These are the coatings I have experience with.
Gtechniq C1/EXOv2 combination
1. Longevity: Very good. I applied C1/EXO v2 on my Tesla in July of 2013 and it lasted well into 2014, including over a very brutal winter with a lot of snow, ice, salt and sand. This stood up to several touchless car washes and had great durability and beading up until I did a paint correction in 8/2014.
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: Very good. The car went to the Tesla service center a couple of times, and only at the last service in the spring did the car get swirled and marred by the "hand wash" service. With my waterless, rinseless and 2BW over the year, as a daily driver, I saw few RIDS, etc.
3. Gloss Very good. Never saw anything like it before.
4. Ease of application. Difficult. It is suggested that you use gauze pads and wait 3-12 hours depending upon temperature and humidity before applying EXOv2. This makes timing difficult. Even when done carefully, people have noticed streaks and high spots -- maybe these are from inadequate buffing, but this has been noted by some very seasoned detailers as well as hobbyists.
5. Etceteras: If going with C1, the price is comparable to others on the market (CQ UK, DP, PBL), but if you buy with EXOv2, it is expensive (similar to CG and 22PLE). If you apply C1 alone, the surface is grabby. If you apply EXOv2 after C1, the surface is VERY slick. VERY hydrophobic.
22PLE VX1 Pro Glass
1. Longevity: For me, remains to be seen. I applied this in August 2014. As of October, it still looks great. Zach McGovern (I believe) said he got about 2 years out of it.
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: Fair. Have noticed a few RIDS and infrequent swirls. Have only done 2BW in the past 2 months. This could be towel contamination, but scratch resistance is not as good as C1.
3. Gloss: Incredible. Superior to C1/EXO IMHO.
4. Ease of application: Very easy. I applied with a felt pad and Carpro block, waited a few minutes and then buffed away. High spots are easily addressed by applying more product. I used about 15 mL of a 30 mL bottle on my Tesla (including roof, as I have no sunroof).
5. Etceteras: Price has gone up. I spent about $80 on the 30mL bottle, and it's now about $100. Price is worth it in my opinion. If you're familiar with coatings, this should easily coat two mid-sided sedans. There is now a 22PLE applicator, which I have used with 22PLE Final Coat. The applicator is so-so. I prefer the felt cloth and carpro block for application. VERY hydrophobic.
Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Paint Coating
1. Longevity: Poor. I got less than 6 months out of this on my wife's car. This was on a properly prepped surface (I actually tested 4 different prep solutions, including PBL SCP).
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: Neutral. Did not see enough life on my wife's car to notice any protection. On top of this, my wife's car is silver, so swirls are harder to see.
3. Gloss: Very good.
4. Ease of application: Very easy. I think, however, you need to use more than what is recommended or else the product quickly flashes. Simply spray, spread and buff away.
5. Etceteras: On par with other coatings in terms of price. Appearance is comparable. Durability is questionable. Great hydrophobicity while it lasted.
Gtechniq G1
1. Longevity: Very good. Applied G1 to my Tesla in July 2013 and it is still beading and blowing water at 35 mph.
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: N/A
3. Gloss: N/A
4. Ease of application: Difficult. This is based primarily on the amount of G1 applied and the insufficient amount of G2 residue remover. (Had I known G2 was simply IPA, maybe that would have made removal easier.) If you run out of G2, removing the residue is a pain in the ass.
5. Etceteras: reasonably priced for a glass coating that lasts. Excellent hydrophobicity.
Pinnacle Black Label Glass Coating
1. Longevity: Good. Applied to my wife's car in the July 2013, and I had to reapply last weekend. That's 1 year or more, but it dwindled over that period of time. I'm pleased with this product, however.
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: N/A
3. Gloss: N/A
4. Ease of application: Very easy. As with the paint coating, I think you need to apply more than what is recommended to avoid flashing.
5. Etceteras: A bit on the expensive side, but you get several applications out of the bottle, so it is likely comparably priced per application when compared to G1. Good hydrophobicity.
Gtechniq C5 Wheel Coating
1. Longevity: Poor. Was not happy with this product at all. Brand new wheels properly polished and prepped. Can't say it lasted more than 3 months. That may have been the Chicago winter, but that's why I applied C5.
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: Good, for the time it lasted.
3. Gloss: Very good.
4. Ease of application: Easy. Need to use gauze pads, but since there is no need to apply EXO over it, there is no need to time applications. Application could be difficult if you have a lot of spokes on your rims, grooves, etc.
5. Etceteras: Not worth the expense given performance.
Pinnacle Black Label Wheel Coating
1. Longevity: Poor. Did not last more than 3 months. Again, could be the Chicago winter, but this seemed to melt right off my wife's wheels.
2. Scratch/Marring resistance: Unable to determine.
3. Gloss: Good.
4. Ease of application: Very easy. Again, apply more than recommended due to flashing (environment-dependent).
5. Etceteras: Not worth price.
In summary, I would highly recommend Gtechniq C1/EXO despite the fact that it is tricky to apply. The results are gorgeous and longevity is there. 22PLE looks amazing on my car, but I am not confident that it will have the scratch resistance that C1 does, and I hear that it will last. Both C1/EXO and 22PLE have great hydrophobicity.
Other notables are gtechniq G1 and PBL glass coating. Would definitely recommend these two products.
rops:
However, I did some investigating on it and it's being reformulated for the US market to compete with the other 2-year coatings. Last I saw (based off a couple posts on L2D), it's supposedly scheduled for re-launch in the Spring of 2015.
