- Joined
- Feb 28, 2010
- Messages
- 1,663
I questioned a company that I buy automotive detail products from, to why their "Sealant" hardly beads on my car after several applications.
So to back pedal a little bit, I use several different type of sealants on my car. I choose sealants over waxes because my car sits out, is a dark color, and I live in the desert. I believe under the conditions in which the car is in, sealants would hold up better. That is up for debate, so I wont go there in this help article.
So, as per the directions, car was washed, and cleaned. applied product by hand (my preference) with a foam applicator as thin as possible. Allowed product to dry on car 15-20 minutes then buffed off.
I wash the car a week later and the car hardly beads. Now, since around February of this year I have applied (from the same company) probably 10-15 coats of either their wax, with polymers added, polymer sealant, and the Acrylic cross linking polymer sealant, of which is supposed to be their top shelf product.
I was dissapointed to find that after a week, when I washed the car, it didnt bead to well. Their response was this, "Due to the cross linking technology of the polymers, when the car is wet, the polymers expand causing the beads to enlarge and appear that there is not much protection, though protection should not be measured by this method, to answer the question of beading, the cross linking polymers react to water by expanding. When the surface is dried they contract. Thus the reason why the beads are not as 'tight' as you would like them to be. There is no loss in protection due to this".
Now I am calling [censored] on this unless someone has some other insight on this?
I will tell you too, even with many coats of wax or sealants, the bugs and bird droppings are a real night mare for me. The car is dark blue, and I live in the desert where car covers are not practical due to wind variance that can be nothing to 40mph in a matter of an hour. So Car cover is out. I just keep it washed and polished and try to get the bird droppings off the best I can. Problem is, after a minute or two they already have etched into the paint. Some of the bugs too. I cant wash the car daily, and I cant always wipe the stuff off whenever I want, I mean, really??? Sometimes you just cant, due to work and such. This is a daily driven car, and by no means a garage queen.
Any help on this or any miracle products people have tried and felt they actually worked?? I am all ears. I am not putting up which products I have used to prevent brand bias. All I can say is they are a reputable brand, professional products, and I am no novice by no means with detailing. Not as anal as I used to be, but still very picky, but realistic when it comes to a DD car.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Jeff
So to back pedal a little bit, I use several different type of sealants on my car. I choose sealants over waxes because my car sits out, is a dark color, and I live in the desert. I believe under the conditions in which the car is in, sealants would hold up better. That is up for debate, so I wont go there in this help article.
So, as per the directions, car was washed, and cleaned. applied product by hand (my preference) with a foam applicator as thin as possible. Allowed product to dry on car 15-20 minutes then buffed off.
I wash the car a week later and the car hardly beads. Now, since around February of this year I have applied (from the same company) probably 10-15 coats of either their wax, with polymers added, polymer sealant, and the Acrylic cross linking polymer sealant, of which is supposed to be their top shelf product.
I was dissapointed to find that after a week, when I washed the car, it didnt bead to well. Their response was this, "Due to the cross linking technology of the polymers, when the car is wet, the polymers expand causing the beads to enlarge and appear that there is not much protection, though protection should not be measured by this method, to answer the question of beading, the cross linking polymers react to water by expanding. When the surface is dried they contract. Thus the reason why the beads are not as 'tight' as you would like them to be. There is no loss in protection due to this".
Now I am calling [censored] on this unless someone has some other insight on this?
I will tell you too, even with many coats of wax or sealants, the bugs and bird droppings are a real night mare for me. The car is dark blue, and I live in the desert where car covers are not practical due to wind variance that can be nothing to 40mph in a matter of an hour. So Car cover is out. I just keep it washed and polished and try to get the bird droppings off the best I can. Problem is, after a minute or two they already have etched into the paint. Some of the bugs too. I cant wash the car daily, and I cant always wipe the stuff off whenever I want, I mean, really??? Sometimes you just cant, due to work and such. This is a daily driven car, and by no means a garage queen.
Any help on this or any miracle products people have tried and felt they actually worked?? I am all ears. I am not putting up which products I have used to prevent brand bias. All I can say is they are a reputable brand, professional products, and I am no novice by no means with detailing. Not as anal as I used to be, but still very picky, but realistic when it comes to a DD car.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Jeff
