Do I need Ceramic?

BostonMike · 02-18-2021, 11:38 AM

I have used ceramic on the car before, but I only drive the car in good weather and I love waxing it (Zymol Concours or Pinnacle). Waxing my car is my "exercise" and I love doing it. Am I better off jus just using carnauba and forgetting Ceramic?

N1rve · 02-18-2021, 05:54 PM

Ceramic adds more protection towards bugs, acid rain, droppings, swirl marks.

Regular wax has similar protection properties but not as good as Ceramic.

Ceramic still requires maintenance though.

Jbrown7403 · 02-18-2021, 07:56 PM

Best thing I ever did was remove my wheels and do 3 - 4 really good ceramics coatings of all 4 including the barrels + brake calipers after first cleaning them spotless. Did it well over a year ago and I swear I never have to clean them at all. Just a good spray every now and then and they’re spotless again.

BostonMike · 02-18-2021, 08:58 PM

Oh, jbrown7403, absolutely! I forgot to articulate that. The wheels and mirror caps, no doubt! I guess I'm thinking I would get more depth and shine on the body with multiple coats of carnauba.

hC1001 · 02-19-2021, 11:32 AM

Its your choice. If you like doing it, you can skip the ceramic coating in the future and only do wax. I think paint correction and polishing with a DA orbital buffer does more for depth and shine compared to wax.

apar · 02-19-2021, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbrown7403

Best thing I ever did was remove my wheels and do 3 - 4 really good ceramics coatings of all 4 including the barrels + brake calipers after first cleaning them spotless. Did it well over a year ago and I swear I never have to clean them at all. Just a good spray every now and then and they’re spotless again.

Amazing. Which product did you use?

BostonMike · 02-21-2021, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apar

Amazing. Which product did you use?

I use CARPRO DLUX on my wheels and it is amazing! I still need to clean them with wheel cleaner and a brush to get them perfect, but the dust comes off much easier.

JagR2611 · 02-22-2021, 11:20 PM

Wheel specific coatings...

I have experimented with different wheel coatings but always end up coming back to C5. IMO, they are all similar and work but C5 is the way to go.

02-18-2021, 11:38 AM	#1
BostonMike Second Lieutenant 30 Rep 238 Posts Drives: Black 335 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Methuen iTrader: (1) Garage List 2017 M4 [0.00]	Do I need Ceramic? I have used ceramic on the car before, but I only drive the car in good weather and I love waxing it (Zymol Concours or Pinnacle). Waxing my car is my "exercise" and I love doing it. Am I better off jus just using carnauba and forgetting Ceramic?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

02-18-2021, 05:54 PM	#2
N1rve Racecar Driver 1288 Rep 1,955 Posts Drives: BMW M4 Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Beverly Hills, California iTrader: (2) Garage List 2019 BMW M4 [9.63]	Ceramic adds more protection towards bugs, acid rain, droppings, swirl marks. Regular wax has similar protection properties but not as good as Ceramic. Ceramic still requires maintenance though. __________________ N1rve 2019 BMW ///M4 - Alpine White \| Sakhir Orange/Black Leather \| M-DCT \| Executive Package \| 19" Black 437M Wheels \| Carbon Fiber Trim \| Sunroof \| Active Blind Spot \| Heated Steering Wheel \| Adaptive M Suspension
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-18-2021, 07:56 PM	#3
Jbrown7403 Captain 2644 Rep 640 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW M4 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Austin Texas iTrader: (0)	Best thing I ever did was remove my wheels and do 3 - 4 really good ceramics coatings of all 4 including the barrels + brake calipers after first cleaning them spotless. Did it well over a year ago and I swear I never have to clean them at all. Just a good spray every now and then and they’re spotless again.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-18-2021, 08:58 PM	#4
BostonMike Second Lieutenant 30 Rep 238 Posts Drives: Black 335 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Methuen iTrader: (1) Garage List 2017 M4 [0.00]	Oh, jbrown7403, absolutely! I forgot to articulate that. The wheels and mirror caps, no doubt! I guess I'm thinking I would get more depth and shine on the body with multiple coats of carnauba.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-19-2021, 11:32 AM	#5
hC1001 Captain 591 Rep 988 Posts Drives: E36 M3, F80 M3 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Brooklyn, NY iTrader: (4)	Its your choice. If you like doing it, you can skip the ceramic coating in the future and only do wax. I think paint correction and polishing with a DA orbital buffer does more for depth and shine compared to wax.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-22-2021, 11:20 PM	#8
JagR2611 Lieutenant 151 Rep 548 Posts Drives: BMW F80 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	Wheel specific coatings... I have experimented with different wheel coatings but always end up coming back to C5. IMO, they are all similar and work but C5 is the way to go.
	Appreciate 0 Quote