BudgetPlan1
Active member
I think I`m gonna leave Ethos on the shelf for now, change of heart...was kinda an `impulse buy` thing.
Add one more item to my list of "Things that seemed like a good idea at the time"
Think I`m done messing around with coatings, final thoughts...
- Thread starter BudgetPlan1
- Start date
Add one more item to my list of "Things that seemed like a good idea at the time"
The Guz
Mike
Sounds like Ethos also uses B&B blending for their coating. They are the ones who bought out Adams. Also heard they blend the glassparency coating. Just different variations such as Adams having their patent pending UV tracer technology.
I think I`m gonna leave Ethos on the shelf for now, change of heart...was kinda an `impulse buy` thing.
Add one more item to my list of "Things that seemed like a good idea at the time"
Sticking with what you know?
William_Wallace
New member
That’s good info.
BudgetPlan1
Active member
Yep.
Coatings=crack
Active member
Thinking ethos or Adams for the chevelle. Want to give graphene a try and formulate my own opinion. Right now from what i’ve read it is great marketing.
Got some 3.0 left maybe a side by side.
Was thinking ISM 2.0 and miyabi but sounds a little difficult and this time around looking for easier than CQUK3.0
I like adams UV idea but wonder if that additive changes coating properties
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Got some 3.0 left maybe a side by side.
Was thinking ISM 2.0 and miyabi but sounds a little difficult and this time around looking for easier than CQUK3.0
I like adams UV idea but wonder if that additive changes coating properties
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BudgetPlan1
Active member
The Miyabi is pretty much `sealant easy` at this point, lotsa familiarity by now, kinda lures ya in and then ISM 2.0 shows up
Definately need to heed instructions and pay attention. Whole car went fine until I started thinking I was smarter than I actually was...oops. Does look thick and rich though, even the less than perfect hood.
The Guz
Mike
Out of the two get the Adams coating. Both are blended by the same place as I posted up above and that blender now owns Adams.
You would like the Adams paint coating. Really easy to apply compared to Cquartz UK. Just not as durable but you’re topping it so it’s not that big of a deal.
wannafbody
wannafbody
Try looking at different angles and look at the peaks of the orange peal. If the peaks are flattened then you know you have removed some clear from the car. Probably not at a point of damage but eventually it could happen.
RMD
Member
Sounds like Ethos also uses B&B blending for their coating. They are the ones who bought out Adams. Also heard they blend the glassparency coating. Just different variations such as Adams having their patent pending UV tracer technology.
Per this link, Adams and BB Blending are both subsidiaries of a Canadian chemical company now.
https://www.recochem.com/here-we-grow-again-adams-polishes-joins-the-recochem-family-of-companies/
Per this link, Adams and BB Blending are both subsidiaries of a Canadian chemical company now.
https://www.recochem.com/here-we-grow-again-adams-polishes-joins-the-recochem-family-of-companies/
I do paint corrections and coatings as a part time detailer. I have license to Nanolex pro coatings and couple scandinavian coatings. I am looking for something other and i could get Gyeon, Carpro, IGL or Ceramic Pro. Which brand do you think has the best coatings? Keep in mind that i live in skandinavia so salt is an issue.
- Ceramic Pro is CP only, no other brands allowed to use. Also the 9h pro kit is expensive to buy
- Carpro requires ir-lamps for the CQ Finest Reserve
- IGL is bit unknown brand here but i like their brand.
- Gyeon? I cant seem to see any negatives
- Ceramic Pro is CP only, no other brands allowed to use. Also the 9h pro kit is expensive to buy
- Carpro requires ir-lamps for the CQ Finest Reserve
- IGL is bit unknown brand here but i like their brand.
- Gyeon? I cant seem to see any negatives
BudgetPlan1
Active member
I do paint corrections and coatings as a part time detailer. I have license to Nanolex pro coatings and couple scandinavian coatings. I am looking for something other and i could get Gyeon, Carpro, IGL or Ceramic Pro. Which brand do you think has the best coatings? Keep in mind that i live in skandinavia so salt is an issue.
- Ceramic Pro is CP only, no other brands allowed to use. Also the 9h pro kit is expensive to buy
- Carpro requires ir-lamps for the CQ Finest Reserve
- IGL is bit unknown brand here but i like their brand.
- Gyeon? I cant seem to see any negatives
Having no experience w/ pro coatings, I can`t really say anything worthwhile or even marginally helpful...so I defer to the greater experience of others.
BudgetPlan1
Active member
Ethos Graphene Matrix Coating
October 12, 2020 - Well, I didn`t plan on doing this but stuck at home for a few days and not wanting to start raking leaves (yet)
Having used a graphene coating already I kinda figured I was done w/ graphene coatings. As noted in the above-linked notes, the SPS was overall a *very* nice coating, did many things that many might find appealing, but in the end I went back to ceramics as they better fit my needs w/ regards to climate & vehicle usage and maintenance patterns.
However, with the recent glut of graphene, graphene-infused, graphene-ceramic and other such `graphene is wonderful` products, I snatched up some Ethos Graphene Matrix as they stand out among the others w/ claims of being a `true` graphene coating. Now I`m not in the room when they blend/manufacture the stuff so I can`t say for sure whether the claim is valid or not but at this point, I`m somewhat skeptical of many of the recent graphene releases w/ regards to the actual benefits of the graphene infusions in a real-world situations (or `true` graphene coatings). The products themselves may be very good overall (as the SPS Graphene was) but is it due to graphene content or not? I dunno but my current thoughts on graphene as a whole can be found here: Thoughts on graphene: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/other-stuff/#GRAPHENECOAT
Suffice it to say, I`m currently in the `skeptical` camp w/ regards to graphene. Now that`s not to say graphene coatings are bad or ineffective but rather to say that I don`t really believe the graphene component as it currently exist provides any real benefit.
Now Ethos as a manufacturer, be it Tim Coats, Adonis Detailing (his shop) or Ethos Car Care (his product company) has been quite aggressive in defending his product as a `true graphene coating` amidst the skepticism that currently seems to exist w/ the topic of graphene in car-care situations. Personally I`d prefer to let the product do the talking, and would stay outta the many Social Media posts and videos they show up in to extol the virtues of the Graphene Matrix Coating; I`d limit it to their own channels, Forums and other Ethos-centric Social Media outlets instead. I can`t judge the approach as I`m not in a position to do so but perhaps a less intrusive approach would better serve them...just an opinion. I get the need and desire to defend their products so in the end, what do I know? What I do know, though, is that it`s a bit disingenuous of me to cast a skeptical eye and comment accordingly on something I haven`t actually used so I figr`d what the heck, I`ll give it a go. Who knows, maybe it`ll turn out to be a great coating (regardless of any graphene component); after using it the application and aesthetic aspects of the product are certainly quite enjoyable.
Anyway, with all that outta the way, lets move on to the coating itself.
The car this was applied to was completely done in Kamikaze ISM 2.0 in August of 2020 but I figr`d why not polish that off of the hood, roof and trunk lid and replace it with the Ethos Graphene Matrix Coating...so that`s what I did. The ISM 2.0, while a bit of a cantankerous product to use, did have 2 spots that needed fixing anyway so I hadda use something and the Ethos was on my shelf (the result of an impulsive purchase late at night) so why not? When doing the ISM 2.0 in August, I had noticed a spot/stain on the trunk lid after polishing off the SPS Graphene that had been on the car for the last 14 months or so. I had removed it during polishing, double checked w a variety of Scangrip lights and prior to coating, it was gone. Unfortunately, after coating the car and leaving it parked outside in the Summer sun for a few days, the spot/stain re-appeared...dunno why, have heard some explanations/theories but at the end of the day, wanted to re-do it. I had also `gooned up` the hood during application, a result of thinking I was smarter than it turned out I was. ISM 2.0 is one of those "Apply in a 18" x 18" sections and remove IMMEDIATELY" type of coatings, which I had done over the car with no issues...until I got to the hood. Figuring, "eh, this ain`t no big thing" I started going with bigger sections (like half of the hood), cross-hatching the application and other such "not following instructions" things. Oops...high spots and streaks everywhere. So it needed to be redone as well...doh! So, I had 2 sections that needed re-doing, an unopened bottle of Ethos I hadn`t planned on really using, some spare time so...
This car is my daily driver when the weather doesn`t support the use of one of our `fun` cars and with Winter coming up in NE Ohio my daily driver (a 2017 Crystal Black Pearl Honda Accord V6 Coupe) is gonna see some heavy use in the coming months. It will sit outside as there is no room in the garage during the Winter and it`s daily work commute alone will see about 1500 miles a month, 95% of that on 4 of the most heavily traveled Interstates in the area. Throw in non-work commute travels and I`d guess in the next 12 months I`ll put close to 16k miles on it. In my experience, nothing kills LSP`s like freeway usage in a Winter climate with all of the salt, chemical de-icers and associated road-gruel they lay down around here. When it`s not on the road it will be sitting outside 24/7, 365 days a year on a heavily wooded lot. It will spend large parts of Autumn covered in wet leaves, sap, bird bombs and all manner of things Mother Nature drops from the skies. While I will maintain it the best I can, that will mostly depend on weather (I ain`t washing in cold weather), motivation (I`m really not a big fan of washing cars) and how often I choose to run it thru the local soap/rinse only touchless tunnel wash.
With that in mind, there is no way I`d expect this product to last the claimed 7 years on this car and given past experiences with this car and a variety of coatings (the hood has had 5 coatings since I purchased car new in June 2017, and the car itself has had 3 different coatings on the entire surface) I`d say if it hits 2 years, it will have done well. The overall best combo I`ve had on this vehicle was Kamikaze Miyabi + ISM 1.0, (rated at 24-36 months) which made it to 2 years, 42k miles before fading on the vertical sides of the vehicle. The vehicle is driven less in the Summer now though so perhaps 3 years is possible. As a point of reference, the same Miyabi + ISM 1.0 combo was still at 85% `as applied` on my wife`s daily/Winter car when I removed it after 3 years but only 17k, mostly non-freeway miles. Longevity, like many things in my world is highly fluid and any claims or predictions are subject to a variety of factors.
I won`t be throwing degreasers, APC`s or other such `torture test` nonsense at it as, well, I don`t often run into that kinda stuff on the road. And at the end of the day, I`m just too lazy to do something I find of dubious value anyway w/ regards to real life situations.
The ceramics I`ve settled on after searching for 4 years have been able to take this abuse and still clean up nicely each Spring, maintaining claimed longevity and performance (with consideration given to usage; for me, mileage has been a far greater barometer of LSP longevity than any time-based expectations listed on the box).
Application: So after prepping and compounding/polishing the surfaces that were getting the Ethos Ceramic Matrix Coating, I wiped down once with Kleen Strip Prep-All and then wiped down 2 more times with Ethos Detox, a panel wipe that I quite enjoyed using. It wasn`t as grabby as some other panel wipes I`ve used. It had a nice scent (irrelevant to functionality but a nice plus to any product), went on smooth and easy and cleaned up the panels without much overall effort.
I used a 3x5 thin Autofiber Coating Saver Applicator which did quite well in spreading it evenly. Applied exactly as noted in directions, allowing about 1.25 hours between the 2 layers. Application temperature in my garage was about 72 degrees F.
Application instructions from Ethos Website:
HOW TO APPLY
Make sure the surface has been completely cleaned and decontaminated with Ethos Detox. The cleaner the surface, the better the bond!
1. Shake bottle well.
2. Apply a few drops of Graphene Matrix onto your applicator until evenly covered.
3. Starting with horizontal / top surfaces first, applying in straight lines slightly overlapping from one line to the next. Work in small areas approximately 3`x3` or the size of a door or half a hood at a time. Temperature and humidity will determine coverage areas allowable between application and removal.
4. Applicators should glide smoothly on the surface while laying down an even layer of coating. If the applicator starts to drag or the application becomes inconsistent, apply additional drops to the applicator.
5. Immediately after application, you will notice a “Rainbow Effect” (More prevalent on dark colors) while the applied coating bonds to the surface. Roughly 1-3 min after application, the "Rainbowing" will start to turn into a haze/fog, this means the coating is ready for removal. (Temperature and humidity will expedite the flash time. Test a small area first before continuing onto the rest of the vehicle)
6. Using premium microfiber towels (Preferably our Utility Towels), thoroughly wipe down the section to remove the Graphene Coating residue. Your first wipe should remove about 80% of the residue, and your second wipe should easily remove the remainder. Use small, circular motions and little to no pressure during removal.
7. IMPORTANT: Be sure to check adjacent panels to make sure you haven`t "pushed" excess coating to other areas. (We recommend using a flashlight or smartphone light for inspection to make sure every bit of residue is gone. If you fail to remove all of the residue during the flash time, it will become a dark spot once it cures and can require polishing or compounding to remove) So be thorough and continue to check your work before moving onto the next step.
8. Repeat these steps as you move along the rest of your vehicle. Coating the paint, plastics, trim and glass surfaces in the same manner. When layering one hour minimum is required between coats.
9. Let the coating fully dry/cure for at least 48 hours before allowing it to get wet. The longer it stays dry the better, as it will continue to cure for about 5 days (you CAN drive the car during this time).
The car will remain in the garage, out of the elements for about 52 hours, much to the dismay of my beloved Cayman which has to sit outside for the next 2 days. After 8hrs it was beginning to accumulate some Nature debris so this is an small indication of what Ethos Graphene will have to deal with going forward. And given the fact that many of our trees are oak trees (which don`t give up the last of their leaves until early December) the car will likely be covered with leaves, then snowed on, then perhaps have the leaves frozen to the surface...it`s not an easy life.
Overall thoughts on application: Application was a breeze, it`d be hard to mess this one up. At 72 degrees F, the sweet spot was around 3 minutes between application and removal. The coating itself has a nice consistency which makes it apply evenly and it`s very easy to see where it was applied which was important in this case as application instructions included with the product note to apply in single, slightly overlapping passes w/ no cross-hatching. It was a *very* enjoyable coating to use. While Kamikaze Miyabi is still the easiest coating to apply that I have used (w/ Gtechniq CSL and 22ple HPC close on its heels) the Graphene Matrix coating easily takes a place in the top 5 of all I have used w/ regards to ease of application, likely even surpassing CSL in that area. It`s VERY easy to get an even coat down and somehow oddly enjoyable. Removal goes exactly according to the instructions, with the rainbow effect turning into a slight hazing when ready to remove. All that is needed for removal is a very light touch with the towel on the first pass (I used a Rag Company 300gsm edgeless for the first pass, followed by an edgeless 350gsm for the final pass/cleanup) and cleanup on the 2nd/final pass took little effort whatsoever.
The feel of the surface is quite nice as well, not as slick as SPS Graphene, Gyeon Syncro, CarPro Gliss or Polish Angel Rapidwaxx (yeah, I know that`s a spray wax but it had one of the most alluring feels to it of anything I`ve ever used; not the slickest but something about it just screamed `touch me` which, OK...is really kinda weird but it is what it is
) but likely slicker than Gtechniq CSL. It`s a very smooth surface and overall, a pleasing attribute although functionally, I`m not sure what role slickness plays w/ regards to effectiveness.
The appearance/gloss is not quite as overt/sharp as SPS Graphene or something like Feynlab Ceramic but it`s quite nice in a slightly less blatant, perhaps more `rich` kinda way; very pleasing and the look sorta matches the feel of it although why I think that I really can`t define, it just kinda makes sense in my oft-troubled mind. The combination of the look and feel is quite pleasing overall.
Graphene or not, it was a real treat to use, no stress, no worries.
Much like the SPS Graphene I used last year, it is a dark liquid which will leave some color on the removal towels, especially the initial 300gsm one. It`s a very slight discoloration in spots which doesn`t really bother me much as I toss the towels when done w/ a coating. I used to throw in a bucket w/ APC for use as wheel/door jamb, general use towels but I have so many of those it just ain`t worth the trouble anymore. I made it through each layer using a single `set` of towels although had I done the entire car, I woulda grabbed another `set` once done with the roof/ trunk lid and hood on each layer. It stained the applicator pad far more than the towels which, well, that`s to be expected as it`s getting the raw product right outta the bottle.
The next morning the applicator was crispy as it is with many coatings but I`m really not convinced that`s an indication of anything; 2 of my favorite and best performing coatings don`t crisp up the applicator and they have been kickin` ass and takin` names for me since 2016 (Kamikaze ISM 1.0 and Zipang, although their Miyabi product does leave a crispy, stiff applicator so, well...who knows. I think that`s how it goes anyway)
While it`s hard to tell given the dark bottle the product comes in, the Graphene Matrix Coating is indeed a dark liquid, just like the SPS Graphene. I drew some off and put in a clean, clear bottle which I will leave undisturbed on the shelf for a few months; the SPS Graphene settled out into 2 distinct layers after sitting for 2-3 months (like oil and vinegar in salad dressing) with about 85% clear liquid on the top layer and 15% dark liquid on the bottom if I remember correctly. Not sure exactly what that means, perhaps absolutely nothing, but I`ll watch it nonetheless; entertainment is where ya find it, no?
So that`s where we`re at now...I`ll watch this and update it going forward as things progress. It`s gonna take a tough customer to survive on my car longer than a year or 2 given how the car is used, how it spends most of its life outside and the limited maintenance I give it. I`ve found `my` ceramics that can handle it, we`ll see if this one can too, graphene or not. I didn`t top/maintain the SPS Graphene with anything from the May - December period after application, adding occasional top-up`s with their Graphene Detailer (and *excellent* and versatile product, by the way) from December until I removed in May of 2020. I`ve ordered a small bottle of Ethos Defy to use with this coating. I`ll likely only apply this to one of the 3 panels I coated (roof, hood or trunk lid) so I can see if that makes any difference in overall performance.
We`ll see...
October 12, 2020 - Well, I didn`t plan on doing this but stuck at home for a few days and not wanting to start raking leaves (yet)
Having used a graphene coating already I kinda figured I was done w/ graphene coatings. As noted in the above-linked notes, the SPS was overall a *very* nice coating, did many things that many might find appealing, but in the end I went back to ceramics as they better fit my needs w/ regards to climate & vehicle usage and maintenance patterns.
However, with the recent glut of graphene, graphene-infused, graphene-ceramic and other such `graphene is wonderful` products, I snatched up some Ethos Graphene Matrix as they stand out among the others w/ claims of being a `true` graphene coating. Now I`m not in the room when they blend/manufacture the stuff so I can`t say for sure whether the claim is valid or not but at this point, I`m somewhat skeptical of many of the recent graphene releases w/ regards to the actual benefits of the graphene infusions in a real-world situations (or `true` graphene coatings). The products themselves may be very good overall (as the SPS Graphene was) but is it due to graphene content or not? I dunno but my current thoughts on graphene as a whole can be found here: Thoughts on graphene: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/other-stuff/#GRAPHENECOAT
Suffice it to say, I`m currently in the `skeptical` camp w/ regards to graphene. Now that`s not to say graphene coatings are bad or ineffective but rather to say that I don`t really believe the graphene component as it currently exist provides any real benefit.
Now Ethos as a manufacturer, be it Tim Coats, Adonis Detailing (his shop) or Ethos Car Care (his product company) has been quite aggressive in defending his product as a `true graphene coating` amidst the skepticism that currently seems to exist w/ the topic of graphene in car-care situations. Personally I`d prefer to let the product do the talking, and would stay outta the many Social Media posts and videos they show up in to extol the virtues of the Graphene Matrix Coating; I`d limit it to their own channels, Forums and other Ethos-centric Social Media outlets instead. I can`t judge the approach as I`m not in a position to do so but perhaps a less intrusive approach would better serve them...just an opinion. I get the need and desire to defend their products so in the end, what do I know? What I do know, though, is that it`s a bit disingenuous of me to cast a skeptical eye and comment accordingly on something I haven`t actually used so I figr`d what the heck, I`ll give it a go. Who knows, maybe it`ll turn out to be a great coating (regardless of any graphene component); after using it the application and aesthetic aspects of the product are certainly quite enjoyable.
Anyway, with all that outta the way, lets move on to the coating itself.
The car this was applied to was completely done in Kamikaze ISM 2.0 in August of 2020 but I figr`d why not polish that off of the hood, roof and trunk lid and replace it with the Ethos Graphene Matrix Coating...so that`s what I did. The ISM 2.0, while a bit of a cantankerous product to use, did have 2 spots that needed fixing anyway so I hadda use something and the Ethos was on my shelf (the result of an impulsive purchase late at night) so why not? When doing the ISM 2.0 in August, I had noticed a spot/stain on the trunk lid after polishing off the SPS Graphene that had been on the car for the last 14 months or so. I had removed it during polishing, double checked w a variety of Scangrip lights and prior to coating, it was gone. Unfortunately, after coating the car and leaving it parked outside in the Summer sun for a few days, the spot/stain re-appeared...dunno why, have heard some explanations/theories but at the end of the day, wanted to re-do it. I had also `gooned up` the hood during application, a result of thinking I was smarter than it turned out I was. ISM 2.0 is one of those "Apply in a 18" x 18" sections and remove IMMEDIATELY" type of coatings, which I had done over the car with no issues...until I got to the hood. Figuring, "eh, this ain`t no big thing" I started going with bigger sections (like half of the hood), cross-hatching the application and other such "not following instructions" things. Oops...high spots and streaks everywhere. So it needed to be redone as well...doh! So, I had 2 sections that needed re-doing, an unopened bottle of Ethos I hadn`t planned on really using, some spare time so...
This car is my daily driver when the weather doesn`t support the use of one of our `fun` cars and with Winter coming up in NE Ohio my daily driver (a 2017 Crystal Black Pearl Honda Accord V6 Coupe) is gonna see some heavy use in the coming months. It will sit outside as there is no room in the garage during the Winter and it`s daily work commute alone will see about 1500 miles a month, 95% of that on 4 of the most heavily traveled Interstates in the area. Throw in non-work commute travels and I`d guess in the next 12 months I`ll put close to 16k miles on it. In my experience, nothing kills LSP`s like freeway usage in a Winter climate with all of the salt, chemical de-icers and associated road-gruel they lay down around here. When it`s not on the road it will be sitting outside 24/7, 365 days a year on a heavily wooded lot. It will spend large parts of Autumn covered in wet leaves, sap, bird bombs and all manner of things Mother Nature drops from the skies. While I will maintain it the best I can, that will mostly depend on weather (I ain`t washing in cold weather), motivation (I`m really not a big fan of washing cars) and how often I choose to run it thru the local soap/rinse only touchless tunnel wash.
With that in mind, there is no way I`d expect this product to last the claimed 7 years on this car and given past experiences with this car and a variety of coatings (the hood has had 5 coatings since I purchased car new in June 2017, and the car itself has had 3 different coatings on the entire surface) I`d say if it hits 2 years, it will have done well. The overall best combo I`ve had on this vehicle was Kamikaze Miyabi + ISM 1.0, (rated at 24-36 months) which made it to 2 years, 42k miles before fading on the vertical sides of the vehicle. The vehicle is driven less in the Summer now though so perhaps 3 years is possible. As a point of reference, the same Miyabi + ISM 1.0 combo was still at 85% `as applied` on my wife`s daily/Winter car when I removed it after 3 years but only 17k, mostly non-freeway miles. Longevity, like many things in my world is highly fluid and any claims or predictions are subject to a variety of factors.
I won`t be throwing degreasers, APC`s or other such `torture test` nonsense at it as, well, I don`t often run into that kinda stuff on the road. And at the end of the day, I`m just too lazy to do something I find of dubious value anyway w/ regards to real life situations.
The ceramics I`ve settled on after searching for 4 years have been able to take this abuse and still clean up nicely each Spring, maintaining claimed longevity and performance (with consideration given to usage; for me, mileage has been a far greater barometer of LSP longevity than any time-based expectations listed on the box).
Application: So after prepping and compounding/polishing the surfaces that were getting the Ethos Ceramic Matrix Coating, I wiped down once with Kleen Strip Prep-All and then wiped down 2 more times with Ethos Detox, a panel wipe that I quite enjoyed using. It wasn`t as grabby as some other panel wipes I`ve used. It had a nice scent (irrelevant to functionality but a nice plus to any product), went on smooth and easy and cleaned up the panels without much overall effort.
I used a 3x5 thin Autofiber Coating Saver Applicator which did quite well in spreading it evenly. Applied exactly as noted in directions, allowing about 1.25 hours between the 2 layers. Application temperature in my garage was about 72 degrees F.
Application instructions from Ethos Website:
HOW TO APPLY
Make sure the surface has been completely cleaned and decontaminated with Ethos Detox. The cleaner the surface, the better the bond!
1. Shake bottle well.
2. Apply a few drops of Graphene Matrix onto your applicator until evenly covered.
3. Starting with horizontal / top surfaces first, applying in straight lines slightly overlapping from one line to the next. Work in small areas approximately 3`x3` or the size of a door or half a hood at a time. Temperature and humidity will determine coverage areas allowable between application and removal.
4. Applicators should glide smoothly on the surface while laying down an even layer of coating. If the applicator starts to drag or the application becomes inconsistent, apply additional drops to the applicator.
5. Immediately after application, you will notice a “Rainbow Effect” (More prevalent on dark colors) while the applied coating bonds to the surface. Roughly 1-3 min after application, the "Rainbowing" will start to turn into a haze/fog, this means the coating is ready for removal. (Temperature and humidity will expedite the flash time. Test a small area first before continuing onto the rest of the vehicle)
6. Using premium microfiber towels (Preferably our Utility Towels), thoroughly wipe down the section to remove the Graphene Coating residue. Your first wipe should remove about 80% of the residue, and your second wipe should easily remove the remainder. Use small, circular motions and little to no pressure during removal.
7. IMPORTANT: Be sure to check adjacent panels to make sure you haven`t "pushed" excess coating to other areas. (We recommend using a flashlight or smartphone light for inspection to make sure every bit of residue is gone. If you fail to remove all of the residue during the flash time, it will become a dark spot once it cures and can require polishing or compounding to remove) So be thorough and continue to check your work before moving onto the next step.
8. Repeat these steps as you move along the rest of your vehicle. Coating the paint, plastics, trim and glass surfaces in the same manner. When layering one hour minimum is required between coats.
9. Let the coating fully dry/cure for at least 48 hours before allowing it to get wet. The longer it stays dry the better, as it will continue to cure for about 5 days (you CAN drive the car during this time).
The car will remain in the garage, out of the elements for about 52 hours, much to the dismay of my beloved Cayman which has to sit outside for the next 2 days. After 8hrs it was beginning to accumulate some Nature debris so this is an small indication of what Ethos Graphene will have to deal with going forward. And given the fact that many of our trees are oak trees (which don`t give up the last of their leaves until early December) the car will likely be covered with leaves, then snowed on, then perhaps have the leaves frozen to the surface...it`s not an easy life.
Overall thoughts on application: Application was a breeze, it`d be hard to mess this one up. At 72 degrees F, the sweet spot was around 3 minutes between application and removal. The coating itself has a nice consistency which makes it apply evenly and it`s very easy to see where it was applied which was important in this case as application instructions included with the product note to apply in single, slightly overlapping passes w/ no cross-hatching. It was a *very* enjoyable coating to use. While Kamikaze Miyabi is still the easiest coating to apply that I have used (w/ Gtechniq CSL and 22ple HPC close on its heels) the Graphene Matrix coating easily takes a place in the top 5 of all I have used w/ regards to ease of application, likely even surpassing CSL in that area. It`s VERY easy to get an even coat down and somehow oddly enjoyable. Removal goes exactly according to the instructions, with the rainbow effect turning into a slight hazing when ready to remove. All that is needed for removal is a very light touch with the towel on the first pass (I used a Rag Company 300gsm edgeless for the first pass, followed by an edgeless 350gsm for the final pass/cleanup) and cleanup on the 2nd/final pass took little effort whatsoever.
The feel of the surface is quite nice as well, not as slick as SPS Graphene, Gyeon Syncro, CarPro Gliss or Polish Angel Rapidwaxx (yeah, I know that`s a spray wax but it had one of the most alluring feels to it of anything I`ve ever used; not the slickest but something about it just screamed `touch me` which, OK...is really kinda weird but it is what it is
) but likely slicker than Gtechniq CSL. It`s a very smooth surface and overall, a pleasing attribute although functionally, I`m not sure what role slickness plays w/ regards to effectiveness.The appearance/gloss is not quite as overt/sharp as SPS Graphene or something like Feynlab Ceramic but it`s quite nice in a slightly less blatant, perhaps more `rich` kinda way; very pleasing and the look sorta matches the feel of it although why I think that I really can`t define, it just kinda makes sense in my oft-troubled mind. The combination of the look and feel is quite pleasing overall.
Graphene or not, it was a real treat to use, no stress, no worries.
Much like the SPS Graphene I used last year, it is a dark liquid which will leave some color on the removal towels, especially the initial 300gsm one. It`s a very slight discoloration in spots which doesn`t really bother me much as I toss the towels when done w/ a coating. I used to throw in a bucket w/ APC for use as wheel/door jamb, general use towels but I have so many of those it just ain`t worth the trouble anymore. I made it through each layer using a single `set` of towels although had I done the entire car, I woulda grabbed another `set` once done with the roof/ trunk lid and hood on each layer. It stained the applicator pad far more than the towels which, well, that`s to be expected as it`s getting the raw product right outta the bottle.
The next morning the applicator was crispy as it is with many coatings but I`m really not convinced that`s an indication of anything; 2 of my favorite and best performing coatings don`t crisp up the applicator and they have been kickin` ass and takin` names for me since 2016 (Kamikaze ISM 1.0 and Zipang, although their Miyabi product does leave a crispy, stiff applicator so, well...who knows. I think that`s how it goes anyway)
While it`s hard to tell given the dark bottle the product comes in, the Graphene Matrix Coating is indeed a dark liquid, just like the SPS Graphene. I drew some off and put in a clean, clear bottle which I will leave undisturbed on the shelf for a few months; the SPS Graphene settled out into 2 distinct layers after sitting for 2-3 months (like oil and vinegar in salad dressing) with about 85% clear liquid on the top layer and 15% dark liquid on the bottom if I remember correctly. Not sure exactly what that means, perhaps absolutely nothing, but I`ll watch it nonetheless; entertainment is where ya find it, no?
So that`s where we`re at now...I`ll watch this and update it going forward as things progress. It`s gonna take a tough customer to survive on my car longer than a year or 2 given how the car is used, how it spends most of its life outside and the limited maintenance I give it. I`ve found `my` ceramics that can handle it, we`ll see if this one can too, graphene or not. I didn`t top/maintain the SPS Graphene with anything from the May - December period after application, adding occasional top-up`s with their Graphene Detailer (and *excellent* and versatile product, by the way) from December until I removed in May of 2020. I`ve ordered a small bottle of Ethos Defy to use with this coating. I`ll likely only apply this to one of the 3 panels I coated (roof, hood or trunk lid) so I can see if that makes any difference in overall performance.
We`ll see...
Attachments
William_Wallace
New member
The article is a proper gem budget, hopefully you see some tall beads like what has been shown online
Coatings=crack
Active member
Thanks for the test. Appreciate you spending your time and money doing this for us.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
William_Wallace
New member
I’ve actually seen some tall beading videos with the defy product as well but have not tried it.
BudgetPlan1
Active member
We`ll see, I guess. It seems like a bit `more` than just a maintenance product but at only $17 for 8oz, may as well keep things `synergistic` and follow directions so no chance for "You didn`t do what the instructions said" claims, hence wiping down with Detox instead of one of the other 8 panel wipe products I have on my shelf.
The "keep dry for 48 hours after application" is a bit, uh...logistically inconvenient but that`s what the directions said so that`s what I did...however much it pained me to do so. On the plus side, the Cayman doesn`t really need washing after sitting and driving in the wind and rain for 48hrs...metallic gray paint is such a wonderful thing.
BudgetPlan1
Active member
On the Ethos front, some updates here: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/ethos-graphene-matrix-coating/#Ethos_Latest_Updates
I wonder if letting the bottle sit on my shelf for 2 months affected it somehow as the water behavior was a bit odd and disappointing. Topping it with Defy has made it more `coating-like` but still the base coating should do better, no? It was purchased in mid-August and then on shelf until Mid-October (inside the house in a dark cabinet)
In other news, really did some superfluous stacking of coating-simpatico products last weekend:
Since it`s near the end of the season here in NE Ohio, spent the weekend cleaning up wife`s Aegean Blue Metallic Civic and throwing some product at it...to the point of wretched excess...mostly just to see what would alter the appearance.
Car is coated w Kamikaze Miyabi + Zipang (Summer 2019), gave it a good wash w heavy foam, Polish Angel Ultrared and CarPro Reset and then started clearing the shelves of what I had leftover from this year.
Had a new jar of Kamikaze Infinity Wax sent up this week, have been using it on this car prior to Winter for past few years. Not a heavily used car, maybe 3500 miles a Winter (no freeway) and it seems to make Spring cleanup a bit easier.
After wash, put on a coat of the Infinity Wax, waited 12hrs and hit it with a coat of Kamikaze Overcoat. 12hrs later, did a coat of Polish Angel High Gloss Paste Wax and 12hrs after that, an application of PA High Gloss Spritz. Fortunately, she needed to drive car this morning or I mighta thrown some Polish Angel Black Wulfenite at it just for grins.
While all of that is irrelevant in a functional sense once we got past the Overcoat, seemed like a fun way to use up some products...and it was.
The Million Dollar Question:
Did all of those (IMO) slightly `aesthetically different` products really add up to something definitive?
To me, the base coatings have a bit of a deeper gloss w a nice candy topping thrown in.
1. Infinity Wax seems to ease the candy a bit, adding a `relaxed high gloss` look to the surface.
2. Overcoat adds a bit of the gloss, not so much `hi-def` as Polish Angel.
3. PA High Gloss Paste Wax is the ultimate in hi-def, ultra-HD reflectivity for my eyes.
4. PA High Gloss Spritz is a bit of a lighter, sharper reflection.
So now that I have all of these things, with slightly different visual characteristics, ladled upon the paint...was it worth it, did it really make a difference as opposed using them individually...I really don`t know.
I *think* it did (to a point, the HG Spritz was probably overkill) but in the end, "I don`t care"; it was fun, no long term harm will come to the `meat in the sandwich` (the base coatings) and whether it`s in my mind or not, it`s a stupidly-killer combo for the next month or so when salt, snow and Winter will render appearance concerns irrelevant for the next 6 months.
So as far as functionality goes, excessive layering quickly gets to a point of diminishing returns IMO. Aesthetically, it`s anyone`s guess how much is too much (Yeah, like there is such a thing ) so try some things out and let your own eyes (and the enjoyment of using fun products) be your guide.
The car I piled all that stuff on this weekend looked absolutely amazing in the garage the next morning, extraordinarily reflective and radiant. Later after pulling it out in the driveway with kinda a cloudy bit of sunshine filtering thru the trees on it. It seemed to have lost a bit of `pop`.vs the garage lighting. If previous experience holds true, if I went out there as the last bit of light is fading that evening and it will again look exceptional, but in a deeper, softer, glassier kinda way. The gas station at 5am under the flourescent/led lighting always looks shinier than anything. It`s not just more or less gloss, but really visually different aspects of gloss, all a treat and pleasing to my eye in a different way.
Anymore, I think I aim to find what looks best in the garage because that`s where *I* see the car most; ...taking out the garbage always takes a few minutes, most of which have nothing to do with taking out the garbage. And sometimes I just wander out there to do nothing more than stare.
While we all like to get caught up in the `science` of this stuff with gloss meters, DOI meters and similar, I think sometimes things like gloss are partly measured by personal feel and, conscious or not, individual and intangible mental gloss-unit scales.
That`s the fun of it...no real definitive right or wrong to it...just your preferences.
I wonder if letting the bottle sit on my shelf for 2 months affected it somehow as the water behavior was a bit odd and disappointing. Topping it with Defy has made it more `coating-like` but still the base coating should do better, no? It was purchased in mid-August and then on shelf until Mid-October (inside the house in a dark cabinet)
In other news, really did some superfluous stacking of coating-simpatico products last weekend:
Since it`s near the end of the season here in NE Ohio, spent the weekend cleaning up wife`s Aegean Blue Metallic Civic and throwing some product at it...to the point of wretched excess...mostly just to see what would alter the appearance.
Car is coated w Kamikaze Miyabi + Zipang (Summer 2019), gave it a good wash w heavy foam, Polish Angel Ultrared and CarPro Reset and then started clearing the shelves of what I had leftover from this year.
Had a new jar of Kamikaze Infinity Wax sent up this week, have been using it on this car prior to Winter for past few years. Not a heavily used car, maybe 3500 miles a Winter (no freeway) and it seems to make Spring cleanup a bit easier.
After wash, put on a coat of the Infinity Wax, waited 12hrs and hit it with a coat of Kamikaze Overcoat. 12hrs later, did a coat of Polish Angel High Gloss Paste Wax and 12hrs after that, an application of PA High Gloss Spritz. Fortunately, she needed to drive car this morning or I mighta thrown some Polish Angel Black Wulfenite at it just for grins.
While all of that is irrelevant in a functional sense once we got past the Overcoat, seemed like a fun way to use up some products...and it was.
The Million Dollar Question:
Did all of those (IMO) slightly `aesthetically different` products really add up to something definitive?
To me, the base coatings have a bit of a deeper gloss w a nice candy topping thrown in.
1. Infinity Wax seems to ease the candy a bit, adding a `relaxed high gloss` look to the surface.
2. Overcoat adds a bit of the gloss, not so much `hi-def` as Polish Angel.
3. PA High Gloss Paste Wax is the ultimate in hi-def, ultra-HD reflectivity for my eyes.
4. PA High Gloss Spritz is a bit of a lighter, sharper reflection.
So now that I have all of these things, with slightly different visual characteristics, ladled upon the paint...was it worth it, did it really make a difference as opposed using them individually...I really don`t know.
I *think* it did (to a point, the HG Spritz was probably overkill) but in the end, "I don`t care"; it was fun, no long term harm will come to the `meat in the sandwich` (the base coatings) and whether it`s in my mind or not, it`s a stupidly-killer combo for the next month or so when salt, snow and Winter will render appearance concerns irrelevant for the next 6 months.
So as far as functionality goes, excessive layering quickly gets to a point of diminishing returns IMO. Aesthetically, it`s anyone`s guess how much is too much (Yeah, like there is such a thing ) so try some things out and let your own eyes (and the enjoyment of using fun products) be your guide.
The car I piled all that stuff on this weekend looked absolutely amazing in the garage the next morning, extraordinarily reflective and radiant. Later after pulling it out in the driveway with kinda a cloudy bit of sunshine filtering thru the trees on it. It seemed to have lost a bit of `pop`.vs the garage lighting. If previous experience holds true, if I went out there as the last bit of light is fading that evening and it will again look exceptional, but in a deeper, softer, glassier kinda way. The gas station at 5am under the flourescent/led lighting always looks shinier than anything. It`s not just more or less gloss, but really visually different aspects of gloss, all a treat and pleasing to my eye in a different way.
Anymore, I think I aim to find what looks best in the garage because that`s where *I* see the car most; ...taking out the garbage always takes a few minutes, most of which have nothing to do with taking out the garbage. And sometimes I just wander out there to do nothing more than stare.
While we all like to get caught up in the `science` of this stuff with gloss meters, DOI meters and similar, I think sometimes things like gloss are partly measured by personal feel and, conscious or not, individual and intangible mental gloss-unit scales.
That`s the fun of it...no real definitive right or wrong to it...just your preferences.
According to Esoteric Detailing`s website for Polish Angel products, this wax is $225.00 for 150ml (5.1 fl oz. US). That is quite a steep price for "ultimate reflectivity".To its credit, it IS suppose to be formulated for topping coated vehicles to enhance the gloss. Everyone has their price point and return on investment (ROI). Like my father always said, "You want to run with the big dogs, you gotta pay like the big dogs." [Captain Obvious, you are still a chihuahua! Yo Quiero Taco Bell (reference to a long-ago Taco Bell commercial with such a dog)]
BudgetPlan1
Active member
Yup, the High Gloss Paste Wax is certainly not an everyday kinda thing but I really don`t buy too much stuff anymore now that I`ve settled on the LSP combo that works best for me. I used it on both the Cayman and the Civic this Summer and it really did quite well...and it`s just a fun thing that I enjoy using. Visual appearance and gloss can be a somewhat subjective thing but I can say that the HG Paste is one of those things that I`m convinced actually makes a notable difference in appearance.
It was a pleasurable `one and done` experience this Summer as next season I really won`t have a car that is appropriate to use it on. Her Corvette is totally wrapped in PPF, the Cayman is getting a total wrap/coating this Winter as well and paste wax doesn`t really lend itself well to PPF installations. While I liked it on her Civic, it`s not worth the cost for that added touch of reflectivity and my daily driver, well...that`s to the point of just getting coated every 3 years and that`s about it. Only 3 year and 60k miles in and it is now a rolling testament to what happens to a black Honda Accord that spends 95% of the time on the freeway; there`s not enough Dr. Colorchip in the world to fix that up and it`s certainly not worth a re-spray.
Is it worth it? In a `protection sense` probably not but in a personal enjoyment sense, it sure was for me. I`ll miss it next season for sure cuz it`s just so darn fun to use and after using it, the garage just smells so wonderful for a day or two and it reminds me of the fun I had applying it, the compliments I got from using it and how well it did in the rain as the beads flew off of the hood...good stuff, whether it really makes a definitive and measurable difference or not.
