Coatings are the latest and greatest in automotive surface protection, adding measurable thickness to your vehicles existing clear coat. Unlike waxes and paint sealants, these coatings won't melt off during the heat of the summer or wash off when cleaning with chemicals. Carnauba waxes have a melting point of about 180 degrees which is easily achieved on darker vehicles when baking in the sun. Paint sealants have a much higher melting point which can tolerate the heat but unfortunately fail when chemicals come in contact with the protected surface. Ceramic coatings are made up of nano ceramic particles (minute glass beads) which bond together to form an extremely hard high heat and chemical resistant surface on top of your paints clear coat. As well as being  heat and chemical resistant they also create a "Lotus Effect" on the coated surfaces which aid your vehicle in shedding dirt, grime, bugs, bird droppings, and fall out easier; keeping your vehicle looking cleaner longer. These coatings can be layered which will increase durability but require cure time in between. Ceramic coatings offer amazing depth and shine as well as protecting your exterior surfaces for 1-5 years (Lifetime determined by various factors such as how well the paint is prepped prior to coating application, how many layers are initially applied, how many miles the vehicle is driven per year, whether the vehicle is garage kept or primarily left outdoors, and wash regimen). Coated vehicles should receive maintenance washes every 3-4 weeks to prevent surface dirt build up which will diminish the coatings self cleaning properties.