Ten Reasons Why You Should Get Ceramic Coating For Your Vehicles
If you are a car enthusiast, taking good care of your car should be second nature to you. However, maintaining a strict cleaning regime for your vehicle is no easy feat. Regular washing, waxing, or other services might turn out to be time-consuming, and at times costly. But if you want to keep that fresh, brand new look for years, there is no alternative to regular maintenance.
Monthly waxing or applying paint sealant can ensure long-term protection and bolster the appearance of your car. One effective alternative is a ceramic coating. It is the ultimate paint protection against natural elements. It provides the first line of defense by locking itself with the minuscule pores on your car’s paint. Let’s read on to learn more about what ceramic coating is and why you need it for your car.
What is Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic coating is a long-term protection option for your car’s exterior. your vehicle’s paint has three different layers: a primer layer, base coat, and a clear coat layer. The clear coat layer usually protects your car’s color. However, the clear coat is very susceptible to damage and you need an added protective layer to keep it intact.
A ceramic coating can provide that extra protection by binding with the car paint. It works as a sacrificial layer by bearing all the brunt of things like sun damage, dirt, salt, grime, tree sap, bird dropping, and many other contaminants.
Ceramic coating is alternatively known as a ‘nanotechnology glass coating’ or quartz coating. It generally consists of silica dioxide – a solid, glass-like polymer. The depth and hardness of the polymer are what provide your car with durable protection.
Why Does Your Vehicle Need Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic coating your car has functional and aesthetic benefits for your car. We have discussed them in detail below.
Paint Protection
The main purpose of a ceramic coating is to protect your car’s paint. Ceramic coating locks the shine of paint by binding with the paint molecule. The thick layer of ceramic coating can protect the car’s painting from all kinds of natural elements and pollutants. Besides, the ceramic coating also makes the car’s exterior scratch and swirl resistant.
Durability
As ceramic coatings act as a shield against exterior elements, your car surface will be more durable. While with wax or sealant you have to redo the protection every few months, a ceramic coating will ensure the protection for years. Depending on the quality, a ceramic coating can last between 1- 5 years. And for this duration, your car won’t have to undergo any major service for surface protection. A regular wash will be enough to last for years. Besides, wax and paint sealant can easily wear off if you use harsh chemicals for car washing. On the other hand, ceramic coating is pretty durable even with frequent use of detergent and other car cleaning chemicals.
Water-Repelling Qualities
Water spots are the bane of existence for car owners. They always sneak up and damage the exterior of a car. Since a ceramic coating is hydrophobic in nature, it creates a water repellant layer over the car paint. The low surface energy and high contact angle of ceramic coating ensure water and moisture don’t get a chance to accumulate on the paint. Rather, they bead on the surface and gradually slide off.
For this quality of ceramic coating, you won’t have to worry about accumulating water-based grime or dirt on your car exterior. Now, imagine driving down a gravelly or muddy road without worrying about the mess or damage to your car exterior.
Shiny & Glossy Look
Getting a shiny and glossy look is probably the most obvious quality of ceramic coating in a car. While ceramic coating provides you all types of protection and functionality, it also substantially elevates the look of your car exterior. If you want to keep that fresh brand new look of your car for longer, there are very few options other than a ceramic coating.
An immaculate ceramic coating over fresh paint can prolong the glossy shiny look of the car exterior. Besides, if the ceramic coating is thick, the shine won’t wear off even after years of exposure.
Cost-Effective
While ceramic coating might seem like a costly venture for your car maintenance, the investment is well worth the years it serves your car. When you opt for a cheaper protective measure such as paint sealant or waxing, you have to continually retouch them every few months. They can only last up to 2-3 months and after that, your car will be exposed again. They can’t provide you long-term protection like a ceramic coating can.
Once you get a ceramic coating done you can rest assured of your car’s protection for several years, without replacing the coating. The ceramic coating provides extra protection against dirt, scratch, or swirl marks. Ultimately, that saves you time and money from the monthly wax and washing.
Easy to Clean
When your car has less dirt or grime accumulated on its exterior because it repels water-based dirt, it becomes easy to clean. The smooth texture of ceramic coating ensures dirt or grime doesn’t get a chance to stick to your car, making it simpler for you to clean and wash. Loose dirt is easier to wash off and once you get your car in the garage, you’ll spend less time scrubbing the car.
Protection from Chemical Stain
When your car paint is exposed to nature it can come in contact with harmful chemicals present in the environment. Many acidic chemicals, tree sap, or even bird droppings can be damaging to your car. Tree sap is acidic and once the acid comes into contact with the clear coat layer of your car paint, it can easily destroy it.
Bird droppings can also harm the clear coat layer of paint. Also, pollutants present in the air can also have a lasting effect on your car.
But with ceramic coating shielding the paint, these pollutants won’t get a chance to bind with your car paint. A ceramic coating protects the clear coat of car paint, making it less susceptible to damage from all the natural chemicals mentioned here.
Scratch-Resistant
While a complete scratch-proof protective layer is near impossible, a ceramic coating can still provide your car some protection against light scratches, such as those from a bush or branches.
A ceramic coating doesn’t outright prevent scratches; rather it can minimize the damage from scratches. The tough layer of ceramic coating ensures the damage from a scratch or abrasion doesn’t impact the exterior of your car too much. Ceramic coating can also protect your car from swirl marks.
Sun Damage and Oxidation
Your car’s exterior bears the brunt of all environmental elements. Sun damage might be the biggest of them all. When your car is exposed to UV rays and oxidation for a prolonged period, the clear coating gets damaged which can become visible. With exposure to oxygen, the paint molecule starts to lose its oil content. It eventually dries out, and a damaging effect similar to rust occurs. Excessive sunlight can also dull the paint and cause it to lose its shine. Once your car undergoes such color damage, it will be costly to restore its appearance.
A ceramic coating acts as a protective shield against the sun’s UV rays, protecting your car’s paint from damage. As the oxidation process requires heat, the ceramic coating prevents the oxidation by blocking the sun’s UV rays.
Add Value to Your Car
Buying a car is an investment, and you want the best maintenance to retain its value. With proper maintenance, it will hold up its value if you try to sell your vehicle years later.
Ceramic coating is the best way to ensure your car retains its look even after several years. While there might be signs of wear and tear, a ceramic coating will still appear as a new and functioning car.
The Bottom Line
Despite its multiple benefits, a ceramic coating can never provide complete protection for your car. Even with ceramic coating your car might still get scratched or damaged. However, a ceramic coating can ensure a moderate level of safety against common threats to your paint. As you’ve already read, cleaning and maintenance become a breeze once you have a ceramic coating on your car. It also makes your car paintless vulnerable to environmental elements. If you want a durable protective layer over your car paint to keep it shiny and sheltered, a ceramic coating will still be your best bet in the long run!