Autoglym Rapid Ceramic Spray Review

Autoglym Rapid Ceramic Spray is one of two, spray on protection products from Autoglym, with the other being Aqua Wax.

How to apply Rapid Ceramic Spray

As with any protective product, it’s important that that car has been washed properly. I always encourage to remove any tar or fallout from the paintwork as well. More information on that process can be found at this page.

The application is extremely easy, especially since this can be done when the product is wet or dry. During the application process, I opted to apply it when the car was dry. It was as simple as applying a small amount to the panel, and then spreading it across the paintwork with a microfibre cloth. I then flipped the cloth over for one final pass to ensure the product had been suitably worked in.

I would say that less is more in this case. When I’m applying any product, I like to split up the application process into smaller sections on the car and Rapid Ceramic Spray is no different. On the Clio, I applied two to one side of the bonnet, carried out the steps above and then repeated this on the other side of the bonnet.

Since the doors are roughly the same size as half the bonnet, I used two sprays on them as well. On the roof, I split it up into four sections, and applied two sprays to each section.

In terms of the application time from start to finish, it was twenty minutes. I used an Autoglym microfibre cloth, but any high quality cloth in your collection will do. The cloth glided across the paintwork and the application really was effortless.

Another thing to note is that this should not be applied to glass, especially the windscreen. I am presuming this is due to it having the potential to cause judder to the windscreen wiper blades, as well as the windows moving up and down in the door.

Much like Extra Gloss Protection, Rapid Ceramic Spray should also not be applied to plastics or trim. That is why I apply the product to the middle of the panel and spread it out that way. This gives much better control when applying to areas which are close to the trim. For that reason, a microfibre cloth as opposed to a pad is a much better way to get full control and make sure that every part of the panel is covered.

Results

The results obtained from using Rapid Ceramic Spray are great. Not only does it add a large amount of gloss to the paintwork, it is also extremely hydrophobic. My car is white, and white can be a tough mistress when making it look glossy. Even after the car had been dried, it had a wet look to it and that was only after the first application. It actually prompted a few neighbours to ask what the product was I was using since they had seen me spray it onto the car. They were blown away about how glossy a spray on product made the car look.

The paintwork feels extremely slick and the beading on it is amazing. I would actually say that it is as nearly hydrophobic as UHD Wax. Considering the extra length of time needed to use UHD Wax, this is really impressive.

Durability

Autoglym does state that Rapid Ceramic Spray lasts up to three months. As with any protection product this time frame is dependent on the environmental conditions, how many miles the car is used for as well as how often it is washed and the quality of the shampoo.

I would highly recommend that as part of the maintenance process that either Pure Shampoo or UHD Shampoo is used to clean the car. Not only are they excellent shampoos, but they are part of the Autoglym range so they will complement Rapid Ceramic Spray well.

Given the great track record for Autoglym protection products, I’ve got no doubt that it will last the three months that as advertised, but again, preparation is key as well. If it is applied to a panel that has a lot of bonded contaminants on it, it will impact the lifespan of it since it cannot fully adhere to the paintwork.

At the time of writing this, it is at the tail end of November and the UHD Wax previously on the car was starting to fade off, so now was the perfect chance to apply the Rapid Ceramic Spray to the car.  I did apply a second coat of it the following day, which was a breeze considering how quickly it can be applied. There can always be a bit of uncertainty when applying protection products in colder temperatures, and when I did it, it was 6°C, so it was pretty cold! The reason for a second coating was to ensure that I had full coverage across all the panels.

An important test will be how well it is able to withstand the harsh winter, the road grit and salt that will no doubt be kicked up onto it,  and the periods whereby it is not being washed every week. I have seen some coatings appear to lose their hydrophobic properties, but it has merely been dirt on the paintwork masking its ability to bead water. This section on durability will be updated at the end of January/start of February to see how it has fared.

One area that, at the time of writing this, it hasn’t been applied to is the alloy wheels. These had UHD Wax applied to them the week before and I’d rather give the Rapid Ceramic Spray a fresh run on alloys that do not have any protection on them.

Who is Rapid Ceramic Spray for?

This is actually a really good question. In short, it’s for anyone. What I like about it is that it is multifunctional. It can be used as a standalone product for those that do not have any form of paint protection on their car. However, if you have other Autoglym protection products such as Super Resin Polish, Extra Gloss Protection or UHD Wax, Rapid Ceramic Spray can be a great topper for them to boost their longevity.

I do really enjoy applying a paste wax, it’s something I’ve always enjoyed and I do find it somewhat therapeutic. However, there are times where it simply isn’t possible to do this. Case in point being on a cold November afternoon. UHD Wax is amazing, but the time to apply it, let it cure and then buff it off is something I’d rather not do in the winter. At this time of year, I want to get high quality protection on as soon as possible. Rapid Ceramic Spray fulfils this criteria.

Much like Extra Gloss Protection added additional gloss and prolongs the lifespan of Super Resin Polish, I’ll be testing to see how much a combination of UHD Wax and Rapid Ceramic Spray can last for.

In my opinion, it could also be a great way to replace any quick detailers that you may have, making it perfect for attending car shows and the needing to add some gloss fast.

I would also say that for those that want an easy to apply ceramic product, Rapid Ceramic Spray is a great option. Autoglym do have another ceramic coating, although this needs to be applied to paintwork directly and cannot be layered on top of Super Resin Polish. For those that use SRP for masking scratches and swirls, Rapid Ceramic Spray is the ceramic application of choice.

Value for Money

As with any product, the cost is a deciding factor. Online and in store prices can fluctuate rapidly, but generally speaking, if you didn’t buy a fancy coffee for 5 days at a big chain like Costa or Starbucks, then you could put this towards Rapid Ceramic Spray instead.

Since it is applied sparingly to the car, and it lasts up to three months at a time, one bottle could last you well over a year. It will of course last even longer if only used during the winter months.

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Autoglym Rapid Ceramic Spray, 500ml - Tropical Scented Ceramic Coating Car Spray For Superior Paintwork Protection

• Autoglym Rapid Ceramic Spray is a quick and easy to use ceramic coating car cleaning spray that adds protection to your paintwork

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Last update on 2023-05-25 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.