paint protection

Ceramic Coating in Los Angeles

Multi-year paint protection, applied at your driveway. Deeper gloss, easier washes, real UV and contamination defense — choose a 5-year or 7-year coating, mobile across the LA Westside.

Starting at

$750

Duration

4–6 hrs

Protection

5 or 7 year

Book This Service

A ceramic coating is a liquid polymer that chemically bonds to your car's clear coat and cures into a hard, glossy, water-repelling layer that lasts years — not the few weeks you get from wax. Done right, it means deeper gloss, faster washes, and real protection from UV, road film, and chemical staining. Done wrong — coated over swirl marks or skipped-prep paint — it locks in every flaw for the life of the coating. That's why every DG ceramic job starts with a full decontamination wash and a machine polish before a drop of coating goes on. We offer two coatings — a 5-year and a longer-life 7-year — and we're fully mobile, so all of this happens in your driveway across the LA Westside.

What's Included

  • Thorough hand wash & decontamination — pH-neutral wash, iron and tar removal, and a clay bar to pull embedded contaminants a normal wash leaves behind.
  • Machine polish (paint correction) — a single-stage polish to remove light swirls, oxidation, and haze so the coating bonds to corrected paint, not damaged paint.
  • Surface prep & panel wipe — polishing oils and residue stripped so the coating bonds cleanly to bare clear coat.
  • Professional ceramic coating application — applied panel by panel and leveled by hand for an even, streak-free bond.
  • Cure & aftercare guidance — initial cure on-site, plus a plain-English wash routine so the coating actually lasts.

Our Ceramic Coating Process

1

Decontaminate. We wash, remove iron and tar, and clay-bar the paint so the surface is truly clean before anything else — bonding to a dirty surface is why cheap coatings fail early.

2

Correct. We machine-polish out the light swirls and oxidation that a clear coating would otherwise magnify. This is the step most spray-on "coatings" skip.

3

Coat. We apply your chosen ceramic coating — 5-year or 7-year — by hand, panel by panel, for an even, hydrophobic, multi-year layer.

4

Cure & protect. The coating sets on-site, and we hand you a simple wash routine so it performs for years instead of months.

Choose Your Protection — 5-Year vs 7-Year

Both coatings start with the same correction-first prep. The difference is how long the protection lasts — pick based on how long you're keeping the car.

The standard choice

5-Year Ceramic Coating

  • Protection: ~5 years with proper care
  • Application time: 4 hours
  • Full decontamination wash, clay bar, single-stage machine polish, professional ceramic application

Best for: most drivers who want years of real gloss and protection without the top-tier spend, or who plan to keep the car a few years

Maximum protection

7-Year Ceramic Coating

  • Protection: ~7 years with proper care
  • Application time: 6 hours (additional coating layers and cure time)
  • Everything in the 5-year coating, with a longer-life coating system built to hold up longer against LA sun and road exposure

Best for: drivers keeping the vehicle long-term, or anyone who wants the longest-lasting protection available

Pricing by Vehicle

Vehicle5-Year (4 hr)7-Year (6 hr)
Coupe
$750Book
$895Book
Sedan
$875Book
$1,120Book
Midsized SUV
$1,075Book
$1,420Book
Truck / Large SUV
$1,265Book
$1,710Book

Pricing steps up by vehicle size — larger vehicles have more surface area to correct and coat. The 7-year coating adds longer-lasting protection and extra application time. Pick your vehicle and coating when you book, or call and we'll confirm the exact price for your car.

Why Choose DG for Ceramic Coating

1

Correction-first prep. We machine-polish before we coat, so you're not sealing swirl marks under a multi-year layer — the mistake that ruins most budget coating jobs.

2

Mobile and honest. We come to you across the Westside and tell you what your paint actually needs, not the biggest number on a product label.

3

Built for LA conditions. Coastal sun, marine layer, and street parking are hard on paint. A coating is genuine UV and contamination defense between details.

What Ceramic Coating Won't Do

  • It won't stop rock chips or deep scratches. For impact protection from road debris, paint protection film (PPF) is the right tool.
  • It won't hide swirls already in your paint — it's clear, so we correct the paint first or those flaws get sealed in.
  • It won't make washing optional. It makes washing easier and less frequent, not unnecessary.
  • It won't prevent every water spot. Minerals left when water evaporates can still spot, and acidic bird droppings need to be rinsed off promptly.

Service Areas We Cover

Los AngelesMarina Del ReySanta MonicaCulver CityVenice BeachPlaya VistaBrentwood

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does ceramic coating last?
A professional ceramic coating typically lasts 2 to 5 years, versus a few weeks for wax or about six months for a sealant. Real-world lifespan depends on the coating chemistry, how well the paint was prepped, and how the car is washed afterward. A garage-kept car that's hand-washed correctly holds its coating far longer than one left outside and run through brush washes.
Does ceramic coating make my paint scratch-proof?
No — and any installer who says otherwise is overselling it. A coating adds hardness that resists fine swirl marks from washing, but it won't stop rock chips, key scratches, or deep gouges. For impact protection against road debris, paint protection film (PPF) is the right tool. Think of ceramic as a durable chemical shield for gloss, UV, and contamination — not body armor.
Will the coating hide the swirls and scratches already in my paint?
No. A coating is clear and locks in whatever is underneath it. That's exactly why we machine-polish the paint before application — any swirl marks, oxidation, or haze get corrected first, or they'd be sealed in for years. This matters most on black and dark-colored cars, where imperfections show hardest in direct sunlight.
Do I still have to wash my car after it's coated?
Yes, just less often and with far less effort. The hydrophobic surface makes dirt and water slide off, so most contamination rinses away. Plan on a gentle hand wash every two to three weeks with a pH-neutral soap and a clean microfiber mitt. Skip automatic brush tunnels — they inflict the exact swirl marks the coating is meant to help you avoid.
What's the difference between ceramic coating, sealant, and wax?
Wax sits on top of the paint and lasts a few weeks to a couple of months. A synthetic sealant lasts around six months. A ceramic coating chemically bonds to the clear coat and lasts years, with stronger UV, chemical, and water resistance. It's a bigger upfront investment that pays off in durability and lower maintenance if you're keeping the car a while.
Why does the price depend on my vehicle's size?
More surface area means more prep time, more polishing, and more coating product. A coupe has noticeably less paint to correct and coat than a sedan, a midsized SUV more still, and a truck the most — so the price steps up by vehicle class rather than being one flat rate. You'll see the exact price for your vehicle type in the pricing section above before you book.
What's the difference between the 5-year and 7-year coating?
Both start with the same correction-first prep — decontamination wash, clay bar, and machine polish. The 7-year is a longer-life coating system with additional application time (about 6 hours versus 4), built to hold its protection and gloss longer against LA sun and road exposure. The 5-year is the standard choice most drivers pick; the 7-year makes the most sense if you're keeping the vehicle long-term and want the longest-lasting protection.
Can you apply ceramic coating over my existing wax or sealant?
No. A coating has to bond directly to bare clear coat, so any wax or sealant has to be stripped off first. Our wash and decontamination stage handles that, which is one reason a proper coating job is more involved than a spray-on product. Skipping that step is a big reason cheap coatings fail early.
How soon can I wash it after the coating is applied?
Give it about seven days before the first wash so the coating fully cures and hardens. During that window, keep the car out of rain where you can and avoid parking under trees. After the cure period, normal gentle hand washing is fine and actually helps the coating perform.
Is ceramic coating actually worth it?
It depends on how long you keep your car. If you trade vehicles every year and park in a garage, the payoff is smaller. If you're keeping the car and want it to hold its gloss, stay cleaner between washes, and resist UV and oxidation, it's one of the better protection investments — especially for daily drivers that rack up sun, road film, and parking-lot exposure.
Do you come to me, or do I drop the car off?
We're fully mobile — we bring everything to your driveway or workplace across the LA Westside. Ceramic coating does need a cure window and is best applied on a clean, dry surface out of direct blazing sun, so we'll talk through the ideal spot when you book. Covered driveways and shaded areas work well.
Does ceramic coating protect against water spots and bird droppings?
It helps, but it's not immune. The slick surface makes water bead and roll off, but minerals left behind when water evaporates can still spot, and acidic bird droppings or bug guts can etch the coating if left to bake on. The fix is simple — rinse those off promptly rather than letting them sit.
Should I get paint correction before the coating?
For most vehicles, yes — at least a single-stage polish, which is built into our process. Correction removes the light scratches and swirls a clear coating would otherwise magnify. Heavily neglected or badly swirled paint may need more involved multi-stage correction; we'll assess your paint honestly and tell you what it actually needs before coating day.

Related Services

Getting the car coated is a great time to knock out a full detail first — start with a Gold detail, then protect it.

Gold Sedan Detail

Gold Coupe Detail

Gold SUV / Truck Detail

All Services →

Ready to Book Your Ceramic Coating?

Fill out the form below and we'll confirm your appointment within hours.

Ready for the Cleanest — and Best-Protected — Your Car Has Ever Been?

Book in under 60 seconds. We'll be at your driveway with everything we need.

Get a Free Quote(310) 855-4277