Coating Question

F

FryeBaby

New member
I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask this question. I was thinking of paying a professional detailer to do my wife`s car. I have arthritis really bad and it has been killing me lately. Her car needs done and it bothers me that I can`t take care of it. I was thinking of having it done with one of the Coatings that are being used now. They seem like a great idea. I used to detail to make extra money so I thought I knew pricing but maybe things have changed and I was using Sealants as part of my full details. I live in a small town to give you an idea of the area. There are a bunch of detailers in business around here (and they charge about 100 to 250 to do a full detail with claying, polishing and wax as the LSP) but there is only one I know of that does the new coatings. He uses GTECHNIQ CRYSTAL Serum and their other products too. I just wanted your thoughts about his pricing. He charges 900 dollars for a full detail. Plus for each polishing step he has to do, he charges 300 dollars. So to have my wife`s car done it is going to be 900 plus at least two steps of polishing which is 600 dollars more (it could cost more if he thinks it needs more steps to polish it correctly.) Is this a reasonable price 1500 dollars to have her car done with the coating? I know it is supposed to protect for two years and these coatings cost a good amount of money but this seems like a crazy price to me. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks.
 
I don’t know where you are, but in all honesty that is about the going rate for a pro only coating. I wouldn’t pay that much for a coating anyone can buy though.we do strictly Modesta coatings. I would suggest you google Modesta installers in your area and get a second opinion.
 
FryeBaby --
You can always ask the Pro Detailer for a list of Clients that have the $1500 Detail/Coating job and you can ask them how they like it...
Be sure to look up his coating choice you listed and see if you can find out more about it..

I looked at the Autopia Store here and 50ml of the most expensive Coating they sell - GTechniq C1 Crystal Lacquer 50 ml. is $79.99

The one you referred to might be this - GTechniq EXO v4 and CSL Kit is $115.99

It has been around awhile, but I don`t recall a lot of feedback on it..

Is your wife`s car a daily driver, is it garaged at night, do you live in the bad snow, weather, country ?
Dan F
 
A lot of that price is the labor. But agreed that is about the going price for a pro level coating.

Is the Detailer installing crystal serum ultra? I’ve heard that removal requires sanding.

Another option is finding a forum member to pay and get the job done.
 
Thanks for the replies. I knew it was going to cost a lot because of the length of time you are getting protection from the coating and the thickness of the protection. I still am curious is correcting the paint usually included in the price for the coating installation that looks like it ranges from 1000 to 2000 or so, or do most of the installers charge extra for the paint correction and charge by the step? It looks like my local guy`s price is in-line with the going rate but him charging 300 dollars for each polish step seems high and it leave it open to be a money maker. It seems like you give a price to correct the paint to be perfect for the installation of the coating (if it is not included in the coating price) and then there is no question about how many steps were really necessary. You can judge the condition of the paint when you see the car. Thanks for the tip, I am going to look into the Modesta coatings. The car is a daily driver and is kept outside. It is in the south so there is heat but no snow and the associated problems with snow. Thanks for all the help.
 
Installing the coating is the (somewhat) easy part. Getting the paint flawless prior to coating is the hard part. You could take the car to one of the other detailers and apply the coating yourself. I say this not knowing how bad your arthritis is. Some coatings are easier to apply than others, such as McKees and PBL. If you have a garage you can apply the coating a panel at a time as your arthritis allows. There are also spray on and hose off coatings that last around 3 months that might be worth looking into. Trying to think outside the box for you.
 
FryeBaby --
Found info from their website on the Crystal Serum Ultra ---- https://usa.gtechniq.com/products/auto/crystal-serum-ultra
It appears to need more wiping off for some reason, according to the info here..
Then, it wrecks those microfibers even if washed, can never be used on painted surfaces again..
They dont recommend more than 1 layer..
They do recommend you apply another of their coatings if you want this Pro coating more hydrophobic... What is up with that???
If you goof up, and apply too much and not remove in time, they say to wetsand the area, what is up with that ??

If the guy you have talked to has never even asked you to bring the car by so he can look at it all over under really good lighting, then this has to happen, with ANY guy you pick, so he can give you the best estimate for all the work..
Dan F
 
FryeBaby, I want to jump in as a an almost professional lurker, but more of a consumer here in the groups. I`m a detailing nut, but don`t have the time (or the energy sometimes) to keep up with the cars. I had a `15 Impala coated (https://www.autopia.org/forums/clic...glory-post2075243.html?highlight=#post2075243) for about the price you were quoted. I had probably 95%+ correction, and the car looked beautiful.

Here`s where the coating really was awesome and while initial $$$ was huge, it was a payoff: maintenance washing took such little time that probably within 8 months, I had paid for the detail and the coating in the time saved. I was also recovering from a shattered ankle. The less time on my feet for part of that time, the better.

I just wanted to bring that up for your thought process in searching and scoping out detailers. Good luck!

Gordon
 
Thanks for the answers and advice. The coating GTECHNIQ is the one the detailer uses I don`t anything about it. I am thinking of doing what y`all are thinking and working on it as I can and doing it by breaking the job down. I will probably use sealant because that is what I am used to. Thanks for the advice. It looks like his pricing is right in line for what it should be.
 
If you are looking to do this on your own and do it in sections look into Gyeon CanCoat. Not a full coating but very close to one. It can easily be done at your home.
 
If you would go with the gtechnic crystal serum pro coating. It`s a well known brand and is carried by Autopia and AGO. Ask if he does apply the consumer grade coatings too. Maybe he`s offering the pro coatings first but have other options. And ask him to estimate the correction he needs to do. Then you maybe get a more suitable price to do the car. And ask around on different places and what brands they work with. You can also say more specific which area you live in. Cause there is some great detailers here or maybe they know someone near you that they recommend. I know the frustration with a disability. And as said above you can find a way of doing it panel by panel. Even if it hurts sometime after the satisfaction of had done it your self is often worth it. If you are capable of do it.

Hope you find a way to get your wifes car detailed.

/Tony
 
Thanks again for all the advice and information. I wasn`t even considering using a coating until he mentioned it. Then when he gave me the price that seemed high, but I was wrong his pricing is right on for doing a coating. I think I will do it myself and break it down to sections that I can do. I am not going to attempt a coating. I am going to stick with sealants that I am used to and they have always looked great. I will use my old reliable, the Klasse Twins. It bothers me that her car needs detailed and I have been putting it off. Before my troubles I would have looked forward to doing it. I love the shine after you are finished and the first time it rains and the water beads up, it is almost like a moment of love. LOL. I live in Middle Georgia and I don`t believe there are any Autopia type detailers in this area. There are some great ones in Atlanta. Thanks again for taking the time to give me coating information.
 
FryeBaby,

I see that you have decided to do the work yourself but still wanted to comment. His price is in line with most pro coatings, I`d be at $1600 for a 2-step and coating. However since you mentioned the coating is supposed to last 2 years I question if he was going to use Crystal Serum Ultra, which is actually warrantied for 9 years.

Anyway, best of luck to you. :)
 
If I was able I would drive up and help you get your car done. Are you in the Macon area? I don’t know any reputable detailers in the middle or south GA area. Atlanta does seem to be loaded with decent detailers.
 
FryeBaby said:
Thanks again for all the advice and information. I wasn`t even considering using a coating until he mentioned it. Then when he gave me the price that seemed high, but I was wrong his pricing is right on for doing a coating. I think I will do it myself and break it down to sections that I can do. I am not going to attempt a coating. I am going to stick with sealants that I am used to and they have always looked great. I will use my old reliable, the Klasse Twins. It bothers me that her car needs detailed and I have been putting it off. Before my troubles I would have looked forward to doing it. I love the shine after you are finished and the first time it rains and the water beads up, it is almost like a moment of love. LOL. I live in Middle Georgia and I don`t believe there are any Autopia type detailers in this area. There are some great ones in Atlanta. Thanks again for taking the time to give me coating information.
Click to expand...
Given you can`t really spend as much time as you would like detailing the car, I think you should seriously consider applying a coating. It can last a lot longer, keep the car looking cleaner between washes longer, and with provide great level of protection.

You are already doing the hard work which is detailing/correcting the paint so it is restored, the easy part is the application of the coating itself. Plenty of guides and videos out there, it really isn`t that much more involved than applying a sealant/wax.
 
Thanks rlmccarty2000 for the advice and information. Thanks to everyone else too. I know a lot more than when I started. I do live in the Macon area or to be more correct, the Middle Georgia area. He is the only detailer that I know of offering coatings and it was new to me so I knew I could get some info on Autopia. I admit I was wrong, I thought his pricing was high but now I see that it is in line with coating prices. The only thing with him is he charges 200 dollars for every correction step on top to the coating price and it seems like he doesn`t want to give an estimate of how many correction steps it is going to take to ready the car. Maybe that is the best way of doing it, but I am a little leery of it. There are a lot of detailers in Middle Georgia but he might be the only one that is close to Autopia standards. I will probably wait for cooler weather to give it a try myself with a regular sealant, it is hot in August in Georgia. Thanks again.
 
FryeBaby said:
Thanks rlmccarty2000 for the advice and information. Thanks to everyone else too. I know a lot more than when I started. I do live in the Macon area or to be more correct, the Middle Georgia area. He is the only detailer that I know of offering coatings and it was new to me so I knew I could get some info on Autopia. I admit I was wrong, I thought his pricing was high but now I see that it is in line with coating prices. The only thing with him is he charges 200 dollars for every correction step on top to the coating price and it seems like he doesn`t want to give an estimate of how many correction steps it is going to take to ready the car. Maybe that is the best way of doing it, but I am a little leery of it. There are a lot of detailers in Middle Georgia but he might be the only one that is close to Autopia standards. I will probably wait for cooler weather to give it a try myself with a regular sealant, it is hot in August in Georgia. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

This Detailer cannot give you an accurate estimate until he sees the car under sunlight and good shop lights inside the shop...
Then, he can tell what he thinks will be the number of steps to correct the paintwork..

If the paintwork is really full of defects, etc., then of course, it will have to to take longer and perhaps more steps..

In my experiences, there is a correction step, and then depending on how it came out, there may be a polishing step or two..
I try to keep it to 2 steps..

Too many variables regarding the paint itself, the condition of the paint, the color of the paint, etc., to ever be able to estimate this without looking at it all over very carefully AND measuring the total paint thickness with a good, reliable, calibrated meter...
Good luck with your research !
Dan F
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top