[Haruman]

Hi my fellow Bimmer friends, I want to hear your honest thoughts on ceramic coating.

I'm picking up a new M340i LCI - Tanzanite Blue paint next month and want to see if ceramic coating will be worth the money.

The dealer is trying to sell me this whole interior + exterior ceramic coating package for $2500 and I heard that it's much cheaper and better to get this from the independent detailer so I'll probably say no to this. They are also trying to sell me this 'schmick' program for $1400 for 5 years that will fix all vehicle's scratches and chips for $50 each time? Has anyone bought this from the dealership?

Anyway, my question to you guys is that is "Is ceramic coating really worth it?".

Independent detailers have quoted me around $1200-1600 and I heard some mixed stories about ceramic coating - some say it's great and will keep car looking new and shiny for years while some also say that it's a total waste of money if I don't wash my car once a week and apply the maintenance coating sailant each time, which sounds like a big hassle.

I don't think I'll have time to wash my car once a week - it will most likely be once or twice (max) a month at a touchless self-carwash bay around my area.

Any feedbacks or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I'm not considering PPF because I simply cannot afford it (they are quoting me $6-8k lol)

[AP]

Personally I would not buy any of these offers from a dealer, they are just money making schemes.
I can’t comment specially on ceramic but as you’ve mentioned , anything like cleaning, detailing I would go elsewhere where that is their day job as you say probably cheaper anyway.
They will undoubtedly do a better job than the dealer who use it to top up the profits

[peelerec]

If you truly care about your paint, then ceramic coatings are worth it. If you are a person who will not religiously wash your vehicle at least weekly or bi-weekly and not upkeep with the coating, then it means you don’t truly care about the paint/car, and probably not worth it for you.

[Haruman]

Good point. Does the ceramic coating make the paint shinier though? Or does it actually protect the paint against the UV ray etc. My car will be garaged and be rarely parked outside though.

[peelerec]

Originally Posted by Haruman

Good point. Does the ceramic coating make the paint shinier though? Or does it actually protect the paint against the UV ray etc. My car will be garaged and be rarely parked outside though.

All of the above. Modern day ceramic coatings promote shine, protection and help prevent abrasion. Some have glossier formula’s while others may have better hydrophobic properties, self cleaning properties, etc.
You’ll never find sun damage / paint deterioration on a properly coated and maintained vehicle.

[AustraliaG20]

The paint on these cars is quite thin too, so the ceramic coating goes a long way to protecting the paint itself over the long term.

DIY is also another option. The majority of the cost is labour and if you're willing to do it yourself, you can probably get it done for well under $500 in materials.

[peelerec]

Originally Posted by AustraliaG20

The paint on these cars is quite thin too, so the ceramic coating goes a long way to protecting the paint itself over the long term.

DIY is also another option. The majority of the cost is labour and if you're willing to do it yourself, you can probably get it done for well under $500 in materials.

Agree. Maybe even down to $300-400 in materials + your time. Again, depending on which coating and materials needed purchased ex. Leveling towel, microfiber, iron decontamination, clay towel, soap, IPA wipe, etc.

[Michael BD]

Originally Posted by peelerec

If you truly care about your paint, then ceramic coatings are worth it. If you are a person who will not religiously wash your vehicle at least weekly or bi-weekly and not upkeep with the coating, then it means you don’t truly care about the paint/car, and probably not worth it for you.

What do you mean by " not upkeep with the coating"

[peelerec]

Originally Posted by Michael BD

What do you mean by " not upkeep with the coating"

Think of the coating as a layer of skin over your paint, also a skin layer. The paint needs to be “exfoliated”/decontaminated on a regular basis, depending on your driving/exposure to the elements. Maintenance items such as spray on sealants should be used on maintenance washes.

[Tman97]

I've had three separate vehicles ceramic coated now and it's worth it to me, but I also take care of the finish. My ceramic coated cars never go through an automatic car wash. I wash them by hand in the driveway if weather permits or via rinseless wash in the garage. You do not need to wash a ceramic coated vehicle every week. You do need to decontaminate the coating on occasion. For me that is two times a year as my vehicles are always garaged. You'll also want to keep up on any maintenance of the coating. For some that is applying a spray-on topper over the coating or a conditioner which revives the coating's properties. A vehicle with a properly applied coating will outshine anything straight off the assembly line.

As others have said, don't get anything sold by the dealership. Go to a reputable detailer that specializes in paint correction and ceramic coatings. Keep in a brand new vehicle will still need some paint correction before application of a ceramic coating for it to look as good as it can. I picked up my new G20 from the dealer the day after it was delivered and it went to my detailer 2 weeks later and the paint was nowhere near perfect until he worked on it.

[peelerec]

^^^ well said. I decontaminate my daily driven G20 at least once every 2-3 months as it’s parked outside and tracked frequently. I also use a sealant once a week as a drying aid (OG Drying Aid or P&S Bead Maker). Hope this gives perspective to all considering a coating.

[HiFi]

definately dont do it with the dealer - those are very inferior products sold at massive markup. I would highly recommend someone like JAVA detailing studio or Liquid R if you are in Melbourne - DM me if you want more details/an intro etc.