Pinnacle Paint Coating ???

swanicyouth

swanicyouth

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Looking for more user experiences for the mysterious Pinnacle Paint Coating. Tato seems to like it, but other than that - there really hasn't been a lot of feedback. I'm mainly interested in durability, if anyone can chime in good, bad, or indifferent.
 
I have tried to scour the forum for some more of the specifics to the DP and PBL coatings and made some notes of my own. I'm sharing them below. It would be nice if these could be elaborated on and perhaps made a sticky, as it is getting difficult to sort through all the discussions for these specifics.

I would also like to know whether the DP and PBL coatings can be topped by PBL sealant (say after 24 hours of applying the PBL coating)? (I too am noticing a diminished "slickness" in the coating after about 6 months of application on my BSM '15 BMW X3)

Also, would like to know if you can use Carpro Eraser in lieu of coating prep polish?

Hopefully Nick from AGO can chime in on this discussion too and the 2 questions above.


DP and Pinnacle Black Label Coating Process & Notes
- Wash vehicle with warm/hot Dawn dishwashing soap
- Use either clay bar or nanoskin to remove above surface contaminants
- Polish as desired to remove below surface contamination, swirl marks and or light scratches
- Temperature must be between 60 - 90 degrees during application of coating and for 12 hours after applying coating. Vehicle must be kept dry and inside out of evening/morning dew.
- Apply either DP Paint Coating prep or Pinnacle Black Label Coating prep with DA to prep surface for coating (Both DP and Pinnacle coating preps are compatible with all coatings).
- Apply either DP Paint Coating or Pinnacle Black Label Coating with Foam Finger Pocket Applicator (or Lake Country Coating Applicator). Wipe off any high spots within a few minutes of applying coating. Avoid unnecessary rubbing or touching coating during this process.
- Apply a 2nd layer of coating if desired to ensure even coverage on 1st pass after 1 hour of applying 1st layer (Coating doesn't necessarily layer on top of itself - 2nd pass not beneficial if 1st pass coverage is thorough)
- Allow coating to cure for at least 12 hours in above 60 degree temperatures, without exposure to moisture (including dew - best kept inside closed garage if overnight).
 
I've installed PBL coatings on several vehicles (including my own truck) and was able to see the product in action over the last year (during the maintenance of those vehicles). Here is my experience and reflections on the product

  1. Application was super easy
  2. Results looked great.... initially!
  3. Hydrophobicity was great.... initially!
  4. I did see most of my coated vehicle bi-monthly and averaged about 3 months before I started questioning the hydrophobicity (which I guess explains the reasoning of having a booster in the lineup)
  5. I've found that the coating did tend to attract dust, a lot!
  6. It did not seem to offer much in terms of scratch protection for activities such as washing.
  7. After six months, the coating did not seem to be offering as much "rejection" to bug splatters (where it use to be so easy in blasting with the PW, it no longer offered the same ease)
  8. Two vehicles did not last a full year, despite all efforts to "revive" the coating. The booster did offer added protection but it was not the same as the original coating
  9. The gloss improvements from the product itself (not from the polishing that was part of the prep) did not extend beyond 6 months on any of the vehicles. Don't get me wrong, the vehicles are still shiny, but the shine cannot be attributed to the coating

The PBL coating line up is great for the non-professional crowd, and does offer an alternative to the people that don't want to spend or cannot afford a pro coating alternative, however I had expectations with the product that were not met. It is definitely easier than UK to apply (for most part), but I find CQuartz UK to be less questionable in terms of looks and longevity. Another difference that is noticeable between the 2 products mentioned was the fact that the applicator used for the PBL coating never did harden compared to the UK applicator which becomes rigid/hard within 24hrs. Don't get me wrong, hardness of the applicator does not directly reflect bad on the PBL product, but I did notice that UK does have more resilience to wash marring and scratches compared to PBL. Although you can use Reload the same as the PBL booster to revive the hydrophobicity somehow, I have never felt compelled to use it with UK (whereas I did with PBL coating).

I still have the product on my truck and am looking forward to seeing how long it will actually last. My truck is garage kept and meticulously maintained. Conversely, I have a black Mercedes which is outside 24/7 (exposed and in a covered area) to compare and contrast "exposure". In addition, I have his other Mercedes coated with CQuartz Finest which the coating is about as old as the PBL on his black Mercedes. Although the pro coating is a clear winner I want to evaluate the rest of the variable. Both are receiving the same "treatments".
 
Was my experience as well.

Was disappointed in the action overall. If you think in terms of what you have to do (wash, decontaminate, clay, polish, prep, apply) to get a coating to be properly applied to paint, having an expensive (relative to wax and sealants) that lasts 6 months or less simply is not worth it.

Gtechniq, 22PLE and CQ may be "harder" to apply, but in my opinion, the value of what they provide over the much longer term makes them the winners.

On the other hand, I will say that I've been pleased with the glass coating. Decent longevity and less skipping of the blades compared to G1. (Trying 22PLE glass coating soon.)
 
Elex said:
I have tried to scour the forum for some more of the specifics to the DP and PBL coatings and made some notes of my own. I'm sharing them below. It would be nice if these could be elaborated on and perhaps made a sticky, as it is getting difficult to sort through all the discussions for these specifics.

I would also like to know whether the DP and PBL coatings can be topped by PBL sealant (say after 24 hours of applying the PBL coating)?
Click to expand...

You can top the coating 24 hours after application if your goal is to achieve a different "look." The only product that I really like topping the coating with is Black Label Synergy. That combination offers the best of both worlds - the glassy, slick finish of a coating with the depth and gloss of a wax.

Elex said:
(I too am noticing a diminished "slickness" in the coating after about 6 months of application on my BSM '15 BMW X3)
Click to expand...

The slickness of the paint certainly isn't going to be better 6 months after application. As car care enthusiasts we have an obsession with feeling our paint, which is one of the reasons we introduced Black Label Diamond Coating Detailer and Diamond Coating Booster. Both of these offer a quick way to rejuvenate the incredible slickness that the coating exhibited shortly after being applied. Washing the vehicle as recommended, with Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo, will also help retain the slickness for longer periods of time.

Rest assured that just because the paint isn't slick, doesn't mean the protection isn't there.

Elex said:
Also, would like to know if you can use Carpro Eraser in lieu of coating prep polish?
Click to expand...

Eraser is a great product, but it's not recommended before application of a PBL coating.

Elex said:
Hopefully Nick from AGO can chime in on this discussion too and the 2 questions above.


DP and Pinnacle Black Label Coating Process & Notes
- Wash vehicle with warm/hot Dawn dishwashing soap
- Use either clay bar or nanoskin to remove above surface contaminants
- Polish as desired to remove below surface contamination, swirl marks and or light scratches
- Temperature must be between 60 - 90 degrees during application of coating and for 12 hours after applying coating. Vehicle must be kept dry and inside out of evening/morning dew.
- Apply either DP Paint Coating prep or Pinnacle Black Label Coating prep with DA to prep surface for coating (Both DP and Pinnacle coating preps are compatible with all coatings).
- Apply either DP Paint Coating or Pinnacle Black Label Coating with Foam Finger Pocket Applicator (or Lake Country Coating Applicator). Wipe off any high spots within a few minutes of applying coating. Avoid unnecessary rubbing or touching coating during this process.
- Apply a 2nd layer of coating if desired to ensure even coverage on 1st pass after 1 hour of applying 1st layer (Coating doesn't necessarily layer on top of itself - 2nd pass not beneficial if 1st pass coverage is thorough)
- Allow coating to cure for at least 12 hours in above 60 degree temperatures, without exposure to moisture (including dew - best kept inside closed garage if overnight).
Click to expand...

You pretty much hit the nail on the head, with one exception: DAWN!

I'm NOT a fan of Dawn for any application outside of what it was formulated for, and that's to cut grease and grime in the kitchen. It often leaves a film on automotive paint, and in my opinion that's working backwards. If you need to supercharge the cleaning ability of your shampoo, simply add a couple ounces of a high quality automotive grade APC.

It's been about a year now since the PBL coatings made their debut, and with as many people that have jumped on the coating bandwagon, application errors are bound to happen.

Outside of not following the manufacturer's recommendations at all, here are the most common errors in applying the products:

1. Not enough product is actually applied to the surface. A lot of people get apprehensive about applying a coating (especially if it's their first time), so they tend to apply less than they should, because they fear that high spots will require hours of machine polishing to remove.

These coatings were formulated to be extremely user friendly (ie: bubba proof). It's better to apply a tad too much than a tad too little. Any excess is easily removed with a microfiber towel a minute or two after coating a panel.

For the product to stick, and form the shell of protection that it's designed to, you have to actually apply enough product to the surface.

2. The Surface Cleansing Polish isn't completely removed (especially on glass), and the residue prevents the coating from fully adhering to the surface (more common in colder climates). As with everyone that uses a product for the first time, you have to fine-tune you application to achieve the best results. With the help of a few cold days last year, and by talking to a lot of customers, I've started recommending wiping the paint down with a damp microfiber towel AFTER buffing off the Surface Cleansing Polish. This ensures all residue is removed. So if you accidentally apply the polish too thick or fail to completely buff it off, wiping the paint down with a damp microfiber towel removes any excess product, thus ensuring the paint is bare and ready for the coating. This is a quick tip that only takes an extra minute or two.

:dblthumb2:
 
Very interesting! It appears that the DP coating may be a better value and offer superior performance.
 
Thanks for everyone's responses!

A couple comments (please bear with me)-

Here are the vehicles I've coated so far -

DP Paint Coating ....

2015 BMW X3 -05-04-2014
Basically the same process as I described in my earlier post, except that I did not use Dawn on this one, rather I used Mother's Carnuba soap. Also, this was coated with DP Paint Coating - 2 coats approximately 1 hr apart.


2012 Toyota Highlander - 06-13-2014
Same process as described in my earlier post, and deed indeed use Dawn on this one. Coated with DP Paint Coating - 2 coats approximately 1 hr apart.



2012 GMC Sierra - 06-13-2014
Same process as described in my earlier post, and deed indeed use Dawn on this one. Coated with DP Paint Coating - 2 coats approximately 1 hr apart.


2007 BMW 328i - 09-06-2014
Same process as described in my earlier post, and deed indeed use Dawn on this one. This one had paint correction as well (WG TSR 3.0 w/ White LCC pad) Coated with DP Paint Coating - 2 coats approximately 1 hr apart.


That was basically what I got out of the DP Paint Coating 4 oz bottle - 4 vehicles with 2 coats application. To me, it seems like I have not erred on the side of the coatings being applied too lightly.....

Now on with the PBL Coating -

2014 GMC Sierra - 09-20-2014
Same process as described in my earlier post, and deed indeed use Dawn on this one. Only applied one coat of PBL as I started to believe from forum posts that if the first coat was applied properly with good coverage, second coat is not necessary.


2011 Mercedes R350 09-27-2014
Same process as described in my earlier post, Dawn soap, only 1 coat of PBL.


Additionally - I've not had the problems with the DP or PBL prep polishes not wanting to come off as others have reported - but I can see where the "wet wipe down" step after the prep polish and the coating may not be a bad idea.


A couple more questions for Nick and others -

Use of Dawn - Nick - are you saying by using Dawn that there is a film left behind that the DP or PBL prep polish will not remove? Also note that the one vehicle, the 15 BMW X3, is the oldest application that I'm concerned about the coating still being present on the hood, was not washed with Dawn to begin with. So it could not have been the dawn that interfered with the coating on this particular vehicle. I'm not opposed to switching to an APC, but was trying to use the Dawn to strip prior LSP's.

How is one supposed to judge whether proper coverage with the coating has been achieved? I've basically followed the "wipe side to side and then wipe to and away" to get good coverage. Can one rely upon touch and feel through the applicator and the MF wipe off towel to judge whether coating has been thoroughly applied? i.e. where there is the slickness, then sufficient product has been applied?

For the BMW X3 - I believe I have enough DP coating left yet to reapply to the hood, which is so far the area of my most concern, between my 2 vehicles - the X3 and the '12 GMC Sierra (which still beads nicely all over). The X3 I get good beading on the roof and sides, but the hood is more of a sheeting than beading characteristic. When I recoat the hood of the X3 - how should I prep - just go over it with the prep polish and the DA - or should I use a light polish first such as Megs M205?

So no sealant on top of the coating? - rather just reload or PBL coating booster to restore slickness when desired?

Last, the question I get from everyone that I've discussed coatings with - how do I know when the coating is gone - no more beading (or the lesser of no beading or time period of 3 yrs?)

Again, thanks for everyone's help and input
 
Thank you everyone for a very informative discussion! I am considering a coating for a family members vehicle. I enjoy sealants and waxes for my personal rigs.
 
I did my Audi TT w PBL, and my wife's BMW 3 with DP coating. Both are garaged. After 5 months both looked good, but for the upcoming winter I wanted additional protection. Both cars were free of surface contaminants after a hot water shampoo, so I did not use clay. I used Eraser and gave them another coat of each product. Both look great & I hope this will last until next spring. I think it was better to use these products again rather than buying PBL sealant, or Reload.
 
I still offer the PBL coating to customers but I have it listed as a 1-1.5 year coating instead of the 2-3 years that Pinnacle claimed it would be. I don't think it can be grouped with the CQuartz, EXO and now OptiGloss. (I know there are a lot of others, but I have no experience with them)

The PBL coating just does not hold on to much of anything after 6-8 months compared to the initial application...ex slickness, beading, sheating, gloss retention and the ease of cleaning all drop off to the point that I wouldn't want to leave it untouched for 2-3 years.

I use the DP coating for friends that are not paying at all or at a discount.

The Synergy nano wax looks good on top of the PBL coating, but I did not think it look good on top of the PBL Sealant. The Sealant looks better on its own on the cars I've tried it on. That combo wasn't 'synergistic'.

I think the PBL Sealant is the best of PBL products. With the Synergy wax next.
 
Im about 6 weeks into the lifetime of my PBL paint coating vs Collonite 476 and I can already tell the PBL is going to outlast the Collonite.

Just washed again yesterday and while the whole cars is beading/sheeting like new, when drying the car the towel still slides across the PBL hood like wet ice where the Collonite sections are starting to feel a bit of resistance.

I'm not using any booster products.

Car is garage kept but parked in sunlight at the office.
 
I'm about a year and a half into my PBL paint coating on the Kia and the paint still looks glassy smooth and water flies right off it when driving.

Regular washes with carpro reset (I like it better than the PBL shampoo) and I did an application of PBL coating booster at the end of spring.

I am NOT a fan of topping coatings with anything, it defeats the purpose for me.

I also agree with Nick 100% on Dawn use. It's not made for cars so it doesn't get used on cars.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
ekennett said:
I'm about a year and a half into my PBL paint coating on the Kia and the paint still looks glassy smooth and water flies right off it when driving.

Regular washes with carpro reset (I like it better than the PBL shampoo) and I did an application of PBL coating booster at the end of spring.

I am NOT a fan of topping coatings with anything, it defeats the purpose for me.

I also agree with Nick 100% on Dawn use. It's not made for cars so it doesn't get used on cars.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Ok, so no more Dawn. I only started recently using it before coating a vehicle in an attempt to strip any prior LSP. I will pick up some Megs APC to use before coating a vehicle.

I've been recently using CG Hi Gloss Shampoo after coating a vehicle, before that I've been using Mothers Carnuba Wash. I may try some Reset as well ..... Eric, question for you, do you use reset every wash on the coated vehicles or just every so many washes?

Thanks - Jerry
 
Good timing on this thread. I was kinda wondering myself what people were getting out of this stuff. Kinda seemed like there was a lot of excitement and hype when it came out and then kind of fell off the radar. I picked up a whole kit when they were doing the sales during black friday last year, but have only had a chance to apply it to two vehicles so far. Seemed to go on really easy and looked nice when I was done. The first vehicle I did was only about 2 months ago, so no real observations on durability.

Seeing these comments so far has me tempted to try gloss coat on my truck before winter instead of the PBL now though......
 
I've just finished a PBL application on my new A8L. Shampoo washed, applied PBL surface polish, applied PBL surface coating, waited 48-hours and finished with PBL Synergy.

Results on Panther Black Crystal paint look terrific IMO. We'll see how long it lasts with occasional application of PBL surface detailing spray.


View attachment 31812View attachment 31813View attachment 31814
 
First post here..... I will be applying Diamond Surface Coating to my father in laws new Boxster this weekend. He is having the 3m clear protective film applied to half hood, bumper, mirrors, A Frame and headlights. Has anyone had issues applying this coating to 3m protection films, should I wait a specific amount of time before I apply it to the film.

Thanks!
 
Nantoni said:
First post here..... I will be applying Diamond Surface Coating to my father in laws new Boxster this weekend. He is having the 3m clear protective film applied to half hood, bumper, mirrors, A Frame and headlights. Has anyone had issues applying this coating to 3m protection films, should I wait a specific amount of time before I apply it to the film.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

If it is a film that does nothing t have a top coat then I would not do this. Coatings need clear coat to bond to and films that have a top coat (like Xpel Ultimate Film) have an automotive grade clearcoat as a top coat on the film that can be coated.

Do you know what line of 3M film it is?

If not find out the line before moving forward.

Also you the car should be preped with a paint correction prior to installing the film for the best results
 
Maybe, a good way to look at this coating is that it can be EASILY applied a second, or third time down the road to restore that "day one" look, finish, and feel the day it was applied. Can the same be said about other coatings it's being compared to?
I know they all have "toppers," or "rejuvinators," but would you rather refresh the look, finish, and feel by applying a topper, or another layer of the coating, like you can do with PBL?
 
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