[parrys]

To all who wanted to check how well this is lasting, I got the 3M HyperShield treatment for my Honda Jazz on January 18th, 2018.

Since then, I got it washed twice, this is the second time - On February 9th, shot this video to check the hydrophobic effect.

[ACM]

Originally Posted by parrys

So, the official pricing is as follows:
For single coat - Rs. 13,000, Rs. 16,000, Rs. 20,000, Rs. 24,000 for small, medium, large & x-large sizes respectively.

For double coat - Rs. 21,000, Rs. 27,000, Rs. 35,000, Rs. 44,000 for small, medium, large & x-large sizes respectively.

So for a double coat for my Jazz, which is medium size, the rate is INR 27,000. This is on par with other detailing service providers quoting close to INR 25 - 30k.

But you had mentioned that you were hinted at a price of about 11k and were told it would be significantly lesser that outside ceramic coating?

Did you not question this discrepancy in final pricing and what was indicated earlier.

I don't feel 27k is worthwhile. Heck the car this size can be give a good coat of paint itself for 35k.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ACM

I don't feel 27k is worthwhile. Heck the car this size can be give a good coat of paint itself for 35k.

3M would have seen the rates in the market and decide to price it accordingly.

Arguments will come whether 27k is worth it or not! I just dont understand why a basic 7k coating cant be done four times (One every 1 year or so) instead of this ceramic expensive stuff. Atleast some scratch and swirl removal can happen during the process.

Reminds me of the education and medicine systems in the country. Prices are being driven higher and higher because people tend to take pride in paying up.

[parrys]

Originally Posted by ACM

But you had mentioned that you were hinted at a price of about 11k and were told it would be significantly lesser that outside ceramic coating?

Did you not question this discrepancy in final pricing and what was indicated earlier.

I don't feel 27k is worthwhile. Heck the car this size can be give a good coat of paint itself for 35k.

It is 16k for a single coat.
For a car like Jazz.

[ACM]

Originally Posted by parrys

It is 16k for a single coat.
For a car like Jazz.

Thank you for this detailed thread on the experience. This is an outlet I myself visit and their services are quite good.

That said:
1) I firmly believe that 3M is very very overpriced for what it offers. Yes it offers standardization but that should not cost this much more than others.
2) The service is not consistent. It is superb at times and not that perfect on other days. I generally wait for the full day while the work is being done on my car (at this very same outlet) and still find that the service is not that consistent as I watch every minute of the work being done, I can see them doing it differently each time.
3) Since 1 year I have moved on to other service providers.
4) The pricing seems opportunistic and just based on what others offering similar treatments in the market are offering. But the non branded guys will soon drop prices and 3M won't.
5) I remember the days of Teflon coating costing INR 7000 and then a couple of years later there being sprays cans available costing just INR 500-1000 that would do the same job. Even the detailers then started doing it for between INR 1000-2000. These treatments are going to go the same way in the non branded detailer shops and 3M will be left holding the price that they have committed to today.

Now this is my view and am sure there would be many who disagree or think differently but...
1) There is no magic in this world. A child or demented guy will manage to put a clear scratch line on any kind of car treated with any kind of protection.
2) 20K plus is in my view too much to pay as treatment for a car costing about say 10L. The cost of treatment has to have some correlation to the cost of the car and hence to the kind of paint treatment originally given to the vehicle. That said some cars costing even 10L have very original paint. (Fortuner is one such example) and there can be a car costing just 20L with a very very well done paint treatment.
3) How do we know the kind of paint treatment given to a car originally. The cost if the paint used? Any paint shop (selling paint) will give you insights into this and yes a BMW, Merc or Audi does use more expensive paint compared to say a Maruti, Hyundai, Honda or a Toyota and this is also dependent on the segment in which that particular model is competing.
4) How can we justify 25K for a paint protection service when a full body overcoat costs roughly the same.
5) I am all for going once or twice a year and getting the swirls removed with a moderate cost polish job plus a basic treatment that lasts the monsoon done just before monsoon to cause water to trickle of the body and glass. But anything more nah..
6) My daily car wash guy can continue to wash my car with a bucket of water and put dry water marks and swirls to my car. My time is not worth the effort of cleaning the car daily.
7) I take a yearly 10-12K contract with Auto Express that covers 3 internal cleaning, 3 Exterior Polish Sealant treatment and 6 premium foam based car washes. This is usable in all the malls of Bombay where they have centres, including Viviana and Korum in Thane.

[Sahil]

While the pricing does seem high, one can only judge the value based on what it will deliver. If one coat of ceramic ensures that I don't have to detail my exteriors for 2 years, it will definitely worth it.


Btw, here is a way to get 15% off on all 3m services: https://www.amazon.in/3M-Car-Care-2_...s=3m+gift+card

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ACM

Now this is my view and am sure there would be many who disagree or think differently but...
1) There is no magic in this world. A child or demented guy will manage to put a clear scratch line on any kind of car treated with any kind of protection.

My experience. Detailed my car during the 30k, 45k and 60k kms milestone, and it looked better than showroom condition at this point. Atleast availed some 20-30 premium foam wash and wax from 3M.

The night after the third detailing - some jealous adult left some deep scratches on the bonnet.

It hurt so bad that I lost interest in spending too much on detailing. I'll rather spend a reasonable amount - in batches so that the car remains fresh over a longer terms (under our typical Indian conditions).

Imagine waking up the next day after detailing only to see a scratch on the bonnet and 30k of ceramic go down the drain in one single shot.

[KA18]

Originally Posted by ACM

That said some cars costing even 10L have very original paint. (Fortuner is one such example)

Did not get this. Do other cars do not have a 'very original' paint??
AFAIK, all cars paints are Original. Can you please clarify?

And when did the Fortuner cost 10L??

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by //HB

3) would re-painting cost near about the same amount (or less) ?

This has been talked about on the forum. A member got his VW Polo resprayed, by a VW dealer, with the correct VW paint, and the cost was around 50,000. This is pretty good compared to the higher-cost coatings!

But there is plenty of room for a better, longer-lasting, protective coat than wax. Let those of us who are a bit lazy about our car care be better protected from bird crap, etc, and, as a previous poster said, more able to get a fair to good shine with a simple wash and rinse.

I am under the impression that there are many wipe-on-and-off products available from reputable care-care-product makers. They might be expensive little bottles, but they would not cost tens of thousands of Rs, and the application might be actually easier than a good waxing. The trouble is that, as with all such things, the devil is in the detail (hah hah, let the pun stand!) and the detail is in the preparation. That does take skill, time and some hard work. That is the bit I would always want someone else, hopefully an expert, to do. I fear that, even I was not lazy, I would do as much harm as good!

The controversy will continue. None-the-less, thank you parrys for your report, and congratulations on the lovely shine! Please update as the months and years pass

[roby_dk]

Considering the price quoted by 3M this seems to be a costly affair. I will stay away from such coatings till the prices come down under 10k. Better to save money and use them later for paint jobs if any. PPF is better if one looking out for protection from minor scratches but it is very costly and is not suited for white(light) shades. 3M quoted approx 1L for full body PPF protection for Endeavour.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The trouble is that, as with all such things, the devil is in the detail (hah hah, let the pun stand!) and the detail is in the preparation.

Well said.

However - preperation is mostly the same in case of application of a sealant or a ceramic coat. A 3M dealership would spend the same effort in surface preparation even if you opt for a 7k sealant or a 27k ceramic. But the beauty of it finally would depend a lot on the preperation stage.

While a normal sealant might last a year, you still get to do the whole preperation + sealant process for four years with the same money which is spent for a ceramic coat which might last all of two years.

[ACM]

Originally Posted by KA18

Did not get this. Do other cars do not have a 'very original' paint??
AFAIK, all cars paints are Original. Can you please clarify?

And when did the Fortuner cost 10L??

Sorry. That was a combination of typos and auto correct that I spotted too late.

The Gist of what I meant was that some cars costing as low as 10L have paint quality matching much more expensive cars and some cars like the Fortuner have paint quality that is not commensurate with the 40L price point. Basically when we go to repaint our cars or correct an accidental scratch the cost depends on the quality of paint material used originally and also on the original paint work. Of course all cars come with original paint when new but this is not of the same quality across car brands.

[pramods]

I avoided these paint care and have been doing all the cleaning and caring myself by applying wax. Somehow the self effort and motivation is no more at the same level. Finally, I gave in and went for 3M hypersheild coating for Kodiaq, they have kept the car for 20 hour curing, will be getting the car back today evening, hoping it has the same a better effect and would require less caring!
3M has categories the cars in 3 bucket, normal, large and extra large, the cost for extra large is around 23K + taxes.
Will update on the final outcome later once I have the car.
-Pramod

[dushmin]

Originally Posted by pramods

Finally, I gave in and went for 3M hypersheild coating for Kodiaq, they have kept the car for 20 hour curing, will be getting the car back today evening, hoping it has the same a better effect and would require less caring!
3M has categories the cars in 3 bucket, normal, large and extra large, the cost for extra large is around 23K + taxes.
Will update on the final outcome later once I have the car.
-Pramod

Sir, could you please provide an update on your experience so far?

[pramods]

I am not able to see much value in with it, it's supposed to resist water and swirl marks better than what is available in market. The suggestion is to do waxing regularly to extend the coating life, which is expected to last 1+ year.
I am not impressed with the outcome and cost, could have spent 26K on fuel either in Kodiaq or R1200GSA!

-Pramod