FINALLY - Looking into Ceramic Coatings!

Don M

Don M

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Phil Miranda (from Miranda Detailing - YouTube) put out a video on GTECHNIQ C1 ceramic coating. His demonstration made the process look so insanely easy, that it convinced me I need to try. Of course it is January and snowing + no heat in the garage, so I figure I have until April to deeply research everything.

I called GTECHNIQ and spoke with one of the Reps, who stated that the C1 was primarily designed for single-stage / gel-coat paints and I should use Crystal Serum Light instead, The rep also said to look up CSL on YouTube and watch everything I can about it so everything is clear to me come April and I have a successful experience.

So I started watching videos, and saw that most of the people who were using CSL, were also topping it with another GTECHNIQ coating, saying that CSL is a "sheeter" not a "beader" type coating??

One of Phil's videos was a maintenance wash of a C1 coated vehicle, and it was STILL beading insanely after a year, but I have yet to see a video of CSL after a year (or even several months) to show its hydrophobic properties over time.

I have corresponded with Phil several times (text and telephone), and he is very helpful, but I think I will have to call him again to help clarify C1 or CSL.

The point behind this post is that there are quite a few people here who are much more experienced with ceramic coating that I am and I wanted a general consensus of what my next move should be.
 
Maybe you can convince me to go back to coatings. But knowing me I'll wanna use what I got first and well now I have enough wax to last multiple lifetimes so hahahahaha.

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LOL...I guess I don't understand the question.
 
Not sure what you're looking for either.

However, I will say that I've been extremely pleased with coatings and I've been using them for nearly a decade now. I only use sealants as a stop-gap until I can get a coating on our family vehicles.

If you're looking for something that's really easy to apply, I'd point you in the direction of Gyeon Mohs. Easiest to apply coating I've every tried and the beading AND sheeting are quite remarkable. It only takes one layer and it looks really good too.

I've been a big fan of CarPro's products for years, and they are a solid brand. However, since Gyeon released their EVO updates of Pure and Mohs, CarPro has fallen to 2~3rd place for me.
 
I was a late arrival to coatings as they seemed too fussy, blah, blah blah. I started with Gyeon CacCoat Evo and was so pleased I ended up with Pure Evo. I am super pleased and can’t believe all the benefits. To me the appearance boost is the big thing but maintenance is a close second.

Would recommend Gyeon products from my experience.


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Bosko said:
LOL...I guess I don't understand the question.
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Desertnate said:
Not sure what you're looking for either.
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I guess MY mind is a little boggled at the moment too LOL.

I was VERY impressed with the ease of use of the C1 AND by it's characteristics after a year (with proper maintenance), however even though Phil Miranda assured me the C1 IS a valid option for BC/CC paints, the GTECHNIQ rep has me a bit worried and all the videos saying to top the C1 with a 2nd (different) coating has me confused.

I know the rep has to spout the "party line" verbatim, but Phil has impressed me with his no nonsense approaches and honest (real-life) videos and techniques, and I'm wondering if I should go with my original plan of using the C1 on my Camaro and the wife's Escape, or choose the CSL?

**EDIT**

I JUST spoke with Phil and he said that unless I'm working on SS paint, boats or RV's to use the CSL.
 
I install both CSL and Mohs EVO. Between the two, Mohs is the better coating. Both are extremely easy to install but I would give a very slight edge to CSL but if I had to choose one coating over the other for a single layer coating, it would be Mohs every time. On my wife's SUV she's got CSL topped with EXOv5 which is a fantastic combination and hard to beat for a prosumer coating but for a single layer coating I would ditch CSL and try Mohs. Just my three cents.
 
Is there any particular reason you're set on GTechniq products?

Optimus Grime said:
I install both CSL and Mohs EVO. Between the two, Mohs is the better coating. Both are extremely easy to install but I would give a very slight edge to CSL but if I had to choose one coating over the other for a single layer coating, it would be Mohs every time. On my wife's SUV she's got CSL topped with EXOv5 which is a fantastic combination and hard to beat for a prosumer coating but for a single layer coating I would ditch CSL and try Mohs. Just my three cents.
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This along with other testimonials I've read over the years have always put Gtechniq products as a distant third behind what I view as the "mainstream large production" prosumer companies of Carpro and Gyeon. I'd take CQUK 3.0, Pure EVO or Mohs EVO over CSL or CSL w/ EXO any day.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
How is the application on the Pure EVO?
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It isn't hard and you could say it is very close to CQUK 3.0.

It flashes just like you'd find in a "traditional" coating; e.g. you watch for the rainbow to appear. Pure EVO goes on much thicker than CQUK, but flashing is pretty slow and maybe just a touch quicker than CQUK. Pure EVO might be a bit easier to buff off as well, but I'd be splitting hairs.

Ease of application really comes down to your preferred workflow. Some people like slow flashing products which allow them to take their time applying a layer and you can do the entire side of a vehicle before going back to buff it off...in the right conditions. Others like a quick flash which allows them to do one section at a time without having to go back. I have my preference, but will work with either type of product.
 
Desertnate said:
Is there any particular reason you're set on GTechniq products?



This along with other testimonials I've read over the years have always put Gtechniq products as a distant third behind what I view as the "mainstream large production" prosumer companies of Carpro and Gyeon. I'd take CQUK 3.0, Pure EVO or Mohs EVO over CSL or CSL w/ EXO any day.
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I've got a guy coming in to have CSL topped with EXOv5. It may give him an edge over Mohs in terms of durability but I'm really going to try and move him into the Mohs camp. I think he'd be happier with two layers of Mohs instead of CSL and EXO but the customer is always right or something like that.
 
Desertnate said:
Is there any particular reason you're set on GTechniq products?



This along with other testimonials I've read over the years have always put Gtechniq products as a distant third behind what I view as the "mainstream large production" prosumer companies of Carpro and Gyeon. I'd take CQUK 3.0, Pure EVO or Mohs EVO over CSL or CSL w/ EXO any day.
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It's the first coating that I've actually SEEN installed by a detailer on YT that I trust ... I'll go ahead and say it, I've spoken with Phil Miranda several times, plus watched MANY of his videos. He and I seem to have a lot in common about detailing. Trying products for YOURSELF before making up your mind about them, and his attitude about what you actually NEED to do during a detail VS what the 'keyboard/video' "Experts" say are required steps and processes that if NOT done make your work and YOU subpar/not a real detailer, his approach to detailing, among many other things.

That's the reason I latched onto the Gtechniq brand.
 
Have you tried CarPro DQUARTZ CO Nano? Sounds like it's the next generation of CQUARTZ. They apparently took the professional application and made a similar product for the enthusiast. If it lives up to the promotional materials (which is where many products fail) it is a great product.
 
I was very reluctant to try them. It just seemed like a ton of hassle.

I landed on Optimum Gloss Coat, and aside from a small sampling of various CarPro coatings, and the lines we use where I work (Ceramic Pro / Xpel Fusion) that's where I've stayed.

It wasn't at all as bad as one would imagine for moat of the consumer coatings, but those pro coatings had me perplexed.

If you use most of what'd already been recommended, you'll be fine.

One thing you could consider is trying a "lite" or topper coating first. Something like CarPro Lite / Gliss, Gtechniq EXO V5, etc. That way you can get a feel for the application process.

That CarPro Lite is some serious stuff for a small price and super easy application. Be way that it doesn't like to be stored too long between applications. Over time it will start to cure and become a little more challenging to use.
 
Optimus Grime said:
I've got a guy coming in to have CSL topped with EXOv5. It may give him an edge over Mohs in terms of durability but I'm really going to try and move him into the Mohs camp. I think he'd be happier with two layers of Mohs instead of CSL and EXO but the customer is always right or something like that.
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Have you done two layers of mohs before? I have not as i didnt think it would really be worth going around for a 2nd coat.

As a general note for coatings, ive been using mohs evo. Its a lovey coating. But ive been on the fence about jumping over to try out armour detail supply quartz coating.

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opie said:
Have you done two layers of mohs before? I have not as i didnt think it would really be worth going around for a 2nd coat.
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None of the coatings I've used needed two coats and they all lasted 2+ years easily. CQUK 2.0 and 3.0 lasted over three.

I was very happy with a single coat of Mohs EVO on the wife's car. I put a second layer of Pure EVO on my car and can't see that it did anything for me over the last 20 moths or so.
 
Desertnate said:
None of the coatings I've used needed two coats and they all lasted 2+ years easily. CQUK 2.0 and 3.0 lasted over three.

I was very happy with a single coat of Mohs EVO on the wife's car. I put a second layer of Pure EVO on my car and can't see that it did anything for me over the last 20 moths or so.
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I agree with your results
 
Desertnate said:
None of the coatings I've used needed two coats and they all lasted 2+ years easily. CQUK 2.0 and 3.0 lasted over three.

I was very happy with a single coat of Mohs EVO on the wife's car. I put a second layer of Pure EVO on my car and can't see that it did anything for me over the last 20 moths or so.
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Ive been happy too with the single coat results of mohs evo and pure evo...even though pure gave me issues the last time, so i stick with mohs. I have no plans to go 2 coats. Was simply just curious on results of doing 2 coats of mohs evo.

Mohs evo seems to "clog" up or fall off visually quicker than pure did.

Thats one reason Guz has me curious to try armour details coating. Being quartz..its supposed to be more durable and similar in slickness like mohs

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opie said:
Have you done two layers of mohs before? I have not as i didnt think it would really be worth going around for a 2nd coat.

As a general note for coatings, ive been using mohs evo. Its a lovey coating. But ive been on the fence about jumping over to try out armour detail supply quartz coating.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
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A few spots on my car have two layers. I was applying Syncro and about halfway through applying Skin I got tired of the instant loss of slickness and just used the rest of my Mohs to double coat the remaining areas. I did it because I had the product on hand. I don’t really want to coat the guys car with two layers of Mohs unless he wants to pay for it. I just think that would be better a better end result than CSL and EXOv5.
 
opie said:
Mohs evo seems to "clog" up or fall off visually quicker than pure did.
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Are you saying the water behavior isn't as good or it visually isn't as glossy/shiny?

My wife's car Mohs application is only about 9 months in at this point and I've not noticed any issues at all. Of course the car is filthy due to the weather we've had the last month or so, but the last time I washed it everything seemed to be performing well. It even beads up pretty well when really dirty'

Thats one reason Guz has me curious to try armour details coating. Being quartz..its supposed to be more durable and similar in slickness like mohs
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Based on his recommendation I'm trying out their Amplify detail spray. I'm pretty happy with it. It's really easy to apply and give a nice deep glossy look to the surface vs a sharp glassy look like you'd get from Gyeon Pure or Ceramic Detailer. I think it is better suited for dark colors, but honestly I'm torn when it comes to looks. From easy of use standpoint it is far easier than the Gyeon products or CarPro Elixr.
 
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