Ceramic paint protection worth it?

[ikbenben]

You will never see any type of Professional grade coating applied for that type of pricing in this country. That wouldn't be totally out of line for a new car prep with a consumer coating with a very light polish to clean up the surface however. We have standards we need to follow when it comes to the Professional coating we apply, not to mention @ that price I would be losing money due to my material costs and other expenses. Also the coating market is much more controlled and regulated then most other counties. It's a premium product/service that carries a premium price tag.

CQuartz Finest can only be applied by certified detailers, also in Belgium where I live. So they also have to qualify for certain standards.
If I needed to pay the prices I see here then I would go for a XPEL wrap.

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[Tyler]

There is nothing wrong with trying your own work - however, consider your experience and confidence in your abilities. Simple tasks, such as washing and maintenance routines, can be easily learned and adapted based on your environment, available tools and products, etc.

However - if you are not comfortable polishing your paintwork, applying a coating, or simply do not want to invest in the tools required - then reaching out a professional is the best choice.

If you do choose to invest in a professional detailer, consider this:

• WHO is the installer you are choosing? Are they reputable? Experienced? Some things in life are not worth finding the cheapest cost for, and detailing is no different. You made an investment in purchasing your vehicle, so finding someone qualified to invest in for potentially long-term is equally important. Ask yourself why their prices may be higher - ask them what sets them apart. If they are worth your time, they will be able to tell you exactly why.
  • Accredited CQuartz Installers are hand selected by one individual across North America. While there are hundreds of yearly applications, there is well under 200 of us as such. Why would that be, when there are hundreds upon hundreds of other certified installers with competing products? The answer is quite simple - we are qualified based not only on our abilities to manipulate and perfect paintwork - but the professionalism, honesty, integrity, and passion we inject into every vehicle we work on. We must be able to perform a service to the absolute, and also provide integral support and recommendations based on the experience we bring to the table.

• WHO is the manufacture you are choosing? Are the honest with their marketing? Are there durability and feature claims both reliable and realistic? Will they support you or your installer should there ever be questions or concerns? CarPro is a pioneer in North America for automotive coatings, and has been arguably the most popular choice for several years by both DIY'ers and professionals alike.

Again, don't get me wrong - there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to perform your own work. In fact, I promote that to many of my clients on a regular basis. Learning how to properly maintain your vehicle is an essential skill to ensuring the results you have achieved will be preserved for years to come.

However, if you have concerns with the condition of your paintwork - or simply do not feel comfortable or do not have adequate experience working with polishes and coatings, then reaching out to a professional is a highly recommended.

As @KMG mentioned - The CQuartz Professional & Finest Reserve coatings are highly regulated across North America for reasons listed above. They carry a premium price tag, and the experience purchased with it as such is superlative. They are designed for those who desire the best of the best. From the product claims and what it delivers, to the attention to detail on the service provided, and the support you will receive - there is a reason these coatings are priced where they are.

 

[Si_chRis]

You will never see any type of Professional grade coating applied for that type of pricing in this country. That wouldn't be totally out of line for a new car prep with a consumer coating with a very light polish to clean up the surface however. We have standards we need to follow when it comes to the Professional coating we apply, not to mention @ that price I would be losing money due to my material costs and other expenses. Also the coating market is much more controlled and regulated then most other counties. It's a premium product/service that carries a premium price tag.

As previously mentioned, pricing will vary by state and detailer in the USA, and I have seen pricing within the sub $500 range for a full surface detail and prep, along with application of a product. As for losing money charging the sub $500 range, it really depends on how you manage your business. Variables such as the number of clients you have versus how much you charge, the types of services you offer, where you obtain your supplies from, how much you pay for your supplies, how much product you utilize on each client, and what you need to keep the shop lights on. For being a professional detailer, I assume you purchase your detaling supplies in bulk? And at wholesale pricing as well? With the number of clients you may go through in a month (lets say 1 per day), charging the sub $500 range for only a surface prep and ceramic coating service should do you pretty well. If you're charging in the thousands, you are doing extremely well.

 

[KMG]

As previously mentioned, pricing will vary by state and detailer in the USA, and I have seen pricing within the sub $500 range for a full surface detail and prep, along with application of a product. As for losing money charging the sub $500 range, it really depends on how you manage your business. Variables such as the number of clients you have versus how much you charge, the types of services you offer, where you obtain your supplies from, how much you pay for your supplies, how much product you utilize on each client, and what you need to keep the shop lights on. For being a professional detailer, I assume you purchase your detaling supplies in bulk? And at wholesale pricing as well? With the number of clients you may go through in a month (lets say 1 per day), charging the sub $500 range for only a surface prep and ceramic coating service should do you pretty well. If you're charging in the thousands, you are doing extremely well.

Chris, what you probably don't realize is that we have several hundred dollars in materials tied up in one job also. So yes "you" feel these jobs should be in the $5-600 range for a professional coating. Now just take into consideration that roughly half of that is material cost, between the coating and other supplies used during the service. These professional coatings are serial numbered and specific to each vehicle and can't be used on other vehicles. Like I said previously for a consumer coating and light polish that pricing is just fine as the material costs are no where near what they are on professional coatings, along with the time put into prepping the vehicle prior to the coating.

My business is a part-time business and is not volume based. I only do correction and coating work with a very limited number of cars each month. Most of my work is professional coatings, however I still do a decent number of consumer coatings also.

 

[Si_chRis]

Chris, what you probably don't realize is that we have several hundred dollars in materials tied up in one job also. So yes "you" feel these jobs should be in the $5-600 range for a professional coating. Now just take into consideration that roughly half of that is material cost, between the coating and other supplies used during the service. These professional coatings are serial numbered and specific to each vehicle and can't be used on other vehicles. Like I said previously for a consumer coating and light polish that pricing is just fine as the material costs are no where near what they are on professional coatings, along with the time put into prepping the vehicle prior to the coating.

My business is a part-time business and is not volume based. I only do correction and coating work with a very limited number of cars each month. Most of my work is professional coatings, however I still do a decent number of consumer coatings also.

Point taken. It is always good to hear from a professional's point of view to help understand more of what is involved when you compare professional versus consumer coatings.

 

[dastanli]

Anything over $1000 is way too much for just a coating of ceramic (not counting prep work) imo. $150 for the ceramic coating with the applicator. $50 worth of microfiber towels and you got $800 left. How long does it take for you professionals to apply this stuff? How much are you charging per hour? Are you charging to have the car sit there and cure? How many coats do you put on? Because at these prices this line of work sounds like one hell of a lucrative business.

Not to diminish what you guys do but it honesty doesn't look like that difficult a job if you have an eye for detail and know how to follow the directions. I have a buddy that does professional detail work and even he said there's really not much to it when it came to applying the coating. Just don't over apply and wipe it off according to the product instructions.

P.S. I think what you professionals can do to a car is an artwork.

 

[Tyler]

Read my personal responses in your quote below.

For reference, I recently had a Subaru STI in for a CQuartz Professional service. Overall, I had over 25 hours invested in that vehicle.

Anything over $1000 is way too much for just a coating of ceramic (not counting prep work) imo. $150 for the ceramic coating with the applicator. $50 worth of microfiber towels and you got $800 left.

For a consumer coating job, maybe $200 in costs is closer to accurate for raw materials. But what about polish costs? Pads? Machine repair and purchase prices? Short-wave IR curing lamps for Professional or Finest Reserve? Or for those in a shop space, what about lease rates, employee costs, utilities, etc. The list can go on and on. On a Professional or Finest Reserve job, the costs can easily be several hundred dollars without blinking an eye - and that's just material costs alone.

How long does it take for you professionals to apply this stuff? How much are you charging per hour? Are you charging to have the car sit there and cure? How many coats do you put on? Because at these prices this line of work sounds like one hell of a lucrative business.

I personally do not IR cure the consumer coatings, but I also do not charge to let it cure naturally. However, I do followup the service with a Reload application and touch-up, so there's another couple hours of my time invested. Professional and Finest Reserve are typically IR cured, which is NOT just letting a lamp sit on it and walking away. Short-wave IR lamps are quite expensive to begin with, and the procedure must be meticulously monitored throughout the few-hour duration. Depending on the service level, 2-3 or more coats is applied which can be a several hour process alone.

Not to diminish what you guys do but it honesty doesn't look like that difficult a job if you have an eye for detail and know how to follow the directions. I have a buddy that does professional detail work and even he said there's really not much to it when it came to applying the coating. Just don't over apply and wipe it off according to the product instructions.

Before I became CQuartz Authorized, I too thought that applying the coating was just as easy as the consumer products. While there is not an extreme difference in terms of difficulty, there are many more things that are added once you step into this level. Every CQuartz Professional or Finest Reserve job has strict standards that we hold ourselves to by choice. For example, how often do you see a detailer spend several hours polishing on a 1" pad to ensure every surface defect has been addressed? Or spending hours cleaning & coating wheels and calipers? It's the small but important differentiating factors that separate us from other professionals. It's the pride we take in our work, and the support we provide before, during, and after the process.

P.S. I think what you professionals can do to a car is an artwork.

I couldn't agree more myself.

 

[cypress]

Yeah I just got another quote at ~2700 for Finest Reserve and ~2000 for Professional. Seems absolutely crazy. The product is good, but not 2,700$ good based on an example car they showed me. Prep I understand and am willing to pay for, but when a bottle of publicly available CQuartz is no more than 100$, anything over 1,500$ seems just like price gouging at that point. Am I paying you 300$ per hour or something?

Curious to know who you got your quote from? Since we are in the same area. I reach out to someone in Boynton Beach but he didn't wanna give me a quote, wanted to see it in person. Wanted to get an idea of how much it would run for. $2,700 is too much for me.

 

[GSquared]

Curious to know who you got your quote from? Since we are in the same area. I reach out to someone in Boynton Beach but he didn't wanna give me a quote, wanted to see it in person. Wanted to get an idea of how much it would run for. $2,700 is too much for me.

I went to him in person as I got the same answer and that was lower than 2,700. It seemed like he expected to do it that day though as he had a table set out and everything ready to go. It's at his actual home, not a business place. All I wanted was a price, but he said he had to look at the paint and such to see how it was from the factory, which seems reasonable I guess. He said it looked really good from the factory, but still had contaminants as expected. PM me about it if you need more detail.

2,700 is too much for me too, that was from some place south of here. Proficient-X I think was the name of the place.

I don't know I get all the points in this thread, but when I see someone getting it for way less than $1,000 elsewhere, that seems crazy that there is that much of a price discrepancy. I would gladly pay 900 or so for it, because I think that's about what it's worth, not triple that. The quotes I'm getting are just a little insane to me. I'm getting Suntek PPF on the front of the car instead for now as for a similar price, that holds more value and actually protects the paint from scratches, rock chips, etc.

 

[KMG]

Sounds like you were dealing with Mike, as he works out of his home. Proficient-X is Andy and both do great work. Andy does quite a bit of very high end exotic work and likely has a higher hourly rate then Mike I am guessing.

I typically don't like to give a price without seeing the car usually also. I like to feel the client out and discuss things with them before deciding which might be the best option for them.

I would certainly recommend a coating of some sort though, if the price is the big thing holding you back then just go for a consumer level coating as it will be quite a bit cheaper and still offer you the easy maintenance benefit of the coating.

 

[cypress]

I went to him in person as I got the same answer and that was lower than 2,700. It seemed like he expected to do it that day though as he had a table set out and everything ready to go. It's at his actual home, not a business place. All I wanted was a price, but he said he had to look at the paint and such to see how it was from the factory, which seems reasonable I guess. He said it looked really good from the factory, but still had contaminants as expected. PM me about it if you need more detail.

2,700 is too much for me too, that was from some place south of here. Proficient-X I think was the name of the place.

I don't know I get all the points in this thread, but when I see someone getting it for way less than $1,000 elsewhere, that seems crazy that there is that much of a price discrepancy. I would gladly pay 900 or so for it, because I think that's about what it's worth, not triple that. The quotes I'm getting are just a little insane to me. I'm getting Suntek PPF on the front of the car instead for now as for a similar price, that holds more value and actually protects the paint from scratches, rock chips, etc.

Yes!! That was definitely the guy as he told me the same exact thing. I now know what to expect quote wise. I am gonna PM you now though.

His name is Mike Moore as @KMG just mentioned.

 

[GSquared]

Sounds like you were dealing with Mike, as he works out of his home. Proficient-X is Andy and both do great work. Andy does quite a bit of very high end exotic work and likely has a higher hourly rate then Mike I am guessing.

I typically don't like to give a price without seeing the car usually also. I like to feel the client out and discuss things with them before deciding which might be the best option for them.

I would certainly recommend a coating of some sort though, if the price is the big thing holding you back then just go for a consumer level coating as it will be quite a bit cheaper and still offer you the easy maintenance benefit of the coating.

Yep that was the two I spoke with. I guess you all know each other in the selective Finest Reserve group. It's interesting how everyone's prices are slightly different but hover around the same amount after talking with a few more.

Yeah, I saw Andy's site and images, it seems he works on tons of high end vehicles. The price is just astronomical for me, but for people with those vehicles, I'm sure it's just a drop in the bucket!

I'm still actually thinking about getting it, but man, I just hope no one dings my door and it comes right off or something like that -- that's where the concern about price comes in as well. Does this coating hold up against the sun, bird droppings, pollen, etc pretty well as long as it is washed once a week or two? (and things like bird droppings are removed within 24 hours or so?)

Thanks for all your discussion and help so far.

 

[Tyler]

.....Does this coating hold up against the sun, bird droppings, pollen, etc pretty well as long as it is washed once a week or two? (and things like bird droppings are removed within 24 hours or so?)

Whether you're looking at Professional or Finest Reserve, both will hold up incredibly well against UV rays, chemical abrasion, bird bombs, etc. While it does have abrasion resistance, typically that's not something heavily advertised as it can quickly be taken as 'scratch-proof', which would be blatant wrongful advertising for any coating. I've attached a photo to better explain the difference between both coatings.

Durability - As with any form of protection, it is all highly dependent on maintenance. Your installer will explain in more depth, but if you utilize the correct (and cost-effective) Reset shampoo, and use Reload or Hydro2/Hydrofoam every once in a while, you'll be fine. I've had clients who didn't wash their vehicles for months, and when we performed a proper maintenance wash and quick decon, the coating was just as alive as the day I put it on.

When I first decided to become accredited with a manufacturer for coatings, there were many options. At the end of the day, I had a choice of who I chose. I chose based on the experience I had with the consumer products, the honesty and integrity of the company, and if the bite matches the bark. For me, this is why CarPro and the CQuartz line were the right choice.

 

[sdmk261]

I've had my Sonic Gray ST for about 4 months and I finally got around to claying the car and applying a coating and sealant a couple weeks ago.

I used AMMO NYC reflex (coating) and skin (sealant). Spent about $150-200 on products, MF towels, applicator pads, clay bar, etc. It was worth every penny and minute (set aside a Saturday to do the job). The car has a noticeably different feel to the touch, the paint has excellent depth and shine, and it is completely hydrophobic and dirt-phobic(?).

I'm sure this job would've easily cost me $1,000+ to have professionally done. If you find someone charging you under $500 for a professional exterior detail I would be very skeptical of the products they're using or the job they're doing.

AMMO NYC products will be a bit different look and feel than the ceramic coatings. It won't have as much of a glassy/ceramic look, but I believe it has better depth.

 

[ikbenben]

I'm sure this job would've easily cost me $1,000+ to have professionally done. If you find someone charging you under $500 for a professional exterior detail I would be very skeptical of the products they're using or the job they're doing.

I got the the card with the number of the used CQuartz Finest coating so its legit. Every product used was CarPro and Chemical Guys.
All this for 495€.

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