Ceramic Coating a Brand New Chevy Corvette: Step-by-Step Process

Andrew Ott • February 5, 2024

Hey, it’s Andy with Mid-MO Dents! Today, we’re working on a brand-new Chevy Corvette, and we’re going to apply a 5-year ceramic coating. This Corvette only has a couple hundred miles on it, but we’ll still take you through the prep and coating process, making sure everything looks flawless. Stick around, and let us know if you have any questions!

Prepping the Corvette

We pulled the Corvette into the shop to check it over before starting the ceramic coating process. Since the customer lives on a gravel road, there was a fair amount of dirt and mud in the inner fenders and on the wheels. We began by hitting the problem areas with a degreaser to break down the road grime, focusing on the wheels, tires, inner fenders, and lower parts of the body.



After pre-rinsing the vehicle, we used a soap that contains no waxes or temporary protection to clean the paint thoroughly. This is a critical step because any leftover wax or oils can interfere with the ceramic coating, which is a semi-permanent protection layer. We guarantee this particular 5-year ceramic coating on all exterior surfaces, including paint, plastic, windows, wheels, and chrome.

Cleaning the Wheels

After rinsing the vehicle, we turned our attention to the wheels. We always clean the wheels last before rinsing out our mitts. For this job, we used Adam’s Polishes wheel brush to scrub the wheel faces and barrels, making sure everything was spotless before moving on.

Air Drying and Prepping for Coating

Once the vehicle was clean, we used compressed air to dry every crack and crevice. With professional-grade ceramic coatings like ours, water left on the vehicle can cause issues if it drips down during the coating process, hardening the ceramic and creating an unsightly mess. That’s why we spend extra time blowing out every nook and cranny, including the engine bay and door jams.



We then used a coating prep spray to ensure the surface was ready for the ceramic application. This spray helps remove any possible waxes, polishing oils, or contaminants, though the paint on this brand-new Corvette was in great shape without any noticeable swirls or scratches.

Applying the Ceramic Coating

With the prep work complete, it was time to start applying the 5-year ceramic coating. We coated all the exterior paint, plastic, windows, wheels, and chrome using a professional-grade coating. If you're a detailer or a customer considering doing ceramic coating yourself, it’s important to use high-quality products, even if they aren’t the cheapest. The harder and more durable the coating is, the longer it will last.



We use a three-towel method to level the coating, ensuring it’s applied evenly without leaving any high spots. The first towel removes most of the excess coating, the second picks up the finer residue, and the third towel is for good measure, preventing any uneven areas.

Each section requires about two minutes to set before we start leveling the coating. We follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to guarantee a lasting finish.

Coating the Wheels and Windows

After finishing the paint, we moved on to the wheels. We typically only coat the wheel faces unless the customer requests the barrels be coated as well. Next, we applied ceramic coating to the windows. While ceramic coating on glass doesn’t last as long as it does on paint, it still provides solid protection for several years.

Tire Coating

To finish the job, we applied a tire coating called Tough Shine, which lasts for about a year. Unlike many other tire coatings, this one doesn’t make the tires look overly glossy or attract dust and dirt, making it perfect for vehicles that see a lot of gravel or dirt roads. It’s a product we’ve recently started offering, and both we and our customers have been really happy with the results.

Wrapping Up

After everything was coated, we left the Corvette inside overnight to let the coating cure for 12 hours. Tomorrow, we’ll come back for part two and finish up by tinting the windows.

October 16, 2025
Why Your Car’s Exterior Needs More Love Than Ever The engine may outlive the paint—but only if you let it. In the golden age of American muscle—think 1960s and ’70s—cars were built like tanks. Their engines were temperamental, but their exteriors? Solid steel, thick chrome, and paint that could take a beating. Fast forward to today, and we’re living in a golden age of mechanical reliability. Modern vehicles routinely surpass 200,000 miles, some even pushing 300,000 with ease. But while the engines have evolved, the exteriors have quietly regressed. 🧩 The Paradox of Progress Today’s cars are engineered to last longer, drive farther, and sip less fuel. But to achieve that, manufacturers have made trade-offs: • Plastic replaces metal in bumpers, grilles, and trim—not just for weight savings, but cost. • Thinner paint layers and water-based formulas meet environmental standards but sacrifice durability. • Aerodynamic designs often expose more surface area to road debris, salt, and UV damage. So while your engine might be marathon-ready, your paint and panels are sprinting toward premature aging. 🛣️ More Miles, More Exposure Older vehicles might have seen 100,000 miles in their lifetime. Today’s daily drivers often double or triple that. That means: • More gravel, salt, and bugs hitting the front end. • More sun exposure, especially on horizontal surfaces like hoods and roofs. • More wear from automatic car washes, which brings us to the next point… 🧼 The Car Wash Myth Many well-meaning owners believe frequent car washes are the key to a clean, well-maintained vehicle. But here’s the catch: • Brush-style automatic washes can leave micro-scratches that dull paint over time. • High-pressure touchless washes often rely on harsh chemicals that strip protective coatings. • Quick-dry cycles can bake contaminants into the surface if not properly rinsed. In short, what feels like care can actually be slow erosion—especially without follow-up protection like wax or ceramic coatings. 🌤️ The Exterior Is a Canvas—Treat It Like One Your vehicle’s exterior isn’t just a shell—it’s a story. A reflection of care, pride, and longevity. And in today’s landscape, preserving that story requires more than soap and water. 🧴 Why Professional Detailing Beats the Tunnel Professional detailing isn’t just about making a car shiny—it’s about preserving its integrity: • Paint correction removes years of wear, not just surface grime. • Ceramic coatings create a sacrificial layer that resists UV, chemicals, and abrasion. • Trim and glass treatments restore clarity and prevent fading. • Tailored product systems ensure compatibility and long-term performance. Unlike generic car wash soaps and waxes that often clash or cancel each other out, high-quality detailing products are designed to work together—layer by layer, purposefully. They don’t just clean; they protect, enhance, and extend the life of your finish. 🛠️ The Synergy of Smart Products Think of your detailing regimen like a well-tuned engine: • Decontamination clears the way. • Correction refines the surface. • Protection locks in clarity. • Maintenance keeps the system balanced. When each step is intentional and each product is chosen for its role, the result isn’t just visual—it’s structural. Your paint lasts longer. Your trim stays rich. Your glass stays clear. And your vehicle tells a different story: one of care, not compromise. 🪞 Final Reflection We’re in an era where vehicles can live long lives—but only if we treat their exteriors with the same reverence we give their engines. Maintenance isn’t just mechanical. It’s visual. It’s tactile. It’s poetic. So next time you think about preserving your ride, skip the tunnel. Choose the hands that know the surface. Choose products that speak the same language. And let your vehicle wear its miles like a badge—not a burden.
By Chris Stevens September 24, 2025
You’ve probably seen tint shops, detail shops, and dent shops around town. Finding one place that does all four — window tinting, PDR/SMART repair, paint correction, and high‑end ceramic coatings — is rare. Running a full‑stack auto appearance shop takes more than skill. It takes space, equipment, staffing, and the patience to do things right. That’s exactly what Mid‑Mo Dents built. Why this combo is hard to run • Different trades, different tools. PDR needs light bars and specialized metal skills; paint correction and ceramic coatings demand polishing gear, controlled wash and prep areas, and dust‑free cure space; tinting needs clean bays and film inventory; SMART repair requires both finesse and materials. • Staffing and training are intensive. Each service requires certified techs, ongoing training, and quality control standards. Keeping multiple specialists in one shop increases payroll and coordination demands. • Operational complexity. Managing bays, scheduling multi‑stage jobs, inventory for films/chemicals/parts, and insurance workflows for repair work adds administrative overhead most small shops avoid. • Upfront investment. Equipment, coatings inventory, film stock, and proper ventilation/lighting all add capital cost before the first job is booked. Why having all four services in one shop matters for you • Single point of accountability. No back‑and‑forth between businesses. If a vehicle needs dent repair, paint correction, and ceramic coating, one shop owns the whole process. • Faster, cleaner handoffs. Techs can coordinate the right sequence of work so repairs, paint correction, and coatings are applied in the ideal order without waiting on outside vendors. • Better outcomes and consistency. When the same team handles everything, the finish quality, cure timing, and final inspection standards are consistent. That directly protects your finish and resale value. • Cost and time savings. Bundled work reduces duplicated labor, multiple drop‑offs, and shipping of parts. You save time and often money compared with coordinating separate specialists. • Long‑term maintenance plan. A full‑service shop can offer a tailored program: PDR for small dings, paint correction to remove swirls, ceramic for protection, and tint for UV/heat control — all scheduled and maintained together. How Mid‑Mo Dents turns rarity into value • We staff specialists for each discipline and run dedicated bays for detailed prep, tint installs, and paint correction. • We sequence work to protect finishes and maximize product performance from day one. • We stand behind bundled services with consistent quality checks so your vehicle leaves finished and ready to stay that way. If you care about preserving appearance, protecting your paint, and saving time, trust the shop that can truly own the whole job. Book a free inspection and we’ll map the single plan that keeps your car looking its best for years.
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