What is Ceramic Coating Maintenance?
A proper Ceramic Coating Maintenance Detail is the process of giving your exterior a safe and proper wash, ensuring all contaminants are lifted from your coating, and then restoring/sealing the ceramic to ensure it stays hydrophobic, strong, and lustrous.
As time passes, the elements work their harms into your coating, so it’s important to prevent any permanent damage that could be caused by water spots, contamination, or UV.
After thoroughly cleaning and safely decontaminating, we will apply a Ceramic Booster which strengthens the bonds of your coating, revitalizes hydrophobicity (water-beading), and breathes shine back into your coating.
As you know, there are do’s and don'ts of maintaining your ceramic coating which require gentle care and cautious chemicals.
A professional maintenance detail is the best way to ensure your coating is receiving that care.
Importance of Maintaining Your Ceramic Coating in Bucks County
Getting proper treatment for your coating is absolutely crucial to ensure you can enjoy the benefits of driving a ceramic coated vehicle for as long as the ceramic’s bottle advertises. Without yearly boosts, your ceramic will become weaker and weaker, eventually making room for contaminants and oxidation to damage your bare clear coat. Especially in a harsh climate like Bucks County, you want to make sure your coating’s lifetime is being prolonged.
Getting your coating boosted seals the ceramic’s bonds, increasing its strength, hydrophobicity (water-beading), and glossiness. Without proper maintenance, you won’t get to enjoy all the longer-term benefits of having your vehicle coated, which defeats the purpose of having a ceramic coating in the first place.
Best Frequency of Maintenance For Bucks County’s Environment
All ceramic coating companies, including our Graphene Ceramic Coating provider, clearly state that without proper maintenance your coating will not reach the marketed longevity. Proper maintenance includes having your vehicle thoroughly cleaned and your coating boosted at least once a year.
Having your coating properly maintained by a professional detailer is strongly recommended at least once a year, but ideally twice. The booster’s properties are necessary if you want to extend the lifespan of your coating and enjoy the product's advertised longevity (the ceramic coating we apply lasts for 9 years).
Regardless of who applied your ceramic coating, we are still able to take proper care of any coating in Bucks County.
The Ceramic Coating Maintenance Process
When your vehicle has a ceramic coating, you must be mindful of what chemicals it comes into contact with, because some cleaning solutions can do more harm than good in terms of the safety of your coating. In general, when cleaning your coated vehicle, you want to stick to pH neutral chemicals, and try to limit the number of times you come into physical contact with the paint.
Pre-Wash
Rinsing off all loose dirt and debris.
Water Spot Removal
Applying a product made specifically for removing water spots.
Iron Decontamination
Iron Decontamination is safe for ceramic coatings and a required process to ensure all contamination comes out of your coating.
Chemical Decontamination
Using gentle chemicals to break down any bug guts, tar, sap, and other contaminants on your vehicle’s surface.
Foam Touch Wash
Foam & hand wash to further eliminate surface contaminants.
Fine Grade Towel Work
Some vehicles pick up contamination that overtime grinds deep into the ceramic’s layer. To combat this we use an ultra fine grade clay towel that picks up any remaining residue potentially lodged deeper into your coating.
Initial Foaming
Foaming down using pH neutral shampoo, aimed to further breakdown surface contaminants.
Foam Wash Again
Too much pH neutral foam is never bad! We like to ensure your paint is as contaminant-free as possible before moving to the next step.
Ceramic Sealant/Booster Application
Applying the booster to restore and strengthen your existing ceramic coating’s bonds and also providing a nice increase in shine. This is the crucial step to combat Bucks County’s harsh conditions.
Maintenance Quote Form
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How often should I get my engine bay detailed?This depends on how much you care about your vehicle and what condition you like to keep it in. A good number to shoot for is at least twice per year to ensure your vehicle stays healthy for as long as possible.
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I have oil leaks and spills in my engine bay, will that come out?We are not able to service your engine bay if you have oil leaks and spills because we’re not able to get under the engine and locate the source of your problem.
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Does a detailed engine bay actually increase resale value?Yes it absolutely does. The first thing prospective buyers and traders look for in a vehicle is the condition of its engine—that is what holds most of the vehicle’s value.
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Are we going to use water on your engine bay?Yes, but we are not flooding the bay. We know which areas to cover, what to avoid, and how much water is appropriate. We’ve done this service countless times and have never had a problem with the process we use.
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Once my vehicle is coated I will never need to wash it againThis is false, you must wash your car often and have your ceramic boosted (we offer this in our Ceramic Maintenance Detail) at least once a year. The ceramic acts as a layer protecting your clear coat, and if you let a harmful chemical or acid sit on the coating for too long, it will eventually erode the coating away and leave behind your bare clear coat. Washing can be done once a month and often a simple wash, scrub, and dry is all that is needed. The hydrophobic properties of the ceramic make washing your vehicle incredibly easy.
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Ceramic Coatings protect against all rock chips that hit my vehicle on the highwayWhile it is true that Ceramic Coatings protect against minor swirls, scratches, and scuffs, they will not protect your clear coat from rock chips. Even with the latest Graphene technology, rock chips will still penetrate your coating.
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A Ceramic Coating will prevent all water spotsNo, a Ceramic Coating will not do this, and neither will a Graphene Coating (even though Graphene Coatings are better at repelling water spots). However, a Coating will make those water spots extremely easy to remove and prevent them from etching into your clear coat or causing further damage.
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Can I get a coating installed without any paint preparation to cut costs?No, we cannot do this. Ceramic Coatings bond with the clear coat in its current state, which means if there are many scratches and swirls, the ceramic’s ability to bond will be hindered and the results will not look good. Anybody who claims they can do this is not a professional detailer.
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My vehicle has paint chips in it, will the Ceramic Coating cover those up?No, a Ceramic Coating will not repair paint nor bond with paint that is not there! As a general rule, if you can run your finger along the chipped area and your nail catches, the only way to fix that would be getting a repaint. Neither a Ceramic Coating nor any level of Paint Correction will be able to fix deep chips in your clear coat.
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I only drive my car in the summer in nice weather, is a Ceramic Coating still for me?Absolutely! If anything, a Ceramic Coating is the perfect thing for your vehicle. Assuming your car is your prized possession, why would you not want to give it the best protection to keep it in mint condition for as long as possible? Ceramic Coatings hold their shine and luster years after the date of application, and bring with them all the added benefits of protection.
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What’s the difference between paint correction and waxes?Waxes only hide the light swirls and defects of your paint, while paint correction will remove them completely. Correction leaves behind a much richer gloss and shine than any wax possibly could.
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Do we offer Ceramic Coatings?Yes! We absolutely do offer Ceramic Coatings and we recommend upgrading to having your car Ceramic Coated once your paint is fully corrected. Ceramic Coatings are the best way to protect your paint, and they look amazing!
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How long do the results of my corrected paint last?This is completely up to you. After your paint is corrected, it's important to protect it from further damage. A Ceramic Coating would be the best option for this, but waxing every couple months can be sufficient. Like anything, if you don’t care enough to maintain it, more scratches are bound to find their way into your paint.
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Should I get Paint Correction for my new car?Absolutely. Although your vehicle may be new, there are most definitely minor scratches and swirls from the dealership lot and handling. Following a Paint Correction, having a Ceramic Coating applied to your new car will ensure your vehicle looks new for years to come.
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Paint Correction will get my 10+ year old vehicle’s paint back to perfect condition.No, this is not true. There are some points where paint correction cannot help. In general, our 1, 2, and 3-step correction services aim to get out 60%, 70%, or 80% of imperfections, respectively. These numbers can vary based on vehicle condition.
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Paint Correction is only for luxury cars.Absolutely not! Paint Correction is for anybody who wants their car looking its best, whether that be for aesthetic appeal, trade-in/resale value, or if you hate looking at scratches in your paint.
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Paint Correction damages paint.No, this is not true at all. At Crox Mobile Detailing, we use Dual Action polishers, which give off little to no heat. Paint Correction is a technique used by professionals around the world, and is the only proper process used to restore paint imperfections.
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Can I just get a wax over my existing ceramic coating?Technically, yes you can. However, there is no benefit to doing this because a wax will just bond with the surface of the ceramic coating, meaning the layer of wax will be what reacts with oncoming contamination. Since waxes are not as strong as ceramic coatings, they will give off less shine and water-beading, making it appear as if your ceramic coating has been weakened. This is not the case however, because what you’re seeing is the wax reacting with water, and the wax's shining elements, not the ceramic coating’s. Although not harmful to your coating, we do not at all recommend applying wax onto a pre-existing ceramic coated vehicle.
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How often should I have my coating professionally maintained?Twice a year is recommended, but once a year is required. Making sure your ceramic stays strong is paramount to ensure you enjoy all 9+ years of coating benefits.
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Can I get my ceramic coated car cleaned at the car wash?We strongly recommend AVOIDING tunnel car/hand washes. These places use the cheapest chemicals, and improper hand washes could lead to major scratching on your coating. We highly encourage using pH neutral car shampoos and proper maintenance techniques. Contact us with any questions regarding how to take care of your coating at home, we will be sure to help you out.
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I got my ceramic coating applied by a different company. Can I still use this maintenance service?Absolutely! We know how to care for and properly maintain all ceramic coated vehicles, regardless of who applied it and what product they used.
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Can I combine Ceramic Maintenance with an interior detail?Yes! Check out our pre-existing package details or request your own combination of services in the form below.
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How long will my headlight restoration last?Our service should last you longer than the lifespan of your vehicle. However, headlight restoration does not protect your headlights from intense physical damage.
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Can I get a wax or ceramic coating with my headlight restoration?Absolutely! Let us know in the form below that you want to receive multiple services.
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Will my headlights look 100% perfect after headlight restoration?This depends on the condition the headlights are in. Sometimes they will not turn out completely perfect, but no matter what the transformation will be night and day difference.
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Will headlight restoration get rid of massive cracks in my headlights?No. Headlight Restoration is not magic, there are some cracks and scratches that are just too deep to come out, which means you will need a replacement.
Caring For a Coated vs. Non-Coated Car: What Are The Differences?
There are a few major concepts when it comes to caring for a ceramic coated vs. a non-ceramic coated vehicle.
First major rule when choosing products to clean your vehicle is to make sure the chemical is pH neutral. Everything you use to clean your ceramic coated car should be pH neutral to ensure the chemical does not eat away at the coating.
Acidic and alkaline chemicals break down what they come into contact with, which in some cases is very useful, but not when taking care of your coating. If your vehicle is not coated, using a slightly stronger car shampoo might be what you need, especially if your exterior is very dirty.
Try to limit the amount of physical contact with your paint. The more you touch your paint, the higher the chances for swirls and scratches etching into your ceramic. We highly recommend using pH neutral chemicals to try and purge out as much contamination as possible before you opt for a method of cleaning involving physical contact.
With an uncoated vehicle, using physical force when needed can be a good thing for trying to remove nasty bug guts and such. Like anything in detailing though, make sure you wisely apply pressure, and never in a circular motion.
Do not add any “shine” or “quick wax” products to your ceramic coating. There are many products on the market that claim to do this or do that, and most of them are straight garbage that may damage your coating. If you’re unsure about the quality, function, or usefulness of a product, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Make sure when you’re cleaning your vehicle, coated or not, you completely dry the paint when finished. This will reduce the risk of water spots.
Regardless if you’re looking for a simple hand wash, ceramic coating maintenance detail, or a monthly maintenance detail, Crox Mobile Detailing has all of Bucks County covered.
Other Services
Ceramic Coating Maintenance For All of Bucks County
Experience the convenience and quality of Crox Mobile Detailing, no matter where you are in Bucks County.
We can deliver our premium Ceramic Coating Maintenance services to any of the below areas!
If you don’t see your area listed, don’t worry, we can figure something out.
We have all the tools necessary to deliver our premium results at your doorstep or office. All we need is an outlet and spigot; we have the cord and hose length to reach your vehicle from there.
We service all of Bucks County and the areas listed below. If your area isn't listed, don't worry, we are happy to figure something out.
Doylestown
Warminster
New Britain
Warrington
Chalfont
Plumsteadville
Jamison
Buckingham
Northampton
Warwick
New Hope
Newtown
Tinicum
Tellford
Dublin
Quakertown
Soleburry
Bedminster
Ivyland
Fountainville
Wrightstown
