What is the primary difference between a ceramic coating and a clear bra?

It is true: Both ceramic coatings and paint protection films that we install here at Chicago Auto Pros provide protection for your vehicle’s paint and exterior surfaces. However, the most notable difference is that our ceramic coatings are mostly designed to lower daily maintenance routines, keep stains at bay, and add gloss. Paint protection films are polyurethane vehicle wraps that prevent light surface damage and resist defects caused by unpredictable hazards.

Ceramic coatings are low-maintenance, so why do they need to be detailed?

Because ceramic coatings are not completely indestructible against swirls, scratches, paint chips, or abrasive surface damage, keeping them clean when the need arises keeps them looking high quality and staying effective. Likewise, ceramic coatings require professional detailing to maintain their lifetime warranties, as opposed to public car washes, as those drive-thru efforts can and will scratch them or cause marring.

Can I cover my paint protection film in a ceramic coating?

Absolutely! Utilizing both a ceramic coating and a paint protection film to give your automobile the ultimate in value, shine, and perfection is an extremely proactive effort. Here at Chicago Auto Pros, our paint protection films keep defects from reaching your actual finish, while the ceramic coating on top of them will further enhance the quality of your vehicle's paintwork.

Jason's Detail Tips | Tips for Drying A Vehicle

October 8, 2017

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CERAMIC COATINGS

This was an exciting week for us. Last week we announced the debut of our newest endeavor : Jason's Detail Tips. If you don't already know, this is a straight to the point, no BS, video series aimed to teach you the tips, tricks and techniques of detailing. Just a few days ago we released our first video : Tips for Drying A Vehicle. This blog will follow along with that video and provide more insight on what products and techniques you should be using to quickly and most effectively dry your vehicle.

If you haven't already watched the video, check it out below:

So you just finished washing your vehicle, it's clean, it's shiny and it's wet. This next step is very important: drying the vehicle. If not done correctly this can cause fine hairline scratches and swirls all over the vehicle and then you would have to wait till episode #43 to figure out how to fix those. So here is the best way to dry your vehicle.

After washing the vehicle the first thing we recommend is checking to see if there is a protective coating on the car, this could be a wax, paint sealant or a ceramic coating. You can easily tell if the car has a protectant on it as the water will bead right off. If the car is protected you can skip to the next step. If the car does not have a protectant on it then you're going to want to use some sort of drying agent to make the paint hydrophobic and allow the water to bead off.

Our next tip is to use forced air to blow as much of the water off of the vehicle as possible. This also allows you to dry those hard to reach spots such as mirrors, wheels and the gas door. The less you touch your vehicle's paint, the less likely you are to scratch it! For this you can used compressed air, they also make dedicated systems for this such as a MetroVac or a power blower. Or you can be like us and simply use a leaf blower. These are cheap, readily available and work great.

Buy one here:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=leaf+blower

A man is cleaning the windshield of a black car.

After most of the water has been blown off of the vehicle, you'll want to grab some dedicated drying towels. For these we use waffle weave towels, these are large, super absorbent and will minimize scratching and swirling. Take one in each hand and wipe with one towel to absorb the water and follow right behind it with the other to dry any remaining moisture or streaks.

Buy it here:

http://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Microfiber-M13/Waffle-Weave-Drying-Towel-P100/36-x-24-S1/

A blue towel is laying on a white surface

Bonus tip : Many spray sealants also act as a drying agents. Right before you dry the car is the perfect time to add one of these sealants for some extra protection and add a slick, glossy finish.

Buy these here:

http://www.detailedimage.com/Optimum-OPT-M36/Opti-Seal-P279/8-oz-S1/

http://www.detailedimage.com/CarPro-M53/Reload-Spray-Sealant-P605/400-ml-S1/