Videos: #ceramic-coating

A Jaguar XKR convertible with a beige roof: the light colour was hiding the extent of the green staining. Fold-line wear, threadbare stitching. After cleaning, Gary spots what looks like a cigarette burn and notes it carefully for the record. The roof came up remarkably well.

A Honda Stepwgn imported directly from Japan. The owner had a water leak sorted first, then brought it in for a seven-year ceramic coating: three coats. Gary explains the "pop" that the coating gives to metallic and pearlescent paint. A stripe specialist was also called in for the body stripes.

An Audi TT in for ceramic coating, but it has just had a new roof fitted for over £1,000, which Gary says could probably have been avoided with regular cleaning. She is taking it to France. A BMW Z3 with a dirty green roof is in the workshop at the same time as a cautionary comparison.

A new Aston Martin DBS with around 2,000 miles: stone chips, wash marks, and a previous coating that had to be stripped. Four-stage polish, three coats of Fireball Dok Do 7-year ceramic on the paintwork, wheels, glass, roof and leather. Gus's first day. "The process is no different on a DBS or a Datsun."

A Bentley convertible in for roof clean and reproof. Small holes have begun at the fold lines: Gary repairs them, though warns the repair is not invisible. Nearby an Audi needed a full replacement roof at £1,800. For a Bentley, a new roof would be at least £10,000.

A white Range Rover covered in tar and industrial fallout: brake particle contamination and likely rail dust from a train line nearby. Gary identifies a rust blister starting under the badges from caustic car wash products. Clay, polish, Matrix Blue ceramic coating on paintwork and wheels.

A VW Beetle cabriolet in for roof clean, rubber conditioning and drain flush. The roof had some chemical staining from a car wash using strong alkaline products: Gary explains why those marks can be permanent. All rubbers done, drains cleared, AutoGlym three-month wax on the outside.

A Mini Cooper S Sidewalk in for roof clean and reproof: jet wash marks from a previous owner, chafed fold lines, mould inside from water ingress, blocked drains. The good news: the zigzag marks will be much less visible once the roof is clean and coated, and the fold lines have not yet gone through.

A BMW 3 Series 325 CI brought in for roof cleaning and ceramic coating. The owner's friend is seriously ill; once the car is done he plans to take him out in it: it might be his last summer. The bonnet had a previous respray that had gone flat; wet-sanded back and polished. Matrix Blue ceramic coating and a two-year roof nano-coat.

A 14-year-old BMW coupe: front bumper replaced, wing resprayed, four-stage buff, Fireball Dok Do ceramic coating. Gary's line: there is no substitute for doing a car properly. When you come back to it after filling up, you are getting back into a new car.

A Mercedes ML320 CDI at around 100,000 miles: bought from new, owner loves it, doesn't like the newer models. Swirl marks from a previous bad machine polish, a couple of smart repairs, four-stage buff, Fireball Dok Do ceramic coating, leather seat off to the trimmer, double deep clean interior.

A Mini Cooper S convertible brought out of lockdown storage: dirty green roof, jet wash marks in the fabric, compressed rubbers letting water past the boot panel and potentially into the battery area. Two-part video: the assessment and the result. Cost: £332 for the roof clean and coat, £120 for rubbers and drain flush.

A Ford Edge coated with Fireball ceramic protection: five years of coverage on paintwork and wheels. Gary is looking forward to the owner's reaction when they come to collect.

An Audi Q5 coated with Matrix Black: shinier than when it left the factory, staying that way for eight years. Gary explains the hydrophobic self-cleaning effect honestly, the scratch resistance, and the difference between a genuine ceramic coating and the wax-with-a-bit-of-ceramic products sold online.

The owner saw our Audi A6 video and booked his A4 in the same week. Five years old, kept from new, a scratch on the door that was treated cosmetically rather than a full respray. Four-stage buff, Matrix Blue applied, and yes, you can put Matrix Blue on a black car.

A Porsche Boxster treated to Fireball Dok Do ceramic coating. Triple buff first, yellow headlights polished back, convertible roof cleaned and nano-coated, all rubbers treated, all wheels refurbished. Gary includes the workshop's long-term evidence on coating durability: including a polymer-coated car still looking good after 17 years.

A Kia ProCeed coated with Matrix Black: eight years of protection. Gary explains the self-cleaning effect honestly, the football analogy for what half as much washing means in practice, and his own evidence on resale: six consecutive cars with ceramic coating, all sold within three days.

A Porsche Taycan collected from the dealer the day before: fully electric, a couple of test drive miles on it. In for Matrix Black on a Saturday morning. Gary explains why even a brand-new car benefits from machine polishing, and how the cost of a ceramic coating is structured.

A black Ford Focus that came in for a water leak, and left with Fireball Super Hydro sealant as well. Gary's brother story: put the coating on his car, it rained, he came back to borrow the minibus and said "thanks for cleaning it." The self-cleaning explanation that actually makes sense.

An Audi A6 bought from new and only washed, never properly detailed. Dirt packed into every gap, door handles, badges, shut areas: where corrosion starts. Gary spots a front bumper colour mismatch suggesting previous spray work. Full detail, machine polish, Matrix Blue on paintwork, wheels, bumpers, lights and number plates.