Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

[acuRAS82]

^^Incredible post, Budget! Glad I asked! I can tell you love Kamikaze and it seems like top notch stuff. I’ve been digging the Infinity Wax for a month, have yet to top it with Overcoat because I don’t want to change a good thing yet... but I will. And I’m pretty happy that I have probably 5 more applications to use by winter to meet the 1 year shelf life warning.

If I may go off the coating topic for a second but maintain brand discussion... You make me feel bad that I spent a chunk of last year promoting Angelwax Enigma. I really liked the look, the smell, application not bad... but it did end up being fairly short longevity, even with the Enigma Shampoo and QED. The trio was fun to use but just not very durable. While I enjoyed the experience, I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest brand ever by any means. But I totally missed the boat on the ‘Angelwax is awesome’ time period, or maybe I wasn’t following the UK forums or whatever. I will say that when I tested 5th Element though, that seemed like pretty awesome stuff. Anyways, I had no clue about the AW rage when I talked about it last year so I do apologize.

Anyways, your above post and this whole thread is one that I will probably look back at many times if I decide to splash into coatings anytime soon... or even if I don’t.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

If I may go off the coating topic for a second but maintain brand discussion... You make me feel bad that I spent a chunk of last year promoting Angelwax Enigma. I really liked the look, the smell, application not bad... but it did end up being fairly short longevity, even with the Enigma Shampoo and QED. The trio was fun to use but just not very durable. While I enjoyed the experience, I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest brand ever by any means. But I totally missed the boat on the ‘Angelwax is awesome’ time period, or maybe I wasn’t following the UK forums or whatever. I will say that when I tested 5th Element though, that seemed like pretty awesome stuff. Anyways, I had no clue about the AW rage when I talked about it last year so I do apologize.

I certainly wasn`t directing that at you or anyone else on these forums, certainly not trying to make anyone feel bad (the forums are kinda a `safe space` where logic and reason prevails vs other Social Media stuff), I don`t remember you really hyping it...it was more of Facebook, Instagram thing. There were some REALLY vocal (and somewhat discourteous people...including some of the distributors) when they first started selling it in the US; kinda a "Give Me AngelWax or give me death...and you too!" folks. I really don`t remember hearing an excessive amount about it here or on AG.

I really like their H2Go and Vision glass products and the trio of Resurrection, Regenerate and Redemption is really nice stuff; it was the "Holier than thou..." stuff that kinda irked me.

One thing I do wanna still try sometime is *gasp* TopCoat F11...it is just so universally reviled but still, some people love it so much I`m just curious.

I certainly didn`t want you to feel bad about the Angelwax stuff or think it was directed towards you; the things I`ve tried from them have been good but the presentation of them on other discussion platforms leaves a bit to be desired for me.

 

[acuRAS82]

I certainly wasn`t directing that at you or anyone else on these forums, certainly not trying to make anyone feel bad (the forums are kinda a `safe space` where logic and reason prevails vs other Social Media stuff), I don`t remember you really hyping it...it was more of Facebook, Instagram thing. There were some REALLY vocal (and somewhat discourteous people...including some of the distributors) when they first started selling it in the US; kinda a "Give Me AngelWax or give me death...and you too!" folks. I really don`t remember hearing an excessive amount about it here or on AG.

I really like their H2Go and Vision glass products and the trio of Resurrection, Regenerate and Redemption is really nice stuff; it was the "Holier than thou..." stuff that kinda irked me.

One thing I do wanna still try sometime is *gasp* TopCoat F11...it is just so universally reviled but still, some people love it so much I`m just curious.

I certainly didn`t want you to feel bad about the Angelwax stuff or think it was directed towards you; the things I`ve tried from them have been good but the presentation of them on other discussion platforms leaves a bit to be desired for me.

No worries, my man. I was trying to feel bad, you’re not allowed to steal my thunder and feel bad back at me.

Thank you for explaining where the hype was occurring because I didn’t know and now I understand why. I don’t spend much time on the other media’s as far as detailing stuff. I mentioned you made me feel bad but really it was a culmination of hearing that AW was so overhyped but not having a clue until after I had been giving my thoughts in multiple threads last year (probably not hyping at all the way FB or IG do best).

So in conclusion, no need to feel bad, I’ll stop feeling bad because now I know I didn’t miss my real forum people hyping something, and back to your informative thread.

 

[Loach]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Always love reading your feedback BudgetPlan! Thanks for keeping us updated on your massive journey. Eventually I want to try and get my hands on some of the Kamikaze coatings, always hear of satisfied users of the lineup.

I`ve done a coating marketed as `hydrophilic` as opposed to hydrophobic.

Send me some more details about this one for sure! I may have missed it earlier in the thread. Still looking for that true overly hydrophilic coating that I can test out where the water just clings like crazy to the paint if it exists.

 

[acuRAS82]

I recently hit a sale where I got WOWO’s crystal seal. Has anyone used this? I just applied it to a panel it was very beefy not like reload, cure or turtle wax ceramic. It’s described to smell like caulk that is accurate. There’s something that feels very significant about it. A little bit of effort to get off like fusso. It’s definitely different I liked it and the price was very reasonable. @Acura did u try it yet?

Sorry I had missed this. I have only tried as part of my SiO2 spray test, so very small area, 2 coats. I don’t recall the smell but I agree it’s a thick formula. The liquid is like skim milk. Similar to Feynlab and IGL but maybe thicker. I couldn’t tell if wipe off was difficult on such a small area.

 

[Coatings=crack]

Sounds like you may be over the ceramic hype and just found out what to slather in that makes you smile when you look at your car.... it’s that feeling that got us started in this crazy hobby at some point and now have taken it to the nth degree. Time to stop worrying about whats protecting the car and start enjoying them more.... good on you sir.

How you liking the ppf life?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[acuRAS82]

Sounds like you may be over the ceramic hype and just found out what to slather in that makes you smile when you look at your car.... it’s that feeling that got us started in this crazy hobby at some point and now have taken it to the nth degree. Time to stop worrying about whats protecting the car and start enjoying them more.... good on you sir.

Yes, Budget is in a good place. It took a lot of trying things which is how I like to form my own opinions as well. But the satisfaction of knowing what you personally like on a given paint versus a slew of other great products is very serene in the world of detailing.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Time to stop worrying about whats protecting the car and start enjoying them more.... good on you sir.

I think this is an apt description. Given how Kamikaze so perfectly meets my specific needs both in performance and overall `mental satisfaction` perhaps it`s time to enjoy both the cars and the finish/appearance as opposed to just the finish. I`m even driving her Corvette more which up until now, I had little interest in aside from staring at it when its clean

I`ll still try things that seem interesting to me should any appear, the curiosity and the interest in coatings and detailing in general is still strong and appealing. With time unfortunately being a finite commodity though, there are other aspects of the `automotive lifestyle` that seem to be taking precedence these days.

How you liking the ppf life?

It took a year/season for me to have complete confidence in its protective qualities regarding staining, contamination and such given the way the car is used. Driving it more this year, leaving it outside for a few days getting rained on, `sapped on` and dumped on by birds and still having it clean up nicely has made me a believer.

There are some allowances one has to make, especially with black paint but overall the pros *far* outweigh the cons if it`s a car you wanna drive and enjoy and keep looking great. Some mfg`s claims to the contrary, there is some texture to the surface if you stare at it closely at the right angles.

And despite any `strategic dissasembly` that is done during the install, there is simply gonna be a seam here and there, an edge on occasion...if you look hard enough, you WILL find evidence of PPF on ANY car that has been wrapped.

I`ve been paying a lot of attention to any PPF threads in a variety of forums/social media as well as in person at car gatherings and I`ve seen some really good installs and some really horrible installs. You can only safely dissasemble a car so much to hide edges...in some areas it`s just cant be done. That said, when I stare at her Corvette, which I probably do more than driving it, I don`t notice the PPF.

I have perhaps one more `fun car` purchase in the next year or so and it`ll be getting a no-limit, all out full PPF wrap and coating...no doubt about it.

Yes, Budget is in a good place. It took a lot of trying things which is how I like to form my own opinions as well. But the satisfaction of knowing what you personally like on a given paint versus a slew of other great products is very serene in the world of detailing.

This! Well said

When you have your personal `Greatest Hits` on a car you truly enjoy driving, it`s really a perfect combo. Kinda a bogus, busy week at work last week but each day got better when I left each day, stared at the car in the sun as I would walk up to it, hop in, turn the key, hear the engine, put it in gear and turn a normal 40 minute freeway commute home into a 2hr, backroads adventure.

With a stop here and there to sit back and stare at the thing of course And snap yet another picture of it to go with the hundreds you already have. A great car, with a great appearance that just plain `works` for you; that is what really makes all the time, money and effort worthwhile. So here`s the obligatory pic from yesterday`s drive home

 

[wannafbody]

I`m at a point in my life where I don`t want to waste hours waxing a car. The new spray and wipe products make keeping the car looking nice so easy. So many options available now.

 

[roscopervis]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Always love reading your feedback BudgetPlan! Thanks for keeping us updated on your massive journey. Eventually I want to try and get my hands on some of the Kamikaze coatings, always hear of satisfied users of the lineup.



Send me some more details about this one for sure! I may have missed it earlier in the thread. Still looking for that true overly hydrophilic coating that I can test out where the water just clings like crazy to the paint if it exists.

Hey, I think you may have got this after I gave a bit of a heads up about it a couple of months ago.

You`re right, it does have a significant feel when applying. They suggest that the product is wipe on and wipe straight off, and a small section at a time, probably a quarter of a large panel like a roof or a hood. I also suggest using 2 towels to remove, though anyone used to using any kind of coating will likely do this already.

The previous versions of Crystal Sealant were even more firm to remove. I`ve used these versions extensively and have been extremely happy with the performance. The new version that is available (v3) is easier to use than the previous versions, but still has the impression of `density`. However, whether this ease of use also means less durability, I don`t know, but some evidence may be coming to light that it may have lost a bit of durability. Even so, for the price, I still think it`s a great and versatile product.

 

[atbalfour]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Sadly though as the above posts have outlined very well detailing is not a quest for the most durable product. I don`t understand this fascination for mediocre spray on products to last upwards of 3 months.. yet a bit fiddly for a beginner to apply? Who`s it aimed at, enthusiasts?

Supposedly it`s as tricky to apply as a lite coating with the same prep required. You don`t get any additional hardness or marr resistence, but instead poorer durability and an inability to cope with pollen (based on recent testing), very average water behaviour, and according to multiple reviews it`s not slick.

Someone should send some to Loach to see if it actually does anything visually Rant over, apologies for momentarily diluting this great thread.

 

[roscopervis]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Sadly though as the above posts have outlined very well detailing is not a quest for the most durable product. I don`t understand this fascination for mediocre spray on products to last upwards of 3 months.. yet a bit fiddly for a beginner to apply? Who`s it aimed at, enthusiasts?

Supposedly it`s as tricky to apply as a lite coating with the same prep required. You don`t get any additional hardness or marr resistence, but instead poorer durability and an inability to cope with pollen (based on recent testing), very average water behaviour, and according to multiple reviews it`s not slick.

Someone should send some to Loach to see if it actually does anything visually Rant over, apologies for momentarily diluting this great thread.

Is this aimed at Crystal Sealant specifically?

 

[acuRAS82]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Sadly though as the above posts have outlined very well detailing is not a quest for the most durable product. I don`t understand this fascination for mediocre spray on products to last upwards of 3 months.. yet a bit fiddly for a beginner to apply? Who`s it aimed at, enthusiasts?

Supposedly it`s as tricky to apply as a lite coating with the same prep required. You don`t get any additional hardness or marr resistence, but instead poorer durability and an inability to cope with pollen (based on recent testing), very average water behaviour, and according to multiple reviews it`s not slick.

Someone should send some to Loach to see if it actually does anything visually Rant over, apologies for momentarily diluting this great thread.

Me also curious what this is referring to. Most of the shorter-lived sprays I’ve used didn’t require prepped surface. If talking about Wowo’s Crystal Sealant, I cant say much yet as it’s only been a month. But ease/quickness of re-use (including as a drying aid for some) is probably a heavy strength that SiO2 sprays hold over competition products.

 

[wannafbody]

Based on some reviews, I`m seeing new spray products that in some cases are fairly expensive and have SIO2 in them but don`t really seem to last any longer than products that were available 15 years ago such as Z8. Are they really better or are they hype? I`m not sure.

 

[acuRAS82]

Based on some reviews, I`m seeing new spray products that in some cases are fairly expensive and have SIO2 in them but don`t really seem to last any longer than products that were available 15 years ago such as Z8. Are they really better or are they hype? I`m not sure.

Different look, different self-cleaning, used to avoid masking a different base coating. Better for what they are meant for? Maybe. All products have a purpose and it’s hard to compare better without knowing what the user is looking to achieve.

 

[wannafbody]

Yeah, the self cleaning nature of SIO2 products seems to be an advantage. Ideally, I`d like a product that I could use and then occasionally touch up and just run through the coin op spray car wash without having a dirty film on the surface. I believe that a lot of what I see stuck on my vehicles are oils that come to the road surface in the heat and then get splashed on the car when it rains.

 

[atbalfour]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Is this aimed at Crystal Sealant specifically?

Me also curious what this is referring to. Most of the shorter-lived sprays I’ve used didn’t require prepped surface. If talking about Wowo’s Crystal Sealant, I cant say much yet as it’s only been a month. But ease/quickness of re-use (including as a drying aid for some) is probably a heavy strength that SiO2 sprays hold over competition products.

Sorry its a two part rant but written with Crystal Sealant in mind.

It`s not a topper, so it`s in a very unique bracket of heavier duty products like Cancoat and TAC Moonlight, which require paint prep, degreasing and if you get it wrong a machine to buff off high-spots. Thus rules out detailing novices from using the product.

Any enthusiast I know can`t keep their hands off their car and will know enough to want a really good performing product. If they want something long lasting they`ll go to the bother of applying a coating or lite coating which is as easy if not easier to apply, then use a dedicated SIo2 topper to keep it performing at it`s best? I encouraged a friend to try it on his car and he`s been massively underwhelmed. It`s still there but it`s just `fine` and the least slick part of his car. People get carried away with durability I feel, why go to all that bother for mediocrity, durability is only useful where you really want to enjoy something month after month!

 

[acuRAS82]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

Sorry its a two part rant but written with Crystal Sealant in mind.

It`s not a topper, so it`s in a very unique bracket of heavier duty products like Cancoat and TAC Moonlight, which require paint prep, degreasing and if you get it wrong a machine to buff off high-spots. Thus rules out detailing novices from using the product.

Any enthusiast I know can`t keep their hands off their car and will know enough to want a really good performing product. If they want something long lasting they`ll go to the bother of applying a coating or lite coating which is as easy if not easier to apply, then use a dedicated SIo2 topper to keep it performing at it`s best? I encouraged a friend to try it on his car and he`s been massively underwhelmed. It`s still there but it`s just `fine` and the least slick part of his car. People get carried away with durability I feel, why go to all that bother for mediocrity, durability is only useful where you really want to enjoy something month after month!

I agree durability/longevity is only a plus if the product performs well enough to make the user happy! I do some longevity testing here but I’m also monitoring the performance throughout the timeframe. It’s pretty much impossible and argumentative to try test “gloss” or “slickness”, etc. other than to point out if something is really a step above if others. Sorry that your friend isn’t enjoying the Crystal Sealant application or slickness. This is good feedback to forum members to consider.

Note: the bottle directions do not require a perfectly prepped surface. Not that I expect it to perform better on a poorly prepped surface... just bringing it up as a possible advantage for the product.

 

[atbalfour]

Re: NO REALLY...I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!! Re: Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...

I agree durability/longevity is only a plus if the product performs well enough to make the user happy! I do some longevity testing here but I’m also monitoring the performance throughout the timeframe. It’s pretty much impossible and argumentative to try test “gloss” or “slickness”, etc. other than to point out if something is really a step above if others. Sorry that your friend isn’t enjoying the Crystal Sealant application or slickness. This is good feedback to forum members to consider.

Note: the bottle directions do not require a perfectly prepped surface. Not that I expect it to perform better on a poorly prepped surface... just bringing it up as a possible advantage for the product.

You`re right, and maybe I`m being overly harsh having arrived at my own conclusion that other products give you more. I did feel the panel and it wasn`t quite grabby, but it definitely wasn`t slick. Every person will have a level of expectation they are happy with I suppose. My friend`s initial application of CS was without polishing or panel wipe and got poor durability. He then received advice to use a panel wipe at minimum to allow for a better bond. That, combined with the 2+ towels to remove, and Wowos own claim that you`ll need a machine to remove high spots tells me enough to say that application isn`t a tonne different to a lite coating.

Almost every review of the V2 I have seen refers to hazing on removal, I haven`t seen the same with Cancoat or Moonlight which are extremely high benchmarks to be fair.

 

[William_Wallace]

I’ve used it a few times. I got for $14. It’s more of a durable sealant than topper I can agree to that it gave me a hassle until I got it off quick and used a damp towel. This would be good for someone who want to apply 1-2s coat in October and then set it and forget it until April. I like it. It feels substantial just something about it. Bathroom caulk scent in all let’s you know your not using a quick detailer with a wee bit of SIO in it