Best Ceramic Coatings: Big Shiny Cars

Top 8 Best Ceramic Coatings

There’s an urban myth amongst gearheads that a clean car runs better. Whether or not it’s true, we can’t say. However, why take that chance? Best to keep your ride in spic-n-span shape.

Most of us have an arsenal of automotive cleaning supplies hanging around the garage or back closet but we’re willing to bet a smaller percentage have actual ceramic coating material on hand. This stuff is designed to give your car’s finish that deep and rich shine which always seems to appear prominently on those infernal YouTube ads that pop up at the most inopportune time.

Digging through Amazon, we’ve found a neat octet of options, ranging from quick and affordable to time-consuming and costly. Now, go see if one of them makes your car run better.

Your author is generally suspicious of products marketing themselves as 'all-in-one', as this moniker generally means the stuff is good at everything but great at nothing. However, with the most reviews of just about any product ever featured in this series (10k+) counting for a solid 4.4 out of 5-star rating, the masses have clearly spoken.

The seller calls it an all-in-one (there's that term!) ceramic coating hydrophobic spray. It is a ceramic car wax that provides a waterless wash, coat, and shine ... all in one convenient product of course. They assert that it also works as a sealer to give your vehicle a clear shield of protection while also providing a beautiful gloss.

Your author is generally suspicious of products marketing themselves as 'all-in-one', as this moniker generally means the stuff is good at everything but great at nothing. However, with the most reviews of just about any product ever featured in this series (10k+) counting for a solid 4.4 out of 5-star rating, the masses have clearly spoken.

The seller calls it an all-in-one (there's that term!) ceramic coating hydrophobic spray. It is a ceramic car wax that provides a waterless wash, coat, and shine ... all in one convenient product of course. They assert that it also works as a sealer to give your vehicle a clear shield of protection while also providing a beautiful gloss.

If you're looking for a more specialized product to complete this job, a kit such as this from Drexler is probably what you have in mind. Purporting to leave your car with a healthy shine for up to three years, these people have clearly never spent time in the windswept environs of rural Utah or in the salty fog of a coastal town.

Nevertheless, this product applies a pair of coatings to your car's paint, showing up in the form of a base coat and a top coat spray. This surely helps contribute to the three-year claim. Requiring much more work than a simple spritz, the kit comes with everything you need for a pleasant afternoon of caring for the paint on your car.

If you're looking for a more specialized product to complete this job, a kit such as this from Drexler is probably what you have in mind. Purporting to leave your car with a healthy shine for up to three years, these people have clearly never spent time in the windswept environs of rural Utah or in the salty fog of a coastal town.

Nevertheless, this product applies a pair of coatings to your car's paint, showing up in the form of a base coat and a top coat spray. This surely helps contribute to the three-year claim. Requiring much more work than a simple spritz, the kit comes with everything you need for a pleasant afternoon of caring for the paint on your car.

This brand has been around for, what, close to a century? Your author remembers it being one of the first car care products he ever saw, purchased by a family friend who took fastidious care of their then-new mid-80s Jeep CJ-7. Turtle Wax has moved far beyond those 'paste in a green can' days, now marketing products like this ceramic spray coating.

To use this stuff, simply spray it on a clean and dry car. Then, spread and remove the spray with a folded microfiber cloth. Turtle Wax recommends, for best performance, that the paint be free of contaminants by using a clay bar or compound prior to application.

This brand has been around for, what, close to a century? Your author remembers it being one of the first car care products he ever saw, purchased by a family friend who took fastidious care of their then-new mid-80s Jeep CJ-7. Turtle Wax has moved far beyond those 'paste in a green can' days, now marketing products like this ceramic spray coating.

To use this stuff, simply spray it on a clean and dry car. Then, spread and remove the spray with a folded microfiber cloth. Turtle Wax recommends, for best performance, that the paint be free of contaminants by using a clay bar or compound prior to application.

Adam's Polishes have, in a relatively short amount of time, been able to worm their way into the wash bays and detail centers across our nation. They offer high-quality products in plain packaging that, quite literally, does what it says on the label. This is refreshing in a world oversaturated with gonzo marketing.

Here we have a product that combines a waterless wash & car wax spray, coat and shine polish, and water-based ceramic coating hydrophobic spray all in one convenient spray. Infused with fancy-sounding ceramic nano-coating silica technology, it acts as a sealer and armor to create a shiny finish.

Adam's Polishes have, in a relatively short amount of time, been able to worm their way into the wash bays and detail centers across our nation. They offer high-quality products in plain packaging that, quite literally, does what it says on the label. This is refreshing in a world oversaturated with gonzo marketing.

Here we have a product that combines a waterless wash & car wax spray, coat and shine polish, and water-based ceramic coating hydrophobic spray all in one convenient spray. Infused with fancy-sounding ceramic nano-coating silica technology, it acts as a sealer and armor to create a shiny finish.

Packaged in a box that looks for all the world like something would find on the shelves of a high-end department store (remember them?), this product from Migliore sounds Italian and has the Tricolore branding to match. A quick Google search reveals that, in fact, the word means 'best' in Italian.

The stuff is, however, made right here in America. Connecticut, in fact. Said to provide a year's worth of shine, it provides durable protection against salt and bird droppings and other various road debris. Its ceramic particles provide UV resistance, while an extreme water sheeting profile helps protect paint against washed-induced marring.

Packaged in a box that looks for all the world like something would find on the shelves of a high-end department store (remember them?), this product from Migliore sounds Italian and has the Tricolore branding to match. A quick Google search reveals that, in fact, the word means 'best' in Italian.

The stuff is, however, made right here in America. Connecticut, in fact. Said to provide a year's worth of shine, it provides durable protection against salt and bird droppings and other various road debris. Its ceramic particles provide UV resistance, while an extreme water sheeting profile helps protect paint against washed-induced marring.

The manufacturers of this product call it the quickest ceramic coating for cars that comes in a spray form. Like some others on this list, it goes on just like any car wax spray by taking the Karate Kid approach - wax on and wax off (with a clean microfiber towel, of course).

According to the bumf, and the sky-high 4.8 out of 5-star rating from nearly 1000 customers, Epic Elements is safe on paint, windows, and headlights while adding armor & shield to the surface of your entire vehicle. In short, it's a powerful hybrid ceramic wax car sealant wrapped up in one hydrophobic spray.

The manufacturers of this product call it the quickest ceramic coating for cars that comes in a spray form. Like some others on this list, it goes on just like any car wax spray by taking the Karate Kid approach - wax on and wax off (with a clean microfiber towel, of course).

According to the bumf, and the sky-high 4.8 out of 5-star rating from nearly 1000 customers, Epic Elements is safe on paint, windows, and headlights while adding armor & shield to the surface of your entire vehicle. In short, it's a powerful hybrid ceramic wax car sealant wrapped up in one hydrophobic spray.

Nano Bond calls this Pro version of their product an all-new deal, featuring their latest formula that contains more strength and increased durability compared to their old stuff. They promote it as providing an excellent high gloss effect for the better part of two to three years.

Like others, this ceramic coating protects paint from scratches, chips, dust, and other assorted crud you're likely to encounter on a daily basis. As a side note, they're one of the only ones to assert their product helps reduce paint transfer, handy in big cities where some people are careless with their bumpers.

Nano Bond calls this Pro version of their product an all-new deal, featuring their latest formula that contains more strength and increased durability compared to their old stuff. They promote it as providing an excellent high gloss effect for the better part of two to three years.

Like others, this ceramic coating protects paint from scratches, chips, dust, and other assorted crud you're likely to encounter on a daily basis. As a side note, they're one of the only ones to assert their product helps reduce paint transfer, handy in big cities where some people are careless with their bumpers.

Rounding out our octet of options is this very expensive kit from a company called Nasiol. Its simple application is said to save time, with only one coating needed to achieve 'maximum durability and armor'. It is promoted as capable of bonding to all types of car paint and lasting at least 3 years.

The coating can be applied on car paint, plastic trims, and bumpers. This means you can attack your vehicle using a clean microfiber towel with reckless abandon, compared to the days when you had to be careful not to get 'that stuff' on anything other than a painted surface.

Rounding out our octet of options is this very expensive kit from a company called Nasiol. Its simple application is said to save time, with only one coating needed to achieve 'maximum durability and armor'. It is promoted as capable of bonding to all types of car paint and lasting at least 3 years.

The coating can be applied on car paint, plastic trims, and bumpers. This means you can attack your vehicle using a clean microfiber towel with reckless abandon, compared to the days when you had to be careful not to get 'that stuff' on anything other than a painted surface.

From time to time, TTAC will highlight automotive products we think may be of interest to our community. Plus, posts like this help to keep the lights on around here. Learn more about how this works.

(Editor’s note: This post is meant to both help you be an informed shopper for automotive products but also to pay for our ‘90s sedan shopping habits operating expenses. Some of you don’t find these posts fun, but they help pay for Junkyard Finds, Rare Rides, Piston Slaps, and whatever else. Thanks for reading.)

[Main photo credit: KULLAPONG PARCHERAT / Shutterstock.com. Product images provided by the manufacturer.]