Ceramic coating vs. wax, I was a skeptic until last month in Denver

I always thought ceramic coating was just overpriced hype, like $500 for something a $30 wax could do. Then I parked under a pine tree for 3 weeks and the sap etched into my hood through the wax, no joke. A buddy offered to let me try his leftover ceramic kit on my side mirror, and that spot still beads water perfectly after a month. Is it really worth the cost for a daily driver, or did I just get lucky with the application?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

jamie_adams1mo ago

Pine sap is basically nature's superglue, so your wax never stood a chance. Congrats on the free side mirror science experiment, now you're hooked for life.

8

nancyg141mo ago

Pine sap is brutal, I've had the same thing happen to a truck I used to own and it took a clay bar and a lot of elbow grease to fix. The real difference I've seen is that ceramic actually bonds to the paint instead of just sitting on top like wax, so stuff has a harder time getting through it. For a daily driver, I'd say it's worth it if you park outside a lot or deal with tree sap, bird bombs, or hard water spots on the regular. Plus you don't have to reapply it every few months, which is nice (and honestly more time saved than money saved, but still). Just make sure you do a proper wash and decontamination before you put it on, otherwise you're just sealing in all that junk under the coating.

1