2-3 Year vs. 5-Year Ceramic Coating: Which One Fits You?

If you'll keep your car 4 years or more, the 5-year coating is usually the better buy. If you plan to sell or trade it in the next 2 to 3 years, or you want a lower upfront cost, the 2–3 year coating makes more sense.

Our two coatings are $500 apart on every vehicle size. Here's exactly what that $500 changes, what stays the same, and how to pick.

The two coatings side by side

Prices are starting prices, plus tax. We confirm your exact price on a quick call, based on your car's size and condition.

What's the same

The prep is the same on both. We decontaminate the paint, clay it, and machine-polish it with a 1-step correction before any coating goes on. That matters because a coating locks in whatever is underneath it. Swirls left in the paint stay there, under a glossy layer.

The daily benefit is the same type of thing too. Water beads off, dirt rinses off more easily, and washing takes less work. That's useful around here, where cars spend months on wet roads and a lot of them park under firs and cedars.

Both coatings take most of a day, and we do the work at your home or office. Our van carries its own water tank and generator, so you don't need to provide a hose or an outlet.

What the extra $500 buys

Three more years of warranty. The 2–3 Year Coating carries a 2-year written warranty. The 5-Year Coating carries a 5-year written warranty. Note that the name and the warranty aren't the same number on the shorter coating. It's a 2 to 3 year coating with 2 years in writing.

A different coating. The 2–3 Year uses Gyeon Q² Mohs EVO. The 5-Year uses Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light.

Restored trim. The 5-Year package includes restoring the trim. If your car has faded black plastic around the bumpers, mirrors or wheel arches, you'd notice this one the day we finish.

The math over time

Divide the sedan and mid-size SUV starting price by the years, and the longer coating costs less per year. This is before tax, and it doesn't count the Coating Care Plan, which both coatings require.

Here's the same idea another way. Two rounds of the 2–3 Year Coating would run $1,778 for a sedan or mid-size SUV at today's prices, which is $389 more than one 5-Year Coating. On a 3-row SUV or truck, it's $2,178 against $1,589, a difference of $589.

The 5-year only comes out ahead if you actually keep the car that long. If you sell it in 2 years, you've paid $500 for protection the next owner gets.

Pick the 2–3 year if

• You expect to sell or trade in the car within about 3 years.
• Your paint is in good shape and you don't need any trim work.
• You want to see what living with a coating is like before spending more.
• $889 fits your budget and $1,389 doesn't. A 2–3 year coating you get done beats a 5-year you keep putting off.

Pick the 5-year if

• You plan to keep the car 4 years or more.
• It's a new or newer car and you want it protected for most of the time you own it.
• The black trim is faded and you want that handled in the same job.
• You'd rather do this once than book a second coating in a few years.

When neither one fits

If you're selling or turning in the car soon, a multi-year coating probably won't pay off. Our Premium Wash & Seal ($215 for a sedan or mid-size SUV, $265 for a 3-row SUV or truck, plus tax) adds a 3 to 6 month coating. If the paint feels rough, the Recovery Wash & Seal ($279 / $345 plus tax) adds tar and iron removal and a clay bar first. For more on whether a coating makes sense at all, read is ceramic coating worth it in the Seattle rain.

How long a coating lasts depends on you

A coating's real life depends on how the car is treated, and that goes for both options. Gentle hand washes with a clean mitt help it last. Harsh soaps and automatic brush washes wear any coating down faster. Getting bird droppings and sap off soon also helps, since neither one should sit on the paint.

A coating won't stop rock chips, door dings or deep scratches, whichever one you choose. Both of ours require a Coating Care Plan to keep the warranty valid, so ask about it on the call and factor it into your decision.

Booking a coating

We're based in Renton and come to homes and offices within 20 miles, including Kent, Bellevue, Newcastle, Issaquah, Sammamish, Maple Valley and Covington. Past 20 miles, it's $1.25 per extra mile. Every detailer is a trained W-2 employee, and a 10% deposit holds your day.

Not sure which one fits your car? Send the quote form or call (425) 442-6132, and we'll give you an exact price on both.