Ceramic Pro coatings for Seattle cars that live outside: rain, tree sap, bird droppings. Bronze from $900. One-day install at our Tukwila shop.
Every coating is cured in the shop under infrared lamps, the same kind body shops use to cure fresh paint, before you leave. Many shops keep a freshly coated car overnight; we invested in IR curing so you can take yours home the same day. IR curing speeds up the same cure; it doesn't skip it. Your car is safe to drive and fine in the rain right away, and the coating keeps hardening over the next 7 to 10 days, so hold off on washing until then.
Every package puts Ceramic Pro coating on the paint, Glass coating on the windshield and Wheel & Caliper coating on the wheel faces. Bronze ($900 car / $1,100 SUV or truck) is our starter package, and it's a true coating, not a spray sealant. Silver ($1,200 / $1,400) builds more protection and suits cars that aren't driven every day. ION ($1,500 / $1,700) and Ultimate ION ($1,800 / $2,000) use Ceramic Pro's ION coatings and add Glass coating to every window; they're available while our current ION inventory lasts. The coating goes on clean, prepped paint. If there are swirl marks or scratches you want gone first, paint correction is quoted at $115 an hour, and we'll tell you honestly whether your paint needs it. After the install, the coating cures at home for 7 to 10 days. You can drive the car and it can get rained on; just don't wash it until the cure is done. Sprinters and other oversized vehicles are handled at our Monroe shop; call ahead if you're unsure whether yours fits.
Drop the car off at our Tukwila shop in the morning and pick it up that evening. From downtown, I-5 south is the direct route; the shop is at 1050 Industry Drive.
Street parking is the Seattle-proper problem. Residential streets in Capitol Hill, Fremont, Madrona and Ballard are lined with trees that drop sap and pollen in spring and leaves in the fall, and a car parked under them all week takes the full load. If you live in an apartment or condo with nowhere to hose off a car, a coating matters even more: coated paint gets far cleaner from a touchless wash than bare paint does.
Bronze is $900 for a car and $1,100 for an SUV or truck. Silver is $1,200 and $1,400. ION is $1,500 and $1,700, and Ultimate ION is $1,800 and $2,000. Prices are the same at both of our shops.
One day or less. The car goes home the same day and cures for 7 to 10 days. You can drive it and it can get wet during the cure; just don't wash it.
Yes, a lot. A hand wash is best, but a touchless wash is the next best option, and coated paint comes out of one much cleaner. Aim for every two weeks, and at least once a month.
No. A coating protects against chemicals, UV and water spots, and makes the car easier to clean. For chips you need paint protection film. Many customers do both: the film goes on first, and pairing film with a coating saves 30% on the coating.
Yes. Regular washing plus an annual maintenance service keeps it performing. Our Protected membership builds credit toward that annual service every month.
Rain and water spots The rain isn't what hurts paint; it's the minerals and road grime left behind when it dries. Coated paint sheds water before spots can form.
Street trees Sap, pollen and bird droppings are acidic. On coated paint they sit on top and wash off instead of etching into the clear coat.
Construction dust Fine dust from downtown and neighborhood construction settles on parked cars. It rinses off a coated car without scrubbing, and scrubbing is where swirl marks come from.
Summer sun A car parked outside all summer takes a lot of UV. Ceramic Pro adds UV resistance that helps paint keep its color and gloss.