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Originally Posted by gkg2423 Hi,
More I read, more I get confused. I am getting my Seltos next week, Its Intense Red, I believe Red colour fades quicker than others, so planning ceramic coating. |
Hello gkg2423. Firstly congratulations on you new investment. Hope you have a great experience with the car.
Next, about your belief. Cars these days come with a reasonably thick clear coat on the paint. So, the paint does not fade. It's the clear coat, which due to scratches and swirl marks gives a dull/faded look to the finish. This is more evident on dark colors than light colors.
I'll try to reply to your post, question-wise.
Coming to Ceramic coatings, I personally have no first-hand experience with ceramic coatings, but due to my enthusiasm and interest, I've spent a reasonable number of hours/days reading and seeing videos about the same, thus gathering some knowledge. So, I believe I'm reasonably eligible to answer your query.
" There are few ceramic coating liquids available online. Can we do the process at home or it has to be done at detailing shop only. "
To have a car paint ceramic coated, there is a process to be followed.
1) The car might have a layer of protection when delivered from a dealership as they tend to apply a layer of wax before delivery to enhance the gloss. This changes from dealership to dealership. So, the first process is to remove any kind of protection/layer that is on the paint. So, a reasonably strong shampoo wash is necessary to do that.
2) Once the paint is stripped off of the protective layers, it must be checked for swirl marks/imperfections. This is because ceramic coatings look best and adhere best to surfaces which have minimal swirls and scratches. Applying the coating on a paint surface with swirls/imperfections would not give the best results with respect to both looks as well as durability.
3) Once the car is assessed for imperfections and swirls, the process of paint correction begins. Depending upon the depth of swirls, the car may need compounding & polishing (if it is heavily swirled), or just polishing (If it's relatively new). This process needs some experience, patience and the right tools as well.
4) The process of paint correction involves use of polishes/compounds which will have substances in them (Oils, as the internet says). These substances again would interrupt the bonding of the ceramic coating to the paint. So, now these oils must be wiped off the paint using Isopropyl Alcohol/Paint prep sprays like Gyeon Prep or CarPro Erase.
5) Now, on the clean paint, ceramic coating can be applied as per manufacturer recommendations. Few manufacturers recommend wiping off within a specific time and few manufacturers don't recommend buffing off.
6) Curing. Almost every ceramic coating needs some time to cure. And during this time, it's safe to leave the car in a closed space, away from dust and water. To accelerate this process, the cars maybe kept in specific chambers with specific lights (IR ?). After all this also, the consumer may be instructed to prevent washing for a specific number of days with water and shampoo. This is also brand specific.
So, with all these steps, I do not think it is feasible to apply the coatings at home. There are some products like the Gyeon CanCoat which are consumer friendly but, they too advice against washing the car for 7 days after application. (That is one reason that's holding me back from purchasing it).
" Could somebody please tell me, if ceramic coating is really useful. "
Usefulness depends on what you are expecting from it.
- You want gloss? It does give a mirror like finish, but you have to maintain it.
- You want protection from UV ? It does.
- You want to wash the car with ease ? Yes, it makes the cars paint hydrophobic, thus allowing the water to slide off easily, so washing becomes relatively easy. So does drying.
- Protection from bird droppings, tree sap ? Yes, it does relatively give you a bit of protection, but still, you need to clean them as soon as possible.
- Protection from scratches ? Depends on the kind of scratches. It is after all, another layer on your clear coat. So, with improper wash techniques, you'll end up putting swirl marks on the ceramic coat as well. If someone / some kid deliberately tries to scratch the car with a key / stone, then the ceramic coat would not be of much help there.
" Will that protect my paint for 3-4 years. "
This again depends on the way you maintain it. Maintain it properly, it will last you a reasonably long time. Also depends on the environment that your car is exposed to. If parked outside in the sun and rain all the time, then it will see a lower lifespan than when parked in shade or even better in a garage. But frankly, 3-4 years sounds too optimistic.
" Should I get it coated when its new or should I plan after 3-4 years. "
Anytime you decide to get it coated, the process will be the same. After 3-4 years also, the dealer should do a proper paint correction and then only apply the ceramic coating. But if you have very deep scratches after 3-4 years, like ones that happen by bikes/autowalas scraping the paint off, then it will be difficult to address such scratches. When it is brand new, you won't have such scratches.