Rallye Red Touring: PPF and Gtechniq

[Spunjer]

So i finally jumped the gun.. PPF on the hood (full), front bumper, partial fenders and mirrors with Suntek, and GTechniq ceramic coating (crystal serum ultra). can't believe how much the color popped! i couldn't be much happier!!

 

[CEPA_Si]

Looks good! Crystal Serum is a great coating. I was very close to picking this up last year but decided to just stick with CQuartz Professional and Finest Reserve.

 

[jessieomc]

So....how difficult is the actual prep for ceramic coating??? I want to do it to mine but I worry about getting it 1000% spotless before application. I've never polished a car or used a clay bar and Ive heard horror stories of paint swirls and damage from improper polishing. I also may not have access to an enclosed space so I worry about debris and whatnot getting on the car just from the wind (i.e. dust and pollen and whatnot). There's a local shop that does it but I'd have to drop a minimum $300 bucks for a 6 month professional CeramicPro application and packages go all the way up into the $1K range depending on how long of a warranty you opt for. Ouch! $$$

Is the coating forgiving when applying? How long does the stuff you get online last (as in the non-professional OTC stuff)? Do you have to strip it off somehow before reapplying in the future?

I know nothing other than what Ive seen on the few application/prep vids I've watched on youtube and the last thing I want to do is ruin my paint!

 

[CEPA_Si]

So....how difficult is the actual prep for ceramic coating??? I want to do it to mine but I worry about getting it 1000% spotless before application. I've never polished a car or used a clay bar and Ive heard horror stories of paint swirls and damage from improper polishing. I also may not have access to an enclosed space so I worry about debris and whatnot getting on the car just from the wind (i.e. dust and pollen and whatnot). There's a local shop that does it but I'd have to drop a minimum $300 bucks for a 6 month professional CeramicPro application and packages go all the way up into the $1K range depending on how long of a warranty you opt for. Ouch! $$$

Is the coating forgiving when applying? How long does the stuff you get online last (as in the non-professional OTC stuff)? Do you have to strip it off somehow before reapplying in the future?

I know nothing other than what Ive seen on the few application/prep vids I've watched on youtube and the last thing I want to do is ruin my paint!

Honestly a lot of the expense is the prep work when paying to have a vehicle done. In most instances there are many hours in thoroughly refining the finish to its maximum potential with some of the high dollar services. As for being 100% spotless prior to application if this is your daily driver it is ridiculous to try and achieve that level of correction, much less if you have never polished a vehicle before it is very likely you will not achieve those type of results. The $300 Ceramic Pro job you're referring to is simply a sealant and not a coating.

If you would decide to do it yourself I would highly recommend either Optimum Gloss Coat, Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light or 22ple HPC. These are some of the easier coatings to apply and all of these will last several years.

I would highly recommend you check Detailed Image's AAP Blog. There is a lot of great useful information on this site along with reviews and guides on how to use the products.

 

[Zdiver]

So i finally jumped the gun.. PPF on the hood (full), front bumper, partial fenders and mirrors with Suntek, and GTechniq ceramic coating (crystal serum ultra). can't believe how much the color popped! i couldn't be much happier!!

Looks like you had Keith at Clear bra ohio do this for you? They did the clear bra on my 18 si and currently have it doing the ceramic coating. How has it all held up for you so far?

 

[sillyrabbit]

Side note: Is that the regular Civic spoiler or the SI spoiler?

 

[Spunjer]

@Zdiver ,
yep, you got it! Keith and his son did an excellent job. i couldn't be much happier with their work. his attention to detail was impeccable. when i dropped it off i mentioned to him that there's a couple hail damages on the hood (which i just noticed a couple days prior to dropping off the car). his son found a couple more. i was kinda bummed out. he mentioned he knew someone that might be able to fix it. a day later his friend came over and went ahead and fixed all the dent. he said did about 16 total! cost me an additional $160 but it was definitely worth it.
anyway, i've only had the coating applied for a couple of weeks, but so far i'm really digging it. maintenance is a breeze: two bucket method, Optimum no rinse + Opti-seal. did it last saturday for the first time and it took me about 50 minutes. also C2 V3 Liquid crystal once every 60 days.

took a picture this afternoon in her dirty form. understand it's been windy and dusty these past few days plus that freak snow/ice we had yesterday, lol. good old Buckeye weather. and i don't have a garage.
she definitely needs a bath tomorrow.

@sillyrabbit,
it's a regular Civic spoiler...

 

[sgk1503]

@Zdiver ,
yep, you got it! Keith and his son did an excellent job. i couldn't be much happier with their work. his attention to detail was impeccable. when i dropped it off i mentioned to him that there's a couple hail damages on the hood (which i just noticed a couple days prior to dropping off the car). his son found a couple more. i was kinda bummed out. he mentioned he knew someone that might be able to fix it. a day later his friend came over and went ahead and fixed all the dent. he said did about 16 total! cost me an additional $160 but it was definitely worth it.
anyway, i've only had the coating applied for a couple of weeks, but so far i'm really digging it. maintenance is a breeze: two bucket method, Optimum no rinse + Opti-seal. did it last saturday for the first time and it took me about 50 minutes. also C2 V3 Liquid crystal once every 60 days.

It look gorgeous man. Do you think i should do ceramic coating after 2 year of owning it? I didn't do any for paint protection but the hood film. Is it too late to get it done now?

 

[Spunjer]

Thanks!
@CEPA_Si could answer this much better, but what i know it shouldn't matter since whoever's gonna install it have to do a thorough paint correction before adding the coating

 

[sgk1503]

Thanks!
@CEPA_Si could answer this much better, but what i know it shouldn't matter since whoever's gonna install it have to do a thorough paint correction before adding the coating

Hopefully it cause i want to do a detail for mine in the coming summer. Thanks man

 

[CEPA_Si]

It look gorgeous man. Do you think i should do ceramic coating after 2 year of owning it? I didn't do any for paint protection but the hood film. Is it too late to get it done now?

You can do a ceramic coating on a vehicle no matter how old the vehicle is. It will just require proper preparation and polishing over the finish prior to application of the coating. If you plan to keep the car for several years yet it would certainly be worth while doing though.

 

[mpt2006]

You can do a ceramic coating on a vehicle no matter how old the vehicle is. It will just require proper preparation and polishing over the finish prior to application of the coating. If you plan to keep the car for several years yet it would certainly be worth while doing though.

Is it worth doing a ppf if you park outside? Rains lots where I am from

 

[CEPA_Si]

If you have the money and want the best protection available for your car, then ppf is absolutely worth putting on your car. Don't matter if you park it inside or outside. PPF is very pricey, however most films come with close to a 10 year warranty and will keep your paint in excellent condition.

 

[abstractls]

So i finally jumped the gun.. PPF on the hood (full), front bumper, partial fenders and mirrors with Suntek, and GTechniq ceramic coating (crystal serum ultra). can't believe how much the color popped! i couldn't be much happier!!

How much did the PPF cost you?

 

[Spunjer]

sorry for the delayed response...
cost was $850; that included full hood, partial fenders, bumper and mirrors

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