Just picked up a new Audi A4 in Mythos Black Metallic. I park in the driveway, so dust, pollen, bird droppings are going to happen. I’m intrigued by the concept TopCoat is pushing on their website as a possible solution to constant (expensive) hand washes. Is any of this stuff legit…is there any finish short of a $2K plus professional ceramic job (does that even work) that will let me get by with a simple rinse or even dry wash on a regular basis.
Woud love a product that would enable me to stop by the self service wash a few times a week, rinse the car for a $1, then get a decent wash once a month or so…is this all a pipe dream? If not, anyone have recs for a good DIY product and/or places that will apply it for me (I’m talking about a $200-300 labor job using DIY product, not a $2K ceramic coat).
$200-300 isn’t realistic for a real ceramic coat.
There is a significant amount of prep work involved before putting a ceramic coating on the car. decontaminating, washing, clay, Polishing and polishing and polishing, prep spray and application.
I did it to my 2 cars. its a royal pain in teh butt since you’re concerned that once you put the product on, you’re stuck. not sure I’d put the work in again.
I used Gyon Syncro on one and Carpro Cquartz on the other.
What I would recommend looking into is a product called Sonex PNS. Its a spray on sealant you use after you polish your car and lasts 6+ months. easy to apply and great durability.
Also some of the ceramic sprays do a decent job as a topper to a waxed/sealed car. but they really are only a topper, it is not meant as a primary product.
Even though these will help keep your car looking good, it isn’t going to make water spots a thing of the past. it is just better.
Thanks…I am def not in the market for a professional ceramic coat. Really just looking for a detail shop or someone with experience that will apply Adams Ceramic or the like for a reasonable labor charge (I’d provide consumables, or use theirs if acceptable). Might be a good gig for some of my daughter’s high school friends that are enthusiasts and baby their own cars.
a good source of info for detailing related items is the autogeek forums. Much like leasehackr does for leases, autogeek takes things to extreme on detailing.
I did Adam’s ceramic on mine about 2 months after I got it. You want to do it when the car is as new as possible, because you’ll need less paint correction (if any). I did the regular spray ceramic, since I didn’t feel like messing with the other one.
The car is shinier, but I am not seeing it repel that much dirt, especially around the trunk sill. I also think i need to do my wheels again, because I’m still getting a lot of brake dust. Other that those issues, it was fairly easy to do and much less expensive than paying someone ($60 for the spray, the retouch, and the prep).
