The Range Rover pictured above had 2 coats of Garage Therapy TYPHON 5 year ceramic coating applied, then a single layer of Garage Therapy CHIMERA top coat.
What is a protective coating?
A protective coating is a product that is applied to the surface of your cars paint to protect it from chemical, natural and physical damage. They can/will help to maintain the cleanliness of your car by shedding water and dirt easier than non-protected surfaces.
What options do I have?
When it comes to protective coatings the number and type of products on the market is vast! But like all things you get what you pay for in terms of quality and longevity. Here at
Polished SW we only use Garage Therapy products which have been developed and tested by car detailing experts and you can be assured that their products are only released when they have passed stringent tests.
We can offer simple spray on sealant (Garage Therapy SIGMA) that provides protection and enhances your paintworks gloss, protection in the form of increased Hydrophobicity (water shedding) capability which whilst the water runs off your car so does the dirt. The next level of coating we can offer is a wax (Garage Therapy ALPHA) this is a Carnauba based wax that offers increased Hydrophobicity, Gloss and protection from oils (road film). Next level of protective coating is a big step and that is the ceramic coating! Garage Therapy offer several options here, the differences are their durability and ease of application. You can also get ceramic coatings for your alloy wheels and plastic trim. I will go into more detail about ceramic coatings in another blog.
What can they protect my car from and how long do they last?
Spray sealants and waxes have limited protective qualities and their lifespan is measured in weeks. However, they are inexpensive to buy, easy to apply and only require the vehicle to be clean prior to application.
The spray sealant we use (Garage Therapy SIGMA) has a quoted life of 6 to 8 weeks offering exceptional Hydrophobicity which whilst isn’t a protective quality the fact that water and road dirt runs off the vehicle quicker than unprotected vehicles. The fact that you will have less dried-on dirt will in itself reduce micro scratches caused by accidentally rubbing against the vehicles surface and dragging it across the paint.
The wax we use (Garage Therapy ALPHA) has a quoted lifespan of 6 months + but has been proven to last twice that long. Waxes again offer exceptional Hydrophobicity so offer the same protection as above but they also create a barrier that will offer limited protection against UV rays reducing colour fading and protection against bird poo and bug splatter etching.
Ceramic Coatings whilst not the holy grail of vehicle protection they offer value for money (over the period of their life) compared to other products and enhance gloss and depth of shine. We can apply a number of Garage Therapy ceramic coating that offer protection for up to 5 years (provided you follow the aftercare advice). To get the best results when applying a ceramic coating the vehicles paintwork needs to be thoroughly cleaned, decontaminated, clay bared then machine polished prior to application. Not following these steps will greatly limit the lifespan and appearance of the product. Following these steps will leave your vehicle looking better than the day it was driven out of the showroom. Ceramic coatings will protect your vehicles paintwork from the Suns UV rays, bird poo and bug carcass etching, poor wash techniques reducing micro marring (micro scratches).
When should I get my car coated?
There is no wrong time to have your vehicle coated/protected! Which form of protection you choose is down to a number of things, budget, how long you intend to keep your vehicle and how much you use it. The above coatings can be applied to both new and used cars and the benefits are the same.
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