Gone are the times when wax used to be the best treatment you could give to your car after a regular Sunday wash. Don’t get me wrong, wax is still the top layer of any good detailer, but many more layers go below the wax layer now.
Most detailers today are offering a brand of coating, prices ranging from INR 2K – 60K, hence the title “Coating Wars”. All of them rely on the same kind of molecular technology, Nano technology. How do you choose which one to get done on your precious car to keep it looking like new. Other than the moolah I mean!
- Research: I don’t mean you do a research on the molecular technology and bla bla bla. What I mean is, look for reviews of the various brands in your local market, this way you would know which brand has been successful for how long. India has a tough climate, the heat and contaminants cut down the coating faster, hence it is very important to choose one that has been doing successfully particularly in the Indian market over the years. Investing in a coating is like maintenance, to be done once in a year or 2. Invest wisely!
- Portfolio: in the age of technology, nothing is hidden and a detailer’s work is through his showcase!
Now here’s the loophole, any car with a basic wash and wax will look good from afar. You ned to get up close to the paint to gauge a detailer’s skill. Don’t let just anybody with a buffer work on your precious. While we are talking about buffer, DA polishers are the best when it comes to a perfect hologram free finish. Does the detailer use that ? - Ask questions: how long has the product been in the Indian market,
his process, tools & products he is using, does he do de-contamination and degreasing before applying the coating? Also ask questions about what you would need to do after you get the coating, how long does it take for the coating to completely cure. Chances are if he is actually a detailer, he should not be offended by your questions! Perfect time to put the knowledge from all the research to work !
- Pre-coating check: like I said, ask questions! Will he let you check the car before he applies the coating. Do a quick walk around & check for Swirl marks, minor scratches, holograms before the coating is applied. Here’s the difference between a detailer and a rubbing specialist: A detailer knows what he is doing, and has a multitude of tools in his arsenal to tackle different defects! Trust me, a detailer will look at the paint really up close before he thinks that the car is ready for coating ! Hence, he would not mind you having a closer look at it yourself. Checkout this video for an up close work: Corrected paint close-up
- Post coating: understand the maintenance process from the detailer. Like everything else, coating also needs certain maintenance from time to time. For example after getting any good coating, you should use only Ph neutral shampoo and products. Does your detailer tell you about this before you leave the shop ? If he does, do follow these steps.
The biggest question people have is, are they worth it ? I personally feel, that is not the right question to be asked, the right question will be, whom should I get the coating from. There are people doing detailing for as high as 5000 pound, does it mean all of that cost is the product cost ? Detailing is more about skill and experience of course along with quality products.
A decent coating will save your vehicle’s clear coat and paint from different types of abuse like water spots, bird poo etc. And whatever marketing videos your detailer shows you, don’t buy in to the fact that these are scratch free, they are scratch resistant. Last but the most important, it will keep your car shining like new with a lot less effort.
Keep in mind that any paint correction treatment will remove a little bit of a layer from the surface. It is better if the surface has Nano coating to be removed rather than clear coat.
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