Ceramic Coating. To coat or not to coat?

Should I get ceramic coating on my Mach-E?


  • Total voters
    94

pt19713

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
524
Reaction score
495
Location
.
Vehicles
.
Country flag
Sure you can, if they want to listen and consider the products, reviews, and real-world tests and evidence.
I was referencing a few in this thread that aren't going to change their opinion. There are many that have tried it and love it. It's one of those things, like PPF, where owners that have invested in it love it, those that haven't say it's a waste.

With how easy and quick it is to apply the consumer grade sprays, there's no reason to use the older carnuba waxes. Even some of the pro grade 9H ceramics have easy flash times to work with (ie Tec580).
Sponsored

 

MachEtyMach

Member
First Name
Tom
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
15
Reaction score
44
Location
CA
Vehicles
2016 eGolf, 2021 Mach-E CA Route 1
Country flag
I got mine professionally ceramic coated with GTECHNIQ Crystal Serum Ultra on day 3. They did all the prep steps: wash, clay, clean, etc. before applying the ceramic coat. It cost about $1500 but comes with a 9-year warranty and includes annual "check ups" where they essentially do a full detail wash and vacuum. That's worth at least $125 a pop around here, so I didn't think the price was too bad.

I briefly thought about doing it myself, but I watched the guys work on if for a while and I'm glad I didn't try it. When I mentioned doing it myself to the owner of the shop he said "You could pull your own tooth, too."

The final result was very ... shiny.

IMG_1505_shiny.JPG
 

Kamuelaflyer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2020
Threads
9
Messages
7,922
Reaction score
15,843
Location
Hawaii
Vehicles
2021 Premium Infinite Blue. ER AWD. 2020 Raptor
Country flag
I was referencing a few in this thread that aren't going to change their opinion.
Yes, I know. I agree completely with the comments youā€™ve made.

The Avalon King product was pretty easy to use by me and did a good job on our Polaris Ranger. I imagine many ā€œhigher endā€ near pro level would be similar. As for the spray products, I canā€™t imagine people wanting a paste wax as a matter of routine these days. Time to move on.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Mockstang

Mockstang

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joe
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
105
Reaction score
138
Location
USA
Vehicles
Mach-E Premium AWD ER, 1967 V8 4bbl
Occupation
Pro
Thanks everyone for the tips and keep them coming. My arrival date was supposed to be the 23rd (August) but now itā€™s September. I donā€™t understand how a vehicle thatā€™s already shipped keeps getting delays. Did the run into traffic on the way?
 

MachE2021

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Threads
28
Messages
210
Reaction score
249
Location
San Diego
Vehicles
Impala
Occupation
Attorney
Country flag
I did ceramic coating to mine in February for the first time ever and Iā€™m so glad I did! It stays so clean and all I need to do is spray it to get it all clean. No sponge or other contact needed to get it clean. Even bird droppings fall off with ease. And even when it has a layer of dust it looks so shiny! So worth it!
 


jdsimard2012

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joseph
Joined
Feb 12, 2021
Threads
5
Messages
161
Reaction score
119
Location
Montreal
Vehicles
Mach-E
Country flag
I had mine professionally done a few months after I picked it up. Had it professionally done in Montreal, using System X Diamond Ceramic product. It was around $800 in Montreal and I'm very happy with the results. Car stays clean and clear even in bad weather. My vote is its worth doing.
 

TRP

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Jun 23, 2021
Threads
61
Messages
1,047
Reaction score
1,204
Location
37841
Vehicles
Mach E P4x, Ford F150
Country flag
I have a PPF install scheduled for next month and the installer will also add ceramic coating. I went with a less expensive option. He says it will still last a year
 
OP
OP
Mockstang

Mockstang

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joe
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
105
Reaction score
138
Location
USA
Vehicles
Mach-E Premium AWD ER, 1967 V8 4bbl
Occupation
Pro
I like how easy it sounds to keep your vehicle clean after ceramic coating. I added a question to my first post.

Sounds like I wonā€™t need weekly visits to the brushed wash anymore.
 

DR.J56

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Threads
7
Messages
512
Reaction score
659
Location
Texas
Vehicles
2020 F-350. 2021 Mustang Mach E
Country flag
I plan to do my MME myself as soon as I get it from the dealer. Iā€™ve instructed the dealer ā€œno washā€. I bought a black F350 from the same dealer last year and decided to ceramic coat it myself. The dealer put a ton of scratches in it. I researched, then researched and then researched, for about 3 months. Bought a decent buffer and product. Spent a couple of weekends on it and it turned out awesome and still looks great 9 months later. Products used were Carpro. 2 coats of CQuartz UK3.0 and 1 coat GLISS. I was so impressed, I did my 43ā€™ Fifth wheel. Took 3 months! I have a 2000 square foot climate controlled garage to do the work in which helps a lot.

Washing a coated vehicle is really strange if you have never done it. Theres no resistance when using a soapy mitt. Feels like you are washing it with motor oil. I use the 2 bucket method and even change water half way through. I was HIGHLY skeptical before but decided to try it. Glad I did. Nay sayers can SUCK IT!!!! Yes, when I did the 5th wheel my wife was convinced I was crazy!
 
Last edited:

dgipson

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
18
Reaction score
22
Location
Vancouver
Vehicles
Mach E
Country flag
You guys do realize where those swirl marks come from right??

It comes from rubbing the paint (for any reason). Be that hand washing, or rubbing in "protective coatings" or otherwise.
My MME had more swirl marks on it straight from the factory with 10km on it than my old black SUV has with 60,000km taking it through a brush car-wash every month. Unless the dealer was washing it with steel wool instead of microfiber, I think it's a FORD issue. The MME paint was garbage on receipt. I had the detail shop do a paint correction and ceramic and now it looks magical. So nice, not a single swirl mark and the water just beads up on the whole car and runs off. I'm into 2nd month now with the ceramic and I still like it. We'll see how it holds up over the winter.
 

pt19713

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
524
Reaction score
495
Location
.
Vehicles
.
Country flag
Car stays clean and clear even in bad weather. My vote is its worth doing.
Yeah, this is what I love about the coatings. Normally after driving through the rain, you'll get water marks with the mineral deposits left behind, along with all the road dirt and grime. With a good coating, most of that just flows off as the water streaks and beads off at normal speeds.

When I get home, I use my EGO leaf blower to dry the vehicles and it stays clean (except the rear).
 

Illinibird

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Threads
40
Messages
1,563
Reaction score
1,445
Location
Frankfort Illinois
Vehicles
2015 Acura MDX Adv; 2016 Titanium Fusion Hybrid
Occupation
retired Endodontist (root canal specialist) and Clinical Assistant Professor
Country flag
I correct the damage done by people that have these sorts of mentalities. Perhaps they don't see the iron contamination in the paint from day 1 riding on the rail. Or see the contamination that is removed via clay bar, or seen the progress pictures and the color difference before and after. When you have literally no experience, you don't know what you don't know. It's disappointing when those folks believe they know what they are talking about and preach common sense as though they had some.

And yes I'm practically only using ceramic sprays now for my own cars. They are so easy to use and provide the durability I need to get me through the year with my typical biannual detail.

I'm interested in trying the Adam's, I've give that a go in the fall. I've been using the Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic and it's done as well or better than some of the big name guys.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Ceramic Coating. To coat or not to coat? IMG_1505_shiny.JPG
I'm using Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic coating right now but I'm not getting the stunning outcome you show! I used Chemical Guys stripper wash to remove the last coating from the car. From there, I used Chemical Guys water spot remover as I had water spots on the paint finish. I took that off with the Chemical Guys rapid remover and then dried the finish. Next I used a clay bar with Mequiars Detailer. Once the finish was polished I coated the car with the Turtle Wax Ceramic Hybrid coating. I'm sorry to say the final product looks nothing like yours does. If that's infinite Blue it looks a lot deeper and more blue than my car does. Great job!
 

Scooby24

Well-Known Member
First Name
Greg
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Threads
24
Messages
1,897
Reaction score
2,871
Location
Olathe, KS
Vehicles
'21 MME-GT Star White; '22 MME Prem AWD DGM
Occupation
Perioperative Revenue Manager
Country flag
I'm using Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic coating right now but I'm not getting the stunning outcome you show! I used Chemical Guys stripper wash to remove the last coating from the car. From there, I used Chemical Guys water spot remover as I had water spots on the paint finish. I took that off with the Chemical Guys rapid remover and then dried the finish. Next I used a clay bar with Mequiars Detailer. Once the finish was polished I coated the car with the Turtle Wax Ceramic Hybrid coating. I'm sorry to say the final product looks nothing like yours does. If that's infinite Blue it looks a lot deeper and more blue than my car does. Great job!
Thank you! This is BMW's Phytonic Blue Metallic which is richer than Ford's Infinite Blue. The metallic flake give it a big pop in good lighting.

My process was Foam Cannon wash with Honey Dew, claybar using Honey Dew for lube. Polish with Jescar on a Flex 3401 and a MF pad.

IPA wipedown and 2 coats of Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray head to toe. Final clean MF wipedown to removal final solvents in spray.

Touchups with Honey Dew Foam wash, and Carpro Reload as a QD.
 

Pushrods&Capacitors

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Jun 24, 2021
Threads
28
Messages
1,751
Reaction score
3,237
Location
Round Rock, TX
Vehicles
ā€˜21 4X, ā€˜14 SS Sedan tuned, ā€˜17 WRX tuned
Occupation
Analyst
Country flag
What's the overall message here in literally all of those videos? It's that PHYSICAL CONTACT is where the majority of paint damage comes from. He's showing good procedures to MINIMIZE damage when hamd washing your vehicle. But you know what goes a step further than that.

Not touching the paint!

Again, you paid good money for your car, and you can do whatever you like to it. But common sense atill applies here and if you avoid the very thing that damages the paint, such as TOUCHING THE PAINT, then your obviously far better off for it.

With that said you WILL still get damage from driving the car, from flying debris, rocks etc.. but no magical coating in the world will prevent any of that, and all they do is provide a sacrificial layer that can then be buffed down to even out the surface of the paint. When you consider the ongoing costs of all these coatings, you end up paying more than you would to have the whole car repainted. Which begs the question... what did you actually accomplish here with any of it to begin with when ongoing maintenance literally exceeds the costs of repainting the entire vehicle?

I don't want to be rude, but there is a quote that comes to mind here that goes along the lines of "a fool is easily parted with his money", and i think that applies here.
Dude. Iā€™ve ā€œtouchedā€ my cars since I began driving in the early ā€˜90s. Tried all kinds of products. You never ā€œtouchā€ or rub a dusty/dirty car, but, you absolutely wash with the 2 bucket method or foam cannon (my preferred method) and utilize proper/clean sponges and drying towels. My cars never have swirls because I wash them this way and detail them frequently. And I always have a layer of protective coating over the paint whether wax, or now, hybrid ceramic spray coating. Yes, the $15.00 bottle of Turtle Wax hybrid ceramic coating actually works far better than the real ceramic guys would ever want you to
know.
And wtf with the repainted vehicle comment? Seriously? Donā€™t buy detailing products because youā€™ll spend the same $$$ over time as repainting your car? Did you seriously type that?

Your ā€œadviceā€ is beyond ridiculous.

It reminds me of the guys back in the days who would swear up and down that synthetic oil was bad for engines because of all kinds of BS reasons. Itā€™s preposterous.
 

Illinibird

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Threads
40
Messages
1,563
Reaction score
1,445
Location
Frankfort Illinois
Vehicles
2015 Acura MDX Adv; 2016 Titanium Fusion Hybrid
Occupation
retired Endodontist (root canal specialist) and Clinical Assistant Professor
Country flag
Thank you! This is BMW's Phytonic Blue Metallic which is richer than Ford's Infinite Blue. The metallic flake give it a big pop in good lighting.

My process was Foam Cannon wash with Honey Dew, claybar using Honey Dew for lube. Polish with Jescar on a Flex 3401 and a MF pad.

IPA wipedown and 2 coats of Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray head to toe. Final clean MF wipedown to removal final solvents in spray.

Touchups with Honey Dew Foam wash, and Carpro Reload as a QD.
Thank you for detailed reply. Iā€™m glad to hear it is a different paint color and also kind of amazed I didnā€™t pick up that the car wasnā€™t a Mach E. I still could try the isopropyl alcohol wipe down on all other areas of the car except the hood because thatā€™s where I put the Turtle Wax Ceramic Hybrid last night to see how it would look so itā€™s too late for that part of the car.
Sponsored

 
 




Top