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Should I Ceramic Coat my car?
This is one of the questions we get often from people that buy new or "new to them" vehicles. The quick answer is, it depends. If you are the type of vehicle owner that wants your paint as shiny and perfect as possible, while being protected then my answer is yes.
This is one of the questions we get often from people that buy new or "new to them" vehicles. The quick answer is, it depends. If you are the type of vehicle owner that wants your paint as shiny and perfect as possible, while being protected then my answer is yes.
Freshly Coated 2018 GMC Sierra
A Ceramic Coating provides much better protection then any wax or sealant while keeping your car cleaner longer and enhancing gloss. Ceramic coatings work so well for several reasons. Sealants and waxes sit on top of the paint and behave as a sacrificial layer that breaks down very quickly, and offers no additional strength to the paint. Ceramic coatings are different, as they are microscopic silica molecules. These molecular bodies work their way into the pores of the clear coat and permanently cross link with the paint. This infuses the ceramic into the paint, greatly increasing hydrophobics(water contact angle), the slickness(surface tension), and greatly improves resistance to chemical etching.
SiO2 ceramic coating. Larger gaps only 50 NM
These characteristics are exactly what you want with any protection to your paint. The best part about these coatings is they last 1-7 years or more depending on the coating you choose and how well you maintain the vehicle. So to recap a ceramic coating is extremely beneficial to your paint's protection, gloss, and longevity.
One of the coatings we use at the shop. Opticoat Pro
It is important to be realistic of what your expectations are and how you care for your vehicle to make the decision as to weather or not you should coat your new car. Coatings are not some impenetrable barrier that will prevent scratches on your paint, and they will not keep your car perfectly clean all the time. They still require you to properly care for and maintain your vehicle, which many people may not have time for. Some folks like to run their car through the auto car wash and go through their day. If this is you, it may not be best to invest into a coating.
If you are the type who will properly wash and keep up with the maintenance of your vehicle's appearance, plans to baby their new car and want to keep it looking good long term; coatings make this much easier for you.
Water beading on coated car
Proper hand washing is all it takes to reward your coated car with a car that always looks clean, with extremely glossy and deep paint. If this is what you desire coatings can be an excellent option for you!
If you have purchased a new car and are considering how you want to protect it, reach out to us. We can help you though all the options to find out what is best for your specific situation
5 tips on how to care for your freshly detailed vehicle
It always stinks to spend hard earned dollars on a detail only to have it undone in a day or two! It seems like everything is out to make your car dirty again; whether the rain, snow, children, dogs, or even yourself.
So here are a few simple steps to keep your vehicle looking fresher…longer! Yes, I get it. If I teach you how to make your detail last, we may not see you as much. Our goal is to educate our community and serve them the best way we know how. This is not about money, it never has been. Money is nice, don’t get me wrong. But we wrote this article to help you save those hard-earned dollars not convince you to spend more of them!
By: Justin Petrillo V.P. Pride Auto Detailing
It always stinks to spend hard earned dollars on a detail only to have it undone in a day or two! It seems like everything is out to make your car dirty again; whether the rain, snow, children, dogs, or even yourself.
So here are a few simple steps to keep your vehicle looking fresher…longer! Yes, I get it. If I teach you how to make your detail last, we may not see you as much. Our goal is to educate our community and serve them the best way we know how. This is not about money, it never has been. Money is nice, don’t get me wrong. But we wrote this article to help you save those hard-earned dollars not convince you to spend more of them!
I won’t sugar coat it, this starts with you. Most of these tips are about behavior and repetition, but just like your home, a few minutes a day prevents hours of work later…or even DAYS!
First, let’s talk trash and clutter!
Whether it’s straw wrappers, plastic bottles, fast food bags, or boogie filled Kleenexes, every time you are near a trash can, gather some of it up and throw it away. I know this sounds simple, but this is habitual behavior. You must force yourself into the habit of tidying up whenever the opportunity arises; the gas station, your home, work, etc.!
Second let’s talk prevention!
If you have dogs, simply laying an old blanket down before letting them in the car could save you hours of vacuuming. Let’s not forget about the smell too! There are many doggie car seats covers out there. Any of them would work, the goal is to provide a simple barrier to prevent the dog hair from weaving into the fabric.
Have a few rug rats? Me too!
Children can be like the Tasmanian devil! Wreaking havoc all over your freshly detailed vehicle. I understand it’s hard to drive and keep constant focus on what your children are doing. Especially if you have more than one kid. This is going to be hard and I know I’m asking a lot, but not feeding your kids in the car will help A TON! Trust me, my daughter is not allowed to eat or drink in the car (exceptions have been made because I am a Daddy after all and she owns my heart)! A few stores sell seat protectors for the backs of your front seats! These are a GODSEND! Those little feet will put footprints all over your seat backs, it’s unavoidable, but these covers WORK!
Wax Sealants and Coatings!
I cannot stress enough how much damage a vehicle endures from just the Sun alone! Ultraviolet light will cause fading and oxidation which will make the exterior of your vehicle dull. Whether a simple wax, sealant or a ceramic coating, you must keep something on the paint. After a long period of time your paint can start to peel and fail, especially on dark colored vehicles! It is not the easiest task to wax a vehicle, but technology has helped a significant amount. Spray sealants have come along way and will save you many hours of Mr. Miyagi’s “Wax on, Wax off”!
Finally, Weekly touching!
If you can, I know we are busy with our children, work, and hobbies, but once a week vacuum your vehicle and wash it. I recommend carrying a few micro fiber towels with you! But, either by hand or machine, spend a few minutes really getting in there! (STAY CLEAR OF TOUCH AUTOMATIC WASHES!) This will help make that detail last and last! Sure, if you aren’t feeling up to it give us a call 417-763-7626, we are here to help you keep that “Pride in Your Ride”!
Stay cool and stay humble,
-Justin
Dirtiest Interior Ever? 2009 Honda Civic Coupe
Now I love a challenge like everyone else but when this 2009 Honda Civic came in I had no idea what I would be in for. The pictures do not do this car justice as it was the dirtiest coupe I have ever done and likely in the top 2 or 3 dirtiest cars i have ever done. Every vehicle is different but the ones that contain mostly dead skin, sweat, and other types of human grime test my abilities as a detailer the most.
Now I love a challenge like everyone else but when this 2009 Honda Civic came in I had no idea what I would be in for. The pictures do not do this car justice as it was the dirtiest coupe I have ever done and likely in the top 2 or 3 dirtiest cars i have ever done. Every vehicle is different but the ones that contain mostly dead skin, sweat, and other types of human grime test my abilities as a detailer the most. But without further ado lets jump into these pictures. And let me warn you... a few of them are pretty nasty. And before you ask... I had permission to create a write up on this car!
Process Used:
Interior:
- Vacuumed used brush to loosen dirt and vacuumed again
- Seats removed and extracted using Bissel ProHeat Extractor
- Carpets pre-treated with Meguiars APC & brushes then extracted
- Door jams cleaned with Meguiars APC and brushes
- Vent system cleaned with steam cleaner and brushes
- Head Liner cleaned with Steam cleaner
- Glass cleaned with Stoners Invisible Glass
- All plastics dressed with Meguiars Interior detail spray
Exterior:
- Vehicle washed with Duragloss soap using two bucket method with grit guards
- Decontaminated vehicle using Nanoskin Sponge
- Protected with Meguiars xpress spray wax
- Tires dressed with Carpro Perl
Time Spent 6.5 Hours
2006 Pontiac GTO
This GTO was truly a treat to work on. The customer was looking to have this vehicle as perfect as possible and after some discussion we decided on a 2 step polish to give the paint some serious pop. Finishing it out with collonite 845 to protect it all throughout the winter.
2006 Pontiac GTO 2 Step Correction, Engine Detail and Interior Detail
This GTO was truly a treat to work on. The customer was looking to have this vehicle as perfect as possible and after some discussion we decided on a 2 step polish to give the paint some serious pop. Finishing it out with collonite 845 to protect it all throughout the winter.
Time taken 6 hours
Process Used
Decontamination
- Chemical Guys Honeydew Soap 2 bucket Wash
- Iron x Fallout Decontamination
- Tarminator Bug and tar remover
- Nanoskin Clay Bar
Polish
- Meguiar's Ultimate Compound on white microfiber cutting pad
- Meguiars Ultimate Compound on white hexlogic finishing pad
- IPA/H2O Wipedown
Last Step Products
- Collonite #845
- Meguiar's High Endurance Tire Shine
- Meguiar's Hyper Dressing
2016 Mercedes Benz Airstream RV Full Correction and Cquartz
I always love a challenge. That's what I was thinking as I took on this 2016 Mercedes RV on. This customer is a good client of mine and always calls on us to detail their company and personal vehicles. They had just bought this RV and the paint was very very scratched up. The Mercedes dealership would run this vehicle through their scratch-o-matic car wash doing nothing but destroying the quality of this very expensive RV. After agreeing on a price for a 2 step polish with Cquartz coating we got to work as there was heavy rain in the forecast soon and he needed this vehicle for their family's Christmas road trip.
I always love a challenge. That's what I was thinking as I took on this 2016 Mercedes RV on. This customer is a good client of mine and always calls on us to detail their company and personal vehicles. They had just bought this RV and the paint was very very scratched up. The Mercedes dealership would run this vehicle through their scratch-o-matic car wash doing nothing but destroying the quality of this very expensive RV. After agreeing on a price for a 2 step polish with Cquartz coating we got to work as there was heavy rain in the forecast soon and he needed this vehicle for their family's Christmas road trip.
