Should I ceramic coat my new car?

We recommend organizing that your car be ceramic coating before you take delivery. The absolute best thing you can do is have your car delivered to the detailer straight from the dealership.

Many of our customers collect their car and drive it straight to us. Some even have them delivered to us on a transporter, so they have had little to no road mileage when we get them. This ensures the car is in the very best condition and lessens the amount of paintwork correction we need to do.

What this question is really about

When you ask if you should ceramic coat a brand-new car, you are really weighing up whether it is worth investing early in long term protection. You only get one “new car” moment, but you also do not want to spend money on a coating if you are only keeping the car for a short time or will never look after it properly.

The key is to match the protection to your plans for the car, not just the fact that it is new today.

Why new cars are ideal candidates for ceramic

From a detailer’s point of view, a new or nearly new car is usually the best time to coat.

• Paint is at its youngest – there should be less swirling, etching and general wear to correct before you lock in the finish.
• Less correction time – assuming no major transport damage, less machine polishing is needed than on a tired three to five-year-old car. This means the package is cheaper. 
• Maximum return on investment – the earlier you protect the car, the more of its life it spends with a sacrificial layer taking the punishment.
• Easier ownership – good coatings make washing easier from day one, before bad habits and cheap car washes have marked the clear coat.

If you already know you will keep the car for years and care about how it looks, getting it coated while it is still genuinely fresh often makes good sense.

When ceramic on a new car might be overkill

There are also plenty of situations where a full correction and ceramic coating package is more than you really need.

• Short term ownership – if the car is a two or three year PCP and you know you will hand it back, a lighter protection package may be enough.
• Low standards or harsh use – if the car will live on a building site, be washed at the cheapest car wash and never see a drying towel, you will not see full value from a top-tier coating.
• Tight budgets – if money is limited, you may be better off with sensible washing and a mid-range sealant than stretching for ceramic and cutting corners elsewhere.
• Pending bodywork – if you already know panels may be resprayed or smart repaired soon, it can be wiser to wait until that is done.

In these cases, it is not that ceramic is bad, just that the timing or circumstances mean you will not unlock its full advantages.

Dealer coating versus independent detailer

New cars are sometimes sold with a dealership ceramic package, and it can be hard to compare that with booking an independent specialist.

• Dealerships – convenient and easy to roll into finance, but preparation time and polishing are sometimes limited, especially on busy sites.
• Independent detailers – usually spend more time on decontamination and machine polishing, and tailor the coating to the way you use the car.
• Product choice – some dealer systems are excellent, others are closer to retail sealants. A good independent will be very clear about exactly what they are using. As a rule of thumb, the better the coating, the trickier it is to apply; dealership tend to offer coatings that it's easier for their valeters to apply.
• Aftercare – ask both sides who will see the car again for inspections and what support you get if there is a problem.

If the dealer cannot explain preparation, cure time and aftercare in plain English, it is perfectly reasonable to take the car “naked” and let a detailer coat it while it is still new.

Questions to help you decide

A few honest answers will usually tell you whether ceramic on a new car is a smart move or an unnecessary extra.

• How long do I realistically plan to keep this car – a couple of years, or five to ten.
• Will it live outside doing high mileage, or in a garage doing gentle use?
• Am I prepared to follow a sensible wash routine, or will it mostly see cheap drive-through washes?
• Would I be genuinely annoyed by swirls, water spots and dulling, or am I fairly relaxed as long as it looks tidy from a distance?
• Is my budget better spent on long-term protection now, or on other accessories and options.

The more you lean towards long ownership, outdoor storage, high standards and decent washing, the more a ceramic coating makes sense on a new car.

How ceramic fits with other options on a new car

Ceramic is not the only game in town, and on a brand-new car it often works best as part of a wider plan.

• Paint protection film (PPF) – ideal for high-impact zones like bonnets, bumpers and sills, with ceramic used on the rest of the paint and over suitable PPF.
• Polymer or dealer sealants – cheaper, shorter term options that can still make sense if you are unsure about keeping the car.
• No coating yet – if you are on the fence, you can always have the car inspected after six to twelve months and coat it once you are sure you are keeping it.

The important thing is to avoid paying twice – you do not want a quick dealer sealant first, then paying again to have an independent strip it all off before applying a proper coating.

Best practice if you decide to go ahead

If you choose to ceramic coat your new car, a few simple steps help you get full value from the decision.

• Have the car inspected in good daylight before coating so any transport damage or defects can be logged and addressed.
• Ask how long the installer needs the car, how many layers of coating they apply and what areas are covered – paint, wheels, glass and so on.
• Follow cure time advice – avoid harsh washing, automatic car washes and strong chemicals while the coating is fresh.
• Adopt the recommended wash routine and schedule any inspection or top-up visits, so the coating reaches its full lifespan.

Handled this way, ceramic coating a new car becomes less of an impulse add-on and more of a sensible first step in how you plan to look after it for the years ahead.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 05/12/2025 12:08