Ceramic coating

[KH11]

Any one had their MG4 Ceramic Coated rather than the Dealer protection package. Been watching some on YouTube and they show you the state of some brand new ones before and the paint work are full of swirls beforehand.

 

[siteguru]

A few folks here have. I haven't (yet).

 

[KH11]

If they have how many coats did they have on and how much did it cost. When I do eventually get one I was thinking that will be my first job.

I had my current car supposably coated with the Gardex sold to me by my dealer but it wasn’t that good and it certainly didn’t take any swirls out of the paint work but I think a lot of that could be down to how well they prepared the car before applying it.

 

[siteguru]

Cost depends on selected treatment and region. Expect to get little change from £500 for a proper job and you won't be far out.

 

[KH11]

Cost depends on selected treatment and region. Expect to get little change from £500 for a proper job and you won't be far out.

I was planning on keeping the car for some time so it would be worth doing it. I think the Trophy will tick all my boxes of what I want inside of it and the range will be fine for me the longest journey that I am likely to do will be around 230 miles once a year up Scotland visiting my wife’s sister and family at Christmas and as long as I can find a reliable fast charger en route we will be happy.

 

[siteguru]

Plenty of Ultra-rapid charge points at Gretna Green services, both GridServe and Ionity. (GridServe are near the facilities; Ionity are near the BP garage).

 

[KH11]

I have downloaded the zap map app. So I’ll knock up the route we usually take and add them in to the route. We do pass Gretna Green as we head up the A1, A66 on to the M6 and M74 before turning off to the A70.

I noticed that there are a few Charge Scotland ones on the A70 not sure if you have to have an app or if they take contactless.

 

[Rolfe]

I was planning on keeping the car for some time so it would be worth doing it. I think the Trophy will tick all my boxes of what I want inside of it and the range will be fine for me the longest journey that I am likely to do will be around 230 miles once a year up Scotland visiting my wife’s sister and family at Christmas and as long as I can find a reliable fast charger en route we will be happy.

That's a very similar journey to mine, around 195 miles south from Scotland to Halifax once or twice a year to visit a friend. I'm looking at Southwaite or Killington Lake on the way south, as Tebay southbound has only Tesla chargers. Tebay northbound looks good too. I thought Gretna was a bit too far north but it still leaves the long leg of the journey at 122 miles so it should be doable by SR even in winter.

Sorry, this is getting a bit off topic.

How long is it sensible to wait before doing this coating, before it's pointless? I'm interested because the thing that really did for my GTI in the end was poor bodywork and I'd like to avoid that with the MG, but on the other hand I don't want to spend another chunk of money right now.

I have downloaded the zap map app. So I’ll knock up the route we usually take and add them in to the route. We do pass Gretna Green as we head up the A1, A66 on to the M6 and M74 before turning off to the A70.

I noticed that there are a few Charge Scotland ones on the A70 not sure if you have to have an app or if they take contactless.

ChargePlace Scotland do take contactless. The prices are also fairly reasonable. When you rock up at a charger the first thing it asks you is are you a guest or a member. If you tap on guest you can pay contactless. I saw a guy in a big silver EV with DK plates up doing that on our charging point in the village.

 

[AndyL61]

I have downloaded the zap map app. So I’ll knock up the route we usually take and add them in to the route. We do pass Gretna Green as we head up the A1, A66 on to the M6 and M74 before turning off to the A70.

I noticed that there are a few Charge Scotland ones on the A70 not sure if you have to have an app or if they take contactless.

You can filter on Zap Map to show contactless payment chargers.

 

[Rolfe]

ZapMap's not always right though.

 

[KH11]

ChargePlace Scotland do take contactless. The prices are also fairly reasonable. When you rock up at a charger the first thing it asks you is are you a guest or a member. If you tap on guest you can pay contactless. I saw a guy in a big silver EV with DK plates up doing that on our charging point in the village.

Thanks for that I wasn’t sure if you had to download an app and have an RFID card issued by them to use.

That's a very similar journey to mine, around 195 miles south from Scotland to Halifax once or twice a year to visit a friend. I'm looking at Southwaite or Killington Lake on the way south, as Tebay southbound has only Tesla chargers. Tebay northbound looks good too. I thought Gretna was a bit too far north but it still leaves the long leg of the journey at 122 miles so it should be doable by SR even in winter.

Sorry, this is getting a bit off topic.

How long is it sensible to wait before doing this coating, before it's pointless? I'm interested because the thing that really did for my GTI in the end was poor bodywork and I'd like to avoid that with the MG, but on the other hand I don't want to spend another chunk of money right now.

So far as the Ceramic coating the ones I have seen on YouTube have pretty much had it done on getting a new car. So I am assuming they picked the car up and straight to the detailer to have it done.

 

[Rolfe]

Thanks for that I wasn’t sure if you had to download an app and have an RFID card issued by them to use.

I've got an account with them and a card, but the guy from Denmark said there's no problem using contactless payment.

So far as the Ceramic coating the ones I have seen on YouTube have pretty much had it done on getting a new car. So I am assuming they picked the car up and straight to the detailer to have it done.

Well, I'll probably just forget about it then! Thanks.

 

[KH11]

I've got an account with them and a card, but the guy from Denmark said there's no problem using contactless payment.



Well, I'll probably just forget about it then! Thanks.

Might still be worth doing even not from new as a good detailer will be able to still get any blemishes out before adding the protection.

 

[Rolfe]

It's not something I know anything about, but after the bodywork problems the GTI had in its old age (which were not all caused by the idiot in the BMW who came out of a side street and hit me, not at all) I find myself quite interested.

 

[KH11]

It's not something I know anything about, but after the bodywork problems the GTI had in its old age (which were not all caused by the idiot in the BMW who came out of a side street and hit me, not at all) I find myself quite interested.

Well you could always look into it and get a price and then decide when the time is right or otherwise.

When I get nearer to getting mine I’ll be pricing it up and looking at local reviews of places that do it.

 

[siteguru]

My future son-in-law's mate runs a car valeting company, who whilst being mobile also have premises for this type of work. Hopefully when I inquire I'll get "mate's rates".

 

[KH11]

From what I’ve seen it’s a lot better than the dealers paint protection package and options on how many years protection you want and guarantees.

 

[Ian Key]

I've decided not to go down the ceramic coating route. Soon after collecting it I gave it a good look over in bight sunshine and to my eyes there doesn't seem to be any faults in the paint, no swirls, no chips etc. If there had been then it might have been a different dicision.
I use a good quality car shampoo, Autoglym Shampoo Conditioner, and three times a year it will be treated with Armor All Shield, the same as my previous car.

 

[KH11]

I've decided not to go down the ceramic coating route. Soon after collecting it I gave it a good look over in bight sunshine and to my eyes there doesn't seem to be any faults in the paint, no swirls, no chips etc. If there had been then it might have been a different dicision.
I use a good quality car shampoo, Autoglym Shampoo Conditioner, and three times a year it will be treated with Armor All Shield, the same as my previous car.

View attachment 17132

The videos I have seen on YouTube the cars looked okay till they got them in the workshop and then shone a lamp over the bodywork. It was then the true state showed up and these were brand new cars straight from the dealers.

 

[Ian Key]

The videos I have seen on YouTube the cars looked okay till they got them in the workshop and then shone a lamp over the bodywork. It was then the true state showed up and these were brand new cars straight from the dealers.

Playing the devil's advocate...
How many times are you going to look at the car under professional artificial lights and depending on the quality of the coating it will need stripping and reapplying in a few years time. Meanwhile you've still got to wash it and apply a finish in some form, all of which, unless you maintain a multiprocess washing routine, will still put some swirls into the finish.

It's a bit like sound systems, after a certain point unless you have perfect hearing spending more won't make any actual difference to the sound but you will think it does to justify the extra spent.