Ceramic Coating, or PPF? What's The Best Decision For You?

One question we get asked time and again is “What’s the best protection for my vehicle?” Some detailers say “Everyone needs a ceramic coating on their car” or, “wax is the way to go” or “ppf was the best decision I made to protect my vehicle”. None of these statements are wrong. But the truth is…it’s not so black and white. In fact, the answer to this question is totally dependent on you! Variables such as your budget, what type of protection you desire, the condition of your vehicle, and even your car's color all play a role in choosing the best protection for your car. In this article, we will take a look at the advantages of both ceramic coating and ppf, and discuss which protection best suits you. 

First off, let’s talk about ceramic coatings. Ceramics are by far, one of the best forms of protection you can get on your vehicle in the detailing world! However, it’s important to keep in mind that they aren’t impenetrable. Here are some advantages to ceramic coatings:

1. Long-term paint protection. Ceramic coatings are designed to last years. This is probably the main reason to buy a ceramic.

     2. Unmatched gloss and depth. The shine and depth a ceramic coating give is truly unmatched by any other product. If this is important to you, then you NEED a ceramic coating.

     3. Minor scratch and chemical resistance. Ceramic coatings add a layer of thickness to the paint that decreases the likelihood of the clear coat to get damaged.  

     4. Self-cleaning properties. Ceramic coatings have hydrophobic properties. This means the paint stays cleaner for longer due to a high surface tension that the ceramic coatings create.

     5. UV protection. Ceramic coatings are one the best ways to protect your car’s clear coat from failing long term due to UV damage.

Now, it's time to discuss PPF. What is PPF? PPF stands for paint protection film. PPF is a thin, transparent layer of thermoplastic urethane that is applied to the exterior surfaces of vehicles to provide protection against various potential hazards and preserve the vehicle's paint finish. Here are some advantages to PPF: 

1) Shield-like barrier. PPF guards the paint against scratches, rock chips, insect splatters, bird droppings, road debris, and other environmental contaminants that can damage or mar the appearance of the vehicle's paint. This is the biggest difference between PPF and Ceramic Coatings. 

2) Reduced Maintenance. Paint protection film is an investment that yields lower maintenance costs. By repelling dirt, debris, and dust, it keeps your vehicle looking pristine. The hydrophobic surface of PPF makes cleaning effortless, as contaminants are easier to wash off than bare paint. 

3) UV Damage Protection. Harmful UV rays are a leading cause of paint fading and deterioration. PPF effectively blocks sunlight and UV rays, safeguarding against fading, oxidation, and other sun-induced issues that can degrade your vehicle's appearance over time.

These are just a few advantages of both ceramic coatings and PPF. Both of these products have similarities but also  differences in appearance, protection, and price. We hope this article gives you some insight into the advantages of both ceramic coatings and ppf. This information should help you make a better, more informed purchase without throwing your money at something you have no idea about! 

If you have any auto detailing related questions, or want an estimate or to schedule an appointment, please feel free to call anytime!

Why Get Your Interior Leather Ceramic Coated?

Many people think that ceramic coatings can only be applied to paint, glass, or the wheels. However, the truth is, ceramic coatings are designed to be applied to various surfaces, including leather. In this article, we will go over the benefits of a leather coating and explain why you would want it!

• The first reason is quite simple: Leather coatings make your leather upholstery unbelievably easy to clean! 

• Second: Leather coatings act the same on leather as they would on paint, creating long term protection. If you want to extend the life of your leather interior, then a ceramic coating is the way to go!

• Finally, well maintained leather upholstery will result in a higher resale value. It’s safe to say nowadays, that people aren't really holding on to their vehicles as much as they were in the past. Most like to trade, and upgrade to the latest models. With that being said, a leather ceramic coating is the best way to maintain the value of your vehicle. Leather coatings will improve the condition so that when it comes time to sell, it will be an easy process! This also means that having a leather coating installed on your upholstery will pay itself off with the boosted resale value. It’s a no brainer! 

With these points in mind, now it’s time to make an educated decision on whether or not to get a leather coating installed on your car! If you have any questions regarding anything ceramic coatings, paint correction, or auto detailing please feel free to reach out at any time!

-Esteban Alfaro

How To Wash Your Car Most Efficiently.

Washing your vehicle can be a time consuming task that we want to make as efficient and systematic as possible while still being as detailed and comprehensive as we can. In this article, we will go over a very basic system as well as some simple tips and tricks to help you wash your vehicle in the most efficient way possible.

Here’s 5 simple steps that will help you wash your car more efficiently every time.

1) The first step is detailing the wheels. This is because the wheels are the dirtiest part of the vehicle and need to be addressed at the start. 

2) Next, pre-rinse the paint to remove any loose debris and dirt. Make sure to be as thorough as possible with the rinsing process. 

3) Then, we will begin our contact wash. Tip: To help minimize scratching during the contact wash, use a wash mitt designated for the upper panels of the vehicle. Use a separate microfiber towel to wash the lower rocker panels. This will greatly reduce the risk of dragging debris from lower, dirty panels into the cleaner upper portions of the paint. 

4) After the contact wash, we rinse all the leftover suds and dirt off the vehicle leaving just a wet surface.

5) To finish, simply dry the surface with a microfiber drying towel to minimize scratching.

Now you have a basic idea on how to wash your vehicle in the most simple way possible. We hope this gave you some insight on the process of properly washing your vehicle. If you have any questions at all about ceramic coatings, paint correction, or detailing of any kind, please feel free to reach out to us at any time!

-Esteban Alfaro

How To Prepare Your Vehicle For The Summer.

Getting your car detailed and prepped for the summer is one of the best ways to protect your asset long term, and.. coming into spring, there is no better time to get your car ready for the summer. The best way to do that is by deep cleaning every surface! In this article, we’ll discuss exactly what needs to be done in order to fully prepare your car for the summer!  

We like to start with the Interior and work our way to the Exterior for the most efficient process. Start off by removing the floor mats and vacuuming the vehicle to remove the loose dirt and debris on the carpets and upholstery. After vacuuming, you can move into steam cleaning and wiping down all the hard surfaces to disinfect. If you have leather seats, clean them last. This will once again maximize efficiency in the process and prevent having to clean them again later on. After you’ve cleaned and prepped all surfaces, you can apply a UV protectant to the interior to protect it from the sun and elements. Finally, clean the glass and if needed perform a final vacuum.  

Next up is the Exterior. Specifically starting with the wheels, tires, and wheel wells. After you’ve fully detailed the wheels, tires, and wheel wells, it’s best to move to rinsing the entire vehicle down to remove all the surface level dirt and road grime. Next, you can hand wash with soap with the two bucket method, rinse and dry the vehicle as fast as you can to avoid any water spotting. After that you will need to apply some sort of protection. We prefer ceramic paint sealants but a wax will work too. You will just need to apply it more often if you do use wax. And thats all! 

Now that you have cleaned and properly protected every inch of your vehicle, you can enjoy driving it through the summer confidently knowing that it is not only perfectly clean but also protected from the damaging uv rays of the sun and the elements! If you have any questions at all regarding auto detailing, Paint correction or ceramic coatings, please feel free to reach out to us at any time!

- Esteban Alfaro

Should You Put Your Car on a Regular Maintenance Plan?

Many people wonder why they would want to have their car detailed on a regular basis. Many people also feel it’s a waste of money altogether when they might as well just do it themselves. Well, let me share with you a few reasons why being on a maintenance plan may be a good idea not only for you, but also for your vehicle! Here are the 3 reasons why you might want to look into the maintenance plan:

• First, and arguably the most important, is the Protection. Every time we maintain your car, we protect every surface with the most premium protection! That way your vehicle is protected year round and the materials will last years longer than if they weren’t protected. 

• Second, is the Convenience. We will come to you to maintain your car. We want to make the maintenance plan experience nothing short of amazing for you and that means that we can come to you to maintain your vehicle!

• Finally, the Comfort of having a clean car all the time! Who doesn’t like stepping into a clean car? This makes it not only look and feel better, but it also makes driving your car something that you can look forward to and enjoy! If you like having a dirty car, the maintenance plan is definitely not for you.

If any of these key details matter to you, then a maintenance plan is probably for you! We can make you a custom plan that suits your needs and happens however you want whenever you want! We also require no signatures or contracts to get on the maintenance plan meaning that there is no commitment and if you feel it’s not right for you, there is nothing stopping you from walking away! If you have any questions about the maintenance plan, paint correction or ceramic coatings please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us whenever!

-Jordan Nazaroff