Ceramic coatings - how long do they REALLY last? | FAQs by ESOTERIC!

Ceramic coatings don't last nearly as long as most manufacturers claim. In this video, we discuss the difference between "effective life" of coatings vs claimed lifespan.
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ESOTERIC Products
www.esotericcarcare.com
New Albany, Ohio

[@vigourautodetailing7415]

Talk about clarification!🤙🏾💯 I haven't heard anyone else in this industry talk about this! Thanks Todd

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you! Especially with all of the crazy claims you see these days on Instagram adds from companies that just popped up out of nowhere, it's important for both the general public and professional detailers to understand the realities and limitations.

[@OnTheEdge5950]

ESOTERIC I just took my truck in for two coats of ceramic coating. My detailer told me they last two years, period. So I opted for a two coats. He said that two coats should last four years. My neighbor went to another business in the area and he was charging more for ceramic coating and told my neighbor that one coat will last four or five years. My neighbor decided not to get it. I set him straight and told him what my detailer told me and that I thought he was actually being honest about the longevity of ceramic coatings. Now I just watched your video and you confirmed what my detailer told me 👍. I did some research before I got it done though so I did know that most of the manufacturers claims were misleading. I just found you on KZbin and started following you. I’m looking forward to watching more of your videos.

[@soapa4279]

Crummy Marketing has caused so much confusion and false information on coatings. Glad this video helps clear it up.

[@Esotericdetail]

Glad to hear you feel the same way as we do!

[@grandfinish8929]

Honest and realistic. That’s why I keep coming back!

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you! Unfortunately there's way too much over-hyped and mis-represented information out there about proper automotive car care, which is why we actually tell it like it is.

[@grandfinish8929]

ESOTERIC: and I appreciate it so very much. One day Esoteric will be acknowledged by the masses for the work and research you’ve done with this craft. Outstanding.

[@allanegan6502]

Nother nugget from a Master Detailer....keep em coming

[@gcsautodetailing]

Awesome information on the this topic. I really like honesty that Esoteric provides. Your videos are short and get right to point and no BS or Fluff.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@davedave2941]

So the real question - then there is not that much difference (except higher cost) between coatings a consumer can purchase & apply the “professional grade” only dealer / certified installer applied coating? Thank you 🙏 I can read between the lines 😏

[@Esotericdetail]

There's not that much difference, no. Another thing to consider is this...even if a coating did have an effective life of 5 years, what are the chances that it would still be in near perfect shape for that long? There will be some people who can keep the vehicle swirl and stain-free for that long, but the majority of people will have some swirls, scuffs, stains, bumps and bruises after a couple of years. At that point, it would need to be re-polished and re-applied after just a couple of years.

[@Neur0bit]

Clear and succinct. Todd is the master of his craft.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you! :)

[@Maggie-tr2kd]

Thank you for discussing the "effective life" of ceramic coatings vs claimed lifespan. I haven't seen this topic discussed elsewhere previously. As probable purchaser of brand new car later this year, I do want new car prep, paint correction (if needed) and a ceramic coating. I've read some of the lifetime warranties for coatings and they require exacting adherence to warranty terms or the warranties are void. Even if you timely adhere to the required inspections and proper maintenance washes, some of these warranties are void if a third party unintentionally causes damage such as if a dealership after routine service runs your vehicle through an automatic car wash without your knowledge or permission.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. You should buy into the detailer and the reputation they have as opposed to a specific brand or warranty. Somebody who really knows what they are doing is going to do right by you. When customers come to us, they aren't coming because of a brand we sell, or a warranty. You also want to be wary of detailers who charge only a few hundred dollars for paint correction, but $1k~$2k for coating. That's a very good indication of somebody who doesn't have the machine polishing skills or confidence, and that's what separates the good from the average.

[@Maggie-tr2kd]

@@Esotericdetail Thank you. Yes, I agree that paint correction and polishing is the real art (and should comprise the majority of the professional's time and the bill !). A ceramic coating is a very good but temporary and not perfect protection of that art work. I'm trying to learn more about local professional detailers and figure out the best questions to ask ahead of my new car purchase. I greatly appreciate your advice.

[@bazking86]

Something I picked up on while researching them are the particular "lifetime warranty" version that was offered as an up-sell on my new car purchase was that the coating required "annual maintenance' to qualify for the warranty... I couldn't help but feel that said "maintenance" would have had to have been re-application and that the product therefore had a shorter effective life than the more genuine options out there. It was also unlikely to be performed by passionate detailers at the dealership.

[@looper451]

I manage a detail department at a dealership. So l know what lm talking about when l say 99.999% of dealership detailers are uninformed and untrained. They make a mockery of real detailers. Having said that you can get lucky and find detail shops like mine being run by passionate people who actually do excellent work

[@jimmyqballs]

I've always been skeptical of claims in terms of durability. If it says 6 months, does that mean the whole car is still protected? or just some tiny spot on the rear quarter panel lol! More often then not, it's the small spot on the quarter panel that's sort of holding on

[@thenoblepixel7586]

Effective life vs. the life it's on the surface. Informative stuff Todd!

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@mireffafhassan1245]

An Epic Video,Please do make a Video on Ceramic/Glass coatings the conceptual difference between each camp and the actual difference vs the hype in detailing industry

[@rohitpathania1462]

I done ceremic coating on my car but its removed with in three months.may I know the reasons

[@Esotericdetail]

Lots of variables...prep may have been wrong, issues with coating, or maybe it's fine and needs to be re-set with an Iron decontamination and followed up with coating maintenance products.

[@michaelspieth1287]

Todd Do professional applied Coatings last longer? Additional thickness of coating make a difference?

[@Esotericdetail]

Yes and not on the first question. But as I stated in another reply, most people will still have some swirls, scuffs, stains, bumps and bruises after just a few years that will require re-polishing and re-application of the coating. And for the thickness, that's another bit of marketing hype that doesn't necessarily make much of a difference. If we are applying Miyabi Coat from Kamikaze for instance, and we apply a second coat, we can expect maybe a 10-15% increase in performance. But that number drops drastically at that point...more layers don't necessarily equate to much harder or longer lasting. You get diminishing returns very quickly. It is incredibly rare for us to apply any more than 2 coats of any combination.

[@firstname1927]

I think the hardness levels vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. I have a cx-9 with Gyeon Syncro, it held up pretty well against cat scratches. my boxster with tacsystem sparkle plus on the other hand, not so much.

[@Esotericdetail]

Not only manufacturer to manufacturer, but model to model. The whole "9H" thing has gotten so out of control that it's not even funny. Manufacturers, especially newer ones that are simply selling re-branded products, are focusing marketing efforts on hardness levels, as if it's going to prevent scratching or even marring. That's simply not the case.

[@kirkenstang]

Great info as usual Todd, and thank you for taking the time to make these videos. So when that effective life is up, does one have to remove what is left of the coating and start over? Or say for example I have myobi on my car can I just prep and reapply or do I need to polish again?

[@Esotericdetail]

We have a video on that subject as part of our FAQ series. Make sure you subscribe! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ6YpYSfaplmlbM

[@ChandraSQLVideos]

Good clarification...

[@jeffreyt4709]

Great video and explanation👍🏻👍🏻

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@christopherlenahan3906]

Have you seen positive results doing a buff and polish on a 3-5 year old coating or is it hazed through?

[@charlesaviles2138]

That's a good one 👍 thanks for the information!!!!

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@OG_WOLFNATION]

Has anyone experienced self healing ceramic coatings or coatings such as Icon Rocklear?

[@Ba09035]

Excellent video. My question is when you do need to re-coat, how does one do this if your car has PPF on the entire surface of the car? Is is safe to mechanically polish a PPF to remove a ceramic coating prior to re-installation of the coating? Awesome channel Todd.

[@Esotericdetail]

Just like paint...if it needs to be polished because of potential swirls, stains, etc, then do so (carefully), and re-coat. If it still looks great, then just re-apply your coating as necessary. PPF polishing should be done with a lighter polish / pad combo, and all visible edges should be taped up.

[@OtenP_]

been watching you a lot lately, got a new subscriber. Will coat my car with the kamikaze coating and also the ppf one you have too.

[@Esotericdetail]

Welcome aboard!

[@Piglet6256]

What I would like to know, the coating is 2 yrs on the car and its loosing effect. Can you just re apply the coating again? or do you have to compound and polish the whole car before applying it again?

[@Esotericdetail]

Your answer can be found here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ6YpYSfaplmlbM

[@heily-3806]

Are ceramic coatings limited to hand washed vehicles only or will they survive an occasional automatic carwash? I try and hand wash my truck as often as I can but sometimes it’s just not possible, especially where I live with the harsh winters. I would like to apply a coating but Unsure if it is a good option. Thanks your videos are great

[@Esotericdetail]

Our opinion is that if you have plans to run it through a tunnel wash, you're wasting your money on coatings. Not much destroys the finish of a vehicle worse than an automatic / tunnel car wash.

[@heily-3806]

ESOTERIC thanks that’s the answer I expected to hear from you 😢

[@christopherlenahan3906]

@@Esotericdetail Does this apply to touchless automatic washes?

[@dianalow2867]

Whats the best then ? Tqvm

[@texaswrapanddetail]

Real!

[@Arash.vahidzadeh]

Then after 2 years the coating should be refresh?

[@Esotericdetail]

In most cases, yes.

[@shirleyhowie1028]

What happens if the coating gets scratched, does it have to be professional fixed?

[@Esotericdetail]

The spot needs to be machine-polished, then polish and re-coat the entire panel for it all to match.

[@brentonappleby9836]

Do the coatings still protect from UV and bird droppings after it loses its self-cleaning and hydrophobic properties?

[@Esotericdetail]

I wouldn't say that "UV protection" is a major benefit to begin with, and in the right conditions, bird droppings will eat right through fresh coating...

[@iscariotmadeo4672]

New subscriber here I have a couple of questions 1.how to maintain the coating 2. What to do once the effectiveness of the coating fades

[@Esotericdetail]

Welcome to the channel! Watch this video for how to maintain: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYW9d2SkfdR0f8k. Watch this video on what to do when it's time to re-coat: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ6YpYSfaplmlbM

[@MiataPower96]

Have you found Gyeon to be an honest effective lifetime? For example Pure Evo says 3 years, do you think that’s possible for the effective lifetime?

[@Esotericdetail]

It hasn't been out long enough yet to qualify that answer...

[@MiataPower96]

@@Esotericdetail true lol. How about Gyeon as a whole though?

[@Esotericdetail]

@@MiataPower96 I'd say so, yes.

[@gioflores96]

For those of you, still searching, what coating have you guys come across that has the longest effectiveness?

[@dawsoja]

I have Ceramic Pro"Lifetime Guarantee". Does this not mean that if it looses its effectiveness, I can get it re applied?

[@Esotericdetail]

That's a conversation you need to have with them. There's typically a lot of fine print in those warranties, which is why we as a coating installer don't play in that game. Some companies make you come back for a re-application every year (at your expense) to qualify, and if you miss an application, your warranty is void. Any coating can last for a "lifetime" if you're re-applying it all of the time. It's also a bit like those paint protection products being sold at the dealership level...they simply bank on the fact that next to nobody will ever file a claim. They're selling a piece of paper, and not a quality product.

[@showroomsolutionsplusllc1253]

I am a CP spa in Akron canton Ohio. Our lifetimes we provide they client comes and sees us annually for a inspection and a topper. It all comes down to the installers how they want to handle this or take care of you etc.

[@Bigheadedwon]

I’ve been checking your web site for a few months now, is ISM 2.0 ever going to be back in stock?

[@Esotericdetail]

We have it on order and it should be coming in the next shipment. We also have a video coming out tomorrow discussing the differences between the two coatings.

[@looper451]

Do you have any professional opinions on Opticoat Pro+ and its “lifetime” durability?

[@Esotericdetail]

We are not proponents of lifetime warranties (or even 8 year) for coatings.

[@looper451]

ESOTERIC Say no more 😉

[@1tdekany]

Buddyyouwantoutside Opti Coat Pro and Pro Plus will be effective for at least 5 years/7 years. It will bead, protect, and stay hard to prevent light swirls. Opti coat is different (SIC) from the rest, which uses sio2. No layering needed, no yearly maintenance, just wash your car weekly or every couple of weeks. The owner of Optimum Polymer Technologies actually created car clear coats. Gtechniq is another coating that is superior to most everything else out there and will be effective way past 3 years.

[@Troph2]

whew, I was thinking this was heat ceramic coating for engine stuff. No way i was gonna pull off and re-coat my heads every few years.

[@smcarcare4988]

Friend of mine just got a new Hyundai sold him the life time guarantee ceramic coating how are they claiming this Iv always thought max of 5 years if you was lucky

[@Esotericdetail]

They're selling a piece of paper, and banking on the fact that only a very small percentage of people will ever file any claims against it.

[@nwbklr]

Doesn’t improve scratch resistance?

[@Esotericdetail]

This video should help answer that one! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioPXYplvbNKcf7c

[@paulgyro]

I believe Opticoat Pro might be the exception to this FAQ.

[@Esotericdetail]

Actually they all fall into this category. There is a big difference between the theoretical life of the product, and the effective life.

[@paulgyro]

@@Esotericdetail so your assertion is that all coatings regardless or how they are maintained and regardless of the warranty period have an effective life of only 2 years?

[@jonfavale]

Opti-Coat is for sure the exception to this. There's two types of products on the market. You have Opti Coat and then you have nano ceramic sealants. All other coatings need a topper to rejuvenate the sealant part of the product. Opti-Coat migrates into the clear coat while other products sit on top. Opti-coat is effectively a permanent coating. It will only be removed by abrasions.

[@Esotericdetail]

@@jonfavale It may technically stay on the surface, but just like everything else, it will lose its effective properties (self cleaning, looks, etc) long before that.

[@Esotericdetail]

@@paulgyro Some more, some less. But yes...all coatings will have a difference between life and effective life.

[@OrganicStuff1]

Any thoughts on cquartz lite?

[@Esotericdetail]

Sorry, I do not...

[@scottsv96]

Whatever they say I half it.

[@jaykid007]

I bought a 5 year coating professional installed ceramic pro. Have to bring it in every year for a coat and pay for it. Ifni don't bring it in, they say I won't get the 5 years. Marketing gimmick? Won't last 5 years?

[@Esotericdetail]

That's the problem indeed!

[@jaykid007]

@@Esotericdetail thank u! I'm doing it myself next time. Rather do it every year or two and for cheaper. Tnx for thr honesty

[@Esotericdetail]

My pleasure. Please let us know if there's anything else we can help you with in the future.

[@Rhett.Castillo]

I clicked on this thinking he was going to talk about exhaust ceramic coatings. Ha ha