[Artyom]

So a plan to visit our parents in Punjab was made on a very short notice(Note 2 days' notice) as the WFH was coming to an end finally. This meant no more extended stays anywhere without taking leaves and so we finally reached Punjab. Another reason for the excitement was to meet the new member of our family(Hyundai Venue) which came home last month.

I had been telling my dad to get the coating done and finally after going through the only few options present locally it was decided to go with the IGL Coatings(Kenzo) . The Kenzo certified detailer was a half hour drive from our home and hence it was finalized quickly. Upon reaching the center we were greeted by Mr. Sahil who explained us the various offerings ranging from 1-5 Years and what all products will be used during the process. We were clear that we will be opting for 5 Year coating as that had the most thickness and was beneficial for my dad as he had to pay less attention towards maintaining the vehicle.

When it came to the price it was reasonable when compared to Bangalore outrageous rate cards. That's where the thought crossed my mind "Why don't I also get it done " and upon further negotiation on price it was decided we will get both the rides coated.

Why IGL Coatings Kenzo(Graphene Infused)?

-I have heard good reviews about their coatings and the thickness they offer.
-The Pricing offered was a no brainer for a 5 year coating
-The Lack of PPF options and other branded coatings availability further aided the decision.
-I wanted to get dad's vehicle coated in my presence so a professional detailer was necessary.

What all was included in the package for both vehicles?
-5 year coating on the Exterior Paint
-1 Year coating for Alloys and wheels
-1 Year coating for the front windshield
-1 Year coating for the Trim
-Interior cleaning

PLEASE NOTE I am nowhere associated with the brand and all the views are of my own.
Members are free to disagree/correct me. I however knew the India distributor and have been in touch with him since long for some products which i wanted to procure. He has not played any role in influencing my decision or negotiating the pricing.

Test subject
-Hyundai Creta 2019(White)
-Hyundai Venue 2021(White)

TimeLine
2.5 Days/Vehicle


Process Followed
I was very clear that I will be present throughout the whole process till the end .They had no issues with that.

Day1
1.The Emblems along with the nooks and crannies on the exterior were cleaned first with a brush to get rid of the water spots.
2.The vehicle was then washed through and through
3.Claying was done on the exterior using a clay towel.
4.Masking of the vehicle was done before the Polishing and compounding
5.There are 3 polishes which were used in a sequence(F1,F2,F3) to prepare the surface. First day it was F1 and F2 which were used. It was almost evening so i had to leave . The detailer assured me to send a video and photo of anything which will be done once i leave so that i am up to date.
6.All the wheels were removed and then cleaned followed by the Alloy coating.

Day2
1 .The Final stage of preparing the paint was the use of F3 polish after which the exterior paint was ready.
2. Then they moved to the Interior cleaning which included(Vacuum and cleaning all the plastics using IGL products)
3.Then they moved back to check if the exterior was all set(No Marks or water spots ). All the gaps on the bumper and on the dicky were detailed.
4.The Trim was the last one to get the attention which included brushing & cleaning them using IGL products to prepare them for the coating.
5.By this time it was evening and the vehicle was all ready for the coating . This is what took a considerable amount of time. This coating had 2 bottles(Base Coat and Top Coat) . 2 Coats of base product followed by 2 of the top product were to be applied.
The Sequence followed was as below:-

IGL Precoat was first used on the whole exterior and cleaned(This does the same job as IPA solution does)
1 Base coat was first applied by Mr. Sahil himself on the painted surface followed by buffing after 30 seconds.
Once the buffing was done each panel was then cured using IR lamps for 5 minutes.
2nd base Coat was then applied followed by buffing and then curing by IR lamps for 5 minutes for each panel.
1 Top coat layer was then applied followed by buffing and then again curing using IR lamps for 5 minutes /panel.
Finally the last layer or Top Coat was applied and that concluded the coating for the exterior paint.
6. I Stayed there till step where the 1st layer of Top coat was curing using the IR lamps .By that time one of the guy had already cleaned the windshield and applied the glass coating as well .The only part which was left was the trim coating which they did after i left.


Day3
1.The vehicle was kept in the studio for the coating to cure and i was asked to come in the morning to collect the vehicle
2.I reached by 12 and at that time a last coat of IGL Premier was applied and buffed as the final step.
3.Mr Sahil asked me to inspect the vehicle and let him know if I find anything amiss.

Goodies/Supplementary

1.Warranty card
2.Bill
3.Key Chain
4.Buffing Cloth


Maintenance Rituals

1. I was instructed not the wash the vehicle for at least 7 days post coating.
2.Regular maintenance could be done with NON IGL products and i confirmed that with the distributor as well. Only special care to be taken is with the use of car shampoo and it should be a PH Neutral(Any Brand will do)


Additional Observations
1.The whole team was courteous and professional in their work.
2.The coating box including the bottles were opened in my presence.
3.The Owner Mr Sahil was a thorough professional and kept asking how i felt about the progress and if there was anything which was missed.
4.New Buffing Towels were used almost every time the coating was to be buffed
5.Attention to the detail was given utmost importance.
6 .They also have a washing center in the same compound and for the whole time when i was there vehicles were lined up for washing and cleaning which meant either they were good at their job or they were dirt cheap (I support the first assumption).
7.One could say that it was an impulsive decision to get the coating because of the deal price but then i am happy I did especially considering the whole process was done with due diligence.
8.I had got the coating done in 2019 when i bough the vehicle and in my opinion that coating lasted for maybe an year and i expect this one to last longer as they are guaranteeing the same provided certain maintenance rules are followed. I am confident I will follow them and lets see how this gamble play off .

Protection and Gloss
1.The coating promises 5 years of protection with proper maintenance and only time will tell if the claim is true
2.The Gloss obviously got a major bump with removal of swirls and the vehicle getting a new look

Location of the Detailing Center
Diamond car spa
Khothran Road,
Friends Colony, Phagwara, Punjab 144401

[Artyom]

Some More Clicks which were left

[BhayanaV]

Nice outcome. Any idea what kind of coating they use on the windshield? And can you share the cost also, for reference.

[JacksonStorm]

Nice detailing Artyom, Your car looks in showroom condition.
Can you share the package cost details and breakup, and What is the price difference between Bangalore and your place?

[Artyom]

Originally Posted by BhayanaV

Nice outcome. Any idea what kind of coating they use on the windshield? And can you share the cost also, for reference.

They used Ecocoat Window for the windshield which they quote will last for 1 year.The Price i paid was 35k for my Vehicle.

Originally Posted by JacksonStorm

Nice detailing Artyom, Your car looks in showroom condition.
Can you share the package cost details and breakup, and What is the price difference between Bangalore and your place?

Appreciate the kind words.I am from Bangalore but currently in Punjab .Bangalore doesnt have any IGL detailing centre.Tamil Nadu has one and others are in Telangana and Andhra.None in Karnataka.I believe a 5 year coating in Bangalore will easily cost 50k plus.To give you an idea I paid 26k in 2019 for the coating which I got done from bangalore and the brand name was Max Protect UK.It hardly lasted 1.5 years max with all the maintainence routines.Detailing in Bangalore is very expensive in my opinion.

[Artyom]

Missed adding the pic of the Keychain which was given as well

[Tanmay007]

Really well documented review. Thanks!

Don’t fall for the multiple top coats marketing, beyond a couple of coats the effect drops down drastically as the polymer is meant to bind with the clear coat, after a few passes there’s nothing left for the coating to bind to.

There is no way the coating can last for 5 years. Washing the car, exposing to sun, dust, minerals, etc will slowly fade the coat. At max you can expect results similar to your previous coat i.e. 1 year post which the effects (hydrophobic/shine) will start to fade.

The best way to go about ceramic coatings is to opt for a package that provides periodic touch-ups. For a 5 year package that would be something like once every year.

[Tony2298]

Your Creta after the Graphene coating looks terrific and even cleaner and glossier than a showroom fresh car and I was amazed too look at those alloy wheels, well those are dangerously, squeaky clean too!, also personally speaking this version of the Creta the 2018 facelift with LED taillights is my favourite looking Creta and IMHO looks far better than the newer one, no offence to owners just my personal preference.

My friend too owns a 2018 Phantom Black Hyundai Creta as well but due to improper wash techniques and mishandling by the driver was very ill-maintained and had a hell-lot of scratches and swirls on its paint surface, I suggested him to give his car to some professional detailer and opt for some paint protection treatment but due to other constraints he denied that but more than him I couldn't be in peace to look that beautiful car in such a shoddy manner and decided to do as much as possible in as low budget as possible

So, with a shoe-string budget off we set on a DIY project armed with Meguiars range of products and lot of microfibre towels, cloth, mitts and foam applicator pads and well I must say that our hardwork did pay off, yes it wasn't completely swirl-free but was much much better than it was earlier. I have attached a before and after pictures of the same. Thank you for sharing!

[Artyom]

Originally Posted by Tanmay007

Really well documented review. Thanks!

Don’t fall for the multiple top coats marketing, beyond a couple of coats the effect drops down drastically as the polymer is meant to bind with the clear coat, after a few passes there’s nothing left for the coating to bind to.

There is no way the coating can last for 5 years. Washing the car, exposing to sun, dust, minerals, etc will slowly fade the coat. At max you can expect results similar to your previous coat i.e. 1 year post which the effects (hydrophobic/shine) will start to fade.

The best way to go about ceramic coatings is to opt for a package that provides periodic touch-ups. For a 5 year package that would be something like once every year.

So the base coat is primarily for the hardness and thus 2 coats are applied. The top coat is for the gloss and that will gradually fade if not maintained well. Time will surely tell if the coating can hold on till 5 years however I am against the yearly maintenance regime .Reason is every year they will compound and polish the paint and then coat the vehicle. This means every time they will be removing a fine layer of the paint. I am somehow not comfortable with it. I would rather maintain the vehicle myself by using a sealant every 6 months and keep the protection up to date than the yearly visits. No doubt the yearly visits will bring that new shine but then that's just me and people do opt for those.

Originally Posted by Tony2298

Your Creta after the Graphene coating looks terrific and even cleaner and glossier than a showroom fresh car and I was amazed too look at those alloy wheels, well those are dangerously, squeaky clean too!,

So, with a shoe-string budget off we set on a DIY project armed with Meguiars range of products and lot of microfibre towels, cloth, mitts and foam applicator pads and well I must say that our hardwork did pay off, yes it wasn't completely swirl-free but was much much better than it was earlier. I have attached a before and after pictures of the same. Thank you for sharing!

Appreciate the kind words. In fact just last month i did a DIY similar to yours and the results were great. But then compared to a proper coating it
fades away. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/showt...errerid=574755 (Review: Poorboy's White Diamond + Turtle Wax Ceramic Wax + Turtle Wax Ceramic Spray Coating)
Your DIY project is a day and night difference and worthy of a separate post sir. Please do share the same with us.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by Tanmay007

Really well documented review. Thanks!

There is no way the coating can last for 5 years. Washing the car, exposing to sun, dust, minerals, etc will slowly fade the coat. At max you can expect results similar to your previous coat i.e. 1 year post which the effects (hydrophobic/shine) will start to fade.

The best way to go about ceramic coatings is to opt for a package that provides periodic touch-ups. For a 5 year package that would be something like once every year.

There are ceramic coatings that can very easily last well over 5 years. Please look up proper wash technique. By durability it is understood that actual film adhesion is being referenced, which you can check with a DFT gauge, and not certain properties like water beading, although that too will easily last the lifetime of the coating provided washing is done properly.

The only way to properly remove a fully cured coating is to either use a heavy cut compound or wetsand the panel, as it is harder than factory paint, you cannot just ‘wash off’ a coating. Neither can UV/dust ‘fade’ a coating, it is transparent after all.

Wash frequency has near zero effect on gloss and hydrophobics, provided it is done properly. I can personally attest to this having tested many cars over hundreds of foam washes spread over many years. Assuming you’ve used a high quality coating which was applied properly, there is zero need for ‘maintenance’ or reapplication every year, as you are thinning out your factory paint every time you take a polisher to your paint in addition to stripping the previously applied coating, necessitating a fresh application.

[Tanmay007]

Originally Posted by AJ56

Wash frequency has near zero effect on gloss and hydrophobics, provided it is done properly.

Majority of people never have the time to meticulously clean the car themselves with clean micro-fiber towels nor do regular expensive foam washes. You are talking about a best case scenario which is never the case practically.

Besides the washing technique there are several other factors that affect the longevity. Just using the car on a regular basis driving around in dust, parking the car outside exposed to the sun, salty water for cleaning, etc.

The reason why people go for ceramic coatings is to preserve gloss, get a basic level of protection against minor swirl marks and hydrophobic properties to make cleaning easier. The only way all that can last for 5 years is if you never take the car out of your garage.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by Tanmay007

Majority of people never have the time to meticulously clean the car themselves with clean micro-fiber towels nor do regular expensive foam washes. You are talking about a best case scenario which is never the case practically.

Besides the washing technique there are several other factors that affect the longevity. Just using the car on a regular basis driving around in dust, parking the car outside exposed to the sun, salty water for cleaning, etc.

The reason why people go for ceramic coatings is to preserve gloss, get a basic level of protection against minor swirl marks and hydrophobic properties to make cleaning easier. The only way all that can last for 5 years is if you never take the car out of your garage.

I’ll agree on the first part, it isn’t easy or cheap to maintain a swirl free finish for years but it’s very much possible, you can wash yourself but you need time and the right equipment and products.

These elements are precisely where a ceramic coating shines, modern high quality coatings are not affected by dust/UV/road elements to the extent that they’ll fail prematurely, that’s where all the R&D goes to endure they resist all the elements for a few years at least.

The last part is just not true, I have personally seen daily drivers that do Gurgaon-Delhi 6 days a week with 60-90km/day and even after 3 years the coating is intact and beads water with 80-90% of the performance it had on day 1. Why? Cause the owners took care of the washing and either did it themselves or had it done by someone who knows how to wash safely with soft water.

You can have the ultimate 5 year+ ceramic applied by the best detailers but if you give the car to your driver/daily washers for everyday washing then rest assured in terms of water beading it won’t last even 1 month, let alone years.

[Naztone]

I look forward to updates from you as to how well the coating is weathering Indian conditions. I have to say that at this point it looks supremely impressive.

[Artyom]

Originally Posted by Naztone

I look forward to updates from you as to how well the coating is weathering Indian conditions. I have to say that at this point it looks supremely impressive.

Will surely update this thread with periodic updates and if i observe any issues.
I will try to stick to a particular set of products for maintenance and regime to ensure the outcome is as even as possible.
I even confirmed with the distributor about the use of the following products for maintenance and they had no objection on any of them except the car shampoo which has to be PH neutral.

Optimum ONR for Rinse less Wash
Carpro Ech02 as a Quick Detailer
IGL Ecoclean Wash or any PH Neutral shampoo for Washing(I am planning to but Gyeon Bathe or Bathe+ as a Car Shampoo)

[Artyom]

Arrived Today, Shampoo and Quick detailer for the rides.