What are the benefits of a ceramic coating?

At least once a week, we have a customer tell us that they are selling their car, and they want us to detail it, so it looks nice, so they can get more money for it.

Sure enough, this works. The money they spend on detailing is earned back when sell the car quickly and for a higher price. But it's still a crazy way to go about things. Often these cars are in quite a state, and so the customer has been driving around in a car which looks tatty, dirty and scratched, and then they have it restored and detailed for somebody else. Think about that... they are paying to make the car nice for the new owner.

It's crazy not to!

Doesn't it make far more sense to make the car nice right at the beginning, keep it that way, and enjoy having a car that looks new and stunning the whole time you own it?

When you buy a ceramic or graphene coating, you are buying a package. We machine polish the car until the paintwork is as shiny as a mirror. Your paintwork will look shinier than when you picked the car up from the showroom. This shininess is then locked in and protected by the car paint protection you have chosen. As long as you don't abuse the paintwork, it will stay shiny the entire time you own the car.

Let's talk about feelings...

Do you remember the first time you got in your new car and drove away from the showroom? There's no beating the feeling of driving a brand-new car. You deserve that new car feeling!

If you are reading this, you probably didn't just buy a car to get you from A-to-B, and you are unlikely to just think of it as a metal box on wheels. You most likely chose your car because it says something about who you are. Whether you are getting a sleek black Jaguar, a bright red Fiat 500, or a convertible Golf, it is a reflection of your personality. It may even reflect your position in life. Let's face it, it's a status symbol.

A ceramic coating helps you to keep your car looking new, the whole time you own it, so you can have that new car feeling in three, five or ten years from now. Your car will still look good, and you will feel good driving it.

Environmental benefits

We live in a disposable world, and the main reason for this is that manufacturers want you to throw things away and buy new. They make more money this way. 

Cars are mechanically very reliable as a general rule. If they weren't the car manufacture's reputation would suffer. Where they age is on their cosmetic appearance. For many of us, it's when the car starts looking old that we decide to trade it in for a new one.

Many of those customers that we mentioned before who ask us to detail their car because they are selling it, often they change their minds after we have made it like new again. It happens regularly, and why wouldn't it? They loved the car when it was new, it was just what they wanted, they enjoyed it, it was a reflection of who they were, and when we restored the car, we gave that back to them. So they decide to keep the car, they save the environment and save themselves some money.

Sure, you might fancy a change, want a newer model, or maybe you have moved up in the world. But we would all be better off if cars lasted longer. The car manufacturers can wait a few more years before they take more of our money.

You may even decide to keep your car forever.

Ceramic coatings make life easier

Some of us are obsessed by having a shiny clean car, and enjoy spending hours cleaning, polishing, waxing and detailing it. But most of us don't and have better things we could be doing with our time.

When you have a ceramic coating on your car, it stays cleaner because the dirt slides right off. You have to wash it less often, and when you do wash it, it's easier. 

We admit, it isn't quite as easy as running the car through the car wash, and we do recommend washing your car by hand.

Handwashing using the correct procedure helps prevent damage to the car and makes you aware of the condition of your car, so you can stay on top of any issues. It also has the added benefit of giving you a little bit of exercise and is hugely satisfying. If you have had a ceramic coating, once you have cleaned it off, you are guaranteed stunning results.

It's easier and better than waxing your car

Here’s a simple side-by-side so you can see the difference at a glance. Ceramic coatings and wax both make paint look good, but they do it in very different ways and with very different lifespans. If you’re weighing up effort, durability and day-to-day upkeep, this quick comparison will help you decide what’s right for your car.

Technical benefits : the problems a ceramic actually solves

Now that we have covered what's good for you, let's focus on why ceramic coatings are good for your car. Rather than trot out a shopping list of “benefits”, here’s what a ceramic coating really does in plain terms, the problems it fixes so you don’t have to think about them.

• Fading & dulling from the sun (UV/oxidation). The coating forms a tight, cross-linked barrier that slows UV damage and keeps the clear coat from chalking or going flat.

• Etching from bird droppings, bugs & tree sap. Nasty, acidic stuff can bite into paint. The coating buys you time and makes contamination easier to remove before it marks.

• Water spots & mineral marks. Hard water dries on paint and leaves deposits. The low-surface-energy finish sheds water, so fewer minerals stick and any that do are easier to shift.

• Swirls from washing & drying. Most marks come from touching the paint when washing. The hardened, slick surface lets dirt release with less effort, reducing the chance of micro-scratches.

• Traffic film, tar & fallout sticking on. Road grime, tar and iron love to cling. The coating stops strong bonding, so gentle cleaners work, and you’re not scrubbing at the paint.

• Salt & winter muck. Road salt is corrosive. The coating acts as a sacrificial layer, taking the brunt, so your clear coat doesn’t.

• Loss of gloss over time. Paint loses clarity as it picks up fine defects. By resisting marring and staining, the coating helps the finish keep that deep, freshly polished look.

You don’t need to worry about the chemistry - the coating quietly does this in the background. You just notice the car stays cleaner, looks better, and takes far less effort to wash.

In summary

The benefits of Ceramic Coatings are:

• Easier Cleaning: The ultra-slick, hydrophobic surface repels dirt and water, so washing is quicker, safer, and less frequent.

• A Time Saver: Your car self cleans so it stays cleaner for longer. Less time cleaning means more time for doing the things you really enjoy.

• Long-Term Protection: Shields your car’s paint from UV rays, oxidation, chemicals, bird droppings, and road grime for years rather than weeks.

• Permanent Gloss: Deepens colour and enhances metallic flake, giving your car a constant “freshly polished” look without regular waxing.

• Durability That Lasts: Properly applied coatings don’t wash off or melt — they bond with the paint itself, forming a hardened layer that resists wear.

• Better Value Over Time: Less washing, no re-waxing, and long-term protection all mean lower upkeep costs and better paint condition when you come to sell.

Commonly Asked Questions

We have a huge FAQ about ceramic coatings, But here are some of the more commonly asked questions:

• What maintenance does a ceramic coating need?
• What is self-cleaning?
• Do ceramic coatings stop scratches and stone chips?
• Can I apply a ceramic coating myself?
• What happens if a ceramic coating isn’t applied properly?

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 14/10/2025 16:45

• How long do ceramic coatings really last?
  An article answering how long you can expect a ceramic coating to last in the real world.
• Is a Ceramic Coating Worth it?
  Ceramic coatings are expensive, there's no getting away from that. So the question has to be asked, are they worth the money?
• What are the drawbacks of a ceramic coating?
  We asked Artificial Intelligence to tell us the downsides of a ceramic coating, then reviewed the result.

• Next: I read that ceramic coating is no better than a decent quality wax?