Still a bloody good effort, I certainly appreciate the effort you're putting into this! The outcome will be very interesting, though hopefully I get my Model S within a few weeks, and my first inclination is to get the paint protected at the first opportunity.
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Still a bloody good effort, I certainly appreciate the effort you're putting into this! The outcome will be very interesting, though hopefully I get my Model S within a few weeks, and my first inclination is to get the paint protected at the first opportunity.
I agree you should add paint protection ASAP. If you want to wait for the test results, just use something that can be removed later but not something like Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0, which can't be removed.
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That's a very good question. My assumption is that if I begin with the same paint and surfaces the tests of comparative gloss and durability will be reliable. Obviously the paint chemistry for different cars is not the same I can't possible hope to replicate that. So under the circumstances I think this is the best I can do. Of course, I also assume that these products must be designed to work with different paints and paint chemistries.
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That's a very good question. My assumption is that if I begin with the same paint and surfaces the tests of comparative gloss and durability will be reliable. Obviously the paint chemistry for different cars is not the same I can't possible hope to replicate that. So under the circumstances I think this is the best I can do. Of course, I also assume that these products must be designed to work with different paints and paint chemistries.
Here in alphabetical order are the products I’ve decided to test. In most cases Ill be evaluating two coats of the brand’s paint protector/finish followed by two coats of the its associated top finish or gloss detailer (but only if the manufacturer recommends that it be applied over the base protector/finish). In a number of cases the manufacturer claims the base is all that’s needed to provide protection and gloss. In these cases I’ll take them at their word. I’ve marked those products with an asterisk.
These products cover all of the basic chemistries for synthetic paint protection and gloss enhancers available today: PTFE, Polymers, GlasPlexin, Nano Pro, and Ceramic Quartz.
Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection/Midnight Sun Detailer
CQuartz Ceramic Quartz Paint Protection/Reload Spray Sealant
Glare Professional Polish*
HD Nitro Seal/HD Touch
Klasse All In One Cleaner/Polish & High Gloss Sealant Glaze
Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax Paste 2.0* (this is a synthetic finish so I don’t know why they call it a wax.)
Opti-Coat 2.0/Optima Poly Seal
Zaino ZFX/ Z-2 Pro
3M Performance Finish*
These products cover all of the basic chemistries for synthetic paint protection and gloss enhancers available today: PTFE, Polymers, GlasPlexin, Nano Pro, and Ceramic Quartz.
Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection/Midnight Sun Detailer
CQuartz Ceramic Quartz Paint Protection/Reload Spray Sealant
Glare Professional Polish*
HD Nitro Seal/HD Touch
Klasse All In One Cleaner/Polish & High Gloss Sealant Glaze
Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax Paste 2.0* (this is a synthetic finish so I don’t know why they call it a wax.)
Opti-Coat 2.0/Optima Poly Seal
Zaino ZFX/ Z-2 Pro
3M Performance Finish*
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favo
P3D+ owner
I'm thinking the lack of clear coat on the test panels is a significant difference between them and an actual car. Maybe you can take them to an auto paint shop and get them sprayed with clear coat. No idea how much this might cost, but maybe if you tell them what you are up to and agree to share the results, they will give you a discount.
Looks like you can also DIY:
http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraypaintdepot/topcoat-clears.aspx
eHow.com Clear Coat Car Paint/
Auto Body Paint How to Clean and Spray Paint Final Clearcoat
Before you know it, you'll be a qualified body shop for Model S! :tongue:
Looks like you can also DIY:
http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraypaintdepot/topcoat-clears.aspx
eHow.com Clear Coat Car Paint/
Auto Body Paint How to Clean and Spray Paint Final Clearcoat
Before you know it, you'll be a qualified body shop for Model S! :tongue:
Actually I have spray gun hardware and can add a top coat myself. I was once a serious HO scale model railroader with a pretty extensive brass collection which I custom painted myself -- thus the hardware.
All the products listed have now been ordered so I should be able to start the experiment in a week or so, two at most.
The big three IMO are Opti-Coat/Guard, Cquartz, and 22PLE.
22PLE is emerging as having an edge on gloss and lasts 12-24 months. I was all set to do OG but the OG guy said he was now using the 22PLE for the higher gloss. I went and checked out about 10 examples they had on hand and it does seem amazing.
You might want to add it to your test. Youtube is full of videos.
I might start another thread, but we really need to do something like these protective sealers. I hand waxed my S this weekend (oh man it looks great!) and the microfibre towels would have blue residue on them. I think our paint is very soft.
22PLE is emerging as having an edge on gloss and lasts 12-24 months. I was all set to do OG but the OG guy said he was now using the 22PLE for the higher gloss. I went and checked out about 10 examples they had on hand and it does seem amazing.
You might want to add it to your test. Youtube is full of videos.
I might start another thread, but we really need to do something like these protective sealers. I hand waxed my S this weekend (oh man it looks great!) and the microfibre towels would have blue residue on them. I think our paint is very soft.
They said these coatings would protect from things like people rubbing against the car with blue jeans. Big for me as I like to pick my daughter and friends up from school and they just aren't going to be careful enough.
I'll think about adding 22LPE but only after some careful research. Problem is these products proliferate like rabbits in heat and they all make the same claims. The newest one is always better than all the others. As I've said the amount of BS around these products is astounding. And the more expensive the product the more the BS. I have to say that the BS factor for 22PLE breaks all of the previous boundaries. It costs over $100. Liquid glass? Give me a break. There is no such thing. On that basis alone I may not test this.
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Just stick all the samples on your roof like solar panels, I think it's the only place you'll have space. Then you can take them down and build yourself some nice aluminum cabinetry :smile:
So true! Definitely go with the Opti-Coat/Guard if you want a proven record. But problem is we're all the Early Adopter types looking for a few percent edge.
The paint armor covers the finish so I assume products like CQuartz would have little benefit except in the uncovered areas. But it might protect the paint armor. Why would that need protection?
I for one am not getting paint armor on my car. I don't think it's worth it. Where I drive stone damage and the like are insignificant. Plus I can always see the edges of the paint armor and that irritates me.
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As I'm spending my own money for this experiment I'm very reluctant to drop $100 on a product that's nearly double the price of everything else. This is the Chival Regas marketing effect at work -- if it costs twice as much it must be twice as good. I doubt it.
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I was able to find the 22PLE VX1 Pro Glass Coating for a cost that was acceptable. It's a small supply -- not enough to do a car but sufficient for my test. So it will be included
This is getting to be fun and I can't wait to get started. The great joy will be sorting through the BS factor of these products by having a reliable and objective test of their claims. I've not seen any tests that compares this many products -- usually it's not more than two or three and the "tests" are usually posted on the sites that sell the stuff.
I for one am not getting paint armor on my car. I don't think it's worth it. Where I drive stone damage and the like are insignificant. Plus I can always see the edges of the paint armor and that irritates me.
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So true! Definitely go with the Opti-Coat/Guard if you want a proven record. But problem is we're all the Early Adopter types looking for a few percent edge.
As I'm spending my own money for this experiment I'm very reluctant to drop $100 on a product that's nearly double the price of everything else. This is the Chival Regas marketing effect at work -- if it costs twice as much it must be twice as good. I doubt it.
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I was able to find the 22PLE VX1 Pro Glass Coating for a cost that was acceptable. It's a small supply -- not enough to do a car but sufficient for my test. So it will be included
This is getting to be fun and I can't wait to get started. The great joy will be sorting through the BS factor of these products by having a reliable and objective test of their claims. I've not seen any tests that compares this many products -- usually it's not more than two or three and the "tests" are usually posted on the sites that sell the stuff.
I now have ten products. That's as many as I want to handle. The Liquid Glass is an 80s product, so I think I'll let that one go.
I think your test will be far superior to this - but here is the NSX hood test for any interested
Meguiar/Zaino/Zymol test
http://www.ffcars.com/magazine/waxtest.html
Meguiar/Zaino/Zymol test
http://www.ffcars.com/magazine/waxtest.html
Much thanks for doing this, artsci. Nice to see some scientific basis to this testing being applied!
Cquartz and 22PLE are both of the "Liquid Glass" category. They're just the latest revision. So should be good there.
Artsi, I am strongly considering getting the full front clear bra treatment and so asked about it in conjunction with surface treatment. They put the treatment over the armor material. I'm not convinced thats of any benefit, but that's what they said. Hopefully it helps hide the armor lines as the faint lines are the only thing holding me back.
Artsi, I am strongly considering getting the full front clear bra treatment and so asked about it in conjunction with surface treatment. They put the treatment over the armor material. I'm not convinced thats of any benefit, but that's what they said. Hopefully it helps hide the armor lines as the faint lines are the only thing holding me back.
That's the usual subjective test hood test, with the usual water run-off judgment, except this time it's "my wife and I" making the judgment.
Nikola Tesla's AC Motor is an 1888 product, and the Baker Electric car was 1889. Does that make the Model S not worth testing? Just a thought.
No worries. I will post pics of my car after Liquid Glass application.
Cheers.
Nikola Tesla's AC Motor is an 1888 product, and the Baker Electric car was 1889. Does that make the Model S not worth testing? Just a thought.
No worries. I will post pics of my car after Liquid Glass application.
Cheers.
Sorry, but at some point I had to limit the number of products I tested. Liquid glass is not one of products often cited as among the best.
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