Topic: New car - wax, sealant, polish, ceramic ???

[Blueprint]

The forum is currently subject to a Crosstrek invasion, and a fellow Subaru owner (Legacy 3.6) told me the brand's paints are "soft", with bird droppings and such etching the paint easily. So he recommends a paint scellant up front at delivery.

I've always been a classic wax guy, more often than not once a year, pre-winter, and never used sealants or ceramic products. The only "new" chemicals I tried are the no-water cleaners for the TR6 (a British car is like a mugwaï, you don't want to get it wet or gremlins will appear...).

My new Crosstrek is in the very pale Artic silver paint, so proper protection will be required. From the bit of reading I've done here and on the web, ceramics are $$$ and not for a weekend waxer like me to apply. Sealants appear straightforward. Wax I know well of course, and I have my Dad's old Simoniz polisher.

So guys, what's your best advice for virgin, new paint?

[Allen]

Go ceramic, my last 3 vehicles have gone from the dealership to my ceramic guy. With proper prep and paint correction your car will look amazing, be protected and be simple to maintain for 5  years..

Here's a pic of the Q5, when I picked it up from  the detail shop

[PJungnitsch]

How does ceramic compare with the 3M type clear plastic for protection?

Thinking the $500-$1000 for ceramic would cover a fair bit of 3M

Does either need the paint to cure for a bit first?

[TheHire]

Every single one of my cars gets ceramic coated ASAP. Totally worth it.

[PJungnitsch]

How do the 'grades' of ceramic coating compare? 3 yr vs 7 yr, etc

[Allen]

How does ceramic compare with the 3M type clear plastic for protection?

Thinking the $500-$1000 for ceramic would cover a fair bit of 3M

Does either need the paint to cure for a bit first?

So the Q cost $1,200 plus tax for IGL Premier Polysiloxane ceramic (5 year warranty), the paint does not have to cure before. The process takes 3 days.  I also get the 3M film  done on the first 2 feet of the hood and on the leading fender edges another $300. My detailer said the paint on the Q was very good and he didn't have to do much paint correction.

[Jaeger]

I had the new-to-me Genesis done - first time every paying to have ceramic professionally applied.  I'm a believer.  Deep gloss and high shine and super-easy to maintain.  Expensive - particularly if there is a lot of paint correction work to be done - but worth it to me.

It won't protect paint from rock chips like 3M film will - different products that serve different purposes.

[JohnnyMac]

LOL, all you guys with luxury cars are suggesting a $1k plus ceramic job done professionally.  This is only a Subaru, unless you are very anal about your paint and hate swirls and other things in your paint I don’t know if it’s worth it.  Now if you are thinking about buying a high end kit and doing it yourself, then maybe you can justify it.  Otherwise I would just wax it more often with what you are comfortable with and washing off any bird poop immediately.

[rrocket]

I had my IS-F ceramic coated.

None of my other cars were/are ceramic coated.

My IS-F didn't look any "better" than my other cars.

All it really saved me was not having to do a polish once per year.

As long as I'm still able to polish once per year and quick detail spray as needed, the cost/results of ceramic just isn't worth it to me.

[Jaeger]

LOL, all you guys with luxury cars are suggesting a $1k plus ceramic job done professionally.  This is only a Subaru, unless you are very anal about your paint and hate swirls and other things in your paint I don’t know if it’s worth it.  Now if you are thinking about buying a high end kit and doing it yourself, then maybe you can justify it.  Otherwise I would just wax it more often with what you are comfortable with and washing off any bird poop immediately.

A fully loaded Crosstrek is a few grand less than my used Genesis. Hardly a Bentley to Corolla level of disconnect. The value of ceramics is subjective - how much you value your time and how much you dislike polishing and waxing your car are not universal factors. Absolutely worth it to me. Might not be worth it to someone else. But reserved only for luxury cars? I wouldn't say so.

[quadzilla]

Screw the special coating and get a lift kit instead.   

[JG20]

First of all, yes Subaru paint is soft. Chips pretty easily. Ceramic coats don't provide enough protection IMO. On my STI, I had the 3M PP film applied on full bumper, full hood and front half of front quarter panels. All areas protected are still fine 6 yrs later. My only regret was not getting the whole car protected. Couple chips on the front of the roof are rusting a bit. Clean it up with iron x as much as I can and coat with sealant to slow it down from spreading. Few chips on the doors from dings too  . But oh well, try to park away from other cars, especially tight spots but can't escape them all...

[ktm525]

Depends where you live I suppose. Out west we get lots of gravel/sand blast in the mountains so the 3M type film makes sense on painted hood. On the front plastic I don't bother. I may apply a paint sealant but other than that a yearly light polish (poor boys SR 2/3) or something. Other than that nothing . The Ridgey looks fine doing this after 12 years and it was nothing to write home about in terms of initial paint quality. No rust though.

See? looks like new 

[Layne]

How does ceramic compare with the 3M type clear plastic for protection?

Thinking the $500-$1000 for ceramic would cover a fair bit of 3M

Does either need the paint to cure for a bit first?

I have ceramic coated in the past and thought it a waste of cash.  But I always do Xpel Pro film.  In Alberta especially, it protects against rock chips.  It is self healing, easily fixed, and you can wax over it without issue.  It also won’t discolour due to long exposure from the sun.

[HeliDriver]

Crosstrek gets Ice Silver paint, not Artic Arctic Silver. 

I think I’m not going to bother with anything on mine. The GTI got maybe two coats of wax in its twelve years and the paint still looks fine. I put 3M film on the front, and that was great, but did nothing to protect the other 95% of the car from rock chips. What are you gonna do? Wrap the entire car in PPF?

Yeah, maybe Subaru paint is thinner. Dunno, but guess I’ll find out.

[Layne]

Crosstrek gets Ice Silver paint, not Artic Arctic Silver. 

I think I’m not going to bother with anything on mine. The GTI got maybe two coats of wax in its twelve years and the paint still looks fine. I put 3M film on the front, and that was great, but did nothing to protect the other 95% of the car from rock chips. What are you gonna do? Wrap the entire car in PPF?

Yeah, maybe Subaru paint is thinner. Dunno, but guess I’ll find out.

I always do the full hood, front bumper, front fenders, A pillars and side skirts - even partially up the door depending on the design of the car. 

[Jaeger]

First of all, yes Subaru paint is soft. Chips pretty easily. Ceramic coats don't provide enough protection IMO.

You are correct, but that's not the job of ceramics.  Think of them as a super-wax and not protective film in a bottle.

[Jaeger]

Screw the special coating and get a lift kit instead.   

WIN /endthread. 

[ktm525]

Crosstrek gets Ice Silver paint, not Artic Arctic Silver. 

I think I’m not going to bother with anything on mine. The GTI got maybe two coats of wax in its twelve years and the paint still looks fine. I put 3M film on the front, and that was great, but did nothing to protect the other 95% of the car from rock chips. What are you gonna do? Wrap the entire car in PPF?

Yeah, maybe Subaru paint is thinner. Dunno, but guess I’ll find out.

Yeah I am on the fence too, perhaps just 3M the hood to where the angle breaks over. At the end of the day it is an appliance car.

[HeliDriver]

Speaking of Subaru paint, I couldn’t believe the orange peel on that black Crosstrek in the showroom.

I’m not someone who cares much about stuff like that, or even notices it generally, but that was just Whoa! 

I expect mine to be the same and if it is I won’t care. Certainly won’t be spending any extra $$$ for shiny protection potions and whatnot.