Ceramic Coating & PPF Guide: Get It Done
How to Prepare Your Car for a Detail, Coating or PPF Drop-Off
A little preparation makes drop-off quicker and protects the result. Most of it is simple: empty the car, plan how you get home, and tell us anything about the vehicle that we can't see by looking at it.
A few items are specific to the service. Wax the week before a coating or film install undoes part of the prep. A recent repaint changes what film can go on. A dash camera on the windshield matters if you are getting glass coated. This checklist covers all three services, with the differences called out.
The short answer
Before drop-off, remove valuables and loose items, including the trunk, door pockets and car seats if the interior is being detailed. Do not wax or apply a spray sealant before a coating or PPF. Bring the key you want us to use, tell us about repaints, warning lights and any damage, and arrange a ride, since there is no waiting area. Drop-off after 6 pm can be arranged by phone.
Key points
- Empty the car: valuables, papers you care about, trash, loose items in the trunk and cargo area.
- Skip wax and spray sealants before a coating or PPF; they have to be removed before either can bond.
- Plan a ride for drop-off and pickup, because there is no waiting area.
- Drop-off after 6 pm can be arranged by phone if daytime hours do not work.
- Tell us about repaints, body work, chips you want looked at and anything mechanical that affects moving the car.
Inside the car
Empty it out
Even for an exterior-only job, the car gets moved, opened and worked around. Doors are opened to clean jambs and to reach edges, and the trunk or tailgate is opened to treat its sills. Loose items get in the way and can end up somewhere you did not expect.
For an interior detail, empty means empty. Every item left in a seat pocket or under a seat is one more thing we have to work around instead of cleaning under, and a Level 1 or interior micro detail covers more surface when there is nothing on it.
- Valuables, cash, sunglasses, garage door openers you do not want to lose track of.
- Papers: registration and insurance can stay in the glove box; take anything else personal.
- Child seats, if the interior is being cleaned. Seats can be reinstalled by you afterward so you know they are fitted correctly.
- Trunk and cargo area contents, truck bed toolboxes you can remove, and anything in a third row.
- Trash, cups and food. Food left in a closed car on an Upstate summer day becomes its own problem.
- Phone mounts and chargers you will want back right away.
On the paint
What not to put on the car before you come
It is tempting to wash and wax a car before a professional sees it. For a detail, a wash is harmless. For a coating or paint protection film, a fresh layer of wax or a spray sealant creates extra work.
IGL's data sheet for its Kenzo coating says a surface previously treated with a coating system should be properly stripped, preferably with a polishing agent, so the new coating bonds. LLumar says waxes and coatings can interfere with paint protection film's adhesion and advises against applying them before install. So the best thing to do the week before is nothing: let the dirt stay, and we take it off as part of the prep.
- Before a detail
- No prep needed. A rinse to get heavy mud or red clay off the lower panels is fine if you want, but it is not required.
- Before a ceramic coating
- No wax, sealant or spray detailer with protection in it. Do not try to polish out scratches yourself first; tell us about them instead. The coating appointment
- Before PPF
- No wax or coating on the panels being filmed. If the car already has a ceramic coating, say so at booking so the prep can be planned. The PPF appointment
- Before glass coating
- Skip rain-repellent glass treatments for the same reason: the glass needs to be bare. IGL notes that new windshields often come with a factory hydrophobic treatment that wears off over time, and any leftover treatment has to be removed before a glass coating goes on.
Keys and access
Keys, alarms and anything unusual
Bring the key you want us to use and keep your spare at home. If the car has a valet key, a separate key for a tonneau cover or toolbox, or a wheel lock key, mention it if that part of the car is included in the work.
Tell us about anything that affects moving the car: a warning light, a tire that loses air, a battery that has been weak, a car that will not start without a certain trick. A coating or correction job means the car may be moved in and out of a bay, and we would rather know at drop-off than find out with the car halfway through the door.
Getting there
Your ride and the timing
There is no waiting area, so plan a ride before you arrive. Most jobs take longer than a lunch break: a Level 1 detail is about 4 hours, a Level 2 about 6, a Level 3 about 8, a 1-step correction about 2 days and a 2-step correction about 3 days. Coatings and PPF installs depend on the prep and coverage, and we confirm the timing when you book.
If you work during the day, drop-off after 6 pm can be arranged by phone. Call to set it up ahead of time rather than arriving after hours unannounced, so we know the car is coming and where the key will be.
Confirm the appointment
Your deposit confirms the slot. The cancellation policy is shown when you book; check it if your plans might change.
Arrange your ride
Line up a ride for drop-off and pickup, since there is nowhere to wait at the shop.
Late drop-off, if needed
Call to arrange drop-off after 6 pm and agree on how the key gets to us.
Know your pickup plan
Ask when the car will be ready and what pickup looks like, especially for a coating that needs time to cure.
Tell us first
What we can't see by looking
Some of the most useful information about a car is invisible. A panel that was repainted after a parking lot scrape can look factory and still react differently to a polisher. LLumar designs its film for original paint and says repaired or aftermarket paint is not covered by its warranty, and recommends about 30 days for fresh paint to outgas before film goes on.
- Repaints, body work or touch-up paint, and roughly when they were done.
- Any previous coating, film or wrap on the car, and which product if you know.
- Specific spots that bother you: a scratch, a hazy panel, a stain on a seat.
- Smells or spills inside: pets, smoke, milk, mildew. Each is handled differently.
- Aftermarket parts: lights, wraps, decals or trim that need care around them.
- How you use the car: highway miles, gravel roads, boat ramps at Lake Hartwell, parked outside under pines. It helps us suggest the right protection.
Photos
Take a few pictures before you go
Snap a few photos of the car in daylight before drop-off, especially any area you have a question about. It gives you a simple record of the starting point and makes it easy to point at a specific spot during the inspection.
Photos are also the best way to see the difference afterward. Paint correction in particular is easy to underrate once the before is gone. Take the same angles at pickup.
At drop-off
The handoff
At drop-off, go over the services you booked and point out anything from your list. For coatings, correction and PPF, the final price is confirmed after the inspection, because the paint's condition sets how much work it needs. Published prices are starting prices.
If you drop off after hours, ask when you set it up how the inspection and the confirmed price will reach you. Agreeing on that in advance means the work can start on time and you know the number before it does.
| Service | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| Detail | Empty the car; mention stains and smells | Worry about washing it first |
| Ceramic coating | Point out scratches; mention any old coating | Wax, seal or polish the paint yourself |
| PPF | Tell us about repaints and existing coatings | Wax or coat the panels being filmed |
| Glass coating | Mention windshield-mounted devices | Apply a rain repellent beforehand |
| Paint correction | Show us the defects you care most about | Try to sand or compound spots at home |
Ready to book?
Book a detail package online or request a quote for a coating, correction or PPF. Ask about after-6 pm drop-off when you call.
Common questions
Do I need to clean out my car before a detail?
Yes, take out your belongings and trash. Interior cleaning works on surfaces, not on piles of items, and nobody wants to sort through your things to clean under them. Leave registration and insurance in the glove box. Child seats are best removed so you can reinstall them yourself afterward.
Can I drop off my car after hours?
Drop-off after 6 pm can be arranged by phone. Call ahead so we know the car is coming and can agree on how the key gets to us. Final prices are confirmed after inspection, so ask at the same time how you will hear the confirmed price.
Should I fill up the gas tank before dropping off?
It is not required. The car is moved in and around the shop, not driven anywhere. Just make sure it has enough fuel or charge to get you home after pickup, and tell us if anything mechanical affects starting or moving it.
What if I have a dash cam or toll tag on the windshield?
Mention it when you book if you are getting the windshield coated. Whether it needs to come off depends on the device and how it is mounted, and we confirm that with you before the work starts. For other services, leave it in place.
Sources
- Technical Data Sheet: Ecocoat Kenzo K1, IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tds_ecocoat_kenzo_K1_154343.pdf), accessed October 2026
- Paint Protection Film Frequently Asked Questions, LLumar / Eastman Performance Films (https://llumar.com/en/resources/paint-protection-film-frequently-asked-questions/), accessed October 2026
- Ecocoat Window, IGL Coatings (https://iglcoatings.com/products/ecocoat-window/), accessed October 2026
Prices on this page are The Auto Show’s published starting prices and are confirmed after we inspect the vehicle. Product ratings and warranty terms come from the manufacturers.