Not sure which level of protection is right for your car? We'll walk you through the options — wax, sealant, ceramic and PPF — and give you an honest take on what actually suits your car and how long you plan to keep it.
There are four main levels of paint protection, and they’re not interchangeable. The right one depends on your car, its condition, how long you plan to keep it, and honestly — how much you want to spend. Here’s a plain-language rundown.
Wax and sealant are the protective step we include as standard at the end of any detail. They sit on top of the paint and give it a layer of water repellence and a bit of UV defence, but they do wash off over weeks to a few months. If you just want the car protected between details, this is plenty. It’s not really a “book a protection appointment” job — it comes built in.
If you want real, lasting protection, ceramic coating is what most of our customers go with — and it’s our most popular service by a fair margin. The way I like to explain it: a ceramic coating turns your car into a bit of a whiteboard. Bird droppings, sap, salt, grime — it all sits on top rather than biting into the paint, so it wipes off easily and your colour stays protected underneath. If that makes sense.
It bonds to your clear coat rather than washing off, lasts seven to ten years up here, and comes with a 10-year warranty. Up here in Cairns, where we get serious UV, salt air and a brutal wet season, it earns its keep. From $1,000.
That said — I’d rather tell you straight than sell you something you don’t need. If you’re planning to sell the car in the next year or so, a good pre-sale detail makes more sense than a coating. And if there are scratches you can feel when you run your finger across the paint, we’d want to do a paint correction first, otherwise a coating just seals them in.
PPF is a physical, self-healing film applied over the paint — think of it like an invisible armour for the panels that take the most punishment. Bonnet, front bumper, mirrors, door edges. It stops stone chips, fine scratches and road debris from ever reaching the paint at all.
It’s genuinely the best protection you can put on a car, and it’s the right call for newer or higher-value vehicles where keeping the paint perfect long-term is the priority. It’s also the most involved to install and priced accordingly — we quote it on a look at the car, because every job is different.
Not every car needs PPF, and we’ll tell you that honestly. For most everyday cars, ceramic does the job well. PPF is the step up when you want the highest level of protection on panels that take real impact.
Quick honest guide — regardless of whether you go with us or not:
Cairns is genuinely one of the tougher places in Australia for car paint — not trying to scare you, it’s just the reality up here. It’s also why the investment in proper protection tends to pay off more than it does in a milder climate.
Our UV index is among the highest in the country. Without protection, clear coats break down and colours go chalky within a few years. Ceramic or PPF sits in front of that UV and takes the hit instead of your paint.
Near the water, microscopic salt settles on your car every day. It’s corrosive and it speeds up surface oxidation. A coating or film puts a proper barrier between the salt and the paint so it can’t work its way in.
The wet season dumps a huge amount of rain and the humidity between seasons is perfect for water spotting and mineral etching on bare paint. A coated or filmed surface sheds water fast so it doesn’t sit there and etch.
We’ll help you work out the right level for your car — and if the honest answer is that you don’t need the expensive option, we’ll say so. No upselling, just a straight take on what makes sense for your situation.
The entry level — comes built into our details as a protective seal over the paint. It gives your car a layer of water repellence and UV defence that lasts weeks to a few months. It’s not a standalone booking; it’s the protective finish that closes out any detail we do.
Years of protection and our most popular service by a fair margin. A ceramic bonds to your clear coat rather than washing off, handles UV, salt air and wet-season rain, and makes the car much easier to keep clean. Lasts seven to ten years here in Cairns, backed by a 10-year warranty. From $1,000 — exact quote depends on your car and its condition.
A physical, self-healing film for the highest level of protection on panels that take real impact — bonnet, bumper, mirrors, door edges. Stops stone chips and road debris from ever reaching the paint. The right call for newer or higher-value cars. Quoted on a look at the car, because every job is different.
Prices are GST-inclusive. A $100 deposit holds your ceramic spot. PPF is quoted on inspection — tell us the car, the panels you want covered, and we’ll put together a proper figure on a quick call.
What customers say after a Posh Wash detail.
“Recently had our car detailed by Grace — friendly, professional, and great communication from start to finish. We booked the Signature Detail package and every surface was spotless. The car looks and feels like new again. Highly recommended.”
“Had two vehicles fully detailed inside and out. Both cars came up better than expected. The whole process from booking to completion was seamless. Grace was a pleasure to deal with.”
“Happiest I could be after Grace’s amazing service. Professionalism from booking through to the finished cars was outstanding — attention to detail was exceptional. We look forward to booking again.”
“I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my car. Grace does a beautiful job — no nasty chemicals that make me feel sick. Lovely energy. Posh Wash is 5 stars from me.”
Tell us about your car and what you’re trying to protect it from and we’ll give you a straight recommendation — even if that’s just the wax that’s already included in a detail. We can pencil you in with no pressure.
The full ceramic coating service — process, pricing and everything you need to know before you book.
Learn moreIf your paint has swirls or scratches you can feel, correction comes first — otherwise a coating just seals them in.
Learn moreA full hand wash and protective seal — the right starting point if you’re not ready for a coating yet.
Learn moreStraight answers about paint protection in Cairns — no jargon.
They’re four different levels of protection. Wax and sealant sit on top of the paint and last weeks to a few months — they’re the protective finish we include with any detail. Ceramic coating bonds to the clear coat and lasts years, giving you real UV, salt and chemical resistance. PPF is a physical film that goes on top of the paint and stops stone chips and hard impacts from reaching it at all. Most everyday cars land on ceramic; PPF is for higher-value cars or panels that take real punishment.
It depends on the level. Wax and sealant come included with our detailing services at no extra charge. Ceramic coating starts from $1,000 — the exact figure comes down to your car’s size and condition, so we quote it on a quick call. PPF is quoted on inspection because every job is different — it depends on which panels you want covered and the car itself. All prices are GST-inclusive.
For most cars up here, yes — arguably more than almost anywhere in Australia. The UV is extreme, the salt air is constant near the coast, and the wet season is hard on bare paint. A coating handles all of that while making the car much easier to keep clean. The one time I’d say don’t bother is if you’re selling the car soon — a good pre-sale detail makes more sense then.
For most cars, ceramic is enough. PPF is the right call when you want to protect specific high-impact panels — bonnet, front bumper, mirrors — from stone chips and road debris. It’s particularly worth considering on newer or higher-value cars where keeping the paint in original condition long-term is the goal. If you’re not sure, tell us about the car on a quick call and we’ll give you a straight take.
It depends on the scratches. Quick test: run your finger over them — if you can feel them catch, they’ve gone into the paint and a coating would just seal them in. Those need paint correction first. Light surface swirls that you can only see in the sun are a different story — a polish sorts those and we’d include it as part of the prep. We’ll have a look and tell you honestly what’s needed.
Probably not the expensive kind, no — and I’d rather tell you that than sell you something that doesn’t make sense for your situation. If you’re selling soon, a good pre-sale detail will have it looking sharp for the photos for a lot less. Ceramic or PPF takes years to pay back the investment, so it’s really for cars you’re planning to keep.
Drop into our shopfront at 29 Vasey Esplanade, Trinity Beach, or stay put and our mobile vans come to your home or work right across Cairns and the Northern Beaches.
