A 12-month update on an Onyx Coated car

Ceramic coatings are built to last- especially ours. That’s exactly why we wanted to provide you the feedback that many are looking to read about- how does a ceramic coating perform after 12 months? 

 

In this blog article, we are going to dig into all the pros and cons that come with the post-application of a Ceramic Coating. If you keep up with the maintenance the ceramic coating should perform as it did on its first day of application. However, in this example, the car was washed thoroughly once a month and given a wipe down here and there but not fully maintained. We want to add that this car has had no detailing nor reapplication of any products during this year.

 

First things first here are a list of benefits that come with applying a ceramic coating: 

1. Hydrophobic behavior protects the exterior from water spots and liquid from damaging exterior
2. Provides protection against bird droppings
3. Creates a layer of protection against UV rays & chemicals 
4. Guarantees long-term protection
5. Aids and assists in maintaining car cleanliness

 

Overall appearance

Right off the bat, the car itself, although it hadn’t been washed in a few weeks, only had a little bit of dust on the exterior. The ceramic coating was helped by keeping the paint and trims looking cleaner for longer.  We want to dig further into the ceramic coating’s true performance after 365 days so the next steps consisted in giving it a wash and dry to test out the hydrophobic abilities. 

 

Performance of the Ceramic Coating

Digging into the overall performance of the ceramic coating after 12 months we started off with a foam cleanse to remove the dirt. While doing so we noted how well the coating was starting to reject the foam as the foam started beading, shedding, and then separating on the paint. This is an indication that its hydrophobic properties are still well intact. 

 

We already started to notice that the coating itself was performing from 70-85% as good as it did on its first day- this shows us that the coating’s protection deteriorates very slowly and leaves the car and its paintwork in perfect shape. 

 

Most dirt and grime come off with a touchless wash via a foam application and washes down. This is one of the most incredible benefits of applying a ceramic coating. After 12 months we found that still to this day after a foam wash and rinse the car is almost, if not, completely clean. We went in with a hand wash anyway but when we rinsed the wash mitt it was completely clean- meaning that there was no longer any dirt on the surface after the first rinse. 

 

To finish up, the car was given a quick blow-dry to further check the water behavior. The body of the car was exceptionally easy to dry as the water directly rolled off revealing a clean and incredibly shiny and reflective exterior. 

 

PRO TIP:

Although we all love to protect the paintwork and make sure it’s protected to that max- we do not recommend that after applying a ceramic coating that you apply a topcoat sealant. It may be tempting but what you would be doing is masking as well as inhibiting the ceramic coating from performing as it should. You would essentially be pushing its performance to a step-down and reducing its superior self-cleaning characteristics that come with its hydrophobic abilities. 

 

So there you have it! 12 months in and our coatings perform as well as they did on the first day of application! For ceramic coating, maintenance tips check out this blog article.