[razman]

I had never heard of ceramic coatings until I read people singing its praises on this forum. With my g80 on its way, I've started researching it to see whether it's something I should get. One thing that stood out to me was that the ceramic coating chemically bonds to the paint, meaning that it's (semi-)permanent. Before I apply something that essentially can't be reversed, I want to be damn sure that I understand all its pros and cons. There are a plethora of detail shops online hailing the advantages of ceramic coatings but none candidly describing its disadvantages (if any).

First, can a case be made that at least to some people a ceramic coating alters the appearance of the paint in a subjectively negative way? If the answer is no, that it only ever improves the look of the paint, and only ever provides additional protection, why wouldn't bmw just apply it to every car they produce?

Compared to waxes, does ceramic offer the same level of shine/gloss?

Does ceramic require any extra maintenance that if not performed will actually make your car look worse?

Any general cons I should know about ceramic?
Thanks in advance.