Ceramic Coating Cost: What Goes Into the Price

Ask three shops for a ceramic coating quote and you’ll probably get three very different numbers. That isn’t because one shop is honest and the others aren’t. It’s because “ceramic coating” can mean very different jobs. Here’s what actually goes into the price, so you can compare quotes on what matters.

We don’t list prices on our site, because the right price depends on your car. We quote from your year, make, and model, so you know your price before you ever drop off.

1. The prep, which is most of the work

A coating locks in whatever is under it. If the paint has swirls, they get sealed in. If it has embedded grime, the coating bonds to that instead of clean paint. That’s why the prep is where most of the hours go.

• Every package we do starts with a full exterior wash and decontamination, to pull out the iron and grime that washing alone leaves behind.
• Shine & Protect includes a light polish to remove surface swirls.
• Showroom Shine includes paint correction for deeper swirls and scratches before the coating goes on.

A quote that’s much lower than the others often means much less prep.

2. The coating itself

Coatings aren’t all the same product. Our Shine & Protect package uses CARPRO CQuartz Pro, rated 5 to 7 years. Showroom Shine uses CARPRO Finest Reserve, CARPRO’s top coating, rated 7 to 10 years, and only certified shops can install it. We’re a CARPRO Finest Reserve certified shop.

When comparing quotes, ask exactly which product is going on the car and how long it’s rated.

3. What gets coated

Paint is just the start. Coating the rest of the car takes more time and more product:

• Shine & Protect: the paint and exterior trim, plus the face of the wheels, the windshield, and the headlights and taillights.
• Showroom Shine: the paint, all the glass, the lights, and the trim, with the wheels removed so the faces and barrels get coated too.

Coated wheel barrels mean brake dust rinses off instead of baking on. Coated glass means rain and lovebugs rinse off easier.

4. The size and shape of the vehicle

A full-size truck or a three-row SUV simply has more surface to prep and coat than a compact sedan. Complex shapes, large wheels, and lots of trim add time too.

5. Time in the shop

Depending on the package, a coating takes 1 to 5 days. It goes on in our climate-controlled shop, where the paint stays clean while the coating cures, and your car is under 24/7 video surveillance while it’s with us. We cover a one-way Uber or Lyft so you’re not stuck waiting.

Why some coatings are so cheap

When a coating quote is far below the rest, it’s usually one of these:

• A spray sealant sold as a “ceramic coating.” Those can add gloss, but they’re rated in months, not years.
• Little or no prep, so the coating goes over swirls and grime.
• Paint only, with the glass, trim, and wheels left out.
• No clear rating, so there’s nothing to hold the shop to.

What’s included with ours

• A walk-around of the car with you at drop-off
• Full wash and decontamination before anything else
• The coating package you chose, rated in years
• Care instructions at pickup, and a call a few days later to make sure you love it

Want to know what your car would cost? Send us the year, make, and model, and we’ll send a quote. If you’re still deciding whether a coating is right for you, read how long does ceramic coating last in Florida.