Charlotte's certified ceramic coating installers
Deep, glassy gloss and a slick, hydrophobic shell that makes pollen, red clay and road grime rinse away. Installed at our Charlotte shop with a professional-grade ceramic coating and backed by a warranty for the life of the coating.
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A ceramic coating is a liquid, silica-based (SiO₂) protectant applied by hand to your vehicle's clear coat. As it cures, it chemically bonds to the paint and hardens into a thin, transparent layer that becomes the new top surface of your car.
That layer is harder, slicker and far more chemical-resistant than wax or a spray sealant. It sharpens gloss, repels water and grime, and takes the daily abuse from UV, bird droppings and tree sap so your factory clear coat doesn't.
What it is not: a coating is not armor. It won't stop rock chips or deep scratches. For that, pair it with paint protection film on the front end.
Most of the work happens before the coating comes out. Step through what your car goes through at our shop.
We inspect the paint under shop lighting with you, measure where needed, and note swirls, scratches and chips so expectations are clear. We'll walk the car together and talk through which package fits how you drive and store it.
Foam pre-soak, two-bucket hand wash and iron remover to dissolve embedded brake dust and rail dust. Wheels, tires and wheel wells are cleaned first with dedicated brushes so grime never touches the paint.
Clay lifts bonded contaminants (overspray, sap, road film) so the surface is smooth as glass. We work clay over lubricated panels by hand, which removes what washing leaves behind and gives polishing a clean surface.
Machine polishing removes swirls and haze. A coating locks in whatever is underneath, so this step matters most. Depending on the package, that means a one-step enhancement polish or a multi-stage correction with progressively finer pads and compounds.
An IPA panel wipe strips polishing oils so the coating bonds directly to bare clear coat. Trim, emblems and seams get detailed and masked as needed so the coating goes exactly where it should.
A professional-grade ceramic coating is applied panel by panel in small sections, then leveled by hand. Each section is buffed off at the right flash time under lighting, so you never get high spots or streaks.
Infrared lamps accelerate the initial cure in our controlled bay, away from dust and moisture. The car stays inside afterward so the coating can set before it sees rain, pollen or road spray.
Every panel is checked under lighting, then you get your warranty, maintenance guide and a care walkthrough. We cover the 7–14 day no-wash window and the right soaps and towels to keep the gloss and water beading for years.
Choose a package to highlight what it includes. All prices are starting prices; your exact quote depends on vehicle size and paint condition.
3-Year and 7-Year coating only (no correction) start at $497 and $597. Add-ons (starting at): windshield coating $100, all glass $195, rim faces $200, faces + barrels $500, leather coating $195.
Three things happen between the bottle and your driveway.
Applied to perfectly clean, corrected paint, the coating flows into the clear coat's microscopic pores and forms a chemical bond, not just a layer sitting on top.
Over 24–48 hours the solvents flash off and the coating crosslinks into a hard, glass-like film. Our infrared lamps speed up that first cure in a controlled bay.
The cured surface is extremely smooth and low-energy, so water beads and sheets off, carrying dirt with it. Contaminants sit on the coating instead of etching your paint.
Paint looks wet and rich, especially dark colors.
Water beads and sheets off, taking dirt with it.
Pollen, clay and grime rinse off in minutes.
Helps slow oxidation and fading from Carolina sun.
Shrugs off bird droppings, bug guts, tree sap and road salt.
Keeps paint looking newer, which helps at resale.
Tap an option to see how it stacks up, or view everything side by side.
| Wax | Sealant | Ceramic coating | Paint protection film | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Weeks to a few months | 3–6 months | 1–10 years (by package) | 10-year warranty |
| Gloss | Warm glow, short-lived | Good shine | Deep, glassy gloss | Factory or satin finish |
| Chemical & UV protection | Minimal; melts in summer heat | Moderate | Strong: UV, chemicals, bird droppings, sap | Strong |
| Rock chip & scratch protection | None | None | Light swirl resistance only, not chips | Stops rock chips; self-heals light scratches |
| Maintenance | Re-apply every 1–3 months | Re-apply every few months | Easy washes; occasional topper | Easy washes; coat the film too |
| Cost | Low per application, high over time | Low to moderate | Higher upfront, lowest effort over time | Highest upfront, best impact protection |
Best of both: many owners put PPF on the front end and ceramic on the whole car, including over the film.
Charlotte's certified ceramic coating installers, built on prep and owner-led installs.
Simple rules protect your investment.
Keep the car dry and out of the rain where possible. Avoid parking under trees.
Let the coating fully harden. Gently remove bird droppings with a damp microfiber only.
pH-neutral shampoo, two buckets, soft microfiber. No automatic brush washes.
We come to you once a month to wash and maintain your car the right way. Every 3 visits (every 3 months) we apply a 6-month coating so your car stays in perfect shape and continually protected.
Queen City weather is tough on paint all year.
Long, humid 90°F+ days bake contaminants into paint and fade clear coat. A coating adds a UV-resistant barrier.
That yellow film every March and April is acidic once it gets wet. Coated paint rinses clean.
Carolina red clay stains lower panels and wheels. A slick coating keeps it from bonding.
Brine and salt on I-77 and I-85 cling to rockers and wheels. Coated surfaces release it with a rinse.
At Red Wagon, ceramic coating starts at $349 for a sedan (1-Year) and $449 for an SUV or truck. Packages with paint correction start at $897, and the Ultimate Protection Package starts at $2,497 for sedans and $2,997 for SUVs.
It depends on the package: 1, 3 or 7 years, and up to 10 years with the Ultimate Protection Package, with proper maintenance.
For most owners, yes. It keeps paint glossy, makes washing far easier and protects against UV, pollen, bird droppings and road brine, which helps preserve resale value.
Usually. A coating locks in the condition of the paint underneath, so we remove swirls and haze first. New cars often need only light polishing.
No. It resists light wash marring but it is not impact protection. For rock chips, add paint protection film to the front end.
They do different jobs. PPF physically stops chips and scratches; ceramic adds gloss and easy cleaning. Many owners do PPF on the front and ceramic on the whole car, including over the film.
Most coatings take 1–3 days in our shop depending on the package and how much paint correction your car needs.
The coating cures in 24–48 hours. Wait 7–14 days before the first wash.
Our certified, professional installers apply a professional-grade ceramic coating.
Yes. The warranty lasts for the life of the coating you choose, and you receive a warranty and maintenance guide when the service is finished.
Share the vehicle and what you want done. We reply with options and pricing within 5 minutes during business hours. Prefer to pick a time now? Book directly.
Pick a time online, or call and we'll recommend the right package for your car. Quote replies within 5 minutes during business hours.
