Carbon Ceramic Vs. IR Tint – What is the best type of tint?

Posted on September 17, 2021 | by admin

Welcome to the world of window tint. There are so many types of window tint that have different features, you might be having difficulty deciding which type to get.

A common misconception about window tint is that it only serves one purpose, aesthetics. Window tint is so much more than that, in fact, window tint protects you from harmful UV rays, keeps your car cooler, provides privacy and even prevents your interior from fading.

There are 5 types of window tint; dyed tint, metalized tint, hybrid tint, carbon tint and ceramic tint. In this post we’re going to focus on Ceramic Pro Kavaca films, ceramic IR and carbon tint so you could make the best decision when shopping with us for tint.

The earliest type of film is a dyed film, which blocks small amounts of UV rays. Dyed film is mostly an enhanced privacy glass. A dyed window tint has a layer of dye between the adhesive layer and a protective top which sticks to the glass. Unfortunately, due to prolonged sun exposure, the color will fade from a dark black to purple. It’s the cheapest option of window tint but over time it fades and becomes difficult to see out of. Check out this video to see what faded dyed window tint looks like.

The next tier of window film is metalized window tint. There are small particles of metal infused into the film. This type of film will block more heat and UV rays in comparison to dyed film. Metalized film could also interfere with phone signals or radio or other wireless devices.

A hybrid window tint is a mixture between a dyed film and a metalized film.

All of these films thus far are entry level window tints, but it’s only with higher end window films where you can experience the full spectrum of benefits.

Carbon Ceramic film is the second highest tier of window tint. Our carbon film (Kavaca Carbon Color Stable window film) offers vehicle owners more bang for their window tint dollar. It’s a superior and diverse window tint, available in black or charcoal in various tint percentages. Kavaca Carbon CS is infused with non-metallic nano-carbon technology. Kavaca Carbon CS window tint blocks up to 99% of cancer-causing UVA and UVB rays, produces crystal clear visibility, and is supported by a lifetime warranty. Kavaca Carbon CS filters 70% of infrared heat.

The top tier of window tint is IR. Our Kavaca Carbon IR is the ultimate Automotive Window Film. Manufactured with state-of-the-art technology, Ceramic Pro has infused a proprietary formulation of nano-ceramic technology with an IR layer to deliver excellent Heat Rejection, Glare Control and UV protection that is metal-free, supporting signal clarity for all types of electronic devices. Kavaca IR blocks up to 99%+ of cancer-causing UVA and UVB rays and filters 96% of infrared heat.

Kavaca Ceramic IR Window Tint Film carries a lifetime guarantee.

Carbon Ceramic VS. IR Film

Without getting into the nitty gritty technicals of window film, carbon ceramic and IR have a few main differences.

Heat Rejection – Carbon film will block 70% of infrared heat while IR film will block 96% of infrared heat. Kavaca Ceramic IR contains a proprietary blend of nano-ceramic particles and IR blocking materials, which results in blocking up to 96% of the infrared heat you feel. This makes the interior of your car much more comfortable.

UVA/UVB – Both films will block up to 99% of harmful UV rays.

Warranty – Both films have a lifetime warranty against discolouration.

Price – IR films are generally 30% more expensive than carbon ceramic films.

Tint %

When shopping for tint you will hear about VLT. What is VLT? Visible light transmission refers to the amount of visible light that passes through your window. The lower the number, the more light the film will block from entering your vehicle. For example, if you install 70% window film, this means that 70% of the light will transfer through your glass. This means that the window film is blocking 30% of the sun from entering the vehicle. Common shades of tint are 5% which is the darkest, 15%,35%,55% and 70%. 70% window film is perfect for people who don’t want to change the look of their car but block out UV rays and heat.

What’s the legal limit?

In Ontario, the legal limit on the front 2 windows is 35%. However, if you decide to go darker than the limit on the front, we are not responsible for any infringements. The back windows can be as dark as you please but we think 15% is a perfect middle ground. 15% window film gives you the privacy, aesthetic, IR rejection and still allows you to see out of the vehicle. 5% window film can be difficult to see out of, especially at night.

Is IR film really worth it?

There’s a lot to consider when shopping for tint. When comparing our carbon vs IR tint, it’s no secret that our IR film is superior. Is IR film worth the extra price? If you do a lot of driving, yes it is worth the price. If you care for a comfortable ride, yes it is worth it. Ever go on a long drive in the summer and have a wicked tan line of your window? Our IR tint would stop that. Think of tint less like a customization and more like a force field protecting you from the sun.

Tint is generally perceived as a cosmetic modification for your vehicle but it’s so much more than that. Yes, tint can alter the look of your vehicle but more importantly it can make your ride much more comfortable, protect your interior from fading, block harmful UV rays and increase your privacy.

To get more info or get in touch with us, click here contact us.

How To Maintain Your Ceramic Coating[Step-By-Step Guide]

Posted on August 23, 2021 | by admin | 1 Comment

How to maintain your ceramic coating

So you’ve just had your ceramic coating applied and now you want to make sure your vehicle stays pristine for years to come. You’ve spent all this money correcting your paint and preserving the finish; it would be counterproductive to ruin that with improper care. Believe it or not, most swirls and minor scratches are a result of improper wash techniques. In this post, we’re going to cover the do’s and don’ts when it comes to caring for your ceramic coating.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ceramic Pro Vancouver (@ceramicpro_vaughan)

Do you still have to wash your car?

Yes, of course you still need to wash your car. It will however be much easier to wash. We recommend washing it once a week through a touchless wash or by hand. Using a touch wash is a sure fire way to scratch your paint even with a ceramic coating. A touch wash is extremely abrasive and aggressive. Not only are all of the bristles beating on your vehicle’s paint, but they’re also dirty. The bristles can be full of sand from a truck that was full of mud right before you. Going to a touch wash is like using a dirty broom to wash your car.

You wouldn’t want to be next in line after this guy.

A touchless wash on the other hand, will use aggressive soaps as opposed to abrasion to clean your car. Aggressive soaps will dry out un-coated plastic surfaces on your vehicle but these soaps are no match for your coating. Ceramic Pro products are chemical resistant, so aggressive soaps will not fade your plastics.

If you don’t regularly wash your vehicle, you’ll notice your coating will not perform properly. Once you properly wash it, the gloss and hydrophobic effect will be very evident.

Tools needed: (click to see our preferred tools)

2 Bucket Method

Touchless washes are a great way to maintain your vehicle but a hand wash is the best way to ensure your vehicle is spotless. The 2 bucket method is the safest way to wash your car; this method reduces the risk of scratching or swirling your car.

The process starts with the wheels. Spray your wheel cleaner to get an even coverage on the face and barrels. Take one of your buckets and fill it with fresh water and a bit of soap (we’ll refer to this as the wheel bucket). Once the wheel cleaner sits for a minute we dip a delicate sponge in our wheel bucket and agitate the brake dust on the face. Do the same with a wheel wooly to clean the barrels. If your wheels are coated, they will be extremely easy to clean. We recommend doing one wheel at a time. Spray the wheel cleaner, clean the wheel and rinse it off before you move on to the next wheel.

Next we use a foam cannon; the soap from the foam cannon will begin to break down the dirt on your vehicle’s paint. This is much more effective than just rinsing the car off with water. We put 3 caps of soap and fill the rest up with water. Click here to use our soap. Seal the lid, give it a shake and you’re ready to use it. Once your car is foamed, you can rinse it off; we’re still going to go with our mitt and wash it by hand. When washing your car, always start at the top and work your way to the bottom.

You can get the exact foam cannon we use here

Now that you’ve cleaned your wheels, foamed and rinsed your car, we can implement our 2 bucket method. We fill one bucket up with water (our rinse bucket) and the other with car soap and water (our soap bucket) Dip your clean wash mitt into the soapy water, wash a panel and dip it in the rinse bucket using the grit guard to knock off any dirt, dip your mitt back into the soap and wash the next panel. (Repeat this process for each panel) Follow best practice by dipping your mitt into the rinse water after every panel.

If you’re washing your own car by hand, avoid washing the car in direct sun as the soap will dry.

Why do we use 2 buckets?

The 2 bucket method ensures any dirt and debris the wash mitt picks up will be left in your rinse bucket, leaving your soap bucket uncontaminated. Without the 2 bucket method, you’re rubbing the dirt into the paint, which causes swirls and sometimes deeper scratches.

Drying

Your ceramic coating also makes drying a lot easier. If you’re washing your own car by hand in your driveway you can simply blow dry it with a leaf blower or air compressor. Drying your car with air enables you to remove the water without touching the surface. This will reduce the possibility of scratching or swirling your paint. If you don’t have a leaf blower or air compressor, you can use an automotive drying towel. Click here to use our preferred drying towel.

There is a chance that you can scratch your car with a drying towel but to minimize the chances of that happening, ensure you thoroughly wash the vehicle and regularly wash your drying towel. If you’re dragging dirt around with your towel, there is a good chance you will swirl the paint. Just as when we wash a car, dry it from top to bottom so water doesn’t drip down to the areas you’ve already dried.

Yearly Maintenance

At Ceramic Pro Vancouver, all of our Ceramic Pro packages include the first wash for free, as well as a yearly maintenance application for the lifetime of your warranty. We always schedule a follow up appointment 2 weeks after your coating is applied for us to wash the vehicle by hand. This is so we can ensure everything is performing as it should. Do not wash your car for a minimum of 2 weeks while the coating is curing. Your coating is cured enough that it can get wet or dirty but not enough to wash.

Each year, we recommend booking an annual maintenance appointment. Similarly to the first wash we will wash your vehicle by hand and apply a top up to your coating. Take advantage of our free annual maintenance washes to get the most out of your coating for the entire warranty period.

It is so important to maintain your ceramic coating. After-all, you’ve invested a lot of money correcting and protecting your vehicle. An unmaintained coating will not perform as well as a properly maintained coating.

Getting the most out of your coating

-Don’t wash the vehicle for a minimum of 2 weeks while the coating is curing.

-Take advantage of our free first wash

-Use touchless washes or wash by hand using the 2 bucket method

-Blow dry your vehicle if you can

-Visit us yearly for your maintenance application

If you have any questions about maintaining your ceramic coating, feel free to contact us.

Is Paint Protection Film Worth it?

Posted on August 10, 2021 | by admin

The Best Vehicle Protection – Is Paint Protection Film Worth It?

Paint protection film has become an increasingly popular option for protecting your vehicle’s paint; rightfully so, it does everything a ceramic coating can do and so much more. Paint protection film (PPF) also known as clear bra, has a high resistance to rock chips, swirls and scuffs. If you do a lot of driving, there’s a good chance you’ll accumulate stone chips, which can lead to rust down the line. Paint protection film is the perfect solution to preserve your paint while also enjoying your vehicle. All of these benefits come with a pretty hefty price tag, which begs the question, is paint protection film worth it?

This is a pretty general question so let’s break down all of the factors; area of protection, type or brand of film, price, installer and more. There are many different protection packages in regards to PPF. The cheapest option is a partial hood and fender kit which usually stops 24” up the hood; some shops will include the mirrors with this package while others will not. A partial kit offers the least amount of coverage but is the cheapest PPF package. This usually costs around $500 depending on the shop installing it and the film used. We’ll discuss this more in detail throughout this blog, or skip there now. You could always opt for a partial front end, which is a partial kit including the full front bumper, headlights and mirrors. This usually costs around $1500.

PPF Coverage

A partial kit will stop impacts in that area but who’s to say that a pesky rock can’t fly past your 24” kit. Over time your bumper will get peppered and although it won’t rust, it will look quite terrible. With a partial front end, you have most of your high impact areas protected, but not all.

Partial Front End

The next tier of PPF coverage is a full front end. This is generally the most popular protection package because it protects all high impact areas from stone chips; most of our customers get a full front end ppf package, paired with our Ceramic Pro Silver Package. Some would say this is the best way to protect your vehicle. The full front end package covers the bumper, full hood, full fenders, mirrors and headlights. Covering the full front end will protect all of your high impact areas from stone chips that will eventually lead to rust. These packages usually range around $2000-$2500 depending on the shop and film they use.

Full Front End

Very few people will wrap their full vehicle in PPF but it does ensure your entire vehicle is protected from stone chips, scuffs, swirls, bird droppings and more. You will have a sacrificial barrier protecting your paint for years to come. This could cost anywhere from $6000 for small vehicles or up to $10,000 for large vehicles. If anything were to happen to your PPF, just rip it off and replace it for a pristine finish. If you do need to remove PPF, we would not recommend doing it yourself; bring it to a professional. Be warned, PPF removal does come at a risk of peeling paint depending on manufacturer or if the vehicle has been repainted. (This means the adhesive is stronger than the clear is adhered to the paint.)

Full PPF Wrap

What Affects Price?

If you’re in the market for paint protection film you’ve probably already noticed that each quote you get varies in price. Even if you’re looking for the same package, each shop will have their own price based on the brand of film they use, their experience and warranty.

When you are shopping around, it’s important to ask questions about the warranty on the film or guarantee on the install. For example, at our shop, we have a 12 year manufacturer’s warranty on our Kavaca PPF as well as our own shop guarantee; we’ll replace one panel per year for 12 years.

The type of film and area of protection are an obvious factor in pricing but one of the most important factors is the install. A good and experienced installer will be on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. It’s easy to be turned off by a higher price but ask about their install process. Is that specific installer going to wrap all of your edges? Will there be multiple seams? These are all important things to know before making your final decision.

What’s The Best Paint Protection Film?

There are so many options when shopping for brands of paint protection film, it’s difficult to choose between brands. Here are some qualities of a good PPF.

10+ years warranty
8 mil thick or thicker
Self healing or instant healing
Pre ceramic coated

Premium films will have a warranty against yellowing lasting 10 or more years while cheaper films will have warranties less than 7 years.

Is Paint Protection Film Worth It?

If you’re buying a brand new vehicle, now is the best time to get your car wrapped with paint protection film before you get any stone chips. If it is an older vehicle that has pre-existing chips, the shop can usually touch it up; at least it won’t get any worse once it’s protected.

If you don’t care about the condition of your vehicle’s paint, paint protection film is not worth it. If stone chips don’t bother you and you aren’t worried about rust, paint protection film is not worth it. If you are leasing your vehicle with zero chance of buying it out, paint protection film is not worth it. If you’re planning to keep your vehicle for 5+ years and care about the physical condition of the paint, PPF is worth it.

Paint protection film will do everything a ceramic coating can do and more. Although it does come with a much higher price point, we can’t deny that the perks and protection it offers are valuable. Obviously depending on how much you care about your car will change your budget for protection. Most brand new cars are around $30k and personally, I think it’s worth it to spend a little bit more on wrapping the front end. Think of it like Apple care for your brand new iphone; sure it’s expensive but so is your phone! You want to take preventative measures to protect it.

If you’d like to speak with a PPF expert to learn more, please contact us.

Why Do Brand New Vehicles Need Paint Correction?

Posted on June 22, 2021 | by admin | 1 Comment

It is disappointing to see a brand new car with paint imperfections upon delivery. The sad truth is, your brand new vehicle will require some form of paint correction before ceramic coating it. Before your keys are handed to you, your vehicle goes through a long trip where swirls and scratches are accumulated. Prior to delivery, the dealership may polish the paint but due to the volume of cars being delivered at any given moment, the detailer won’t be able to spend enough time properly correcting the paint. There are many reasons why brand new vehicles need paint correction and we’re going to uncover that. Paint correction is a vital step in the process of ceramic coating your vehicle because the coating permanently bonds to your paint. If your paint is left with defects, your ceramic coating will only amplify any swirls, scratches or holograms.

My new vehicle has 2km, why does it need paint correction?

This week we had 2 identical Lotus Evora GT’s come to our facility for a Ceramic Pro Silver Package as well as full front end PPF coverage in our Kavaca Instant Self Healing Film. These cars were both purchased from the same dealership at the exact same time; infact, the vin numbers are unique by 1 digit. They weren’t driven to our shop, but they were trailered here. Why do brand new vehicles need paint correction? The dealership’s polishing job was unfinished and left holograms. The polishing job could have looked perfect in those lighting conditions or the detailer was being rushed and forced to deliver it with holograms.

Luckily this can be fixed with a single stage polish; we’ll use a finishing pad and compound to level out the consistent, uneven surface left behind by cutting the paint with an aggressive cutting pad and compound.

For an untrained eye, holograms may be difficult to spot but once you see them, you can never unsee them. Since these Lotus GT’s are getting ceramic coated, it is especially important to correct the paint. We definitely do not want to trap hologrammed paint underneath a ceramic coating. If that happens, the only way to fix it is to polish off the coating, fix the imperfections and re-coat the surface. Quite the expensive redo.

To avoid trapping swirls, scratches or holograms like this, we always make sure we correct the paint of a vehicle before coating (even if it’s brand new).

What is paint correction?

Paint correction is the process of removing defects on your vehicle’s paint and restoring it to a perfect finish (or as close to perfect). Depending on the current condition of your paint, some defects are not possible to be removed with paint correction. Here are different types of paint defects.

a chart describing types of paint defects on vehicles — Courtesy of Autopia Car Care

Swirl marks are extremely common and are easy to run up. These micro scratches are commonly caused by improper wash technique. Swirl marks cause your paint to have the spider webbing effect and makes your vehicle’s paint look extremely dull. The good news is, swirl marks can usually be corrected with a single stage paint correction.

Deeper isolated scratches are more random and can be caused by automatic car washes; the bristles are usually dirty and hit your paint fairly aggressively causing deeper scratches in your vehicle’s paint. Although these types of scratches are not through the clear coat, it will require a two stage paint correction to remove these.

Deep scratches that expose the bare metal surface can not be fixed with paint correction. The can be touched up with your OEM touch up paint but for best result, the panel will have to be repainted.

Etching can be caused by bird droppings, tree sap, bug splat or hard water that is left on the paint for an extended period of time. It is good practice to wash your vehicle on a regular basis to avoid any etching from these contaminants. Depending on how deep the contaminant has etched your paint, it is possible to be fixed with a two stage paint correction but is not guaranteed. If it can not be corrected with a 2 stage paint correction, it will have to be wet sanded.

The most common reasons why brand new vehicles need paint correction.

Buffer trails or holograms are the most common paint defects on brand new cars. This is caused by an unfinished polishing job. During a two stage paint correction, we use a cutting compound with an aggressive pad to remove a small layer of the clear coat. If you do not follow this with a finishing compound and pad, you will be left with buffer trails. It’s important to note that holograms are quite difficult to spot without the right lighting conditions. At the dealership, the car could have looked perfect, but the right lighting would reveal that it still needs to be finished. This is why we use a light to check our work or bring it outside in the sun.

Holograms on a brand new Audi S3

50/50 correction on the hood

Left side is un corrected and the right side is fully corrected.

Will my ceramic coating protect from scratches and swirls?

Once your car is ceramic coated, the paint underneath will ideally be perfect. That being said, we do get older vehicles where the paint isn’t perfect but is very close to it. Once your vehicle is ceramic coated, it is by no means scratch proof. It is more scratch resistant than your factory’s paint however. Automotive paint is 3H-4H on the pencil hardness scale where Ceramic Pro’s 9H is just that, 9H. With 9H being the highest on the pencil hardness scale, your coating will make the vehicle less susceptible to scratches but that doesn’t mean it’s scratch proof.

We always recommend following proper wash technique, following our maintenance guidelines after your coating is installed, and regularly bringing your vehicle through a touchless wash. Following these steps will minimize chances of your coating accumulating scratches and keep it lasting longer than it’s warranty.

When you pick up your brand new vehicle be sure to inspect it outside in the sun for the most common paint defects (swirls, micro scratches and holograms). Now that you’re trained on why brand new vehicles need paint correction , you’re well equipped to spot these paint defects like a pro.

If you’re certain you’ll be investing in a ceramic coating, don’t worry. Our techs will perfect your paint before we coat it to ensure a pristine surface for years to come. If you’re looking for more information on paint correction, feel free to Contact Us.