CERAMIC COATINGS VS WAX

“What is the difference between a ceramic coating and a wax job” . This is a question im being asked more and more . Ceramic coating are starting to become more and more popular among car protection and for good reason , they are the future of how vehicle protection.

Lets talk waxes and sealants first : Even the best waxes in the world protect your vehicle for a maximum of 3-4 months , they diminish with every car wash , every passing day . They look great initially but within about a week or so the luster starts to fade, so does the protection. Paint Sealants usually are polymer based and last 6-12 months , again diminishing with every wash , drive , etc . The benefits of these are short term but they are a cheaper option.

I consider waxes and sealants old technology when it comes to vehicle protection. Vehicle protection technology has advanced 10x in the last 5 years , from sio2 9h rated coatings , to material (aluminum,plastic,glass ) specific coatings that are engineered to protect only that . We have a plethora of different coatings to give consumers total vehicle protection both inside and out.

Ceramic coatings are initially more expensive , but provide much better longer lasting , chemical resistant , uv protection . Not to mention the gloss from a ceramic coating is incredible compared to traditional waxing . There are coatings on the market rated anywhere from 2 – 10 years ! Not months , YEARS ! Here in my area (Central Oregon) we have a lot of environmental contaminants that are horrible for your vehicle such as : UV rays, de icer, cinder , environmental fall out , road salt etc. Waxes and sealants will not protect against these things for more than a week or two. At my shop we only use ceramic based products for this exact reason . I do not feel that it would be in my clients best interest to get just a wax job in this environment. It will not hold up to all these elements working against it.

Ceramic coating provide basically extra layers of clear coat , they make your vehicle much easier to clean , prevent damage , and are affordable . They keep your vehicle looking new year after year rather than for 3-4 months . To me a couple hundred bucks more to upgrade to years of protection rather than months of protection is well worth it .