New Car - Thinking of Coating

[gofast182]

Hi there. My wife and I will be picking up a new X5 in Spartanburg next month. I treat her current car twice a year with Jescar Power Lock, which is still my favorite sealant, but I'm thinking about switching from Power Lock to a coating. First, should I? If so, which one considering the car is [metallic] white and I'd prioritize shine/gloss over something that lasts for 3 years? Thanks!

 

[grovlet]

#1 - You should realize that the the stated length of coatings are exaggerated.... I would 1/2 the length in "Real World" use
#2 - You should still do some refresh steps every so often to maintain a coating - so you'll most likely still need to think about the bi-annual process - just may be a little different steps...
#3 - You didn't discuss your process for bi-annual application - but for best adhesion coatings require a surgically clean / polished surface - even though the car is brand new you'll most likely still want to go through step / prep work for application

I have McKees37 on my Subaru and CQaurtz 3.0 on my S4 - both are excellent consumer coatings for ease of use - I had McKees37 on the S4 previously and prefer the CQ for looks as well as longevity so far - but either option is a good start.

Also my understanding is that once opened coatings have a limited shelf life so most likely the bottle will go bad before the car is ready for re-application - ie - good chance you will only get one use out of it vs Sealants that you can be use until the bottle is empty...

All that said coatings are a great protection option for those that don't do full details often - and provide super easy clean up during maintenance washes.

 

[gofast182]

Thanks for the reply. So you're saying that even with a coating I'd still be applying it bi-annually? That would make me wonder if the advantages over Power Lock are worth it.

I'm not sure what #3 matters I don't currently use any coatings.

I kind of expected one-time-use out of any coating I'd end up going with.

 

[SWETM]

Awesome to start to maintain a new car! Congrats to your new car to come.

Power Lock is a great sealant no doubt about it. Is it the look of coatings you like and or the length between the reapplications?

If it's the molten glass look and the typical coating look. I would go with Carpro Cquartz UK 3.0 which is a well known and great in any climate environment both warm and cold. The CQUK 3.0 is now also easier to apply which makes it even better and user friendly. Since you have a new car I think a primer polish for coatings is a great product to use. Carpro Essence is the this for cquartz coatings. You get a finishing polish and a base of Sio2 that makes the coating to bond harder. And you don't need to be doing a panel wipe product wipe down before application of the coating. Some like to be doing this anyways to be absolutely certain to not get any dust and polishing oils from a previous polishing. And if you need to be doing a compound or polish before the Essence it is good to be doing a panel wipe product wipe down before application of the coating to insure that no polishing oils interfear with the coating bonding. And some kind of polishing is often needed even on a new car. It can be that the clearcoat on your BMW X5 I think you are getting is on the hard side of hardness of the clearcoats. It's not always so but mostly. And when not knowing the condition before you get it home it's good to be on the safe side and be prepared to be doing a compound and or polishing step. Then make sure that the dealership do not wash and prep the car and delivering it to you as is. Cause some dealerships can do a number on it unfortuneally.

My favorite brand when you consider looks is Polish Angel. The one I would go with in your case would be PA Cosmic v2 coating. And I would go with the kit with Polish Angel Invicible Primer Polish and Cosmic v2 then it's a kit also with PA Cosmic Spritz. What is not so clear under the description of Cosmic v2 coating is that to reach full hardness it's need to be used with Invicible Primer Polish or Invicible Primer Spritz. If you have only some light defects on the paint to start with the Invicible Primer Polish does often take care of those and get you a finish that is awesome. Now to a great thing with Cosmic v2 coating is that it's of a creamy solution like a sealant like Power Lock. And is just as easy if not easier than PL to apply. Can be done by hand but also with a polisher. The cure time is 24h after the last wipe off. But if you apply Cosmic Spritz after the recommended time the cure time reduce to 12h. This is before you can drive it again. Then Cosmic Spritz is the topper for the Cosmic v2 coating so you always have the high performance on the coating until it's time for reapply it.

If you maintain a coating as regualar you maintain a wax or sealant protection. You will have a great performance of your coating. The products used is important to have those that don't clogg your coating with leaving something behind that has not the same extreme behavior that the coating has. And since it's so long lasting instead of reapply a protection again you do a decon that desolves different contaminants you may have gotten. Since a coating is very chemical resistant you have the possibility to chemical stripping the contaminants off the coating with very little reduced longevity if any. Cause sometimes in different environments you have higher of some contaminants and when they have building up you can think that the coating has failed. But with a little effort you can get rid of the contaminants and the coating is still there and doing fine. And the same is actually with sealants too IMO. If you use waterless wash and or rinseless wash I would recommend to do a 2bm wash with carpro reset every 4-5 washes. Or use Reset as your maintance car soap if only doing the 2bm wash.

There are some information about coatings to have them on high performance. And have in mind that the decon steps is not needed to be doing every time you wash the car. It's very dependant on the environment you live in and the mileage you drive the car. But useally if not any extreme environments you do it around every 6 months or so or maybe not at all before reapplication.

Polish Angel Cosmic Kit V2

Polish Angel Complete Cosmic Kit V2

This is how I see on it and that is different for some and different products they uses and so on. There are many ways to doing it and different situation and most is the difference between the climate environment we live in.

/ Tony

 

[MarkD51]

Thanks for the reply. So you're saying that even with a coating I'd still be applying it bi-annually? That would make me wonder if the advantages over Power Lock are worth it.

I'm not sure what #3 matters I don't currently use any coatings.

I kind of expected one-time-use out of any coating I'd end up going with.

I believe you can and will get longer life and not have to be re-applying a coating biannually if it is a good quality coating.

There are the many factors which will effect a coating's life. A daily driver, weather and road conditions that the vehicle encounters, garage kept or not, how often, and how you wash it, will be the main factors.

FWIW, I won't mention any brand names, but I have tried a couple spray and wipe coatings for kicks that I thought didn't last any longer, or protect the paint any better than a good sealant or wax.

I would say with a good quality coating, you might be able to reach the two-year mark where you will need to again do a total de-con, light polish, prep and re-coat. The aid of coating boosters and products designed as such to help maintain the coating will help get the longest life. Usually any company making such coatings has such products in their line-up.

 

[DMW]

Not re-apply the coating, but do a thorough clean with something like Carpro reset and apply a topper like Carpro Reload. Since you've not used a coating before, I'd just give it a try. You don't know what you're missing until you try it.

 

[gofast182]

I'd say definitely shine and the ability to 'repel' dirt are most important to me. Maintenance doesn't bother me so much, although it would be nice to have something that only needs to be refreshed annually given the cost of these products.

Also, we're taking delivery from the BMW factory in SC so they'll prep. it and we'll drive it back up to NJ. I probably won't have weather good enough to apply anything until March.

 

[Mgavin1985]

Another vote for UK 3.0 wait for a sale getting it under 50$ is a bargain it holding up for on year is all I’m asking and I plan to do lite polish and reapply each year....Well that’s my plan and I would do it for a new car if I purchased.

 

[The Guz]

Hi there. My wife and I will be picking up a new X5 in Spartanburg next month. I treat her current car twice a year with Jescar Power Lock, which is still my favorite sealant, but I'm thinking about switching from Power Lock to a coating. First, should I? If so, which one considering the car is [metallic] white and I'd prioritize shine/gloss over something that lasts for 3 years? Thanks!

You are asking a hard question on whether you should or not. You will have to make that decision on your own.

There has been some good information posted with regards to coatings. 3 years is asking a lot. I say this because the environment that the vehicle is exposed to and how it is cared for are key factors. Someone in a harsher environment will get less durability compared to someone who lives in a less harsh environment

Coatings have their limitations. They are not set and forget it. They still scratch and swirl as they are not bullet proof. They do offer some pros in the protection aspect as well as the self cleaning effect along with the ease of washing.

Coating manufactures offer their maintenance spray sealants which would aid in longevity. If you choose to use one, you would more than likely never know when the coating was starting to fail and in need of a recoat. I will also recommend a chemical decontamination a few times a year to keep the contaminants low to allow the coating to perform well throughout it's lifespan.

I will also add that the paint is going to need a polish again around the 1-2 year time frame in most cases.

There are some good coatings on the market. I am at 6 months with Cquartz UK 3.0 and it looks just like day 1. It has proven to be a good performer thus far. CarPro claims up to 2 years. Be careful with the words "up to" as that can mean the coating lasting a few months to 2 years.

GTechniq claims 5 years protection with the combination of Crystal Serum Light topped with Exo. This combination is pretty nice as well. This has the most sealant like feel to it compared to the typical tackiness feel from a coating.

Gyeon CanCoat is a lite version of a coating that can protect to 1 year or longer. I paired it with Gyeon Primer Polish and saw 15 months here in Southern California with the car sitting outside 24/7. Easy to apply as well and easily maintained with something like Gyeon Cure.

So you have lots of options if you go the coating route.

Now if you like your current form of protection then stick with that. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

[atgonzales]

What the Guz said....

 

[gofast182]

To be clear, I'm not asking for three years. I used that number just the higher end of what some claim to say I prioritize shine over ultimate longevity. CQuartz UK 3.0 sounds like a winner.

 

[Desertnate]

Two years is a reasonable expectation of a quality coating and I don't know if I'd want to go three years between fully detailing a vehicle anyway. Mike Phillips had an interesting thread here a few months ago talking about the case *against* multi year coatings. The premise was after a year or two, a coating will still be protecting the paint but doesn't provide the clear/crisp shine it once did due to the slow effects of time and exposure to the driving environment.

I experienced this first hand this summer. The McKee's Paint Coating v1 (now replaced by v2) had been on my car for over 18 months. The water behavior was still pretty good and I thought it looked pretty good until I started polishing. After one section, there was a visible difference in the finish as 18 months of road grime was polished away. The coating served VERY well and far outlived any sealant, but it was time. This experiense led me to go with a 18~24 month cycle on any coated car. A coating might protect even longer, but for my climate I won't go longer simply to keep the vehicle looking it's best; though it is nice to know I could wait even longer if needed.

 

[gofast182]

Everyone, please forget 3 years. I wish I hadn't used that number as an example, which is all it was, not an expectation or even desire.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Hi there. My wife and I will be picking up a new X5 in Spartanburg next month. I treat her current car twice a year with Jescar Power Lock, which is still my favorite sealant, but I'm thinking about switching from Power Lock to a coating.

First, should I?

If so, which one considering the car is [metallic] white and I'd prioritize shine/gloss over something that lasts for 3 years?

Thanks!

If the car were mine I would definitely apply a quality ceramic paint coating. I would also first,

Chemically decontaminate
Wash
Mechanically decontaminate
Re-wash and dry
Machine polish to ensure zero marring from the above and everything and anything that touched the paint since it popped off the assembly line
Chemically decontaminate
Apply the coating
Wash with a pure wash - no built-in waxes or other glossing agents and also --> wash carefully as in - touch the paint/coating carefully.

I believe you can and will get longer life and not have to be re-applying a coating biannually if it is a good quality coating.

There are the many factors which will effect a coating's life. A daily driver, weather and road conditions that the vehicle encounters, garage kept or not, how often, and how you wash it, will be the main factors.

I 100% agree with the above.

Two years is a reasonable expectation of a quality coating and I don't know if I'd want to go three years between fully detailing a vehicle anyway.

I 100% agree with the above.

Mike Phillips had an interesting thread here a few months ago talking about the case *against* multi year coatings. The premise was after a year or two, a coating will still be protecting the paint but doesn't provide the clear/crisp shine it once did due to the slow effects of time and exposure to the driving environment.

And I still believe this and see what I share in the article with my own eyes. Here's the link to the article...

The case against multi-year ceramic paint coatings - Road Grime = Surface Staining Daily Drivers by Mike Phillips


Note: In the above article, as is my norm, I also include links to related articles that make the case for what I share in the topic of the article. Try to find just that much information on one webpage anywhere on the Internet or on Facebook. :laughing:

I experienced this first hand this summer.

BOOM!

Vindicated.

The McKee's Paint Coating v1 (now replaced by v2) had been on my car for over 18 months. The water behavior was still pretty good and I thought it looked pretty good until I started polishing.

After one section, there was a visible difference in the finish as 18 months of road grime was polished away.

And that's what I'm talking about.

There are SO MANY EXPERTS on the Internet now days letting you know just how much they know about car detailing in general and paint detailing specifically. Be careful which Guru you follow. :laughing:

The coating served VERY well and far outlived any sealant, but it was time.

I agree. I think I have the very first how-to article on using McKee's paint coating, back when I wrote it - it was still Detailer's Pro Series and this in 2013, 6 years ago. I think my first write-up for a coating installation dates back to 2011 - I don't know of any other write-up that dates back that far but I'm sure there must be one somewhere?


Cleaned & Coated in 3 Hours - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

This experience led me to go with a 18~24 month cycle on any coated car.

And I agree this is the top end of the "beauty aspect" of a quality coating installed on a car that is also a DAILY DRIVER and especially if the car is located in a geographical area where the car is driven in the rain. (See the article on ROAD FILM in the first article I linked to in this reply)

A coating might protect even longer, but for my climate I won't go longer simply to keep the vehicle looking it's best; though it is nice to know I could wait even longer if needed.

I agree. I think a coating can protect for a long time, I just don't believe on daily driver's the car will ever LOOK good for a long time, at least not like it looks right after you apply the coating.


Here's something I share in all my detailing classes, it's shared as comedy, but it's true all the same and it pretty much applies to everything under the sun.


Nothing lasts forever, not even you and I


(You'll have to attend one of my many classes to fully appreciate the context)



Congrats on the new car, and "yes" get a quality, easy to use ceramic paint coating and go with it....

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Hard to believe this one dates all the way back to 2012.... the info is still accurate to this day. My writing style is to always type for the future, not the moment.


How To Detail Your Brand New Car by Mike Phillips

 

[gofast182]

Thank you so much for the replies, Mike! Based on what I've seen here I may try CQuartz UK 3.0.

 

[BadgerRivFan]

I'd say definitely shine and the ability to 'repel' dirt are most important to me. Maintenance doesn't bother me so much, although it would be nice to have something that only needs to be refreshed annually given the cost of these products.

I’ll second Tony’s recommendation of Polish Angel Cosmic V2 given your objective of looks and coating characteristics, while being willing to do some regular maintenance.

Cosmic V2 is simple to use, applies just like a sealant. It is essentially PowerLock on steroids . The look - especially on white - is amazing!

You can’t go wrong with any of CarPro’s coatings, but you would not be disappointed with Cosmic V2!

 

[gofast182]

I’ve been researching products a little more and it looks like the Cosmic V2 might be exactly what I was looking for.