Ceramic Coating or Sealant/Wax?

[Rocker1911]

I have experience using, applying, and maintaining sealants, waxes, and ceramic coatings.

Both a Sealant & Wax combo and ceramic coatings have upsides and downsides.

I recently got a B8 S4 in glacier white. It was cleaned, polished, and waxed by the dealer I bought it from. Other than a few rock chips and a minor scuff that were poorly covered up, the paint is very clean!

I am about to go through the process of stripping the wax the dealer used and decontaminating to the level needed. (chemical, and even clay if needed). I am not planning on polishing it.

I would like to either put a combo of power lock plus and collinite 845 or a ceramic coating such as Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0.

I have all the tools and products necessary to apply and maintain the sealant/wax, and all the products to maintain the ceramic coating, I would just need to buy another bottle of the coating itself.

Some things that I like about ceramic coatings are the ease of drying, longevity, minor scratch resistance, great glossy look, the minor ability to reduce the appearance of very micro marring. I don't like the application process LOL, I also don't like that it water spots so easy, I find that ceramic coating specific quick detailers don not do as good of a job as regular ones on wax finishes.

The sealant & wax combo has nice "warm" glow to it, it looks great as well. It is much easier to apply, much easier to maintain, and much cheaper (although not as much of a concern). The down side is it will need to be reapplied much more often, and it doesn't offer the same protection as ceramic coating. It is also not as hydrophobic.

What do you all think of using either method?

As a side question, anyone here try the Avalon King ceramic coating that has been popping up all over youtube?

[pdqgp]

I have experience using, applying, and maintaining sealants, waxes, and ceramic coatings. Both a Sealant & Wax combo and ceramic coatings have upsides and downsides.

I recently got a B8 S4 in glacier white. It was cleaned, polished, and waxed by the dealer I bought it from. Other than a few rock chips and a minor scuff that were poorly covered up, the paint is very clean!
I am about to go through the process of stripping the wax the dealer used and decontaminating to the level needed. (chemical, and even clay if needed). I am not planning on polishing it.

just be careful when you clay or nano mitt the paint as you could introduce marring.



I would like to either put a combo of power lock plus and collinite 845 or a ceramic coating such as Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0.
I have all the tools and products necessary to apply and maintain the sealant/wax, and all the products to maintain the ceramic coating, I would just need to buy another bottle of the coating itself.

Some things that I like about ceramic coatings are the ease of drying, longevity, minor scratch resistance, great glossy look, the minor ability to reduce the appearance of very micro marring. I don't like the application process LOL, I also don't like that it water spots so easy, I find that ceramic coating specific quick detailers don not do as good of a job as regular ones on wax finishes.

coatings today don't tend to water spot at all. key is to just make sure for the first week you keep the spots from setting in; especially municipal water supplies that tend to contain more minerals. otherwise, you won't have issues. The process today is also much easier. GYEON and Cquartz have come light-years ahead of where they used to be when it comes to their carrier solvents used. They flash easily.


The sealant & wax combo has nice "warm" glow to it, it looks great as well. It is much easier to apply, much easier to maintain, and much cheaper (although not as much of a concern). The down side is it will need to be reapplied much more often, and it doesn't offer the same protection as ceramic coating. It is also not as hydrophobic.

Today's SiO2 coatings are just as warm. The older TiO2 coatings do tend to be a bit harsher in gloss level.


What do you all think of using either method?
As a side question, anyone here try the Avalon King ceramic coating that has been popping up all over youtube?

I do detailing and have moved to nothing but ceramics. I did maybe a handful of non-coating jobs this year. Product wise I would recommend you stick with CarPro or GYEON coatings.

[Rocker1911]

pdqgp,

Thank you for your response. I had a B7 A4 that I used to learned how to detail. I learned how to properly clean, clay, polish, and protect my car's finish. I am not saying I am anywhere near an expert, but I am eager to learn.

About a month or so ago I was able to put my car in a garage at work to prep, polish, and ceramic coat. I did have some issues on the coating, I will make another thread about that. I was able to keep it indoors and dry for a whole day, then topped it with car pro reload before driving it. It did rain alot during the 1st week. Then when I had a chance to wash it, I could see there were no "set in" water spots. Everything came off with car pro reset and water.

Unfortunately my A4 was T-Boned by someone making an illegal turn. So I ended up getting a B8 S4, the dealer polished it up pretty nice. I will have to get it cleaned and strip the dealer applied wax off to inspect the finish to see if it needs another polish or if it is free from contaminants, and may not need a clay bar treatment.

[pdqgp]

good to hear. in terms of water spots, if they come off with a basic solid wash product like reset then you're golden. that's the only wash I recommend on coated cars. great stuff.

[Rocker1911]

Any experience with gtechniq crystal light?

[Maximoose001]

I have experience using, applying, and maintaining sealants, waxes, and ceramic coatings.

Both a Sealant & Wax combo and ceramic coatings have upsides and downsides.

I recently got a B8 S4 in glacier white. It was cleaned, polished, and waxed by the dealer I bought it from. Other than a few rock chips and a minor scuff that were poorly covered up, the paint is very clean!

I am about to go through the process of stripping the wax the dealer used and decontaminating to the level needed. (chemical, and even clay if needed). I am not planning on polishing it.

I would like to either put a combo of power lock plus and collinite 845 or a ceramic coating such as Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0.

I have all the tools and products necessary to apply and maintain the sealant/wax, and all the products to maintain the ceramic coating, I would just need to buy another bottle of the coating itself.

Some things that I like about ceramic coatings are the ease of drying, longevity, minor scratch resistance, great glossy look, the minor ability to reduce the appearance of very micro marring. I don't like the application process LOL, I also don't like that it water spots so easy, I find that ceramic coating specific quick detailers don not do as good of a job as regular ones on wax finishes.

The sealant & wax combo has nice "warm" glow to it, it looks great as well. It is much easier to apply, much easier to maintain, and much cheaper (although not as much of a concern). The down side is it will need to be reapplied much more often, and it doesn't offer the same protection as ceramic coating. It is also not as hydrophobic.

What do you all think of using either method?

As a side question, anyone here try the Avalon King ceramic coating that has been popping up all over youtube?

I have experience with polishing, detailing and ceramic as well (last job was at a ceramic coating company for crazy exotics) personally I would definitely go with ceramic. Yes, it’s a bitch to put on and takes a long time to complete but it’s worth it for The shine and protection. With enough coats (5-7) would make it resistant to major scratches and almost eliminate water marks. It also last for years and dirt and grime doesn’t get trapped in it over time like it does in wax sometimes. By the way, Thanks for posting in my “Audi B8/8.5 Community Photo Collection” thread. Great choice in both car and color!


- Max
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[pdqgp]

Any experience with gtechniq crystal light?

No.

[Rocker1911]

Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0, Gyeon Q2 ONE, or Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light?

[Rocker1911]

After doing some more research, I am leaning towards kamikazi

[henri12]

Ceramic coating will be more durable than a sealant/wax. If you don't have a garage for your car, I recommend the coating for protection against outside elements.

[pdqgp]

Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0, Gyeon Q2 ONE, or Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light?Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0 all day.

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