Anyone tried this stuff on their car?? I am thinking about doing it soon but wanted to know if anyone has any experience with it - especially on a silver car...www.crystalguard.com
I know this hsould have been in the detailing section but more people check here so please dont move if possible - thanx

 

I have crystal guard on my black Mercedes and think it is great.

 

If you check out www.autopia.org , you'll find many discussions on Crystal Guard. Most, unfortunately, have not been that great.

 

Rob;
gee that's funny, I did searches under every spelling varient I could think of and only came up with 4 posts, none negative. Nothing at all really.

What is supposed to be the problem anyway?

I did find a few negatives about clearkote, but that is not crystalguard.

 

Doug,
can u explain it more?

where did u get it done? how long is the process? and how much?

there are so many kind of products doing the same thing. i remember some dealers have added $600 up to $1,200 for something called "paint protection." i know that's totally crap. is this different than that?

 

MSINDI,
Do you remember those cars from the m5 forum, Do you think that is Z8tako who started the distribution buisness.. those are all of his cars.. Mabey Im imagining things!

 

its great for arctic silver color!

 

dpblessing,

I don't know why there isn't more info coming up but I visit autopia often (don't post that often, though) and , maybe six months ago, remember reading lengthy threads on Crystal Guard. I don't recall there being a major problem with the product, it just didn't live up to their expectations. The guys over at autopia are pretty serious and spend a lot of time experimenting with different wax and/or sealant combinations. The end result seemed to be that Crystal Guard didn't offer the look or the durability the company claimed it would. Most autopia guys continue to stand by sealants like Klasse, Zaino and Platinum or carnauba products like P21S and Pinnacle. I currently use Blackfire on my daily ride and Pinnacle Souveran on the Turbo.

 

So I am confused...Supposedly there is a newer better version of Crystal Guard called the crystal guard EX...I was going to do that on my car followed by a few coats of Zymol wax!!
Yey or Ney??
BTW - I looked on autopia but did not find much - links wouldf be appreciated

 

msindi,

I don't know anything about an improved version of Crystal Guard but with regards to Zymol, it's ok, but there are better carnauba products. Zymol looks decent enough but it has very little durability, the shine doesn't last. You have the right idea, using a sealant as a base and adding a carnauba topper (the sealant for durability and the wax for shine/depth), but I think you'll be better off using a sealant such as Platinum or Klasse and topping it with P21S wax. P21S looks better and definitely lasts longer than Zymol, it's easier to use and cheaper, too. Truthfully though, if you have a light colored car like silver, there isn't a whole lot gained using a carnauba topper over a good sealant. Most people top a sealant because they don't quite offer the deep wet look of a good carnauba wax, however, on lighter colors which reflect light, the sealants themselves look pretty good. You'll only see a major difference on blacks, reds, etc., the colors with natural depth. Plus, once you top a sealant with a carnauba wax, you'll have to remove the wax with a sealant compatible polish or pre-cleaner to apply another coat of sealant. The sealant won't bond well to any remaining wax. Look on autopia for links to many products and retailers. I've purchased things from www.properautocare.com before, they carry many products.

 

drbill's right, Pinnacle's great on all colors but especially on the darker colors. They actually make two waxes, Pinnacle Paste Glaz for lighter colors (it has some polymers mixed in for added durability) and Pinnacle Souveran, the expensive one (about $70), which is pure carnauba and is best for reds and blacks. drbill, if you like carnauba waxes, P21S wax really gives silvers a lot of pop, more so than either Pinnacle wax, and it costs less.

 

here is what I know...

CrystalGuard "EX" is not new, but is the version of the product that is only sold to shops that apply the product - it is applied a bit differently and has a 3 year warranty. The version that we get to buy for home application does not have a warranty because how do they know if you applied it correctly and did not put it on top of another product.

On my black Mercedes, Crystalguard EX cost me about $700 to have done at CustomExotica in Mountain View, CA - same ownership as CrystalGuard. The cars that are featured on the CrystalGuard website are at that same shop / location. Included in the price they did a super detail wash and removed the small swirls that came with the car.

It is very, very, very, very shiny.

You do NOT put anything over it. If the CrystalGuard is a 9.8 on the "shiny scale" and you put a wax that is a 6.32 on that scale, guess what you get... a 6.32 shine.

If George of Akkurat PGI reads this, he may still have a photo he took of the MB when it was covered in about 4 weeks worth of dust. It is very, very, very shiny.

I have not done the C4S because I like to wax it occasionally. However, if I did not want to do that I think the CrystalGuard is the way to go and would be a spectacular finish.

Also, if you try to put CrystalGuard over another product, it will not stick, so that may explain why some have been "unhappy" with the results after they wash it off and are left with thier underlying Zaino, or other product.

 

Great help guys - the Crystal Guard I was gonna get put on is the EX....I'll schedule it for next week....

 

Here is the picture of Doug's Mercedes

 

Thanks George... and just how dirty was the car when you took that picture?