When it comes to protecting your vehicle’s paint, the automotive industry is full of big promises and even bigger secrets. If you’ve been sold on the idea that ceramic coatings offer unbeatable protection, you might want to take a closer look. Most ceramic installers won’t tell you the whole truth—because if they did, you’d start asking questions they can’t answer. At Tap and Shine, we believe you deserve transparency. Our mission is to lead the industry through transparency, trust, and education. In this post, we’re revealing three critical things that your average ceramic coating installer won’t tell you—secrets that could save you thousands and keep your vehicle truly protected.
1. Real Scratch Resistance: Fact or Fiction?
- The Hidden Truth: Most ceramic coatings marketed as “scratch-resistant” are not genuinely scratch-proof. A simple key test could easily reveal their limits—but your installer won’t want you to try it.
- What It Means for You: Icon Rocklear provides real-world protection that withstands key scratches, impacts, and more. Our demonstrations and testing speak louder than empty marketing claims.
2. Recurring Costs That Drain Your Wallet
- The Maintenance Trap: Ceramic (and graphene) coatings require annual reapplications to maintain their warranty. This means you need to bring it back to get a new layer applied every year, as ceramic coatings only last 6-12 months with daily driving. Without this upkeep (which isn’t always clearly explained upfront), your warranty can become void.
- Breaking It Down: Over a 10-year period, the cost of ceramic coatings can skyrocket past $3,000 to $5,000 when factoring in initial install costs and these annually recurring maintenance fees—all for a coating that doesn’t shield against rock chips or scratches like Icon Rocklear does.
3. The Paint Correction Upsell
- The Hidden Cost: Many shops mandate paint correction once they start work, often tacking on a significant upsell you may not have anticipated. Usually you’ll get a call a few hours after the job has started, asking if you want certain deeper scratches corrected – which often costs extra. While paint correction is sometimes necessary, it should always be discussed upfront.
- Our Promise: We prioritize transparency and only recommend what’s truly necessary to give you superior, long-lasting results. Although paint correction is usually not required with Icon Rocklear, if there are scratches deeper than the clearcoat, we don’t charge extra for paint correction when installing Icon Rocklear – and if we do, you’ll know about it before we get started on anything.
Ready for Real Protection Without the Hidden Costs? Let’s Talk.
Knowledge is power, and when it comes to protecting your vehicle, transparency is key. At Tap and Shine, we take pride in not only offering superior protection through Icon Rocklear but also in ensuring our clients understand exactly what they’re getting—and what they’re not. Don’t settle for half-truths or hidden costs. If you’re ready for real protection that doesn’t hide behind industry gimmicks, reach out to us. Your vehicle deserves the best, and so do you.
