Ceramic coating maintenance

It is best to start off by following the coating manufacturers maintenance recommendation and products. In short you don`t need to stack multiple products on top at one time.
 
Here is my personal approach, which I try to keep pretty simple.

Wash with Optimum Car Wash or Megiuars Hyperwash. Both of these products leave nothing/little behind and are good for getting the coating clean. Nothing fancy here and nothing I wouldn`t use on a car with a wax or sealant either. The important thing is it doesn`t take any special soap made just for a coating, IMO.

I`ll use CarPro Ech2O as a quick detailer for stuff like random smudge/bird dropping/quick bug removal and to eliminate any water spots after a wash.

I`ve used/am currently using a product for a topper on one of my coated cars, but to be honest, I`m not really seeing any advantage over simply leaving the coating "naked".
 
Desertnate:
AND what product(s) did/do you use as a topper for the coating that Guz asked about?
Inquiring detailing minds want to know. (Or in your case, Captain Obvious, you`re just plain nosy!)

I will ask it there is a "difference" between a topper, like Polish Angel`s High Gloss or CarPro Reload and quick detailer, like Griot`s Garage 3-in-1 Ceramic Detailer or once-a-forum-favorite P&S Bead Maker (besides the price for a high-end product like Polish Angel. Hey, they do not call me Captain Obvious for nothin`!!) , OR is there a blurred and sometimes misunderstood distinction between them and how they are used.
 
Lonnie said:
Desertnate:
AND what product(s) did/do you use as a topper for the coating that Guz asked about?
Inquiring detailing minds want to know. (Or in your case, Captain Obvious, you`re just plain nosy!)
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So far I`ve used CarPro Elixr on CQuartz UK, Gyeon Cure on CanCoat, and I`m now using Gyeon Ceramic Detailer on Gyeon Pure Evo.

While several of those are listed as "detail sprays" I wouldn`t classify them as a quick detailer because they seem to have no cleaning ability and did little when it came to removing even post-wash water spots.

Elixr and Ceramic Detailer seem to make the surface a little slicker, but I didn`t notice much improvement in gloss. Cure was noticeably slicker and glossier, but a pain to apply which made me question whether the effort was worth it.

I will ask it there is a "difference" between a topper, like Polish Angel`s High Gloss or CarPro Reload and quick detailer, like Griot`s Garage 3-in-1 Ceramic Detailer or once-a-forum-favorite P&S Bead Maker (besides the price for a high-end product like Polish Angel. Hey, they do not call me Captain Obvious for nothin`!!) , OR is there a blurred and sometimes misunderstood distinction between them and how they are used.
Click to expand...

I think the blurring is very real. Elixr seems to be really durable for a so-called "detail spray". I noticed it protecting bare paint for well over a month, maybe even two. I have a feeling Gyeon Ceramic Detailer is similar. Cure is more of a Reload competitor, but do you need either when the "detailer" sprays offer the same results and are easier to apply?

It`s almost like the coating makers are offering weekly toppers labeled as "detail sprays" and monthly-ish toppers labeled as "toppers" or "boosters", yet at this point all of them seem to have similar chemistry with similar results. Either way, I`ve not found them to have much of a difference when compared to a vehicle which received no special treatment. The coatings seem to stand pretty well all on their own.
 
The Guz said:
Out of curiosity what coating is it?
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Not really sure. I purchased a vehicle about a month ago. I noticed that it needed some paint correction, but I did not feel like dealing with it. I found a detailer in the area who is highly rated and decided to just pay him to do it. As he was prepping the vehicle he noticed that the finish was reacting like it already had a coating on it so he stopped and called me about it. I bought the vehicle new but did not pay for any coating from them even though it was something they offered. The dealer told me that sometimes when prepping the vehicle, especially darker colored vehicles they will apply the coating but there is no warranty on it. Of course I am not sure the dealer really knows.

When the detailer called he suggested to just let him do a basic exterior detail. The paint correction needed was very minor, so I took his advice and will just leave it be. He suggested using SI02 wash product and an SI02 spray to refresh the finish.
 
More than likely it is not a true coating if it was applied by the dealer. More in the line of a sealant.
 
The Guz said:
More than likely it is not a true coating if it was applied by the dealer. More in the line of a sealant.
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I am sure that you are correct. Regardless, the detailer suggested not doing any paint correction at this time and to just keep it washed (no car wash) using a good SI02 wash and finish with a SI02 wax.
 
A good coating needs nothing but washing. That said I like to use TW SnS or Ice on my coated cars as they do an awesome job at removing hard water spots left over from sloppy drying and they make the paint nice and slick. Using those for me has pretty much extended the durability of a consumer coating past my wildest expectations. I got 3 years out of McKees.
 
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