A beautiful paint job is how your car is measured and judged. Whether cruising the streets or at a car show, the condition of your paint will be the first and primary factor in a person’s opinion. If you don’t want a bunch of sour faces and low judge ratings, you need to up your car care game.
I recommend checking out the value in ceramic coatings for your car. The ceramic coating method will help protect the life of your paint job. CarPro CQuartz Ceramic Coating is one of our favorite ceramic options (You can check it’s pricing on Amazon)
What is Ceramic Coating?
Before we jump into why CQuartz is a favorite; let’s start with an overview of ceramic coatings.
Ceramic coating is a specially designed liquid polymer that bonds with the paint of your vehicle. This bond forms a layer of protection on your paint job to fight of UV radiation, staining, and oxidation. Plus, the ceramic will give your paint a higher gloss.
Possibly the best reason to go with a ceramic coating is that it creates a hydrophobic layer on your paint (>>> Check our guide of top car paint protection coatings). This layer will make it harder for dirt, muck, and water to stick to the surface of your vehicle. When it comes time to wash, all the accumulated nasties will come off much faster, making your car easier to clean and maintain.
CarPro CQuartz Review
Pros
- Easy to use once car is properly prepped
- Makes car easier to clean
- Only needs 1 coat to provide long term protection
- durable coat lasts up to two years
Cons
- Car needs a lot of prep job
- Good gloss, but not as impressive as advertised
- Blemishes remain on paint if not corrected quickly
CarPro CQuartz is a nano-coating that gets down deep into the paint to form a semi-permanent ceramic coat. When applied correctly the coat can last an impressive two years. We like the idea of having a two-year shield on our paint. The ceramic coating is an excellent way to keep a new paint job shiny and protected.
We haven’t had the CQuartz applied for a full two years, but we did subject it to tough shop tests. We threw our intern’s freshly coated car in front of a firing squad of everyday paint destroyers. The arsenal included UV lamps, mud, tar, and dirt. Plus, we parked it out under some power lines and made sure the local pigeons had plenty of birdseed.
Our first impression was how quickly we cleaned off all the debris thrown at the poor intern’s car. We let it sit for a couple of days before cleaning to makes sure it was well and set. We learned that the hydrophobic effect of the coating kept the various types of muck from clinging as harshly as without the coating.
We still had to go through a full cleaning regiment to get everything off the car. The ceramic coating isn’t a magic potion that makes dirt disappear. What it did do, though, is made the muck slide off much faster. Once cleaned, the paint looked almost new. We did a full wax to make sure it had brilliant shine and told the intern it was his bonus.
>>> Click Here to Read Buyers Reviews on Amazon
A Tough Prep Job
We loved the results of the CarPro CQuartz. Even though the washing was easier, getting the car ready to apply the coating was a serious chore. To make sure the coating bond properly to the paint you will need to make sure to follow all directions exactly.
The prep for CQuartz includes 3 rounds of washing with a specific detailing step in between each wash. In addition to the CQuartz coating, you will need detailing clay, wax, and polish. After the final round of washing, you need to do an alcohol wipe down.
Applying the coating is reasonably easy, but if you don’t move slowly and apply an even coat, you will end up with spots on your paint that will take away from the smooth appearance. Just remember to move slowly and even, and you should be fine.
Worth the Effort
The results of the exertion to correctly apply the CQuartz is 100% worth the time to apply, especially if you only have to go through it once every two-years. The car we tested it on looks better than it did when the kid bought it. We’ve tested a lot of car products, but the CarPro CQuartz has rapidly jumped to the top of our favorites list. But still, you can check this buying guide for other automotive ceramic coating options.