Why isn't everyone using coatings if it is "better" than sealants?

Here is what I would recommend:

Grab a little sample bottle of CQuartz. I think this is the smallest size ceramic coating you can buy which is great if you want to try one out.

Grab a bottle of Iron-X snow soap. This is a strong soap that will keep your vehicle pretty much contaminate free if you use it at every wash. It will probably strip your other LSPs if they are just normal wax/sealant chemistry. I normally recommend my clients to use it a few times a year like once every season or so.

I think you will be surprised at how well this method will keep your coated paint "contaminate free" for a long time.
 
Jeremy1976 said:
Coating smoating... I will stick with sealants and waxes. I have seen customer vehicles that have had "coatings" put on from the dealer that costed them over $1K and after one winter here in Wisconsin it was peppered with iron deposits (orange spots) all over their paint.... These "coatings" were suppose to prevent contaminants from bonding. Clearly that was not the case in 3 of my customers vehicles. I think climate has a huge effect amongst other things. But then don't tout it will last 5 years or more... For me, no coatings on my personal vehicles or customer vehicles. I cant say never, especially in this industry as things evolve. However, at this time I do not see using a coating ever. I too enjoy detailing cars. Especially my own. Its my relaxation and peaceful time going out in the garage and tinkering with tunes on and a beer or 2. Different strokes for different folks.
Click to expand...

"Dealers coating is not the same as ceramic coating"
 
Using a coating application price of $1,600 for a substance that supposedly lasts 5 years, and is "scratch resistant" but the guarantee won't cover carwash swirls...

I can use Four Star UPP twice a year for seven years for same cost and get same protection, with "deep wet look" as opposed "hard candy" appearance.

But then, like others have said, detailing my car is MY form of therapy & relaxation


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Do you think we are biased? I will tell you this. You wash the car every or every 2 weeks week after week, OCP or Gloss Coat will be contamination free. If you neglect it a chemical docon will take care of it. Same for other top rated coatings. Very simple.

Eldorado2k said:
I've been seeing so many varying opinions.. I guess the only real way to find out would be to try a coating for myself. If and when I do, you'll be hearing a real deal unbiased review from me, that's for sure.
Click to expand...
 
Car washes with brushes are abrasive. That is why they void the warranty. Very simple really.

PaVaSteeler said:
Using a coating application price of $1,600 for a substance that supposedly lasts 5 years, and is "scratch resistant" but the guarantee won't cover carwash swirls...

I can use Four Star UPP twice a year for seven years for same cost and get same protection, with "deep wet look" as opposed "hard candy" appearance.

But then, like others have said, detailing my car is MY form of therapy & relaxation


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
tdekany said:
Do you think we are biased? I will tell you this. You wash the car every or every 2 weeks week after week, OCP or Gloss Coat will be contamination free. If you neglect it a chemical docon will take care of it. Same for other top rated coatings. Very simple.
Click to expand...

Oh no, not at all. I didn't mean it like that, it's just that there are certain areas within detailing products/brands where there is a bit of fanboyism and an unbiased review always seems to be appreciated. I'd actually have to say that the gents who use coatings and take the time to chime in seem to be among the least biased and most professional overall on this forum. My hats off to some of the quality work I've seen from the people who use coatings, and everyone else for that matter.
 
The Guz said:
Durability is not necessarily measured in terms of contaminant free. Contaminants can hinder the performance of a coating and as I previously stated a few pages back. The contaminant level in your area is much more than what I see in my area seeing as you are in a more industrial area. A simple decon wash will often restore the performance of a coating removing some of those bonded contaminants.



I posted something for you a few pages back on getting one and testing it side by side with your sealant.
Click to expand...

Yea I saw your post. But quite honestly I'm holding off on making any purchases for right now.. Not only am I fully stocked with everything that I use, but there's also stuff I recently received that I'm looking at and wondering how long till I have to open [Meguiars D181 Leather Cleaner] And then there's a little box here on the floor from PBMG that came in 3 days ago that I haven't even opened yet! Lol.

I got a package from ebay today and 1st thing I thought when I saw the box was "what the heck is this"? Lol. I need to relax on buying for a sec.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Another thing I've never understood is how people say their lsp lasts 8-10 months with the help of a "booster" [spray wax, hydrophobic detail spray, spray sealant, etc] The way I see it, a good spray wax can probably have your paint beading forever if you were to wash your car weekly and apply spray wax afterwards.. It'll bead, but do a baggie test and odds are it will need a good claying.
Click to expand...

I know I said this in my other thread so I feel obliged to reply. The only way I knew it was true was because in the last month before polishing the car, i did the whole month without D156. By then it should have worn off right? When I was prepping my car for the polish, the water was still beading/sheeting, taking into account it had been a month since the topper/D156.

But, as you said, it did need a good claying.
 
emmjaygti said:
I know I said this in my other thread so I feel obliged to reply. The only way I knew it was true was because in the last month before polishing the car, i did the whole month without D156. By then it should have worn off right? When I was prepping my car for the polish, the water was still beading/sheeting, taking into account it had been a month since the topper/D156.

But, as you said, it did need a good claying.
Click to expand...

I didn't see your post in another thread about this.. But as far as D156, I've done a 50/50 with it as a standalone on my hood before, and to my surprise the beading lasted into the 3rd week/3rd wash and it wasn't until the 4th week that I called it off and stripped it. So it wouldn't surprise me if it was still the D156 beading.
 
Interesting discussion....



As to the original question...

Sometimes I choose my LSP according to the car and the owner. That is I use something I know the owner understands and can continue to use themselves down the road. In most cases this will be traditional carnauba paste or liquid wax or a synthetic sealant.



:)
 
Mike makes a good point but I suspect some of those who make a living selling coatings know the owners don't understand them and probably won't take care of their cars all that much which in turn brings them back for more business. Those who can easily put on a spray sealant in ten minutes are likely the kind who will take care of their cars on a regular basis.
 
Actually I would say that coating boosters are essentielly a small shot of the coatings particular choice of compounds to make your coating like new again. It's not to say that the coating itself won't last but that you have to care for it like any lsp. Look at wheel coatings, you can just wash off the brake dust with regular shampoo after its coated but it's not to say you don't need to wash it after you coat it.

Look at PBL coating boosters and the detailing spray, as well as reload and the GTECHNIQ spritz. They all contain the same ceramic as the original coating they're made for and it's just to make the coating last longer. I know there's guys here who've made their coatings last 3 years for themselves.

I also remember someone here who used glosscoat on their roof and didn't wash the car at all for two years but after he washed the roof it was still beading. Sure it needed to be heavily washed and cclayed because free sap had baked on this car for a year but the coating held on. A coating can only be looked at as another type of LSP versus a magical bubble. You care for your sealants, wax and coatings all differently.

While I would never have a professional coating done, I think it's worth it to pay like 60 bucks (Canadian) for me to buy a bottle of coating and do it myself. The biggest difference for me is I know I can wash the car and clean the interior but the one thing I don't need to do is re - apply LSP. That being said, I do have to agree that nothing will resist certain things indefinitely, whether it be tree sap, bug guts or bird bombs. The biggest difference for me is with a sealant, I've had to repolish to get slight etchings off from a bird bomb that snagged my hood during a 20 minute drive but I don't have any etchings now from bird bombs on my car after a 12 hour shift at work.
 
check out the manufactours warrenty on paint its like 5 years after that the uv protection is 50 percent gone add another 3 years you will only have 25 uv protection left on the clear. a coatings with uv protection will add to the life of the uv protection hopefully extending the life of the uv protection from the factory clear
 
I have not read the comments but I know I love detailing! I like the fact that I "Get to" apply a sealant to my car every 4-6 months! I enjoy the "process"!
 
wn1998 said:
I have not read the comments but I know I love detailing! I like the fact that I "Get to" apply a sealant to my car every 4-6 months! I enjoy the "process"!
Click to expand...

Well... You can still apply a sealant if you want. I mean, what's the harm in adding more and more protection to the paint?

Sure some will say "That's what a coating is for!" But, in my mind, it will act as another defense mechanism for your paint. So, if you continue to layer protection on top of what is there not only will you preserve your paint, but it should help to preserve the last line of defense before clear coat/paint. In this case (keeping it in context of this thread) it would be a coating.
 
so I have PBL, M37 and Cquartz, im going to do a small side by side of them on my test hood and put it on in the yard to get sprinkled on and then baked all day in the sun. id be willing to add a sealant in the mix if you guys want to toss out one that you would want to see go head to head with the others and if I can then find a sample of that sealant. each test area will be about 1-2 ft areas of a black hood.
 
Interesting read. I remember years ago some guy (in England I think) did 50 coatings of Zaino on his car. The prevailing view at the time was that he probably removed a layer previously applied every time he added one. Me? I kinda liked BFWD and got a good 2-3 months out of it and it was easy enough to apply that I just kept the car slick with quarterly applications. I never got into the coating thing. I heard several folks complain the surface wasn't slick and or it was PITA to apply not to mention the price. At the time a buddy of mine swore he could coat a car with what I considered a crazy small amount of product. I know there was no way I could do that. Now that I retired from detailing and just killing time today, I see by this thread that not that much has changed. Oh, and I wash my car every 2-3 months and could care less. I moved on to trying to have the nicest lawn, and has anybody else noticed fire ants have taken over?
 
Junebug said:
Interesting read. I remember years ago some guy (in England I think) did 50 coatings of Zaino on his car. The prevailing view at the time was that he probably removed a layer previously applied every time he added one. Me? I kinda liked BFWD and got a good 2-3 months out of it and it was easy enough to apply that I just kept the car slick with quarterly applications. I never got into the coating thing. I heard several folks complain the surface wasn't slick and or it was PITA to apply not to mention the price. At the time a buddy of mine swore he could coat a car with what I considered a crazy small amount of product. I know there was no way I could do that. Now that I retired from detailing and just killing time today, I see by this thread that not that much has changed. Oh, and I wash my car every 2-3 months and could care less. I moved on to trying to have the nicest lawn, and has anybody else noticed fire ants have taken over?
Click to expand...


Whoa, 2-3 months before washing..you will be excommunicated from AG . LOL
 
I wonder if coatings are just seen as snake oil by a lot of people who are used to certain methods of detailing cars. I know when I first started detailing, I wondered if it was just too good to be true.
 
Once the coating gods started marketing coating boosters and coating soaps and coating protective coating toppers I stopped paying attention. It's obvious what's going on
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top