Why Are Ceramic Coatings So Expensive?
Protecting our vehicle is super important to keep them looking their best and to preserve the value. You have several options for paint protection including spray wax, paste wax, ceramic wax, retail ceramic coatings and professional ceramic coatings. Looking at the differences between all of the protection options, there are two things that stand out, longevity and durability.
Basic paint protection including spray waxes will only last for a few weeks and do minimal protection for the paint. These are typically used at car washes or for maintenance details. They are helpful to add a layer of protection on top of better protections like paste wax. The best waxes on the market claim to last 6 months but we find that they start fading around 3 months. Not only do they lack longevity, they don’t add as much protection compared to other options.
Ceramic Coatings VS. Wax
After applying wax to my customers’ cars I eventually switched to recommending ceramic coatings to everyone due to their durability, longevity and hardness. Retail ceramic coatings last between 1-2 years if maintained accordingly. However, professional coatings can last 3-10 years OR MORE and provide a hyper durable glass-like layer to the paint. Let’s do some quick Math.
Having a professional car detailer wax your car 3 times a year at an average price of $125 would be $1,875 after 5 years. Our 6 year ceramic coating with a paint enhancement would be around $1,600. Not only does it last a year longer, but it will provide your car’s paint with a hyper durable coating that protects from surface scratches, rain, bugs, bird droppings and much more!
Difference Between Retail And Professional Ceramic Coatings
I recently took a certification course on ceramic coatings and paint correction and learned the major differences between retail and professional grade ceramic coatings. The max amount of time a retail ceramic coating will last is 1-2 years. In addition you have to apply several coats along with maintaining it properly. Professional ceramic coatings can last 3-5 years, 7 years and even 10+ years.
Although I love professional coatings, they are much more challenging to apply than retail coatings. That is why you must become certified to purchase them. A big difference between the two types of coatings is the hardness. After applying a retail coating, it is relatively easy to apply and buff off whereas professional ceramic coatings you have to apply it correctly and buff it off quickly. Testing the two coatings side by side, I found that professional coatings add a much thicker layer to the paint than the retail coatings.
Applying Professional Ceramic Coatings Takes Time
In order to apply a professional ceramic coating correctly takes a lot of time. On average, it can take between 1-2 days to do a paint enhancement and then apply a coating. Since the application takes a lot of time, detailers have to charge more for the time.
Professional Expertise
One of the biggest expenses for car detailing specialists are the courses and training. Not to mention, you have to take a course to become certified to purchase professional coatings. Although our mission is to provide amazing customer service, we want to become experts at ceramic coatings. We spent over 90 hours on one of the most reputable paint correction and ceramic coating courses there is. So at the end of the day, we are charging for our expertise and we think we are pretty good.
Here at Mitchells Auto Spa, we believe in providing exceptional customer service which means providing outstanding work at competitive prices. We know ceramic coatings are expensive, but in return you can be confident that you’ll receive the best service in Stow, Ohio.
In Conclusion
Professional Ceramic Coatings are expensive but are the most durable and long-lasting protection options you can apply to your paint. If you are looking to take care of your investment we highly recommend a ceramic coating. Over time, you will save money and when you sell or trade your car, it will be worth so much more than without protection.
Feel free to contact us here if you have any questions or if you would like a free estimate!