A Detailers Maverick Experience: Thin Paint, Ceramic Coating, Etc.

[ParagonDetail]

I am going to go out on a limb and say that the $700 ceramic coating the dealer offers is not worth the coin after reading all the detail this shop went into….I know cause I asked, they dont even clay bar let alone some of the other things

In most cases, the dealers aren’t putting a true ceramic on the vehicle. And in some cases, they aren’t putting anything on the vehicle. It’s pretty sad and concerning. But their reputation has nothing to do with the condition of the vehicle. A detailers reputation is exactly that. I personally wouldn’t trust the dealer to do anything cosmetic to a vehicle. Take it to a detailer with passion and knowledge and you will never take it anywhere else.

Past experience with ford is paint is not soft nor is it hard. Sits nicely in the middle somewhere.

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[notjoey]

@ParagonDetail

Looks great and this post is exactly what I needed! My truck *should* be built next week and plan on getting PPF on the front half and ceramic coating as well.

Do you have any experience with the Halo line for PPF?

 

[ParagonDetail]

Did you by any chance get a Mohs hardness rating for the paint? I'd expect the paint to be thin, and I'd expect it to be soft, and I'd expect it to be a minimum number of layers - which is fine with me because it's an economy CUV (oops, excuse me, I'm supposed to call it a truck).

I'm a huge fan of professional detailers. We send the wife's Volvo yearly. The really good ones work miracles. And you can pick how much you want done (and of course, how much to spend).

Great question. I don’t know of any detailers that use the MOHS scale to test original paint hardness. We will do a test spot and diagnose the hardness based on how easy or hard it is to correct. Start with the least aggressive method and work your way up until you find your sweet spot. However we do use the MOHS scale for ceramic coating hardness. Most quality coatings will be 9H and you really won’t see anything more than that. The combo I used here is 9H.

 

[ParagonDetail]

@ParagonDetail

Looks great and this post is exactly what I needed! My truck *should* be built next week and plan on getting PPF on the front half and ceramic coating as well.

Do you have any experience with the Halo line for PPF?

Thanks and congrat. I have used Halo. it is a great product meant for PPF.

 

[uh50]

I’m just gonna start by saying that these Mavericks are already head turners when they’re out in the wild… But now this thing straight up is snapping necks. Here are a few thoughts..

Finally had the time to detail my truck properly. It was washed, decontaminated and pretty much every surface is now ceramic coated. Paint was in such good shape after washing and prep, that I fortunately didn’t have to do any paint correction. This is rare but shows how taking the proper precautions and making sure your vehicle is in professional hands can save you a lot of time and money. This truck is Ceramic Coated so it’s UV protected, it’s going to stay cleaner for alot longer, it’s going to stay looking glossy and cleaning it is going to be a piece of cake thanks to the low surface energy and high contact angle the ceramic coating provides.


1.) Don’t let your dealer touch the truck. This is going to prevent you from having to pay to fix any scratches/imperfections they administer. This is important because polishing is where you’re going to spend your money at the detail shop.

Warning: these trucks have little to no paint on them.. (more later on)


2.) Find an certified detailer with proper knowledge and experience and don’t let joe shmoe touch your truck. You get what you pay for quite literally in the detailing industry. You can always find someone to do it cheaper, but that’s not necessarily better. You’ll usually end up paying another detailer to fix the first ones mistakes. In this case, not hiring a professional could easily lead to them burning through the little paint you have trying to correct it.


3.)PAINT IS THIN
This is so important. If you or your detailer are going to polish the truck in any way, they NEED to do a paint reading with a paint depth gauge.
I was shocked at how little clear coat was on certain parts of my truck and had I not taken the right precautions and measured the paint, I’d be in a lot of trouble. Luckily I had no dealer instilled scratches or swirls and I was able to simply wash, carefully decontaminate the paint with an iron remover, sap remove, tar remover and followed up with a careful claybar. No user inflicted marring. Had I not been experienced at this, this would have been a turning point in the project for a lot of people. I’m shocked at how thin the paint is and so thankful I am not busting out the polisher. Below are pictures of the process and what I saw.

4.)Plastic almost appears to have a coating of some sort on it. I ceramic coated mine but it almost didn’t want to take the coating. Hopefully we won’t see fading down the road like we do with most vehicles with this type of exterior surface. Whether your coating it or restoring it down the road, remember these pieces are very porous and get clogged with contamination. It needs to be cleaned properly or you won’t get proper adhesion.

Here are pictures of the process, hope you enjoy.

Before:

After:

Clay After Decon: lots of dirt and grime embedded into the clear coat

Paint After Clay: No visible scratches or marring when done right

Measuring The Paint:

Results: For Reference, you have about 1.5-2. Mils of base/color coat on a car. That’s thinner than a post it note. Most cars have about the same amount of clear coat, sometimes less and sometimes more. After reading as low as 2.28 on some places that’s a sign there is very little to no clear coat on these vehicles.



Coating Time:
Gtechniq CSL Followed By ExoV4
Beyond happy with the results!!!
ope you enjoy and thanks for reading!!!

Great job and the results are an amazing looking finish on your truck.

 

[Mike]

Probably in the minority but I think a truck looks much better if it’s dirty.

 

[ParagonDetail]

Probably in the minority but I think a truck looks much better if it’s dirty.

I can’t disagree. But it can come at a price.
I thought the same thing when I was younger and I ruined the paint on my Subaru because I never washed it. A dirty car may look good, but a cloudy, peeling car does not.

 

[Powered-by-Ford]

Hi. I have never seen this much difference in a before/after picture, absolutely amazing!
I notice the BEFORE picture was taken on a clear day, based on the harsh shadow under the Mav.
The AFTER picture was taken on more of an overcast day. Was this intentional?
The reflections are almost chrome-like. again... amazing.
Can a DIY'er have good results?
I am experienced in home-style detailing. My favorite WAX has always been Collinite Fleet Wax, lasts forever. Look forward to advice from the Pro's...

 

[ParagonDetail]

Hi. I have never seen this much difference in a before/after picture, absolutely amazing!
I notice the BEFORE picture was taken on a clear day, based on the harsh shadow under the Mav.
The AFTER picture was taken on more of an overcast day. Was this intentional?
The reflections are almost chrome-like. again... amazing.
Can a DIY'er have good results?
I am experienced in home-style detailing. My favorite WAX has always been Collinite Fleet Wax, lasts forever. Look forward to advice from the Pro's...

That’s a great question. Yes and no. In this particular case, the sun was out when I started and the next day it was overcast. That’s how our weather is here in Sacramento. However I do know what conditions work and don’t work for photography and I try to take advantage of the weather when I can.

Lol I can assume you’ve been detailing for a while because Collonite is loved by only the ones who were alive when it was damn near the only protection offered

 

[Jakb]

Looks great @ParagonDetail!

Would you recommend this for someone whose primary concern is longetivity? Maybe something that looks less fancy but is more hearty?

I live in snowy and salty MN, only drive 3k a year and really only care about making the truck last the longest. I rarely wash my truck, but am looking for something i can DIY once a year that will keep it from peeling or chipping over the years.

 

[Harleystreetbob]

great post,following for more tips as I live in the northern salt belt.

 

[ParagonDetail]

Looks great @ParagonDetail!

Would you recommend this for someone whose primary concern is longetivity? Maybe something that looks less fancy but is more hearty?

I live in snowy and salty MN, only drive 3k a year and really only care about making the truck last the longest. I rarely wash my truck, but am looking for something i can DIY once a year that will keep it from peeling or chipping over the years.

Yes of course, this is highly recommended for longevity. It’s a sacrificial layer of protection between the elements and your precious clear coat.
Anything potentially damaging to the paint is stopped by the coating. Ceramic coatings are also great for snow! Easy to get the ice off your car and windows and it will prevent the salt from the roads from eating through your paint.

A great DIY coating that wont make it look insanely glossy but will look great, work to protect the paint and keep it easy to clean would be P&S Sole. It’s a 1 year, annual coating that almost anyone can apply. Its essentially like applying a sealant or a wax but with more protection. There are also products like Gyeon Can Coat that are very user friendly and will leave good protection and a nice shine.

 

[tonyinsd]

Impressive effort on your part. Now, for those of us who are not willing to spend the time or the money to do all of that, here's a question.

If I have it go through the no touch car wash and opt for the option that includes waxing, is that going to keep the truck in good shape? Mine is garage parked and it is only going to go out for supply runs three times a week.

Thanks.

 

[ParagonDetail]

great post,following for more tips as I live in the northern salt belt.

Salt can be extremely destructive to vehicles paint. Try not to let it sit on too long unprotected, it will eat through the clear.

Impressive effort on your part. Now, for those of us who are not willing to spend the time or the money to do all of that, here's a question.

If I have it go through the no touch car wash and opt for the option that includes waxing, is that going to keep the truck in good shape? Mine is garage parked and it is only going to go out for supply runs three times a week.

Thanks.

If you’re going to go through a wash, touchless is the only way to go. As far as the wax goes, they do use products containing wax however I can’t speak on the longevity. Your best bet would be to touchless wash it and once a month apply some wax or a sealant to the paint after washing. You could literally go to Walmart and get some Turtle Wax Seal N Shine or Spray Wax for under $10, some microfiber towels and be better off than going through a car wash. That’s my personal opinion.

 

[stevied]

What type of longevity could one expect for a vehicle parked outside with this procedure? I'm in Sac too...may have to reach out when my truck gets built.

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