PROFESSIONAL CERAMIC COATING INSTALLERS IN CAMPBELLTOWN, SYD

Ceramic coatings are the latest evolution in protective solutions for paint, glass, wheels, and interior surfaces such as textiles and fabrics. Unlike traditional waxes or polymer sealants, the durability of a ceramic coating is measured in YEARS, instead of weeks or months.

A properly applied and cured ceramic coating infuses your paint’s clear coat structure with tiny nano-particles effectively filling in its pores. What the customer is left with is an ultra-durable, chemical-resistant, hydrophobic finish that will stand up to nature’s elements. The protective coating yields a thickness 100 times denser than carnauba wax. It also makes maintaining your vehicle a breeze!

The short answer is yes, there are consumer-grade coatings available to the public that you may purchase and install yourself. That said, there are two large differences that separate the result of a DIY-applied coating and what Garahe Auto Detailing offers. First and foremost Garahe Auto Detailing offers a professional-level product. What this means is you’re getting a fully dosed, non “watered down” formula that will shine, perform, and last much longer.

Secondly, Garahe Auto Detailing are paint correction specialists which means that your paint surface will be expertly prepared prior to coating application. This process is labour-intensive and requires a skilled hand. We also use a proprietary panel wipe solution to ensure all polish oils have been removed. Without a surgically clean surface, the coating will not bond properly and will fail prematurely.

This is a great question! First, let’s address some of the common misinformation floating around out there. A ceramic coating still needs to be cared for and maintained, remember it’s an investment for your car’s future. The protective coating is not a forcefield that can be left for months without proper attention. To achieve maximum durability from your coating it needs to be washed frequently, every two weeks is ideal. Garahe Auto Detailing does not recommend eclipsing one-month intervals. With proper care and maintenance, a professional level coating will last 2-10 years. 

Whilst coatings such as C1 Crystal Lacquer, Crystal Serum Light and Crystal Serum Ultra have class leading abrasion resistance, there is a limit to the amount of resistance a 1 micron layer of hard ceramic can offer to hedges, automatic car washes or contaminants in wash mitts. Whilst, on their own, these products are phenomenally hard (C1 is 7h on the pencil hardness scale, CSL 9h and CSU 10h), they will typically only add between 2 and 3h on the pencil hardness scale to the paintwork being protected.

Therefore.  If your vehicle is painted with a very soft paint measuring HB on the pencil hardness test, coating it with Crystal Serum Ultra will change this to a 2H rated finish.  So whilst this is a considerable improvement, it is still softer than an unprotected high solid painted car which can be as hard as 3h meaning that no matter how careful you are, some degree of surface scratching is inevitable.

All we can say is that due to the benefits of your coated car staying cleaner for longer, being easier to clean and having added hardness, swirls and scratches will be minimised.

The only real option that can protect your paint from rock chips will be paint protection film (PPF).

No matter how many layers you apply of any protection, whether it’s wax or ceramic coating, it cannot stop the impact of a rock hitting your vehicle.

Paint Protection Film is a clear urethane film that is installed over painted surfaces. Its specific purpose is to protect against impacts and abrasions such as rock chips, parking lot dings, and scratches. It has a self-healing, clear coated top layer that shines just like paint. These traits give it a nearly invisible appearance, and with our top-notch custom installations most would find it hard to tell it is even there.

Ceramic coatings, on the other hand, are designed to take the place of a traditional wax or sealant. They protect painted surfaces from UV fading, damage from chemicals such as bird droppings, bug guts, and the salt laid down before snow. They effectively lock in the factory paint finish, ensuring it looks great for years to come. On a new or like a new vehicle, we recommend a combination of both products.

Just like many other things in life, if you don’t care for the coating, it will degrade over time and not last its intended lifespan.

You have to properly wash, dry, and boost the coating for maximum durability. A coating that was meant to last for 6 years can start to break down at year 3 if not cared for properly.

First and foremost, you’ll notice that washing and detailing your vehicle just became so much quicker and easier. Think of the technology in non-stick cooking pans, remember the last time you cleaned one of them? Really easy right? The same sort of stuff applies here. You’ll notice that while the vehicle still gets dirty, the dirt and grime come off much easier since the coating installation.

Garahe Auto Detailing recommends using wash and maintenance products from the specific coating manufacturer you’ve received. Each has its own line of care products designed to work synergistically with the coating itself. Coating specific products are good quality cleaners, with additives to feed and condition the coating, and none of the unneeded fluff like waxes and silicones found in regular shampoos.

This is a common question.  The perception is that if a surface is not repelling water anymore then the protection must have failed.  This is only partly right.  One of the things to note here is that the surface of what you may think is a clean car may actually be slightly contaminated with road grime.  Removing this with W5 Citrus All Purpose Cleaner will often return the hydrophobic function.

But it may be that the hydrophobic layer is no longer present.  Please note that our guarantee does not cover this as whilst our hydrophobic products, C2 Liquid Crystal and EXO have class leading durability, the maximum durability they have is 2 years.

So even if the hydrophobic layer has stopped working, the base coating of either C1, Crystal Serum Light or Crystal Serum Ultra will still be present as these coatings bond permanently with your paintwork.  So this layer will still be there working to keep swirls and scratches to a minimum and helping to prevent loss of gloss through surface staining or oxidation.

That is a great question, and the answer is absolutely! A used vehicle still has a clear coated paint surface that needs to be protected, the same as new one. Whether it’s a wax, polymer sealant, or a ceramic coating you need some sort of protective layer. The difference with a used car will be in the amount of prep or paint correction work to be performed. As vehicles age comes to the inevitable spider web swirl marks and scratches. All or most of these defects will need to be removed or minimized prior to the coating application. This is where our trained experts come in! We will perform the necessary compounding and polishing steps to ensure the best possible finish, then lock that finish in with a ceramic coating of your choice.