Professional ceramic coating and correction - worth it for my use case?

PPF will last 5-7 years. Ceramic coating even the best ones only last 1-2 years and I think that is a stretch if you DD your car in the rain or other weather.

I have paid for both PPF and Ceramic coating and the coating is nice if they do a good job with paint correction however your paying $800 for the service and $200 for materials all easy to do work.

The PPF on the other hand is very difficult to install.

So you could get front clip PPF'd and do your own ceramic coating the second you get your car back...then let it cure for 1-2 days in your garage and you have a fully PPF'd and coated car that would be amazing to keep clean.

Mikey240 wrote

Alan l. tracer bullet

Let me ask you guys: What do you with the car after say a long drive or busy weekend of driving and the light road grime/dust that will collect along the bottom half of the car, wheels, etc? Do you do anything or just let it be until the next water-based wash?

Its the "in-between wet washes" protocols that can be tricky. I know a light dusting isnt a big deal but after a long day of driving, the car does get a little grimy. Am I being too anal wanting to deal with this? Just leave it? Or do you guys wash with water basically after every long trip or weekend of driving? To me, this light grime is what a waterless wash excels at but perhaps I need to rethink this?

I currently use a two bucket system but thats a pain. Might switch to using 4-5 wash mitts instead with one bucket.

My car does have splash guards installed which do help the bottom of the doors and quarter panels.

Great question to ask and I am sure lots of the forum members have a routine.

In between washes during spring, summer, and fall I go to the self serve spray wash bay and use light soap for 30 seconds and spray the rinse water until there is no soap then I use the air dryer from a distance and dry with detail spray and a nice 550gsm towel.

I love doing this I probably pop by the car wash twice per week.

Mikey240 wrote

Hi all - so, my 2026 m240i only has 1400 miles on it thus far. I am scheduled to have a $1,000 correction/prep/ceramic/ job done in a few weeks at a local shop. [...]So, part of me still says that $1000 bucks isnt a bad investment in my car.

Just to be clear - that $1K will not be an "investment" into the car.
It will be something you do for yourself, to make you feel good when looking at a super-shiny new toy.
The value of the car, and its capabilities, will not be in any way enhanced.

Mikey240 wrote

one could surmise that Im overdoing it and would be just as well served doing my own washes with a detail spray sealant applied afterwards. I do this now and the car shines quite nicely & remains quite hydrophobic too.

True about the DIY value proposition.
Furthermore, chances are your car will get dinged, scratched by people brushing along, shopping carts bouncing into it, and sand blasted from driving down the road. And you will need to re-polish and re-apply ceramic coating, as needed. Learning how to DIY that is the only long-term solution to keeping your car super-shiny!

Mikey240 wrote

Thanks - I am generally a detail-myself guy but this one time I thought it'd be nice way to start of the cars life as far as paint goes.
[...]It will be a once and done.

Timing makes zero difference.
And it will NEVER be "once and done".
The car's paint will need to be maintained throughout your ownership period. Basically, every spring!

Mikey240 wrote

I also lack a lot of the equipment/tools/etc. to really do a full prep and all that. Really dont want to acquire it all for one use.

DIY-ing your car care is the same as DIY-ing oil changes - huge saving of time and money. Especially if you own more than one car.
You can get a full set of equipment to polish your paint for <$300:
https://www.griotsgarage.com/g9-orbital-2-step-boss-kit/

Mikey240 wrote

I asked them to quote me on adding PPF to JUST the front clip or bumper. Im reluctant but after a terrible day yesterday of bug shit and stuff on the front of the car, I feel I have to consider the extra protection for the front.

Clearing bug guts is one of the reasons I PREFER ceramic vs. PPF. Clearing crap off PPF condoms is way harder, and if you don't do it fast enough bug guts get permanently imbedded into the film.
All those little things PPF-peddlers neglect to tell you!

Mikey240 wrote

Let me ask you guys: What do you with the car after say a long drive or busy weekend of driving and the light road grime/dust that will collect along the bottom half of the car, wheels, etc? Do you do anything or just let it be until the next water-based wash?

On a ceramic coated cars - nothing, leave it alone. Unless I have free time and feel like washing cars. Or blow some dust off with a leaf blower (same procedure as drying creamic coated cars).
On PPF car - you HAVE TO get the dirt and bug guts off film ASAP, especially if the car is exposed to sunlight heat. Otherwise contaminents will get imbedded into the film.

Mikey240 wrote

I currently use a two bucket system but thats a pain. Might switch to using 4-5 wash mitts instead with one bucket.

In my experience, the easiest, fastest, and least damaging to paint washing solutions starts with buying and permanently installing a pressure washer + hose real in your garage + foam cannon. Nothing else comes close.

Unlock hose reel, turn on water, foam the entire car, let it soak in, pressure wash the foam + dirt off the car. Blow off 95% of the water with a leaf blower. Role the hose back up. 15 minutes later your car is 95% perfect (on ceramic coated cars) and done.

If you feel like being 100% perfect, foam and pressure wash-off first. Then identify remaining problem areas and apply solutions as appropriate: iron removers, bug/tar removers, then foam again and run microfiber mitt or sponge while rinsing them often (1 bucket). When finished with paint, do the wheels. Then leaf blower dry, and finish off with a drying aid and/or ceramic reload spray product, optionally a tire dressing product.
30 minutes later your car is better than new - 101% perfect.

HTH,
a

afadeev wrote

Clearing bug guts is one of the reasons I PREFER ceramic vs. PPF. Clearing crap off PPF condoms is way harder, and if you don't do it fast enough bug guts get permanently imbedded into the film.
All those little things PPF-peddlers neglect to tell you!

I'll offer a different perspective from someone who had both full paint protection, ceramic and front-only PPF completed at the time of purchase of my new BMW. I wish I would have simply spent the money on full PPF because it offers better overall protection than ceramic, over the long term, which is really what I was looking for. And I could have simply had ceramic done later, or could have done it myself and achieved 90% of its benefits compared to a professional doing it. A really good carnauba wax and a sealant can produce 90% of the shine of a ceramic coating and prevent base-level swirls. But you have to apply these more often to stay protected, where ceramic offers longer shine and protection...but it doesn't last long enough for me. I'd rather just wax and seal my car more often, which I would do anyway...with or without a ceramic coating.

I've cleaned A LOT of bugs off my bumper (120k miles and counting on my 2021, lots of road trips ). And yes, having a ceramic-coated bumper makes cleaning bugs off a bit easier, but it's not dramatic, unless you're cleaning them off as soon as your trip is over (most of us are not that anal). If those bugs sit overnight, or worse, bake in the hot sun one day, that ceramic-coated bumper is not going to offer much ease of removing those dead bugs.

With PPF on the bumper, I have found it easier to remove a bunch of bugs, by first using water to wet them, and then I use a spray wax to soften them further, and then a good sponge or soft microfiber cloth will remove them fairly easily. Of course a good bucket wash or high-spray wash will remove said bugs, but most of us don't have time in the summer to do a full wash after every drive with dead bugs in the bumper, hood, windshield and mirrors.

So, at times, it takes some real scrubbing to get off certain bugs (because of their toxic makeup), and that PPF will protect your paint from said scrubbing. Ceramic won't...so you could mar the paint when trying to get off the most annoying dead bugs.

And, if your front bumper PPF does get marred or damaged because of dead bug removal, or because of a major chip in the PPF (due to a rock), the PPF can be replaced in that location. I've had replacement PPF done on my bumper after a 8,000+ mile trip, and the paint was pristine underneath the PPF. Ceramic will never offer that kind of protection.

Think of PPF as a physical "screen protector" for your car, absorbing impacts to prevent scratches and rock chips (and damage to your paint from dead bugs and bird crap). Comparatively, think of a ceramic coating as a super-wax, like a liquid chemical bond that repels dirt, making washing easier, and adds extreme gloss. Both have their benefits. But know the difference.

KevinGS wrote

I'll offer a different perspective from someone who had both full paint protection, ceramic and front-only PPF completed at the time of purchase of my new BMW. I wish I would have simply spent the money on full PPF because it offers better overall protection than ceramic, over the long term, which is really what I was looking for. And I could have simply had ceramic done later, or could have done it myself and achieved 90% of its benefits compared to a professional doing it. A really good carnauba wax and a sealant can produce 90% of the shine of a ceramic coating and prevent base-level swirls. But you have to apply these more often to stay protected, where ceramic offers longer shine and protection...but it doesn't last long enough for me. I'd rather just wax and seal my car more often, which I would do anyway...with or without a ceramic coating.

I've cleaned A LOT of bugs off my bumper (120k miles and counting on my 2021, lots of road trips ). And yes, having a ceramic-coated bumper makes cleaning bugs off a bit easier, but it's not dramatic, unless you're cleaning them off as soon as your trip is over (most of us are not that anal). If those bugs sit overnight, or worse, bake in the hot sun one day, that ceramic-coated bumper is not going to offer much ease of removing those dead bugs.

With PPF on the bumper, I have found it easier to remove a bunch of bugs, by first using water to wet them, and then I use a spray wax to soften them further, and then a good sponge or soft microfiber cloth will remove them fairly easily. Of course a good bucket wash or high-spray wash will remove said bugs, but most of us don't have time in the summer to do a full wash after every drive with dead bugs in the bumper, hood, windshield and mirrors.

So, at times, it takes some real scrubbing to get off certain bugs (because of their toxic makeup), and that PPF will protect your paint from said scrubbing. Ceramic won't...so you could mar the paint when trying to get off the most annoying dead bugs.

And, if your front bumper PPF does get marred or damaged because of dead bug removal, or because of a major chip in the PPF (due to a rock), the PPF can be replaced in that location. I've had replacement PPF done on my bumper after a 8,000+ mile trip, and the paint was pristine underneath the PPF. Ceramic will never offer that kind of protection.

Think of PPF as a physical "screen protector" for your car, absorbing impacts to prevent scratches and rock chips (and damage to your paint from dead bugs and bird crap). Comparatively, think of a ceramic coating as a super-wax, like a liquid chemical bond that repels dirt, making washing easier, and adds extreme gloss. Both have their benefits. But know the difference.

Good post and I agree for the most part. I have trained myself to immediately debug my car after my ride is over. Its not that hard to do and with my ceramic/PPF combo its very easy post-ride. A quick detailer spray(one that has lubricants but NO waxes, sealants, etc) takes care of all bugs with one gentle wipe, two at the worst.

You wait until the next day and it gets much worse & requires more force, scrubbing, etc. Thats why IMO, its worth the short time it takes for a "debug" session right after a drive. The fresh bug guts are way easier to mitigate than once that have had a chance to fossilize.

KevinGS wrote

A really good carnauba wax and a sealant can produce 90% of the shine of a ceramic coating and prevent base-level swirls. But you have to apply these more often to stay protected, where ceramic offers longer shine and protection...

I would add to that:
1). Top shelf wax might offer an even deeper shine on cars with darker colors, but it absolutely doesn't last very long. Somehow, the nicer the wax looks, the shorter it lasts (in my experience).
2). Wax takes longer to apply, and is way more finicky in the application. Applying ceramic coating is super quick and easy, assuming you don't need to polish the underlying clearcoat.

KevinGS wrote

but it doesn't last long enough for me. I'd rather just wax and seal my car more often, which I would do anyway...with or without a ceramic coating.

On outdoor stored / daily driven cars, I find that quality wax lasts 1-3 months. For the same cars and the same condition, ceramic lasts 6-18 months.

KevinGS wrote

most of us don't have time in the summer to do a full wash after every drive with dead bugs in the bumper, hood, windshield and mirrors.

Agreed.
Similar observations, similar outcomes - I wash them when I get time to do it. Maybe monthly, maybe less frequently on daily drivers.

KevinGS wrote

So, at times, it takes some real scrubbing to get off certain bugs (because of their toxic makeup), and that PPF will protect your paint from said scrubbing. Ceramic won't...so you could mar the paint when trying to get off the most annoying dead bugs.

Wait, that doesn't make sense.
If old bugs require scrubbing to be removed, you will need to scrub them off either paint + ceramic coating, or PPF.
I've never EVER seen bugs mar the paint, but I've seen and experienced bug guts imbedding into and marring the PFF.
So, getting them off PPF quickly is imperative to preserving it. PPF is finicky that way. Getting bugs off paint (ceramic coated or not) reasonably quickly is advisable, but not required.

KevinGS wrote

And, if your front bumper PPF does get marred or damaged because of dead bug removal, or because of a major chip in the PPF (due to a rock), the PPF can be replaced in that location. I've had replacement PPF done on my bumper after a 8,000+ mile trip, and the paint was pristine underneath the PPF. Ceramic will never offer that kind of protection.

Of course not, but paint chip repair is $15-30 and a few minutes of your time.
Ceramic coating is $50-200 (good for 2-4 cars), and second time around 30-45 minutes to apply to the entire car.
PPF replacement is about ~$500/panel and a day making arrangements to drive the car to a shop, wait for removal/re-installation, etc.

You do the math on what works best for yo'all.
I know what works best for me and my 4 cars, and it's not PPF cost * 4.

YMMV,
a

afadeev wrote

Just to be clear - that $1K will not be an "investment" into the car.
It will be something you do for yourself, to make you feel good when looking at a super-shiny new toy.
The value of the car, and its capabilities, will not be in any way enhanced.

True about the DIY value proposition.
Furthermore, chances are your car will get dinged, scratched by people brushing along, shopping carts bouncing into it, and sand blasted from driving down the road. And you will need to re-polish and re-apply ceramic coating, as needed. Learning how to DIY that is the only long-term solution to keeping your car super-shiny!

Timing makes zero difference.
And it will NEVER be "once and done".
The car's paint will need to be maintained throughout your ownership period. Basically, every spring!

DIY-ing your car care is the same as DIY-ing oil changes - huge saving of time and money. Especially if you own more than one car.
You can get a full set of equipment to polish your paint for <$300:
https://www.griotsgarage.com/g9-orbital-2-step-boss-kit/

Clearing bug guts is one of the reasons I PREFER ceramic vs. PPF. Clearing crap off PPF condoms is way harder, and if you don't do it fast enough bug guts get permanently imbedded into the film.
All those little things PPF-peddlers neglect to tell you!

On a ceramic coated cars - nothing, leave it alone. Unless I have free time and feel like washing cars. Or blow some dust off with a leaf blower (same procedure as drying creamic coated cars).
On PPF car - you HAVE TO get the dirt and bug guts off film ASAP, especially if the car is exposed to sunlight heat. Otherwise contaminents will get imbedded into the film.

In my experience, the easiest, fastest, and least damaging to paint washing solutions starts with buying and permanently installing a pressure washer + hose real in your garage + foam cannon. Nothing else comes close.

Unlock hose reel, turn on water, foam the entire car, let it soak in, pressure wash the foam + dirt off the car. Blow off 95% of the water with a leaf blower. Role the hose back up. 15 minutes later your car is 95% perfect (on ceramic coated cars) and done.

If you feel like being 100% perfect, foam and pressure wash-off first. Then identify remaining problem areas and apply solutions as appropriate: iron removers, bug/tar removers, then foam again and run microfiber mitt or sponge while rinsing them often (1 bucket). When finished with paint, do the wheels. Then leaf blower dry, and finish off with a drying aid and/or ceramic reload spray product, optionally a tire dressing product.
30 minutes later your car is better than new - 101% perfect.

HTH,
a

All sound advice here. I do realize that the PPF and ceramic is for me, not the value of the car. I’m OK with that. It’s already paying dividends as the car sparkles and bugs come off without much fanfare or pressure.

Duly noted about bug shit and IMO, you have to get them off ASAP no matter what. Ceramic, PPF, bare paint, wax, etc. It matters not. That stuff is nasty and must be dealt with right away so that’s what I do.

Agreed on the best solution for car washing is with permanently mounted pressure washer in garage and all the fixings. However, that’s just not going to happen for me and my situation. So, I have to do it the old fashioned way which means garden hose, two buckets, waiting until like 7:45PM for the sun to be completely gone, etc. it’s a pain. .

So, I’ve instead replaced full wet washes(I still do them if needed but less frequently than before) with rinse less washing or water less washing. My car never gets that dirty so with proper techniques and quality mitts/towels, you really can get the car very clean and avoid marring or at least most of it. Believe me, my dream would be a separate wash building with hot & cold water and all that stuff. But, it just isn’t going to happen.

Agreed and understood on the paint needing maintaining. The shop that did my partial PPF and ceramic said a full decon wash once a year for a summer-only car is a good idea. Occasionally they suggest topping off the paint with a quality ceramic based detail spray post washing but not too often.

How far have we come with taking care of paint? The old days it was garden hose, sponge, chamois and a tub of paste wax.