How long would you prefer a coating to last?
- Thread starter Texchappy
- Start date
evo77
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- Mar 15, 2008
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That depends on too many variables.
Are you a person who maintains your vehicle on a regular basis (weekly or bi-weekly washes) or are you a person that washes the car maybe once a month or longer?
Are you a person who doesn't mind spending hundreds of dollars on a multi-year coating or are you a person that wants something value oriented with great bang for the buck?
I think any good well known coating should be able to provide a solid 12 months of protection with regular maintenance. I don't see the point for anyone to shop for a coating that is 2,3,4,5,10 years. Why? I have yet to be convinced that any of those long term coatings can really survive that long on a real world daily driver that sees all kind of weather conditions.
Are you a person who maintains your vehicle on a regular basis (weekly or bi-weekly washes) or are you a person that washes the car maybe once a month or longer?
Are you a person who doesn't mind spending hundreds of dollars on a multi-year coating or are you a person that wants something value oriented with great bang for the buck?
I think any good well known coating should be able to provide a solid 12 months of protection with regular maintenance. I don't see the point for anyone to shop for a coating that is 2,3,4,5,10 years. Why? I have yet to be convinced that any of those long term coatings can really survive that long on a real world daily driver that sees all kind of weather conditions.
Rsurfer
Well-known member
- Jan 26, 2007
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And to add..no matter how careful you are when washing, you will instill swirls in the long run. It maybe less noticeable on lighter colors, but on dark colors it will look like spiders live on your paint.
In conclusion if your the type that is anal about your paint, why apply a 2+ year coating that will swirl in less than a year?
evo77
Member
- Mar 15, 2008
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Please provide more background info.
Is this for your personal vehicle or for customers? Are you currently shopping for a coating and trying to decide what to go with? Which coatings have you narrowed down your research to?
Paul A.
New member
- Dec 21, 2007
- 5,276
- 1
From my personal perspective...
I like a 1.5 - 2 year coating on my personal car. I do a full paint correction once a year. I'd like the coating to still be there when I do the correction.
I wash once a week with very careful, gentle washes but still get some slight marring after 52 of those. Knowing I need to cut and buff I don't feel the need for a longer, durable coating.
I like a 1.5 - 2 year coating on my personal car. I do a full paint correction once a year. I'd like the coating to still be there when I do the correction.
I wash once a week with very careful, gentle washes but still get some slight marring after 52 of those. Knowing I need to cut and buff I don't feel the need for a longer, durable coating.
evo77
Member
- Mar 15, 2008
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That still depends on the maintenance and environment. Garaged vs. parked outside 24-7. Regions that experience colder climates, snow/salt vs sunny, warmer climates.
Phil from Miranda Detailing said in a recent podcast that the longest he has seen a coating last on any of the vehicles he has detailed is approaching 3 years (CQuartz UK) and its working at 90% or so. He said at the 2 year mark it was still at 100% performance. This is a partly garaged minivan and the owner regularly washes the vehicle. Now imagine same scenario with the vehicle parked outside all the time and washed once a month. Would it still perform the same? I don't think it would.
I guess what I'm trying to get at is, buy a reputable coating and don't spend a lot on it. Expect 12 months. Anything longer would just be a pleasant bonus. Reapply again when dead or deteriorating. Start process over again.
Texchappy
Well-known member
- Mar 13, 2015
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- #8
I’m more interested in how a variety of people approach this. However, I only maintain my own vehicles as a weekend warrior and occasionally a friend’s.
There’s two reasons I ask this. The CQuartz lite on my wife’s car is at ~15 months and still tight beading. It isn’t driven every day and is in a climate controlled garage. Secondly, the last Scott HD video, most of the coatings were ‘gone’ after the 15ish months and CQuartz lite seemed to outdo UK. I realize there’s limitations to his methodology and they aren’t exactly maintained but still found the difference interesting.
dlc95
Well-known member
- May 18, 2013
- 6,062
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Hard to say.
I prefer not to go through the trouble of applying one. With the maintenance method I use I can get by with a spray wax.
It's my customers whom I want to deliver that option to.
I do have a ceramic on my gf's Jeep because it was new. The parts I did last September react like it was recently applied. The drivers side I did cquk 3.0 x2 + Gliss. It was awesome, but I removed it in favor of Gloss Coat which is on the rest of the vehicle, simply for the ability to maintain with ONR. I've used Reset at work and it's a great shampoo, but I've gotten used to not using soap at home. Once I tried rinseless in 2014 I never looked back.
A two year coating is fine for me.
I prefer not to go through the trouble of applying one. With the maintenance method I use I can get by with a spray wax.
It's my customers whom I want to deliver that option to.
I do have a ceramic on my gf's Jeep because it was new. The parts I did last September react like it was recently applied. The drivers side I did cquk 3.0 x2 + Gliss. It was awesome, but I removed it in favor of Gloss Coat which is on the rest of the vehicle, simply for the ability to maintain with ONR. I've used Reset at work and it's a great shampoo, but I've gotten used to not using soap at home. Once I tried rinseless in 2014 I never looked back.
A two year coating is fine for me.
evo77
Member
- Mar 15, 2008
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You have to take Scotts testing for what it is. Its a test that is specific to that hood, with that paint, in that environment exposure and with that maintenance regimen. Results will vary.
Your wifes car isn't treated the same. Also, let me ask you this - during the entire 15 months have you EVER applied any toppers? If the answer is YES, which I'm sure it is, that will also affect the water behavior as well as life cycle. Scott does not add toppers. His panels just sit exposed to elements, get washed and blow dried.
evo77
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- Mar 15, 2008
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Texchappy
Well-known member
- Mar 13, 2015
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- #17
My approach has changed after an IED and later a heart attack. My ability to do a full correction is much lower than it used to be. I may still want a perfect car at all times but there’s other priorities for my limited energy (see spoon theory). My question for myself is how much am I willing to accept. Right now at 15 months I’m ok.
BudgetPlan1
Well-known member
- Dec 21, 2015
- 2,142
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Perhaps another way to put it is “How many miles do you want your coating to last?”
In some climates, it seems to be a more accurate measurement.
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In some climates, it seems to be a more accurate measurement.
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Coatingsarecrack
Well-known member
- Dec 9, 2018
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Yeah if Lite outlasted UK something’s flawed…. Maybe product itself but with a higher solids content that shouldn’t happen. Especially from same company.
I like my coatings to last two years as I like to polish every two years to preserve clear coat.
Even if you polish with a finishing pad and cleanser wax (non abrasive) you are removing “some” clear.
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