Sealers

[Jimjc]

Is there any objective proof, that a particular sealer is the longest lasting or is it like most everything else all subjective because there are just to many variables to take into account, so nothing can be determined to be the " longest lasting" without a long list of disclaimers.

So if there is "no proof" why do we spend extra money on the most expensive sealers?

Could there be a case made, that if you go with a product "in the middle of the pricing" that`s where the sweet spot is and that`s where the best value is also?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Sealers

Let's define "sealer" here as there are a couple of ways this could be interpreted.

Sealant, as in synthetic wax, would include things like NXT Tech Wax 2.0, Ultimate Wax, Zaino, Blackfire Wet Diamond, and a huge list of other such man made polymer protectants. While it's fair to say that these synthetic polymer sealants will, as a group, outlast carnauba waxes, which one will last longer than the others is a tough call. There have been plenty of "tests" done by forum members but even those are often inconclusive and we've seen all kinds of mixed results. It can also be rather difficult to fully tell if any of the product is really still there and doing any protecting. Usually when someone conducts a test on a forum they use water beading as their indicator of the product being "still there". But water beading is really just an indicator of surface tension and not necessarily a guarantee that any of the product still remains on the paint. And these all break down gradually over time and some might hold up better to acid rain, while others are more resistant to heavy rain, or detergent washings, etc. So one individual may have different results than another when doing such a test.

Sealers, if you're referring to many of the new breed of paint coatings, also vary in price and performance. These include products like CQuartz, 22ple, Opti-Coat, etc. How long these last is also dependent on how they're treated, but many of them will actually last for several years. They can still be scratched if the car is run through an aggressive automatic car wash and the coating itself then must be compounded off in order to remove the scratches. Application of these can be a bit finicky and the paint must be fully corrected prior to application.

With either of the above type of products, as well as with carnauba waxes, the price you pay is not always an indicator the level of protection you'll get. But for many, it isn't always about just the protection - ease of application and removal, gloss level, ease of maintenance, etc are all part of the decision process. To some it's an ego thing too, oddly enough. If you think synthetic waxes or coatings are expensive, you need to look at the price of high end (high end of the price spectrum, that is) carnauba waxes. How much are you willing to pay for a wax? $15? $25? $50? $100? $1,000? $5,000? $30,000? $90,000? They all exist, but if you apply any of them to a car that is full of swirls and loaded with bonded contaminants that car will not look like it's ready for a class win at Pebble Beach. Prep still takes precedence.

[Jimjc]

Re: Sealers

Thanks for such a complete reply. is Meguairs coming up out with any WOWA sealers that you say will last for years. I would have interest if they were.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Sealers

is Meguairs coming up out with any WOWA sealers that you say will last for years

As the saying goes, I could tell you but then I'd have to...... well, you know.

Seriously though, we obviously can't and won't divulge anything that may or may not be in the works for future release, for reasons you can well imagine. We do offer a coating in the Asian markets only that offers protection against heavy acid rain, which is prevalent in that part of the world, but it's only offered through professional detailing centers.

Many of these highly durable coatings really concentrate on protection more than looks (although a couple of them are quite glossy). Many elite pro detailers offer these as expensive add on processes for their regular customers, in part because it makes their life easier when it comes to maintaining the vehicles for these customers. They will charge between $200 and $600 additional to apply a coating after doing a full correction (for which they may already be charging $400 to $1000).