Just heard of this. I'm thinking about using it on my Mustang this spring and would like to hear the brain trusts opinion.

What kind of preparation is required?
Brand/product recommendations appreciated.
DIY or pro?
Any and all info and opinions welcome and thank you in advance!

I had my M3 coated with CQuartz finest. I was extremely pleased with the product. Some detailing aficionados say that they can get a shine with more depth by doing things the old fashioned way and I can believe that. However after a wash and a 10 minute refresh with Reload you could see yourself in that car as easily as you could see yourself in a mirror. For me, I wanted a car that looked amazing without having the time to do paint correction, polishing and waxing a couple times a year, and CQuartz finest delivered. I should note that no ceramic coating is any good without proper paint correction underneath. I paid about $800 to a professional detailer to have a proper paint correction done immediately before the coating was applied and the results were well worth it. While ceramic coatings definitely make car care easier, they only go so far as a shortcut. The initial paint correction must be done just as well as it would need to be with old school methods.

The ceramic products are fantastic as far as look and long term durability. The process is not cheap as you usually do paint correction before application to get the best look. On my brand new truck straight from the factory my guy charged me $700 in paint correction and $700 in ceramic and application. Doesn't make sense to apply it to a less than desirable finish as it won't cover swirls. Amazing how bad a truck can come from the factory paint-wise.

I have all my vehicles done. It lasts 1-2 years. My detailer says in 5 years or so they will have self healing ceramic coatings. Swirl marks will go away by themselves

I have a buddy that swears by it.
His guy does it for $700 including paint correction.
I will likely get it done next year as I plan on having this vehicle for a very long time and black is a lot of work.

So, how is $700-1400 worth it when it only last 2 years? My vehicle only needs to be waxed every 6 months, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than that. Also why would you need $700 worth of "paint correction" on a new vehicle? Clay barring it and a quick buff with finesse should be the very most paint correction a new vehicle should ever need.

I've never used it... but... I would try it if I first used a clay bar. For a lot less than $700 you can try this:

http://www.autogeek.net/cquartz-paint-sealant.html

I had my Lexus GS350 done with Opticoat Pro Plus by a professional installer. $1200 for everything and it is warrentied for 7 years. If it gets dinged or repainted in an area they will come and recoat it free. It pays to have it done by a certified installer. As for ease of care it is awesome. I've actually only washed the car twice in 6 months because usually just spraying it with a hose washes everything off.
Opticoat Pro + Link

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
So, how is $700-1400 worth it when it only last 2 years? My vehicle only needs to be waxed every 6 months, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than that. Also why would you need $700 worth of "paint correction" on a new vehicle? Clay barring it and a quick buff with finesse should be the very most paint correction a new vehicle should ever need.

No less than 7 decent scratches in the clear of my new truck. Countless swirl marks from the dealer. And rail dust all over the vehicle. While a clay bar will take the rail dust and any contaminates out, you have to buff out the rest of the marks.

It all boils down to how good you want your paint to look and how much you want to spend. My truck looks like a show car when washed and I won't wax it for 2 years. It does cost up front but I bet I usually get a few grand higher resale because the paint looks brand new after 5 years. I used to do all that work myself but as I get older I find my time is worth more money