Question 1

Where do you work?

Accepted Answer

Our base is Witbank in Mpumalanga, and we work across the Highveld — eMalahleni, Middelburg, Secunda, Ermelo, Bethal and the surrounding areas. Larger commercial, solar, aviation and marine jobs are worth travelling further for, including into Gauteng; ask and we will tell you honestly whether the travel makes the price sensible.

54 of 54 questions

Question 2

What does solar panel ceramic coating cost?

Accepted Answer

R280 per panel, which covers preparation, the coating itself and cure supervision. There is no separate call-out on standard rooftop arrays at accessible height. Difficult access, heavy pre-existing mineral scale needing treatment, and ground-mount arrays are quoted after a site visit.

Question 3

What is a ceramic coating, in plain terms?

Accepted Answer

A liquid silica polymer that cross-links into a hard, transparent film chemically bonded to your clear coat. Unlike wax, which sits on top and washes away over weeks, the coating becomes a semi-permanent sacrificial surface that takes chemical and ultraviolet attack instead of your paint.

Question 4

How long does a full detail take?

Accepted Answer

A full detail on a mid-size car is one to two days. Correction work runs two to four days depending on how much of the clear coat needs levelling and how bad the starting condition is. We would rather quote two days and take two days than promise same-day and rush the correction.

Question 5

Why dry wash instead of a normal wash?

Accepted Answer

Water is the risk. A flooded wash pushes moisture into control surface hinges, seams, fastener heads and behind fairings, and trapped moisture is how corrosion starts. An encapsulating dry wash lifts soiling into a lubricating film that is removed with clean media — no water enters a seam, and we can work inside the hangar with no run-off at all.

Question 6

Is this the same as antifouling?

Accepted Answer

No, and it does not replace it. Antifouling is a biocidal paint system applied below the waterline to stop marine growth taking hold, and that remains your yard's job. Our marine ceramic coating protects gelcoat, topsides, superstructure and metalwork against salt, ultraviolet and staining, and makes the surfaces above and around the waterline dramatically easier to keep clean. On running gear it reduces how readily barnacles adhere, which is a different mechanism to antifouling and complements it.

Question 7

Is this window tint?

Accepted Answer

No. Tint is a film adhered to the glass that can bubble, peel and discolour, and it darkens the pane. This is a liquid ceramic chemistry that bonds into the glass surface itself. It is optically clear — you do not lose daylight — and there is nothing stuck on to fail later. It rejects solar heat through nanoceramic particles rather than by blocking visible light.

Question 8

Will you take my vehicles off the road?

Accepted Answer

No. Our units are self-contained, so we work overnight, early morning or over weekends in your yard — whatever window suits your operation. In nine years of fleet work we have not yet needed a vehicle during its operating hours.

Question 9

Do you work at your shop or at mine?

Accepted Answer

Both. Our workshop and product shop are in Witbank — come in for coatings, aftercare products and advice. The detailing and coating work itself is done on site wherever the asset lives, with self-contained units carrying their own water, power, lighting and containment. It saves you a drop-off, and it means we see the conditions the surface actually lives in.

Question 10

How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

Roughly ten minutes per panel of actual coating work, plus the wash and preparation beforehand. A typical twenty-panel residential array is a comfortable half day. A hundred-panel commercial array is two days with a two-person crew, allowing for cure windows.

Question 11

Will it stop scratches?

Accepted Answer

No, and be sceptical of anyone who says it will. It genuinely resists the fine wash-induced marring that dulls paint over a few years, and it adds a measurable sacrificial layer. It will not stop a key, a trolley, a stone chip or an automated wash brush. For impact protection you want paint protection film, which we are happy to discuss.

Question 12

Can you remove every scratch?

Accepted Answer

Any scratch you can catch with a fingernail is through the clear coat and cannot be polished out — it needs paint. Everything shallower is usually correctable, subject to how much clear coat is left. We measure the depth first and tell you exactly what is achievable before starting, not halfway through.

Question 13

Will this make my aircraft faster or reduce fuel burn?

Accepted Answer

A clean, smooth airframe has less parasitic drag than a dirty one — that is straightforward aerodynamics. We will not put a number on your cruise speed or fuel burn, because the effect varies enormously by type and starting condition and any figure we quoted would be invented. Do it for paint life, inspection clarity and presentation; treat anything else as a bonus.

Question 14

My gelcoat is chalky and faded. Is it recoverable?

Accepted Answer

Usually, and further than most owners expect. Gelcoat is a thick pigmented layer that chalks from the surface down, so there is normally sound material underneath. Multi-stage machine correction removes the dead layer and brings colour and depth back. Where a hull has been compounded aggressively many times before, there may be less left to work with — we assess that at survey and tell you before quoting.

Question 15

My windows already have permanent-looking stains. Can you fix them?

Accepted Answer

It depends whether the deposit is on the glass or in it. Hard water and irrigation overspray dry onto the pane and, over enough wet-dry cycles, chemically etch into the surface. Surface deposits come off. Etching sometimes polishes out and sometimes does not. We test a panel first and tell you honestly which you have — and we will not charge you to coat over damage that coating cannot hide.

Question 16

Is it safe on printed wraps?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with the right discipline. Wrap laminate is far more vulnerable than paint: alkaline degreasers attack it, high pressure lifts edges and abrasive washing hazes it. We use pH-neutral chemistry at controlled pressure, keep lances away from edges and seams, and coat the laminate so it holds its colour. Lifting edges get photographed and reported rather than washed over.

Question 17

What do you need from me on the day?

Accepted Answer

Access, and somewhere to park the unit. We bring our own water and power. For solar work we need safe roof access and, on commercial sites, whatever induction your facility requires — tell us up front and we will arrive with the paperwork done.

Question 18

Will it actually make my panels produce more power?

Accepted Answer

Not on a panel that is already spotlessly clean — nothing can, and anyone claiming otherwise is misleading you. What it does is keep panels much closer to their clean-state output for far more of the year. On the installations we have monitored, annualised soiling loss drops from around 6% to under 3%. That recovered generation is the real return, and it is measurable.

Question 19

How long does it last?

Accepted Answer

Two to three years for a single-layer system, five to seven for a multi-layer system over full correction. The variable is almost never the product — it is how the car is washed. Automated brush washes will take years off a coating in a handful of passes.

Question 20

My headlights are yellow. Is that fixable?

Accepted Answer

Almost always. The factory UV layer has failed and the polycarbonate underneath has oxidised. We sand the failed layer back through progressive grits, machine polish to optical clarity, then apply a fresh UV-stable coating. That last step is what most shops skip, which is why their restorations go yellow again within a year.

Question 21

Do you need maintenance approval to work on my aircraft?

Accepted Answer

No, because everything we do is cosmetic — we never touch anything requiring an approved maintenance release. We agree a written scope with you or your maintenance organisation before the date, log every cover fitted to probes and ports on a checklist, and walk that checklist in reverse at completion. You get a completion record for the aircraft file.

Question 22

Does the vessel need to come out of the water?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Correction and coating are done with the hull dry and the coating needs an undisturbed cure of 24 to 48 hours out of the water. We schedule around a lift you already have booked wherever possible, so you are not paying for a haul-out twice.

Question 23

How much will it actually save on cooling?

Accepted Answer

Our published figure is up to 10–15% reduced cooling costs, and the honest answer is that it depends entirely on your building. Orientation, glazing type, how much of the envelope is glass and your local climate all move that number a great deal — a west-facing glass elevation in full afternoon sun behaves nothing like a shaded one. We survey the building and give you a figure for your elevations rather than an average.

Question 24

How is fleet work invoiced?

Accepted Answer

One consolidated monthly invoice with per-vehicle line items, so cost centres can be allocated without anyone re-keying anything. Each visit also produces a per-vehicle service record with the date, work done and photographs of anything worth flagging.

Question 25

How far in advance should I book?

Accepted Answer

Automotive work is usually one to two weeks out. Solar and fleet jobs depend on crew scheduling and weather windows — typically two to three weeks. Emergency and pre-sale work we will always try to fit in; just ask.

Question 26

How long does the coating last?

Accepted Answer

Around five years with the recommended rinse schedule. It degrades gradually rather than failing suddenly — you will notice water beading less tightly before you notice anything on your production figures. We check the beading at every professional clean and tell you when a re-coat is genuinely due.

Question 27

Why does correction cost more than the coating?

Accepted Answer

Because it is where the time goes. Machine polishing a car to a defined finish is six to twenty hours of skilled work; applying the coating is a few hours. Coating over uncorrected paint locks the swirls in for the life of the film, so the correction is not an upsell — it is the job.

Question 28

Is engine bay cleaning risky?

Accepted Answer

Not when it is done with control instead of a hose. Electronics, the alternator, air intake and exposed connectors are covered before any degreaser is used, we work with low-moisture methods and detail brushes, and everything is force-dried with filtered air. We have never caused an electrical fault, and we will not clean a bay we think is a bad idea.

Question 29

How often should the aircraft be done?

Accepted Answer

Six to eight weeks for a hangared aircraft in regular use, four weekly if it lives outside or operates off grass. Leading edges and the belly deserve attention after any heavy insect season. The coating itself is inspected annually, ideally aligned to your scheduled maintenance so the aircraft is already down.

Question 30

What is the minimum fleet size?

Accepted Answer

Three vehicles. Below that it is simply an automotive booking, which is often cheaper for you. Above about forty vehicles we assign a named account manager and dedicated crew nights.

Question 31

How do I pay, and do you need a deposit?

Accepted Answer

EFT or card on completion. No deposit on standard work under R15 000. Larger commercial, fleet and aviation jobs are done on a signed quote with agreed payment terms, usually 50% on commencement.

Question 32

Do I still need to clean the panels?

Accepted Answer

Yes, just far less often. Most coated arrays move from quarterly professional cleaning to twice a year, with plain-water rinses in between during the dry season. The coating makes each clean much quicker because contamination releases instead of needing to be scrubbed off.

Question 33

Can I wash it myself?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and you should. A two-bucket contact wash with a pH-neutral shampoo every two weeks is ideal. We supply the shampoo and drying towel in the aftercare pack. The only hard rules: no automated brush washes, no dish soap, and never drag a dry chamois across the paint.

Question 34

Do you do interiors only?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Interior deep cleans are a standalone booking — hot-water extraction on fabric and carpets, leather cleaned in the grain and conditioned, vents and switchgear detailed, glass finished last. It is a popular pre-sale service on its own.

Question 35

What happens if it rains?

Accepted Answer

Coatings need a dry cure window, so we watch the forecast and will move a date rather than apply into weather. There is no charge for a weather move. Automotive work continues regardless because it is done under cover.

Question 36

Is it safe on anti-reflective coated glass?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when applied properly. Most modern modules have a factory anti-reflective layer and the coating is formulated to bond to it without altering its optical behaviour. What is not safe is aggressive mechanical cleaning or acidic descaler on AR glass — which is one of the reasons we do the preparation ourselves rather than coating over someone else's cleaning.

Question 37

When can I wash the car after coating?

Accepted Answer

Leave it a week. The film is touch-dry within hours and the car leaves after an overnight cure, but full hardness develops over about seven days. Rain in that window is fine — a wash with pressure and contact is not.

Question 38

How do I know how many stages my paint needs?

Accepted Answer

You do not, and neither do we until we have looked at it. We gauge the clear coat across every panel, then work a taped test section up from the gentlest pad and compound until the defects clear. That tells us what the paint needs and what it can safely support — sometimes those are different numbers, and when they are we say so. You see the test section beside untouched paint and approve the finish before the rest of the car is committed.

Question 39

Will it void my panel warranty?

Accepted Answer

We have not encountered a manufacturer warranty that a non-abrasive surface coating breaches, but warranties differ. Send us your module make and model before booking and we will read the terms with you. If there is any doubt we will say so rather than risk your warranty.

Question 40

Is paint correction safe? Will you burn through my paint?

Accepted Answer

It is safe because it is measured. Factory clear coat is roughly 40 to 60 microns and correction removes a few of them, so the risk is real if nobody is checking — which is exactly why the depth gauge comes out before the polisher does. Resprays, filler, thin edges and previously machined panels get flagged and worked by hand or left alone. If a panel has nothing left to give, we protect it as it is and tell you why.

Question 41

Can you coat an array that is already badly stained?

Accepted Answer

Usually. Mineral scale and lichen are treated and removed before coating, because a coating locks in whatever it is applied over. Where glass has been permanently etched by years of hard-water cleaning we will tell you that the haze is in the glass and cannot be recovered — and we will not charge you to coat over it.

Question 42

Will correction remove every scratch?

Accepted Answer

No, and be wary of anyone who says otherwise. If you can catch a scratch with a fingernail it is through the clear coat, and levelling the paint around it would take more than the panel has. Those we improve rather than remove. Stone chips are missing paint, not displaced paint. Dents and failed lacquer are somebody else's trade. We show you the limits on the day, on your car, before you commit to anything.

Question 43

How long does corrected paint stay corrected?

Accepted Answer

The correction itself is permanent — the clear coat is level and stays level until something puts new scratches into it. Left unprotected and washed carelessly, a car can be visibly marred again inside eighteen months. Corrected, ceramic coated and washed properly, four to six years is realistic. The variable is almost never the correction; it is the wash.

Question 44

Should I have it coated at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and ideally in the same booking. A freshly corrected panel is bare clear coat stripped of every oil and sealant — the most vulnerable it will ever be. Coating it there and then means the protection bonds to the surface we have just built, and there is no window where the car is out in the world unprotected. Doing it later means paying to decontaminate and prepare the paint a second time.

Question 45

Will you get the stain out?

Accepted Answer

Usually, but not always, and the honest answer depends on whether it is soiling or dye. Coffee, milk, mud and body oils are soiling and come out with hot-water extraction. Ink, dye transfer from denim on light leather, sun-bleached patches and anything that has actually altered the colour of the fibre are not soiling — they are a change to the material. We tell you which one you have before we start, and we never promise a stain we cannot see the back of.

Question 46

Is extraction safe on leather and Alcantara?

Accepted Answer

Extraction is for fabric and carpet. Leather is cleaned with a pH-appropriate product worked into the grain with a soft brush and lifted out, then conditioned to a factory matte finish — never flooded, and never dressed to a shine. Alcantara and suede are cleaned low-moisture with a soft brush and re-napped while damp so they dry evenly rather than going patchy and matted.

Question 47

Can you get the smoke smell out?

Accepted Answer

Usually. Odour is a source, not a scent, so we find it first — headliner and glass film in a smoked-in car, damp underlay, a blocked air-conditioning drain, something spilled under a seat rail. Once the source is removed and the surfaces are extracted, an ozone or chlorine-dioxide treatment oxidises whatever is left in the ducting. Heavy long-term smoke damage on a headliner sometimes cannot be fully recovered, and we will say so up front.

Question 48

How long will the car be with you, and will it come back damp?

Accepted Answer

A full interior is five to seven hours on a five-seat car; a heavy restoration is one to two days. It does not come back damp — everything extracted is force-dried before the car is handed over, because moisture left in foam is exactly how a clean interior develops a smell two weeks later.

Question 49

Is fabric and leather guard worth it?

Accepted Answer

On a light-coloured interior, on a family car, or on anything that carries dogs, yes. Guard puts a hydrophobic layer around each fibre so a spill sits on top long enough to be lifted rather than wicking into the foam, and on leather it slows dye transfer from denim — which is the single most common thing that ruins a pale cabin. It lasts about twelve months and is re-applied at every maintenance service.

Question 50

Why do I need a plan if the car is already coated?

Accepted Answer

Because a coating is consumable and the wash is what damages cars. Detergents, ultraviolet light and heat deplete protection, so a coating that beaded tightly at handover will bead lazily within a year if nothing tops it up. A plan restores the contact angle at every visit and, just as importantly, replaces the forecourt washes that put swirl marks into your freshly corrected paint. Coated cars on a plan reach their full rated life; coated cars without one typically reach half to two-thirds of it.

Question 51

How often should the car come in?

Accepted Answer

It depends on where it sleeps, not on what we would like to sell you. Six-weekly for a daily driver parked outside or under trees, eight-weekly for a garaged car on normal mileage, twelve-weekly for low-mileage and weekend cars. We propose an interval, review it after two visits, and stretch it if the car is holding up better than expected.

Question 52

Can I still wash the car myself?

Accepted Answer

Please do, if you enjoy it — done correctly it is good for the finish. Every plan starts with a handover kit and a written method: pH-neutral shampoo that will not strip the coating, two buckets with grit guards, a fresh mitt, a drying towel and a drying aid. What we ask is that nothing abrasive touches the car in between — no automatic washes, no forecourt brushes, and never a dry wipe on a dusty panel.

Question 53

What does the annual inspection actually involve?

Accepted Answer

It is a longer visit. We take gloss readings and contact-angle measurements and compare them against the figures on your original job card, then go over the paint under raking and cross-polarised light for anything that has crept in. Isolated defects are spot-corrected and re-coated while they are still isolated. On a warranted coating this inspection is what keeps the warranty live, and it is included in the plan rather than billed when you need it.

Question 54

How is it billed, and can I cancel?

Accepted Answer

Monthly, by vehicle size and interval, with multi-car households and small fleets on a single account. There is no lock-in period and no cancellation penalty — a plan that is not earning its place should end. Tell us and the next invoice simply stops.

The questions we actually get asked.

Still not answered?