Are ceramic coatings worth the money?

[jwflores]

My 2022 Trail Boss is due to arrive at dealership this month and I have been researching ceramic coating as I see here that the new paint jobs are not what they used to be. I would love for the truck to keep that high shine it has fresh off the lot and be easier to keep clean and maintain. If you have coated your Trail Boss or other vehicles what type coating was used and would you recommend it? My informal research shows cost about $1000 for professional application and $150-200 annual inspection and refresh for the professionally installed products with a warranty.

 

[Psycho Steve]

I had mine done. $2000 for a five year plus paint correction. It had a lot of imperfections from the factory. It looked better than new and is so easy to clean now. I look at it as a sacrificial layer for the paint.

 

[bossboy302]

I'll tell you in 5 years. Mine is black, and we have very hard water...so yeah. $1000.

 

[jwflores]

Steve your truck looks great, does the $2K include the annual inspections and do you know the brand coating used.? I am looking at a certified Ceramic Pro Dealer near me, 5 year is over $1K w/ annual inspection around $200 to maintain warranty, they hit it with a top coat again on that visit to keep up the hydrophonic affect. Just under $2K for the lifetime, but not sure I want to spend the $200/year forever, at some point it isn't fancy and new anymore.

 

[jwflores]

I'll tell you in 5 years. Mine is black, and we have very hard water...so yeah. $1000.

Boss Boy I hear you with the Black, mine is Dark Ash when it gets here. What brand coating did your guy use? We have hard water in my neighborhood as we have a well water, so that is another reason to coat/protect the Trail Boss. My old truck has water spots from when sprinkler hits it hoping this will prevent that if the water beads and rolls off like in the advertisements.

 

[Psycho Steve]

I think it’s malco because all the wash and the maintenance spray says malco. My guy said to just bring it in when I feel I need to and he would do maintenance stuff to it. It was only gonna be $1800 but he had to do a lot of work on the front grill and bumper due to bugs because mine was 9months old when he did it not new. So new is gonna cost less I bet because I had 12000 miles of crap on mine.

 

[GETGONE]

Holy crap! Those people are making tons of money! Search youtube and you'll find tons of videos on paint correction and ceramic coating or the new better stuff, graphene coating. You can do it yourself easily, it's just time consuming. You should be able to do it for well under $500 considering you have NO tools to do anything with. With a new vehicle you mostly would need to clay bar then coat. It's been on my to do list but I haven't had time to do it yet and I've had the truck for a year and a half now.

 

[Psycho Steve]

That’s the problem. Time. Time is money and I didn’t have the time or patience to do it myself.

 

[GETGONE]

For $1500 I'll find the time! I'm cheap when it comes to things I can do myself!

 

[Wakinvol]

Yes it’s worth it. I have it on my white Boss, my wife’s BLACK Grand Cherokee LimitedX, and on my former Black Titan XD. My guy did all 3 for less than $2000.

 

[scotman623]

Worth every penny!! Do it when the truck is brand new, will cost you less on the paint correction

 

[Nco2222]

I had mine done with undrdog pro. Cheaper than a true ceramic and from the reviews seems the protection is just as good if not better. He hand washed, decontaminated, did paint correction, and applied the undrdog pro for $650. Did the windshield and windows too.

 

[bossboy302]

For $1500 I'll find the time! I'm cheap when it comes to things I can do myself!

If that were true, you'd have done it by now.

 

[GETGONE]

If that were true, you'd have done it by now.

I should have mentioned I'm also lazy and broke! LOL!

 

[bossboy302]

Cousins? ;-)