[Regulator]

Ceramic coating is the only way to go. Its so much easier to apply than wax, lasts longer, looks better, and provides more protection. I'm seriously impressed with the results and I don't think I'll ever go back to wax.

Heres what I did to prep:
1. Wash - 2 bucket method
2. Claybar
3. Polish with Griots Garage 6" random orbital & orange correcting pad. Used plain old Meguiars polish.
4. Wash again to remove any remaining polish.
5. Dried car with Adams double soft microfiber drying towels (these are awesome).
6. Applied generous amount of ceramic coating panel by panel, waited a few minutes, and wiped off residue with microfiber towels. Stupidly easy.

(Yes I realize there's a scratch in this picture. Its too deep to polish out, but you get the idea heh.)


I just sprayed the car off for the first time after ceramic coating last week and I've never seen the water bead the way it does with ceramic coat. It is just like a new ceramic cooking pan, nothing sticks!

This is the kit I used (CarPro cQuarts):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[DarkStarBimmer]

it's so much easier to take care of the car, too. If you did your rims you'll notice brake dust just melts off. 1,000 times easier to dry since the water sheets and beads.

This is the first car I have had ceramic coated but it won't be the last.

Lets see some full pics!

[Regulator]

Here's a picture I took today:

[34dean]

Looks great. I’m going to try it!

[Regulator]

Originally Posted by 34dean

Looks great. I’m going to try it!

The only downside is that the bottle suggests no moisture on the car for 48hrs while it "cures". I actually drove mine about 2 hours after applying it and it seemed completely dry.

[RAK92]

Originally Posted by Regulator

The only downside is that the bottle suggests no moisture on the car for 48hrs while it "cures". I actually drove mine about 2 hours after applying it and it seemed completely dry.

What ceramic coating did you use?

[Regulator]

Originally Posted by RAK92

What ceramic coating did you use?

I linked it on the bottom of my first post

[Tribalpinoy911]

Any idea on how to apply their spray ceramic?

[Regulator]

Originally Posted by Tribalpinoy911

Any idea on how to apply their spray ceramic?

I haven't seen any tutorials on spray on ceramic.

I followed this guys instructions for applying the ceramic though (Skip to 9:30 in the video):

[Tribalpinoy911]

Originally Posted by Regulator

I haven't seen any tutorials on spray on ceramic.

I followed this guys instructions for applying the ceramic though (Skip to 9:30 in the video):

I'm assuming its pretty much the same. Paint correction phase is as you would preform. Minus the cleaner wax.

I think i read though the bottle saying hose down till the water runs clear? So I guess spray on and rise off? Which triggers my ocd because I don't know how that would be effective.

[34dean]

So, my car has recently had a paint correction. I gave it a good coat of wax just a couple days ago. Should my prep then be to just wash a couple of times really well to strip that wax off as best i can?

[John in VA]

Originally Posted by 34dean

So, my car has recently had a paint correction. I gave it a good coat of wax just a couple days ago. Should my prep then be to just wash a couple of times really well to strip that wax off as best i can?

The detail product manufacturers sell "surface strippers" that are save for trim, rubber, etc. As a last resort you might try some Dawn & follow with 50/50 water:isopropyl alcohol if you don't have the dedicated product, but you'll need to rehydrate your trim afterward.

Chemical Guys CWS80316 - Clean Slate Surface Cleanser Wash
Poorboy's World Strip Down Wax Stripper
P21S Paintwork Cleanser
Griot’s Garage Paint Prep
Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner at 10:1 dilution will do the trick to get the surface essentially "naked" or "bare" before polishing out swirls and defects, etc. 20:1 for de-waxing.

See more about car wax removers - https://www.autogeek.net/wax-remover.html

[Bobh59]

Originally Posted by 34dean

So, my car has recently had a paint correction. I gave it a good coat of wax just a couple days ago. Should my prep then be to just wash a couple of times really well to strip that wax off as best i can?

Wax shouldn't be too hard to remove since most of them don't actually bond to the surface. I would wash it with something like Dawn which has mild degreasing abilities, then dry it - preferably with a leaf blower or equivalent to get the water out of all the nooks and crannies.

Then followup with a paint prep product. I'm not a fan of IPA on paint nor do I like paying $1+/ounce for the designer label products, so I use Rustoleum Wax & Tar remover which is $8 for 32oz at Walmart. It's clear and unscented so it doesn't look or smell pretty like the expensive stuff, but it works better than anything else I've tried.

Another option on the coating is Blackfire Pro Ceramic coating. I've used both CQuartz versions and prefer Blackfire. It flashes quickly (and obviously) and is almost effortless to buff off. You can apply a second coat immediately which is handy for bumpers, lower rockers, etc. And it cures in 12 hours at which point you would want to apply a coating booster or Si02 sealant.

Whatever coating you choose - change to a new applicator often.

[34dean]

Originally Posted by Bobh59

Wax shouldn't be too hard to remove since most of them don't actually bond to the surface. I would wash it with something like Dawn which has mild degreasing abilities, then dry it - preferably with a leaf blower or equivalent to get the water out of all the nooks and crannies.

Then followup with a paint prep product. I'm not a fan of IPA on paint nor do I like paying $1+/ounce for the designer label products, so I use Rustoleum Wax & Tar remover which is $8 for 32oz at Walmart. It's clear and unscented so it doesn't look or smell pretty like the expensive stuff, but it works better than anything else I've tried.

Another option on the coating is Blackfire Pro Ceramic coating. I've used both CQuartz versions and prefer Blackfire. It flashes quickly (and obviously) and is almost effortless to buff off. You can apply a second coat immediately which is handy for bumpers, lower rockers, etc. And it cures in 12 hours at which point you would want to apply a coating booster or Si02 sealant.

Whatever coating you choose - change to a new applicator often.

Thanks, Bob.

So...

1. Wash with Dawn. Blow dry.
2. Rustoleum Wax and Tar remover.
3. Wash with Dawn again?
4. Apply CQuartz first coat, let cure.
5. Apply CQuartz second coat.


This sound okay?

[Bobh59]

Originally Posted by 34dean

Thanks, Bob.

So...

1. Wash with Dawn. Blow dry.
2. Rustoleum Wax and Tar remover.
3. Wash with Dawn again?
4. Apply CQuartz first coat, let cure.
5. Apply CQuartz second coat.


This sound okay?

You shouldn't have any need for step 3 but it wouldn't hurt either. But if you just want to make sure the wax is gone it might be easier to just go over it again with the paint prep.

[34dean]

How long should I wait to apply the second coat of CQuartz? And once complete, do I simply wash and dry? How long will the two coats last?

[trucheli]

Coatings are overrated. I would never put a coat on my car. I can get the same protection with a polymer sealer and I can get it off if I need to polish my car.

[Bobh59]

Originally Posted by 34dean

How long should I wait to apply the second coat of CQuartz? And once complete, do I simply wash and dry? How long will the two coats last?

You need to wait at least an hour before applying a 2nd coat (or Reload), then another hour for Reload. After that try to keep it dry and don't wash it for at least 7 days.

I believe CarPro claims 2 years in terms of durability, but there are obviously a lot of variables that could impact durability.

[34dean]

OK, so I am going to ceramic coat my car.

What is the after-care maintenance? Simply wash my car and done? Is there a specific wash I should use after coating? I use Meguiars now.

[kern417]

Originally Posted by trucheli

Coatings are overrated. I would never put a coat on my car. I can get the same protection with a polymer sealer and I can get it off if I need to polish my car.

I only think the consumer ones are overrated. My Adam's selant lasts 6-12 months, which seems to be the same as the consumer coatings. If you get a pro coating done by a detailer, it can last 5+ years. But way more expensive then just applying sealant every 6 months.

[finalfantasyfan]

Ceramic coating is not scratch proof. It will eventually have swirl marks and minor scratches. I would rather apply sealant/wax regularly and polish once a year to "reset" my paint. With ceramic coating, it requires a lot of effort to remove/polish the coating.

[Bobh59]

Originally Posted by finalfantasyfan

Ceramic coating is not scratch proof. It will eventually have swirl marks and minor scratches. I would rather apply sealant/wax regularly and polish once a year to "reset" my paint. With ceramic coating, it requires a lot of effort to remove/polish the coating.

Here's my experience with coatings, and this is coming from someone who used to feel the exact same way about ceramic coatings as you and others have expressed. In fact I thought I was wasting $100+ and a day of my time to apply one on my car, but as it turned out I couldn't have been more wrong.

First, that's true regarding scratch resistance, but most of the normal, unavoidable, everyday type of "scratches" will be on the coating, not your paint. Typical polishing will remove a consumer grade coating, or what's left of it, so you would only have to do that once every two years or longer.

The new versions of these coatings are actually easier to apply than any wax or sealant (except the spray on/wipe off varieties). The additional gloss is very noticeable, even on a lighter color like the platinum bronze on mine. You can really "feel" the coating when you wash the car and it makes normal maintenance much, much easier. And the hydrophobic properties are exceptional.

The only real negative I can see - and it's a significant one - is the time it takes to do it right. You really have to make sure the paint is surgically clean before applying it, and that means wash/decontaminate/prep/polish/prep again/apply which takes a great deal of time to do, and you can't skip any of those steps. Plus most folks don't have the time, tools, or products to do the job.

The only other mildly potential negative is you do have to apply a booster or Si02 sealant on a somewhat regular basis as all the coating mfgs recommend this practice. I enjoy doing this so it's not a negative for me.

Having said all that, they're not for everyone. For someone who regularly uses a car wash and is going to continue to do so, they make no sense at all because the car wash will quickly undo what I spent 8-12+ hours doing. So for these folks a thorough cleaning plus wax/sealant in the spring & fall is a much better value. But if you're like me and would never, ever, take your car through a car wash; enjoy washing and maintaining your cars yourself or have them professionally detailed; and place value in the additional benefits a coating offers, then they might make a great deal of sense.

Btw, how do you like your X3 M40i?