What a coating does up here
A ceramic coating is a clear liquid that cures into a hard, slick layer on top of your clear coat. It lasts much longer than wax, and it makes the surface harder for dirt to grab onto.
In South Lake Tahoe, the biggest benefit shows up in winter. Road film, sand and de-icer that stick to the lower doors and wheels tend to rinse off more easily from coated paint. It won’t stop the grime from landing on the car, and you still need to wash it. But each wash is quicker and takes less scrubbing.
Coated paint also stays glossy longer, which matters when the sun is this strong. It can help with light spotting from snowmelt dripping off trees and roofs, too.
Mountain sun and pine trees
UV light gets stronger as you go higher, since there is less air to filter it. You can see the daily UV forecast on the EPA’s UV index page. Over the years, that sun fades paint and dries out trim on cars that live outside.
Black trim and dark paint show the fading first.
Then there are the pines. Sap drips onto cars parked under them, and pollen coats everything in late spring. On coated paint, fresh sap and pollen are easier to remove before they harden. Dust from dry summer roads also slides off more easily when you rinse.
