CQuartz Reload on LS460
 

Noticed some of the latest pictures posted by zmcgovern4 and saw his comments about CQuartz reload.

I used CQuartz UK last Oct or so on my LS along with reload. Then I tried various other products to top-off to get more wet look, that includes Zaino Z6, Chemical guys butter wet wax etc. It didn't bring out any extra wet look (at least to my eyes).

When I saw zmcgovern4's comments about Reload I thought of giving another try. Did a wash with Chemical Guys Pink wash shampoo and applied Reload. When I was getting ready to take pictures, its started drizzling. You might see some water drops on the hood. Very pleased with the results. Thanks zmcgovern4.

Thought of sharing my experience of Reload here..............

Note : none of these photos were touched or altered.

looks great!!!

i always under the impression that you never put a wax or sealant on top of a protective coating like CQuartz. mainly because its never gonna stick to it...

CarPro Reload is a silica based spray sealant that is specifically made to top their CQuartz line of coatings.

Coatings are absolutely great for protection, easy maintenance, gloss, durability, etc but they lack certain characteristics that people enjoy such as slickness. Over time, most coatings will also start to loose some of their water repelling properties due to contamination. Coating manufacturers often have a "topper" product that helps to enhance these characteristics.

Examples:
CarPro Reload
22ple VS1 Final Coat
GTechniq C2V3
Optimum Opti-Seal

All of these spray sealants can be used as stand alone means of protection on non-coated vehicles, but work great on top of coatings as well. They are all easy to use and take very little time to apply (basically like using a quick detail spray).

Hope that helps!

-Zach

Once a car is coated how long does this topper last? Same as wax?

Nope, the toppers I mentioned above are specifically meant to work with their respective coating counterpart, therefore they should last longer than a typical wax which is said to not properly adhere to a coated surface.

Reload, for example, will last for months in most situations... however it is so easy to apply, I sometimes use it once a month after a thorough car wash.

I didn't mean wax on the CQ. I was wondering about wax on a traditionally detailed car, polished, sealed & wax vs. CQ w/ the topper. But I think what you're saying is the topper on CQ will outperform the old school methods right?

Ah, sorry... I misunderstood your question.

A traditional wax will typically provide 1-2 months of good protection. This can vary depending on your environment, maintenance, and what exact product you are using. Some products labeled as a "wax" are actually polymer based and would fall into the "sealant" category which would provide 4-6 months of durability on average.

A car that is coated with CQuartz will be protected for 1.5+ years without the need to apply a topper of any kind. Just wash and routine maintenance. If a topper is added on a regular basis, you can assume the coating will last even longer because of the fact that it now has additional protection on top of it.

-Zach

For us guys who do the old wash and wax
And want to learn about cquartZ coating what is the best resource ?

Is this something I can apply myself ?

Yes, you can certainly do it yourself!

The application of the coating is not necessarily the most difficult part, it is just something that takes practice.... the hard part is the prep work required before applying a coating to your vehicle.

You must first wash, decontaminate (clay), correct, and polish the paint prior to applying a paint coating.

For more information on coatings, check out this article I wrote...
The Benefits of a Paint Coating by Zach McGovern

What Coating Should I Buy? by Zach McGovern

Let me know if you have any specific questions

-Zach

You're a detailing encyclopedia! Thanks so much for your contributions!

Thank you zach for the info

My black cherry LS is going for full paint correction next week
Estimate is 11 hours

So I think this coating (after I understand it) is something I should do

If it works well maybe I will do it on my Elise as well

Happy to help

If that is the case, you should ask the detailers who are doing the correction work to leave the paint completely bare... as in no sealant, no wax. Correct the paint, wipe down with alcohol, and leave it bare.

A coating cannot be applied to paint that has residual waxes, sealants, or polishing oils on it.

-Zach

Detaikerr offered to do the sealant . We haven't agreed yet

However if detail cost is 1100-1300 and hey are askin my 350-500 for sealant

If sealant is that easy to put as articles suggest I would like to save the money

We personally charge $250 to apply standard CQuartz in addition to the costs of paint correction... while it isn't necessarily rocket science, it is a time consuming process that requires practice and patience, and the product cost per application is considerably higher than say a basic wax as a 30mL bottle of CQuartz costs $60 (other products are even higher).... but I would agree, if you can save the money, it might be worth considering. On the other hand, if a professional does it, there is no stress or time involved for you.

Just have to weigh the pros and cons.

-Zach

Also - just me being picky here, but a sealant and coating are two different things :)

There are 3 basic categories of paint protection:
- Wax
- Sealant
- Coating

So it is best to differentiate between the 3 to avoid confusion for others who may read this in the future.

-Zach