What is Teflon Coating and does it really help?

Asrangi · 10th November 2008, 13:00

Guys i just got a brand New Black CRV and got a so called Teflon treatment and anti rust underbody treatment from my Honda Dealer! Without a doubt the term Teflon is misused by the dealers as what they basically use as treatments are 3M products. Now anyone who has done their research will know that Teflon is a Dupont trademark.
Now the only company that offers Teflon treatment is a US based company called Simoniz and their product is called Simoniz system 5 which is the only product certified by Dupont... Does anyone know of any dealer in the NCR region who gives this treatment?

VeluM · 26th November 2008, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaks

Looked at this website and they show it as an additional layer of something, (a polymer?). They are claiming a guarantee of 6 years but why only 3 years by this dealer?

I don't know what the extra coat is, sorry. I did send an email (from that site) directly to the JewelUltra people and got a reply that in the Middle East and India the guarantee is for only 3 years

Ravi Kashyap · 26th November 2008, 20:57

[quote=tush;1036876]Thank you for the feebback GTO, however i am still not convinced because the feedback has to be from more people only then can we justify that teflon also does harm. There is nothing .....

Hi tush. Maybe this is a little late.
4 years back I bought a silver Indica. Got it 'Teflon' coated from 3M at the dealers.
I was very impressed with the finish and the greatest advantage was that it was very easy to wipe the car clean and it always looked brand new (it still looks very impressive).
Wondered though, if it was the coat or the regular maintainance I usually do with the carnuba wax and the TurtleWax scratch & Swirl remover. Both these products are great.
Then this year I bought a silver color Safari. There was a big dellima about the 'Teflon' top coat.
My take on this is:
All this while I believed that Teflon coat was a layer thick and hence was a protective sheild for the original paint. Hence any light scratch would actually scratch the teflon which could be removed by abbrasive agents. Hence its a great top coat.
I now believe that its not so. The clear coat by Dupont is what is actually a 'layer' and not teflon. Dupont clear coat has to be sprayed on a freshly painted surface, is air dried and then polished to a near perfect finish. Its a wonderful coat if applied as per company specs.
'Teflon' and other such finishes help in sealing/ filling up micro-nano pores on the surface of the paint thereby improving the reflection and giving the gloss. It makes the paint water repellant too- because of the wax. Its too thin a layer - and not that hard too- to withstand for a long time hence it needs to be done again and again. How often one needs to repeat this process would depend on its chemical properties which varies form product to product.
I believe that its best to wax polish the surface as often as one can. Thats after washing the car clean. A very convenient gadget to do so would be an electrical buffer. Local/China made ones are available which run on car battery and are very convenient and easy to use. Tried with Bosch Tools but they dont make.
Seriously, buying a tool like this for a DIY job is a much better proposition that getting the top coat done. Or if one is willing to spend regularly to get the job done. There are a lot of options in the market but one thing is certain- all require to repeat the process every 3 to 6 months.
Nano Treat as someone mentioned is a comparatively a new product. We use it to waterproof buildings- sunk slabs, outside wall cladings, Concrete surfaces ect. Its a wonderfull product but not come across for automobile applications. Though I suspect the water repellant for the windscreens is a similar product. Will be experimenting with it in some time and will post the results.
This time I did not get the 3M top coat for the Safari and do not regret so far.

m_upreti · 1st January 2009, 16:54

I would tend to agree with most of the friends here that Teflon coating is a rip off and a dealer gimmik to fleese you.

I realised it when I spent 5 K for coating my Wagon R 5 yrs back in Delhi, it didnt even last 3 months, (the second coat was due in 6 months).

So when the Dealer offered to do a Teflon Coating on my MHawk during the first service i told him to take a walk...It is better to wax and polish the car instead.

gpa · 1st January 2009, 18:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_upreti

It is better to wax and polish the car instead.

I agree, using the money of the teflon coat, one can buy a good polish like turtle wax and use tht with better gloss and shine.

Bubby · 1st May 2009, 11:13

Hi Guys,

I was just wondering is it really neceassary to get the Teflon coating done at the time of delivery or can the job be undertaken after a few months of car usage.

I am planning to get it done on my 5 month old Palio MJD, I want to get it done just beacuse the Teflon coating would not allow the dust to hold on to car surface.

Please suggest.

gpa · 1st May 2009, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubby

I am planning to get it done on my 5 month old Palio MJD, I want to get it done just beacuse the Teflon coating would not allow the dust to hold on to car surface.

You do not need to spend on a teflon coating. It is not worth it.

Just use a part of that money to buy a good polish and use that for your car. Trust me, you will se much better results and its a lot less burden on the pocket too.

Cheers,
gpa

M124 · 1st May 2009, 14:27

can anybody please post a video to demonstrate waxing or polishing for cars ?

Thad E Ginathom · 1st May 2009, 15:53

It doesn't really need a video: just follow the instructions on the can!

Usually, these amount to apply sparingly and polish with a soft cloth. When you apply it, there will be some white or grey smear visible; polish until you seem to have removed it all.

But I'm no expert: I'm too lazy! And the best results, they say, come from the hard, tinned polishes, which require much more hard work than the liquid polishes.

Surprise · 1st May 2009, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by M124

can anybody please post a video to demonstrate waxing or polishing for cars ?

YouTube - HOW TO-wax your car (Very detailed, useful information) **Also refer to description

PS: NDTC Imagine ad is bit frustrating as it expands in size in ur about to click some link

the_maassk · 1st May 2009, 17:55

I understood the 'Rubbing compound' bit and the 'waxing'. However, the guy in the video did not detail the 'Polishing' process (step 2). What is to be used and how it needs to be done?

ghpk · 1st May 2009, 18:47

Teflon = waste of money, atleast in India, may be Dealers don't actually use the specified concentrate and make it worse.

Self Polish is best one could have to keep the Car Paint Smiling all the time.
If you keep your car clean, and do a polish once a week, (waxpol, formula1 etc) iam sure it will look good year after year.

Surprise · 1st May 2009, 21:27

I was offered for a teflon coating (as they call it) at Rs.1800, with a repeat at no charge after 6 months. They told me they use 3M product, though Iam sure they won't, asked them to go ahead as it costs Rs.900/- per sitting

Got confused after going through all the threads and posts on TEFLON. Finally decided not to go ahead with it (atleast temporarily). Want to try out E_L suggestion on carnauba polish

More than the money, I do not want fall for the dealer stunts & will ask them to cancel it. If I really wanted it, let some road side wala make money from me rather than the dealer

greenhorn · 1st May 2009, 21:35

If you have a light coloured car, the effect will be very little, and most places , what is sold as a 'teflon' coating is just a polish job.

I was dumb enough to get my indica 'teflon coated' and the effect was underwhelming. there was absolutely no difference. But it did come in handy though.

The next day I was helping my friend take delivery of his indica, and they were taking ages , after 4 hours , they offfered to give us a teflon job to sweeten the deal. I asked them what exactly it meant, and the sales guy started blabbing away. I pointed to my indica and asked him if a teflon coat would help my indica - he said the car looked quite drab now , and that it would look stunning after a teflon coat. the difference would be like night and day.

I showed him the teflon warranty card stating that the job was done yesterday by the very same dealer

the look on his face was priceless

. We ended up getting the LHS ORVM (that's what we wanted) AND a free teflon polish !

Surprise · 1st May 2009, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhorn

I pointed to my indica and asked him if a teflon coat would help my indica - he said the car looked quite drab now , and that it would look stunning after a teflon coat. the difference would be like night and day.

I showed him the teflon warranty card stating that the job was done yesterday by the very same dealer

the look on his face was priceless

. We ended up getting the LHS ORVM (that's what we wanted) AND a free teflon polish !

Really had a good laugh reading it

10th November 2008, 13:00	#76
Asrangi Newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1 Thanked: 0 Times	Guys i just got a brand New Black CRV and got a so called Teflon treatment and anti rust underbody treatment from my Honda Dealer! Without a doubt the term Teflon is misused by the dealers as what they basically use as treatments are 3M products. Now anyone who has done their research will know that Teflon is a Dupont trademark. Now the only company that offers Teflon treatment is a US based company called Simoniz and their product is called Simoniz system 5 which is the only product certified by Dupont... Does anyone know of any dealer in the NCR region who gives this treatment?
	() Thanks

26th November 2008, 20:57	#78
Ravi Kashyap BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vadodara Posts: 61 Thanked: 2 Times	[quote=tush;1036876]Thank you for the feebback GTO, however i am still not convinced because the feedback has to be from more people only then can we justify that teflon also does harm. There is nothing ..... Hi tush. Maybe this is a little late. 4 years back I bought a silver Indica. Got it 'Teflon' coated from 3M at the dealers. I was very impressed with the finish and the greatest advantage was that it was very easy to wipe the car clean and it always looked brand new (it still looks very impressive). Wondered though, if it was the coat or the regular maintainance I usually do with the carnuba wax and the TurtleWax scratch & Swirl remover. Both these products are great. Then this year I bought a silver color Safari. There was a big dellima about the 'Teflon' top coat. My take on this is: All this while I believed that Teflon coat was a layer thick and hence was a protective sheild for the original paint. Hence any light scratch would actually scratch the teflon which could be removed by abbrasive agents. Hence its a great top coat. I now believe that its not so. The clear coat by Dupont is what is actually a 'layer' and not teflon. Dupont clear coat has to be sprayed on a freshly painted surface, is air dried and then polished to a near perfect finish. Its a wonderful coat if applied as per company specs. 'Teflon' and other such finishes help in sealing/ filling up micro-nano pores on the surface of the paint thereby improving the reflection and giving the gloss. It makes the paint water repellant too- because of the wax. Its too thin a layer - and not that hard too- to withstand for a long time hence it needs to be done again and again. How often one needs to repeat this process would depend on its chemical properties which varies form product to product. I believe that its best to wax polish the surface as often as one can. Thats after washing the car clean. A very convenient gadget to do so would be an electrical buffer. Local/China made ones are available which run on car battery and are very convenient and easy to use. Tried with Bosch Tools but they dont make. Seriously, buying a tool like this for a DIY job is a much better proposition that getting the top coat done. Or if one is willing to spend regularly to get the job done. There are a lot of options in the market but one thing is certain- all require to repeat the process every 3 to 6 months. Nano Treat as someone mentioned is a comparatively a new product. We use it to waterproof buildings- sunk slabs, outside wall cladings, Concrete surfaces ect. Its a wonderfull product but not come across for automobile applications. Though I suspect the water repellant for the windscreens is a similar product. Will be experimenting with it in some time and will post the results. This time I did not get the 3M top coat for the Safari and do not regret so far.
	() Thanks

1st January 2009, 16:54	#79
m_upreti Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 1,588 Thanked: 324 Times View My Garage	I would tend to agree with most of the friends here that Teflon coating is a rip off and a dealer gimmik to fleese you. I realised it when I spent 5 K for coating my Wagon R 5 yrs back in Delhi, it didnt even last 3 months, (the second coat was due in 6 months). So when the Dealer offered to do a Teflon Coating on my MHawk during the first service i told him to take a walk...It is better to wax and polish the car instead.
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 11:13	#81
Bubby BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 503 Thanked: 169 Times	Hi Guys, I was just wondering is it really neceassary to get the Teflon coating done at the time of delivery or can the job be undertaken after a few months of car usage. I am planning to get it done on my 5 month old Palio MJD, I want to get it done just beacuse the Teflon coating would not allow the dust to hold on to car surface. Please suggest.
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 14:27	#83
M124 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: mumbai Posts: 148 Thanked: 36 Times	can anybody please post a video to demonstrate waxing or polishing for cars ?
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 15:53	#84
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,460 Thanked: 30,110 Times	It doesn't really need a video: just follow the instructions on the can! Usually, these amount to apply sparingly and polish with a soft cloth. When you apply it, there will be some white or grey smear visible; polish until you seem to have removed it all. But I'm no expert: I'm too lazy! And the best results, they say, come from the hard, tinned polishes, which require much more hard work than the liquid polishes.
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 17:55	#86
the_maassk BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vadodara/ NG7 2QP Posts: 205 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage	I understood the 'Rubbing compound' bit and the 'waxing'. However, the guy in the video did not detail the 'Polishing' process (step 2). What is to be used and how it needs to be done?
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 18:47	#87
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 872 Thanked: 213 Times	Teflon = waste of money, atleast in India, may be Dealers don't actually use the specified concentrate and make it worse. Self Polish is best one could have to keep the Car Paint Smiling all the time. If you keep your car clean, and do a polish once a week, (waxpol, formula1 etc) iam sure it will look good year after year.
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 21:27	#88
Surprise Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 2,530 Thanked: 463 Times	I was offered for a teflon coating (as they call it) at Rs.1800, with a repeat at no charge after 6 months. They told me they use 3M product, though Iam sure they won't, asked them to go ahead as it costs Rs.900/- per sitting Got confused after going through all the threads and posts on TEFLON. Finally decided not to go ahead with it (atleast temporarily). Want to try out E_L suggestion on carnauba polish More than the money, I do not want fall for the dealer stunts & will ask them to cancel it. If I really wanted it, let some road side wala make money from me rather than the dealer
	() Thanks

1st May 2009, 21:35	#89
greenhorn BANNED Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,878 Thanked: 4,910 Times View My Garage	If you have a light coloured car, the effect will be very little, and most places , what is sold as a 'teflon' coating is just a polish job. I was dumb enough to get my indica 'teflon coated' and the effect was underwhelming. there was absolutely no difference. But it did come in handy though. The next day I was helping my friend take delivery of his indica, and they were taking ages , after 4 hours , they offfered to give us a teflon job to sweeten the deal. I asked them what exactly it meant, and the sales guy started blabbing away. I pointed to my indica and asked him if a teflon coat would help my indica - he said the car looked quite drab now , and that it would look stunning after a teflon coat. the difference would be like night and day. I showed him the teflon warranty card stating that the job was done yesterday by the very same dealer the look on his face was priceless . We ended up getting the LHS ORVM (that's what we wanted) AND a free teflon polish ! Last edited by greenhorn : 1st May 2009 at 21:39.
	() Thanks