Special Vehicle Care 101: Protectants
#1
02-25-2018, 01:28 AM
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,169
Rep Power: 61 
Special Vehicle Care 101: Protectants
Special Vehicle Care 101: Protecting a Special Vehicle
Paint protection comes in many forms these days. From vinyl wraps to natural carnauba waxes and space age coatings. We will discuss each type; their purpose, application methods, and maintenance. Their ultimate purpose is to protect the clear coat of your vehicle and give themselves up as a sacrificial barrier. There are several layers to the paint. There is your base coat/primer. Then color coat. Then several layers of clear coat on top; which produces the shine and protects your color coat. We are just adding too the clear coat to help protect and preserve it. Believe it or not, your clear coat breathes. It shrinks and swells due to cold and heat, just like all the panels on your car. This can cause a myriad of issues if you do not protect the clear coat.
There are NO protectants currently manufactured that can be applied to your clear coat and then there is no more maintenance to be done. Paint Protection Film (PPF) or Vinyl wraps are almost there; however, they still need or should be maintained. So there is no magic potion, no specific mandatory process to accomplish this goal. Some are better than others, and most are personal preference. This white paper will walk you through the various processes and allow you to make an educated decision of what to use on your vehicle.
Type of Protectants:
1. Synthetic Sealants: laboratory made synthetic liquid waxes. Once they are applied they provide 4-5x months of protection to your paint. The hotter the climate the less time they last. Obviously this does depend if the car is constantly garaged. Sealants do not protect from scratches. Sealants are applied either by machine or by hand. If using a 3” dual action orbital buffer, such as the Griots Garage 3”, and a black no cut application pad you add a few small drops on the pad and then work on a low speed onto the paint surface. Just make sure you get total coverage. If by hand, then you can use a MF pad, foam pad, or specialty hand applicators. Work the sealant in by hand using straight as possible lines to minimize any marring of the surface. Let the sealant dry to a light haze then wipe off with a clean MF towel. Wipe towel with the least amount of pressure to minimize any marring and flips sides often. Of course use straight lines as much as possible. Follow up with a clean MF towel to lightly polish to a mirror like shine.
Tip: to make sure all sealant is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
2. Carnauba waxes: Carnauba is a natural wax that is blended with oils and other lubricants so it will apply smoothly to your paint. It will last you anywhere from 3-4x weeks; all depending on how hot it is or how much the car is in the sun. The sun melts this off the paint. Great to use for a car show; provides a deep warm hue to the paint.
Tip: to make sure all wax is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
3. Coatings: There are several types of coatings on the market now with many different manufacturers. A few mainstream coatings are CQuartz UK, CQuartz, Gyeon MoHs, GTechiniq Crystal Serum, Kamakazee, Modesta, 22ple, and many others. The industry really has exploded over the past 4-5x years. Ceramic coatings, which most people have heard of, is the same as glass coatings. It’s just a name given to the product for marketing. They all use silica dioxide in their products, unless it’s a much higher end product, which uses titanium dioxide which amps up the gloss levels to a higher degree. Coatings are now even made specifically for matte paint.
Specific coatings are utilized for exterior black trim, metal, wheels, paint, and now even leather interiors. While coatings can be applied to any paint, it is highly recommended to have your vehicle paint corrected and clay barred before having a coating applied. Coating applications by a professional can run $500 to over 2k depending on type used, how much the vehicle is covered, and how many layers is applied. Some coatings suggest or recommend a 2nd layer.
There are several misconceptions about coatings that are consistently exaggerated in not only naming conventions but also in blogs, forums, YouTube videos, and word of mouth. Coatings do not prevent scratches; at all ever. Coatings also require maintenance to keep them in top condition. They do last at least 2 years for most. They do require you to still wash the car. Maintenance is highly recommended to prevent road grime from dulling and clouding the coating. When maintaining a car with a coating you should use the coating manufacturers recommended car wash soaps and spray detailers. Most of these will have the same silica properties that were used in making the coating. Do you have to use these products? No, in short. But why would you go through the $500 to 2k+ per application of the product if you wont take care of it.
Of course some of these products are made to capitalize on the investment the customer will make, there are some benefits to using them. What you don’t want to do is use products with additives other than the coating properties; such as a wash’n wax product, or spray detailer, or spray wax. Use what the coating company made which will only enhance the product on your vehicle.
IMHO there is a lot of information not yet understood on how a coating will affect the clear coats longevity. There is also the issue of scratches. The only way to remove a scratch is to polish it out. If you have a coating on the surface, that has to be removed first. The only way is to polish the coating with a compound. Not only is it difficult to determine when the coating is totally removed, but the coating residue (silica bits) get embedded into the pads and towels used to remove the residue. They must be thrown away. Most people don’t know or think about it and will continue to use them, which could marr paint in the future. Application process varies depending on manufacturers. Most are applied after a vehicle has been clayed, decontaminated with Iron X, compounded, polished and then when the paint is stripped clean of all oils and polish residues the coating will adhere to the surface.
4. Wheel and trim coatings can be used on black plastic trim, wheel well liners, underbody trays, brake calipers, exhaust tips etc… This is were I feel the best value of a coating is utilized. I absolutely put this coating on all my cars, including the Aston. Makes for washing a breeze and keeps the parts cleaner longer. Imagine from now on only having to wash your wheels with regular soap and water and MF towel or soft brush. Not only does it help protect the finish of your wheels, it keeps black trim black and new looking, but prevents you from having to use a harsh degreaser anywhere near your paint. This is extremely helpful if your vehicle has carbon ceramic brake rotors, which cannot be touched by the chemicals in degreasers.
5. Petroleum based non-permanent coating. AMMO is the only manufacturer that I am aware of that makes a petroleum based coating that is not semi-permanent. It amps your gloss levels just like a semi-permanent coating, but does not last any longer than a synthetic sealant. Its made to be applied under your synthetic sealant. Can be removed just the same as any sealant by washing your car with dish detergent or wiped with Gyeon Prime, CarPro Eraser, or any IPA solution. This product is safe to be applied to any surface on the outside of the vehicle. I personally use this product and was thrilled when it was developed. I personally love the wet look coatings provide.
6. Vinyl or Paint Protection Film: Both products provide total protection from the elements and light scratches. The industry has improved the glues used during application of these products to a point where they can last 5-10x years and not yellow and be removed fairly easily. When removing either product, you MUST be very careful because paint if not applied to the car properly or old, it can at times peel off with the material. Obviously that is uncommon but should be a concern depending on the vehicle itself. I have no personal experience with Vinyl film. I do know its fairly thin (approx. 2-3mils) compared to any of the current day PPF materials at about 8mils thick. There is no special process to take care of the Vinyl; however, a selant will help fading and provide some protection to increase longevity. Similar to the PPF materials. They do or should get some protection also. Coatings are extremely popular to top the materials. I would recommend that myself. Increases gloss and then protects. If your spending 3-10k to PPF a vehicle, a simple coating to help protect that investment should be warranted. However, that coating still needs to be maintained the same or it will dull and wear out quicker rather than later. PPF is applied to protect your paint, and although current manufacturers today have good hydrophobic top layers on the films, the PPF and its financial investment should have a sacrificial layer applied on top of it.
This should provide a in-depth overview of protectants for the clear coat part of your vehicles paint. While there are too many products and manufacturers to specifically mention, I will for my last Special Vehicle Care thread go over specifics in what I use and have found to work for me. A lot of products are personal preference and most detailers find ones they like that work well for them and stick with them.
Paint protection comes in many forms these days. From vinyl wraps to natural carnauba waxes and space age coatings. We will discuss each type; their purpose, application methods, and maintenance. Their ultimate purpose is to protect the clear coat of your vehicle and give themselves up as a sacrificial barrier. There are several layers to the paint. There is your base coat/primer. Then color coat. Then several layers of clear coat on top; which produces the shine and protects your color coat. We are just adding too the clear coat to help protect and preserve it. Believe it or not, your clear coat breathes. It shrinks and swells due to cold and heat, just like all the panels on your car. This can cause a myriad of issues if you do not protect the clear coat.
There are NO protectants currently manufactured that can be applied to your clear coat and then there is no more maintenance to be done. Paint Protection Film (PPF) or Vinyl wraps are almost there; however, they still need or should be maintained. So there is no magic potion, no specific mandatory process to accomplish this goal. Some are better than others, and most are personal preference. This white paper will walk you through the various processes and allow you to make an educated decision of what to use on your vehicle.
Type of Protectants:
1. Synthetic Sealants: laboratory made synthetic liquid waxes. Once they are applied they provide 4-5x months of protection to your paint. The hotter the climate the less time they last. Obviously this does depend if the car is constantly garaged. Sealants do not protect from scratches. Sealants are applied either by machine or by hand. If using a 3” dual action orbital buffer, such as the Griots Garage 3”, and a black no cut application pad you add a few small drops on the pad and then work on a low speed onto the paint surface. Just make sure you get total coverage. If by hand, then you can use a MF pad, foam pad, or specialty hand applicators. Work the sealant in by hand using straight as possible lines to minimize any marring of the surface. Let the sealant dry to a light haze then wipe off with a clean MF towel. Wipe towel with the least amount of pressure to minimize any marring and flips sides often. Of course use straight lines as much as possible. Follow up with a clean MF towel to lightly polish to a mirror like shine.
Tip: to make sure all sealant is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
2. Carnauba waxes: Carnauba is a natural wax that is blended with oils and other lubricants so it will apply smoothly to your paint. It will last you anywhere from 3-4x weeks; all depending on how hot it is or how much the car is in the sun. The sun melts this off the paint. Great to use for a car show; provides a deep warm hue to the paint.
Tip: to make sure all wax is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
3. Coatings: There are several types of coatings on the market now with many different manufacturers. A few mainstream coatings are CQuartz UK, CQuartz, Gyeon MoHs, GTechiniq Crystal Serum, Kamakazee, Modesta, 22ple, and many others. The industry really has exploded over the past 4-5x years. Ceramic coatings, which most people have heard of, is the same as glass coatings. It’s just a name given to the product for marketing. They all use silica dioxide in their products, unless it’s a much higher end product, which uses titanium dioxide which amps up the gloss levels to a higher degree. Coatings are now even made specifically for matte paint.
Specific coatings are utilized for exterior black trim, metal, wheels, paint, and now even leather interiors. While coatings can be applied to any paint, it is highly recommended to have your vehicle paint corrected and clay barred before having a coating applied. Coating applications by a professional can run $500 to over 2k depending on type used, how much the vehicle is covered, and how many layers is applied. Some coatings suggest or recommend a 2nd layer.
There are several misconceptions about coatings that are consistently exaggerated in not only naming conventions but also in blogs, forums, YouTube videos, and word of mouth. Coatings do not prevent scratches; at all ever. Coatings also require maintenance to keep them in top condition. They do last at least 2 years for most. They do require you to still wash the car. Maintenance is highly recommended to prevent road grime from dulling and clouding the coating. When maintaining a car with a coating you should use the coating manufacturers recommended car wash soaps and spray detailers. Most of these will have the same silica properties that were used in making the coating. Do you have to use these products? No, in short. But why would you go through the $500 to 2k+ per application of the product if you wont take care of it.
Of course some of these products are made to capitalize on the investment the customer will make, there are some benefits to using them. What you don’t want to do is use products with additives other than the coating properties; such as a wash’n wax product, or spray detailer, or spray wax. Use what the coating company made which will only enhance the product on your vehicle.
IMHO there is a lot of information not yet understood on how a coating will affect the clear coats longevity. There is also the issue of scratches. The only way to remove a scratch is to polish it out. If you have a coating on the surface, that has to be removed first. The only way is to polish the coating with a compound. Not only is it difficult to determine when the coating is totally removed, but the coating residue (silica bits) get embedded into the pads and towels used to remove the residue. They must be thrown away. Most people don’t know or think about it and will continue to use them, which could marr paint in the future. Application process varies depending on manufacturers. Most are applied after a vehicle has been clayed, decontaminated with Iron X, compounded, polished and then when the paint is stripped clean of all oils and polish residues the coating will adhere to the surface.
4. Wheel and trim coatings can be used on black plastic trim, wheel well liners, underbody trays, brake calipers, exhaust tips etc… This is were I feel the best value of a coating is utilized. I absolutely put this coating on all my cars, including the Aston. Makes for washing a breeze and keeps the parts cleaner longer. Imagine from now on only having to wash your wheels with regular soap and water and MF towel or soft brush. Not only does it help protect the finish of your wheels, it keeps black trim black and new looking, but prevents you from having to use a harsh degreaser anywhere near your paint. This is extremely helpful if your vehicle has carbon ceramic brake rotors, which cannot be touched by the chemicals in degreasers.
5. Petroleum based non-permanent coating. AMMO is the only manufacturer that I am aware of that makes a petroleum based coating that is not semi-permanent. It amps your gloss levels just like a semi-permanent coating, but does not last any longer than a synthetic sealant. Its made to be applied under your synthetic sealant. Can be removed just the same as any sealant by washing your car with dish detergent or wiped with Gyeon Prime, CarPro Eraser, or any IPA solution. This product is safe to be applied to any surface on the outside of the vehicle. I personally use this product and was thrilled when it was developed. I personally love the wet look coatings provide.
6. Vinyl or Paint Protection Film: Both products provide total protection from the elements and light scratches. The industry has improved the glues used during application of these products to a point where they can last 5-10x years and not yellow and be removed fairly easily. When removing either product, you MUST be very careful because paint if not applied to the car properly or old, it can at times peel off with the material. Obviously that is uncommon but should be a concern depending on the vehicle itself. I have no personal experience with Vinyl film. I do know its fairly thin (approx. 2-3mils) compared to any of the current day PPF materials at about 8mils thick. There is no special process to take care of the Vinyl; however, a selant will help fading and provide some protection to increase longevity. Similar to the PPF materials. They do or should get some protection also. Coatings are extremely popular to top the materials. I would recommend that myself. Increases gloss and then protects. If your spending 3-10k to PPF a vehicle, a simple coating to help protect that investment should be warranted. However, that coating still needs to be maintained the same or it will dull and wear out quicker rather than later. PPF is applied to protect your paint, and although current manufacturers today have good hydrophobic top layers on the films, the PPF and its financial investment should have a sacrificial layer applied on top of it.
This should provide a in-depth overview of protectants for the clear coat part of your vehicles paint. While there are too many products and manufacturers to specifically mention, I will for my last Special Vehicle Care thread go over specifics in what I use and have found to work for me. A lot of products are personal preference and most detailers find ones they like that work well for them and stick with them.
Last edited by SheriffDep; 02-09-2019 at 07:14 AM.
#3
02-25-2018, 11:14 AM
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,169
Rep Power: 61
Absolutely!!!! My interactions with the local AM/Bentley dealer reinvigorated my passion for this. I have been struggling a bit over the past month getting my DB9 perfected and have been doing one panel at a time so to speak. I will be continuing these threads with Paint Correction Products and Materials/ Process. Then maybe a specialty thread. The PC thread, I will be adding in pictures so will take a bit to write it all up.
#4
04-02-2018, 06:43 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: denver/Saudi
Age: 38
Posts: 3,115
Rep Power: 163
Impressive information. The way i explain it to my friends in simple words
Wax or sealant : for cars that you rarely drive and not often washed. Collectables and undriven vehicles. This provide the least protection but keep the paint original.
Coating: Best for daily drivers that get dirty and washed often. IT WILL SCRACH just the coat provide higher resistance.
PPF: for those who track or do a lot of road trips specially in our region where there is a lot of sand storm. This provide the best protection.
I have recently seen a lot of people do PPF then apply coating on top of it. I think this is costly but provides the best solution.
Wax or sealant : for cars that you rarely drive and not often washed. Collectables and undriven vehicles. This provide the least protection but keep the paint original.
Coating: Best for daily drivers that get dirty and washed often. IT WILL SCRACH just the coat provide higher resistance.
PPF: for those who track or do a lot of road trips specially in our region where there is a lot of sand storm. This provide the best protection.
I have recently seen a lot of people do PPF then apply coating on top of it. I think this is costly but provides the best solution.
Special Vehicle Care 101: Protecting a Special Vehicle
Paint protection comes in many forms these days. From vinyl wraps to natural carnauba waxes and space age coatings. We will discuss each type; their purpose, application methods, and maintenance. Their ultimate purpose is to protect the clear coat of your vehicle and give themselves up as a sacrificial barrier. There are several layers to the paint. There is your base coat/primer. Then color coat. Then several layers of clear coat on top; which produces the shine and protects your color coat. We are just adding too the clear coat to help protect and preserve it. Believe it or not, your clear coat breathes to a degree. It shrinks and swells due to cold and heat, just like all the panels on your car. This can cause a myriad of issues if you do not protect the clear coat.
There are NO protectants currently manufactured that can be applied to your clear coat and then there is no more maintenance to be done. Paint Protection Film (PPF) or Vinyl wraps are almost there; however, they still need or should be maintained. So there is no magic potion, no specific mandatory process to accomplish this goal. Some are better than others, and most are personal preference. This white paper will walk you through the various processes and allow you to make an educated decision of what to use on your vehicle.
Type of Protectants:
1. Synthetic Sealants: laboratory made synthetic liquid waxes. Once they are applied they provide 4-5x months of protection to your paint. The hotter the climate the less time they last. Obviously this does depend if the car is constantly garaged. Sealants do not protect from scratches. Sealants are applied either by machine or by hand. If using a 3” dual action orbital buffer, such as the Griots Garage 3”, and a black no cut application pad you add a few small drops on the pad and then work on a low speed onto the paint surface. Just make sure you get total coverage. If by hand, then you can use a MF pad, foam pad, or specialty hand applicators. Work the sealant in by hand using straight as possible lines to minimize any marring of the surface. Let the sealant dry to a light haze then wipe off with a clean MF towel. Wipe towel with the least amount of pressure to minimize any marring and flips sides often. Of course use straight lines as much as possible. Follow up with a clean MF towel to lightly polish to a mirror like shine.
Tip: to make sure all sealant is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
2. Carnauba waxes: Carnauba is a natural wax that is blended with oils and other lubricants so it will apply smoothly to your paint. It will last you anywhere from 3-4x weeks; all depending on how hot it is or how much the car is in the sun. The sun melts this off the paint. Great to use for a car show; provides a deep warm hue to the paint.
Tip: to make sure all sealant is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
3. Coatings: There are several types of coatings on the market now with many different manufacturers. A few mainstream coatings are CQuartz UK, CQuartz, Gyeon MoHs, GTechiniq Crystal Serum, Kamakazee, Modesta, 22ple, and many others. The industry really has exploded over the past 4-5x years. Many of these coatings are silica based and have different formulas to tweak application ease and gloss levels. Titanium powders are starting to be used in the higher end coatings to increase the gloss levels. Coatings are now even made specifically for matte paint.
Specific coatings are utilized for exterior black trim, metal, wheels, paint, and now even leather interiors. While coatings can be applied to any paint, it is highly recommended to have your vehicle paint corrected and clay barred before having a coating applied. Coating applications by a professional can run $500 to over 1k depending on type used.
There are several misconceptions about coatings that are consistently exaggerated in not only naming conventions for coatings but blogs, forums, YouTube videos and word of mouth. Coatings do not prevent scratches; at all ever. Coatings also require maintenance to keep them in top condition. They do last at least 2 years for most. They do require you to still wash the car. Maintenance is highly recommended to prevent road grime from dulling and clouding the coating. When maintaining a car with a coating you should use the coating manufacturers recommended car wash soaps and spray detailers. Most of these will have the same silica properties that were used in making the coating. Do you have to use these products? No in short. But why would you go through the $500 to 1k+ application of the product if you wont take care of it. Other than slightly increased gloss levels, IMHO coatings are not superior than standard high level sealant’s and carnauba toppings. The coating industry has evolved since its inception and is still morphing into more and more products to maintain the coating.
Of course some of these products are made to capitalize on the investment the customer will make, there are some benefits to using them. What you don’t want to do is use products with additives other than the coating properties; such as a wash’n wax product, or spray detailer, or spray wax. Use what the coating company made which will only enhance the product on your vehicle.
IMHO there is a lot of information not yet understood on how a coating will affect the clear coats longevity. There is also the issue of scratches. The only way to remove a scratch is to polish it out. If you have a coating on the surface, that has to be removed first. The only way is to polish the coating with a compound. Not only is it difficult to determine when the coating is totally removed, but the coating residue (silica bits) get embedded into the pads and towels used to remove the residue. They must be thrown away. Most people don’t know or think about it and will continue to use them, which could marr paint in the future. (I personally do not use semi-permanent coatings on the paint of my Aston, and do not recommend at this time it installed on any exotic or collector car that you plan to keep over time, or that which will become valuable over time. Daily drivers, absolutely use them) You can achieve the same look and protection by applying sealants and carnaubas. Interesting thing is that a lot of coating owners apply sealants and carnaubas on top of the coatings to protect that and increase gloss levels. Again, I personally love using them on daily driver, being that I am not going to wash it as often as the exotic or specialy car and it does make that process a bit easier to remove the water with a blower. Application process varies depending on manufacturers. Most are applied after a vehicle has been clayed, decontaminated with Iron X, compounded, polished and then when the paint is stripped clean of all oils and polish residues the coating will adhere to the surface.
4. Wheel and trim coatings can be used on black plastic trim, wheel well liners, underbody trays, brake calipers, exhaust tips etc… This is were I feel the best value of a coating is utilized. I absolutely put this coating on all my cars, including the Aston. Makes for washing a breeze and keeps the parts cleaner longer. Imagine from now on only having to wash your wheels with regular soap and water and MF towel or soft brush. Not only does it help protect the finish of your wheels, it keeps black trim black and new looking, but prevents you from having to use a harsh degreaser anywhere near your paint. This is extremely helpful if your vehicle has carbon ceramic brake rotors, which cannot be touched by the chemicals in degreasers.
5. Silica based non-permanent coating. AMMO is the only manufacturer that I am aware of that makes silica based coatings that is not semi-permanent. It amps your gloss levels just like a semi-permanent coating, but does not last any longer than a synthetic sealant. Its made to be applied under your synthetic sealant. Can be removed just the same as any sealant by washing your car with dish detergent. This product is safe to be applied to any surface on the outside of the vehicle. I personally use this product and was thrilled when it was developed. I personally love the wet look glass coatings provide.
6. Vinyl or Paint Protection Film: Both products provide total protection from the elements and light scratches. The industry has improved the glues used during application of these products to a point where they can last 5-10x years and not yellow and be removed fairly easily. When removing either product, you MUST be very careful because paint if not applied to the car properly or old, can at times peel off with the material. Obviously that is uncommon but should be a concern dempending on the vehicle itself. I have no personal experience with Vinyl film. I do know its fairly thin (approx. 2-3mils) compared to 3m Pro or Xpel Ultimate PPF materials at about 8mils thick. There is no special process to take care of the Vinyl; however, a selant will help fading and provide some protection to increase longevity. Similar to the PPF materials. They do or should get some protection also. Coatings are extremely popular to top the materials. I would recommend that myself. Increases gloss and then protects. If your spending 3-10k to PPF a vehicle, a simple coating to help protect that investment should be warranted. However, that coating still needs to be maintained the same or it will dull and wear out quicker rather than later.
This should provide a in-depth overview of protectants for the clear coat part of your vehicles paint. While there are too many products and manufacturers to specifically mention, I will for my last cleaning thread go over specifics in what I use and have found to work for me. A lot of products are personal preference and most detailers find ones they like that work well for them and stick with them.
Paint protection comes in many forms these days. From vinyl wraps to natural carnauba waxes and space age coatings. We will discuss each type; their purpose, application methods, and maintenance. Their ultimate purpose is to protect the clear coat of your vehicle and give themselves up as a sacrificial barrier. There are several layers to the paint. There is your base coat/primer. Then color coat. Then several layers of clear coat on top; which produces the shine and protects your color coat. We are just adding too the clear coat to help protect and preserve it. Believe it or not, your clear coat breathes to a degree. It shrinks and swells due to cold and heat, just like all the panels on your car. This can cause a myriad of issues if you do not protect the clear coat.
There are NO protectants currently manufactured that can be applied to your clear coat and then there is no more maintenance to be done. Paint Protection Film (PPF) or Vinyl wraps are almost there; however, they still need or should be maintained. So there is no magic potion, no specific mandatory process to accomplish this goal. Some are better than others, and most are personal preference. This white paper will walk you through the various processes and allow you to make an educated decision of what to use on your vehicle.
Type of Protectants:
1. Synthetic Sealants: laboratory made synthetic liquid waxes. Once they are applied they provide 4-5x months of protection to your paint. The hotter the climate the less time they last. Obviously this does depend if the car is constantly garaged. Sealants do not protect from scratches. Sealants are applied either by machine or by hand. If using a 3” dual action orbital buffer, such as the Griots Garage 3”, and a black no cut application pad you add a few small drops on the pad and then work on a low speed onto the paint surface. Just make sure you get total coverage. If by hand, then you can use a MF pad, foam pad, or specialty hand applicators. Work the sealant in by hand using straight as possible lines to minimize any marring of the surface. Let the sealant dry to a light haze then wipe off with a clean MF towel. Wipe towel with the least amount of pressure to minimize any marring and flips sides often. Of course use straight lines as much as possible. Follow up with a clean MF towel to lightly polish to a mirror like shine.
Tip: to make sure all sealant is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
2. Carnauba waxes: Carnauba is a natural wax that is blended with oils and other lubricants so it will apply smoothly to your paint. It will last you anywhere from 3-4x weeks; all depending on how hot it is or how much the car is in the sun. The sun melts this off the paint. Great to use for a car show; provides a deep warm hue to the paint.
Tip: to make sure all sealant is removed, wait till dark, pull the vehicle outside, and use a flashlight over the surface, looking for any hazed areas left over. For seams and edges, take a thin MF towel and cut into strips several inches wide. Use a tongue depressor or thin item, and wrap the strip over it and run it around the edges lightly till the sealant is removed. The purpose is to not bunch up a towel and wipe hard, which could cause marring or light scratches.
3. Coatings: There are several types of coatings on the market now with many different manufacturers. A few mainstream coatings are CQuartz UK, CQuartz, Gyeon MoHs, GTechiniq Crystal Serum, Kamakazee, Modesta, 22ple, and many others. The industry really has exploded over the past 4-5x years. Many of these coatings are silica based and have different formulas to tweak application ease and gloss levels. Titanium powders are starting to be used in the higher end coatings to increase the gloss levels. Coatings are now even made specifically for matte paint.
Specific coatings are utilized for exterior black trim, metal, wheels, paint, and now even leather interiors. While coatings can be applied to any paint, it is highly recommended to have your vehicle paint corrected and clay barred before having a coating applied. Coating applications by a professional can run $500 to over 1k depending on type used.
There are several misconceptions about coatings that are consistently exaggerated in not only naming conventions for coatings but blogs, forums, YouTube videos and word of mouth. Coatings do not prevent scratches; at all ever. Coatings also require maintenance to keep them in top condition. They do last at least 2 years for most. They do require you to still wash the car. Maintenance is highly recommended to prevent road grime from dulling and clouding the coating. When maintaining a car with a coating you should use the coating manufacturers recommended car wash soaps and spray detailers. Most of these will have the same silica properties that were used in making the coating. Do you have to use these products? No in short. But why would you go through the $500 to 1k+ application of the product if you wont take care of it. Other than slightly increased gloss levels, IMHO coatings are not superior than standard high level sealant’s and carnauba toppings. The coating industry has evolved since its inception and is still morphing into more and more products to maintain the coating.
Of course some of these products are made to capitalize on the investment the customer will make, there are some benefits to using them. What you don’t want to do is use products with additives other than the coating properties; such as a wash’n wax product, or spray detailer, or spray wax. Use what the coating company made which will only enhance the product on your vehicle.
IMHO there is a lot of information not yet understood on how a coating will affect the clear coats longevity. There is also the issue of scratches. The only way to remove a scratch is to polish it out. If you have a coating on the surface, that has to be removed first. The only way is to polish the coating with a compound. Not only is it difficult to determine when the coating is totally removed, but the coating residue (silica bits) get embedded into the pads and towels used to remove the residue. They must be thrown away. Most people don’t know or think about it and will continue to use them, which could marr paint in the future. (I personally do not use semi-permanent coatings on the paint of my Aston, and do not recommend at this time it installed on any exotic or collector car that you plan to keep over time, or that which will become valuable over time. Daily drivers, absolutely use them) You can achieve the same look and protection by applying sealants and carnaubas. Interesting thing is that a lot of coating owners apply sealants and carnaubas on top of the coatings to protect that and increase gloss levels. Again, I personally love using them on daily driver, being that I am not going to wash it as often as the exotic or specialy car and it does make that process a bit easier to remove the water with a blower. Application process varies depending on manufacturers. Most are applied after a vehicle has been clayed, decontaminated with Iron X, compounded, polished and then when the paint is stripped clean of all oils and polish residues the coating will adhere to the surface.
4. Wheel and trim coatings can be used on black plastic trim, wheel well liners, underbody trays, brake calipers, exhaust tips etc… This is were I feel the best value of a coating is utilized. I absolutely put this coating on all my cars, including the Aston. Makes for washing a breeze and keeps the parts cleaner longer. Imagine from now on only having to wash your wheels with regular soap and water and MF towel or soft brush. Not only does it help protect the finish of your wheels, it keeps black trim black and new looking, but prevents you from having to use a harsh degreaser anywhere near your paint. This is extremely helpful if your vehicle has carbon ceramic brake rotors, which cannot be touched by the chemicals in degreasers.
5. Silica based non-permanent coating. AMMO is the only manufacturer that I am aware of that makes silica based coatings that is not semi-permanent. It amps your gloss levels just like a semi-permanent coating, but does not last any longer than a synthetic sealant. Its made to be applied under your synthetic sealant. Can be removed just the same as any sealant by washing your car with dish detergent. This product is safe to be applied to any surface on the outside of the vehicle. I personally use this product and was thrilled when it was developed. I personally love the wet look glass coatings provide.
6. Vinyl or Paint Protection Film: Both products provide total protection from the elements and light scratches. The industry has improved the glues used during application of these products to a point where they can last 5-10x years and not yellow and be removed fairly easily. When removing either product, you MUST be very careful because paint if not applied to the car properly or old, can at times peel off with the material. Obviously that is uncommon but should be a concern dempending on the vehicle itself. I have no personal experience with Vinyl film. I do know its fairly thin (approx. 2-3mils) compared to 3m Pro or Xpel Ultimate PPF materials at about 8mils thick. There is no special process to take care of the Vinyl; however, a selant will help fading and provide some protection to increase longevity. Similar to the PPF materials. They do or should get some protection also. Coatings are extremely popular to top the materials. I would recommend that myself. Increases gloss and then protects. If your spending 3-10k to PPF a vehicle, a simple coating to help protect that investment should be warranted. However, that coating still needs to be maintained the same or it will dull and wear out quicker rather than later.
This should provide a in-depth overview of protectants for the clear coat part of your vehicles paint. While there are too many products and manufacturers to specifically mention, I will for my last cleaning thread go over specifics in what I use and have found to work for me. A lot of products are personal preference and most detailers find ones they like that work well for them and stick with them.
#5
04-02-2018, 09:20 AM
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,169
Rep Power: 61 Impressive information. The way i explain it to my friends in simple words
Wax or sealant : for cars that you rarely drive and not often washed. Collectables and undriven vehicles. This provide the least protection but keep the paint original.
Coating: Best for daily drivers that get dirty and washed often. IT WILL SCRACH just the coat provide higher resistance.
PPF: for those who track or do a lot of road trips specially in our region where there is a lot of sand storm. This provide the best protection.
I have recently seen a lot of people do PPF then apply coating on top of it. I think this is costly but provides the best solution.
Wax or sealant : for cars that you rarely drive and not often washed. Collectables and undriven vehicles. This provide the least protection but keep the paint original.
Coating: Best for daily drivers that get dirty and washed often. IT WILL SCRACH just the coat provide higher resistance.
PPF: for those who track or do a lot of road trips specially in our region where there is a lot of sand storm. This provide the best protection.
I have recently seen a lot of people do PPF then apply coating on top of it. I think this is costly but provides the best solution.
I use Ammo Reflex coating (petroleum based) and then AMMO Skin on my Aston for now.
#7
04-02-2018, 09:25 PM
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,169
Rep Power: 61 CarPro EchO2 waterless wash is a great in-between washes wipe down type of product. Nowadays, there is total confusion between spray detailers, spray waxes, spray selena's (Reload by Car Pro) etc... Honestly, none of those I would use if I needed to get a bird bomb off, or wipe lightly to remove something. If its dust, then wash it. The more a towel touches the car, the more swirls that get put into the paint.
My Jet Black DB9 gets a scratch or light type mark literally just looking at it. So I dont touch it unless I have too. I wash with micro fiber mitt or towels, then Blow Dry with a Master Blaster 8hp blower. Best $400 I ever spent. I blow the garage out with it as much as use it on the car. I also use it to blow out the interior before washing too.
So, I hope I answered your question------- waterless wash in a spray bottle with a plush MF towel and lightly wipe off scooping up what you want to remove.
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#8
04-04-2018, 11:49 AM
I also like Meguiars M62 CAR WASH SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER, but it's expensive.
#9
04-04-2018, 06:55 PM
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,169
Rep Power: 61 If using a coating, Kamikazee makes a PPF specific coating called Film Surface Coat. I use that on PPF when I do a car
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