A ceramic coating is a liquid that gets applied by hand, bonds to your paint or paint protection film, and cures into a hard, slick layer. Water beads up, dirt has a harder time sticking, and the paint looks deeper.
It’s for people who want a car that stays cleaner and washes faster, whether it’s new or just had its paint corrected. The XPEL ceramic coating we use is FUSION PLUS, and we’re an XPEL Certified Installer.
One thing up front: a coating is not armor. XPEL says plainly that it can’t stop rock damage. For that you want paint protection film, and the two work well together.
Wax, coating or film?
People mix these up. They do different jobs.
| Wax or sealant | Ceramic coating | Paint protection film | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Sits on top of the surface | Liquid that bonds and cures | Urethane film fitted to the panels |
| How long | Washes away in a few months | Years. XPEL warranties run 1 to 8 years, by grade | See our PPF page |
| Rock chips | No | No | This is what it’s for |
| Light scratches | No | Some resistance | XPEL film is self-healing |
| Water and dirt | Beads at first | Strong beading, easier washing | Add a coating on top for this |
The FUSION PLUS grades
XPEL makes FUSION PLUS in several grades. Warranty length depends on which one goes on the car. These are XPEL’s terms.
| Grade | What it’s for | XPEL warranty |
|---|---|---|
| PREMIUM | XPEL’s flagship. Thicker, with a 9H hardness rating | 8 years, with an annual inspection and LITE top-off |
| CLASSIC | XPEL’s most popular coating | 4 years |
| SATIN | Satin or matte paint, and XPEL STEALTH film | 4 years |
| LITE | Entry level. Also the annual top-off for PREMIUM | 1 year |
Which grade is right?
It depends on the car, how you use it, and whether you’ll keep up with the care. We’ll go over it and tell you which grade and warranty you’re getting before we start.
Beyond the paint
The FUSION PLUS line also covers the other surfaces on a car.
Prep is most of the job
A coating locks in whatever is under it. Coat over swirl marks and you keep the swirl marks, now with more gloss on top. So the paint gets looked at first, and paint correction comes before the coating when it’s needed.
Talk it through
Tell us about the car and how you use it. We settle on the grade and the surfaces.
Clean and decontaminate
The car gets washed and the contamination comes off, so the coating bonds to clean paint.
Correct the paint
Swirls and wash marks are polished out as needed. How much depends on the car.
Apply the coating
It goes on by hand, as a liquid, panel by panel. Wheels, glass and trim get done if you’ve chosen them.
Let it cure
Coatings need time. XPEL’s data sheet for PREMIUM lists 6 hours before it gets wet and 3 days to cure.
Hand it back
We go over how to wash the car and what to stay away from.
In the shop
Real photos from our shop.
Living with a coated car
- Keep washing it. A coating makes washing easier. It doesn’t replace it.
- Stay away from harsh chemicals and excessive rubbing.
- Skip the carnauba wax and glaze once it has cured. XPEL says to stop using them.
- On PREMIUM, keep the annual inspection and LITE top-off, since the warranty depends on them.
What a coating won’t do
It won’t stop rock chips, and it won’t make the car scratch-proof. If you want impact protection, put film on the high-hit areas and coat over it.
Why have us do it
- We’re an XPEL Certified Installer.
- Paint correction, PPF, coating and window tint all happen here, so the car doesn’t have to move between shops.
- Pickup and delivery is available. It’s free locally, out to about Greenwich, CT. Farther out it may cost extra.
We’re a certified collision repair shop for Rivian, Jaguar Land Rover, Genesis, Infiniti, Nissan, Kia and Stellantis, and an XPEL Certified Installer. Those credentials cover collision repair and film. See our Jaguar Land Rover and Rivian pages.
Tell us about your car
Let us know the car, how you use it, and whether it has PPF or needs paint work first.
Request an Estimate
Tell us about the car and what you'd like done. We call back the same day. On a busy day, by the next morning at the latest.
Common questions
It depends on the grade and the care. XPEL’s FUSION PLUS warranties run from 1 year on LITE to 8 years on PREMIUM, and PREMIUM needs an annual inspection and LITE top-off.
No. XPEL says it can’t stop rock damage. Paint protection film is what you want for that.
Yes. FUSION PLUS bonds to paint and to XPEL film, and XPEL says it won’t void its PPF warranty.
Usually some. A coating locks in what’s under it, so swirl marks stay. We’ll look at the paint and tell you what it needs.
It’s a good time to do it, before years of washing mark the paint. New cars can still have light wash marks from the dealer, so we check first.
We’ll tell you at pickup. XPEL’s data sheet for PREMIUM lists 6 hours before it gets wet and 3 days to cure.
No need. XPEL says to stop using carnauba wax and glaze once the coating has cured.
Yes, with the right product. FUSION PLUS SATIN is made for satin paint and XPEL STEALTH film.
It depends on the car, the paint and the grade. Call us with the year, make and model.
Where we work
Our shop is in New Rochelle. Customers come to us from:
Enthusiast Auto Works
55B Plain Ave, New Rochelle, NY 10801
Open Monday to Friday
(914) 630-1668 · Contact us