[Leoshashi]

Dear Team,

I came across this video of Ceramic Pro coatings, and if the video is to be believed, it is a truly miraculous product. It resists against scratches, fire, etc.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkhFAZWfxJM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaC_CrexZgo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwdbE03r9ok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7kVebBxwzI

Link to the site: http://ceramicpro.co.in/

My query, has any BHPian taken their services/anything similar?? How useful is it?? Or is it just a hoax??

Regards,
Shashi


PS: The purpose of this thread is just to gain more knowledge about this product, and clear the doubts. No way am I commercially or personally related to them.

[GTO]

Moving thread out - thanks!

[R2D2]

Let me stress I have NOT used this product and do not intend to. Sharing my thoughts after visiting their website. So, here goes:

They claim lifetime protection "if maintained correctly". Now, why that rider when this coating supposedly withstands temperatures of up to 1400 F/ 760 C, is scratch proof and has a hardness of over 9 on the MoH scale (which they claim incorrectly as the highest because 10 is the top with the diamond)? Also, claims of "liquid" glass and diamonds do not wash with me.

Frankly, I take these claims with a pinch of salt.

[SmartCat]

I have ceramic coating on both my cars - but not this brand. From what I understand, the coating binds itself to the original paint of the car, increasing its 'thickness'. So theoretically, it should protect the car against minor scratches.

The real benefit is protection against bird droppings, tree sap droppings etc and that the car will be easy to clean (because the coatings will have water repellent capabilities). Note the "water beading" effect -



Another supposed advantage is that the coating prevents paint fade that occurs over time.

However, high-end ceramic coatings (mine is not) are quite expensive. These are not for application on Suzuki Alto or Honda City, because (cost of coating + application) will be half the price of full car repainting. But for premium expensive cars, maybe yes.

Regarding the ceramic pro scratch test, ask the guy to scratch the car with a stone or key, rather than bopping it with a bottle cap.

[Nonstop-driver]

I inquired for a ceramic coat from a local dealer. He offered me a brand called Opti-coat Pro for 22,000 for a Creta with a "5 year warranty if maintained properly". I preferred 3M/ Waxoyl instead because, for that price, you can get their 7-stage treatment 4 times over 5 years.

[praveen789]

Taken from website:

Claim 1 - Ceramic Pro 9H is a Permanent Nano-Ceramic Paint Coating that features a High Gloss finish, unmatched Super Hydrophobic Effect, Scratch Resistance, Chemical Resistance, UV Resistance, Thermal Resistance and Anti-Grafitti.

Disclaimer 1 - When carrying out the wash process the overriding goal is not to create further swirl marks within your paintwork. Therefore, if something is going to touch the paint it must be soft and clean and used gently

So the bottom line is that this diamond encrusted platinum plated ceramic coating cannot withstand the 2000 year old rag that your car washer uses. While I am not claiming that it should be immune to the elbow grease your car washer applies, claiming that it is super effective is incorrect as well if you have to be really careful of maintaining it.

My opinion is that if you have to be particular of maintaining things, you might as well follow the instructions mentioned on their website itself directly - http://ceramicpro.co.in/post-treatement-care/ 'without' doing the coating

[GTO]

Originally Posted by smartcat

I have ceramic coating on both my cars - but not this brand. From what I understand, the coating binds itself to the original paint of the car, increasing its 'thickness'. So theoretically, it should protect the car against minor scratches.

Very curious about ceramic coating as I don't have firsthand experience with it.

1. Which brand did you get and how much did you pay?

2. Can you replace the ceramic coating after say, 5 years? If you want the new look again?

3. Why choose expensive ceramic coating over detailing the car every 6 months (a practice I follow)?

Frankly, the VFM measures listed in this article have kept my cars looking good for many years - link (Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny).

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by GTO

1. Which brand did you get and how much did you pay?

CQuartz by CarPro - www.cquartz.com. Has a life of 2 years under standard conditions.

Cost of application was Rs. 8,000 for Suzuki A-Star and Rs. 12,000 for Honda BR-V. Includes washing, rubbing compound application (to remove minor scratches), polishing and application of cquartz coating.

2. Can you replace the ceramic coating after say, 5 years? If you want the new look again?

Guess so. What the coating does is adds a few micro-millimetres to the paint, by binding itself to the base. But this erodes with time. Considering Indian conditions (dust, rains, crows etc), it is quite possible that 5 years in developed countries will be equal to 4 years in India.

3. Why choose expensive ceramic coating over detailing the car every 6 months (a practice I follow)?

EMI payment (6 month detailing) Vs one-time bullet payment (2 to 5 years ceramic coating)? One 'feature' that every ceramic coating liquid advertises is its "hydrophobic-ness" (as explained in my previous post), which won't be there in non-ceramic coatings.



From their website -

CQuartz bonds to paint, glass, metal, and plastic at a molecular level, effectively becoming a functional element of the vehicle’s surface. This coating’s hard hydrophobic, glass-like finish helps to protect your vehicle from weathering, UV-damage, industrial and organic fallout, acids, alkalines, light wash-marring and abrasion for up to 2-years whilst making it easier to clean than ever before

[GTO]

Thanks Smartcat! Very useful info shared.

Originally Posted by smartcat

EMI payment (6 month detailing) Vs one-time bullet payment (2 to 5 years ceramic coating)?

But don't you still have to periodically detail your car, even after ceramic coating?

[Leoshashi]

The only thing which impressed me in those videos was the resistance it offered to scratches and hits(by bottle cap, ofcourse). If its true, then it should provide enough resistance to minor vandal attacks( like a person brushing your car with a key) or swirls encountered in day to day life.

I remember seeing one Black Kizashi in this very forum, having this ceramic coating. The BHPian was all praises about the product, and his car looked brilliant too.

Edit: Found the pic, though I don't remember the link.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by GTO

But don't you still have to periodically detail your car, even after ceramic coating?

I don't intend to do anything for 2 years. Looks nice and shiny every week after a wash. It's been almost 9 months since I applied the coating. What I will do this weekend is post a few pics on this thread - to compare the finish of the car now and what it was immediately after the coating.

Also, check this thread for team-bhp member experiences with ceramic coating. Unlike the bigger detailing thread, this one is *ONLY* 15 pages
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/bangal...bangalore.html

They use CQuartz -
http://ultimatedetailerz.com/services2/cquartz-finest/
However, note that I did NOT use Ultimate Detailerz. Got it done somewhere else.

As I mentioned before, What I have (CQuartz) on my car is supposed to be "low-end" (semi-permanent). These are supposed to be better -

Opti-Coat
http://opticoat.com/

Gyeon Durabead
http://gyeonquartz.com/product/durabead/

However, my knowledge on these products are limited to 'internet research'. There are experts on Team-bhp who can offer better insights on this technology.

[nkrishnap]

Found this blog on the internet from the Greenz Car Care Owner (I believe).

https://www.greenzcarcare.com/blogs/...ypes-around-it

Summary of advantages from the article.

ADVANTAGES OF CERAMIC COATINGS

A properly applied ceramic coating can offer the following benefits:

1. Excellent Durability of the Protection – Unlike other paint protection options (waxes or sealants), coatings offer more durability (in years)
2. Measurable Thickness – Coatings can add few microns (thickness is measured in microns) to the paint surface and so most of the abuse it takes and may not go to the paint level.
3. Hardness - Coatings are harder than any other paint protection options hence strong protection.
4. Ease of Maintenance – The coated cars are easier to maintain as it will add dust & water repellent (hydrophobic) behaviour to the surface, which reduces the rate at which car gets dirtier.
5. Resistant to Contamination - The coated car will have some resistance to the contamination like tree saps, bird poops, industrial pollution, tar contamination etc, it will be easy to clean them as well.
6. High Gloss and Shine – The coated surface will become highly reflective and shiny, it adds immense gloss to the paint surface as well.

Disadvantages - Cost

Originally Posted by GTO

3. Why choose expensive ceramic coating over detailing the car every 6 months (a practice I follow)?

Doesn't correcting the paint surface every 6 months lead to thinning the already thin paints given by the manufacturers here? For example, Innova Crysta comes with around 110 micros on an average including the Electron Deposit coat. Imagine polishing this 4 to 5 times would eat away the paint thickness for sure. Ceramic or any coating may help in reducing this impact.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

The only thing which impressed me in those videos was the resistance it offered to scratches and hits(by bottle cap, ofcourse). If its true, then it should provide enough resistance to minor vandal attacks( like a person brushing your car with a key) or swirls encountered in day to day life.

Those scratches were put from the plastic cap of the bottle. Wonder if the plastic is actually sticking to the paint surface than actually making a scratch on the surface. Something similar to the small incidents of black residue on paint when a scooter or bike scrapes the bumpers. I dont believe it will withstand a vandal attack with key or a screw driver. Heck even the PPF gives away too.

PS: I am supporting neither parties. Just posting from the internet. Found this article when I was looking to buy some exterior maintenance stuff for my car.

[audioholic]

Has anyone tested the durability of the product? Lets not talk about ideal conditions. How long does this coating last in real world? Maybe not scrubbing with a rag, but in case I wash the car with plain water and with a good set of MF cloth, how long will the beading effect/protection last?

Considering the cost of application, and further maintenance(specialised washing solutions) and the actual benefits, it is maybe useful for high end cars. Not sure if its worth it for a regular A,B,C segment car.

[vinair]

There is a new showroom on CMH Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore. At least the display vehicles are a drool there

Here's the facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/ceramicproblr/

No.728, Grace Platina, CMH Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore 560038

[Arjun Reddy]

I have had the Ceramic Pro coating done on my C250 at Indranagar.

Haven't done a write up on the forum because I actually wanted to see the results before I write up a review. It's been slightly over a month and a half since the car was coated.

I had 3 coats of 9h and one coat of light applied. I haven't had any issues or swirl marks develop on the car since. Water really beads away quickly. I have to hold my judgement for at least another 2 months before I am able to commit on the effectiveness.

Rahul runs the place at Indiranagar Bangalore , he and his team have a good eye for detail and very professional. He can be reached on
+9195389 95445

They also have a product called CeramicPro sport, this can be used like any other liquid polish for maintaining the car after the coating.

If anyone has questions , I will be happy to answer.