Ceramic Coating
Gold Coast
At Dux Car Care, we specialise in ceramic coating for both new and used cars. Whether you’ve just picked up your brand new car or want to give your current car some TLC, we’ve got you covered.
Ceramic Coating Packages & Prices
All our ceramic coating packages use ArtDeShine NGC+ and require a minimum of 2 days at our workshop.
Every package includes a full exterior detail, paint inspection and thickness readings, decontamination wash including clay bar and iron fallout removal, masking of plastics and rubbers, and a single stage machine polish. For cars that need a little more attention, additional paint correction starts from $300.
Paint Only
$1,300 / $1,400 / $1,500
Small · Sedan / SUV · Large (7 seater)
Includes ceramic coating on the paintwork, headlights, taillights, exterior plastic trims and number plates.
Perfect for anyone wanting to protect their paintwork, bring out that extra gloss and make washing their car a whole lot easier.
Full Exterior
$1,650 / $1,750 / $1,850
Small · Sedan / SUV · Large (7 seater)
Includes everything in our Paint Only package, plus all exterior glass and wheel faces.
For anyone wanting the full treatment. Not only is your paintwork protected, but your windows and wheels are also coated, making them much easier to clean and maintain.
New Car
$1,450 / $1,550 / $1,650
Small · Sedan / SUV · Large (7 seater)
Includes ceramic coating on the paintwork, exterior glass and wheel faces, with preparation suited to newer vehicles.
Just picked up a brand new car? This one’s for you. Get your paintwork protected from day one before the Queensland sun, road grime and everyday driving start taking their toll. More on new cars
Prices are for small / sedan & SUV / large (7 seater) vehicles. Final price depends on your car’s size and paint condition. Comparing quotes? Read how much ceramic coating costs on the Gold Coast.
Which Package Is Right for My Car?
Done Indoors, Not in a Driveway
There’s a reason why we do all our ceramic coating services inside our workshop.
From dust particles contaminating towels and causing marring on sensitive paintwork, to direct sunlight heating up panels and increasing the risk of polishing damage, there’s a lot that can go wrong when working outdoors. And that’s before you even have to worry about the weather suddenly turning on you.
Working indoors gives us much better control over the whole process, from preparing the paintwork right through to applying the coating and allowing it to cure.
We also use two different lighting systems throughout the process. Our dedicated paint inspection lights help us spot swirl marks, scratches and other defects that you might not notice under normal lighting. We then use diffused lighting during the coating application to help identify any excess product or high spots before they cure.
And because we’re not working against the weather or daylight, we can take our time and make sure everything is done properly.
Protecting Your Car on the Gold Coast
If you live on the Gold Coast, you’ll know just how harsh the Queensland sun can be, especially when your car spends most of its time parked outside.
From faded roofs and spoilers to those chalky white utes you see driving around, you know exactly what we’re talking about.
And let’s not get started on bird droppings, bug splatter, tree sap and salt in the air if you’re living closer to the beach.
Ceramic coating helps protect your paintwork against these everyday contaminants and makes them much easier to wash off before they have a chance to cause damage.
Just Bought a New Car?
New Car package from $1,450 ($1,450 / $1,550 / $1,650 small to large). ArtDeShine NGC+ on the paintwork, plus all exterior glass and wheel faces, with a minimum of 2 days at our workshop. See what’s included
Brand New Doesn’t Always Mean Perfect
You’d be surprised how many brand new cars come through our workshop with swirl marks, light scratches and other paint defects.
Just because a car has zero kilometres on the clock doesn’t mean the paintwork is perfect.
Between transportation, storage and dealership washing, there’s plenty of opportunity for the paintwork to pick up imperfections before you’ve even collected the keys.
That’s why we still inspect and machine polish every new car before applying our ceramic coating. We want the paintwork looking its best before we protect it.
What About Dealership Ceramic Coating?
You’ve probably been offered some sort of paint protection package at the dealership, sometimes costing anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000.
The difference with us is that detailing and paint protection are what we do every day.
We’re the ones inspecting your paintwork, polishing it and applying the coating. No middleman, no guessing who’s actually working on your car and no cutting corners. We’re not here to pump out as many cars as possible.
And if you’ve ever got questions about looking after your coating, you can come straight back to us.
Dealership coating vs an independent installer: what’s the difference?
What Ceramic Coating Does and Doesn’t Do
What It Doesn’t Do
We’re going to start with what ceramic coatings don’t do. Why? Because we see far too many people being promised all sorts of things about ceramic coatings that simply aren’t true.
One thing we always explain to customers is that ceramic coating isn’t some magical invisible shield.
It won’t stop stone chips, deep scratches or someone scraping their trolley against your car in a shopping centre car park.
And no, it doesn’t mean you’ll never have to wash your car again.
What it does do is make maintaining your car much easier while providing additional protection for your paintwork.
What It Actually Does
Ceramic coating adds a protective layer to your car’s paintwork that helps protect against UV exposure, road grime and environmental contaminants. Unlike traditional wax, which provides temporary protection, a ceramic coating bonds to the paintwork for longer lasting protection. (More on that in ceramic coating vs wax.)
It also enhances the gloss of your paintwork and gives it those water repellent properties that make washing your car so much easier.
Things like bird droppings, bug splatter and tree sap are generally easier to remove from a coated surface, which is especially handy when your car spends a lot of time outdoors.
How We Apply Ceramic Coating
Inspection & Paint Readings
Before we touch anything, we inspect the paintwork under our detailing lights to see exactly what we’re working with.
We look for swirl marks, scratches and other defects, and take paint thickness readings before carrying out any machine polishing. We also take note of any existing damage.
Decontamination Wash
Next up is a thorough exterior wash followed by chemical and mechanical decontamination.
We use iron fallout removers and clay bars to remove embedded contaminants that a regular car wash simply won’t get rid of. You’d be surprised how much contamination can be sitting on paintwork that looks clean.
Machine Polish
Every ceramic coating package includes a single stage machine polish. This helps remove light imperfections, improve gloss and properly prepare the paintwork before applying the coating.
Every car’s paintwork is different, so we adjust our pads and compounds to suit, and take paint thickness into account to determine how much correction we can safely carry out. Heavier swirls or scratches may need additional paint correction.
Coating, Curing & Handover
Once we’re happy with the paintwork, we carry out the final preparation before applying ArtDeShine NGC+ ceramic coating.
Your car stays at our workshop during the initial curing period, which is why we require a minimum of 2 days. When it’s ready, we’ll walk you through the finished result and explain how to properly wash and maintain your coating.
Certified ArtDeShine Installers
We’re certified installers of ArtDeShine and use their NGC+ ceramic coating across all our packages.
We’ve tested and used other reputable ceramic coating brands over the years, but we continue to use ArtDeShine because of its protection, performance and gloss.
NGC+ is rated by ArtDeShine for 400 pH neutral washes and comes with a 7 year warranty, subject to their warranty conditions and proper maintenance.
Our Recent Ceramic Coating Work
“Took my BMW M4 to get a paint correction and ceramic coating, Ray, Sena and the team did an amazing job at restoring my black paint. They removed all the swirling and scratches caused by improper care by the car’s previous owner. They finished the job within the quoted time frame with exceptional service.”
Marcus Andrada · Paint correction & ceramic coating · BMW M4
“The absolute very best car detailers in SE QLD! They are genuinely the best car detailers I’ve come across. The quality of their work, attention to detail and care they take with every vehicle is outstanding.”
Nick Harvey · Car detailing
“Massive thanks to Owen, Sena and Ray for the incredible work they did on my car. They were completely professional and transparent from the start… The final result was immaculate. They also corrected some poor paintwork that was left behind by the car dealer which I didn’t think was possible.”
Jordan · Paint correction
How to Look After Your Ceramic Coating
When Can I Wash My Car?
We have a simple rule: no washing for 7 days after your ceramic coating has been applied.
This gives the coating enough time to properly cure before introducing cleaning chemicals or physically touching the paintwork.
And yes, if it rains during those 7 days, that’s completely fine. You don’t need to panic every time you see a rain cloud!
We’ll run you through the aftercare instructions when you collect your car.
What Should I Wash My Car With?
You don’t need to go out and buy a whole shelf of expensive detailing products.
We recommend a good quality pH neutral shampoo such as Bowden’s Own Nanolicious Wash, which you can pick up from Supercheap Auto, along with a clean microfibre wash mitt and drying towel.
The biggest thing is how you wash your car. Even the best ceramic coating won’t stop swirl marks if you’re dragging dirt across the paintwork with a dirty sponge.
Can I Take My Car Through an Automatic Car Wash?
Avoid automatic car washes, especially the ones with those big rotating brushes.
Think about how many dirty cars those brushes have been through before yours. All that trapped dirt and debris can end up scratching your paintwork, ceramic coated or not.
A proper hand wash is always the way to go.
Can I Take My Car Through a Touchless Car Wash?
Also a big no from us.
There’s a reason they’re called touchless. Instead of using brushes to physically remove dirt, they often rely on much stronger cleaning chemicals to do the work.
These chemicals can be harsh on ceramic coatings and may affect their performance over time. We’ve also seen cars come through our workshop with stained plastics and paintwork after using these types of washes.
Just because nothing physically touches your car doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for your paintwork.
Ceramic Coating Guides
Also from our workshop: car detailing packages · about Dux Car Care
Common Questions About Ceramic Coating
How Long Does Ceramic Coating Last?
It really comes down to how you look after your car.
Think of it this way. A showroom car that’s garaged its entire life and only driven once a month could have a coating rated for one year that continues performing well for several years. On the other hand, a ute that’s constantly going off-roading and barely gets washed could have a coating rated for seven years that starts losing its performance within the first year.
More in our guide: how long does ceramic coating last?
How Much Are Your Ceramic Coating Packages?
Our ceramic coating packages start from $1,300 for Paint Only, $1,450 for New Car and $1,650 for Full Exterior.
The final price depends on the size and condition of your car, as well as whether any additional paint correction is needed. Comparing quotes? Read how much ceramic coating costs on the Gold Coast.
Is Ceramic Coating Worth It?
If you care about keeping your car looking good and want to make washing it easier, then absolutely.
Ceramic coating helps protect your paintwork from everyday contaminants, brings out extra gloss and makes maintaining your car a whole lot easier.
What’s the Difference Between Ceramic Coating and Wax?
Wax is a temporary layer of protection that generally needs to be reapplied regularly.
Ceramic coating forms a more durable protective layer that lasts much longer and offers better resistance to environmental contaminants. Ceramic coating vs wax, explained.
Does Ceramic Coating Stop Scratches or Stone Chips?
No, ceramic coating isn’t scratch proof and won’t stop stone chips.
It can provide some resistance to very light surface marring, but if you’re looking for protection against stone chips, that’s where paint protection film comes in.
Do I Need Paint Correction Before Ceramic Coating?
Yes, we carry out a machine polish before applying ceramic coating to properly prepare the paintwork. Even brand new cars can have light swirl marks or other imperfections.
If your paintwork has deeper scratches or heavier defects, we may recommend additional paint correction before applying the coating.
Is Ceramic Coating Worth It on an Older Car?
Absolutely. Ceramic coating isn’t just for brand new cars.
We’ve worked on plenty of older vehicles that have benefited from paint correction followed by ceramic coating. As long as the paintwork is in suitable condition, there’s no reason why an older car can’t be protected too.
How Long Does Ceramic Coating Take?
We require a minimum of 2 days for all our ceramic coating packages.
This gives us enough time to properly wash, decontaminate, polish and coat your car, while also allowing time for the coating’s initial curing period. Cars requiring more extensive paint correction may take longer.
Can Ceramic Coating Be Removed?
Yes, but it’s not something you can just wash off like wax.
Ceramic coating generally needs to be removed through machine polishing, depending on the coating and its condition.
What’s the Difference Between Graphene and Ceramic Coating?
Traditional ceramic coatings generally use silicon dioxide technology, while graphene coatings incorporate graphene related materials into their formulation.
ArtDeShine NGC+ is a graphene based coating designed to provide gloss, chemical resistance and easier maintenance. Regardless of what type of coating you choose, proper preparation and application are just as important as the product itself.
Get Your Free Quote
Tell us about your vehicle and we’ll get back to you shortly.