What a coating won’t do
A coating is thin. It won’t stop rock chips from freeway driving on I-5 or I-80, and a deep scratch will still go through it. It also doesn’t mean you can ignore a dropping for a month in July. Bird droppings are acidic, and if they sit long enough in the heat they can still mark coated paint. It buys you time, not a free pass.
It also locks in whatever is under it. That’s why we correct the paint first. Swirls left under a coating stay there for years.
Plan on most of a day for the full job, and longer if the paint needs a lot of polishing. We give you a time estimate with your quote.
P&S coatings: 1, 3 or 5 years
We use P&S Detail Products coatings, and we’re P&S certified to install them. Pick the length of protection that fits how long you’ll keep the car:
Every option gets the same careful prep. The difference is how long the coating is built to last with proper care.
Longer coatings take a bit more time to apply.
- 1-year coating, from $499: a good fit for a lease or a car you may sell soon.
- 3-year coating, from $800: a solid choice for a daily commuter.
- 5-year coating, from $1,250: for a car you plan to keep and want to look its best.
Is a coating right for your car?
A coating makes the most sense if you’ll keep the car for a while and it lives outside. That describes a lot of cars in Midtown, East Sacramento and Land Park, where parking at the curb under big trees is normal.
Commuters gain too. Bugs from summer evening drives on I-5 come off a coated bumper much more easily, and road film doesn’t cling the same way.
If you’re selling in a few months, a coating may not pay off. A Reshine Detail, which polishes and waxes the paint, gives you a strong shine for less. On a lease, the 1-year coating can make it easier to turn the car in looking clean.
Where we coat your car
A coating needs to cure out of the sun, wind and falling leaves. A closed garage is ideal. Under a street tree is the worst place, since anything that drops onto wet coating gets sealed in.
Many Sacramento owners live in apartments or condos without a private garage. If that’s you, our detail shop is the easy answer. You get the same P&S products and the same process either way. Prices start with a sedan in good shape. Larger vehicles and paint that needs more polishing cost more, and we confirm the price before we start.
After the coating, gentle washing keeps it working. Our maintenance plans use coating-safe methods so you don’t have to think about it.
