Free guide to help you cut to the chase when considering a ceramic coating for your vehicle

So, you’ve decided that you want to protect your paint with a ceramic coating that EVERYBODY seems to be talking about!  Your ride is your pride and joy, and you want to protect your investment with the best possible ceramic coating available. 

Now your journey begins, “which coating do I choose?”  The answer to this question is critical. It is easy to become overwhelmed searching the internet for answers, and it very quickly becomes confusing. Having said that, we are so glad you visited our site and we hope this article offers you some insights and guidance to help you in your purchase decision.  

Yes, we would love your business, but more importantly, our goal is to help you learn more about ceramic coatings by sharing our knowledge and experience. 

Together, we will explore topics and factors to consider when researching and comparing ceramic coatings options including:

• Buying online products and the risks of doing it yourself

• Determining if the product is truly ceramic 

• Understanding ‘thickness’ and what is considered ‘superior’ ceramic protection

• Explaining the hardness of ceramic coatings (defining 9H)

• A look at cure-times for ceramic coatings

BUYER BEWARE OF
CERAMIC COATING ONLINE SALES & DIY 

Some consumers choose to purchase ceramic coatings online. Unfortunately, you never truly know what are you are getting for your money, and equally as troubling, there is a very real possibility of incorrectly applying the ceramic coating yourself. We often hear; I can just order that same product on-line for a lot less money and apply it myself, why would I pay you?

There’s no going back after an application mishap, and in many cases a repainting of the vehicle is required.  Although we do not recommend it, if you do select to purchase a ceramic coating online, be sure it is a true ceramic coating.  

Your decision to treat your ride to a ceramic coating was the right one, but here lies the problem:

You either paid someone money to do the necessary paint correction or were able to power polish your own vehicle prior to applying the coating. After applying the less expensive coating, it initially appears to be coated just like the true 9H coating. 

However, after a few months of exposure to environmental elements and washing, your vehicle starts to lose the hydrophobicity and high gloss shine.  This is an indicator that the inferior coating is wearing off. Your paint is NOT protected anymore as promised by the advertisement. Scratches, blemishes and swirl marks are appearing in your clear coat paint again, and a paint correction process needs to be repeated before reapplying another coating.

Although you initially may spend less money upfront, over time it will be very costly as  more money will need to be invested to ensure your vehicle is properly protected and maintained.

IS THE PRODUCT REALLY A CERAMIC COATING?

Let's Take A look at ceramic coating properties, ingredients & self-levelling attributes.

We have researched and studied properties in many ceramic coatings and discovered most products do not contain sufficient ceramic material…thereby making it impossible to achieve a 9H hardness. Many brands misrepresent their products as ceramic-quality and mislead customers by selling them less durable coatings Traditional Silica (Si02) materials degrade when heated and are easily destroyed by wash and wear. Ask your application center what their products are made from.

Another important feature to look for in a ceramic coating is self-levelling properties.  Many products do not have a self-levelling feature which is absolutely required to achieve a superior finish and a perfected smooth coating. Self-levelling allows the ceramic coating to form along your vehicle’s surface and create continuity without causing high or low spots.

Important Warning:
All coatings have ingredients that create some level of permanency, so it is important to have your vehicle paint-corrected prior to ceramic coating applications. Coatings will NOT hide scratches and blemishes in paint. It is a time-consuming process to correctly perfect the paint and will add expense to a ceramic application. Of course, the best time to install a ceramic coating is when your vehicle is brand new, and done by a professionally trained installer.
 

WHAT THICKNESS OF COATING IS CONSIDERED SUPERIOR CERAMIC PROTECTION? 

Does thickness of ceramic coatings really matter?  The straight answer is YES.

Because many brands don’t self-level, installers must be very careful to apply only a very thin layer to avoid high spots or noticeable ridges in the coating. 

Most products provide only 1 or even less microns of thickness per coat and lack the ingredients necessary to offer proper strength in a single layer. 

Because these types of coatings can only offer thin layers of protection, installers have no choice but to apply extra layers to build thickness. Your cost and delivery time keeps rising with each additional layer and adding layers of inferior strength products is of little benefit. 

In your purchasing decision, if you opt to buy only one or two layers of inferior ceramic coatings, you will not get the protection you were expecting.  A thin coating is not durable and if it is not a true ceramic coating it will wear down and a re-application will be necessary.  Some coatings have proven to last for only 3 to 6 months before they have either worn off or washed away by low and high pH chemicals used in touchless washes, not to mention bug removers, tar and tree sap removing type cleaners.

Consumers are persuaded to purchase four to seven, and even up to 10 coats for the vehicle’s ‘lifetime’ warranty. It’s important to read the fine print. Most warranties offer: 1 coat for a one-year warranty; 2 coats for a two-year warranty; 4 coats for a five-year warranty; etc. 

AUTOTRIZ® 3D Matrix, 9H provides the thickest layer of TRUE CERAMIC protection. 

AUTOTRIZ 3D Matrix Base Coat, 9H has a liberal amount of product applied to the surface and is allowed 5 to 30 minutes (Depending on temperature) to dwell and harden before wiping. This unique chemistry sets AUTOTRIZ well above the competition. By allowing the coating to level out and harden naturally we are able to provide a stronger and thicker layer of protection with JUST one layer! When the final wipes are done, very little of the coating gets removed.

AUTOTRIZ 3D Matrix 9H provides a 10 year warranty and does not require an inspection or re-application during the warranty period. 

DEFINING HARDNESS OF CERAMIC COATINGS
AND WHAT IS 9H?

The hardness of protective coatings is measured according to the pencil scale. The maximum measurable hardness of the pencil test can only be 9H. There is no way of testing higher with this type of test!  A vehicle’s paint has a maximum hardness of 3H. Many brands promote their ceramic coatings to a 9H, but do not have the testing certification to back it up. 

Just a few products available on the worldwide markets are certified and independently awarded with a 9H hardness certificate. Many brands misrepresent their products as ceramic quality and mislead customers by selling them less durable coatings.  Ask your installer for documentation to back their claims.

Our 9H is tested and certified by TÜV SÜD to achieve the highest possible protection and has surpassed a 9H hardness rating. 

AUTOTRIZ didn’t stop there! Acid and Alkali tests were also performed by TUV and passed with flying colors.
 

DO CERAMIC COATINGS REQUIRE A CURE TIME? YES! 

It is important to ask your installer about cure times. Certain coatings require cure times of seven to 30 days.  Often, newly coated vehicles are kept indoors at the application shop for a minimum of 24 hours before customers can even pick up their vehicle. Customers are also instructed to leave their vehicle indoors and to refrain from driving it for three days, or more.

Certain coatings do require infrared heat lamps (at 170°F) after the application process to cure the coating. 

AUTOTRIZ ® 3D Matrix 9H is 80% cured after one hour of the application. You can take delivery of your vehicle one hour after the AUTOTRIZ® installation is complete. You can drive it immediately regardless of outdoor elements; just avoid washing it for 7 days with any types of chemicals or cleaners. And, as tempting as it is, try not to touch it by hand during the 7 days as well. Bird droppings and bug residue can and should still be pressure washed off with only straight (Rinse cycle) water at the car wash.

WHY CHOOSE AUTOTRIZ®3D MATRIX?

With it’s unique chemistry developed in Germany, 3D Matrix 9H is proven to be a Superior Ceramic Coating

• Providing  maximum ceramic protection for your vehicle with the patented Polysilazane formula.

• 7 and 10 Year warranty against 3D Matrix coating fading, peeling yellowing, cracking or washing off.

• Does NOT require a yearly inspection or re-application to maintain warranty status

• 9H Hardness, Acid and Alkili Certified Permanent Coating

• True Ceramic Coating

• Incomparable Thickness: 

• Self-Levelling

• Superior hydrophobicity

• Superior Gloss

 This is what gives us at AUTOTRIZ North America the confidence we need to offer these protective coating to you through our certified installers at auto dealerships and detail studios. 

You can now get a true ceramic coating applied to your vehicle before it leaves the dealership. Brand new is the best time to get your vehicle coated, as it hasn’t been subjected to: 

• incorrect washing procedures (creating swirls), 

• damage from elements,

• bugs, bird droppings, tree sap and road tar,

• and all the other unforeseen circumstances that can damage your paint.

We only partner with reputable dealerships and detail studios that will only do the job properly and professionally. No shortcuts allowed!

Check out “our partners” zone on our website to find an automotive dealership or detail studio offering AUTOTRIZ 3D Matrix 2 step, 3D Matrix 1 step or the 3D Matrix Booster (If you’re on a tight budget, but still want a ceramic coating?) in your area. 

Contact us any time with your questions! We love to share our knowledge with car enthusiasts, industry professionals, or those who are just curious to learn more!