Effortless Car Care: The Easy Maintenance Benefits of Ceramic Coating
The biggest benefit of ceramic coating is that it makes car maintenance much easier. So much easier that it has revolutionized car care.
While there are many benefits to a ceramic coating, from the astonishing shine which really makes your car stand out, to the possibility of increasing resale value, we have found that the thing that keeps our customers coming back for more is the ease of maintenance.
The Beauty of Ceramic Coating
If you found your way here, you probably already know what a ceramic coating is, but just in case you don't, let me explain. It is a liquid polymer coating which a high content of ceramic or graphene that's applied to your car's exterior instead of a wax. Once it's applied, it lasts for years and gives your car that ceramic hardness.
Your car is first polished to a high shine before this coating, which is only molecules thick, is applied, sealing in the shine. Sometimes called 'glass coating' it isn't actually like a thick sheet of glass sitting over your paintwork, it goes on thin, soaking into the paintwork, chemically bonding and making it tough.
Effortless Maintenance
1. Self Cleaning
Ceramic coatings are extremely hydrophobic, meaning they actively repel water, causing it to bead up and roll off the surface of your paintwork. When it rains, the water will carry away dirt, dust and other contaminants.
Every time it rains (which happens a lot in the UK), your car will get a rinse off, meaning it stays cleaner for longer. When you do decide to wash your car, there will be less dirt on it, making the process easier.
2. Less Frequent Washing
Thanks to ceramic coating keeping your car cleaner for longer, you won't need to wash it nearly as often as you used to. It's hard to argue with that, who doesn't want to save time and effort cleaning their car?
But there is an additional benefit as less washing means less wash marks. All those tiny scratches which made the paintwork on your last car look old and dull, were mainly caused by washing your car. It's practically unavoidable, unless you don't wash your car. Washing less, means less wash marks, so your car looks newer for longer.
Your car will still get dirty and how often you will need to clean it depends on how much driving you do, but if you clean it when it needs it, you will find yourself at the car wash far less often. In fact, we have phoned a few of our customers to get some feedback on how often they need to clean their car. Some of them then realized they only clean their car now, every few months. One realized he hadn't cleaned it in a year -- that's not advised, we recommend you clean it half as much.
3. Easier, Gentle, Efficient Washing
When you do decide it's time for a wash, you'll be amazed at how easy it is. The surface of the paint is so glossy that nothing wants to stick to it. Road grime, dust and even bird droppings will quickly and easily wash off.
A blast over with a pressure washer will remove the vast majority of the dirt on your car, although it's tempting to leave it at that, we would still recommend giving it a wash over, using a gentle soap and a soft wash mitt. But with the largest particles of grit already rinsed off, the risk of introducing micro scratches and swirl marks is greatly reduced.
We should also mention wheels because everyone hates cleaning brake dust off wheels. All the hard surfaces of your car can be treated with a ceramic coating, including your alloy wheels. In fact, there are special coating which are resistant to hot brake dust, static electric and corrosion. This makes your wheels so much easier to clean and prevents that build up of black dust and resists rusty stains.
4. Long-Lasting Protection
Unlike waxes that need to be re-applied every 6–9 months to maintain their full protection, ceramic coatings last for years. This means you avoid having to expend less time and effort waxing your car, or money paying somebody else to do it.
Once again, I will mention wash marks. We cannot emphasise enough what a pain these are because once your car starts getting these swirl marks, it's a rough surface which gives dirt and grime something to cling to. You will have found on your old car that the older it got, the quicker it got dirty and the harder it was to clean.
You can extend the life of your ceramic coating, and maintain the glossy appearance with a top-up product if you really want to. These products are easy to use, you just spray them on and wipe them off like furniture polish, far easier than having to mess around with dusty waxes and polishes.
5. Chemical and Scratch Resistant
Ceramic is tough and it's chemically inert. So if offers exceptional resistance against chemicals. Although we do recommend washing your car with gentle PH neutral soaps, it can resist harsh alkaline soaps used by some car washes. It will also resist bird mess, pollutants and tree sap, and you definitely won't need to worry about oxidation and the hazing caused by UV radiation.
While ceramic coatings aren't bulletproof and won't protect you if you scuff your bumper against a bollard, it does offer increased protection against scratching. It is especially good at resisting those very fine scratches you get while washing your car, but will also reduce any damage such as that caused by brushing against hedgerows.
We even have a flexible version called BugFlex which is especially good on the front of cars, practically eliminating scoring and stains from bug splatter and even reducing stone chips.
Easier and less time-consuming
In summary, ceramic coatings are a godsend for busy people who enjoy having a stunning looking car, but don't enjoy car maintenance.
The remarkable ability of ceramic coatings to simplify car maintenance really needs to be seen to be believed, (which is why we have videos). With self-cleaning properties, reduced washing frequency, easy and gentle washing, and long-lasting protection, it makes car care almost effortless.
It may sound too good to be true, but those who know, know! It is common for us to coat a car for somebody who is sceptical, only for them to then bring us more cars because they want their mother, wife or daughter to have the benefit of a ceramic coating. While it may have been the super glossy shine that attracted them to ceramic coatings, it's the ease of maintenance that keeps them coming back.
Additional Benefits
We have heard tell, that the super-slick coating makes your car more aerodynamic and can reduce fuel consumption and even quieten down wind noise. It's possible, but we would expect the effects to be negligible.
One thing we can confirm is that a ceramic coating will have a positive effect on the resale value. You can't dispute that a car in good condition is worth more than a car in poor condition. There's no doubt that a ceramic coating will help you keep your car looking young and fresh. In fact, even though ceramic coatings have a large initial outlay, there's no reason they can't pay you back if you sell at the right time.
But just because your car is worth more than it would otherwise without a ceramic coating, doesn't mean you should actually sell it. There is a very good environmental and financial argument for buying a good car and keeping it for very many years.
If you are considering buying a petrol or diesel car, before somebody decides to ban their sale, and keeping it for very many years, we would recommend protecting it with a ceramic or graphene coating.
Cars have never been more mechanically reliable, you know they will run for hundreds of thousand of miles. What tends to age a car is the cosmetic appearance. You have to ask yourself, is it worth it to get another ten years out of your car?
Bonus Tips
Here are some tips for maintaining your ceramic coating:
- Wash your car regularly with a pH-neutral car shampoo.
- Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners on your car's paint.
- Dry your car with a soft microfiber towel to avoid scratching the paint and reduce the chance of water spots.
- Apply a ceramic coating booster every few months to help maintain the coating's performance and durability.
If you follow these tips, your ceramic coating should last for many years.
Would you like to speak to us about ceramic coatings?
We love to answer questions, it's no trouble.
Get in touch, request a call back.
...or send us a video of your car.
by Danny Argent
Training and education.
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Read ArticleCan We Help You?
"We can offer specialist advice on the best car service to suit your requirements"
When bringing your car to New Again, we often ask you to explain exactly the reason for having your car Protected, Valeted or Repaired. Once we understand exactly what it is you are trying to achieve, we will appraise your vehicle using our detailed appraisal check-sheet allowing us to identify areas of concern and tailor specific services that match your requirements and budget.
If you are not sure what service you need and would like to speak to one of our technicians, simply request a callback by filling in the form on our contact page.
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