FIRST – The false expectation that a detail is just a wash and wax.
The truth of the matter is that wax partially may fill some of the microscopic light scratch damage (albeit temporarily) on cars that you often do not see. This ‘make-up’ effect is inferior to paint correction, but it will make your paint look better. For someone who just washes or maybe washes and clay his or her car there is a noticeable benefit to a wash and wax versus just washing the car.
Without naming any products or businesses, there is a reason why there has been a recent influx of ‘Made For TV’ product advertisements of essentially quick detailers that claim to be the only product you need. It is a seductive suggestion to many of us that if you just rub this miracle product on your car with a microfiber towel, that you will have successfully detailed your car like a professional in 5 to 10 minutes.
Even when I use wax or a sealant, my process (pictured below) is often this exhaustive.
I am not saying everyone who is waxing their car that does not do EVERYTHING here will not be happy with the results. What I am suggesting is letting go of the one or two product/step mindset will go a long way in satisfaction all around. I often tell people when they hear the words, it is all about the prep with coatings, replace the word detailing and you will have a good understanding of what detailing is and its importance to aesthetics enhancement and preservation.
Days, not hours, were spent on this well maintained car (below).
SECOND – Your viewpoint of a ceramic coating is based off seeing the word ‘ceramic.’
What you see below is a very good product. It is a good product for what it is, but it is not a ceramic coating by the criteria most enthusiasts evaluate coatings.
An example of a real glass coating, i.e. ceramic paint coating for a reputable professional (pictured below).
As a professional, there are two factors that make a ceramic coating detail expensive. The detailing practice mentioned before actually being practiced (i.e more than a wash). But also, the cost of a real ceramic coating by the metrics of a professional. $100 to $400 for one or two cars. I can see why someone who was promised a $1,800 ceramic coating detail for the price of $200, wondering how is this different from a wash and carnauba wax? Often because it is not!
Let us hypothetically take the substance that will ultimately be on your paint out of the equation for a moment. Let us focus for a moment on the solvent carriers that allow us to store this liquid glass polymer (concentrated ceramic) in a bottle and make it possible to transfer this material to your painted surface (the ceramic coating application). Those solvents CANNOT be held in a PLASTIC BOTTLE. A true ceramic coating (that realistically last years) needs to be stored in a glass bottle. Even ‘spray on’ coatings that fall into the hybrid or light coating category are in metal or glass containers. The spray nozzles for those products clog after being used, sometimes when promptly and thoroughly cleaned. I just mentioned something that not only many professionals and regular consumers are unaware of, but many companies will also not share. This is something to think about when you see products that have the word Ceramic labeled on the bottle or a detailer that claims to do everything the more expensive detailer does.