[heavyD^2]

The consumer versions of ceramic coatings are definitely worth it however for a first timer you should read up on the steps involved as it's fairly intensive. The best results are dependant on properly preparing your paint as you will need to do a proper 2 or 3 bucket wash, iron X (or equivalent) to remove fallout, clay bar the paint, polish, IPA wipedown. After all that is done then you can apply the coating and some coatings are easier to apply than others but in the past I've used even the old Opticoat Professional and it's not that difficult as it's always a matter of applying and waiting for the coating to flash and gently wiping down the high spots. It's important to have proper lighting so you can see the high spots and wipe them down before it cures as the only way to remove them after is to polish down the section and re-coat. Plan on at least a full intimate weekend with your car to do this from beginning to end.

I would recommend a coating like Gyeon Q2 MOHS for a first timer as it's very easy to apply and remove and the results are as good as you will find for consumer coatings.