It’s time to unravel the pros and cons and explain the intriguing world of of ceramic coating products for protecting your car. This form of automotive paint protection is shrouded in mystique, with big claims being made about the revolutionary protection of it.
What is ceramic coating and how does it work?
Products that give a ceramic coating are liquid silicon dioxide (SiO2) polymers (long chains of molecules), also known as silica and found in nature as quartz. When applied to a car’s surface, the liquid bonds to it extremely firmly, which adds a durable layer of protection. You can think of a ceramic coating as an upstaged alternative to car wax.
A ceramic coating will give lasting protection against punishing UV, acidic substances such as bird poo, and light scratches such as those caused by metal zips on jackets. They will also add considerable water repellence to paint, and dirt or mud will not stick to it quite so readily. If you’re looking to get your wheels protected, have a look at our guide on the best wheel sealants.
The best ceramic coating products 2024 at a glance:
The best ceramic coating product: Gtechniq C1 Crystal Lacquer – Buy from Amazon
Editor’s pick: Autoglym Rapid Ceramic Spray – buy from Amazon
Best budget ceramic spray: Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray – Buy from Turtle Wax
A ceramic coating is like a spray car wax because it is an effective protectant. A good one can offer better durability than wax with no real trade-off in return. However, it still won’t protect against stone chips, significant scratches or eliminate the need for washing your car. If you want protection against stone chips and the like, a paint protection film is what you need. As for washing your car, dirt will still accumulate over time. A ceramic coating will mean less frequent cleaning, but it won’t eliminate it.
The best ceramic coating products for cars
The best ceramic coating for cars
The only slight inconvenience is that you need to leave your car indoors for 12 hours in order for the coating to cure fully. Priced here is the 30ml bottle for a small to medium-sized car. There is also a 50ml bottle for larger cars.
Pros
- Very protective coating against UV rays and elements
- Very heat resistant
- Only needs a tiny bit of application
Cons
- Needs long, dry storage to fully cure
- Only 30ml quantity
Editor's pick
It doesn't last as long as some others on this list; only three months at most, but it is said to give your car a deep, glossy shine. This is useful therefore, if you're preparing a car for a show and you need some quick detailer to shine it up a notch.
Pros
- Can be applied on wet and dry paint
- Can also be applied on vinyl wraps and PPF
- Gives a deep shine
Cons
- Doesn't last as long as others
Best ceramic coating for beginners
Like Duel Autocare's Oxide, Crystal Coat is a simple spray and buff option. It will last up to nine months, but you may want to reapply it a bit more often than that. It's a bit expensive, but there's no questioning its excellent usability and impressive effectiveness.
Pros
- Six to nine months' worth of protection, which is great considering the price point
- You don't need to use much (three sprays per panel), making it very efficient
- Useful to protect your vehicle between washes
Cons
- Needs to be applied in warm, dry conditions without direct sunlight
Most versatile ceramic coating
It's designed to be applied on paint, alloy wheels, trim pieces, carbon fibre, and even PPF or vinyl protected surfaces. As well as protecting your paint and encouraging water beading, it can also enhance the colour and give it a nice gloss effect. When applying, it must be sprayed onto the cloth rather than the bodywork.
Pros
- Capable of giving your paint up to 12-months worth of protection
- Can be applied onto almost any exterior material
- Gives your paintwork an enhancement of its natural colour as well as protecting it
Cons
- It cannot be applied directly onto the body, rather onto the cloth
Best premium ceramic coating kit
It helps to prevent contamination on your paintwork with what Car Gods call a 'super hydrophobic' layer which helps stop the elements from bonding to your paint, which in turn, makes rinsing and washing a whole lot easier. It also helps enhance your vehicle's paint colour by bringing in a wet gloss look.
Pros
- Helps enhance your paintwork with a wet gloss look
- Ceramic protection can last up to three-years, which is mightily impressive
- The protective layer helps making washing and rinsing a bit easier due to hydrophobic qualities
Cons
- It has to be applied very finely, due to the 50ml capacity
Best liquid ceramic wax
Rrp: $26.85
Rrp: $26.85
Pros
- Easy to apply
- Generous quantity of product
- Four to six months protection against the weather and the elements
Cons
- Is a bit more hardcore than the easy spray products
Best budget ceramic coating
It's wonderfully easy to apply with a simple spray and wipe method, and you don't need to use a lot to get the full effect either. Some users have reported that a 15% quantity is enough to last anywhere from six to 12 months.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Lasts a very long time
- Doesn't require too much product when spraying
Cons
- No other quantities other than 500ml available
Best equipped ceramic coating kit
To apply, you simply ensure the car is clean before spraying and applying the preparation layer. Then you get the base coat and to apply it, you wrap the included cloth around the no.1 applicator and spray the product directly onto it before applying over the car. Afterwards, you take applicator no.2 and spread over the gloss coat - you don't need to wrap the cloth around the applicator this time.
Pros
- Incredibly comprehensive ceramic coating kit with all the sprays and kit you need
- An amazing water repellence is achieved after you've applied it
- Two applicator pads and a small cloth included as well as the sprays
Cons
- Quite a technical method to applying it, as opposed to others
Best value ceramic detailing kit
It protects the bodywork from rain, puddles, dirt and encourages water beading, making things a lot easier between washes because the contaminants comes off a lot more easily.
Pros
- Effective protectant against the elements
- Great value kit
- Three bottles of spray and microfibre cloth included
Cons
- Won't last as long as other products
Best quality ceramic coating
It's also resistant to swirls, light chips and scratches and creates a barrier against grime, water, and dirt. It's one of the most long-lasting ceramic coatings on sale and one of the best-quality versions available.
Pros
- Lasts up to nine months
- Provides a thick layer of coating
- Creates resistance to weather, dirt, scratches and swirls
Cons
- Quantity is very small compared to the rest
FAQs and things to consider with ceramic coating
Are ceramic coating products worth it?
Think about how seriously you take car cleaning. Don’t kid yourself and go for the serious stuff if you know you can’t be bothered applying it. For those of you who are willing to put in the effort, ceramic products are certainly worth trying out if you have only used paint sealant or wax so far. For those wanting performance and convenience, the 26JPN and x sprays offer plenty of the former and a lot of the latter. Remember to use ceramic coatings in conjunction with car shampoo and polish.
Ceramic products for cars vary from spot detailers to strong lacquers. It depends on what you want and how much you care about maintaining your car’s appearance. If you like tidy but aren’t fastidious about it, ceramic car shampoo or detailer will suit you. If you are scrupulous about your car’s appearance and care about everything down to your tyre dressings, you should consider some of the more serious options.
Which ceramic coating products last the longest?
Naturally, the dedicated ceramic lacquers will be more effective and long-lasting than the sprays and shampoos. The Car Gods option being a really good example with a three-year lasting claim. Take this into account when you consider which is right for you. Above all, they’re designed to give your car a layer of protection for a prolonged period of time, similar to what black trim restorers are capable of.
How can I tell if a ceramic coating has worked?
The first indication should be a strong level of water repellence. By this, we mean almost a bouncing or immediate resistance to any pouring water or rain that is dropped onto the bodywork. A non-protected vehicle will have the rainwater stick to the pa body and create a damp effect.
A ceramic coated vehicle on the other hand, will always resist water as much as it can. And in many cases, be left with water beads and/or lots of bubble-like standing water that slithers down the vehicle.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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