Miznthrope

Hello all,
So I just took the plunge on a new 2017 GS F. It was at the dealership for a while and I am a good customer of theirs so they attest that they fully clayed and totally "detailed" the exterior (took about 4 hours). It does look sweet and I cannot see a swirl in direct sunlight. I had my LX 570 done in Xpel Ultimate which cost a ton.
I am thinking of NOT going PPF on this car (probably a mistake, but I figure I can always re-spray or wrap if the paint gets too beat up during ownership).

BTW, the Lexus Owner's Manual for the GS F purports to have some paint sealant that lasts 5-7 years (I think I read that right), but I am wondering if that is just a reference to the clearcoat on the vehicle. Here is the quote from the owners manual:

1. ■ Self-restoring coat*
   The vehicle body has a self-restoring coating that is resistant to small surface scratches
   
   caused in a car wash etc.
   • ● The coating lasts for 5 to 8 years from when the vehicle is delivered from the plant.
     
   • ● The restoration time differs depending on the depth of the scratch and outside tem- perature. The restoration time may become shorter when the coating is warmed by applying warm water.
     
   • ● Deep scratches caused by keys, coins, etc. cannot be restored.
     
   • ● Do not use wax that contain abrasives.
     

Is it possible there is some sort of wrap or other sealant on there? Any ideas what I should use then? I know it says avoid abrasive waxes and polishes, but is there any detailing spray/non-abrasisve wax that should just be used easily after each hand wash.

Thus, any ideas or suggestions on what I can/should do with the car to get the best protection on there now (aside from film)? My goal is I just want to wash it this weekend and apply ________. Or is the Lexus stuff fine for now and I should just apply _________ in 3-6 months.

Thanks for your suggestions in helping me fill the blanks. Yes, I am a lazy POS...I swear now that I will just hand wash with two-bucket, but likely she'll start seeing mechanical car washes at some point out of necessity (love bug season here in Florida for example). Peace!

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Some vehicles (generally of the higher end market) have been produced with a self healing clearcoat technology that theoretically helps to resist swirl marks and superficial defects that can be a product of improper washing and drying... From what I have seen, and I think most people will agree, this technology yeilds very little real world benefit.

I have personally seen many vehicles with some form of advertised scratch resistant or self healing paint technology that are completely swirled and scratched just like any other "regular" paint job that has not been properly cared for.

I would proceed under the impression that your paint is as fragile as "regular" paint and you should use the utmost care when washing, drying, and detailing it.

You should still apply protection from the environment by means of a wax, sealant, or (my personal choice) nano coating.

-Zach

UDel

Self healing clear is over rated and more marketing, it is not going to magically stop stone chips, scratches, swirls or really heal them.

You still want protection. If you want something pretty easy to apply, has good protection, durability, I would try Blackfire Wet Diamond or Colonite 476S, both among the best for sealant/wax protection and very easy to apply, don't cost a ton of money either though WetDiamond is pricey. Zaino is good too, it is more finicky and requires 2 steps.

Miznthrope

Thanks, guys. Zach, still high on CarPro HydrO2? Is that a nano coating like you prefer? Seems like a no brainer for a lazy guy like me (being wary of overspray of course). UDel, thanks as well for your recommendations.

Since the dealer just clayed last weekend, I am probably just fine going with a thorough wash job and then straight to one of your recommendations, correct? Sorry, total news on all this. Peace. Mike

GSRockstar

WayneLaR1

With all due respect to a fellow Canadian, GSRockstar, not sure I agree with you. If they car has been clayed recently, I see no reason to repeat the step. I'd go with a light polish or paint cleanse like P21S then straight to a protection layer of sealant or wax, or even better a combo sealant and topcoat of a good carnuba wax. OP did say he was a bit on the lazy side so HydrO2 would also be a good choice. Can't beat ease of application!

My 2 cents.

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

Agreed I detail cars for a living and a lot of people do not understand this.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

HydrO2 is not considered a true coating. It is a silica-based spray on, rinse off sealant which exhibits similar characteristics to some coatings in that it is very hydrophobic initially, but it does not have the long-term durability that a true coating has, nor does it have the same thickness and resistance to chemicals and contaminants over time. If you are seeking the quickest, easiest form of protection then HydrO2 (or something similar like Gyeon Wetcoat or the new Hydro Silex Recharge (which I have not used)) is, in my opinion, one of the best solutions. Simply wash the car and apply the spray on, rinse off sealant before you dry it.

If you wish to seek the ultimate in durability and protection, then a nano coating like Gyeon Mohs or the Gyeon Syncro kit would be something I would recommend. When dealing with a nano coating, not only is the application considerably more time intensive, but the prep work is as well. If this is something you are interested in pursuing, you will need to proceed with a thorough wash, decontamination, machine polish (or full paint correction if needed/desired), solvent prep wipe, and finally the coating application. This process can take an entire day on even a well kepth vehicle, and several days on a severely neglected vehicle due to the amount of time required to complete the paint correction work.

You should evaluate your vehicle's surface after a proper wash to determine if you need to decontaminate again or not. Depending on your environment you may or may not need to clay again (also depending on whether or not the dealer did a proper job).This is not always the case and is very environmentally dependent. For instance, my cars are nano coated, and I generally go over a year without claying them and even then they have very few bonded contaminants to deal with.

SeanO

iTrader: (1)

I'm no nearly as experienced as the some of the people here, but if your not into putting that much time into your car..

Why not go with Xpel Ultimate again? At least on the front of the vehicle, and then apply Hydro2 on top of that ? Seems like a decent compromise to me

Miznthrope

SeanO

iTrader: (1)

Let me know how it goes, I'm looking to purchase some Hydro2 in the next few weeks as I bring my car out of hibernation

Miznthrope

AeroTect

No matter what brand of PPF you decide to go with, the key is to do it early. When we used to install, we would occasionally see customers drive direct from the dealership to us and end up with a rock chip on the way. You should have some time before you need new tires. ;-)

-Jason

Spam89

I have used Hydro silex rechare and it is a waste of money. Stick with Hydro2foam..

Miznthrope

Ola. Did my car again as described in an earlier post this morning. Zero wind. The HydrO2 worked as advertised and shown on some of the videos. It is an awesome product for the lazy enthusiast!! Ha! Any idea how long the "protection" should last on average (vehicle driven 3-4 times a week?)? Peace, Mike