Quick paint correction, detail, ceramic coating on Trail Dust LC

[UtahCruiser]

Put a rack on the LC over the weekend and wanted everything to be protected before the 'real' snow hits. Here is what I did:

• Full wash with Optimum No Rinse (too cold outside for my pressure washer)
• Carpro IronX application, shocking how much rail dust was in the paint!
• Fine Claybar with ONR as lubricant
• Polish with IR DACP, Lake Country Pads, Sonax Perfect Finish 4/6
• Full wipedown with 50/50 Isopropyl/RO water
• 2 coats Gyeon Pure Evo (supposed to be a 4 year coating with 2 coats, nice 'candy coat' gloss finish

Overally really happy with how it turned out, the Pure Evo slightly darkened the look of the Trail Dust and brought out the olive color which I really like.

 

[74cruzah]

Looks great! I might have to copy your procedure since I'm also dealing with Utah salt (Heber).

 

[UtahCruiser]

The salt is the worst.

If you're looking for something less laborious, I've used the Griots 3 in 1 ceramic before with really good luck. it's very easy and I get 6-9 months out of it in UT. Not bad for a spray on wipe off product in a very harsh climate.

 

[74cruzah]

I talked to a detail place the other day that recommended PPF and ceramic on top of that. $3000 up to the A pillars. Admittedly, I'm a simpleton, but it didn't make sense to me.

 

[UtahCruiser]

I talked to a detail place the other day that recommended PPF and ceramic on top of that. $3000 up to the A pillars. Admittedly, I'm a simpleton, but it didn't make sense to me.

Honestly, for shop rates that doesn't seem bad. I paid $1100 for PPF on my whole front end (halfway through hood), A pillars, headlights, fog lights, and mirrors and that is a good price.

For ceramic all the price is in the prep and it's basic hourly rates. I had probably 5-6 hours of prep work with the iron removal, clay bar, washes, polishing and Iso wipe and my paint was in good condition. Worse paint, swirls, scratches, defects would add many more hours.

 

[jumpin]

For those of us who just want to fight corrosion, is all this necessary?

 

[UtahCruiser]

For those of us who just want to fight corrosion, is all this necessary?

It isn't, no. For my less expensive vehicles I decontaminate (iron removal, clay bar), wash, iso wipe and use Griots 3 in 1 ceramic spray. You can do the whole car with the spray in about 15 minutes and you get 6-9 months protection from it and a nice look.

Really for corrosion, you don't NEED any paint protection - just keep it washed and clean, spray off salt before parking it, etc.

 

[Markarian421]

I talked to a detail place the other day that recommended PPF and ceramic on top of that. $3000 up to the A pillars. Admittedly, I'm a simpleton, but it didn't make sense to me.

The place I got mine ceramic coated, I talked to the owner (who also drives Toyota trucks off-road) about PPF to protect from the pinstripes I seem to eventually end up with. He actually recommended against PPF for that -- as he said it's very expensive for full body PPF, you protect your paint but now your PPF has pinstripes and it needs to be repaired or replaced. It comes down to do you want to spend your money on that or just buffing out the paint? Which is what I've always done.

 

[UtahCruiser]

I would agree with that 100% - PPF is great for rock chips and 'impacts' but because of the self repairing nature it's difficult to remove defects from. Depending on the brand some scratches can be removed. Ultimately it's a sacrificial layer (albeit an expensive one)/