Half Moon Grey R2 with Ammo Reflex V Enamel Coat

[windblowlc]

You should always clay and polish before a ceramic coating even on a new car. Sorry to say this but a one hour ceramic coating job is something you should avoid doing.

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[aak7268]

Like I said. A professional detailer or an enthusiastic hobbyist would have found my process deeply flawed. (Though, in my defense, emailing back and forth with AMMO support, it was clear that heat and humidity were going to cut the curing process after application to nearly nothing, which helped speed things up.)
I just posted this to share the results. Rest easy knowing that this is what it looks like after a shitty prep job and that it could be even better.

 

[SwampNut]

I think we're not so much knocking your choices, but telling others that they should consider doing more.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Good comparison of leading brands:


The process is to wash the car in the shade or inside. While it is wet, spray a few pulls of Iron Remover (Gyeon Iron for example) on each panel and lightly wipe the car with a clay bar, a clay mitt or a clay towel. Rinse well and dry. After an hour of drying, use a Ceramic Prep (Gyeon Prep for example). Let dry for an hour. There can not be any water on the car when you coat it. Watch a few videos before putting a coating on!

The videos cover really high-end coatings. I just do this process with Gyeon Can Coat (which is much cheaper and easier to apply) once a year. Not to save money, but Can Coat is a real ceramic coating that lasts over a year--even in Minnesota, and you need to do this process once a year anyway to keep any ceramic coating working well.

 

[savethemanual]

Like I said. A professional detailer or an enthusiastic hobbyist would have found my process deeply flawed. (Though, in my defense, emailing back and forth with AMMO support, it was clear that heat and humidity were going to cut the curing process after application to nearly nothing, which helped speed things up.)
I just posted this to share the results. Rest easy knowing that this is what it looks like after a shitty prep job and that it could be even better.

I'm guessing this work would look similar to one that has gone through more intense prep and install. The issue is probably longevity but for a few hundred dollars, looks great!!

 

[SwampNut]

I'm guessing this work would look similar to one that has gone through more intense prep and install. The issue is probably longevity but for a few hundred dollars, looks great!!

No. Longevity isn't affected by prep. Just the shine and clarity, particularly when looking at panels at an angle. There's a huge clarity difference.

 

[savethemanual]

No. Longevity isn't affected by prep. Just the shine and clarity, particularly when looking at panels at an angle. There's a huge clarity difference.

Ha, I guessed wrong. So what does affect longevity of the product installed, if anything?

 

[kevt97]

AMMMO NYC and Larry are amazing. Products are as good indicated/reviewed and worth every penny.

 

[SwampNut]

So what does affect longevity of the product installed, if anything?

Really just that the surface is fully clean, you use an alcohol water solution to do that, and that you do the application right. Apply, let dry, buff, in small areas. Also if the car has ever been waxed before, you must remove it very thoroughly. There are products to do that.

 

[Lionel_Hutz]

As others have said, paint decon really is important prior to applying ceramic coat. Cars pick up lots of junk on the way from the factory to delivery, and getting down to very clean clearcoat will help the ceramic coating's longevity and performance. The paint may or may not need polishing correction depending on condition.

As just an example, this is a photo of iron remover being used on a brand new BMW that was built in SC and delivered without being touched by the dealer. Each of those purplish lines is a spot of metal contamination bonded to the paint (probably almost all rail dust and brake dust).

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

Decided to skip the $650 ceramic option and add my own. Ammo's latest Reflex V just came out and at $250, plus an hour or so of labor, this turned out stunning. And it's not even fully cured yet. The shine should be even deeper by tomorrow.

Dude, that looks amazing!!! I’m definitely going to look into Ammo Reflex V.

 

[MMMoore]

Love the shine! Did you do any PPF prior to the ceramic coat? I'm worried about dings and chips hitting the front.

 

[aak7268]

Nope. I've seen too many PPF installs gone wrong. Florida heat doesn't help their longevity either.

 

[SwampNut]

Florida heat...cute. They last just fine here in AZ with real heat. There are so many wrapped/WPF cars here because of the amount of rocks we have. That said, I don't really worry about it, and over time, have noticed that the damage is just only visible close up.

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