If you have been to a car show in Toronto or looked at vehicle forums in Vancouver, you have probably heard a lot about ceramic coating. People frequently call it a “miracle” for your paint, and although it is a game-changer, there are a lot of bogus stories going around.

In the Great White North, our cars and trucks have to deal with a lot of different problems, such as severe road salt and slush, and hot summer UV radiation. The first step to keeping your car looking like it just came off the showroom floor is to know what automotive ceramic coating does and doesn’t do.

Let’s get to the bottom of the five most popular fallacies concerning ceramic coating for cars.

Myth 1: My car won’t have any scratches at all.

This is perhaps the most damaging misconception out there. A ceramic coating offers a layer of protection that is tougher than the clear coat that came with your car, but it is not an invisible suit of armor.

It will help keep little swirl marks from happening when you wash your vehicle wrong, but it won’t stop a shopping cart from running away in a Sobeys parking lot or keep you safe from flying debris on the Highway 401. If you want to protect your paint against rock chips, you need Paint Protection Film (PPF), not simply a layer of paint.

Myth 2: I won’t have to wash my car again.

We have all seen those wonderful films where dirty water just rolls off a vehicle. Ceramic coating on cars is quite hydrophobic, which means it repels water, but that doesn’t imply your vehicle is “self-cleaning” as we want it to be.

In Canada, road salt and dirt are hard to get rid of. The coating makes it much simpler to spray off dirt, but you still need to wash it often to keep it clean. The good news? The coating will keep your automobile shiny and safe for years, so you won’t have to wax it every few months.

Myth 3: Ceramic Coatings Last Forever

Some ads say that these coatings will last “forever.” In actuality, even the best ceramic coating businesses sell items that wear out over time. You may anticipate protection for two to nine years, depending on the quality of the coating and how well you take care of it.

The coating’s longevity will depend a lot on things like parking outdoors in the winter in Montreal vs keeping the vehicle in a heated garage.

Myth 4: Anyone Can Do It Perfectly at Home

You can purchase DIY kits; there is a big difference between a “ceramic spray” and a professional automotive ceramic coating. The professional-grade material has to be done in a clinical setting and, most critically, needs paint correction.

You have basically trapped the scratch behind a glass-like coating if you coat over it. Before the coating ever reaches the surface, professional ceramic coating services spend hours cleaning the paint to make it flawless. If you have a car worth a lot of money, hiring a pro is worth every cent.

Myth 5: It protects against all kinds of chemical damage.

A coating is great at keeping bird droppings and tree sap off, but it is not perfect. If you leave acidic dirt on the hood in the summer sun, it will gradually etch the surface. The coating gives you time to clean up the dirt before it destroys your paint, but it is not a “get out of jail free” card for not keeping your vehicle clean.

The Bottom Line

One of the nicest things a Canadian automobile owner can do is get a ceramic coating for their car. It keeps your resale value high, makes cleaning easy, and gives your car a gloss that wax can’t touch. Don’t forget that it is a high-tech upgrade, not a mystical shield.

If you take care of your automobile and wash it regularly, it will remain gleaming for years to come.