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2. Paint Coatings
3. Coating Hardness
4. Coating Maintenance Products
5. Glass Coatings
6. Wheel Coatings
7. Personal Cars
8. Other things…
9. Media…
9. Cut to the chase, after all these choices, what did I eventually settle on as ‘My Best’, emphasis on MY
9. Graphene Coating Info
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;” – William Shakespeare
Well, apparently marketing terms pretty much. I’d guess there may be a (very) few ‘exceptions’ to the rule, SiC coatings perhaps being one, but other than that, pretty much the same chemistry w/ different names.
From Feynlab Blog: Coating Chemistries, and Differentiating Marketing Terms from Actual Chemistry
CERAMIC OR GLASS COATING
We often get asked which type we think is better. Unfortunately, those terms don’t really refer to any type of chemistry. In the US, we normally refer to paint protection coatings as Ceramic coatings, whereas in Japan and the East they are mostly referred to as Glass coatings. It’s interchangeable, and the terms really don’t mean anything. Competitors broadly use these terms for products that form a durable long lasting layer on the paint. And Ceramic is now widely used as a marketing term for a product that is higher performing than a sealant.
Summary: Is CERAMIC OR GLASS COATING a marketing term?
These terms are 100% marketing terms, and don’t actually refer to any specific type of chemistry.
Asking what’s the best coating is kinda like asking “What’s the best color?” or “What’s the best vegetable?”; there are so many subjective and individual aspects to what pleases one with regards to coating performance and appearance that it really makes the question, IMO anyway, unanswerable. Fortunately, while there may not be a universal, ‘best for all needs and wants’ coating, there is likely a best coating *for you*.
First thing to do is decide what YOU want out of a coating; things to consider:
While quartz/glass/ceramic coatings are all in the same general category with respect to LSP’s, there are subtle differences in them and you may as well go with one that is strong in your primary areas of concern.
If you’re really, really into this kinda stuff, you can look at the above items and start to narrow down what will work best for you, i.e. your *best coating*
1. Durability and longevity: Assuming for a moment that one can actually expect the longevity to match what the particular product claims w/ regards to this area (an invalid assumption in reality), an expectation and desire for longevity again leads us back to personal preference, in large part your level of “OCD-ness” with regards to your paint. If you are extremely OCD w/ a black, daily driven car you might not want something with extraordinary longevity as you’ll want to be polishing out defects (and thus removing the coating) frequently. In a case like this, a “Coating-Lite” product like Gyeon CanCoat might be *the best* coating for you.
If you’re more concerned with a long-term, “looks good from 2 feet away with little maintenance” type scenario, 22ple HPC might be *the best* coating for you. I coated a fleet van at work w/ this product in March of 2017 and despite getting maybe one or two touchless tunnel washes a season it still looks “2-ft away” clean and tidy a majority of the time. Beading is far gone but somehow a nice rainstorm still keeps it looking ‘Fleet clean and shiny’. Scratches and some light marring (which coatings really don’t protect much from anyway) are acceptable and secondary to overall reasonably good appearance w little to no attention.
2. Appearance: Many coatings, at least to my untrained eye, have subtle yet distinct appearance characteristics to them. While one might not be able to pick up the differences at a glance, or sometimes even under close inspection, if ya stare at things enough you can *sometimes* discern these differences (even if it may be all in my head). If you’re looking for a very sharp gloss, an almost sealant-like appearance, Feynlab Ceramic can give you that look better than some others. Prefer a kinda deeper, warmer glow that really accentuates the metallic in a paint…Kamikaze ISM 1.0 can fit the bill. To me, 22ple HPC has a thicker, ‘molten-glass’ type of gloss that is a bit less ‘candy’ than many other coatings. Gyeon Mohs is more ‘shiny’ than ‘glossy’ and Gtechniq CSL is kinda a deep, rich look without much candy-gloss. SPS Graphene has a very sharp gloss that even seems to almost ‘burn thru’ any light dust that may be on the surface w respect to appearance. Gyeon CanCoat is one of the products that elicits that ‘candy-gloss’ look well.
3. Ease of application: Not applicable if you’re having a pro do it but if you’re a DIY kinda person, ease of application certainly plays a role; work smarter, not harder, eh? Nearly all of the coatings I have used have had great application characteristics. Some like you to work in 2×2 sections because they flash quickly (Kamikaze ISM 2.0, Gtechniq CSL, there are many others) while something like Kamikaze Miyabi can be applied to one or two panels before easy removal/leveling is done. Cquartz UK 3.0 wants a second layer within an hour of the first (or wait 24hrs for 2nd layer if not within an hour) so if layering you might have to break a larger vehicle up into sections to meet those needs. 22ple HPC is one of the most ridiculously easy coatings to apply, can do very large sections before removal, but wants 12-24 hrs before 2nd layer so that may be a logistical challenge for some.
Climate (temperature, humidity and such) can have a lot to do with ease of use/application characteristics so that may be a factor for you as well. In that case, your *best coating* may sacrifice some performance for a nice, stress-free application given your location and where/when you may be applying.
4. Climate car exists in: While I really can’t speak accurately to how a coating performs outside of NE Ohio, perhaps some coatings do better than others in nuclear climates like Arizona. While in NE Ohio, Winter freeway driving is a ‘coating killer’ most notably on vertical panels. Merely sitting outside all year doesn’t seem to degrade a coating much but after speaking w/ someone in Arizona, they found quite the opposite; car sitting stationary in the sun had their coatings degrade quicker than cars that were constantly driven.
5. Is beading important to you? While all coatings will bead to some degree some certainly do it a bit better and longer than others. Gyeon Mohs and Gtechniq CSL become more hydrophilic as they age, a bit more sheeting as opposed to beading. In my first experience with Gtechniq CSL back in 2017 I first topped it with C2V3 which increased the beading initially. Problem was, the beads just sat there so every time it rained, the self-cleaning effects were somewhat dismal. It actually started keeping itself cleaner w/ less attention once the C2V3 wore off after a month or so. Eventually I topped it with Gyeon Cancoat which really improved its overall performance, even exceeding the CSL + EXOV4 combo I used in Winter of 2019 (which actually turned out to be a bit of a disappointment in a limited maintenance situation.). There’s some great maintenance products/toppers/boosters out there that can remedy some of those (perceived) shortcomings but if you really dig nice beads and water flying off the hood on the freeway, maybe the *best* coating for you is one with strengths in that area.
6. Are self-cleaning characteristics important to you or are you gonna wash your car weekly regardless? Some coatings (including my preferred coatings) stay cleaner than others with little intervention. Not perfectly clean, but ‘acceptably clean’…which again, is a judgment based on personal preference as to what ‘acceptably clean’ is. If you’re washing your car frequently because you enjoy it, a trade-off in this area might be worth it for longer durability of the base coating with somewhat less self-cleaning/hydrophobic characteristics.
7. How much do you wanna spend? There are coatings ranging from somewhat economical (it’s all relative, I guess) up to in excess of $300 for 30ml. While not every product meets the “More $$ is always better” criteria, some actually do given the features and characteristics they offer. Limited self-healing abilities, greater longevity, increased resistance to staining/etching, diminished propensity for water spotting and other “May be important to you” aspects. Not everyone wants to put that much into car care to eek out that last little bit of ‘something’ that a more expensive choice might offer.
8. Daily driver or hobby car? If you’re just pulling your car out for short jaunts on Sunny days, avoiding rain and snow and other ‘LSP-killing’ stuff. In that case, you might be able to skip a full-on coating and go with something lighter like Gyeon CanCoat, CarPro Cquartz Lite or Feynlab Ceramic Lite. Longevity is not gonna be much of any issue, nor resistance to chemical/environmental contamination…things like that. On the other hand, if your car sits outside a lot, get’s driven a lot and is exposed to rain in the morning, sun in the afternoon and other such assaults on your finish, may as well get the toughest thing ya can that still meets your particular needs and wants.
Lotsa stuff to consider (more than listed above, that’s for sure), stuff that usually can’t all be addressed by a single product. Gotta decide what’s best for *you* and go from there.
I spent 4 years trying a bunch of different coatings, looking for my personal ‘best’ which really boils down my ‘favorites’. As a hobbyist, I have no cost considerations aside from what I consider practical so it was a worthwhile adventure. Some I tried on vehicles that so no maintenance, some on vehicles that rec’d limited maintenance and some that rec’d careful maintenance (notes on each here: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/glass-quartz-ceramic-coatings/ ). The things that I found to be important to me are:
So after all that, what is the best coating in all the land? The one that works best for *you*. My favorites are exactly that…mine; I labor under no illusion that they are the singular best products in the world but rather that they are in *my* world. They *might* be pretty friggin’ good in your world too but no one can really say except you after you gave them a try.
Another point worth considering is the intangible pleasure one may derive from using ‘your’ preferred choice. Maybe it comes from a preferred vendor, maybe it’s the application process…heck, maybe you just like the bottles it comes in. The point being that aside from functionality (the #1 consideration for me) there are likely factors that influence what your BEST coating is aside from how it makes your car look and how well it works for your particular needs. I bought my daily driver in June of 2017 and it has had 4 coatings on it in the last 3 years. First did it in 22ple HPC which was nice but parked next to our black 2004 Corvette done in Kamikaze Miyabi & ISM 1.0 it just didn’t quite have the same depth of appearance so 2 months later I polished it off and did it with Kamikaze Miyabi + ISM 1.0. Rode that for 42k hard, NE Ohio daily driver miles and then removed in June of 2019 to give SPS Graphene a try…which I then removed in July of 2020 to go to Kamikaze Miyabi + ISM 2.0. While the SPS Graphene didn’t give me quite what I wanted out of a coating (despite being a very good coating in and of itself), the 22ple HPC originally on the car would have done quite well, slight differences in appearance aside. I realized that the confidence I have in Kamikaze (have never had water spotting, never any staining, easy to keep clean and easy to apply (up until ISM 2.0 which is a bit cantankerous) just makes me feel better having it on my car. It’s hard to quantify how that confidence in a product turns into something measurable but it is certainly there regardless. Maybe peace of mind? I dunno for sure but I think there are factors outside of longevity, looks, water beading, water sheeting, self-cleaning etc. that play a slight bit into your BEST coating. Then again, maybe I just put too much thought into this whole thing 😆
As with anything, YMMV. I’m not a pro, I don’t throw chemicals at coatings to test their durability nor do I have access to a DOI (Distinctness of Image) meter or a Gloss Meter to make scientific judgments. I just find something I may think will be a contender, prep and polish a vehicle, apply the coating and watch how it does; probably 500k+ plus miles on the coated vehicles, 80% of which I see every day (having a fleet of vehicles to try stuff on is quite handy) And maybe if I had one or more of those (Gloss Meter, DOI Meter) what my eyes may see may not be as accurate as I think but that’d likely take some fun outta it for me. And this is, at the end of the day for a hobbyist, supposed to be fun, no?
All my screwing around with coatings/corrections/detailing and such began as a journey to find the best for my personal cars. All costs incurred are, well, incurred by me personally with no real compensation. Fortunately I have a fleet of service vehicles at work to prep/correct/coat which I then get to watch each day to see how they hold up which I find very entertaining. If you search the Autopia forum for user BudgetPlan1, that’s me. I tend to use things and then write somewhat wordy reviews of them as when I was just getting into this stuff, that’s the kinda thing I was looking for. People commenting on a product with a “it’s great” with no substantiation were of little value to me so I try to get all the info I can out there so folks can make their own decisions.
I live in NE Ohio so all my findings/thoughts are based on that climate. The characteristics of a coating that matter most to me are:
Claims of hardness, scratch resistance and such are, IMO, way over-marketed with coatings. While they may provide some minor resistance to light marring, it’s a harsh world out there and many things (jewelry banging paint around door handles, boxes hitting trunk areas while loading, leaning on hood of vehicle with grimy sweatshirts, etc) *will* leave a mark. Problem with coatings is the only way to remedy those marks/marring is to re-polish (removing coating) and re-coating that area, generally an entire panel as many coatings don’t lend themselves well to spot fixes. If you’re horribly OCD-ish about having a totally defect free car for 2 years, a coating may not be the best way to go…or a ‘lighter’ coating like Gyeon CanCoat may be more appropriate.
While a coating may indeed be slightly harder than the generally accepted toughness of clearcoat, the actual difference is likely very, very, VERY small and my fingernail will still goon up a vaunted 10h coating; I’ve done it. Additionally, if you coat a black Honda w/ the ‘hardest’ titanium/graphene/ceramic coating and dry it with what seems to be a soft cotton bath towel, you will likely inflict a lot of swirling.
Lending further confusion to the subject is the whole ‘h’ thing when measuring coating hardness. The MOHS Scale of Mineral Hardness runs from 1H (Talc) thru 10H (Diamond). So does a 10h coating provide a surface as hard as a diamond? Well…no. Coatings are measured via the Pencil Test which in no way indicates hardness based upon the MOHS scale.
MOHS Scale of Mineral Hardness: https://geology.com/minerals/mohs-hardness-scale.shtml
A bit on comparisons from above link:
Making Hardness Comparisons
“Hardness” is the resistance of a material to being scratched. The test is conducted by placing a sharp point of one specimen on an unmarked surface of another specimen and attempting to produce a scratch. Here are the four situations that you might observe when comparing the hardness of two specimens:
MOHS Hardness of some typical substances:
2.5 Fingernail
2.5–3 Gold, Silver
3 Copper (penny)
4-4.5 Platinum
4-5 Iron
5.5 Knife blade
6.5 Iron pyrite
5.5 Glass
6.5 Hardened steel file
7 Quartz
Well, there’s Quartz coming in at 7H MOHS…and yet a cotton towel or a fingernail (coming in at 2.5H) can mark it up so what’s the deal? Frankly, I don’t know (Physics and Chemistry are NOT my strong suits) but I just know it is what it is.; Coatings ARE NOT that scratch resistant.
Pencil Test Hardness
A bit of detail: https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/2565/pencil-hardness-test
From the above:
A pencil hardness test is a type of evaluation method that is performed to determine the hardness of a material, typically coating materials. To perform a pencil hardness test, graphite pencils of varying hardness are moved across a coating’s surface. Its hardness relative to the graphite pencils is determined by the softest pencil that will leave a scratch on the surface of the coating.
Since Graphite Pencils are used and Graphite checks in at 1.5H on the Mohs scale, well…that’s even more confusing.
Of course there are more than a few other variables that enter into the equation of scratch resistance (substrate hardness, for one) but, for me, the benefits of coating are the resistance to environmental and the self-cleaning characteristics. I stopped caring about scratch resistance long, long ago.
Just because we all like videos of stuff, this one is after a let a bit of IGL Quartz cure on my desk for a week or 2. Despite all the hardness talk which may lead some to believe cured coatings are quite rigid, they’re actually quite flexible.
IGL Quartz Flexing: https://youtu.be/Iqsn5EhemO0
Some more info from who *really* know what they’re talking about as opposed to me just kinda piecing things together in my oft-troubled mind:
I suppose one could debate the specifics of ‘hardness’ and measuring it until the end of time and likely find evidence supporting whatever conclusion you want to make but at the end of the day, all that really matters is that coatings are NOT scratch resistant in any meaningful way…and your 10H coating is certainly not as hard as a diamond.
Some more info from folks smarter than I regarding the scratch resistance of coatings:
– Are Ceramic Coatings Scratch Proof: https://youtu.be/TRt1f97miIU
End of the day, whether a coating is noted as “Super Atomic Unobtanium eleventy-billion h hardness” or “5h hardness”, it’s of no matter to me…in a practical sense (at this time, technology always marches forward) neither will provide much in the way of scratch resistance and that’s OK; coatings exist for many beneficial reasons other than what the marketing department conjures up.
You’ll never know for sure how durability will really turn out until you actually try it in your climate and your situation. Some things can be estimated by finding others experiences in similar conditions and usage but that’s still just an educated guess.
We had 3 cars with considerably different usage patterns; all protected with same set of products (Kamikaze) – (October 2016 thru May 2019)
All are in NE Ohio.
Same protection, varying usage far different likely outcomes. Freeway use, especially during winter, is very, very hard on a vehicles finish. Here’s a bit of info on the many things Ohio could spray the roads down with in the Winter, many times preemptively when a storm is forecast…which often never comes to pass; I shoulda been a weatherman ‘cuz apparently all ya need is a coin to flip when predicting weather: Winter Road Treatments in Ohio
Having seen a lot of faded cars last time I was in Arizona, I’m guessing they have a whole different kind of nightmare to deal with, entire different set of circumstances to cope with. Florida apparently has acid-filled Love Bugs that can etch paint if left for too long…another nightmare entirely.
Point being, no claims listed on a box can even begin to adequately predict longevity. It’s the ultimate YMMV scenario.
For the most part, I’ve used the foam block (Gyeon, CarPro, Kamikaze) and microsuede cloths to apply; Either the included cloths with coating or snatching up a large CarPro microsuede towels and cutting them to size as it’s cheaper. After discovering the AutoFiber ‘Coating Saver’ applicators I generally use those most of the time now.
I gave these a try for the Winter 2020 coatings and they are now my preferred applicator. The larger 3 x 5 size seems to be conducive to applying a smoother, easier layer than the smaller ones and also seem to result in less product used. I like ’em.
I seem to like lower nap for initial coating removal, followed by a slightly plusher towel for final buff. Eagle Edgeless 300 towels and find them to be my new favorite go-to towels for initial removal/leveling of coatings followed by a final wipe with a higher GSM towel like an Eagle Edgeless 350gsm. The Eagle 300’s are cheap enough that no reason to try and wash, just toss ’em when done.
Note: The Polish Angel Spritzes are kinda a ‘1a’ and ‘1b’ depending on whether you want the max reflectivity of High Gloss or the warmer look of Cosmic.
Note: An interesting product has recently come to my attention after using the NV Nova EVO coating last January (2021). I topped it with their Jet spray coating and that vehicle has done so well overall that I dropped Jet on my daily driver after the annual Spring decon/cleanup. The vehicle has Kamikaze ISM 2.0 on it aside from the hood, roof and trunk which had Ethos Graphene Matrix on it (which died sometime over the Winter) and now it has Jet on top of it all. Too soon to tell if it has the legs to be a true contender but at this early stage, it just might be.
Also tried Mothers CMX which was wholly unimpressive and Beadmaker as well but since that’s more of a weak polymer sealant thing known mostly for gloss & slickness with limited other useful functionality for me, not really the same as above stuff.
6, 7 & 8 are really good as standalones.
All matter of opinion, nothing scientific, YMMV.
A note about ‘lists’ that’s, well…worth ‘noting’
Lists really can be a bit kinda misleading, it’s not to say C2V3 (last on my list) is a bad product but rather that for my specific needs, it didn’t do what I prefer as well as some others. You can really kinda break it up into 3 groups:
The first group below speak well to my specific needs, that is “Great hydrophobic and self cleaning characteristics w/ ease of use and great aesthetic properties (notably PA High Gloss…most reflective thing I’ve used)”
This second group are notable for their longevity/durability, great for stand-alone use, a bit ‘more’ than a coating booster/maintenance product (although could also put Kami Overcoat in this group as it’s some pretty tough stuff as well). Since my cars are all coated, I really don’t often have a need for these as stand-alones or ‘coating-lite’ products.
Gyeon Cancoat for instance, is quite a handy product to have around. Great for door jambs and such and stellar in getting neighbors outta my garage who say “Hey, what can I put on my car…” without having to go thru a whole lotta trouble. Throw them some Eraser, some CanCoat, some towels and they can take care if it themselves and get 6 months of gret candy-gloss, hydrophobic performance. They end up happy as pigs in sh*t and I didn’t have to do much of anything.
6. IGL Premier
7. Feynlab Ceramic Spray Sealant
8. TAC Moonlight/Gyeon CanCoat
This third group, either used as stand-alone’s or as maintenance products, kinda fall into the ‘everything else’ group and the differences between them are slight in my experience. C2V3 falls into the bottom position in this group as it was the poorest for my specific needs; when it rained, the surface needed to be washed because it just had very poor self/cleaning characteristics.
9. Gyeon Cure
10. CarPro Reload
11. HydroSilex Recharge
12. Nanolex SiFinish
13. Gtechniq Liquid Crystal C2V3
I’ve found most PA products to have a distinctly delicious appearance, extraoridinary fun and easy to use and the 22ple VS1 is a more economical product but still one that punches above it’s weight class. NV Nova Jet could very well be a contender as well.
Gyeon Booster *
*Gyeon Booster isn’t so much a topper or even a topcoat (like CarPro Gliss). It actually is kinda a catalyst that changes the properties of the base coating it’s applied over. As a result of this, it will need to be applied relatively soon after the base coating is applied (before it completely cures). The below is how Jeff McEachran, Gyeon U.S. National Brand Manager, describes it:
“Q2 Booster, like Q2 Bead in DuraBead, is a Fluorine based top coat designed to increase surface tension and throw the water beading characteristics through the roof. The Fluorine base of Q2 Booster is performing a chemical reaction with the Q2 Mohs underneath, and is not a true additional layer. Q2 Booster also needs to be applied before Q2 Mohs has cured, so it is best to apply them as a system and in sequence. Q2 Booster will not do much good say 6 months down the road. It can also be applied over any high quality coating.”
A little bit about toppers/boosters, all theoretical with no solid foundation in anything other than ‘what I think…’
Why use a booster/topper like those above? Dunno, but perhaps…
1. The elements that provide the durability and chemical/environmental protection of a base coating do not provide/are not compatible with the more entertaining aspects folks associate with a ‘good’ LSP.
Things like slickness, exciting water behavior, beading, added gloss. In other words, the base coating provides the functional aspects, the booster the aesthetic aspects. Gyeon Mohs, Gtechniq CSL for example are some pretty tough customers but the visible water behavior is visually not that entertaining, hence the Skin topcoat in the Mohs-based Syncro kit and the ‘preferred’ CSL +EXOV4 application combo.
On their own, Mohs and CSL are more hydrophillic as opposed to hydrophobic and that’s just not as visually entertaining as when topped with a more hydrophobic top layer. While Skin and EXO are ‘kinda coatings’ like CarPro Gliss, Feynlab Topcoat and TAC Topcoat, the concept of topping a coating via dedicated ‘topcoat’ or booster is, to me, kinda the same. The base coating, for whatever reason, can’t encompass all characteristics people recognize as ‘quality’ behavior of an LSP.
2. Sacrificial layer or protecting the protection. Better to contaminate a top layer than the more expensive base coating.
3. Revenue generation. More products needed to maintain the base coating benefits, real or perceived. “You spent all this money on getting it coated, what’s a little bit more?” Kinda akin to changing oil every 3500 miles instead of following mfg recommendations of up to 10k intervals. Better safe than sorry?
4. Just following directions. Most mfgs reccomend some kinda maintenance topper, necessity of it being irrelevant. Again, better safe than sorry?
There’s plenty of well-respected coating aficionados who coat and let it ride…with excellent results so topping is definitely not necessary in all cases. May as well throw ‘personal preference’ on the list as well.
Look at Glassparency, the latest trend in glass coatings. If I’m not mistaken (and I certainly could be) they require maintenance/refresh every 3 months to stay viable…planned topping?
I dunno, really…interesting topic but at the end of the day, gotta do what works best *for you*. If that involves toppers/boosters then so be it. If not, no harm, no foul. Variety is the spice of life.
Applied in January 2017 to a 2016 Ford Transit Extended Van. It’s a solid product, especially given the generally low cost. Application is easy, the looks are good. Finished application is not especially slick, so I topped it with Gyeon Cure. It has remained nice looking, resisted permanent water spotting. A solid, middle of the pack product that likely won’t disappoint. Nothing extremely notable about it to me, however.
Applied in Spring 2016 to 2 of our personal cars, a 2016 black metallic WRX (daily driver all year long, garaged at night, likely 17K miles a year) and 2004 black Corvette (Spring/Summer/Fall usage, stored in winter, maybe 7500 miles a year, does see rain). Being stored thru the winter, the Corvette made it to Spring of 2017 in good shape with the WG Uber; the WRX, however, had completely failed on the vertical panels. Even decon and slight clay could not restore coating properties. IMO, this product, wheil looking good and easy to apply, is just not durable and given the relatively high cost, not among the best choices for me, all things considered.
For the cost, this one surprised me. Used it on a friend’s car that gets occasional washing, daily driven, about 5000 miles year-round. Nice looks, easy maintenance when combined with another SiO2 add-on like or Gyeon Wetcoat or Cure. It’s still doing nicely after application in Summer 2016, generally maintained with Gyeon Wetcoat on occasion. On its own, maybe it wouldn’t last as long but I cant say for sure
OK, pretty good for the cost, I guess. Actually, I liked V1 a bit better. V2 flashes quicker and is tackier on removal.
It’s nice, easy to use and has some good initial water behavior. Good glossy looks, I’d place it a bit below Cquartz. It just really didn’t do much for me.
This is a nice product, decent if not-so-entertaining water behavior. Has always looked clean despite never having been washed since application. Beading has fallen off a bit but it still looks clean, shiny and to a non-ocd person, would look freshly washed. Seems to resist marring better than some of the others. Have topped with CanCoat which adds more gloss, slickness and entertaining water behavior, something Mohs alone can lack. Topped with Gyeon Booster improves gloss slightly and more significantly, water behavior. The Flourine-based product is a bit $$ though on top of Mohs, especially now that Syncro is out. The Mohs + Booster combo is a consumer approximation of pro only Gyeon Durabead.
Had high hopes for this one. The Skin component adds to what the Mohs base layer lacked, i.e. slickness and water behavior. Very easy to apply, nice gloss. At 4 months and 8k miles in, with no maintenance whatsoever it’s still slick, stays reasonably clean. If you’re a fan of well-defined beads that move around a surface like little drops of mercury, this is the product for you. Slickest coating I have used to date as well. Skin is a silicone based topcoat and the Mohs + Skin is a consumer-ish version of pro-only Gyeon Duraflex. Unfortunately the wonderful characteristics of the Skin topcoat faded after about 6-7 months, not good. If Gyeon sold Skin seperately for occasional refreshing, this would be one of the most entertaining products out there.
The results were nice, but application was the stickiest once it hit the paint that I’ve ever used. Forgiving with respect to the amount of time you have to buff off missed high spots but very arduous removing/buffing. This was topped with CanCoat soon after application, it’s performing quite well. Maintenance on this car is weekly washes…using Dawn or Joy dish soap to wash. I can’t control what happens after the cars leave me. Holding up nicely regardless.
Water behavior, appearance and self-cleaning are on par with a ‘full fledged’ coating product and in the right situation, a product like this might even be a preferred solution for a vehicle/owner who is somewhat less OCD-ish or unwilling to invest the time and cost in a full correction/coating job for their vehicle. Maintained via wash with Gyeon Bathe+ on a somewhat regular basis, or post-wash with Gyeon WetCoat and I’ll bet the longevity exceeds the claimed 6 months. Add Gyeon Cure on occasion and it’ll likely stretch longer according to some accounts I’ve read.
I could also see this as being an economical and effective product to use for those who do not wish to spend the time and money prepping and applying more ‘complete’ coating solution. Prep and perhaps a light polish once a year, a CanCoat application or two over that year and you’re getting the protection, self-cleaning and appearance properties of a coating without the more significant investment of time and money a more ‘semi-permanent’ coating would involve, especially for the casual DIY’er. In fact, given the low cost of CanCoat, I can see it being a viable replacement for a sealant if you like or want the look, feel, protection and self-cleaning properties of a coating. It’s actually much easier to apply than most sealants (for me anyway) as well.
Base Coat/Top Coat system. I did a bright red Ford Ranger in this, never been washed since application in Feb/March 2017. Gotta kinda jump thru some hoops to get this stuff, did not excel in self-cleaning but was decent. Given the pricing (not outrageous, but in the 22ple HPC range for Base/Top 50ml), not something I’d be interesting in using again. It’s a nice product but not notable enough to continue with when easier, equal performing choices are available. Will say that their glass coating IS nice, worked better for me than Gyeon View or Kamikaze Intenso.
I really wanted to like this; I like the name, the packaging and the company and upon initial application (topped with Liquid Crystal C2V3) it darkened the bright red paint of the 2014 Ford E250 van I used it on. Nice, deep, rich gloss, easy application. Unfortunately, once released into the wild it was prone to water spotting (easily removed) and was probably the worst of all I tried in self-cleaning abilities. Oddly enough, about 3 months in it started keeping itself cleaner with no outside intervention except for Mother Nature and her rain. Have seen evidence that if topped with EXO, it’s a whole ‘nuther animal, with incredible hydrophobic properties which would significantly aid in self cleaning abilities. I topped this with Gyeon CanCoat after about 20k miles and it’s doing much, much better now. Kept the ‘richness’ of the underlying CSL and the CanCoat improved the self cleaning dramatically.
I’d put it in the same class as Cquartz as far as performance goes. Longevity began to drop off as far as self-cleaning goes, but not to Gtechniq CSL levels. It’s good and I’ll bet if topped with an SiO2 booster, would amp up performance. The looks on a metallic burgundy paint in the sun was fantastic, really brought out the metallic.
At the end of the day, I’m thinking that if The Gloss Shop Ceramic coating V2 has ‘legs’ and the durability, self cleaning and hydrophobic effects hold up over the long term, it’s a solid choice at a very competitive price. It has a ‘substantial’ feel to it during application and leaves a pleasing feel to the paint after application; the look is deep and pleasing without being retina-burning in terms of some coatings, hard-gloss look. Again, if it holds up and reaches near the durability claimed, they really have something special here at an unbelievable low cost. Given the suggestion of 1-coat only (a’ la Kamikaze ISM) a 50ml bottle would easily cover two somewhat large vehicles, including Trim, knocking it down to a cost of $25 per vehicle for a solid, good looking and (hopefully) well performing Ceramic Coating. Being an American-made, America- developed product that gives high performance at a low cost would certainly make it stand out and even stand above some more mainstream coatings.
This was a favorite and for a while, I thought it was gonna unseat the Kamikaze as my favorite. Incredible gloss, most of any I used, the hard, candy gloss appearance. Great self-cleaning abilities, even 12 months after application with no washing/topping or anything. Application is bizarrely easy, very forgiving. It flashes much like a wax or sealant when time to remove so less guesswork there. I applied at the end of March 2017 to a 2016 Ford Transit Extended van, bright red, and it immediately gave that cliché’d Molten Glass look to the paint.
The one downside with the HPC is that while they recommend multiple layers, they also recommend 24hrs curing between layers; that can be kinda inconvenient.
It was so nice that I used it on the 2017 black Honda Acccord Coupe I traded in the WRX on. Applied around July 4 to the Accord, it sure looked like a winner…until I pulled it in the garage next to the recently completed Corvette (Kamikaze Miyabi x2, ISM x1, Infinity Wax and Overcoat). The Accord with the 22ple HPC still looked glossy and nice, with a mirror finish that looked a foot deep. Unfortunately, the Corvette with the Kamikaze looked glossy and nice, with a mirror finish that looked a MILE deep. Goodbye 22ple, hello Kamikaze on the black Accord.
I gave this a shot on the Corvette in between removing 2016’s WG Uber and applying the Kamikaze. It was crazy forgiving in application, long window between apply/remove and left a sharp glossy finish that was quite nice. Unfortunately, the self-cleaning and water behavior was poor, leaving significant water spots after a rainstorm. Again, easily removed with wash but still…not in Kamikaze league in that respect.
Very nice, look can best be described as ‘brilliant’ gloss. Doing ‘OK’ after about 6 months, 6k un-maintained miles. Very easy to apply, strong chemical odor. Kinda reminiscent of the old ‘Zaino look’ if you’re familiar with that. Average at unmaintained self-cleaning abilities.
Got a sample, have it sitting on the hood of a fleet vehicle next to 22ple HPC and so far, no differences can be noted. Nice to apply, though…a very ‘rich’ feeling during application. Nice gloss, good self-cleaning. Really irrelevant unless you’re an authorized installer as they don’t sell to public. Longer term, 22ple HPC outdid it easily.
Hadda get this one from the UK as the SiShield available in the US which I believe is a more consumer-ish version of Si3D. It’s nice, generally good self cleaning but nothing extremely notable.
After waiting 9+ months since release, finally got a chance to give Zipang a try, albeit it on a new 2019 Race Red Ford Transit Connect. Not the most entertaining vehicle to work on but in the middle of a NE Ohio Winter, gotta take what you can get. End of the day, likely the best prepped and protected Fleet vehicle in NE Ohio…for whatever that’s worth.
Not a pro by any means, just a hobbyist who has developed a fascination with polishing paint and trying coatings so that’s the perspective I’m coming from. Have had Kamikaze on one of our personal cars since October 2016 (Miyabi + ISM + Overcoat, still doing quite well, albeit only 16k miles traveled in that time) and another done in Miyabi + ISM + Overcoat in July 2017; this one is still doing well but it’s a NE Ohio daily driver, about 36k miles since application so its had a much harder life. Regardless, couldn’t expect much more out of a coating given the use and abuse this vehicle receives….and it’s black to boot.
With the success I’ve had with the Kamikaze line, I was very eager to try their flagship product, Zipang. I’ve run through a boxload of coatings , probably 20-25 of ‘em since October 2016, looking for something that worked better for me than Kamikaze and I shoulda just quit when I was ahead; the Kamikaze stuff just plain works. The allure of Zipang was just too much to resist any longer, hence the use of the boring, functional Transit van…yet a vehicle that will also give me daily access and ‘observability’ in arguably the worst conditions (Fleet Use) a vehicle can be subject to. Well, aside from my daily driver that is…15 to 18k miles a year on 4 of the worst freeways in NE Ohio can take a toll…I’m hoping Zipang can help with that a bit more. I like clean cars…I like clean, black cars…I don’t like cleaning black cars and so far the Miyabi + ISM combo has been excellent in meeting that goal, best I’ve used but always looking for more.
This current ‘rolling test panel’ Transit Van was fully done with Miyabi as a base and Zipang on top, finished with Overcoat. Given the excessive amount of paint/panels that needed to be covered I actually succumbed to practicality in this case and went with just the Miyabi + Zipang as opposed to the ‘all in’ ultimate combo of Zipang + Miyabi + Zipang. I did have some leftovers despite likely applying Zipang a bit heavy so I pulled out another vehicle, prepped and corrected the hood and applied Zipang + Miyabi + Zipang on it. Unfortunately the driver of that van blew his transmission outta the bottom of the truck 4 days after application so the truck likely sat outside the dealer. It’s quite probable that compromised the entire thing as it was a cold, cold weekend and beginning of the next week. When we get the truck back I’ll try some stuff with it but guessing the events that transpired have gooned up the ability to do any reasonably effective testing on that.
So what do I expect out of Zipang given the products description and what have I seen so far (applied about a month ago)?
* “With Zipang Coat, the chemistry provides even higher levels of gloss and brilliance than their ISM / ISM Pro coatings”
Although I’ve only previously used ISM Coat (and not the more recently released V2.0) the look certainly does tend to be a bit glossier than ISM used on top of Miyabi. The previous version of ISM was a deep rich look, more of a glow as opposed to the outright sharper gloss of Miyabi alone. Zipang doesn’t lose much of the ‘richness’ in favor of brilliance and gloss (if any) but the surface does have a bit more of a distinct gloss vs. Miyabi + ISM while still maintaining the depth. It’s a very classy look
* “…it offers semi self-healing characteristics, meaning that the appearance of small swirls or imperfections in the coating surface will reduce when exposed to heat.”
About 2 weeks of sitting indoors not being driven later, I finally decided to give this a test. While curing the vehicle was indoors where the temperature is generally raised to about 65 degrees F during the day, but will drop down to around 50 degrees F at night; hopefully that didn’t affect the curing too much. Anyway, while I have seen many videos of testing self healing by lightly abrading the paint using a scouring pad or a fine, metal bristle brush, I don’t often run into those kinds of things during the normal usage of a vehicle so I went a different way, trying something that indeed ‘might happen’ to my paint. I found a terry cloth shop rag hanging on a fence, snapped it a few times to remove any large debris, and then proceeded to ‘dry’ a masked off, 6”x6” section of the paint with it. Not grinding it in, not just lightly touching the surface but with the normal pressure one would use when drying a car….and it definitely swirled up the surface quite nicely. If’n I had to guess, and this is certainly a guess, it looks like swirls that something like a polish would remove relatively easily in just a few passes…my version of ‘wash induced marring’ but perhaps a bit more severe given the dirty shop rag I used. Definitely not ‘medium polish needed’ severe but enough that one wouldn’t be happy with the marks on black paint.
After looking about to find the ‘activating temperature’ of the healing effect, it appears that 75 degrees C (160-170 degrees F) is the ticket. Despite having purchased a heat gun and point-n-shoot infrared thermometer specifically for this, I first gave a section a go using water heated to that temperature. Fortunately Keuirg coffee makers are set to 192 degrees F at factory so by the time I got back to the vehicle I had a nice mug of water in the appropriate temperature range. Unfortunately I had foolishly chosen an inconspicuous test section on a vertical panel and that fact, combined with the excellent hydrophobic tendencies of Kamikaze Coatings, meant that the hot water didn’t have much contact time with the panel; oops. It certainly had a slight effect on the swirls but the limited contact time with the hot water necessitated another approach.
With the heat gun and the infrared thermometer, I heated the section up to 160-170 degrees F and at that point the swirls diminished and, in the cases of the very light marring in the outlying areas of the section, nearly disappeared completely. I’d guess (‘cuz lacking extensive experience with this kinda stuff, a guess is the best I can do) about 85% of the swirls were nearly gone and the others were greatly diminished. When considering the products description of “…the appearance of small swirls or imperfections in the coating surface will reduce when exposed to heat” I’d say they’re spot on with their description.
Heat gun, light and thermometer
Swirls from dirty cotton drying towel
Zipang after heat application
To be sure, if someone runs a shopping cart into your paint or even bangs it with a recently ‘bedazzled’ rhinestone purse while at the local Piggly Wiggly, Zipang will likely not make it disappear completely. Given the relatively thin layer of Zipang, the specifics of which I know nothing about, it can only realistically be expected to ‘heal’ so much. But for what I’m looking for, it’ll certainly be a step up and a worthwhile investment when I re-do our cars this Spring/Summer.
An interesting follow up note to the above is that when I went over the paint with a variety of Scangrip lights this morning (Wednesday), the leftover marring that did not completely ‘resolve’ is even more diminished after sitting for about 5 days in a temperature range that drops down to 45 degrees F at night, including a somewhat chilly weekend where indoor temps were probably a consistent 40-45 degrees F from Friday night thru Monday morning. Odd, but somewhat pleasing. I couldn’t even hazard a guess as to what/why.
* “Durability is rated at 5+ years. Zipang Coat also provides a darkening effect to the paint (blacks will be deeper black, richer reds, etc), and has the ability to lightly fill small imperfections in the paint.”
As I had corrected the paint prior to application, can’t really comment on any filling abilities but the added durability is definitely another plus, especially in conjunction with the ability to diminish light swirls.
Durability is often an approximation but given my past experience with Kamikaze, they’re not making outrageous claims based upon assumptions that a car will never leave the garage on all but the most perfect of weather days. To wit:
So, given the above, and having seen the general lifespan of Miyabi + ISM (24-36 months if I recall) meet expectations and, for the most part, exceed them, the added longevity of Zipang is a definite plus; of course, this remains to be seen but I have no reason to expect it not to live up to expectations.
As for application, Zipang was a bit different as recommendations are to apply evenly in a single direction, no cross hatch to insure complete coverage so you have to pay a bit more attention to make sure everything is covered. It was ready for removal in 3-5 minutes at around 68 degrees F, a little tacky on removal (as noted in product description) but nothing special or in any way troublesome. Definitely a short nap towel deal, however, and I used 300gsm/350gsm for initial removal and leveling and then a final buff with a 400-450gsm. Just for grins on one door jamb I did do cross hatch in a small area and in addition to getting some texture in the application, the crosshatch pass seemed to dry out the applied coating prematurely making for a somewhat draggy applicator feel. Any small ridges left by the texture of the microfiber applicator were easily leveled during removal though so no harm, no foul.
It`s a somewhat `thick` product on application, much like ISM Coat, almost a thin, syrup type of deal. Regardless it all went well, a relatively easy product to use. The look is ISM-ish, the Zipang toned down a bit of the overt reflectivity of Miyabi and gave the surface a deeper richness while still maintaining nice gloss. It looks `rich`…very classy. The Overcoat will lend a nice touch of gloss. I waited about 2hrs after the Miyabi base layer to apply Zipang and then went over with Overcoat about 18hrs later.
While I woulda loved to do the `ultimate` application of Zipang + Miyabi + Zipang, even my fiscal alarm went off at the prospect of using that much product on a fleet vehicle regardless of curiosity. While generally, if ISM Coat is any indicator, you can likely get 2 layers outta 30ml of Zipang, (same with Miyabi), because of the roof and no windows of this van that wasn`t gonna happen. So I skipped the `ultimate Zipang/Miyabi/Zipang sandwich` and went with the middle ground of a base coat of Miyabi + Zipang on top….topped with Overcoat of course. I would expect that when I re-do my daily driver, a black 2017 Honda Accord Coupe, the ‘ultimate’ application will only require 30ml of Zipang and 30ml of Miyabi with about 15ml of Miyabi left over to use as the base for our other ‘daily driver’. Another plus to Zipang (as well as ISM) is the ability to use it as a trim coating as well…it’s the best trim coating I have found.
All things considered, given the cost of Zipang, is it worth it? I can only speak for myself but for my particular situation the answer is “Yes”. Taking into account my preferred maintenance, vehicle usage patterns and desire for the look that Kamikaze provides (in addition to the unmatched self-cleaning abilities in my experience) the initial cost of Zipang will diminish over the expected lifespan of the products in relation to the current Miyabi + ISM + Overcoat regimen. On my daily driver, even with its somewhat extreme usage pattern, I’ll likely gain an extra year (at least) due to the increased longevity and overall appearance will ratchet up a notch given Zipang’s ability to reduce light swirls. On our other lesser used cars, I will likely gain increased appearance and even more significant longevity improvements. So I guess, the amortization of initial cost (if I’m using that term correctly) will even out with the bonus of less of my time expended and decreased obvious marring due Zipang’s abilities to somewhat self-correct. And, I can do it myself which is unique for coatings that can reduce swirling without the need for being an Authorized Installer.
At the end of the day, Zipang is a very easy to use product, if I can do it anyone can, and it has definite long term advantages for my situation. As with anything, ‘your mileage will vary’ and ya just never know how something is truly gonna work for you until you give it a go. Kamikaze has yet to disappoint me with any of their offerings and I see no reason to believe Zipang will not continue that trend.
As for the specific technical specifications for Zipang (hardness, water contact angle, etc), I have no idea…nor do I care. Hardness is grossly overrated when discussing coatings (IMO) water contact angle makes nice beads and all but beading is kinda irrelevant to me as well as long as the paint stays clean, an area in which Kamikaze excels. YMMV.
While I gave CSL + C2V3 a go back in Winter 2017, it was a bit of a letdown as far as self cleaning goes. It improved somewhat about a month or 2 after application, likely when the C2V3 wore off. The CSL had such a nice look but, on its own, the water behavior is somewhat ‘less than entertaining’. About 8 months after application I dropped Gyeon CanCoat on it and it was very much transformed; the self-cleaning improved substantially and the CanCoat added a bit of nice, candy-type gloss to the richness of the base CSL. Still, I really like Gtechniq as far as branding and packaging and ‘Crystal Serum (Light)’ has to be one of my favorite coating names out there, not to mention the look of CSL is so nice that I hadda give it a try again, with EXOV4 on top which will hopefully improve the water behavior and self-cleaning aspects.
CSL
At 60 degrees F, I`m doing 4` x 6` sections (panel van) and it`s amazing how light a touch removes the CSL; VERY forgiving. Used 300gsm for initial wipe, then 420gsm or so for final buff. Single coat took about 1.5hrs on 2018 Ford Transit 150 van. Used about 25ml.
EXOV4
Wow…a little goes a loooong way. Can do even larger sections than CSL but I`m gonna keep it to the 4` x 6` or similar. EXO needs to sit a minute or two, a bit longer than CSL otherwise kinda `smeary` on removal but still very, very easy to use. Have to pay a bit more attention to avoid pushing coating to another panel when leveling/removing. Using same 300gsm for initial leveling followed by a 350gsm for final buff. Plusher towel not as good fro final buff with EXO for me, leaves some lint. Could be environment I`m doing it in though. Nice slick finish somewhat like the Gliss V2…not Gyeon Syncro slick. Used about 25ml for TWO coats. Started doing larger sections towards on the 2nd coat, no issues.
Used Autofibre coating saver terry/microfiber applicators for both, flipping sides half way thru each coat with no dragging on applicator at any point.
Would be nice if this stuff ends up staying as clean as 22ple & Kamikaze as it`s very quick & easy to apply (even w/ 3 coats) and considering I can get a full van done with 30ml of CSL and 30ml of EXO, I`d be under $100 per vehicle. We`ll see how it goes this summer. It`s a very nice look as well, CSL gives it a nice deep, rich base (darkens slightly) and the EXO adds some reflective gloss.
It might sound a bit corny or goofy, but the word that kept popping into my head when using CSL was `dreamy`. It just goes on so smoothly and removal requires the lightest touch of any I have used; felt like I could just drag a 300gsm with only the weight of the towel and it would come off cleanly. It was really cool. I don’t remember it being that nice when I used it in Winter 2017.
The EXOV4 went on and off nicely, kinda like CQUK 3 with a little more wait time. At about 60 degrees, was working some pretty big sections with no issues, stretched it out pretty far. All things considered, a little of both went a long way but I think the microfiber/terry Coating Saver applicators helped…really like those things.
Really pleased with the look and feel of the CSL& EXO combo; not blatantly, `in your face` but a tad more sharpness than the Kami Combo on the vehicle sitting next to it. Would be nice if it works in the same `fire and forget` manner of 22ple over the long haul.
05/01/2019 – CSL/EXO Update: Have to say that while I like the look of this combo, it has proven to be only slightly above average as far as self cleaning and water behavior go. Have a few thousand miles on the vehicle and it lags behind year-old Kamikaze as far as keeping itself clean w/ no maintenance as well as trailing 22ple HPC in that area. A completely irrelevant point if you’re going to wash your car frequently but still worth mentioning as keeping a reasonably good appearance w/ the least amount of effort is one of my top priorities when looking for a coating/combo. Will continue to watch but at about 2500k miles in, it hasn’t changed my mind about what works best *for me*.
Wanted to give the ‘newish’ CQ UK 3.0 a try, figrd may as well make it an all CarPro affair as well, never having used Essence or Eraser so added those to the mix.
Truck was a brand new, Race Red Ford F250 so prep work wasn’t too bad. Used the Flex 3401& Essence w CarPro Gloss pads to finish it out, let it sit for about 20hrs after that for Essence to set up/cure and then wiped it down with Eraser, well…just because I wanted to try Eraser actually. I enjoyed Eraser, more so than Gyeon Prep. I think I’ll use it more going forward.
Anyway, was wanting to get 2 layers of CQ UK 3 and 1 layer of Gliss V2 down in 8hrs. As the instructions for layering CQ UK 3 noted a 2nd layer could be applied within 1hr of first, otherwise a 24hr wait was suggested, broke truck into front and back halfs. Did 1 layer on front (which took about 45 minutes) then second layer on front, then same for back half.
CQ UK 3 went on nicely, not really grabby or anything on removal, was able to work in panel-sized sections so it went pretty quickly. Used 300gsm or so for initial removal followed by a 350 or 400gsm for final wipe.
Waited about 4-5hrs after last bit of CQ UK 3 was applied and went at it with the Gliss. Had to work in smaller sections as Gliss flashes kinda quick but was fun to apply, little easier to keep track of than Gyeon Booster which flashes crazy-quick. Left a nicely slick surface, not as slick as the Skin topcoat in Gyeon Syncro but a nice finish nonetheless.
Truck only got to cure for about 12hrs and then went off to plow snow.
Fast forward a month or 2 and truck has seen some hard, albeit relatively infrequent, use including having muck and gravel dust slurry dripping down it’s side. Did hose it down and was gonna wash it but apparently someone had similar ideas and ran it through a soap/rinse touchless wash, saving me the trouble.
Regardless, it looks good and is staying relatively clean with little effort. It’s a nice, glossy look, still feels nice to the touch and as shown in pic, retains its excellent looking beads. Whether you’re a fan of beading or not, still fun to look at up close.
It’s a very nice combo and I hope it does well. Easy to use, visually entertaining and reasonably priced. It’s still early and only time will tell but I currently prefer the CQ UK 3 + Gliss V2 combo to Gtechniq CSL + EXOV4. It seems to be staying a bit cleaner on it’s own, has a bit more visual brightness to the gloss which works well on the red paint and just has something to it that seems to work better for me than CSL + EXO…so far anyway.
So far, I’ll stick with 22ple’s HPC offering. Maybe the VXPRO2 will excel in longevity but so far it appears that HPC is more to my liking. Application was very, very easy (as is HPC) but the excellent self-cleaning of HPC is only matched (but not exceeded) by the highest-level 22ple consumer offering, VXPRO2. HPC also seems to have a very slight advantage in outright gloss to my eyes. It’s certainly an excellent product and the equal of HPC but, as of yet, does not exceed HPC in any fashion…except the additional $20 in cost.
Specific page for this here: SPS Graphene Coating
Was about 62-65 degrees back there when I applied, flashed in 2-3 minutes, little quicker as I proceeded thru the vehicle and for the drivers side (done last) I left the bottle open on table to see if it would kinda ‘pre-cure’ as it was exposed to air for a longer period of time in the open bottle. It did a bit, but not really anything worth noting. Did the whole vehicle w one layer except for the hood which got 2 layers, the second within 60 minutes of first as noted in application instructions. Was able to move pretty quickly over truck, doing somewhat large sections as opposed to 2 x 2, mostly a panel at a time, some of the side ones some rather large areas. No harm, no foul…it leveled/removed with nearly no pressure on the Eagle Edgeless 300gsm first towel, followed by quick buff with the lavender 350gsm Eagle’s. All in all, a very enjoyable application w/ no issues.
Wasn’t sure if it was suitable for black plastic trim and such but used it on a bit of it anyway to see how it does.
Truck will likely stay inside for the next 2 weeks, probably really put into use around March when the seasonal guys come back and we start moving towards Opening season in the pool biz. Given the hydrophilic properties of this coating, kinda eager to get it out in the rain and see how it does so as soon as we get a good rain after it’s sufficiently cured. I’ll be driving it around in any rainstorm that comes by…curiosity and all. Not much out there about it found some stuff on the social media sites but no vids of the water behavior. Guess we’ll see going forward how clean it keeps itself; from what I’ve been able to gather, the self-cleaning abilities of hydrophilic stuff may be lesser than hydrophobic but chances for water-spotting are significantly reduced?
Figr’d I’d skip the pipette and just dispense from bottle and it came outta the bottle very nicely…easy to get onto the coating saver mini applicator. Started w hood and it applied a bit thicker than the SpecProd_PRO, very easy to see where it was/wasn’t applied. To be honest, Gyeon One exhibited those 2 initial characteristics as well and I immediately thought of that…and we all know how that turned out 😆
Fortunately, the this came off w little to no effort whatsoever, a pleasure to work with. Was about 72 degrees in warehouse when I started w an actual touch of humidity; kinda left the overhead heaters on a bit too long and with a 5000 gallon test pool in there also, it can get humid if ya run the heaters all day. No matter, didn’t seem to affect anything w regards to application. By the time I was finishing up, had dropped to around 65 with little humidity but this didn’t seem to mind that either. I had opened both garage doors for a bit to cool it down and dump the humidity to see how that went but didn’t affect overall application much…still a nice removal. It seemed to haze more than rainbow when sitting on panel prior to removing. Tried working it into panel more than usual, 3 or 4 crosshatch patterns and it did start tacking up a bit by 4th go at it; still removed easily though.
Instructions said 1-2 minutes dwell time before removal so started at around 2 minutes and a light touch was all that was needed to easily remove.
Kept stretching it out longer, let one section sit for about 7 or 8 minutes and didn’t have any issues although at that interval it took a bit more effort to remove, but not all that much. Seems very forgiving in that sense. By the time I got to roof, I was applying to one entire half of roof before removal, including time it took to climb on platform, apply, move platform, repeat…and so on. No worries but I was getting near limits of dwell time I think.
Was using edgeless 300 for initial wipe, 350 for final cleanup. Despite its appearance as a thicker consistency product, it didnt really load up the towels very much with excess product. Switched to new 300 half way through but kept using the 350 for the entire time with no residual deposits of coating left anywhere on subsequent sections using the 350 all the way thru. Sometimes I’ve absentmindedly thrown a ‘spent’ coating towel on a windshield when done with it, usually leading to residue on glass I’ve had to deal with later; did this just for grins with my first 300 but it didnt leave any marks.
It did seem to stay ‘viable’ on applicator for quite a while, flipped sides half way thru but even first side wasn’t overly grabby by that point.
Did 1 layer on entire vehicle and after about an hour, dropped 2nd coat on hood. 2nd layer really glides on, almost to the point where I’m wondering if it was a bit too late to do but as instructions didn’t mention layering, was kinda wingin’ it.
Used about 20ml for entire vehicle and used the last 10ml on all the black plastic trim Ford slaps on these things. Was kinda a bit splotchy when applying to the more porous trim but evened out in the end. Dunno if this stuff is suitable for that use but that’s what fleet vehicles are for!
Pulled it right next to the identical truck I did w the SpecProd_PRO last week; standing between them with outstretched arms, running fingertips across hoods, kinda felt like the SpecProd_PRO was a tiny bit slicker but maybe that’ll change by Monday as the this coating cures. Fortunately everyone had gone home by that point as I’m guessing that little exercise looked a bit weird. Really didn’t discern much difference in appearance between the 2 but ya know how that goes…very subjective topic and I stare at so much Race Red Ford paint it all gets muddled after a while.
Was one of the more odiferous coatings I’ve used, definitely a noticeable solvent smell; people coming out of the office would mention it.
All in all, a very nice coating to work with. Will let truck sit in warehouse for a week or 2, then pull outside where it will sit until early/mid March when we give it to somebody for the season. Will watch it throughout the Summer, see how it does.
Misc. Notes:
– Thicker consistency
– Stronger odor
– Haze instead of rainbow
– Easier to see where applied/missed
– Less slick to touch than pro
– Even when left longer and would look gyeon one-ish, came off delightfully.
– Stayed viable on applicator for longer
Vendor website w description of product, a video or 2 and differences of ISM 1.0 & ISM 2.0: https://www.esotericcarcare.com/kamikaze-ism-coat-v2-0/
I have this on parts of my daily driver as well although I used a base of 2 layers of Miyabi in that case. Just a single layer of ISM 2.0 on this vehicle though.
It’s a bit of a more focused application, need to work in at most, 2′ x 2′ sections and remove/level pretty much immediately. No cross-hatching on application as it will begin to cure as soon as it hits the paint and trying the ‘ol back and forth, up and down approach will make for a sticky and unpleasant removal unlike ISM 1.0. Miyabi and Zipang which are more forgiving.
Overall though, what a pleasantly soothing coating to apply. Work in small sections, no rush. Substantially glossy without being cold and impersonal. It`s pretty much a 24″x24″ section at most, apply, remove immediately kinda affair. It`s also on most of my daily driver, hadda redo my hood after I tried to do half the hood in a single section cuz the rest of the car had gone so well and I thought “Eh, I got this…”` Oops.
Used the microfiber, 3×5 thin Coating Saver applicators. Used probably 20ml on paint, the rest on the endless plastic trim Ford slaps on these things. As with nearly everything, I probably went a little heavy and coulda got by with 15ml for the paint. 300gsm edgeless gir first wipe, 350gsm for final. Kinda a thick product coming outta the bottle and hitting the paint but oddly really didn`t load up the removal towels much; used 2 of the 300`s and 1 of the 350`s w no issues.
Definitely more of a `Dark Side of the Moon` experience, no Ted Nugent or Metallica frenzy here. Very relaxing…I like it 😎 Will hit it with Overcoat Monday and then it`ll be left to it`s own devices.
Credit to someone for putting the Pink Floyd idea in my head, was the perfect soundtrack for using ISM 2.0 although I did delete `Money` from the playlist and replaced with `Comfortably Numb` and `Wots, Uh, The Deal` from Obscured By Clouds.
Not the most ideal of workspaces but ya take what you can get…and its heated in the warehouse at work. Guessing it was about 65 degrees F and low humidity.
Fun, gotta love 1-layer coatings.
I used the newer, thinner Rupes pads and they were quite nice, spun well, seemed a little more ?precise? when running near the edges. Used Sonax Perfect Finish, few` spots needed a bit more but generally 4 passes, 10-12lbs pressure took care of the light marring. Was using the Rupes LHR 15 Mk 2 with the latest version of the Kamikaze Beast backing plate…smooth and enjoyably effective.
This truck is a relatively recent acquisition that we got in the middle of last Summer after someone pulled out a a parking lot and totaled our previous one. Didn`t have time to do much at that time we got it so just quickly wiped it down with Eraser, went over it quickly with CanCoat. I used TAC Moonlight on the roof instead, just for something different. The Moonlight on the roof was still doing remarkably well as far as water behavior, beading/sheeting went, better than CanCoat. 5800 miles or so since application…🤔
I left the Moonlight on the roof to see how it does going forward. Truck won`t see a ton of use as it`s the off-season but will probably accumulate another 3500 miles before Spring.
Even though it’s a bit of a more meticulous application process, I really like this one; on my black Honda it looks inky & velvety and on this truck it had a bit of a thicker, more molten type of gloss. Went over it w Overcoat v3 the next day.
U.S Mfg Website: https://nvcarcareusa.com/
U.S. Vendor Website: https://parkscarcare.net/
Product Links for what I used:
NV Nova EVO Ceramic Coating https://parkscarcare.net/collections/nv-car-care/products/envy-nova-evo
NV Nova Jet Spray Coating: https://parkscarcare.net/collections/nv-car-care/products/envy-nova-jet
NV Nova Clarity Residue Remover: https://parkscarcare.net/collections/nv-car-care/products/envy-clarity
Was gonna grab their Boost maintenance product instead of Jet but alas, was not avaliable when i ordered so went with Jet, perhaps a little more stout of a product.
The topping of coatings is debated by some but for me, what fun is applying a ceramic if ya can’t squirt something on top? This is supposed to be fun (for me anyway) and dropping something on top is something I enjoy on occasion…as long as it is easy; inherent laziness is still the main driver for me w regards to car care. More on my thoughts regarding coating toppers here if interested: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/glass-quartz-ceramic-coatings/#Toppers
An interesting note on Boost from Nick Parks (U.S. Vendor):
“Boost is pretty unique in the fact that it’s designed to wash off during maintenance, so the boost gets contaminated and washed off instead of your coating.
That being said, jet on top of evo is extremely stout and durable. It does amazing as a topper for evo to extend durability and keep the evo protected.”
So it appears that Boost can be viewed as a ‘Sacrificial Layer’ of sorts…a phrase used by the mfg of one of my favorite maintenance products, Kamikaze Overcoat.
Side note regarding U.S. Vendor: Sounds like Nick is a great, upstanding guy, quick to respond, straight-shooter. He had heard I was gonna try Evo from a mutual friend on Facebook and reached out to insure I had no questions, concerns prior to application.
All other things being equal in terms of overall product performance, I like smaller, more responsive vendors who are willing to to help out ‘marginally functional’ hobbyists like myself despite the fact that they have far more lucrative ways to spend their time. It’s an added benefit for me, one that has paid great dividends for, allowing me to enjoy the whole detailing ‘thing’ far more than just a ‘buy and try’ experience. YMMV.
Some specifics on the Nova EVO product:
DESCRIPTION:
A PROFESSIONAL-GRADE HYBRID CERAMIC COATING THAT PROMOTES BOTH EXTREME DURABILITY, AMAZING PROTECTION, AND CANDY-LIKE GLOSS.
ABOUT EVO:
Nova EVO is an innovative hybrid coating that utilizes specific ingredients that focus on long-lasting durability & protection, and immense gloss. This professional-grade hybrid coating is super easy to use and encases your vehicle in a hydrophobic layer that will make your vehicle easier to clean and leave it shining for years.
EVO HYBRID CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY:
We have invested countless hours into developing our NOVA series and creating paint protective products with no compromise. This has been a very challenging quest, as most of the additives that increase water beading & gloss have inverse effects on there environmental resistance and durability.
When making a coating easier to apply & cheaper to produce, it usually requires that more layers are needed to become effective. However, by using the highest grade of organic & inorganic coating ingredients with years of development, we have created the perfect hybrid ceramic coating that only requires one-layer for optimal performance.
SPECIFICATIONS:
APPLICATION:
CURING NOTES:
A little background on how I ran across NV Nova Evo and why I decided to give it a try:
Although I don’t really watch much on YouTube w regards to coating comparisons, someone had sent me a link to an Australian Detailer who did a comparison of Kamikaze Miyabi and EVO. Intrigued, I gave it a view and it seemed like an interesting product.
The EVO also interested me due to its 1-layer application, its attractive, somewhat subdued packaging and refreshing lack of bloviating, sensationalist marketing claims. A product that claims “Diamond-Infused, Eleventy-Billion h hardness that can shrug off numerous hits from mortar rounds during its guaranteed 15 year life span” is a downer for me; let your product do the talking, not your marketing department.
The vehicle I used this on was (yet another) new Race Red Ford Transit, fortunately a smaller Connect model. They come in pretty good shape from dealer, typical light marring which gets added to when the graphics guy comes by to apply decals. Aside from 2 spots on the roof where Ford inexplicably slaps some bar-coded stickers on, its really light work to get it ready to coat. Removing the stickers requires some adhesive remover and a plastic razor blade so went over those areas with Griots Correcting Cream w Uro Fiber pad to knock down the marring. Other than that, Sonax Perfect Finish w new-style Rupes yellow pads took care of slight scratches and a bit of marring from synthetic clay mitt. Used Rupes 15 Mk2, Rupes Mini and BOSS 21 where possible.
I generally wipe down each panel w CarPro Eraser after polishing and then hose down the entire vehicle section by section when done. I may overdo the prep wipe but I think I gooned up a 22ple HPC application once due to a hurried wipedown so I might go a bit overboard now. In the name of ‘product synergy’, known to many as ‘following recommended directions’, I then went over entire vehicle with NV’s Clarity panel wipe.
The Clarity, which for some reason I ordered in 1 liter size, is quite a nice product. Nice sprayhead, not grabby or streaky, smooth and pleasurable to use, non-offensive scent. As mentioned, I can get a little over-exuberant with the panel wipe process and coupled w a Rag Company Platinum Pluffle the Clarity tolerated my indulgence very well. Quick, light wipe w Edgeless 350gsm before coating each panel and ready to go. As it turns out, I’m glad I ordered the Clarity in a larger than needed size as I think it may go right on the shelf as a favorite panel wipe product.
As for application of EVO, I did try a new applicator combo with this one, initially anyway. Autofiber had come out with some 4×4 ‘coating saver’ applicator cloths for use w the standard coating blocks supplied w most coatings: https://www.autofiber.com/collections/saver-applicator/products/saver-sheet-coating-applicator-towel-with-barrier-layer-4×4-12-pack
My preferred applicators for most coatings are the Autofiber 3×5 thin coating saver applicators; they just seem easier to get even coat down.
The block that came w the Evo was a bit smaller than the norm. I did 2 sections w the Autofiber 4×4 cloths/Evo block, 2 with Evo-supplied microsuedes and Evo block then just grabbed the 3×5 thin coating saver applicators for the rest.
I think the cloths woulda been better/more familiar on standard size blocks but were just a bit much on the narrower NV blocks. Since my preference for the 3×5 thin applicators was not changed after trying the above combos, won’t likely use them again. It’s a personal preference thing really so YMMV.
Was applying at about 65-70 degrees F, low humidity and ended up using about 20ml for entire vehicle. It spread pretty nicely, a little grabby as applicator loaded up but was still able to make very efficient use of the product; frankly, I was quite surprised how far the product went given all the paint it had to cover on the windowless van. I had saved the expansive and irritating roof for last to insure I wouldn’t run out and was quite surprised how much was left in bottle afterwards.
Was removing with typical Edgeless 300 for first wipe, Edgeless 350 for 2nd wipe/cleanup. Even though it’s kinda a thicker product when it hit the paint, it spread well, was easy to see on surface and removed nicely. When all was said and done, I had gone thru 1.5 of the 3×5 coating saver applicators, 2 of the 300gsm towels and 1.5 of the 350’s. The coating didn’t really load up the removal towels as much as I would have suspected, a nice plus cuz I toss all coating towels these days…for $10 dollars in towels not worth the effort to me anymore to soak, wash and and throw into the ‘general use’ bin which has since evolved into an entire cabinet; last thing I need is more ‘non paint worthy’ towels.
The application is pretty close to “apply in cross-hatch pattern on 24″ x 24″ sections, pause a moment to admire your skills and then remove.” Removal isn’t quite as light as something like Gtech CSL or Kami Miyabi but it’s by no means difficult; rather ‘substantially satisfying’ with a feeling of “I liked” that after each section. Had Nora Jones 1st two albums on as the soundtrack for this one and it fit the application well…smooth, cool, mellow and enjoyable.
Vehicle took a bit over an 1.5 hrs to complete application, maybe closer to 2 cuz i hadda climb up on the roof, do a third of it (Blessed are those of us with long, lanky arms!), reposition and repeat. I did stretch application sections on roof to 24″ x 36″ outta curiosity and it was still relatively easy to remove but I’d stick with a bit smaller (as recommended) if not in a hurry.
I did a few sections where I applied up-down, side-to-side, up-down which cured the coating slightly more on panel, the upside being going immediately from application to removal w no “Is it ready for removal?” waiting. Seemed to be no penalty w regards to final results. Applicator got a little tackier a bit faster but nothing alarmingly significant, really.
Final feel after coating is quite nice, a bit of slickness; not Gyeon Syncro, SPS Graphene slick but still slick enough that when doing the roof bottle almost slid off at slight decline in angle near windshield where roof slopes down every so slightly to meet windshield, coulda been saddening if I didn’t catch it.
Gloss is nice…very pleasing to my eye, kinda reminds me of CQuartz UK 3.0 + Gliss V2 with a bit of the darkening effect of Gtechniq CSL added in. A touch of ‘medium thick candy’ and not ‘thin, extra-candy’ like Gyeon CanCoat.
I’m gonna dropped Jet on the majority of it after 48 hrs, left the roof w just the EVO to see how that does. Jet is nice as well, knocked the gloss up a touch and added a bit of slickness, a nice compliment to the EVO.
Overall, I like it and enjoyed the application. Initial impressions include a nice vendor, a neat mfg and a pleasing look. I hope it does well, I’ll let ya know in a few months.
Applicators were a bit crispy after 48hrs for those who are interested. I’ve used good coatings that did that and good coatings that didn’t ‘crisp up’ so don’t really worry about that aspect much.
Put Jet on it after 48hrs, was very nice and easy application. Knocked up the gloss a touch it seems and the slickness of the surface as well. After contacting vendor re: application on the voluminous plastic trim, used the remaining 10ml or so on the trim and it came out quite nice with a deep, rich luster. Gonna leave it inside for another few days and then let it out into the world 9 days after application of the coating.
01/21/2021 – Bit of an update after Jet, doing the trim and throwing water on it
Jet was very nice, easy to apply and leaves the paint a touch slicker and glossier. Used the remaining EVO on the trim after talking to Nick Parks to see if use on trim was OK:
Yes it is appropriate, but there is a caveat. EVO has an fairly incredible darkening effect, it gets very deep and glossy on paint (and trim!). So, when you do run over trim, you will have to make sure you get 100% even coverage, otherwise it will be very obvious where you did and do not apply it to the trim.
It’s quite nice on the trim and does indeed darken it and adds a bit of sheen to it; not gloss by any means but a sheen that makes it look a bit like “When it was new *plus*” if that makes any sense. It was noticed by some others wandering by who mentioned they’ve never seen black plastic on these trucks look as dark and rich before.
For that matter, it does indeed have that effect on the paint as well. It is kinda reminiscent of the first time I used Gtechniq CSL and noticed a ‘more than usual’ darkening of the paint but the EVO has more overt gloss and reflectivity than CSL by far to go along with the darkening….it really is quite pleasing visually. Also tossed some water on the hood, both in a ‘cup of flood rinse’ across the top to see sheeting and then another cup thrown ‘violently’ 😆 down on the surface so I’d get some splatter and beads, pic below of the resulting beads. The resulting beads moved very nicely across the surface when nudged by a slight shot of air at relatively low pressure…they move quite well with noticeably little persuasion.
This one is overall a very pleasing experience so far and I hope it holds up going forward. For a 1-layer coating with a conveniently quick flash time (something I’ve come to prefer), it would be nice to have around. The overall aesthetic effect on both the paint and trim is quite eye catching…it seemed to grow a bit more so as it cured. Very nice…one to watch for sure.
02/09/2021: I guess I used a graphene-infused coating without knowing it. Someone sent me a pic of the NV Nova EVO box that indicates such:
I didn’t read the back of my box (always get application instructions online) so I can’t guarantee that mine said the same and a note on US Vendor website said packaging was changed in November of 2020 so who knows? Nothing I can find online indicates graphene w/ regards to Nova EVO so, well, I dunno.
Also ran across a note from an Australian website that sells NV Nova that indicates “diamond powder infusion” as well: NV Nova EVO from Waxit
“Nova EVO is a silica and diamond powder infused coating.”
Now I’ve always rolled my eyes a bit at a coating mfg who notes “Diamond- Infused 10h hardness” because carbon is in the formula but perhaps I’ve just unknowingly experienced that as well…doh!
Maybe this is Karma’s way of telling me it’s time to stop mucking about w/ coatings…it’s like I’m not even paying attention anymore 😆
Oh well, at the end of the day they could infuse Nutella in the mix and as long as it works well for me, it’s pretty much irrelevant but a curious revelation nonetheless.
02/10/2021: Rec’d response from US Vendor re: Graphene/Diamond stuff.
Thanks for reaching out. Nv Evo has both SIO2 and Graphene contents in it, this has been a part of the formulation since the products inception. The second statement which you found on wax it’s website, is the same statement in different terms which are more applicable to their Australian audience. Silica referring to SIO2 and diamond powder being graphene. We have not heavily marketed the graphene contents, as our primary focus has and always will be the real world functionality and results that the product provides, as opposed to what is in the coating. However, like in this instance, we are always happy to discuss the contents when requested.
Let me know if you have any additional questions, and thank you for your business.
02/17/2021:
Had some leftover Gloss Shop Titan and NV Nova Evo so poured ’em in a cup. Somewhat different outcomes after a week. The Titan (left) is kinda a soft, styrofoam-ish consistency, crumbled when I tried to pop it outta the little plastic cup it was in. The Evo (right) popped out nicely and has the feel of rubber and as the vid shows, flexes a little bit. The Evo is kinda reminiscent of when I did the same thing with leftover IGL Quartz but the IGL was a bit less rubbery/flexible. The crumbly Titan reminds me of when I cut open a can of Gyeon CanCoat and let it cure.
Pic of the 2 in cups:
Ran across this explanation of ‘powdery’ looking coatings vs the more clear ones…I think. From Feynlab rep:
Entertainment is where ya find it!
02/18/2021
What the heck, had some Ethos Graphene Matrix sitting around, was watching the rGO settle out so shook it up, poured in a cup and we’ll see what happens in a week or 2.
Mfg/Vendor Link: https://www.theglossshop.com/
Product Link: https://www.theglossshop.com/products/the-gloss-shop-titan-ceramic-coating
Continuing on w my burgeoning penchant for 1-layer, quickly flashing coatings I gave The Gloss Shop’s newly released Titan a try.
Cliff Notes:
Thicker consistency, easy to see where applied, workable in 2×2 sections, sometimes a bit larger, cross-hatch pattern works well for even coverage w little buildup, a little goes a long way. Multi surface, nice ‘thicker’ looking gloss w just a slight tough of ‘candy’, slight darkening…classy look overall. Satisfying, enjoyable application.
Mfg/Vendor description:
Titan is our 9h professional grade ceramic coating offering the highest level of Si02 content of all our coatings.
With proper maintenance, Titan will offer up to 5 years protection from a single layer.
Once cured, this coating offers the most resistance to scratches and the harsh elements a vehicle faces including graffiti.
The Gloss Shop Titan can be applied to paint, glass, plastic, wheels, and metal.
When applied to exterior plastics and trim, the finish will remain in a natural looking OEM condition.
We recommend maintaining the coating with The Gloss Shop Ultra Body Wash to cut through tough road film at least every two weeks.
An application of Hydrophobe Express Coating will add intense water beading and extremely slick surface.
Our coating is handmade in the USA in small batches. It meets VOC compliance laws in all 50 states.
While the coating does not have strong odors common to ceramic coatings, we still recommend applying in well ventilated areas and wear proper protective equipment.
**Ambient working temperature of 60-85° F**
Directions:
*Due to quick flash time, professional application strongly recommended.
Titan is a recent release from Richard Wright at The Gloss Shop and I’ve used his previous ceramic (then called The Gloss Shop Ceramic V2, now renamed Zen1th) a few times and it performed as advertised…quite nice. Kinda a no-brainer for me to give Titan a try as i was looking for another 1-layer coating and my previous experiences w his coatings were excellent. He has also released a ‘mid level’ coating Pho3nix that looks interesting.
Generally the 1-layer, quicker flashing coatings take a bit more attention to apply. Somewhat less forgiving as far as how much area you can cover before removal and seem to be a bit thicker in consistency meaning it’s a bit easier to overload removal towels and unwittingly push coating residue to adjacent panels where it sets up and leaves a high spot. Titan followed these characteristics which, in reality, sound worse than they are; pay attention, work more deliberately with attention to section edges and its actually a relaxing process. I can sometimes get ahead of myself when using coatings where you can apply to multiple panels so these ‘smaller section deals’ work better for me.
Used the usual Eagle Edgeless 300 for initial removal, 350 for final buff. Really didn’t load up either all that much, used 3 of each (really 2.5 but if you’re tossing them afterwards, 2.5 = 3 ).
Priced at $110 for 50ml and suitable for paint, trim, glass and such, it’s the perfect size for these ridiculous Ford Transit E250, windowless, long-wheelbase fleet vans; these things have more paint than a ’72 Plymouth Fury 😱.
Using a 3×5 thin coating saver applicator, it took about 1.5 hrs & 30ml to do the paint, about another 10-15ml to do the voluminous amounts of black plastic trim. Gonna pour the leftover in something and let it cure to see if it’s somewhat flexible when it sets up. Did that with a coating before and it was surprisingly pliable…right up until it wasn’t 😄
Cured coating: Flexible, Cured Coating
The Titan would rainbow a few seconds after finishing a cross hatched, 2×2 section and remained easily removable for a minute or 2 after that. It was about 65 degrees F w little humidity during application.
The surface was nicely smooth and slick enough that the bottle would slide off of a area coated about 15 minutes before; not slick enough that gravity alone would let a 300gsm slide off the marginally inclined hood but pleasing to the touch nonetheless.
The look reminds me a bit of the thicker, molten gloss of 22ple HPC on this Race Red paint. Parked next to the Race Red one I did recently with NV Nova Evo, it seemed just a touch lighter in shade but overall a very nice look and shine.
I’ll hit it with Gloss Shop Hydrophobe Express coating at some point (spray & rinse deal) when the weather warms up, if the weather warms up. To be honest, I didn’t completely read the product description of the Hydrophobe Express when I dropped it in the shopping cart, thinking it was a spray & wipe product for dry surface use…oops!
In the meantime the vehicle will sit inside until late March. I imagine ill toss water at the hood at some point, hard to resist when ya walk by it every morning.
FWIW: The applicators were crispy 2 days after using.
3 down (Kamikaze ISM 2.0, NV Nova Evo & Gloss Shop Titan) and 1 more to go this Winter (Shine Supply Beadlock Pro).
02/10/2021: Just for the sake of Science (OK, really just for giggles) leftover coatings left out to cure:
02/11/2021: While we likely won`t have any rain to watch any time soon, a little snowmelt on the Gloss Shop Titan: Snow Melt – Titan
Mfg/Vendor Link: https://shinesupply.com/
Product Link: https://shinesupply.com/products/beadlock-pro-100ml-kit
(also available in 30ml kit)
LIFE INSURANCE FOR YOUR PAINT.
Beadlock Pro ceramic paint coating creates a hard-sacrificial barrier which shields your paint from the abuse coming from the sun and other harsh elements.
How does it work? Beadlock Pro contains SiO2 (silica dioxide) which is the primary component of glass and is what gives glass its strength and hardness. This integrated SiO2 technology makes this product far more durable and hydrophobic than any wax or sealant.
This easy-to-apply coating is specifically designed to protect your paint from the unique conditions it sees both on and off-road. Whether you simply cruise the pavement or get down in the dirt Beadlock Pro ceramic paint coating can take the abuse.
Product may be used on single-stage paint, gel coat, and clear coated paint surfaces.
Coating Specs:
Hardness: >9H
pH resistance: 2-13
Durability: up to 4 years
Thickness: single layer 2-3 microns
Contact angle: 108°
Directions:
Prep: Decontaminate the paint surface using Smooth Move paint decontaminater followed by claying the surface with a clay bar and Shine Mist clay lube. Polish the paint to reduce any surface defects and create maximum gloss. Wipe down the surface with Throw Back paint cleanser to remove any oils/residue left from your polishing step.
Apply: Shake Beadlock Pro well. Apply directly onto the applicator pad and spread product evenly onto the surface. Product will have an “oil slick/rainbow” look to it as it begins to dry. This effect should begin within seconds. Give it 45-60 seconds to set up and then remove using a clean microfiber towel. Using an additional towel, lightly wipe over the area again to ensure product is even and level on the surface. Once you have wiped with the second towel the coating will begin to “set-up”. Do not go back into an area minutes later and re-wipe or you could cause streaking.
How do you know it’s ready to be removed? Perform a test spot with your microfiber towel. The coating will have some slight resistance when you wipe. This slight resistance lets you know it’s ready for removal. If you have difficulty removing the product, you waited too long.
Pro Tips:
Applying in colder conditions will give you a longer time frame before wipe-off. Applying in hotter conditions will give you a shorter time frame before you wipe-off.
Our Slick Back primer polish will usually remove any product that was left on the paint too long.
FAQ’s
Q – How many vehicles can you coat with a 100ml bottle?
A – (4-5) small vehicles or (3-4) full-size vehicles.
Q – Can you apply to gel coat; boats, wave runners, etc.
A – Yes but we recommend applying (2) coats since the first coat absorbs into the pores of the gel coat. This will give you excellent protection and hydrophobic properties. Wait (1) hour in between coats.
Q – Can you apply to black trim?
A – Yes, but in the same manner as the gel coat mentioned above, you want to apply (2) coats because the first coat gets absorbed into the pores of the trim.
Q – Can you apply to exterior glass?
A – Absolutely. Follow the same removal process as with the paint.
Q – Can you apply multiple coats? And how many?
A – Heck ya you can! Make sure you wait (1) hour in between coats. We have applied up to (3) coats at our detail shop and it’s AMAZING.
Q – When is the coating dry?
A – Coating is dry within (1) hour of application. After (1) hour you can stack the coating with another layer if you choose or wipe down with Punch-It synergy spray to make the surface even slicker!
Q – When is the coating fully cured?
A – Coating is fully cured and hardened after 72 hours. It’s best to avoid water contact during this period if possible. If water contact happens, make sure you dry the vehicle to avoid any water spotting.
Q – Can you still get swirls and will you still get water spots?
A – Ceramic Coating is harder than your vehicles paint so it does provide superior protection against swirls and water spotting BUT these things can still happen if you are negligent with how you care for the coating. Following our proper washing methods as shown in our diagram along with following the maintenance schedule will help prevent visual damage to your coating. If your vehicle gets hit by sprinkles, wipe it down with Eco Shine water-less wash ASAP to prevent the minerals in the water from etching the coating.
Finished the last of this Winters new trucks/rolling test panels with Shine Supply Beadlock Pro on 02/26/2021.
It`s nice as far as application, somewhat slick an hour or 2 after application but nothing crazy. Very brilliantly glossy, a bit sharper than The Gloss Shop Titan, a bit lighter than NV Nova Evo, slightly brighter than Kamikaze ISM 2.0. I watched Mike G`s application video ( https://youtu.be/d4nUYjG6VKo ) before starting and it pretty much mirrored my experience. The 2nd coat left a bit of light haze in spots, easily removed (either immediately or when noticed later) but something i hadda watch for. For 2 coats on the windowless E250 Transit van, used about 40ml of the 100ml bottle using 3×5 thin coating-saver applicator. I used Shine Supply`s Throw Back panel wipe for the final prep wipe before coating. It was slightly foamy when the drops hit the panel but did nicely, easy to use heavily w a Platinum Pluffle. The coating had a slightly ammonia-ish smell to it; not overwhelmingly offensive by any means but occasionally noticeable.
Will do the voluminous black plastic trim with 2 coats as well; Shine Supply notes 2 are best on this as the plastic absorbs the first coat a bit and the limited bit of trim I did confirmed this approach.
I snatched the Shine Supply stuff during their Black Friday sale, 15% off so $163.20 shipped for 100ml of coating, 16oz of prep spray…plenty to do 2 of these rather large vehicles so pretty economical actually.
2 layers of Beadlock vs single layers of the Evo, Titan & ISM 2.0 that were this years other choices.
Of the 4 this Winter, EVO & ISM 2.0 were favorites for application and initial looks but the Beadlock and Titan are certainly no slouches in the asthetic sense, all are very nice and slightly different to my eye. I guess it depends on what exactly one is looking for as far as the nuances in gloss go, something that (to me anyway) goes beyond judgements of gloss based solely on metered measurements.
Some very nice coatings this year; I hope they do well…we`ll see as the year progresses and the vehicles accumulate miles in the real world
Manufacturer Description
https://gyeonquartz.com/product/wax/
Vendor Link: https://www.esotericcarcare.com/gyeon-q2-wax/
FLUORINE BASED
We took our know how and expertise in coating formulations and used to create an unconventional wax. Q² Wax includes fluorine in its formula. As in the legendary Q² Booster, a highly reactive topcoat, it is the guarantee of great performance, enormous beading and great gloss. It is a perfect stand-alone product, dedicated to DIY users and enthusiasts, but will also surprise detailing professionals as an entry level protection product, as well as a great top up to one of our ceramic coatings.
RESISTANT & EASY TO USE
Q² WAX is an extremely glossy wax for any colour with outstanding hydrophobic properties. What makes it stand out, is extremely easy application and wipe off, making it a real pleasure to use.
WATCH PRODUCT VIDEO: https://youtu.be/JkrWT_x31CE
BEST PRACTICE AND PRO-TIPS FROM YVES HEYLEN
Preparation is key! Make sure to wash and degrease the surface properly for maximum performance. Apply a light and uniform layer over dry paintwork. Leave it to cure for a minimum of 30 minutes before wipe-off. We recommend using Q²M PolishWipe for that task.
Well, so much for “I ain’t buying any more stuff just outta curiosity” but the Siren Song of a fluorine product was just too tempting; I didn’t end up shipwrecked though so that’s a plus.
I kinda dig products with fluorine as the water behavior is quite entertaining; always enjoyed Gyeon Booster when I used Mohs and since Booster is now discontinued, Gyeon was kind enough to drop the fluorine in their new Q² Wax.
Interesting to note that mfg website instructions mention a applying a ‘light’ amount while the container, in the format of a stick deodorant (or a big jumbo ‘thing’ of ChapStick) notes a ‘moderate amount’. Obviously very easy and entertaining to roll up a fresh ‘cap’ of the wax, apply to applicator and it goes on smooth and easy. Wait 30 minutes and remove like any other wax. I waited about 45 minutes for one area where I had applied overly heavy to see what happened and it took a bit more effort to remove but really no big deal; certainly not in the vein of Collinite 915 left on the surface to long.
I had decon’d the hoods of the 2 Rangers, compounded and polished and wiped down with IGL PreCoat. The Q² Wax has a nice citrus odor which coincidentally complimented the citrus in the IGL Precoat. For the coated van, just a quick wash and wipedown with the IGL PreCoat before applying the Q² Wax.
Vehicle & application specifics:
The Q² Wax left the surface nicely slick and glossy, pleasing to the touch if you’re into that kinda thing. Instructions note 12hrs for full cure and the vehicles will stay inside for the next 72hrs regardless. I don’t expect great longevity outta it (they indicate 3 months I believe) so it will be no match for CanCoat in that area but will be interesting to see the Q² Wax vs CanCoat water behavior ‘cuz CanCoat has always been excellent in that area.
All in all, fun stuff that will likely (hopefully) present some fine liquid entertainment as it drives through the rain. The ChapStick type dispenser provides a really nice method to evenly cover the applicator…well done Gyeon.
Hood with 1 layer Gyeon Q² WAX:
Not perfect but for a fleet truck with 111k miles, certainly `good enough`. 😆
Decided to try something new on our STEK Dynoshield PPF`d Corvette…NV Nova Lustre followed by Jet.
Gave NV Nova EVO a try last Winter (topped with Jet, notes on that here: NV Nova Evo + Jet ) and it`s done so well I figr`d I`d muck about a bit more, using Jet on top of my `mostly coated` black, daily driver Honda Accord. The Jet had such a nice, dark, compelling look on the somewhat abused black paint and the self-cleaning aspects were quite impressive given the use and neglect this car experiences, enough so that I wanted to give it a try on the Corvette.
The Vette is a car which I usually don`t `try things on` as after spending a significant amount of $ having it completely done with PPF, well…don`t wanna goon that up using it as a rolling test panel. The Dynoshield was applied when the car was new in April 2019 and coated with a film-specific ceramic at that time as well. 2 years and 10k miles later it`s still doing well but I`d guess the coating is starting to fade a bit…not glaringly apparent as the Dynoshield has a hydrophobic topcoat `built in` but sometimes ya just get that feeling that things are not all they can be.
Deciding I was too lazy to completely prep and totally recoat it, went with Jet at first (about 3 weeks ago) after getting some tips on prep/application from Nick Parks. While the car doesn`t see snow or salt, it is pretty much a daily driver from Spring to Fall in NE Ohio so it`ll get hit with bird bombs, get rained on in the morning and then sit in sun all afternoon…typical Summer daily driver fare here; pollen, dust, bugs, road construction dirt, etc. The Jet effect is very real, notably on black, and self cleaning was excellent so i wanted to continue on with it throughout the Summer but alas, another NV Nova fan put the idea of Lustre + Jet into my head so once more into the fray I went after ordering/receiving Lustre.
Foamed the car with CarPro Lift, washed with Gyeon PPF Wash, wiped down with Gyeon Prep, applied Lustre, waited 6hrs or so (was a beautiful day yesterday so hadda take the Cayman out for some backroads fun ) and then went over it with Jet.
Lustre went on nicely spraying into a 300gsm edgeless, followed by buff with a 350gsm edgeless and was immediately aesthetically gratifying on the black paint. Stupidly entertaining to use, slick as snot, a very substantial-looking gloss, not just thin and reflective but kinda `hearty and reflective`.
Sprayed Jet into a 300gsm to apply and buffed w another 300gsm. When I used Jet alone it seemed to work better for me sprayed onto the panel, worked in w a 300gsm w a final buff w a 350gsm. On top of Lustre that approach was a little too grabby for me so went with the dual 300`s and skipped spraying directly on panel. No big deal, not difficult but just a bit of a different approach.
Car looks killer w the combo, pumped up the menacing darkness of the gloss so now it`s time to drive it and see how it does; lotsa varying weather upcoming although pollen has subsided a bit so won`t get to see the lovely pollen+rain combo that makes black paint so irritating.
I`m probably gonna prep my black daily and run with just Lustre facing the world for a bit to see how that does in its own; I like clean cars but don`t really like cleaning cars so hydrophobics/self cleaning aspects of a coating/topcoat *really* matter to me.
All in all a very nice, fun combo and I expect it to do well. Will probably hit Vette w Jet in a month or so to maintain and see how that routine goes.
Kinda irrelevant as all are among the easiest I have applied. If I can do it successfully, trust me…anyone can.
So what did I find out after hundreds of hours and no small amount of $’s? Well, regardless of what I found out, it’s a very personal and subjective conclusion based upon my needs, wants, environment and maintenance habits. With that in mind…
I’m an admitted Kamikaze Junkie and it took me a long and costly journey to get to my final choices but my top 3 products are:
Still too recent for me to have any long-term, real-world info yet but I expect the increased longevity and swirl reduction (limited self healing) properties of the Zipang will result in a greater lifespan w better overall appearance.
All while maintaining the excellent self-cleaning characteristics of the Kamikaze line. Only time will tell…
10/02/2019 Zipang is doing well, can check personal cars below for updates on Honda Civic (applied 05/2019) and Cayman (applied 09/2019)
It’s what was on my personal cars before Zipang and PPF entered my life. It’s more of a deep, warm, fluid gloss as opposed to a hard, sharp gloss…deeper than 22ple that holds #2 position. I use the Infinity Wax to give it a very subtle, but pleasing to me look…kinda a ‘relaxed high gloss’.
Proven longevity in varying NE Ohio use:
The above is a nice illustration of the varying longevity one will get out of a coating. Exact same coating combo, pretty much the same maintenance routine, far different outcomes. Unfortunately, in my climate the worst thing you can do to a car w/ respect to LSP longevity and performance is, well…drive the wheels off of it.
While I’ve gone ‘all-in’ on the Kamikaze, alone or in combination, the product ‘Collection’ allows you to somewhat tailor the final appearance to your specific desires with no degradation in performance.
Zipang – Much like ISM Coat, the gloss is more relaxed as opposed to a hard, sharp look. Longevity is up a bit from ISM and the ‘limited self healing’ properties are a bonus. Layering options are as follows:
Miyabi – 2 layers: a hard, sharp, reflective gloss
ISM – Single layer: A deeper, warmer wax like glow. Really has a great effect on metallic’s, very polarizing and almost floating the metallic somewhat within the finish. Any leftover is a great rubber/plastic/trim coating.
Infinity Wax: ‘Adds a subtle, relaxed high gloss’ character to the surface
Overcoat: Best Booster/maint product I have found. Initially seems pricey but single 250ml bottle lasted me about 8 months, washing 3 vehicles every week/every other week and using as a drying aid after wash. Overkill, but makes drying so much easier and I’m kinda lazy.
I’ve tried most of the Kamikaze the products available in the US (and have even had some shipped over from UK that I couldn’t get here). Each product has maintained the “Under Promise, Over Deliver” philosophy of the CEO Kai Morita, who I met and talked with at an Open House last year. Guy is like a crazy, mad scientist who was more interested in hearing the benefits his products gave me as opposed trying to sell me on anything. Marketing-wise, they fly under the radar, avoiding ridiculous claims of hardness and such.
If interested, you can get a bit more about their Theory here:
https://www.kamikaze-collection.com/anti-aging-theory
For effectiveness, looks, philosophy and support from US vendor (Esoteric Car Care in New Albany, OH) I just couldn’t find anything else that came close.
It’s the glossiest out of the bottle, great self cleaning, ‘molten glass’ is a nice way to describe it. Have had it on a fleet vehicle at work since 03/17 and still looks and performs as applied. Great stuff, bizarrely easy application. Only downside is sketchy mfg support and 24hrs between layers if doing multi layer.
Kamikaze International: https://www.kamikaze-collection.com/
Kamikaze USA: Kamikaze USA
Esoteric YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/EsotericAutoDetail
Miyabi video: https://youtu.be/GbfopTju_es
ISM Video: https://youtu.be/T08GLf2XkyY
Overcoat video: https://youtu.be/ivh7XP8UKB8
Water sheeting off daily driver, Kamikaze applied 10/2016: https://youtu.be/bDVr2q7CfN8
General Coating Info, kinda Gyon Mohs centric but a good overview of coatings: https://youtu.be/B6F6MWnxnIU
22ple HPC: https://www.detailedimage.com/22ple-M57/HPC-High-Performance-Coating-P1114/30-ml-S1/
Gyeon Syncro can be purchased at most big car care sites: Autogeek, Autopia, Detailed Image, Esoteric
Gyeon Syncro Video: https://youtu.be/98NoaubSqVs
Main Website: https://www.kamikaze-collection.com/
Kamikaze US Vendor: https://www.esotericcarcare.com/
Kamikaze is hand-made and packaged in Japan, small batches so out-of-stock periodically can be an issue of you’re a pro. The 4 core protection products (Miyabi Coat, ISM Coat, Infinity Wax & Overcoat) can be combined or used in a stand-alone fashion. The use of single products or layering multiple products allows you to tailor the final appearance to your personal needs. Overcoat, as a stand-alone or maintenance product on top of coatings is the best topper/booster I have used; to be honest, nothing else really comes close in my experience. Self cleaning and water behavior are excellent. Polish Angel Cosmic Spritz is a very good maintenance product as well, great water behavior and a sharper, more brilliant shine than Overcoat, it’s fun to use at times to give a different appearance to the paint. It’s just slightly behind Overcoat in self cleaning but is easier to apply to a dry surface after washing. I find using Overcoat as a drying aid with a Rag Company Platinum Pluffle makes drying easier and eliminates the chance of streaking.
Obviously, I`m a huge Kamikaze fan, kinda figr`d everyone who ever saw any of my posts/ramblings knew that and likely gets a bit tired of hearing it. The stuff has just plain worked the best for me since 2016, taking everything I could throw at it in my daily life and shrugging it off while continuing to please my aesthetic tastes and my maintenance preferences. Heck, I also have a variety of Kami combos on fleet vehicles at work which see very little maintenance and they continue to provide that what I need out of a product in those situations as well.
Zipang with a Miyabi base is my `ultimate choice` and is what I use on my personal cars but sometimes suggesting someone invest that amount on 2 layers of coating results in “Yer friggin` crazy…” responses which might dissuade them from trying a lower cost Kami combo which is nearly as good without the added benefits that Zipang truly does provide. Also, if someone misinterprets the descriptions of “limited swirl reduction capabilities” with Zipang without truly understanding what it means, i.e. “limited” and “reducing”…they can understand it to be “self-healing” and end up being disappointed when Aunt Edna smacks a shopping cart into their car at the local Piggly Wiggly and the coating doesn`t make the damage magically disappear.
I`m kinda a “90/90” guy with coatings given all that I`ve used. I think that 90% of the of the coatings out there will give you 90% of the benefits that coatings provide; it`s that extra 10% that some of us seek that differentiates “Good” coatings from “Great” coatings and is worth it *to me* to invest in a coating or coating combo and maintenance products that gets me that extra 10%.
It may be totally irrelevant for many folks for whom 90% of how a coating performs by my requirement is 100% of what they expect out of a coating. It`s that “n-th” degree, that extra 10% of `goodness` that makes the investment worthwhile. And that extra 10% may include some intangible aspects such as vendor support, `subjective appearance`, ease of use and just a general somewhat ethereal satisfaction I get from using “my” coating that makes me choose my combo. Obviously if performance is lacking, all the other `soft` aspects of a good coating are irrelevant but all other things being equal, they do matter to me.
I kinda became more aware of the intangible aspects of coating satisfaction when I had SPS Graphene on my car. For the first 6 months (May to December) it was an absolutely killer product; always looked clean, great hydrophobic performance…and yet I somehow didn`t enjoy the car as much (well, as much as you can enjoy a daily driver Honda Accord) as when it was done with Kamikaze; it just wasn`t as fun overall even though it looked and performed exceptionally as far as the coating went. Eh, it may sound a little corny or just outright crazy but that`s how I think of it. In the end the SPS lacked a bit of performance in certain situations that fell outside my ‘norms’ but that is kinda unique to each individual as well.
At the end of the day, if someone were to ask “Cost being no object and it were your car, what coating would you use?” the answer is simple: Miyabi + Zipang maintained with either Overcoat or one of the PA Spritzes. I also need to realize though that everyone is different so I try to offer up some more reasonable choices when asked. It`s easy to spend other people’s money but I`d still prefer to do that wisely if I can given that it`s likely other folks aren`t as crazily obsessed with this stuff as I have grown to be. And it`s a bit myopic of me to think that what is BEST for me is BEST for everyone, something I sometimes forget. There’s a lot of really good stuff out there w/ regards to coatings and for myself, that search was a lot of fun. While I still like trying new things on occasion it’s more just for the experience these days. At this point I really can’t think of anything a coating can give me in a variety of aspects that would exceed what I’ve found with the Kamikaze stuff. But ya never know….
We`ve had it (Miyabi/ISM/Overcoat and added Infinity and Stance in Spring 2017) on 3 of our daily drivers, the oldest application being 10/2016 and our auto usage habits, local environmental conditions and maintenance routines haven`t fazed it one bit since application. It just always looks great to my eye, holds up, protects and keeps itself clean with minimal effort. It made it thru daily use in the NE Ohio winter without any noticeable degradation whatsoever and a good summer rainstorm is akin to a free car wash with this stuff; self-cleaning is simply without compare.
Does that make it the best consumer level coating in all the land? Really can`t answer that because there are so many individual and somewhat subjective variables involved in a statement such as that…but I can say that for ME, yes, it is the best coating in my world. The stuff just plain works.
Additionally, the U.S. vendor has been an invaluable help to me since I first discovered the Kamikaze line, providing advice, technical information and product support to this somewhat occasionally inept hobbyist. Despite the fact that I`m sure they have far more lucrative interests to pursue than what goes on in my little garage in NE Ohio, they have repeatedly gone above and beyond to insure my success with their products. That too, for me, is of great importance.
Another intangible aspect to Kamikaze is that I had the opportunity to meet the inventor of the product line at an event in June 2017 and spoke with him for a bit; the enthusiasm and genuine interest he showed in my happiness and success with his creations was infectious and was indicative of being a true enthusiast. While that`s not gonna help protect my paintwork from road salt this coming winter, it just adds a little something to the overall `experience`. Like I mentioned, a lot of what goes into `my` best is subjective…but important.
Since this is all somewhat of a hobby for me, with the added benefit of incredible protection and appearance, at the end of the day it has to be fun too. The whole Kamikaze `experience` has been just too much fun for me to continue to look for the next greatest `thing`…every time I look at the cars I find some new nuance, smile and am reminded of all of the enjoyment that went into it.
Kamikaze offers a few different coatings, can be used stand-alone or in combos.
You can up the durability/longevity a bit by using in combos.
If’n ya need more info, call the folks at Esoteric; great bunch of folks who are always willing to help. They’re a bit smarter than me w regards to this stuff…OK, *immeasurably* smarter than me 😆
And Overcoat is THE best maint product I’ve used. A little goes a VERY long way and it’s got crazy good self cleaning/hydrophobic properties.
And yes, I probably put way too much thought into It but that`s what hobbies are for, no?
Website: They don’t have one
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/22ple/
US Vendor: https://www.detailedimage.com/22ple-M57/
Misc reviews and such:
22ple is kinda an enigma of a company. Their HPC is fantastic as is their VS1 Final Coat topper/booster but they don’t do much marketing or even have a website. I have had occasional success contacting them via Facebook Messenger with questions but otherwise manufacturer support is non-existent.
22ple HPC is *the* easiest coating to apply that I’ve tried. It actually hazes up a bit when ready to remove so that helps. You can cover large sections with its 5-10 minute (sometimes longer in lower temps) ‘window’ between application and removal. A note about applicators: the recommended 22ple applicator is junk, actually it’s a real joke. Use a traditional block/microsuede cloth approach. It has a very gloss, molten-glass type of gloss. I applied to a brand new fleet vehicle in March of 2017, 35k miles or so ago. I gave it a quick wash/decon after the first 20k miles or so, applied some 22ple Finitura and VS1 Final Coat and it’s still doing great. This vehicle has seen maybe 1 or 2 touchless soap/rinse only tunnel washes and 1 hand wash since application. A heavy rainstorm still leaves this looking great and it maintains its cleanliness very, very well. It doesn’t have the depth or complexity of gloss that Kamikaze does but it’s a great choice as well.
Kamikaze Miyabi/ISM + Overcoat @ 37K miles
More Kamikaze Beads:
Video: Kamikaze Miyabi and ISM at 37k miles
In general, I’ve found that window coatings kinda fall into 2 categories w/ regards to performance characteristics. Some have extremely good water behavior but not so great in dry weather, some are good in dry but not so great water behavior in the rain. Why would it matter how a coating behaved in dry weather? Some of the extremely hydrophobic glass coatings I have used did not do so well in dry weather with regards to debris hits on windshields, such as bugs. Instead of a small ‘splat’ they would leave a somewhat persistent 1″ to 2″ streak that, depending on your location and climate, could get extremely irritating during bug season. It seems as if some of the less durable/long-lasting products don’t exhibit this behavior.
Keep in mind that just because it did or didn’t do well for me is not and indication of universal results by any means. I used all of these on my daily driver which sees a 75 mile freeway commute each day, year round in NE Ohio. My wipers get a lot of use, both in the rain and in drier conditions due to the amount of crap that hits the windshield in freeway driving. YMMV.
This has become a favorite as it is just as good in dry as it is in wet. In heavy rain, water begins moving off the windshield at about 30-35mph and it also deals with lighter, misty stuff nicely as well. Application is very easy and as it’s available in 15ml kits, also very cost effective if not doing a whole bunch of glass. I applied to my daily driver in early March, 2019 and it made it thru March of 2020 but was kinda fading after Winter (albeit a ‘light’ Winter as far as NE Ohio goes). In a NE Ohio climate w/ heavy washer and wiper usage in Winter, it will stagger it’s way thru to Spring. I also put it on the Cayman in Fall of 2019 and it’s doing well at this point (February 2021) but that car sees rain but very little wiper/washer use as it hibernates all Winter and in the good seasons, the water behavior is good enough that wipers aren’t needed much.
I first gave this a try back in June 2017 when it was not widely available in the U.S. Being a Kamikaze junkie, I had some sent over from the UK so I could give it a try and the water behavior was absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, so were the little streaks when bugs/debris hit the windshield in dry weather. The version I rec’d was a blue liquid in a little 30ml bottle. It was kinda a bummer.
Fast forward to October 2018 when it became available in the U.S., this time in a 100ml bottle. Despite the fact that there is no way I needed 100ml of a glass coating, I ordered it and gave it a try anyway. Any of the deficiencies noted above in the ‘blue version’ had been remedied, I guess they updated it a bit. It’s a great glass coating but, as mentioned, not many folks need 100ml of glass coating @ $139 so it takes a hit as far as cost/benefit. It had good longevity, lasting pretty well through the winter until I polished off and went with the Gtechniq G1. Since it made it thru the winter, where wipers are used a lot to clear slush, snow and other road goo, longevity and durability is pretty impressive. If it came in smaller 30ml bottles, it would likely be my choice.
Gyeon View is a nice compromise of wet and dry weather performance. It does very well in wet and has no issues w/ debris hits in the dry. Longevity is decent but I get the feeling it’s not quite as ‘tough’ overall as G1 or Intenso…but is by no means a bad choice. Durability is good, lasted for me up to 9 months but on daily driver fell off a bit at around the 6-month mark. Still nicely functional, but lost some of its pizzazz over the last three months on my daily driver in NE Ohio. It was put on our C7 in April of 2019 and is still doing well although like the Cayman, that’s a Spring, Summer and Fall car that is sotred in the Winter. It’s a bit easier to apply than the Gtechnic and is an excellent choice as well.
H2GO is a very nice product, performs excellent in both wet and dry. Not so much a coating, it requires more frequent applications…like a sealant. Application is about as hard as cleaning your windows so even if more frequent application is required, no big deal. If you don’t wanna go long term, it’s a great choice…or at least it was for me. This is what I use on my daily driver in Winter as it’s quick and easy to apply and re-apply and keeps windshield performance at it’s best applied every month or so. Even a true coating has a struggle making it through daily Winter freeway commutes as wiper/washer use is a daily thing given all the salt, de-icers and other stuff that ends up on the windshield on even sunny Winter days.
Like the H2GO, it’s not gonna get you great longevity but will last longer than H2GO, maybe about 3 to 6 months depending on usage conditions, most notably wiper use. A bit more involved application than H2GO but still very, very easy and economical as well. Does very well in both wet and dry.
It was OK but I’d slot it in below Gyeon View from the experience I had with it. Seemed a little weaker in small-drop, light rain. The kit is one of the most complete I’ve used, however, including everything you’d need. It’s a 2-part deal so a bit of mixing is required but they include pipettes, applicators, bottles and such so don’t need to grab anything else. As mentioned, it was ‘OK’ but given the somewhat higher cost of the kit, it’s a bit much for my tastes regarding cost/performance. It is a 60ml kit, though, so that kinda plays into it and the fact that IGL recently became available at some of the bigger online sites means discounts are now available. It just really didn’t stand out to me but was a solid product, just not remarkable.
This one was a real non-starter for me. Used the kit, polished first with the Cristal Polish, then applied the Rain 9H component. I could barely tell there was anything on the gloss when it rained. Shame, ‘cuz generally I love Polish Angel stuff but not this. It didn’t last long on my windshield because it really didn’t seem to do much. Guess I could screwed up the install but it’s not rocket surgery so I dunno. Bummer since every other Polish Angel product I’ve used has been a real winner.
First glass product I used outside of Rain-X. It did OK, nothing spectacular but the hazing/holograms I got around lights at night were too irritating to continue using it.
Kamikaze Stance
Gtechnic C5 Wheel Armour
IGL Wheel
Gyeon Rim
Polish Angel SuperSport PTFE
They say ya never forget your first time although probably in reference to something other than the first car you used your favorite coating on…but still, gotta take what you can get, no?
Anyway, Kamikaze Miyabi + ISM, applied 10/2016 (albeit only 17k miles ago but car does sit outside 24/7 for about 9 months outta the year) and maintained since then with Overcoat and occasional bit of Infinity Wax.
Stripped another winter off with Gyeon Foam and Gyeon Tar, a wash with Kamikaze Anti-Aging shampoo, and a coat of Infinity Wax.
Albeit a lowly Honda Civic, still a nice way to spend the first warm Saturday of Spring.
Still plenty of life left in the coating, gonna let it ride for another year.
The ‘Ultimate’ Zipang combo…
Took about a year but finally got around to doing Zipang-Miyabi-Zipang on one of our cars. Originally was gonna let this one go for another year, figure coating was still 75% ‘as new’ with regards to performance and looks but a few things switched up so it became a ‘may as well use it on this one’ type of deal.
Went on nicely, especially the Miyabi on top of the Zipang layer, almost sealant like in application and removal.
As temps in garage climbed into low 80`s by the 3rd layer (Zipang), could not move quite as quickly w regards to apply/remove.
Seems to be a bit more `overtly` glossy than the Miyabi/ISM combo but that`s probably all I my head. Nothing looks better than a car when ya just finish it. Especially under florescent lights in a garage at night. Through the lens of a cell-phone camera. Optimum conditions for it looking better than reality.
Anyway, will let it sit inside for at least 36hr; car doesnt really go many places in Summer so could be sitting in there for a while. Pondered letting it go on it`s own but it would be near unholy for me not to slather Overcoat upon it so it`ll get that.
The Miyabi/ISM I polished off was applied in October, 2016 (17K miles ago) and was still doing very well, i really didnt plan to redo until next year. With its limited use and new place in the garage, I figure the Miyabi/Zipang will still be doing well for a few years, likely 4 at least.
We`ll see what happens going forward with it. Such a nice color of blue too.
Gyeon Foam, Kamikaze Anti-Aging Shampoo
Well, after 3 years and likely 50+ paint, glass, trim & tire coatings and numerous coating toppers/boosters I do believe I’m ?done? chasing rainbows. This is it, the culmination of all the ‘best for me’ products I have found over the past 3 years wrapped up in/on one car. Given the previous performance of the Miyabi/ISM combo (was still performing 85% ‘as applied’ when I removed it to go to Miyabi/Zipang) and the usage of this car (maybe 5-7k miles a year, 90% local, limited freeway) I expect that this will be a long term solution (4-5 years), barring any unfortunate incidents.
While I don’t presume to claim that what I’ve landed on is ‘The Best’ (as I really don’t think there is a universal ‘Best’ of anything) these products are the best for me given our climate, our vehicle usage & maintenance routines. Most importantly, the specific little things/characteristics of these choices best meet MY needs for functionality, appearance and longevity.
As a hobbyist, I really have no consistent access to pro-only stuff and I’m fine with that; I can’t imagine a professional product would give me any significant benefits over my choices given my specific needs and wants…although I’m sure opinions will vary on that point.
While there may not be a best coating, there is probably a ‘best for you’; tough to declare ultimate superiority of anything when so many subjective considerations are in play.
Wife’s winter/rainy day driver…the 2016 Aegean Blue Metallic Honda Civic. Hey, gotta use what you can get to work with…and despite being a somewhat nondescript vehicle, the color and metallic content is really pleasing to my eye.
Paint: Kamikaze
Zipang-Miyabi-Zipang
Infinity Wax
Overcoat
Wheels: Kamikaze Stance x 2, Polish Angel SuperSport
Tires: Tuff Shine Tire Coating
Glass: Gtechniq G1
Exterior Trim: Kamikaze Zipang
Interior: Polish Angel Intimate & Snowcake
Will maintain going forward with Gyeon Foam or Gtechnic W4 Citrus Foam, Kamikaze Anti-Aging Shampoo and Overcoat.
Jury still out on the PA Intimate & Snowcake, first time I used yesterday. Fun, nice…time will tell.
That takes care of our cars for the foreseeable future; dunno what`s next. Guess just washing every now and again.
“Find something you like and use it often.”
I’m really diggin’ the bit of extra brilliance and gloss Zipang lent the paint as opposed to the warmer glow of ISM, personal preference. The addition of Infinity Wax certainly adds a nice, smoothly slick feel to the surface, even under a layer or two of Overcoat. Also adds a touch more ‘soft gloss’ but to be honest, that might be all in my head. Regardless, since most of my time is spent living inside of my mind, to the exclusion of the inconveniences of reality at times, whether it’s real or perceived is of no actual consequence. I think it’s there, so, well…it’s there.
At about 21 months & 40K hard, daily driver miles it looks like the Kamikaze Miyabi x 2, ISM x 1 is about done. Applied July 2017.
While the car got the Gyeon Tar, Gyeon Iron Spring cleanup, it appears as if life is nearly over for this combo.
Things I`ve noticed recently:
Guess it`s time to start prepping my car for a re-do, starting with Dr Colorchip`g the numerous chips that 40k freeway miles have inflicted. Honda paint must be somewhat brittle as even my 2016 Subaru WRX had less road rash despite the same general time and miles put on along the same daily commute.
FWIW, the expected general longevity of the combo of Miyabi and ISM is generally thought to be 24-36 months, which I would guess in average use would be 24-36k miles so although it didn`t quite make it 2 years on my daily, it did meet what could be accepted as reasonable mileage.
Pondering the longevity of my wife’s cars October 2016 application vs my July 2017 application of the same combo, I’ll offer up the following, completely un-scientific observations:
While I`d say my car got more washing, probably 3 washes for every 2 hers got, neither really got washed overly much…maybe every 10-14 days. Hers just didnt get washed as often because, to my eye, it didn’t need it. It`s Honda Aegean Blue Metallic which certainly generally looks `acceptable` more of the time than my black car.
Given what I`ve seen since coating her car in 10/2016, sitting outside (even over winter) really didn`t have much of a detrimental effect on the coating. Stupid car just always seems to look clean…its not fair!
My car, in addition to driving, occasionally falls victim to my curiosity and gets run thru the local touchless soap/rinse tunnel 7 straight days to see what effect it has on something.
But yes, in the region I live in, just sitting outside seems to have little effect on the coating. I`d guess Arizona might experience totally different outcomes.
Regardless, will be doing/re-doing my car with the recently released SPS Graphene Coating. To read more about that, can follow the link to this page: SPS Graphene Coating
Was originally going to use the Miyabi/Zipang combo on this car but switched up those plans due to:
While I am a certifiable ‘coating junkie’ I wanted to try something new (?better?) on wife’s new summer toy. So when we picked up her 2019 Corvette from dealer, it was taken to Esoteric Fine Auto Finishing to be completely wrapped in STEK Dynoshield PPF. They coated over the film w Kamikaze Film Surface Coat and then topped with Polish Angel Cosmic Spritz.
The STEK film has a hydrophobic layer ‘built in’ and has some self-healing properties as well.
They also did all exterior glass in Gyeon View, pulled the wheels and coated them and the calipers with Kamikaze Stance Rim coat, topped with Polish Angel SuperSport PTFE sealant.
I’ll be maintaining this going forward with Gyeon Foam, Kamikaze Anti-Aging shampoo and occasional applications of Cosmic Spritz. Also picked up BigBoi Buddi & BlowR Pro units for touchless drying. We’ll see how life with PPF goes…
For more about that entire adventure, can see this page: 2019 Corvette, The Adventure Begins…
Gyeon Foam + CarPro Reset
09/08/2019 – Kamikaze Zipang + Miyabi + Zipang + Infinity Wax + Overcoat
This car just kinda fell into our lap, was looking for info on a future purchase of a Cayman and it came in on a lease return, CPO & fair price so we bought it. Can read more about that adventure here: 2016 Porsche Cayman
Quick Update on Winter 2019 Coatings
Race Red 2019 Ford F250 Super Duty – Cquartz UK 3.0 x 2, Gliss V2 x 1, applied 01/08/2019 – Now at 7k miles. Still looks very nice, albeit lower miles than other vehicles. This truck generally sits in warehouse every night so that helps. Has been hand-washed once in early June but that’s about it. It still has a very nice gloss, beads well and stays nicely clean w/ little intervention. As this is company ‘construction’ vehicle, it doesn’t see the usage other vehicles do but when it is used, it’s a hard day. This has had a variety of things running down the side (wet concrete slurry, other chemicals, muck from cleaning out pools that have turned into ponds…stuff like that). Would I use this combo again: Yes, without a doubt…it’s done well.
Race Red 2018 Ford Transit E150 – 22ple VXPRO2 + Finitura+ VS1, Feb 2019 – Now at 18k miles. This vehicle has likely seen no maintenance, tunnel wash or otherwise, since being sent out into the world soon after it was coated. Unfortunately, 22ple kinda let me down with their highest-priced consumer product; it just didn’t stay very clean, was prone to environmental ‘staining’ from sitting outside, definitely did far worse than their HPC product which has just been great in theses situations since I first used it in March of 2017. Worthwhile to note that Detailed Image, the 22ple vendor, no longer offers this product (or their entry-level ‘Signature’ coating) and is now just showing the not-yet-released 22ple Insanity coating along with the HPC offering. In my experience 22ple has been among the best I’ve used at staying clean w/ little intervention although visibly entertaining water behavior has always been just average, a worthwhile trade off for me. And I still really have no idea what Finitura brings to the table long-term. Even if available, I wouldn’t use this coating again…HPC has done far better.
Race Red 2019 Ford Transit Connect – Kamikaze Miyabi + Zipang + Overcoat, Feb 2019 – Now at 16k miles. I chose poorly with regards to the vehicle I used this on, thinking I would be able to watch it closely over the course of the Summer. The Tech assigned to this vehicle rarely came to the shop so I was only able to see the vehicle 3 or 4 times over the course of the Summer and never got a chance to look closely at it. This guy apparently lives in a rural area and 2 of the times I did see the vehicle, it was covered stem-to-stern in bird bombs, like he parked it each night under a Tetradactyl nest. Last time I saw it he must run it thru the local touchless tunnel wash as the gloss was good and it looked great but I wasn’t able to look closely. I think he mentioned cleaning it off with a bath towel once so it’ll be interesting to see what it looks like ‘nose-to-paint’ in a few weeks when most of the seasonal folks are done for the year. Self-cleaning appears to be on-par with my other Kamikaze experiences from a distance but up close will be the true test. I’ve had the Miyabi-Zipang combo on one of my personal cars since late Spring 2019 and it’s performing as expected despite not getting washed much but getting a close look at this particular vehicle in a few weeks will be more indicative of how it holds up in a truly ‘industrial’ setting. Since this is what I choose for my personal cars, obviously I’d use this combo again and might do another new vehicle this Winter with it.
Race Red 2018 Ford Transit E150 – Gtechniq CSL x 1 + EXOV4 x 2, February 2019 – Now at 15.5k miles. Overall, it’s OK but in my mind a bit of a letdown given all the reports of how amazing this combo is. Water behavior has diminished significantly since initially coated and it stays reasonably clean but nothing near 22ple or Kamikaze. This vehicle has seen the local touchless soap-rinse tunnel wash 2 or 3 times this season but that’s about it. Dunno if EXO V4 requires more maintenance to keep it doing well but was kinda disappointed with this combo as far as ‘fire and forget’ goes. Bummer because CSL is one of the most enjoyable applications I have done, silky smooth on application and removal. Would I use this combo again…probably not but I am looking for some other possible combos with CSL as a base cuz it seems to be a pretty tough customer.
On a Gtechniq side note, I had first used CLS in January 2017, topped with C2V3. The self-cleaning characteristics of that combo were terrible, (easily removed) water spots after each rain. A couple of months in, after the C2V3 wore off most likely, it started doing better in that respect and then just for giggles, I topped it with CanCoat at the end of the season and it proved to be a very, very nice combo. Saw the van this morning and the richness of the CSL was still present and while the candy-ness of the CanCoat has worn away the vehicle still looks very good. I think this Tech is one who takes a bit more pride in his vehicle and runs thru the local soap/rinse touchless wash more often than others but regardless, I’m kinda impressed on how good the vehicle looks overall. CSL is more of a ‘sheeter’ and beading is not that great but it keeps itself looking pretty good, all things considered.
It’s about that time to put some things away for the winter and give other things one final go-over before subjecting them to the road-gruel that NE Ohio offers up in the Dark Months. Took some time to finally wash the winter-driver Honda Civic (Zipang-Myabi-Zipang-Infinity Wax-Overcoat) one last time. Been kinda ignoring this one for a bit now, other more entertaining things to do recently, so it’s pretty much just sat outside not getting any attention for the past 2 months or so. Rain, sun, leaves, tree sap, foam and water spray from washing other cars…its all sat on the paint for a bit lately. As I was getting ready to wash it, I looked a bit more closely at it and was kinda wondering if I let it go too long. Was covered with water spots and dirt, the water spots coming from both rain and ill-aimed hoses while washing other cars. Especially on the darker plastic, it appeared that perhaps laziness was gonna catch up to me…
Fortunately, a little foam, a little soap and a bucket wash took care of any concerns…
No harm no foul…good to go!
Coating w/ no prep 😮
Bored today, decided to coat the front half of the truck w/ no prep aside from a wipedown.
Wiped down w/ heavy and then light application of IGL Pre-Clean then just started to coat. Obviously defects abound, truck was last *correctly* prepped and coated with Gyeon Mohs in Autumn 2016.
Kinda weird as the coating applicator slid across the obviously contaminated surface, could feel the ‘baggie test’ contamination. Appeared as if the solvents in the coating loosened up some grime that the Panel Wipe didn’t get, applicator was slightly dirty.
Pretty familiar w/ how this coating performs so will be obvious to me if lifespan/performance is degraded significantly or just turns out to be an appearance thing (Garbage In, Garbage Out).
Not gonna mention the specific coating as if someone comes and finds this in the future, don’t wanna give any poor impressions of coating due to lack of prep. Reading Comprehension sometimes lags behind results and specifics of application.
After re-doing my entirely abused daily driver last weekend (it`s had 4 coatings on it since I bought new in June of 2017 and has endured 60k miles of NE Ohio freeway abuse) I really don`t think there`s rany other place to look, nothing truly interesting to me to try. I`ve done 2 or 3 `authorized user only` coatings, I`ve done Graphene and I`ve done a coating marketed as `hydrophilic` as opposed to hydrophobic. 4 years, 25 coatings, untold amounts of corresponding panel wipes, maintenance products and such and probably 500k + miles on the vehicles I`ve used them on, about 75% of which I still see daily (Yay Fleet vehicles!). Always tried to use applicable prep and finishing products with each coating (Prep wipe, primer polishes, toppers) to avoid the `User error, you did not follow our instructions” incidents.
Did I find the `Best Coating in the World…no. Did I even find the `Best Coating For Me`…who knows…there`s just too many coatings out there to know for sure. Did I find a collection of coatings that work best for me and make me smile anytime I look at my cars and that I enjoy using…yes; and in the end, that`s all that matters, no?
I`ll still have 3 or 4 new Fleet Vehicles to play with each Winter so if something *really, REALLY* interesting comes along I can always try it but I don`t see anything on the horizon (including the likely upcoming onslaught of Graphene stuff) that really piques my interest. I`m currently thinking that most future Fleet vehicles will get CarPro Cquartz UK 3.0, maybe w/ Gliss on top, maybe a layer of Cquartz TiO2 on top; the availability of 100ml bottles at a reasonable price and how it`s performed over the last 15 months is quite impressive; and I`ll get to use Essence whihc for some reason I *really* enjoy using. I`ve never really used a `bad` coating, plenty of really good ones and a few exceptional ones…but that`s all based on my personal opinions of the products and both the tangible and intangible aspects of them.
Of course, this could all change but I hope not…I’m kinda tired!
The final lineup in my home/driveway:
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.
Have the technology evolved ? Are ceramic coating today worth it? Is the shine getting closer to Carnuba wax level as they claim ? When the coating is all scratched up, how easy is it to remove and correct without removing too much clear in the process ? How do you maintain it in between car washes !?
What are some of the brands today ?
A: Well, as shown by the extensive notes I keep, I don’t really excel at ‘brief’ but I’ll give it a go…
A brief conclusion: Coatings work very well for me; I like clean cars but I don’t like cleaning cars and coatings help tremendously in that area. Pick the right coating and the amount of maintenance you’ll end up doing should be decreased. You’ll still need to touch the surface with a traditional wash but you’ll be safer if you miss something that would otherwise goon up your paint (bird droppings, water spots, etc) as in *most* cases the coating will protect the paint from permanent damage until you can get around to dealing with it. And if it does start ‘eating into something’ it will have to eat through the coating first before getting down to the clearcoat; same concept goes for things which would otherwise stain the clearcoat…they usually stain the coating and then stop there. Think ‘sacrificial layer’.
Has the technology evolved: Dunno, really as I’ve only been messing around w/ coatings since Spring 2016. In that time many new coatings have come out but very few have been different enough for me to give them a try. Graphens is/is gonna be a new buzzword in coatings. I have a graphene coating on my daily driver, applied 05/2019 and it’s doing very, very well. Can read more about that here: SPS Graphene . Self-healing coatings are generally limited to pro-only installs except for one or 2. I have Kamikaze Zipang on 2 of my cars now; while it’s certainly not a suit of armor by any means, it does work to a limited degree, some pics/details here: Kamikaze Zipang
Are Ceramic Coatings today worth it: To me, a definite yes. They make my life easier, keep my cars looking cleaner w/ less effort and protect far better than waxes or sealants.
Is the shine getting closer to Carnuba wax level as they claim: While the majority of coatings give a candy-gloss appearance, there are some that stand out a bit more based upon the visual properties they lend to the surface. Feynab Ceramic is a coating I’ve used that comes very, very close to a sealant look…very bright, very brilliant. Kamikaze ISM 1.0 is noted for its warmer, wax-like glow if you wanna go that way. You can also add things on top of coatings as long as they are synergistic in nature, i.e. ‘coating friendly’. Kamikaze has Infinity Wax which “…Utilizing 53.7% high grade Carnauba Wax, and 39.2% Japanese glass coating” which I may do once or twice a year, partly just for the enjoyment of waxing a car and partly as it lends a little depth and a ‘relaxed high gloss’ look, all the while not diminishing the performance of the underlying coating. Polish Angel has released a “High Gloss Paste Wax’ which is also synergistic for use on coatings…it’s on my list to try next Spring cuz Polish Angel stuff is just luscious.
When the coating is scratched up, how easy to remove/correct: Most of the coatings I have used will come off during the course of normal paint correction, generally with a medium polish and a light cutting pad. Some tougher ones may need a compound/something more aggressive but for the most part, not so tough to remove. There are a few coatings, mostly pro-only, that likely require wet-sanding to remove, Gtechniq Crystal Serum and maybe Kamikaze Enrei being the only ones I’ve heard about that are that tenacious.
I began one Spring with Wolfgang Uber Ceramic on wife’s car, polished that off mid-summer and applied Feynlab Ceramic and then polished that off at the end of Summer and went all-out with Kamikaze on it. Given all of that, in addition to 2 heavy compounding corrections previously, there was no indication I was getting near to being dangerous, even on edges where there is usually less clearcoat. Definitely a YMMV thing though, better safe than sorry!
How do you maintain it in between car washes: I just let it ride until it needs a wash. And when I wash it, just use a ‘pure’ shampoo w/ no waxes, gloss enhancers or other stuff. Don’t wanna ‘clog’ up the surface of the coating with lesser performing chemicals that make up ‘Wash and Wax’ products. You can periodically add a coating friendly booster/topper if you like, it adds some gloss/hydrophobic behavior/protection, generally every 2 months or so. Again, you wanna keep it synergistic with coating properties so as not to take a step backwards. If you wanna remove light dust between washes, there are ’pure’ products out there that can help with that, things like Poorboys World Spray & Wipe Waterless Wash and similar.
What are some brands today: Well, actually far too numerous to list…it seems like someone brings out a new coating or 2 every week. Many are ‘white label’ stuff I suspect, somebody re-branding an existing product. As for myself, bearing in mind I have no access to pro-only products, I have used the following:
Kamikaze Miyabi
Kamikaze ISM 1.0
Kamikaze ISM 2.0
Kamikaze Zipang
SPS Graphene
22ple HPC
22ple VXPRO2
CarPro Cquartz Classic/TiO2
CarPro Cquartz UK 3.0
CarPro Gliss V2
McKees 37 Paint Coating V1
McKees 37 Paint Coating V2
Gyeon Prime
Gyeon Mohs
Gyeon Can Coat
Gyeon Syncro
Gyeon One
Pearl Nano
IGL Quartz
Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light
Gtechniq EXOV4
The Gloss Shop Ceramic Coating V1
The Gloss Shop Ceramic Coating V2
Feynlab Ceramic
Nanolex Si3d
Wolfgang Uber Ceramic
…and probably a few others I’ve missed.
My preferences are for products from the Kamikaze Collection cuz they just seem to work best for me. I first used their coatings in October of 2016 and then spent the next 3 years trying the above products to find something that ‘beat’ their performance…and I couldn’t. How did I determine how they would perform in a real-world situation as opposed to static test panels? Well, I work for a seasonal swimming pool service company that runs a fleet of vans, about 20-24 of ‘em. It gets a bit slow in the winter and since we buy 3 or 4 new vehicles each Winter, I started prepping, correcting and coating them and then watching how they did; have been doing this since Fall of 2016. I also pulled older vehicles outta the line and did the same to them. So every day I come to work I can watch/see how the coatings are performing in real-world situations, albeit kinda tough situations. The vehicles sole maintenance during the April thru November period is getting rained on, w/ an occasional touchless tunnel wash, soap and rinse only. Kinda an expensive enterprise for me but only way to know for sure how things work in real life. Curiosity has its price and it’s worth it to me; I’m in a place where I can prep/polish/correct a car and then coat it with what I have found to the *best coating FOR ME* and then I’m set for 3-5 years, barring an exceptional circumstance/damage to paint.
To be sure, I’ve never used a truly bad coating, it’s just that some did things a little better that met my specific needs so that’s how I found ‘my’ coating. And since buying the Cayman and coating it (details of that process here: Cayman Detail ) I’m able to spend far more time driving it than cleaning it. Drove that thing through 250 mile road trip, mostly pouring rain, and when I got home and looked at it, it was still clean and shiny enough that I felt no need to wash it immediately (except for windshield). And since buying the Cayman, I MUCH prefer driving to cleaning. I LOVE Agate Grey Metallic, no more black cars for me!
Worthwhile to note that I am not a pro, just a guy tripping over cords in my garage who wanted to find the easiest way to have a clean car with minimal effort. I have no scientific evidence to back up my finding, only the 2 eyeballs in my head that spend WAY too much time staring at the cars I’ve done. As with anything, YMMV.
See, told ya I’m not too good at ‘brief’ 😆
So I’ve used beadmaker on previous uncoated vehicles and got incredible gloss. However I’ve read in some of your posts that it tends to hinder certain characteristics of the coating? What exactly does it hinder I’m curious. I prob will mimic what you do and use the PA gloss spritz for a change instead of cosmic. As far as rinseless wash. I’ve read ONR is off limits for kamikaze. How about Wolfgang Uber rinsless. Any experience with these?
Generally you don’t wanna put anything ‘lesser’ on top of the coating. It won’t hurt it but the surface will take on the characteristics of what’s on top as opposed to those of the coating.
With hydrophobics/self cleaning being one of the greatest benefits of the coating, covering them up is kinda a step backwards. Things like Cosmic and Overcoat are coating-compatible formulations that not only maintain but often also enhance the coating/surface in a synergistic way.
Same theory w things like ONR and Uber Rinseless which contain polymers/gloss enhancers that will mask the inherent properties of the coating. I think McKees 37 914 is a ‘pure’ rinseless if you’re looking for one. Dunno for sure as I’m not a waterless/rinseless guy.
That’s the theory anyway and it makes sense if you want to completely optimize all the good aspects of the coating.
Will the coating fail if you put something like Beadmaker in top? My guess is not in the least bit, longevity of the Beadmaker will be reduced but the probably no other ill effects aside from decreased surface behavior.
While I’ll occasionally look into doing something for fun/sake of appearance for the most part I don’t stray far from what I’ve found works best for ‘me’; after 3 years and probably more than 250k miles of watching various coatings to find what I like I’m just trying not to muck it up at this point!
Life's tough, wear a helmet. 
Hi, great detailed article. Thanks for writing this up. I am in NE ohio as well. Do you offer detailing service and coating? If not, who is your #1 recommended detailer? Thanks
Actually I moved down to Central OH about a year ago. I never detailed for money…was all self-funded entertainment! Ross at Rehab Detailing in Beachwood was someone I thought highly of in NE Ohio.