6 Vital Questions to Ask Your Ceramic Coating Installer Before Getting A Coating!

Having your vehicle ceramic coated is a big decision. Between choosing the right number of years for you, the type of coating, what areas to get coated, and who to apply the coating can all be confusing. However, no matter your answer to any of the above questions, the below questions will help you get a better idea of what will be done to your car and how well it will be done.

What kind of prep work is included with the coating?

Preparation is key when applying a ceramic coating and is usually what takes the most time. When you ask your detailer what exactly is included with the ceramic coating they should tell you that a hand wash, clay bar decon, iron decon, and an IPA wipe or paint prep comes with ALL coatings. This is the standard prep work that is required for any ceramic coating applied to your car’s paint. 

You should also find out if paint correction is included or charged as a case-by-case scenario. If paint correction isn’t included, you should get a quote for it. You may also want to ask about what preparation goes into wheel coatings, trim coatings, and glass coatings if you’re detailer is installing them.

Does my Ceramic Coating Come With a Warranty or Guarantee?

When you’re spending hundreds or thousands on a coating, it should come with a guarantee or warranty so you are shielded from any flaws or mistakes made by the installer or by the manufacturer of the coating. It would be a nightmare to spend your money on a ceramic coating and have it fail weeks after the install and it not be completely covered. This is why all of the coatings Drive by Detail installs come with a worry-free warranty equal to the number of years we advertise - no strings attached! Even if your coating comes with a warranty, be careful of the terms and conditions that some businesses manipulate in order to make it next to impossible to redeem.

Ask your installer:

What happens if my coating stops working before the amount of time you advertised?

What happens if there is a high-spot or steak that you missed?

What are the conditions of the warranty?

do you remove license plates, stickers, or decals?

Does your detailer remove your license plate, stickers, or decals? Removing these things in order to coat underneath them should be done as long as the client is okay with it. Most license plates are easily removable with a screwdriver in 5 minutes or less. Unwanted stickers and decals can be removed with a heat gun or steamer in about 5 minutes as well. It’s the little things that make a big difference and show the amount of care and quality that goes into a coating. Not cutting corners should come standard on every detail.

are there any maintenance requirements for my coating?

Some ceramic coatings will have maintenance requirements such as using a special type of car soap, specific top coatings, and/ or maintenance sprays. Asking what needs to be done for your coating to stay in great condition is necessary and will make sure you do not get stuck with any unexpected maintenance.

Do you provide any follow-up services?

After your coating is installed, you want your car to keep its glowing finish. That is why Drive by Detail provides a free maintenance wash with all ceramic coatings for two reasons. The first reason is we want to ensure your car’s wash is flawless and you can see the results of your ceramic coating. The second reason is for us to do a quality control test to ensure the coating is working properly and looking phenomenal! We always check our work to ensure you get the absolute best service possible and we hope whoever installs your ceramic coating does the same.

talk to the owner

While looking for a ceramic coating installer, I would highly suggest personally speaking with the owner of the business. They will usually be the most knowledgeable and able to give you the most accurate information. Overall, you want to hear things like quality control, clear finish, and guaranteed workmanship. If you have any questions about ceramic coatings or what questions to ask, please reach out to us.

How To Prevent Fading and Restore Plastic Trim (Pro Results!)

HOW TO PREVENT FADING AND RESTORE PLASTIC TRIM (PRO RESULTS)!

It’s no secret dull and faded plastics will kill your car’s appeal. Thanks to the harsh effects of the sun exterior plastics and trim can quickly lose their luster especially when exposed to the elements 24/7. Obviously, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but if it’s too late for your car, we’ll show you how to restore the trim and then protected it to prevent any future damage!

How and why does black plastic fade?

The main ingredient in plastic is a derivative from crude oil, so it’s no surprise that all plastics contain lots of oil. The fading or chalking that you see is from the plastic drying out over time. Without getting too scientific, when UV rays are absorbed by plastic, the UV energy excites photos which can create free radicals and degradation occurs from the free radicals causing breaks in the polymer structure. 

The reason your plastic trim pieces are more susceptible to this damage is they do not have a layer of UV inhibiting clear coat as your paint, wheels, and headlights do. This means that every plastic piece will inevitably fade, crack, and dry out unless protected. Now that we know how this process works, we have the knowledge to not only prevent it but to fix it. 

How to restore plastic trim?

Since plastic degradation is caused by a loss of oil, we can restore the black plastic pieces by adding oils back in. First, you need to remove any previous dressing and clean the trim to ensure proper boding of any products. Start by washing your car as normal, then use a medium bristle brush and APC or degreaser to clean the trim. Go around all of the pieces you want to protect and clean them. After, rinse and dry the pieces. Finally, wipe down the pieces with an IPA or paint-prep to remove anything that may be leftover.

What product should I choose?

When choosing a product, we’re looking for something that will permanently rehydrate the plastic and bring back the dark black color for trim. The only type of product that accomplishes this is ceramic-based trim restorers. Ceramic trim coatings or ceramic trim restorers permanently revitalize black plastics and protect them for years to come.

In this category, there are only two products I recommend - CeraTrim by The Last Coat and GYEON Quartz Trim Protector and Restorer. Either of these products will deliver professional results with ease. You really can’t go wrong with these. Simply follow the instructions I’ve listed below and your trim will be looking new and protected in no time!