Ceramic Coat No Longer Beading Like It Used To

[mafpolo]

I had my vehicle professionally ceramic coated in July, 2024. They used GTechniq. I coated my prior vehicle myself with Gyeon and did a decent job, other than a little over-spray or thickened area on the roof. The prior vehicle had incredible hydrophobic properties for years. Recently, after washing, the vehicle that was professionally coated in July last year no longer has the hydrophobic qualities it used to. The paint looks really good and still feels good.

The only difference is that I used to wash my car with a natural sea sponge and switched to a microfiber mitt. I'm not sure why that would change anything. Most of the time I do use GTechniq's C2V3 as a drying agent, so water should bead up really nicely. Any suggestions are welcomed. Thanks

 

[Setec Astronomy]

What shampoo are you using? Do you wash with hard water? Does the car live outside? Do you live or work in an area that is prone to industrial fallout (park the car at an airport frequently, etc.)

Coatings can become "clogged" where environmental contaminants or residues from other detailing products can stick to the surface and change the hydrophobics. It is puzzling since you are using a "topper" that is supposed to have very good hydrophobics, and since you didn't notice this kind of problem with your previous coating.

There are (generally acidic) shampoos that are supposed to "reset" your coating by removing the "clogging"; I'm not sure if Dr. Beasley's makes such a product.

 

[mafpolo]

What shampoo are you using? Do you wash with hard water? Does the car live outside? Do you live or work in an area that is prone to industrial fallout (park the car at an airport frequently, etc.)

Coatings can become "clogged" where environmental contaminants or residues from other detailing products can stick to the surface and change the hydrophobics. It is puzzling since you are using a "topper" that is supposed to have very good hydrophobics, and since you didn't notice this kind of problem with your previous coating.

There are (generally acidic) shampoos that are supposed to "reset" your coating by removing the "clogging"; I'm not sure if Dr. Beasley's makes such a product.

I used to use Griotts shampoo. I recently used Kochemie Reset. Today I used CarPro reset. Perhaps I used too much. I put four cap fulls of Kochemie in the bucket. Today I put three cap fulls of the CarPro. I am not sure if the water here is hard or not, but it was not a rpoblem with my prior car. It primarily goes to the office and back, but so did the last one. It could be that my car does need to be "decontaminated." Also, the ceramic that the people used was GTechniq Crystal Serum Light and no EXO. I was disappointed, because if the heavy lifting was in the paint correction I would have preferred something more. I would have been happy to pay more for a heavier duty coating. Could it have been an application error? Could a mitt carry too much soap concentration?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I should have asked if you have talked to the shop that did the coating, there must be some sort of warranty they gave you?

In light of you already trying more than one "reset" shampoo, it would seem that perhaps simple solution is off the table. There are stronger products, which may affect the CSL.

I realize this is frustrating and it is the middle of winter, but if you can't get any satisfaction from the installer, and since you have coated your own car before, you might consider giving it a go yourself when the weather warms up. If the paint has already been corrected, you may just need a light polish and then apply the coating of your choice, Dr. Beasley's has several, and there are many good coatings on the market, many of them easy to apply, the products seem to get better and easier all the time.

 

[The Guz]

I used to use Griotts shampoo. I recently used Kochemie Reset. Today I used CarPro reset. Perhaps I used too much. I put four cap fulls of Kochemie in the bucket. Today I put three cap fulls of the CarPro. I am not sure if the water here is hard or not, but it was not a rpoblem with my prior car. It primarily goes to the office and back, but so did the last one. It could be that my car does need to be "decontaminated." Also, the ceramic that the people used was GTechniq Crystal Serum Light and no EXO. I was disappointed, because if the heavy lifting was in the paint correction I would have preferred something more. I would have been happy to pay more for a heavier duty coating. Could it have been an application error? Could a mitt carry too much soap concentration?

Gtechniq CSL is not the most hydrophobic coating. It tends to sheet more than bead. That is why Exo is applied over it to add that hydrophobic behavior. Give the coating a good decon wash and either top it with the c2v3 or even exo.

 

[Mike Phillips]

Recently detailed 2 cars with ceramic coatings and both had water spots in/on the paint.

The only way to remove them was to re-polish all the paint.

And while I like the way water beading looks like everyone else, I'm starting to wonder,

What's in the water?


Mike

 

[mafpolo]

Mike, the water has never been a problem. There haven't been water spots, even when I have washed the cars and not dried them.