CarPro, in my opinion, creates some of the best chemicals on the market. I’ve always had incredible results, no matter which product I grab for from their lineup. I originally heard of CarPro when I was in search for ceramic coatings years ago. I have always gravitated towards CarPro coatings due to quality, reputation, and their realistic approach to the life expectancy of their coatings. When I first came across CQuartz Lite I was skeptical about the need for a coating like this. CQuartz Lite is a 6+ month, easy to use coating with benefits like the longer-lasting and more expensive relatives in the CQuartz lineup but has a far shorter lifespan. I typically view a major benefit of a coating to be longevity, so would a coating that only lasts over 6 months even be useful? Who is this coating for? How does this coating compare to its higher-end relatives in the CarPro lineup?
I have to say CQuartz Lite took me by surprise, for the price it’s hard to beat. CQuartz Lite proved to be an easy to use coating with some serious paint protection potential. Typically on a ceramic coating job, I would use a coating topper such as CarPro Gliss or CarPro Reload, but I wanted to see the realistic real-world durability of this “lite” coating. Four months after applying a single coat of CQuartz Lite to freshly polished paint and trim, the coating seems to be performing tremendously. Check out the fantastic, tight, water beads on this VW Tiguan.
I was surprised to see how well the road grime, water spots, bugs, and dirt cleaned off a decently filthy car. This vehicle has only been rinsed off using a pressure washer in the last four months until a full hand wash today. I would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between something like CQuartz UK 3.0 and CQuartz Lite at this time in the lifespan of the coating. One of my favorite aspects of CQuartz Lite is that it can be used on not only paint, but also glass, trim, wheels, and plastics. CQuartz Lite creates a perfect satin finish on the trim, leaving it protected and easy to rinse off.
Now to answer a few of the questions I had regarding CQuartz Lite:
Would a coating that only lasts over 6 months even be useful?
For me, this is a no brainer. CQuartz Lite, in my opinion, seems to be a fantastic option to bridge the gap between a wax/sealant and longer-lasting ceramic coatings. Only time will tell, but I strongly suspect CQuartz Lite will last much longer than CarPro claims. So far it’s proven itself on a car that has rarely been washed, occasionally garaged, and daily driven.
Who is this coating for?
CQuartz Lite is a great ceramic coating for both the DIY detailer and professionals. Many coatings can be hundreds if not thousands of dollars when professionally installed. CQuartz Lite gives a DIY detailer the ability to get their feet wet in the confusing ceramic coating world. With its wipe-on, wipe-off ease of use, many DIY detailers are able to enjoy some benefits of ceramic coatings at a substantially lower cost. For me as a professional, CQuartz Lite has worked its way into my detailing arsenal. Recently, with every long-lasting paint coating job, I am coating all of the trim with CQuartz Lite at no cost to my clients. It’s a small cost to me and a fantastic surprise when my clients collect their vehicles. CQuartz Lite is also a viable option for my customers looking for a cheaper alternative to higher-end coatings after a paint correction, or enhancement detail.
CQuartz Lite has proven itself as a fantastic entry-level coating with its wide variety of applications, ease of use, and performance. I am excited to see how this coating reacts months down the road.