How to tell if ceramic coating is failing (regular toppers)

[BudgetPlan1]

Gasp! Say it ain’t so, Joe.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, sometimes things don't go as planned...

 

[Desertnate]

That thread title cracks me up every time I see it.

 

[DetailZeus]

:lol: A year or 2 ago, perhaps but I'm getting to the point where personal cars won't need anything for a while. 2 are (will be) PPF'd, wife's daily was done in 2019 (coating) and with how little that car drives, 3 more years is likely. And my daily might not be able to take any more; since I got in in June of 2017 it's had 22ple for 2 months, Kamikaze for 2 years, SPS Graphene for 1 year, PA Primer + Cosmic Spritz for 3 months and now is half Kamikaze, half Ethos Graphene. Might respray the hood this Summer though as there ain't enough Dr Colorchip on the planet to fix what's happened to it over the last 65k miles.

As long as the hood is such a mess, really have no interest in the car as far as coating it w/ something else goes...it's now essentially a 'transportational screwdriver'...a mere tool/utility item.

Pull a total 360 from coatings and start giving AIO's a try. It's kind of carefree when you can buzz around the car in an hour or two and say "cool, good enough"

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Pull a total 360 from coatings and start giving AIO's a try. It's kind of carefree when you can buzz around the car in an hour or two and say "cool, good enough"

I think I'm too lazy for that. I like the "1 and done" process where once I get it done, really don't have to mess with it again for a few years barring any unfortunate incidents.. Heck, I really don't even like washing cars anymore. It's probably why I'm starting to like PPF more and more...a somewhat significant investment so you're kinda locked in for the long haul and don't wanna muck around w it too much.

 

[Desertnate]

I think I'm too lazy for that. I like the "1 and done" process where once I get it done, really don't have to mess with it again for a few years barring any unfortunate incidents.. Heck, I really don't even like washing cars anymore. It's probably why I'm starting to like PPF more and more...a somewhat significant investment so you're kinda locked in for the long haul and don't wanna muck around w it too much.

I'm at a similar point. I actually don't mind washing our vehicles, but I really don't want to break out the polisher and have to re-do the car every couple months or so when the AIO wears out. Going 18~24 months between polishing is rather nice.

My other issue with the AIO's is their durability. Due to winter conditions, I need the ability for our vehicles to go at least six months between LSP applications. That length of time is right on the edge for most traditional sealants and way beyond any AIO I've tried. Continuous topping AIO's with a spray is not an option due to weather as well.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Due to winter conditions, I need the ability for our vehicles to go at least six months between LSP applications. That length of time is right on the edge for most traditional sealants and way beyond any AIO I've tried. Continuous topping AIO's with a spray is not an option due to weather as well.

I need an LSP that'll go 6 months without washing. :laughing: My threshold for washing is "never below 55 degrees F"...too old for that nonsense!

 

[Desertnate]

Does a touchless actually count as washing? Maybe partial credit since it doesn't get your vehicle totally clean.

I'm with you on the hand washing. I won't go below 50F, but will go through a touchless as long as the temps are above freezing.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

I have been getting lazy on the bucket washes. Dragging everything out. All those buckets. 2-3 hour process.

I have touchless wash literally 5 mins away and alot of times i can cut out 1.5 hours by washing wheels then going through touchless then waterless afterwards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eldorado2k]

I have been getting lazy on the bucket washes. Dragging everything out. All those buckets. 2-3 hour process.

I have touchless wash literally 5 mins away and alot of times i can cut out 1.5 hours by washing wheels then going through touchless then waterless afterwards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And so is life with a white colored car...

 

[DetailZeus]

I'm at a similar point. I actually don't mind washing our vehicles, but I really don't want to break out the polisher and have to re-do the car every couple months or so when the AIO wears out. Going 18~24 months between polishing is rather nice.

My other issue with the AIO's is their durability. Due to winter conditions, I need the ability for our vehicles to go at least six months between LSP applications. That length of time is right on the edge for most traditional sealants and way beyond any AIO I've tried. Continuous topping AIO's with a spray is not an option due to weather as well.

Great points, and there's no way I'd use an AIO without some sort of spray topper throughout the year. By the time spring rolls around whatever topper LSP is on the car is definitely dead. But truthfully I've still never had trouble cleaning the car up and then it's time for the annual AIO go-around anyways.

Wheels are a different story. I'll take whatever coating get me the longest time before I have to do them again.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

And so is life with a white colored car...

Yeah,

Black was a pain to keep clean but was so much more rewarding after a wash. I was surprised though after 1yr 9months their was very little marring for it getting half it’s washes in waterless and rinseless’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eldorado2k]

Yeah,

Black was a pain to keep clean but was so much more rewarding after a wash. I was surprised though after 1yr 9months their was very little marring for it getting half it’s washes in waterless and rinseless’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s what happens when the owner knows what the heck he’s doing.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

That’s what happens when the owner knows what the heck he’s doing.

I ain’t on your level but much appreciated. Also glad to see you on here more... your incite always appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Loach]

Might sound kinda goofy but when a coating is reaching end-of-life ya just kinda 'know' that something isn't quite right. Toppers seem slightly less effective, fall off a bit w regards to longevity.

Stuff just doesn't seem as good as it was when viable; hard to quantify i guess but overall less pleasing...a feeling that your regular maintenance regimen isn't working as well anymore and since maintenance hasn't changed, then it has to be something else.

This is my experience as well. When the coating is truly failing, the toppers won't respond as effectively, and their boost in the water behavior won't last as long as the healthier sections of the coating. The decontamination stage will also further degrade the coating in those sections, rather than spring it back to life.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Enjoy the weekly maintenance regiment with the occasional chemical decontamination.

You will know when it’s time to polish and re-coat as you will get those pesky love marks.

As budget mentioned the topper won’t be as effective once the coating comes to its end of life.

Don’t overthink it. Wash, top and enjoy.

This is absolutely true for me as well. My desire to want to polish the paint back out to remove love marks, wash-induced marring, and hard water spotting on top of the coatings happens well before they actually die out. That has been true for the majority of the true coatings that I've tested. I use the coatings to perform the bulk of the protection, to provide that perfect addictive hydrophobic base, and top regularly with lighter sprays to keep up on the slickness and killer gloss.