DIY car wash and ceramic coating recommendations

[MitchAK]

Hey Gang,

I have a feeling I am going to want to keep "Smoke" cleaner than any other vehicle I owned. There are a couple of threads regarding going to a car wash, but I'm trying to gauge peoples' preferences for specific products to use on the car myself. Ideas?

Thanks...

I recommend Ethos Graphene.
It was my first ever DIY of any sort of ceramic coating.
Did my wife’s truck couple weeks back and I’ll do my MME when I get it.

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[KAustin]

I spent yesterday putting on Ethos Graphene Matrix coating. Washed, clay barred, detox and then put on the coating. All went easy. Took about 4 hours total. Looks great, but only time will tell how it holds up. They claim 5 years . . . if it makes it 2, I'll be happy. The small 30 ml bottle covered pretty well. Did one full coat and then a second coat on the front and I still have some left.

How long did you wait before the second coat?

 

[abr]

How long did you wait before the second coat?

Started on the front. By the time I finished the rest of the car, I did the front again. Probably about 1.5 hours after the first coat.

 

[KAustin]

Started on the front. By the time I finished the rest of the car, I did the front again. Probably about 1.5 hours after the first coat.

Thanks

 

[MurphyDog]

I used a whole set of products from The Last Cost for a DYI ceramic coat. I’m really happy with the results. Drove it in the rain a few days later and I almost can’t even tell it left my garage.

 

[KAustin]

I used a whole set of products from The Last Cost for a DYI ceramic coat. I’m really happy with the results. Drove it in the rain a few days later and I almost can’t even tell it left my garage.

That's awesome. I'm surprised at how dirty the back of the car gets. The hatch just absorbs dirt in the rain. I'm looking forward to being able to clean it easily.

 

[abr]

That's awesome. I'm surprised at how dirty the back of the car gets. The hatch just absorbs dirt in the rain. I'm looking forward to being able to clean it easily.

Mine hasn't been out in the rain yet, and probably won't be until next December, which will probably be the next time it rains here. But I did wash it yesterday and the water beading from the graphene coating is fabulous.

 

[eltonlin]

That's awesome. I'm surprised at how dirty the back of the car gets. The hatch just absorbs dirt in the rain. I'm looking forward to being able to clean it easily.

This. My rear window was filthy after a few days of rain. Rest of the car didn’t show anything at all.

 

[John_C]

At the recommendation of a few others, I tried the 303 Graphene too. Only around $20 and does well. Here's mine after:

Here's another product comparison video...

This is a *great* video. Thanks so much for posting. I was going to go with a ceramic product for my Infinite Blue MME but now am definitely choosing 303 Graphine Nano. Seems like a Rain-X product is still best for glass based on this. Thanks again.

 

[shadowsjc]

I had the bad luck of taking my car home Saturday evening, and then a pouring steady rain Sunday all day. Right now the rear hatch is already pretty grimey. Thinking of taking it for a hand carwash on Sunday or Monday and then applying one of the 303 products mentioned earlier in this thread

 

[dbsb3233]

I had the bad luck of taking my car home Saturday evening, and then a pouring steady rain Sunday all day. Right now the rear hatch is already pretty grimey. Thinking of taking it for a hand carwash on Sunday or Monday and then applying one of the 303 products mentioned earlier in this thread

The rear window is a dirt/dust collector. It's worth buying a 36-pack of microfiber towels (Costco/Walmart/etc). I keep a spray bottle in the garage that I fill with standard wiper fluid. Use one cloth to clean the dirt off, then follow up with a 2nd clean one for the finishing touches.

 

[KAustin]

Alright, seeing as I started this thread I guess I should report back what I did.

- Two bucket wash
- Claybar with a claymit
- Alcohol prep using 70% diluted to roughly 15%
- Two coats of Avalon King's Armour Shield IX Ceramic Coating
- Parked car in the sun the next day for 7 hours to help with curing process (it was dusk when I finished the first day)

Total time was about four hours. I'll post pictures at another time. The car looks great and has the shine/reflective properties I was looking for.

I'm happy. Now, I just need to tint the two front windows.

 

[shadowsjc]

I wound up buying mother's cmx ceramic spray and applying it after I took the car for its first hand wash. I think it came out OK but it doesn't look particularly "shinier" than before. Is this stuff supposed to only protect against water spots? Is there a different product I should use instead that would make it shiny + offer some protection?

 

[Rotting Piñata]

- Two bucket wash
- Claybar with a claymit
- Alcohol prep using 70% diluted to roughly 15%
- Two coats of Avalon King's Armour Shield IX Ceramic Coating
- Parked car in the sun the next day for 7 hours to help with curing process (it was dusk when I finished the first day)

How many bottles of Armor Shield did you use?

 

[KAustin]

How many bottles of Armor Shield did you use?

I don't think I even used half of the bottle. I thought I was being pretty liberal about how much I was using. I only did one coat on the windows, roof, and rims. I used RainX on the windshield.

Be sure to use a discount code if you get it. Took $25 off.

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