Rivian Mom
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- Oct 20, 2024
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- Rivian
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Huge fan of detailing/paint care etc though not a professional by any means I have talked with some of the industries best professional folks including Ammo and Detailers Domain. Below are some pictures of me working on my own items and again while I am no industry expert I have been doing things as a hobby for the past 15 years so I know a small amount.
Before Wet Sanding/detailing on my track wheels that had a coating not cure in time and track debris stick to it.
After about 40 hours (per wheel) of wet sanding/high cut compound and then ceramic wheel coating added.
Here is a quick summary of my experience on products: Anything from your box stores are more or less temporary and kind of a waste of money with maybe the exception of Griots/Meguiars. Even then those are temporary at most a month or 2 of exterior care no matter what marketing on the box/label says in terms of Exterior paint protection.
My personal favorite is the Fictech line of products because most of them (with the exception of the ceramic coating) are super easy application, just apply when the car is wet and then wipe off.
Ceramic coating is a liquid substance that turns hard once cured to protect the paint, here is a great example.
Keep in mind it will put a layer over your paint regardless of how flawless or un-flawless your paint looks so when a detailer says they will Correct your paint first and them coat it that is because they want to protect their work, slapping on ceramic coating after a car wash or from the factory which probably still doesnt have 100% flawless paint is a waste but only if your not really into the fine details of paint protection.
Paint Protection Film on the other hand is a physical barrier (more so than ceramic) of film that is protecting the exterior of your paint as well.
Before Wet Sanding/detailing on my track wheels that had a coating not cure in time and track debris stick to it.
After about 40 hours (per wheel) of wet sanding/high cut compound and then ceramic wheel coating added.
Here is a quick summary of my experience on products: Anything from your box stores are more or less temporary and kind of a waste of money with maybe the exception of Griots/Meguiars. Even then those are temporary at most a month or 2 of exterior care no matter what marketing on the box/label says in terms of Exterior paint protection.
My personal favorite is the Fictech line of products because most of them (with the exception of the ceramic coating) are super easy application, just apply when the car is wet and then wipe off.
Ceramic coating is a liquid substance that turns hard once cured to protect the paint, here is a great example.
Keep in mind it will put a layer over your paint regardless of how flawless or un-flawless your paint looks so when a detailer says they will Correct your paint first and them coat it that is because they want to protect their work, slapping on ceramic coating after a car wash or from the factory which probably still doesnt have 100% flawless paint is a waste but only if your not really into the fine details of paint protection.
Paint Protection Film on the other hand is a physical barrier (more so than ceramic) of film that is protecting the exterior of your paint as well.
