never promise a life span to anybody who comes in for a coating.. anything that lasts more than two years on a car is truly phenomenal.

If I coated your vehicle in 2020 and you’re reaching out disappointed in its longevity then I dropped the ball communicating and setting expectations, whether daily driven or not.


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Thanks for your input! The coating was done in 2021. I started to notice it failing at 1.5 years, but I had a baby in the NICU so a ceramic coating was the least of my concerns at the time. Still completely my fault for not notifying them sooner.

I think on top of that, the car only has 11,000 miles on it (2020 year), has always been garaged, gone for a decon wash 1-2 times/year, and has been washed properly. All these things make it not quite sit right with me.

 

[Optimus Grime]

This is a prime example of why I never promise a life span to anybody who comes in for a coating.. anything that lasts more than two years on a car is truly phenomenal.

If I coated your vehicle in 2020 and you’re reaching out disappointed in its longevity then I dropped the ball communicating and setting expectations, whether daily driven or not.


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I’m just curious as to how you price your coatings. I’ve been thinking of dropping the pitch of selling based on claimed durability but how do you present coatings to potential customers?

 

[Eric7810]

I focus on ease of maintenance, and boosted shine.

I remind them ceramic coating is the best and most durable form of protection they can buy for their vehicles, and that 1.5 to 2 years can be expected for life span, but encourage them to come back to me before then for their vehicle to be detailed, evaluated, and rebooted if needed.

The OP is claiming his coating failed after two years or so, but I can about guarantee it didn’t. What he needed was to be educated on the way out with his new coating that it may seem one day like it has failed but it’s really contaminants that have bonded and that he needs a decon wash and perhaps a sealant added.

The coating is likely there still ready to do its job, but proper maintenance is key. I always encourage coating customers to return after a year.

A ‘five year coating’ is ALWAYS interpreted by the customer to mean they never have to see me again for five years. That understanding will always result in disappointment from the customer when things don’t seem to last.


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[DanaDetailingPros]

Hi Eric,
I'm pretty sure the OP is a female. If I'm correct KUDOS to her
"Not to say that females can't be good at this stuff, but I'm definitely not one that's naturally inclined at any of this type of work, so would rather pay for someone to do it if that makes sense! I'm not a very good do-it-yourself person"

 

[opie2]

Here come the PC police lol

You pretty sure or 100%? Id let the OP make corrections if, and, or when they need be made.

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[DanaDetailingPros]

Ask?

 

[Optimus Grime]

I focus on ease of maintenance, and boosted shine.

I remind them ceramic coating is the best and most durable form of protection they can buy for their vehicles, and that 1.5 to 2 years can be expected for life span, but encourage them to come back to me before then for their vehicle to be detailed, evaluated, and rebooted if needed.

The OP is claiming his coating failed after two years or so, but I can about guarantee it didn’t. What he needed was to be educated on the way out with his new coating that it may seem one day like it has failed but it’s really contaminants that have bonded and that he needs a decon wash and perhaps a sealant added.

The coating is likely there still ready to do its job, but proper maintenance is key. I always encourage coating customers to return after a year.

A ‘five year coating’ is ALWAYS interpreted by the customer to mean they never have to see me again for five years. That understanding will always result in disappointment from the customer when things don’t seem to last.


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Thanks for the info. How do you price your different coatings, such as something like Gyeon Pure vs Mohs?

 

[opie2]

Thanks for the info. How do you price your different coatings, such as something like Gyeon Pure vs Mohs?

I know im not eric, but if i may ask you... what would be your thought behind pricing those two(pure vs mohs) differently? I dont do this as an actual business, so i dont offer a slew of coating options. Its usually either can coat or currently mohs.

I have armour detail supply quartz on the way to test out as a possible replacement for mohs or addition to. Ill decide after i use it for a bit.

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[Optimus Grime]

I know im not eric, but if i may ask you... what would be your thought behind pricing those two(pure vs mohs) differently? I dont do this as an actual business, so i dont offer a slew of coating options. Its usually either can coat or currently mohs.

I have armour detail supply quartz on the way to test out as a possible replacement for mohs or addition to. Ill decide after i use it for a bit.

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When I got certified I asked one of the instructors how he charged more for a “5” year coating as opposed to a “3” year coating when the cost to install is virtually the same. He told me that the customer is paying for the extra longevity and I went with that at the time. After a while it didn’t sit right with me and I changed my pricing scheme. These days I pretty much do Mohs or if someone wants to try to get a little more longevity I can do an additional layer or CSL + EXOv5. With that I can justify charging more because it’s more product and labor.I pretty much now base pricing on what it costs me to install and not some theoretical longevity claim.

 

[opie2]

When I got certified I asked one of the instructors how he charged more for a “5” year coating as opposed to a “3” year coating when the cost to install is virtually the same. He told me that the customer is paying for the extra longevity and I went with that at the time. After a while it didn’t sit right with me and I changed my pricing scheme. These days I pretty much do Mohs or if someone wants to try to get a little more longevity I can do an additional layer or CSL + EXOv5. With that I can justify charging more because it’s more product and labor.I pretty much now base pricing on what it costs me to install and not some theoretical longevity claim.

Perfect. Excatly how i do it, charge for product and labor.

Business near me just started into coatings after getting certified, with jade coatings. Now ive never used jade, only know of them because of mike G.

But they had the shpeal about how you can up your resale value cut it can go on your carfax or something....what a crock of crap imo. I have a fealing some folks are going to be getting ripped off

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[Optimus Grime]

Perfect. Excatly how i do it, charge for product and labor.

Business near me just started into coatings after getting certified, with jade coatings. Now ive never used jade, only know of them because of mike G.

But they had the shpeal about how you can up your resale value cut it can go on your carfax or something....what a crock of crap imo. I have a fealing some folks are going to be getting ripped off

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The trend near me is to offer these 8 and 9 year coatings knowing damn well these coatings will only last that long if the car is immediately put into a plastic bubble and never touched again. Unfortunately most customers only know the marketing hype they see in YouTube videos and don’t know what to really expect from a coating and eat those “deals” up. I had a guy come ask me last weekend if my coatings were 9H. I flat out told him that was marketing BS but all of the questions he had were made it obvious that he was caught up in the hype. I haven’t heard from him since, even though he lives in my neighborhood so I’m just gonna assume he went with someone that will overpromise and under deliver.

 

[Eric7810]

The way I land so many coating deals is by simply being honest. I don’t make wild claims about what it protects against, or get involved in that carfax BS (pointless).

Another belief people have that I’ve been asked about is whether the vehicle must have ‘perfect paint’ before applying coating because ‘you wouldn’t want to lock in the scratches right?’

I always dispel the myth of ‘perfect paint’

Heck, I had a guy with a 2012 Chevy Colorado come in for a coating and he simply wanted it protected. I could’ve hosed him. Instead after a brief conversation I agreed to a price of $660, gave him a one step correction and coated it. The truck was transformed and I was done in four hours. Lots of deep flaws remained but the owner had the ‘10 foot perspective’ I explained and he left happy as hell.


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[Setec Astronomy]

When I got certified I asked one of the instructors how he charged more for a “5” year coating as opposed to a “3” year coating when the cost to install is virtually the same. He told me that the customer is paying for the extra longevity and I went with that at the time. I pretty much now base pricing on what it costs me to install and not some theoretical longevity claim.

Perfect. Exactly how i do it, charge for product and labor.

The way I land so many coating deals is by simply being honest.

Kudos to you guys for your ethics...did I just coin a new phrase? Coating ethics?

 

[TBrio]

Ask?

No worries! Yes, I'm a female but don't take any offense to people assuming I'm a male as I'm sure a majority of people on here are male.

 

[TBrio]

I focus on ease of maintenance, and boosted shine.

I remind them ceramic coating is the best and most durable form of protection they can buy for their vehicles, and that 1.5 to 2 years can be expected for life span, but encourage them to come back to me before then for their vehicle to be detailed, evaluated, and rebooted if needed.

The OP is claiming his coating failed after two years or so, but I can about guarantee it didn’t. What he needed was to be educated on the way out with his new coating that it may seem one day like it has failed but it’s really contaminants that have bonded and that he needs a decon wash and perhaps a sealant added.

The coating is likely there still ready to do its job, but proper maintenance is key. I always encourage coating customers to return after a year.

A ‘five year coating’ is ALWAYS interpreted by the customer to mean they never have to see me again for five years. That understanding will always result in disappointment from the customer when things don’t seem to last.


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Thanks for your input! How would you approach this with the detailer when I've had a decon wash done through them every year at least once a year? I also regularly go back to them to hand wash the car. I'm definitely going to call and let him know that I don't think that Essence is the way to go (at least that's what everyone on here seems to think). I'm not super knowledgeable when it comes to this area (why I posted on here) so would love your feedback on the best way to go about this where I'm happy with the outcome but also fair to the detailer.

I've also had the car looked at by another detailer who said based on how I care for my car and the low use/miles, it definitely should have lasted longer. This detailer is also the one that told me what areas are failing. He suggested I go back to the original detailer first and see what they will do.