Paint sealant

Pretty much what a dealer sells you is an overpriced sealant. You are better off investing in your own products for a fraction of the cost.

 

That's what I figured. They were talking about how it would protect the paint for like 10yrs vs. what I see here which is a matter of months. Are they exaggerating, or is there a more professional grade of sealant that they could apply in a shop with proper tools/skills?

 

Exaggerating. Check out Autogeek’s forums. Do a quick search and see what you find. Usually a product like that there is some fine print where it has to be reapplied.

 

The three main categories are:

WAX- these are your traditional paint protection products of years gone by. These contain real wax (usually carnauba or montan wax). But most big box store waxes now days are actually a hybrid; some wax plus some synthetic wax ingredients. Essentially a wax-paint sealant hybrid. They have a longevity of 1-3 months (give it take). They often give paint that deep, wet look. Nice on dark colored paint.

PAINT SEALANT- these are essentially "synthetic waxes". Sometimes referred to as polymer paint sealants. Longevity can be in the 4-6 month range. These have a more glassy, plastic-y appearance. Great on light colors. What do these have over traditional waxes? They are much more durable (last longer). And typically easier to apply and remove.

PAINT COATING- these are gaining in popularity. Why? They often last a year or two. And they really shed dirt and grime. Makes it easy to maintain the paint. Downside is they require significant preparation to work properly. They're also kind of expensive (but that's arguable, considering what they accomplish). There is also a learning curve regarding application and coatings don't all apply/react in the same way.

Most spray waxes and spray sealants are synthetic in nature. Some contain a small amount of wax, but for the most part, they are synthetic products. The cool thing is that spray wax/sealant technology has come a long way in the last few years. You can apply spray wax once or twice a month and keep your paint protected. It's quick, easy, and it works. But you have to keep up with it, as longevity isn't anywhere near that of an actual wax or paint sealant.

 

I got some Ultima Acrylic Spray Wax this spring. Holy cow. The water behavior is insane and it lasts and lasts. Three months wouldn't be an exaggeration. It's bright, glossy. Great product.

 

Look into some of the spray on/wipe off paint sealants.
Meguiars Fast Finish
Blackfire SiO2 Spray Sealant
Optimum opti seal
McKee's 10 minute paint sealant
Ultima Paint Guard Plus

 

Great info thank you!

 

Is it better than Duragloss Aquawax?

 

Better? Good question. I need more time with it before I go there. It real close. I'd say water behavior is definitely better.

 

Excellent explanation! I might add one comment though. A number of waxes have some limited correction / filler ability built in. Very few sealants have any built in. And as far as I know, no coatings have any correction / filler ability. That's not important to any of us detailers, because we correct with separate products. But for many folks who actually believe some of the miracle claims on TV for waxes that make a car picked out of a junkyard look like new by simply wiping a product on and off, a coating is not the way to go at all.

 

There are some AWESOME all-in-one products out right now that offer a good deal of correction plus durable paint sealant protection in a single step.

My favorite is McKee's 360. Impressive corrective ability. Knocks out swirls VERY effectively and leaves a paint sealant behind that is VERY durable. And it's soooo easy to use. Run your buffer until the product almost disappears and then a couple quick easy wipes with a mf towel and your done. It actually removes swirls, doesn't fill.

That's just one of several AIO's on the market now that correct and leave a paint sealant behind.

 

If you detail for $$, McKee's 360 is a homerun

 

Hmmm, I stand corrected. Thanks for the information. I may have to try some of that stuff!

 

HD Speed is another popular AIO that corrects and leaves a sealant behind. Blackfire has a good one, too. Meguiars Mirror Bright Polishing Wax corrects and leaves sealant behind, although I've not tried it. I think Sonax makes one, too. There's a bunch.

 

Meguiar's Ultra Polishing wax is another one.

 

There are some really good spray on spray off sealants. After you've washed the truck and rinsed while it's still wet, spray on one panel at a time, then immediately rinse it off. Move to the next section and repeat. They work on all surfaces pretty amazing on the glass and wheels.

Biggest caveat is you really can't use this in direct sun or if the surface is excessively hot. It will streak, so make sure product is rinsed off before the sun hits it. Power washer helps since it will rinse faster, but a decent spray nozzle from the water hose will do.

Not cheap so use it sparingly since the product will spread as you rinse it off. Don't need to spray onto every square inch.

Carpro hydro2 (comes undiluted)
McKees37 Hydro Blue
I know there are several others, search silica spray sealant or sio2

 

This cat is using it in the sun and said you can. I got to get a gallon of that monkey piss next time AutoGeek has a sale with free shipping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=122&v=rWtiRQDUUxc

 

I've seen a few people mention on autogeek that they've had issues with streaking the sun. As long as you can blast it off with water you'll be fine. I've used it in the sun with a pressure washer, I'd be hesitant with a weak hose.

It's hydro2 you definitely want to avoid the sun. Im sure other versions by other vendors could be the same.

Yeah definitely get by the gallon, and wait for a 25% off sale. Most of these expensive chemicals make more sense to get the gallon over the 16oz at autogeek.

 

In general its probably not a good idea to use any product in the sun unless you just can't avoid it.

 

Never used any of their products but I keep seeing that Poorboy's World products are sun safe.