Even if you wash and wax your car every weekend at home, the protection it provides only lasts for a short amount of time; especially in winter. It also won’t stop your paintwork from being damaged by small stones, grit, road-salt or the occasional light scratch.
The bottom line is, it won’t come close to having a professional ceramic coating applied with meticulous detail to the surface of your vehicle by FRSH Customs. So, although it won’t protect your car from every eventuality, a ceramic coating does provide significantly more protection than any standard type of paint protection you apply yourself.
State of the art protection – Your car can ‘clean’ itself
Although it may sound a bit far-fetched to claim that your car will literally clean itself, in all actuality, this isn’t far off the truth. Not only will a ceramic coating make the paintwork highly resistant to scratches, it’s also what’s known as hydrophobic, making it really tough for grease, grime, dirt and other minute particles to cling to the surface of the car.
Therefore, when it rains, the majority of contaminants that have accumulated on the surface will be washed away during a downpour. As an added benefit and from a maintenance point of view, it also means that you won’t need to wax your car for a considerable length of time too.
What does hydrophobic mean?
In a more literal context, the word hydrophobic actually means ‘fear of water’. However, from a ceramic coating perspective, it refers to any substance with strong water-repellent properties.
If you venture outside on a rainy day, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the picture below. In nature, many plants also have hydrophobic properties as it’s crucial for them not to absorb water via their leaves and only through their roots, along with the essential nutrients needed for their survival. This also applies to the surface a bird’s feathers, which again, you’ve probably noticed will repel water droplets when it rains. In both cases, distinct tiny spheres of water will form on the surface of the leaf or feather and then roll straight off.
In essence, this is pretty similar to the effect that a ceramic coating has on your car. The protective layer stops the rain ‘sticking’ to the surface along with most other substances. The net result is that your car’s surface stays looking cleaner for longer and is well protected.
How long does a ceramic coating last?
This depends on a variety of circ*mstances such as how often you use your car, general environmental conditions, whether your car is garaged etc. but as a general rule of thumb, anywhere between 3 and 5 years would be broadly accurate. In an ideal scenario, if you only drive your car occasionally, always keep it garaged and only drive in good weather conditions, you can still benefit from the protection a ceramic coating can provide for up to a decade.
UV (ultraviolet) protection
A ceramic coating also provides great protection from the damage that the sun can do to your paintwork. You’ve probably noticed how some cars can have slightly different coloured panels, with the bonnet being particularly susceptible to fading.
This is often the case if you always park your car in the same place, facing the same direction. If the sun beats down on one side of the car year-in, year-out, with the other side constantly shaded, this will accelerate the problem. Although a ceramic coating isn’t a magic bullet that can eliminate this process indefinitely, it will certainly make a huge difference and dramatically reduce the damage that ‘paint-fade’ causes over a long period of time.
Stunning, high-gloss finish that lasts longer
Since a ceramic coating is akin to having a thin protective ‘shell’ covering the entire surface of the car, it provides a naturally glossy and durable finish. This makes your paintwork really stand out, particularly at certain angles in the right kind of light.
Things to note – A few ceramic coating FAQs
- Should I still wash my car? – We recommend that you wash your car regularly to help maintain its lustrous finish. Due to the superior protection a ceramic coating provides, you’ll notice that it’s far easier and will therefore take less time. And, we’ll be happy to recommend the right products to use in order to get the very best results once it leaves our studio.
- Will rain leave marks on the paint? – Sometimes, yes. As the ceramic coating bonds to the surface of the paint, it will naturally repel rainwater. However, you may still get water spots (light staining) in some circ*mstances. This is because rainwater contains contaminants that can be left behind on the surface once the water has evaporated. This is unavoidable, but in most circ*mstances, these can easily be washed or gently wiped off.
- Will it be protected from scratches? – A ceramic coating will make your car more scratch-resistant than it was before. However, deeper scratches, scuffs and stones can still penetrate the coating.
In summary
A ceramic coating is a highly effective and affordable way to protect your car. Although not quite as effective our paint protection film option, it’s still a great middle of the road choice for most people. It can help your car hold its value for longer, is easy to maintain and, of course, makes it look great! If you have any questions or want a quick quote, give us a call or drop us an email for more information.
