Selecting The Right Ceramic Package
Selecting the best ceramic package for your needs is absolutely essential. The first thing to understand is that ceramic coatings will never replace paint protection film or clear bra. Like quality gasoline and the right engine oil, both are key to maintaining your vehicle.
Paint protection film stops rock chips and scratches while ceramic coatings protect against swirls and environmental hazards.
Professional vs. DIY Ceramic Coatings
There is nothing “wrong” with DIY “ceramic coatings” or “spray ceramic.” You just need to understand what it is you are getting.
Most DIY and spray ceramics perform much better than wax. Essentially if you are not going to coat your car, instead of waxing it on Sundays, you could use a DIY product every 4th or 5th Sunday to protect your vehicle.
It is important to understand that DIY products repel water and provide some degree of protection from UV, but they do not add any hardness to your vehicle’s paint.
For the most part, ceramic coatings purchased as an add-on you your vehicle purchase, are glorified DIY ceramic coatings.
By contrast, professionally applied ceramic coatings last years. Products like ION and Ultimate ION from Ceramic Pro increase your paint’s hardness multiple times over.
OK, I want Professional Ceramic Coating, Now What?
Let’s face it. There is a new brand or package of ceramic coatings on the market every other day. How a brand that has been in business for a few months or even a couple of years can claim a long-term warranty is….. well questionable at best
The first thing you need to do is select a brand. We would highly recommend Ceramic Pro. They have been around for years, they are constantly innovating and it is indisputable that the rest of the industry is always playing catch-up.
Which Ceramic Pro Package is Right For Me?
Spoiler alert, there are only three ceramic coating packages we would suggest. Sport, ION, or Ultimate ION.
Ceramic Pro Bronze: Do you ever do something halfway, regret it later, spend more money and wish you would have just done it right the first time? That is what the Bronze package is. It is an expensive entry-level ceramic and honestly, your money is better spent on the Sport Package.
Ceramic Pro Sport: We love this package. At slightly more than a solid detail, this package protects you in between applications. Bring your car in every 6 months to a year to top it off and you will be thrilled — subsequent applications are not as expensive as the wheels and glass do not need to be redone.
Ceramic Pro ION: the 7-Year ION package is the newer, stronger, glossier, and frankly more affordable option than the Silver package. Developed for the Elite Dealer Network, the ION package is available only to the best of the best of the Ceramic Pro network.
Once you decide on ION the next question is do you want it with one-step or two-step correction. If it is a newer vehicle, one stef should suffice. Vehicles with even low miles that have been driven for months or years will likely need the two-step paint correction to remove swirls.
This package, with a partial front paint paint protection film, is our most popular option and provides amazing protection.
Ultimate ION: If you just purchased “that car” or “that truck” this is the package for you. With a lifetime warranty, two-step correction, and 3 coats of ceramic this is the dream coating for that dream vehicle. Complete with a lifetime warranty, valid nationwide, this package is often combined with a full front paint protection film as part of the Ultimate Armor Package.
Ceramic Pro Silver and Gold packages are slightly outdated, but if you do not have an Elite Dealer in your area they are the next best option.
What about other brands?
Gyeon, System X, and a handful of others have decent products. I remember when I got my first mountain bike. I settled for “decent’. In the long run, I never lost the desire for the best of the best, and should have just made the right investment the first time.
