Believe it or not, ceramic coatings are not impenetrable force fields surrounding your car. The are, in fact, some of the most durable coatings one can have applied to their vehicle. But as with anything, there are limitations. As transparency is something we are proud of, we want to inform you about the negatives of ceramic coatings:
Upfront Cost. Yes, the cost of having a ceramic coating applied isn't cheap, and its difficult for some to wrap their head around. Spending $1000+ on a coating that will last a few years, $2000+ for a 3+ year? It might seem like a bad trade off, but it all comes down to how much lifetime value you are adding to the vehicle as well as the enjoyment you get every time you drive it. Just think, an entry level ceramic coating costs a little over $1 a day. That's pretty affordable for outstanding protection and piece of mind for your investment, don't you think? If the coating performs how it says it will, you are locking in that "like new" appearance that it had when it was on the showroom floor for the duration of the coatings lifespan. This increase in overall value, or retention of value is going to easily surpass the up front cost of the coating. Consider having your vehicle detailed and waxed 2-4 times a year by a professional. Lets say each detail costs $250. In a little over a year, you've already recouped the cost of the coating and gained much, much better protection and added great value to your vehicle!
Water Spotting. Susceptibility to water spotting is one of the limitations of a ceramic coating, but also every other vehicle as well. Proper maintenance is key to preventing this, and with proper technique and education, you can eliminate this issue completely. Ceramic coatings are constantly becoming better each year, and new advances in water spot resistance are remarkable. Our CarPro coatings have the best real world water spot resistance, bar none. Not washing in direct sunlight, using a rinseless wash, completely drying your vehicle when washing, parking inside/ under cover or regularly having it detailed are all ways to reduce the chances of water spots forming. In most cases, these spots aren't permanent and can be removed with the right product or technique if addressed soon. But if left for long periods or exposed to hard water, the spots can begin to etch the paint and damage it. But this is also why you had a coating applied, to protect the clear coat from such issues. Ask us about proper maintenance of your coating and enjoy peace of mind, while letting the coating itself do the hard work.
Coating Failure. This doesn't sound good. I've paid lots of money for something that can fail? Yes, like with anything, there is a possibility of a failure or malfunction. That being said, most failures of ceramic coatings are not actually failures from poor workmanship or manufacturing issues, but rather the coating has reached the end of its lifespan. This can be fixed by properly reapplying the coating once again, or even "unclogging" the surface with a special treatment. Coatings are so thin that there is virtually no chance of it "flaking/ chipping" off or peeling up as they are bonded to the paint itself. We have never seen this in our personal experience. In rare cases, it can actually be the paint failing from the inside out, which is rooted from more serious causes. More often than not, they will not even be visible flaws, but instead one might notice the water beading effect has lessened or completely diminished, or that marring or swirl marks are starting to form more easily or in a concentrated area.. Remember, ceramic coatings are essentially a sacrificial barrier between the environment and your paint, so they will degrade over time. How long depends on the product applied and the environment they are in as well as care.. On the off chance that a coating does prematurely fail due to workmanship or a known manufacturing defect, we stand behind what we sell 100%. Allow us the opportunity to fix the issue, as we value happy, satisfied customers more than anything!