LSDoc

OK, you asked for it! Now I have to ask!
After I go through all the steps mentioned above to provide protection for the clear coat, what can be done to provide protection from the road rash encountered at highway speeds? Is there some type of clear, thick coating that can be applied???

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

The only way to protect your paint for impact (ie rock chips, road rash, etc) would be to have paint protection film (ppf)/clear bra applied.

This is essentially clear vinyl wrap that is applied over top your paint and will prevent rock chips and even protect against minor bumps/scrapes.

Let me know if you've got any other questions

-Zach

phoenix888

Thank you for this thread, great information all in one spot.

I couldn't find any definitive answer in regards to how a Paint Coating reacts on Vinyl.

I'll be getting xpel or Suntek PPF here shortly with Glossy Black Vinyl on the roof.

Once this was all done, I was looking into a Paint Coating to make maintenance simple and headache free. Is there any negative impact to applying these coatings on top of PPF or Vinyl?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Any coating will work fine on top of PPF or vinyl. Highly recommend it in fact.

veez81

which coating do you recommend, zach?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

My personal favorites for consumer coatings would have to be the entire 22ple line up... super easy to use, and the results are outstanding. 22ple VX3 is the absolute best bang for your buck.

22ple VX3 Signature Glass Coating – Product Review and Application by Zach McGovern


With that being said, there are tons of great options out there...
What Coating Should I Buy? by Zach McGovern

np20412

Zach - first introduction but really a fan of your work. Hard to find people as dedicated to detailing and willing to share as you are. Kudos.

What are your thoughts on Ceramic Pro 9H? I've heard it's relatively new and have gotten a few testaments from people saying it is great stuff. I'm debating having it applied to my vehicle, but it's quite costly so obviously trying to get as much research on it as I can from experienced sources. Thoughts?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

There are a couple existing threads discussing this product... click here and here.

I will send you a PM as well with some of my own info.

-Zach

Diesel350

Once you apply the coating will you be able to wash off dirt and grime with just a pressure washer and dry with a leaf blower or do you still need to wash with a mitt and car soap to get the dirt off the car?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

There is never a substitute for a proper hand wash. The majority of dust/dirt can be removed with a thorough pressure wash, however it is not the same as hand washing.

If you're on a tight schedule, rinseless washing is a great way to keep your car very clean while using less water, less materials, and much less time.

-Zach

DocT

1. I have use C Quartz for most of my cars. I found this product has lasted a year for my every day drive, when they claim up to 2 yrs. What is the best product that would last longer than that? If it lasts for a year, it is just good as waxing the car yearly and it is much cheaper. Why buying these expensive products that last a year. It is just marketing. After all, the car has to be washed and waxed before it can be applied this product.

Some of them is outrageous price like Wolfgang Uber ceramic asking for $200 for 30 cc syringe. For sure, it is not worth it for that kind of price.

2. It is a ceramic paint so if I use other product, will it stick on the old ceramic coat?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

1 - what are you basing this durability of 1 year on? How do you know the coating is no longer there? How exactly are you maintaining your coated vehicle?

Saying that it is as good as waxing once per year leads me to believe you're not too familiar with the capabilities of either a wax or a coating. Some waxes tend to degrade as soon as just a few weeks after application, and all waxes should be applied at least every 3-4 months with daily driving. The articles at the beginning of this thread will help to explain the benefits that coatings have over traditional waxes and sealants... mainly in durability, chemical resistance, and ease of maintenance.

Also, you stated that you "washed and waxed" the car before applying the coating? This is absolutely not the proper way to prep the car for coating application. If the car had a fresh layer of wax on it prior to installing the coating, the coating will not properly bond to the paint. The proper way to prepare the vehicle for coating is to wash, decontaminate, polish and then wipe the car down with an alcohol solution to remove any residual polishing oils. Then you may apply the coating. All of this is explained in the directions for the CQuartz coating (and others).


2 - I am not at all sure what you mean by this question. Please explain.


Thanks
-Zach

DocT

1. To answer the question "durability of 1 year on.". The brand new SUV was driven off the lot on 3/2015, and the 1st thing I did to the SUV was washed, waxed and polish with Zaino ( which they claim no oil product with special drops to cure it), not something at Wal-mart. As months go by, I could see the door panels slowly don't have any more water beads run off the doors like the hood or on the tops of the door panels do. And it seems to worse as it goes further down of the doors. Furthermore, the door panels are not as shiny as other parts of the car and collect more dust. That is how I test the product . I don't have high tech gadgets.

The objective of spending hundreds of dollars is to have less maintenance. When I say less maintenance is wash it and walk away. I even bought Spotless Water System so I don't have to dry it. When one spends hundreds of dollars for products that claim up to 2 years, I would expect not to spend the whole weekend to detail and maintain the car everytime I wash it. That would defeat the objective.

I before I bought and used C-Quartz, I have watched youtube videos several times of how they prep the cars and I followed it.

I admit that ceramic coating make the car look better than traditional wax, wash the car less since it repels most of the dust off and I live in CA that has drought. However, the claim that they make...... up to 2 years for daily driving is not so true.

Others claim Opti-coat would last longer than C-Quartz for daily driving. Is that true or just other claim? Or is there anything out there that is better (Last longer) than the two above with minimal maintenance " wash and walk away technique"? That would bring us to the next question( see below).

2. I am sorry and I need to elaborate . How do you remove the old ceramic "C-Quartz" coating that was put once its lifetime is over? If it is not removal, will the new ceramic coating adhere to the paint?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Regardless of if Zaino uses oil or not, it does leave something on the surface, which is an issue. If the vehicle was not polished with a pure polish (one that does not also have protective properties) and then thoroughly wiped down with a paint cleansing solvent, there is no guarantee that the paint was properly cleaned. The coating must have a surface that is free of any residual waxes, polishes, oils, etc. to properly bond to. You mentioned you watched youtube and followed their procedures, but you didn't mention what that involved, so I just wanted to be clear on what needs to be done for best results.

Now to the real topic - water beading is NOT an indication of protection or durability. Water beading is simply an indication of high surface tension. Surface tension may be altered by any number of things which would then cause the water beading properties to change. Over time, as the vehicle is exposed to the elements and contamination, it is almost guaranteed that the water beading will diminish and eventually stop all together, but again, this does not at all mean the coating layer itself is gone. The rate at which hydrophobic properties diminish will vary depending on the environment the vehicle lives in as well as how it is maintained.

The coating will not just go away unless an abrasive (polish, compound, sandpaper) is used to remove it, but again certain properties (such as the ability to be hydrophobic) may be altered due a number of variables (I can elaborate if needed). Deep cleaning the coating can help to restore these properties, but there will likely be a time when the hydrophobic properties just aren't what they used to be no matter how much you clean it. At this point in time, you can opt to use a hydrophobic topper (see Reload, VS1, C2V3, etc) as needed, or a new layer can be applied. It is quite common to machine polish the car every couple of years to remove any defects that may have been instilled, and then a new layer of coating will be applied.

I have tested many coatings on my personal vehicles, and yes, they will certainly live up to the claims if you understand the abilities of the coating. Lasting 2 years does not mean the car will bead water perfectly for 2 years.



2 - As mentioned above, the only way to remove the coating layer is with an abrasive (polish, compound, or sandpaper). If no paint correction is needed, we recommend polishing with a light polish such as Meguiar's M205 and then following with an alcohol wipe down and then a new layer of coating.


Let me know if you've got any other questions or concerns
-Zach

tea

hey Zach,

so i had my CQuartz UK on for about a year now. how would you know when it needs to be replaced? i do daily drive the car and it sits in the California sun for 8-10 hours a day