• Ceramic Pro is the undisputed pioneer and current industry leader in the coating and paint protection film (PPF) industries.
• Its latest KAVACA PPF integrates Ceramic Pro’s ceramic coating directly into the film, making it a perfect choice for modern enthusiasts and motorsport teams alike.
• The new KAVACA line extends into window tint products, wherein its proprietary nano-carbon and nano-ceramic technology block up to 96% infrared and cancer-causing UV rays.
• Ceramic Pro Elite Riverside, owned by Alvaro Alva, was entrusted with the meticulous work to apply the KAVACA PPF to our Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute built by PSI.

There’s nothing that spoils a mind-clearing, spirited weekend drive more than a fresh rock chip. Almost instantly, all of the week’s stresses come back (somehow more intense than before) and the exact latitude and longitude of your car’s fresh scar is forever burned into your mind, even visible in your periphery every time you walk by. It’s enough to deter you from grabbing your keys the following weekend for another jaunt, hoping to spare your car and your psyche from more punishment.

The experience is probably triggering for every enthusiast who is reading this right now. But rather than relegating its dream cars to bubbles in garages, a group of enthusiasts from San Diego finally did something about it. The resulting series of products, in the hands of trusted automotive professionals, leveraged cutting-edge nano-ceramic technology to defend enthusiasts from this long-standing grief. There was only one logical name for the company: Ceramic Pro.

AN INSTANT SUCCESS

The void that Ceramic Pro was able to fill was vast. So much in fact that Ceramic Pro was able to grow its global presence by 500% in 2016 alone. Three years later, the company took another huge leap forward, introducing its in-house line of paint protection film (PPF) called KAVACA. The high-performance, self-healing aliphatic polyurethane film manages to infuse Ceramic Pro’s hydrophobic nano-technology into the material, helping add high-gloss luster and resilience to the film’s surface properties. To make sure its claims were sustainable, Ceramic Pro brought its KAVACA paint protection film to some of the world’s most intense environments and climates, from Dubai to Alaska, and came back understanding that its work was worth the effort. The KAVACA PPF offers 30% more stain resistance from bird droppings, pollen, tree sap, and abrasive road debris than its top competitors.

MORE THAN PAINT PROTECTION

Often PPF is boiled down to its namesake, but I’d argue that in modern-day context, it does much more to protect exotic materials, like carbon fiber, that OE manufacturers and aftermarket companies have been leveraging to enhance a vehicle’s aesthetic and road-going performance. Damaged to these advanced materials is costly — both to replace or painstakingly repair — so protecting them with KAVACA PPF has become a proactive industry standard.

A LOGICAL CHOICE

The Pit+Paddock E91 GTS Tribute built by PSI is an incredibly special car with ambitious road-going intent. Accordingly, additional protection was an inevitability; the curing time for the Fire Orange paint was the only obstacle between us and Ceramic Pro’s treatment.

Before it made the trek to its first destination on the East Coast, the E91 made a pit stop at Vaia Design, Riverside’s premier ceramic coating, paint protection film, window tint, and vinyl wrap shop for the last ten years. Alvaro Alva, the owner of Vaia Design, started the business as a wrap shop but wanted to find a solution to extend the material’s lifespan. After learning more about Ceramic Pro, he quickly made the switch to its PPF and vinyl coating solutions and eventually earned the privilege of becoming an Elite Dealer for the brand’s entire product and service lineup.

The visit allowed us to remix the livery on the wagon. While the original may have given a more one-to-one nod to Porsche’s RS treatment, it felt a bit heavy-handed on the larger BMW body. The new direction allowed the E91’s natural features and aftermarket enhancements to breathe more freely while calling more deliberate attention to the Pit+Paddock branding.

INTERVIEW WITH CERAMIC PRO

We grabbed some face time with Sam Azizian, Ceramic Pro’s Director of Growth Marketing to get a more complete picture of Ceramic Pro’s evolution within the automotive industry and the specific products it chose for the Pit+Paddock E91 GTS Tribute built by PSI.

Detailing has become a much more commonplace discussion of late. How has Ceramic Pro managed to stay on top of the scene despite the influx of competition and rapid advances in detailing technology?
We take pride in consistently staying ahead in product development, marketing, and customer experience. Yet, we recognize the crucial balance between these efforts and delivering an exceptional experience for our customers. We are committed to being at the forefront of consumer education and providing an elevated experience through our Elite Dealer Program. We focus on working with the best in the industry who are running real businesses and focused on offering quality not quantity — which is a big reason why our products aren’t available to consumers — but that focus helps our products stay on the cutting edge of technology.

What is a Ceramic Pro Elite Dealer? How does it differ from a Ceramic Pro installer?
Ceramic Pro Elite Dealers are the most successful chain of independent detailing shops in North & South America, representing the absolute best of the best. A Ceramic Pro Elite Dealer is a one-stop shop for all automotive protection needs, which includes Ceramic Coating, Paint Protection Film, and Window Tint installation. What sets our Elite Dealers apart from our installers is the ability to offer all our product lines in addition to our exclusive line of products and packages that can only be found at and installed by our Elite Dealer shops. This includes the Ultimate Armor ™ Package, Ceramic Pro ION Coating, and KAVACA Ultimate IR Window Tint. These exclusive product offerings, in addition to the overall elevated shop experience are what our Elite Dealers apart from our installers who are typically only allowed to offer one of our product lines.

Ceramic Pro is much more than ceramic coating. Talk to us about your wide array of product offerings that the modern enthusiast or motorsport team can benefit from.
You’re absolutely right. Ceramic Pro was widely recognized as the pioneer of ceramic coatings, famously associated with the term 9H. But over time, Ceramic Pro has evolved beyond a ceramic coating company and has become a comprehensive business solutions provider. In 2019, the introduction of our KAVACA product line, featuring Paint Protection Film and Window Tint, marked a significant expansion. The term “KAVACA” is derived from Sanskrit, meaning “Armor.”

In 2021, we unveiled the Elite Dealer Program, a comprehensive loyalty program tailored for our top dealers in North and South America. This selectivity allowed us to hone focus on giving our customers the best “One-Stop-Shop” experience. Our Elite Dealers exclusively carry and install all our product lines, providing an enhanced shop experience and large-scale shop space. We also created a package unique to automotive enthusiasts. We call it The Ultimate Armor™ Package, which is a full front PPF installation followed by a ceramic coating installation on the rest of the vehicle. This is the ONLY full vehicle appearance package with a lifetime warranty.

When it comes to enthusiasts and motorsports, we have partnered with Lamborghini Squadra Corse, AWS, and CrowdStrike in various GT3 and GT4 race series to showcase how well our products can perform at the most extreme level.

I know PPF was something that we wanted to do almost immediately after the car was painted Fire Orange. Why was it important to wait?
The curing time for paint before the installation of paint protection film can vary based on the specific type of paint and the environmental conditions. However, as a general guideline, it is recommended to wait at least 30 to 90 days after a fresh paint job before applying any method of paint protection. This allows the paint to fully cure and ensures a proper bond between the film and the painted surface.

Temperature and humidity can influence curing times, so it’s essential to wait longer than jump to protect the paint. Trust me, we get it, nobody wants a rock chip in their freshly painted vehicle! #antirockchipclub

How did you decide what the Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute needed?
Being passionate BMW enthusiasts here at Ceramic Pro, we felt that with a special project like this tribute E91 GTS build, we believe in going above and beyond with protection. For this E91 GTS tribute, our goal was to provide comprehensive protection for every painted surface. We opted for the complete KAVACA Ceramic Coated Paint Protection Film treatment, covering all exposed painted areas without using pre-cut patterns. This means that all the edges have been custom-cut with extra material to tuck the film behind the doors and under the hood, fenders, and badging to achieve a more seamless/invisible finish. The installation also included wrapping the headlights, carbon fiber lip, fender vents, and rear spoiler. The PPF was further supplemented by ION surface protection which produces twice the durability, integrity, and longevity of traditional nanoceramic coatings.

How long is PPF and ceramic coating expected to last? What does an enthusiast need to do to maintain it properly?
Proper aftercare is essential to ensuring the longevity of any product, so we do our best to provide every customer with the proper aftercare and warranty information to ensure that the product lasts as advertised. PPF can last anywhere from 7-10 years and the longevity of Ceramic Coatings truly depends on the package you choose.

To make aftercare simple, schedule annual inspections to maintain the product warranty and use proper aftercare products. We have developed products with Americana Global that are designed to work with our coatings and paint protection films extending the longevity of our products and maintaining your warranty.

Thank you to Sam Azizian from Ceramic Pro for taking the time to speak with us. To learn more about Ceramic Pro and what products or services could enhance your enthusiast vehicle, visit its website and follow Ceramic Pro on Instagram and YouTube.

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