I'm considering the Mercedes Interior and Exterior Appearance Protection package for $2500 Can ,on my CLE 53 which is arriving soon . The Exterior includes two - component ceramic coating and I'm sure it's more expensive like everything Mercedes , but is it worth having ?

 

I would say you’re better off doing PPF at least for the front with ceramic.

 

If you are going to get ceramic coating - I would go with an aftermarket detail shop that does it for a living - if you are paying a lot to have it done, you want to make sure it is done correctly. Do research on your local shops and you should be able to find good recommendations.

Make sure you are aware of what ceramic coating does and doesn't do (ie doesn't protect from stone chips) so your expectations are set correctly for the amount of money you are spending.

The PPF suggestion above is a good one also...

 

the dealer has terrible services when it comes to this stuff. And there's no realy way of knowing they did anything when ceramic coating.

I would DIY or bring it to a shop. Ceramic coating is stupid easy, you just have to ensure you remove the excess to avoid streaks.

 

Quick search shows that $2500 for the Mercedes Interior and Exterior Appearance Protection package is excessively high. A 2022 GLE 350 buyer on the forum posted his quote of $850 that is within an expected window of $800 - $1500.. Regardless of price I wouldn't purchase it.

While undisclosed the exterior treatment they use is likely a hybrid coating, possibly incorporating quartz-like silica elements combined with DuPont’s own tech (e.g., Teflon or polymer sealants) tailored for broad dealership application rather than a pure ceramic/quartz product you’d get from a specialty detailer.

I am a strong advocate of paint protective film (PPF) and professional grade quartz coating. The quality of both are heavily dependent on the workmanship of the installer. Note that even new cars require paint correction before quartz coating since once applied it will lock in all the flaws. Further, PPF needs to be applied after paint correction and before quartz coating for proper adhesion. Popular maker XPEL explicitly advises to apply PPF directly to the bare clear coat for optimal adhesion, stating that coatings can “compromise the film’s ability to adhere properly".

As to a DIY application of quartz coating it's not an easy task to do it properly. Paint correction alone is best left to an experienced detailer and the quartz coating products available for retail purchase are significantly different than professional grade products (available only to authorized installers). And a DIY coating using the thinner retail grade products (CQuartz UK for example) if applied too thickly or left to cure too long before wiping can harden into high spots or streaks. Removing these requires polishing with compounds, sometimes aggressive ones, plus the skill to avoid over thinning the clear coat. Professional products amplify this risk - an amateur attempting to apply CQuartz Finest Reserve or Modesta without training could ruin the finish, as these coatings cure harder and faster. Hence the reason the latter are available only to qualified installers.

If you decide to go with PPF and quartz coating I would recommend that you shop around for a well reviewed professional detailer/installer. I mentioned two of the best quartz coating products above, CQuartz Finest Reserve and the Modesta BC series. Both list their authorized installers on the websites linked below. It's likely that any of those will also provide PPF installation. Might be a good place to start.

Modesta:

https://www.modesta.co/installers.html

CQuartz:

https://cqfinest.com/find-an-installer-2/

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I have used XPEL PPF on all my cars with very good results. YMMV.....good luck, but would strongly suggest PPF at least on the front of your new car!

 

This. I got a front quarter wrap and full ceramic coating from a respected local provider for less than the dealership wanted for just the ceramic.

 

Ceramic coatings are a great investment for long-term paint protection, but whether the dealership package is worth it depends on the quality of the product and the application process. Many dealerships use a one-size-fits-all approach, applying coatings with minimal surface correction, which can trap imperfections beneath the coating. A well-applied ceramic coating should include proper paint correction, multiple layers, and curing time to ensure durability.

 

Thanks everyone for all the input . Car is coming soon somewhere between Baltimore and Canada and I'm still on the fence regarding coatings . BTW the cost was 2500 Canadian so about 1600 American.

 

As mentioned above, the dealerships are likely using a DuPont product for coating that falls well short of any true quartz/ceramic as applied by professional detailers. Whatever the composition of the product they apply it would have to be removed as part of the paint correction needed in advance of PPF installation and/or actual quartz coating. Will stand by my recommendation to pass on the dealer installed Appearance Protection package regardless of the price. You could apply the savings towards superior protection options available from numerous detailing professionals in your area. Would contact a few for advice and quotes in advance of delivery since this work is best performed when the car is new.

 

Dont use anything the dealership is hawking. Spend your money on a local shop.