What ceramic coating actually is
A ceramic coating is a liquid that bonds to your clear coat and cures into a hard, glass-like layer. It is not a wax that washes off — it has to be polished off, and it is measured in years.
Water sheets off instead of sitting, so the car stays cleaner between washes. Droppings, sap and road salt have a much harder time etching the paint. What it will not do is stop a rock chip, a key, or the swirls an automatic wash puts in — that is what film is for. It also cures over whatever is underneath, which is why correction is inside both packages.
Who it’s for — and who it isn’t
Worth it if…
- New cars, where the paint is already near-perfect
- Anyone keeping the car three or more years
- Cars that live outside through Long Island winters
- Dark paint, where swirls and water spots show most
We’ll steer you elsewhere if…
- Rock chips on the hood and bumper — that is film; a coating seals chips in
- A car you are selling in a few months. A polish and sealant present nearly as well
- Anyone still using brush car washes. The coating survives; the gloss does not
Saying this costs us some jobs. That trade is deliberate.
How the job runs
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Step 01 45 min
Intake and inspection
Paint depth readings on every panel, defect map agreed with you.
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Step 02 1.5 hrs
Decontamination wash
Wash, chemical iron removal, clay. Anything left embedded gets sealed in for years.
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Step 03 4–10 hrs
Paint correction
Enhancement polish on Level 1, full multi-step on Level 2.
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Step 04 45 min
Panel wipe
Solvent wipe strips polishing oil. Skipping it is why coatings fail early.
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Step 05 2–4 hrs
Coating application
CSL panel by panel, levelled at the right flash time.
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Step 06 2 hrs
Second layer (Level 2)
EXO V5 over cured CSL for the water behaviour.
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Step 07 Overnight+
Controlled cure
Inside, dry, out of the weather. Why coatings cannot be done in a driveway.
Ceramic Coating pricing
| Package | Coupe / Sedan | SUV / Truck | Minivan / 3rd-Row SUV | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Ceramic Coating | $850$750 | $950$850 | $1050$950 | About 8 hours |
| Level 2 Ceramic Coating | $1050$950 | $1150$1050 | $1250$1150 | A full shop day or more |
Level 1 Ceramic Coating includes
- Clay and iron decontamination
- Paint enhancement polish (roughly 40–60% defect removal)
- Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light
- 2–3 years of protection
- Exterior trim and headlights coated
Level 2 Ceramic Coating includes
- Everything in Level 1
- Multi-step paint correction (roughly 80–90% defect removal)
- Dual-layer Gtechniq CSL + EXO V5
- 5–6 years of protection
- Trim, lights, wheel faces and all exterior glass coated
All prices are starting prices. Heavy staining, pet hair, sand and salt buildup add time, and we quote that before we start — never after.
Promotional pricing shown. Ask us to confirm it is still running when you request a quote.
Level 1 vs Level 2, side by side
| Level 1 | Level 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Correction underneath | Enhancement polish — 40–60% defect removal | Multi-step correction — 80–90% defect removal |
| Coating layers | Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light | Crystal Serum Light + EXO V5 |
| Expected durability | 2–3 years | 5–6 years |
| Also coated | Exterior trim, headlights | Trim, lights, wheel faces, all exterior glass |
| Time in the shop | About 8 hours | A full day or more, plus cure |
| Right for | Paint already in good shape — new cars, well-kept cars | Paint with visible swirls, or anyone keeping the car 5+ years |
What a ceramic coating does not do
It is not scratch-proof. It will not stop a rock chip, a key, a shopping cart or the swirl marks an automatic brush wash puts in. The hardness figures quoted across this category come from a pencil-hardness test that has very little to do with gravel hitting a bumper at highway speed. If rock chips are your problem, the answer is paint protection film, not a coating.
It also does not fix what is already there. A coating is optically clear and it cures over whatever is underneath, which is why paint correction is inside both packages rather than sold as a surprise add-on.
Ceramic Coating results
Ceramic Coating jobs — photographed on the job, not staged.
What we use, and why
- Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light
- The base layer on both packages, and the one doing the actual protecting.
- Gtechniq EXO V5
- The Level 2 topper — the extreme water behaviour people buy a coating to see.
- Controlled application bay
- Coatings flash and level on a timetable set by temperature and humidity.
Durability and aftercare
- Level 1 — 2 to 3 years
- Crystal Serum Light, single layer. Realistic for a daily driver washed properly.
- Level 2 — 5 to 6 years
- CSL with EXO V5 over it. The EXO layer wears first; the CSL underneath keeps protecting.
- The first week
- Keep it dry for 24 hours and do not wash it for a week. We give you the exact window at pickup.
- Maintenance
- Wash every two to four weeks, pH-neutral soap, two buckets, no brushes. Coatings that "stop working" are usually buried under contamination.
Ceramic Coating questions
What is the difference between Level 1 and Level 2?
How much correction happens underneath, and how many layers go on top. Level 1 is an enhancement polish at 40–60% defect removal plus one layer of CSL, for 2–3 years. Level 2 is a full multi-step correction at 80–90% plus CSL and EXO V5, for 5–6 years, and adds wheel faces and all exterior glass. On swirled paint, Level 1 locks the swirls in.
Does a ceramic coating prevent scratches?
No — this is the most oversold claim in the category. It resists light marring and chemical etching, not rock chips, keys or brush-wash swirls. For chips you want paint protection film.
Do I still have to wash the car?
Yes. A coating makes washing easier and less frequent, not unnecessary. Skip it for months and contamination builds on top — then people conclude the coating stopped working.
Why can this not be done at my house?
Coatings need controlled dust, stable temperature, correct lighting to see the levelling, and an overnight cure. A driveway supplies none of it.
Are the promotional prices still running?
Yes — $100 off both levels, across every vehicle class. The struck-through figures in the table are the regular prices.
Often booked together
Paint Correction
Machine polishing that removes swirls and scratches instead of hiding them.
Quoted per vehicle →Paint Protection Film
Self-healing urethane film that physically stops rock chips.
Quoted per vehicle →Exterior Detailing
Foam bath, decontamination and protection — no swirls added.
From $200 →Ceramic Coating near you
Shop service in Medford, with pickup and dropoff across Suffolk County.
- Medford about 5 min · 1 mi
- Patchogue about 10 min · 5 mi
- East Patchogue about 10 min · 5 mi
- Holbrook about 10 min · 7 mi
- Holtsville about 5 min · 4 mi
- Farmingville about 5 min · 4 mi
- Selden about 10 min · 5 mi
- Centereach about 15 min · 8 mi
- Coram about 10 min · 5 mi
- Middle Island about 10 min · 6 mi
- Bellport about 10 min · 7 mi
- Yaphank about 10 min · 5 mi
