[sarang.vaidya]

Introduction:
This is my 1st post of this forum, so please accept my apologies in case I miss to log anything in the process. I would like this to be as detailed as possible where i would like to log all the involved processes.

Search for Service:
I am based in KalyaniNagar, Pune and I was looking across the area for various car detailers to get the ceramic coating done on my 2.5-year-old XUV500. It was very confusing for me to finalize the detailer considering the variations in the pricing I got from everyone. Pricing was ranging from 10k to 17k for 1-year warranty/service and 15k to 30k for 3 years warranty/service. Above that, the expertise, product used and workmanship was the main concern I had in mind.

Before proceeding, i would like to give a bit of background about the vehicle which will be involved. It’s a very well-maintained SUV, regularly washed and maintained personally. Usually, no car-wash guy is allowed to wash this car unless in extreme conditions where I am too busy to take care of her. While washing, a pressure washer (Bosch Aquatec 125) is used to rinse 1st, followed by MJJC foam cannon using decent quality foaming liquid and then rinsing and drying using dedicated microfiber cloths from amazon basics. Although minor swirl marks are definitely there on the paint on the lower end of the spectrum that you would normally see on a 2.5-year-old vehicle.

Service Finalization:
After lot of confusions and researching I finalized a detailer, named MP Auto Studios based on the value for money quotation that I received, and I reached the detailing studio with the vehicle 10:00AM in the morning. He offered me to take a loaner vehicle so that I can go home considering the process would take over 8 hours to complete. I rejected the offer and decided to stay, to monitor the process throughout. Nice service and friendly staff is what they have there. I asked if I could capture videos and take photographs during the process and they approved the same promptly.

At the studio before commencing the detailing process


I would try to mention all the steps followed during the detailing to provide everyone a fair idea on the overall process that was followed.

Stage 1 – Decontamination and Paint Correction:
Step 1 – Bug / Tar Remover and initial wash:
Complete car was sprayed with bug/tar remover to get rid of all the tar marks and bug guts which were all over the paint as well as the plastic cladding's. Car was allowed to soak in it for around 4-5 mins and then a mild hand rub was given to agitate the chemical before it was completely rinsed off using a pressure washer.
I am not sure of the brand that was used here as it was sprayed using a generic spray bottle. However, it did its job well and all the bug guts and tar marks were easily removed with just a slight hand rubbing.
Although, the pressure washer was not a professional type and was a small one which did not seem to generate much pressure. Also, the foam used was not up to the expectations as it was not thick enough. But definitely not a deal breaker.
Post this initial wash and drying stage the car was moved to the detailing bay and the engine bay, alloy wheels, all lug nuts, logos and all other nooks and crannies were cleaned using soapy water and microfiber cloth.

Initial inspection and bug/Tar remover spray

Rinsing the car post the Bug/Tar remover application and agitation by hand

Snow foam application

Contact wash using a microfiber mitt post snow foam application


Condition of the paint before paint correction

Tools used for the process


Step 2 – Masking:
Now it was the time to mask all the plastic cladding's and all non-painted surfaces of the car to avoid them from getting damaged from the rubbing stage which was to be followed next. Professionally done using a masking tape.
All the plastic cladding's are being masked before starting the rubbing and paint correction process.


Step 3 – 1st Stage of Paint Correction - Rubbing:
It was time to get rid of the swirl marks some scratches to bring back the oxidized paint to its original condition. To start off a 1000-grit rubbing compound was used from the brand 3D. This stage was completed using a regular, variable speed rotary polisher and a heavy cut soft microfiber Pad. This process was done one panel at a time. After completion of each panel, it was inspected using a torch light to see condition, post rubbing. Along with the painted surfaces all the glossy finished plastic surfaces as well as the headlights and tail lights were polished.
[i]3D branded 1000 grit rubbing compound[i]

1st stage rubbing using a rotary polisher and 1000 grit compound


Step 4 – 2nd Stage Of paint Correction - Rubbing:
Here, a 2000-grit rubbing compound was used to take care of the minor scratches and remove the sanding marks that the 3000-grit compound might have introduced. Care was taken to clean each panel using a microfiber cloth before starting the detailing. This stage was completed using “Rupes Bigfoot random orbital polisher” and compound branded by Auto-Herb using a medium-cut sponge polish pad.
As expected, all the painted panels, glossy finished plastic panels, headlights, taillights were covered during this stage of correction.
2nd stage rubbing compound from Auto-Herb

2nd stage rubbing compound process using a Rupes DA polisher



Step 5 – Pre-Polish wash and Cleaning:
Now it was time to clean the whole car and get it ready for the final polish/waxing stage. All the masking’s that were done on the car were removed and the whole car was foam washed and dried before it was moved back to the detailing bay for the final polishing/waxing stage.

Step 6 – Final polish to add Gloss:
Again the Same Rupes DA polisher with a new sponge pad was used in this stage with a Auto-herb final finish polish. Interestingly, there was minimal residue that was seen post this polishing stage and also the plastic cladding's were not masked anymore. This polish seem to have no effect on these cladding's anyways. Each panel was wiped clean using a clean microfiber cloth before starting with this final stage polish process.

With this stage done, we come to the end of the decontamination and paint correction stage.
Now the whole car is inspected using a torch light to see any remaining areas which still requires to be corrected. We found some couple spots which needed attention and they are corrected before we moved to the final coating stage.

Product Un-boxing & Prep Work Before the Grand Finale:
The whole car has been brought back to glory with the paint as good as new factory condition. Now it was time to provide it the protection for which i was here.
Unboxing the ceramic kit


Before this process was started, the whole car was given a complete IPA wipe down to remove all the oils and residue from the previous products taht were used during the rubbing and polishing stages. Idea is to have a super clean surface before the Ceramic Coating process was started.
Kit which was used was the Nanolex branded SI3D which was a surprise to me. We did the un-boxing and the contents were revealed to me. The box had 1 applicator block, multiple application cloths, 1 bottle of ceramic coating(50ml), 1 spray bottle IPA(200ml) and 2-3 microfiber cloths for buffing.
I was happy to see the use of good branded products instead of some non-branded regular stuff considering the reasonable price which was on offer.
Nanolex Ceramic coating kit used on the car


Final Application:
The time has come to start with the final application of the coat at around 4:00PM in the evening after a complete detailing session of around 5 hours involving 3 people.
This stage involved 2 members who worked in sync with each other. 1 panel was handled at a time. 1 person was applying the coat to the panel and post application the other person was quickly wiping it down with 1 microfiber and then buffing the panel with another one.
The whole car was covered this way, with all the body panels including roof, headlights, taillights, glossy finished plastics, sunroof, alloys and the front wind-shield.
All the plastic cladding's and foot-steps were covered using another ceramic coat from another brand which I am not sure of. But the person in charge assured that it will have the same protection and hydrophobic effect as the Nanolex one.
It took us around 1.5 - 2 hours to complete the whole car and give all panels an even coat.
Application of the ceramic liquid to the applicator block

Application of the ceramic coat on the painted surface

Both the members working in sync to apply the coat and buff it off

Applying the coating to the alloy wheels

Application of the ceramic coat to the front wind shield



Before the delivery of the vehicle, the engine bay and the tyres were was dressed nicely giving it a final professional touch.
Engine bay detailed with the ceramic coating



Precautionary measures and Instructions post Ceramic Coating:
The person in-charge suggested to keep the car in the studio overnight as it needs to be protected against water for at least 24 hours after this application. I assured him that I will properly take care of it in my private covered park and decided to take the car home.
Below are some of the instructions that needs to be followed post a Ceramic Coating:
1. Keep away from water at least 24 hours post application.
2. No washing for at least a week. Preferably 15 days.

Overall, I am happy with the work done and would recommend MP Auto Studios to anyone who is interested in getting their vehicles ceramic coated. These guys are new in the business and are providing very competitive rates compared to others in the market. There are some areas which I feel could have been handled better but nothing that seems to be a deal-breaker from my point of view.

I tried to list down some things that would have made the experience even better.
1. Better pressure washer equipment and better foam wash.
2. Claying to further remove the contaminants before rubbing stage.
3. Coating all the side and back window glasses.

I am yet to come across any detailer in India who can meet all my expectations. These guys are good in what they are doing and most important point for me is they are using genuine products and know what they are doing.
Overall a very satisfied customer. I would try to post some snaps of the process and final results.
Also, would be keen on seeing the results post curing of the coating and an update in long term.

For now i would let the final pictures do the talking although the white color is not be best to justice to what has been achieved.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Modifications & Accessories Section. Thanks for sharing!

[swami69]

Nicely detailed and good work from the detailer. Enjoy the shiny car

Swami

[F150]

Good to see someone from Kalyani Nagar , Pune posting on the forum.

Good shine on the car.

I am in Magarpatta, and I am also in the process of finalizing the ceramic coating for my Skoda Rapid.

I am OK with the quote , but the detailer was asking me to leave the car with him for 2 days. ( Saturday morning to Sunday Evening ).

All the folks in and around Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar , Kharadi and Magarpatta should meet up sometime after the CoViD issue is sorted.

[roadrunner_nv]

Originally Posted by F150

Good to see someone from Kalyani Nagar , Pune posting on the forum.

Good shine on the car.

I am in Magarpatta, and I am also in the process of finalizing the ceramic coating for my Skoda Rapid.

I am OK with the quote , but the detailer was asking me to leave the car with him for 2 days. ( Saturday morning to Sunday Evening ).

All the folks in and around Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar , Kharadi and Magarpatta should meet up sometime after the CoViD issue is sorted.

Sound like a plan. Let's do that. My office is at Viman Nagar and I stay at Baner.

There are quite a few detailers that do a good job. We can all club a deal.

[BrakeFree]

Wow, it's a drool worthy look. Sarang.Vaidya during your research, by any chance did you compare 3M™ Trizact™ Treatment with ceramic coating in terms of price and final look and feel of the car?

[sarang.vaidya]

Originally Posted by F150

Good to see someone from Kalyani Nagar , Pune posting on the forum.

Good shine on the car.

I am in Magarpatta, and I am also in the process of finalizing the ceramic coating for my Skoda Rapid.

I am OK with the quote , but the detailer was asking me to leave the car with him for 2 days. ( Saturday morning to Sunday Evening ).

All the folks in and around Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar , Kharadi and Magarpatta should meet up sometime after the CoViD issue is sorted.

You can contact MP Auto Studios(Somesh) for the best quote. I am sure, he will be providing you the best quote as he is a new guy trying to settle down and build a customer base. For example, he did quote 7k for my friends eco-sport with 1 year warranty with the same Nanolex kit.

They do insist to keep the car at their studio as the ceramic takes a minimum of 24 hours for curing during which, it needs to be kept away from water. If water spills and dries, then the paint gets damaged and is very hard to repair. If you have a safe and covered parking space, you can take the car home on your risk as i did.

Meet-up sounds amazing, lets do that once this COVID-19 situation normalizes.

Originally Posted by BrakeFree

Wow, it's a drool worthy look. Sarang.Vaidya during your research, by any chance did you compare 3M™ Trizact™ Treatment with ceramic coating in terms of price and final look and feel of the car?

Did not check out the 3M™ Trizact™ as, I feel 3M is somehow way too overpriced for what they deliver. Completely my personal opinion.
Before going with MP, I did finalize the Opti-coat pro from Aqua-Tint Kharadi, which was quoted for around 54k with 5 years warranty and life. But MP gave me an offer(10k-1 year warranty) which I was not able to refuse and I thought of giving it a try. No regrets though

[damanbir]

Originally Posted by sarang.vaidya

You can contact MP Auto Studios(Somesh) for the best quote. I am sure, he will be providing you the best quote as he is a new guy trying to settle down and build a customer base. For example, he did quote 7k for my friends eco-sport with 1 year warranty with the same Nanolex kit.

Meet-up sounds amazing, lets do that once this COVID-19 situation normalizes.

I have gotten my car washed from MP studio a couple of times, The charges are decent.

Foam cannon used wasn't the best, but did a respectable Job.

Had to push the guys to wash with a little more detail, they seemed to have skipped some areas. Yes, they give the car proper time and are not in a hurry to finish the job.

I used to stay in Viman but just moved Amanora, will be delighted to meet you all.

[sarang.vaidya]

I did get my Fiat Palio 1.6 detailed from the same studio last weekend and its come out amazing. Will be posting the details in a separate thread. This being a 2007 model, needed some more efforts in detailing to remove the hard water marks and multistage rubbing. In the end, it was a effort well spent.
Attaching couple of snaps to let you guys judge the results. Also, planning to get my RE500 and Honda Activa detailed soon :P

[VJ05]

Originally Posted by F150

Good to see someone from Kalyani Nagar , Pune posting on the forum.

Good shine on the car.

I am in Magarpatta, and I am also in the process of finalizing the ceramic coating for my Skoda Rapid.

I am OK with the quote , but the detailer was asking me to leave the car with him for 2 days. ( Saturday morning to Sunday Evening ).

All the folks in and around Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar , Kharadi and Magarpatta should meet up sometime after the CoViD issue is sorted.

Good idea, my office is in Magarpatta and staying in Kharadi. Let's catch up sometime after the current situation gets over.

[gotiyaa]

Originally Posted by sarang.vaidya

Introduction:
This is my 1st post of this forum, so please accept my apologies in case I miss to log anything in the process. I would like this to be as detailed as possible where i would like to log all the involved processes.

Thanks Sarang for sharing a detailed review. I just brought an EcoSport home and was looking for detailing in East Pune area, Amanora to be precise. How does your XUV look after 11 months and any pointers you might want to add before I get my car coated?

MOD NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AN ENTIRE LARGE POST. Request you to quote and reply selectively.

Thanks.

[sarang.vaidya]

XUV and its coating is still holding well. It mostly depends on how its maintained post the coating is done. I usually use Bosch pressure washer which helps in removing the loose dust as well as the sticky dust to an extent. Also a quality microfiber cloth you use for cleaning helps a lot to avoid the swirl marks. I do all the cleaning personally weekly or bi-weekly.

Luckily for me, there has been no issues so far.

I would definitely suggest to get your new vehicle coated. I have heard lot good things about the Brotomotive Carzspa store located in Kharadi, Pune. They seem to offer very good service with proper detailing procedure. These guys know what they are doing Please check there youtube channel before finalizing.