Trying To Decide on Ceramic Coating for 2025 Mav-Need Advice Please

[Optimus]

I did both PPF (paint protection film) AND ceramic coating. I paid a shop to do the film, and did the coating myself via Gtechniq products. Having waxed vehicles and boats for 4 decades, a true ceramic coating is far superior to regular wax. But it’s all in the prep work. The coating itself isn’t too bad, but you need to get the surface nice, or it will highlight the flaws. This is why a shop’s charges can be so high. If there is a lot of “correcting” to do, the labor adds up.

You wouldn’t paint new sheetrock without applying mud and sanding/priming first. Likewise, you wouldn’t apply a ceramic coating without prepping the surface first.

I look at it this way. Traditional waxes are soft, and stay soft once applied. They trap and embed contaminants (but are easy to apply). True ceramic coatings are hard as glass. By “true” ceramic coating, I mean something more than than $10-$20 spray bottles at Walmart. Those at best are maintenance “toppers.” Don’t get me wrong—I still use them under plenty of circumstances, but they are not full ceramic.

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[Buggy Man]

I just got a 2025 Mav. Trying to decide whether or not to get a professionally applied ceramic coating. Is it worth it? Should I have this done? Anything I should know? What would be a good price? Thank you for your advice.

I have used a product called CERAMIC WASH AND COAT from GRIOTS GARAGE with really great results. I use it every 3rd or 4th washing and it beads up like the car was just waxed. They also have a "Ceramic 3 in 1 wax" as well as a liquid Ceramic conventional type wax which I have not tried.
The ceramic coating makes bug removal much easier.
You might have to clay bar the surface to remove any roughness like tree sap or industrial fall out.

https://www.griotsgarage.com/ceramic-wash-coat-48-ounces/

 

[inline_five]

I'm in the same boat, living in the desert. I don't care about darkening; I just want the UV and IR protection.

I put in the online bid requests for several places that supposedly offered it, and didn't get a single response that vaguely resembled a quote; just a bunch of "come in for a great deal" canned emails, and one that had a huge range that probably varied from a motorcycle windscreen to a 70s Cadillac!

And I need to be sure to avoid the shop whose owner gave a presentation at one of my car clubs . . .

Cermaic does zero, squat, zilch for protection via UV.

Just FYI.

It helps keep the paint smooth to aid in washing the vehicle off, that is what it's job is. Disregard all of the marketing for it, it's been debunked.

Being in the desert, there may be some value to that, as you can spray off the vehicle and with the water sheeting off the dust will follow. Your pre-rinse will be more effective in removing the dirt particles which is what scratches the paint (really, the clear coat).

 

[inline_five]

Waxes are great as well, but Ceramics will protect from swirls, imperfections, etc. at a much higher rate. They also last much longer than a traditional wax. I do really love that warm look of a wax though ...

For water spots, this is the area where most coatings do not perform well and that is due to the surface tension designed for water beading and not sheeting. Beads sit on the surface and the minerals in the water can more easily etch into the surface. This is why I recommend something like the Gtechniq C2. It is Si02 based, but at a much lower concentration so it helps sheet water away from the surface instead of beading it up.

If however you like waxes, try a newer sealant. Most apply similar to a liquid wax but you can get 3-4 months instead of 3-4 weeks of durability. Plus, most do not stain trim anymore like a traditional wax.

Ceramics will not protect against scratches at all. The layer is microns thick, if that, and serves only to help water shed off the paint.

Whoever told you that is very incorrect.

 

[Reece @ DI]

Ceramics will not protect against scratches at all. The layer is microns thick, if that, and serves only to help water shed off the paint.

Whoever told you that is very incorrect.

Ceramics will protect from imperfections and light scratches (i.e. swirls and spider webbing, wash induced imperfections, etc.). Full on scratches will need a PPF.

Coatings 100% do more than move water off the paint surface.

 

[Dad]

I just got a 2025 Mav. Trying to decide whether or not to get a professionally applied ceramic coating. Is it worth it? Should I have this done? Anything I should know? What would be a good price? Thank you for your advice.

While it gives better protection than wax, you could save yourself some big money by applying the spray on version. Costs about $25 and will give you 4-6 applications and doing two coats will last 6 months (probably depends on your environment).
There is also a graphene product which gives better protection than the ceramic per detailing websites. Both products available on Amazon. Many members here like the Meguar's brand, but I've used the Turtle Wax version and found it to be just as good and cheaper.
Here's a link to a detailer who tested the ceramic vs. graphene. (Try to ignore his historic use of water)



***UPDATE***
Since I mentioned DIY ceramic or graphene application, I thought I'd share what I've learned about how to apply once you have prepped your paint. Having said that, I want to be clear that I am not a "professional" detailer (although back in the day, I was, but that was way before the ceramics).
You can apply ceramic or graphene on dry or wet surfaces. I haven't tried the wet application, so my narrative is for dry surfaces.

• Keep in mind, these products are NOT the same as wax. They don't go on like wax and they don't come off like wax.
• Use your spray sparingly. About 2 sprays per work area. More product does not equate to better. Work on small areas . . . about 1' X 1' at a time. Of course, use a microfiber to apply, but you don't want to rub it in like you would a wax. Basically, just use the microfiber to spread the product and then wipe off immediately. If you try to rub it in too long or don't take it off right away, it will streak and they are hard to eliminate. Your saving grace is to keep a a damp microfiber handy. It will remove the streaks with a lot less effort.

The ideal situation would be to have a second person follow right behind you to wipe off your application once you get it spread.
Good luck.

 

[migraine]

I have done the Graphene/ceramic coating myself and Its been great in protecting the finish from dirt and iron dust particles.
I used the Adams Polishes Advanced Graphene Cermatic Coating(the hand applied, not the spray on one) and it's held up quite well. I also wash it with their graphene foaming soap and Advanced Graphene Ceramic Spray as a topper. 1.5 years later, it's still holding up well.
There are plenty of youtube channels that deal with DIY applications. One is "Pan the Organizer", "Adams Polishes", etc. They all give you step by step tutorials.
One of the biggest issues we have is EXTREMELY hard water so I bought a water deionizer to remove the water contaminants(salt, calcium, minerals, etc.) I can wash and power washer rinse(i bought Adam's compact pressure washer and hose/gun) and have no water spots....(Yeah, I'm a little anal).
Biggest issue is removing any waxes/sealants/particulate from the paint before applying the coating. Again, lots of good info on YouTube.
It takes a day, start to finish to apply the prep/coating and once that's done, I can wash, dry, and spray-coat-topper the truck in just over an hour. High quality Microfiber rags/towels are your best friend.
This reminds me to go and wash my truck...
Oh, if you were to get quotes to have someone else do it, It's $1000++ if done right and it will eventually need to be redone or decontamination/maintenance washes add even more $$$.
So, spend that money on everything you will need to DIY and you'll wont' ahve to spend much in later months/years. . Also, do like I did and practice on your wife's/GF's car first... :~)
-Brian
***** Adams Polishes should be having a decent sale any day now for Fathers day. Usually 25% or better. They have them before almost every holiday/celebration. Free shipping is usually included. Amazon sells their stuff to and the price can drop during the sales, too...just be careful and check the prices.

 

[WJOHNM]

But 2 years from now I will still have the $1500, will have gotten exercise waxing. Yours looks great. The water where I live now is much better than my old location. Where I used to live the filters in the faucets would clog every couple months. I talked to a water softener company because I had had them in the past and they said it would take many different filters to remove the crap in the municipal water there, a softener wasn't going to do it.

Wow that looks great but like most people these days I don't have 500,1000, or 1500 laying around for coatings on my truck, I use Cerakote,
I find this stuff amazing, I use up the whole bottle over the summer about 3 coats and 20/30 min I can do my whole truck windows and all
I used it on my 22 FX4 I had for 3 years,stuff is great nothing sticks to it, very easy to apply no water spots, everything rolls off it. For 17 bucks and a very little elbow grease you will be surprised how good this stuff is, I just did my new 25 Lariat Hybrid I think you will agree when you try it.
I just tried there tire shine it's been a week still looking good

 

[WJOHNM]

This IMO is a great YouTube video discussing Ceramic coating options and comparing products. I applied the Turtle product.

I love this guy I watch all of his videos; I use the Cerakote for 3/4 years and applied 2/3 coats over the summer after washing truck, for 17 bucks you can't beat it, very little effort to do whole truck in 30 min. I was parked on a dirt road with other vehicles driving by whole truck had a layer of dirt I was very disappointed till I got on parkway to go home it just blew off at highway speeds, nothing sticks to it, bird crap comes right off, my dog drools with her head out the window comes right off, am going to stick with the Cerakote for now.
I think to get best results you need 2 coats the small bottle has more than 3 coats in it windows included.

 

[Happy Doc]

I greatly appreciate all your many thoughts, opinions and advice! I am amazed at how much there has been!

However, as much as I LOVE my Mav, I have made the decision to NOT have ceramic coating applied to it. The main reason being I do not have the time to wash it every 1 to 2 weeks for years which is what I was told (by a reputable detailer), would need to be done afterward. It would need to hand washed as taking it to an automatic car wash should not be done.

And last but not least I will be saving $1800 by not having it done.

I have decided to wax it periodically with Finish Kare 1000P Hi Temp paste wax because I live in FL.

 

[Surly Old Bill]

Project Farm on youtube has a lot of side by side comparisons of products and tools with honest results. I forget offhand what DIY ceramic coating he found out was best. BUT, I followed the recommendation and use that one on my Transit, Fiat 500e, and BMW X5. Mainly because I DON'T want to wash them very often, just hose them off once every couple weeks. I tend to do an actual wash maybe once every 3-4 months, unless I've been someplace muddy and/or dirty. Obviously I don't see my cars as an extension of my public image. Or do I? (where I live, only commissioned lower-level salespeople wear suits or dresses, all the well-to-do people wear jeans and t-shirts)

 

[tom_tucker]

No ceramic or ppf, I pretty much raw dog it. Raw is law. I wash DIY in the open bay 1-2 times a month for $5-$8, it's got a wax setting, lol. More often in the winter. Maybe twice a year I'll apply chemical guys wheel guard to all the painted surfaces when I switch out the wheels. I have 2 wheel sets and clean/wax them before storage.

 

[TwuckHappens]

I just got a 2025 Mav. Trying to decide whether or not to get a professionally applied ceramic coating. Is it worth it? Should I have this done? Anything I should know? What would be a good price? Thank you for your advice.

 

[ListedGuru]

I did both PPF (paint protection film) AND ceramic coating. I paid a shop to do the film, and did the coating myself via Gtechniq products. Having waxed vehicles and boats for 4 decades, a true ceramic coating is far superior to regular wax. But it’s all in the prep work. The coating itself isn’t too bad, but you need to get the surface nice, or it will highlight the flaws. This is why a shop’s charges can be so high. If there is a lot of “correcting” to do, the labor adds up.

You wouldn’t paint new sheetrock without applying mud and sanding/priming first. Likewise, you wouldn’t apply a ceramic coating without prepping the surface first.

I look at it this way. Traditional waxes are soft, and stay soft once applied. They trap and embed contaminants (but are easy to apply). True ceramic coatings are hard as glass. By “true” ceramic coating, I mean something more than than $10-$20 spray bottles at Walmart. Those at best are maintenance “toppers.” Don’t get me wrong—I still use them under plenty of circumstances, but they are not full ceramic.

Did you have the entire truck PPF'd or just certain areas. I'm debating whether to have some PPF or possible ceramic coating done (and paint correction). I'm waiting to see what my dealer does for the "industrial fallout" that my truck has. This was an issue I unfortunately didn't notice when I took delivery. My dealer is sending it to their body shop next week to see if they can fix this issue for me but honestly I'm a little scared, lol.

If I can get the paint right a little PPF on the high impact areas might be worth it to help with the stone chips that will eventually find their way onto my new Ruby Red paint. Here is a link to a thread I started regarding the paint issue on my Maverick:

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/is-this-rail-dust-or-something-else.67662/

 

[Reece @ DI]

So a $26 dollar can of Turtle wax ceramic sealant is not the same as a $1000 professional installed coating? Who knew?

LOL you laugh but I see it daily. All of the major brands in the industry do not help either with their, come check out this "hybrid ceramic sealant wax".

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