Paint Protection Coatings

Ceramic coating is a liquid polymer — primarily silicon dioxide (SiO2) — that chemically bonds with your car's clear coat. Once cured, it forms a thin, hard glass-like layer (1–5 microns) that's hydrophobic (water beads and rolls off), resists UV-driven fading, and makes the paint easier to clean. Every coating on PMD states its actual chemistry (SiO2, Nano-Ceramic, or Graphene-enhanced SiO2) rather than just calling itself "ceramic."

Ceramic coating is worth it for what it actually does — UV protection, hydrophobic water beading, easier washing, chemical resistance against bird droppings and tree sap, and a noticeable gloss boost — but it does not prevent scratches from keys, stone chips or any solid contact. At 1–5 microns thick (thinner than a human hair), a coating resists light swirl marks from washing, not physical impacts; any installer promising "scratch-proof" protection is misleading you.

PMD shows three numbers for every coating: MRP (₹6,520–25,000 depending on SKU), PMD's price (₹4,900–13,000 — 25–62% below MRP), and installation, standardized at ₹1,000–3,000. Detailing centres typically bundle product and application into one opaque number with no visibility into what you're paying for the coating itself versus the labour.

PMD ships your exact coating bottle to you before it goes near an installer — you then get it applied at your own detailing centre or via a doorstep service, paying for application separately. Because you already hold the product, there's no way for an installer to substitute a cheaper coating once it's out of your sight, unlike a typical "ceramic coating near me" booking where the centre supplies and applies its own (often unnamed) product.

Yes — 3M Ceramic Coating 39901 on PMD is sourced as genuine product: ₹6,500 (MRP ₹12,255), an SiO2-based liquid coating for paint and vinyl surfaces, rated for up to 5 years of durability with proper maintenance. It's currently PMD's only live 3M coating SKU — professional-application only, per its own spec sheet.

Yes — Saint Gobain's Norton range makes up most of PMD's live coating catalog: Norton Ceramic Hydroshield (₹4,900, SiO2, 1–2 year durability, DIY-friendly), Norton Ceramic Coating (₹8,500, SiO2 Nano-Ceramic, professional application), Norton Graphene Coating (₹9,500, graphene-enhanced SiO2), Norton Vinyl & PPF Ceramic Coat (₹9,800, for wrapped/PPF'd cars) and Norton Spray Ceramic (₹13,000, DIY spray top-up). Each states its real coating chemistry, not just a shade or grade name.

Graphene coatings replace or supplement SiO2 with graphene oxide, giving better heat dissipation, a higher water contact angle (more aggressive beading) and marginally improved hardness — genuinely useful in India's hot outdoor-parking conditions, since better heat dissipation reduces water-spot formation on hot panels. On PMD, Norton Graphene Coating (₹9,500) lists "Extreme" hydrophobic level and high water-spot resistance versus Norton Ceramic Coating's (₹8,500) "High" hydrophobic level and moderate water-spot resistance — a real, spec-backed difference, not just marketing.

Ceramic coating is a chemical bond that repels water, dirt and UV and makes the car easier to maintain — it cannot stop stone chips or scratches, since the layer is only microns thick. PPF is a physical film that absorbs impact from stone chips and road debris but doesn't add gloss or hydrophobic beading on its own. For a new car, the ideal setup is PPF on high-impact zones with a coating applied over the whole car including the PPF — coating always goes on last. If your budget only allows one, choose PPF for highway-heavy driving and dark-coloured cars, or coating if you're mostly city-driving and want easier washing.

It depends on the specific product — PMD's live coatings are split roughly evenly: Norton Ceramic Hydroshield and Norton Spray Ceramic are marked DIY-friendly on their own spec sheets, while Norton Ceramic Coating, Norton Graphene Coating and Norton Vinyl & PPF Ceramic Coat are marked for professional application, largely because they require full paint decontamination and correction beforehand. The 3M Ceramic Coating 39901 is professional-only. Check the individual product's "DIY or Professional" spec before buying if you're planning to apply it yourself.

No — there's no such thing as a manufacturer or seller warranty on ceramic coating, regardless of what a detailing centre quotes you for a "5-year warranty package." Coating duration (2–5 years on PMD's live SKUs) is a maintenance-dependent estimate, not a guarantee: it depends on how the car is washed, parked and used, not on any contract. If a detailing centre sells you a warranty or pushes yearly reapplication or yearly detailing to "maintain" it, that's a common upsell — proper maintenance is light, pH-neutral washing, not repeat buffing.

Yes, for PPF and vinyl specifically — Norton Vinyl & PPF Ceramic Coat (₹9,800) is a live, purpose-built SiO2 coating designed to extend the lifespan and gloss of PPF and vinyl-wrapped surfaces. Glass- and leather-specific ceramic coatings exist in PMD's catalog structure (for windshields and leather interiors) but aren't currently in active stock — check back or ask via WhatsApp if you need one, rather than assuming a generic paint coating works the same way on those surfaces.