I need the SLICKIEST top coat...

[6cyl's_of_fury]

Why do you need the "slickest" top coat? How long do you want it to last? Is is for a show or for easy cleaning? Lots of questions that hang on your very short one.

Pretty much most sealants feel slick as when you first apply, and generally for 24 hours thereafter. Longevity of the slickness is then the priority.

If you want slick, olive oil works well. All depends on your outlined criteria for the "slickness"....

 

[gbackus]

Hey Winston, are you a sales rep for FK1 or something? Or are you just
a very happy customer? You seem to be very hype on the products from
your 2 (and only) posts . Almost sounds like a sales pitch. Don't get me
wrong, I like FK1 stuff as well. But I don't find that these products are
any slicker than most of the stuff mentioned above

Have you tried the 2180? I just tried my sample recently(I picked up some 218 as and pink wax) and it's the slickest product I've ever used. The look is similar to NXT, but we'll see how durability is(I used it on my dad's new A4, which will get washed every other week). Just for reference, I've tried EX, butter wax, #20, #26, gold class, NXT, Zaino, and the 218 as, the 2180 was much slicker than any of the following. Just my observations.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Have you tried the 2180? I just tried my sample recently(I picked up some 218 as and pink wax) and it's the slickest product I've ever used. .

I have been saying it for awhile but I guess it isn't one of the ""IN"" brands so most people over look the posts. Oh well...

I use ex+p often, and love it, but it is not even close to 2180 as far as slickness. However I top 2180 with the pink wax so it ends up being a bit less slick.
here are 2 examples of 2180 & pink wax

 

[Winston Wolf]

USDM

Sorry, I might sound like a Finish Kare FK1 rep but in fact I just love the products. I couln't sell myself out of a bag.

I discovered the products a few years ago at the Scottsdale AZ airport. A lot of aircraft owners there use Finish Kare on their jets and small planes. Friends of mine that have a very impressive flight department have used Finish Kare on all their planes, cars and boats for 20+ years and swear by the stuff. For them perfect is almost good enough

 

[usdm]

Have you tried the 2180? I just tried my sample recently(I picked up some 218 as and pink wax) and it's the slickest product I've ever used. The look is similar to NXT, but we'll see how durability is(I used it on my dad's new A4, which will get washed every other week). Just for reference, I've tried EX, butter wax, #20, #26, gold class, NXT, Zaino, and the 218 as, the 2180 was much slicker than any of the following. Just my observations.

Actually, I use FK1 products at the bodyshop when I need to get a
customer's car looking clean and nice. Usually it's one coat of 218 with
2180, after paint work, and pink wax for returning customers, or
folks that just want wax instead of sealants as a topper. For express
work, I have sampled 215, and I actually like the results. In fact, I would
say this is the closest one step I have seen to AIO or PWC, with the
distinction that 215 is in fact bodyshop safe. I also am using these products
exclusively on my car to see how they fair against the upcoming winter.
I plan on using some of these products on my dad's other car Friday. I will
try to post up some pics of the work in progress.

It's all about personal perception. My findings are not always going to
jibe with yours or anyone elses. My purchases are based primarily on what I
believe are solid and repeat critiques from fellow enthusiasts, professionals
detailers, and bodyshop guys. Sometime I agree with the findings of others,
and other times, I do not. I feel critiques from someone like tdekany has
validation because he has history here and some other sites. And even
though I may not agree with him or some other folks on certain things,
I have respect for his observations because they are not presented like
part of a sales pitch. As for the question directed at Mr Wolf, it
was out of curiousity, to what his stake in this, because it sounded
more like a sales pitch than the opinion of a fellow enthusiast, professional
detailer, or bodyshop guy.

All that said, I still find that FK1 selants are not any slicker than any of
the products that I have used and still use. Once again, for me, FK1
products serve a useful function; and that is they can be used in the
shop and get the job done.

Anyway, that's just my opinion for better or worse. And we all know
what they say about opinions....

 

[gbackus]

I really want to try their 330 and 215, I'm hoping the 330 is like DACP and the 215 is like #66. I'm going to see if I can get the samples and compare the two with both a rotary and a porter cable on a test panel I have. Look for results in a couple weeks. I'd post it up on autopia but I can never seem to post there anymore(log in problems) and don't know if it'd be appropriate to post on MOL.

 

[usdm]

I can't speak on 330, but I have used 215 with both the MAK d/a
and by rotary. I find it is much more effectively used via rotary,
If I am doing some quickie light swirl and scratch removal but I
have also found it works equally well via d/a for mild cleaning
and as a one-step process. In order of slickness among the
FK1 stuff (from least to most), here are my personal findings:

215
2685
218
2180
425

Here's a couple of quick pics of my car with 2180 and 2685.
The 2180 is on the entire car, and 2685 tops on the hood
only. These were last applied about 2 weeks ago. just
QEW'ed the car today as I could not do a good hose and
bucket wash. Something I did notice is that the hood topped
with the Pink Wax somewhat muted the metallic flake unlike
the 218, and 2180. The Pink Wax instead gave a more
wet look. No direct shots of the hood since it now looks
really bad, and I am just going to live with it until next
year when I have time to paint it over properly.

Dad's trunk:

after hard compound:

after menzerna polish:

after 215:

after 2180: