Recommend a DIY paint protection product?

[JAM486HP]

Plan on doing a thorough clay bar surface prep and then coat. Anyone have experience with or advice for a product other than wax? Ceramic/graphene seems to be popular at the moment.

Not looking to get PPF like protection, just something to coat all surfaces, paint, glass, plastic for a nice shine and makes it easier to wash the bugs off.

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[Vapor Blue GT]

DIY Detail 3,5&8 year ceramic coatings are fairly new but have received great reviews. I have the 5 year on our mustang which is also has ppf. There are plenty of quality ceramic coatings that receive great reviews. Some are easier to work with than others.

For optimal results you should polish the paint after mechanical decon and decon towel use.

 

[JAL]

I used this on my other Mustang and it was very doable for a DIYer with normal skills. I researched these coatings extensively and ended up buying the one in the picture.
I did paint correction with buffers and when I was satisfied with the finish I coated the car and it made cosmetic maintenance of the paint much easier. Especially considering the car was black.

 

[DFB5.0]

Sooooo many paint protection options on the market these days, I could rattle off millions of products, but I'll keep it simple and list a couple of proven products to get you started.

Wax - old fashioned, but it still has a place. More work to apply, but sometimes its worth the hassle. I default to Collinite 845 for wax, its not from a posh brand, and its been around for decades. But as waxes go, its one of the most durable, while delivering slickness and magical gloss. Downside, well you can't really use it on unpainted trim as it will stain. Expect 3 to 12 months depending on vehicle use, storage and maintenance. I can get over 12 months on my garage queens.

After trying a variety of new spray sealants and ceramic coatings, I'm seriously contemplating the use of good-old 845 once my S650 arrives.

Collinite No. 845 Heavy Duty Insulator Wax - Skys The Limit Car Care (carpro-us.com)

Spray Sealant - these products have basically replaced wax for most people these days. They are far simpler and easier to apply, basically a spray and wipe sort of deal. Depending on the product, they are not as durable as a ceramic coating, or even a high-quality wax, but the speed of application means you can reapply in no time.

Two I use often are Koch Chemie S0.02 and Carpro Reload 2.0. Of the two, KC S0.02 is more expensive, but much easier to apply and a little goes a long way. Reload is not hard to apply, just not as fool proof as S0.02. Both should give you 2 to 3 months on a daily driver, 12 months on a garage queen. The best thing? They can be used on all surfaces including paint, glass, rubber and plastic trim.

Koch-Chemie Spray Sealant S0.02 | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse
CARPRO Reload 2.0 Inorganic Spray Sealant | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse

Light Ceramic Coating - these products are a gateway to full ceramic coatings. There are few on the market, most only delivering 6 months durability, at which point I wouldn't bother. However, Gyeon Can Coat EVO will do 12 months and beyond, while also being more in line with a spray sealant than a ceramic coating in terms of how its applied.

I will caution though, this is still a ceramic coating, so you need to work smart and be sure to wipe each section and its overlapping areas thoroughly to avoid high-spots. You also DO NOT spray this product onto the paint, rather into a towel or applicator, then wipe across the paint before immediately buffing with a towel. I could link you to appropriate videos on this if you chose to go with Can Coat.

GYEON | Q2 Cancoat EVO – Car Supplies Warehouse

Ceramic Coating - these are products are typically multi-year coatings, offering the most chemical and environmental resistance, along with superior ease of cleaning. And while there are various specific coatings to use on glass, paint, trim and wheels, a singular paint coating will cover most bases. However, they do require more methodical application, so be sure to read up and watch some videos before diving in the deep end. Again, be mindful of the chance of high-spots and work smaller sections until you gain confidence.

In this case, I would suggest Gyeon Pure EVO. This is a very forgiving coating to apply, while the bond with the paint is instant, you have a 15 min window in which to level it back, allowing the user more time to get comfortable. Expect 3 years of durability and a candy-like level of gloss. It's only failing is the lack of ultimate slickness, something I get around by using a spray sealant topper like the above Carpro Reload 2.0 or Gyeon's own Cure after application, something that also protects the coating as it fully cures in the first 14 days.

Gyeon Q2M Cure | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse
GYEON | Q2 PURE EVO Ceramic Coating – Car Supplies Warehouse

Despite the wall of words, that's only an overview, something I can elaborate on if you need.

 

[JAM486HP]

Sooooo many paint protection options on the market these days, I could rattle off millions of products, but I'll keep it simple and list a couple of proven products to get you started.


Despite the wall of words, that's only an overview, something I can elaborate on if you need.

Damn thanks bro, hell of a response read like a professional article on Car and Driver.

I most certainly want to go with full ceramic like Gyeon Pure EVO. You say lacks slickness and needs a curing agent, or will it smooth out if kept indoors longer to cure on it's own?

In choosing a full ceramic coating, what are the key ingredients to look for or stay away from?

 

[DFB5.0]

Damn thanks bro, hell of a response read like a professional article on Car and Driver.

I most certainly want to go with full ceramic like Gyeon Pure EVO. You say lacks slickness and needs a curing agent, or will it smooth out if kept indoors longer to cure on it's own?

In choosing a full ceramic coating, what are the key ingredients to look for or stay away from?

Pure EVO doesn't need a curing agent, but they can be helpful for a couple of reasons -

1. During the first 12 hours after application, you really need to keep the car dry, ideally parked in a garage or under cover and not driven. This allows the coating to cure properly. Using a product like Cure or Reload is your backup just in case the car gets wet during that stage.

2. Reload or Cure will also provide protection over the following 14 days as the coating fully hardens.

3. From here, the "curing agent" will add slickness to the equation. This not universal to all coatings, but most of them seem to lack that slick feeling a wax brings to the table. In most cases, this is the tradeoff for durability. In the case of Pure EVO, it's just the way it is, so no amount of additional cure time will alter that.

Having said that, if you want slickness without using a topper or curing agent, then have a look at Gyeon Mohs EVO. Unlike Pure EVO, Mohs EVO has that slickness on its own without the use of a topper. Personally, I would still apply Cure or Reload to be on the safe side.

GYEON | Q2 MOHS EVO Ceramic Coating – Car Supplies Warehouse

In terms of "key ingredients", I'm not entirely sure where you are going with that, but I have linked you to my application in the thread below. In that case, I decontaminated and polished the car prior to application of Pure EVO. The theme of that thread was around a once-every-few-years sort of detail. So pick it up where you feel suits your situation -

Holiday Project - Polishing and Ceramic Coating the Jag! | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

These videos are from Gyeon itself, I found them really helpful in understanding the two coatings and their specific application traits.

Pure EVO -



Mohs EVO -



Once applied and cured, you would need a soap without added gloss enhancers as these can cause streaking or hazing when used on a coating. Something as simple as Adam's Car Shampoo or Mega Foam, or the likes of Gyeon Bathe, Carpro Reset, Koch Chemie GSF or NV Snow would be suitable choices. You would also reapply the topper (or cure agent if you will) every 6 months to help maintain the coating. In my case I use a drying aid with an element of Si02 in it, say Gyeon Ceramic Detailer, Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Detailer, P&S Bead Maker or Adam's Slick-n-Slide.

Gyeon Q2M Ceramic Detailer | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse
P&S | Bead Maker Paint Protectant | Car Supplies Warehouse – Car Supplies Warehouse
Adam's Slick & Slide - Adam's Polishes (adamspolishes.com)
Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Detailer, 26 oz. (meguiarsdirect.com)

Apart from that, you will be surprised at how easily the car will be too clean going forward.

 

[roadpilot]

@DFB5.0 - What is your opinion of IGL Kenzo?

 

[steveo1960]

Great thread! Good questions and solutions. Thanks!

 

[Glossox]

Pure EVO doesn't need a curing agent, but they can be helpful for a couple of reasons -
https://www.meguiarsdirect.com/meguiars-hybrid-ceramic-detailer-26-oz.html
Apart from that, you will be surprised at how easily the car will be too clean going forward.

After the gyeon is all done, is it safe to go through touchless car washes? Hopefully this is not a stupid question.. this is day 1 of my journey.

 

[Vapor Blue GT]

After the gyeon is all done, is it safe to go through touchless car washes? Hopefully this is not a stupid question.. this is day 1 of my journey.

Touch less car washes do not completely clean all the film off of the car. They are also known for using high alkaline soaps or basic soaps which neither are good to use in any car for continuous washings. If you find one that uses a fairly neutral soap then it’s ok but you’ll want to do a contact wash periodically.

I’ll add there’s no such thing as a stupid question. You are investing a lot into this car and you want to keep it in great condition. It’s very easy to damage vehicle paint and interiors. You’ll get different opinions but we all care about our cars so we won’t lead you down the wrong path.

 

[Baldilocks]

I only use MAXL products.

https://youtube.com/@maxlofficial?si=U614x0GDk66l-95b

 

[Glossox]

.

I’ll add there’s no such thing as a stupid question. You are investing a lot into this car and you want to keep it in great condition. It’s very easy to damage vehicle paint and interiors. You’ll get different opinions but we all care about our cars so we won’t lead you down the wrong path.

Thanks a lot. Iv got a lot to learn here!

 

[DFB5.0]

@DFB5.0 - What is your opinion of IGL Kenzo?

Not a coating or brand I have any experience with, although I know their coatings are well regarded. What's interesting with IGL is their involvement in industries outside of cars, offering ceramic coatings for commercial, industrial and residential applications. Think ceramic coating of house windows, kitchen benchtops, industrial machines, solar panels.....................

 

[DFB5.0]

After the gyeon is all done, is it safe to go through touchless car washes? Hopefully this is not a stupid question.. this is day 1 of my journey.

Yes and no, this is a case of cause and effect.

A ceramic coating offers the most chemical resistance of any LSP (last step product), and at both ends of the pH scale. For Gyeon Pure EVO, that coating has a safe pH operating range of 2 to 11.

Most car wash soaps sit at 7 to 7.5 in pH, making them suitable for regular use. But should you need the occasional added cleaning power from a higher alkaline or lower acidic soap, then you can safely and easily release the contamination from the coating without stripping it from the car.

Now, I mention this because yes, you can run the car through a touchless car wash. However, as mentioned, to achieve that result, they use more aggressive detergents and soaps, typically with high alkaline figures. The coating will resist those chemicals, but it may speed up the decline of the coating over the long run. High alkalinity can also cause rubber trim and unpainted plastic parts to deteriorate quicker than expected.

So, yes, an occasional run through the touchless wash is ok, but I wouldn't be doing it weekly.

Thanks a lot. Iv got a lot to learn here!

You are in the right place then!

 

[Vapor Blue GT]

Thanks a lot. Iv got a lot to learn here!

I’m not trying to promote anyone or anything here but if you have the time jump on YouTube and search ceramic coatings. There is a ton of informative videos.

There are a few people I watch their content and they have a ton of information. One has been in the industry for over 40 years and he is one of the top if not the top individual when it comes to knowledge in the detailing world. Another does a ton of comparisons of almost every product that’s out there.

You also should consider what it is you want for your car. Some people enjoy cleaning and waxing their vehicles. It’s thearopudic. Some like trying different products from waxes, sealants, spray on products, ceramic and graphene and then actual ceramic coatings. Other like the one and done ceramic with the occasional decon or cleansing of the coating every 6 months or so and have the longevity of a couple years to however long the coating will last.

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