Sealant, Wax, Ceramic product line questions

[Eric Jones]

Well, I am fairly new to Adam's products, that however would be hard to tell from the amount of product that I have already purchased in the last 45 days or so.  As our weather here in Ohio finally starts to warm up, the time will come to start doing some detail work on four different cars.  It seems like I may want to consider different processes and or product lines for the cars and after watching a ridiculous amount of videos on youtube I am now more than a little confused.  

 

The first car is my (new to me) 2013 BMW Z4 (black sapphire paint) that is a low mileage care in very good shape.  The paint is really good but does need some work to get out some various imperfections.  This car will be a nice weather car, will do my best to not drive it in the rain but it will most likely see some rain at some point.  I assume I will put 5-8k miles on it a year.  I have owned this car since november and while its beautiful, I find that if you look at it funny, it will get a scratch.  

 

Second car is my daily driver will most likely be a white or silver Honda accord sport.  Will sit outside all the time and will be driven in the winter

 

Third car is my wife's White MDX which is driven in all kinds of weather and will see the garage when at home.

 

Final car is a 2013 Honda Accord v6 coupe with beautiful blue paint which really shows well when taken care of.  This car will sit outside 100% of the time and will sit in a college parking lot most of the time.  

 

As you can see I have a few different situations.  I am trying to figure out the best products for each of the cars.  Based on the videos, it seems like the liquid paint sealant is what I will want to use for the daily drivers, especially those that sit outside.  The real concern I have with the BMW is being able to keep the scratches off of it.  I was thinking about doing the ceramic coating on after doing a full paint correction.  It seems like if I choose Ceramic on that car I will then only use Boost on that going forward?  I am a little skeptical on the ceramic coatings.  Its not Adams specific, I guess I just don't know how so little product can protect the paint like it claims.  Am I correct in assuming that its Boost going forward if that is what goes on the BMW?  Can detail spray be used or H2O GG?  if I go sealant, what are the products that can be used in combination with that and the same goes for waxes.  

 

Sorry for the long post and I promise I have done a lot of video watching....probably too much because I am now overloaded with product options......glad this isn't chemical guys because it looks like I may have 4X more products to cloud my mind.  I am loving all of the products I have tried so far, I would love to hear what the recommendations are.  

 

Thanks

 

Eric

[Mbrazelton]

My favorite for my daily driver is, doing s 3 step polish, then paint sealant, then glaze, then a Americana wax.  I usually don't use H2O G&G, a lot of people love this product, I just only use it on people cars that I wash.  

[falcaineer]

When first starting, it can definitely feel overwhelming. Here's a great article that should help pull it all together:

 

 

I'll also add my 2 cents: PS is a good all around option, especially for the three dailies (Hondas and Acura). It's easy to apply, and you can maintain with all sorts of products...HGG being my preference every 4 washes or so. PS will also give at least 6 months of protection. For the Beemer, aka your Garage Queen, PS would also be a great option, but wax will give you more depth and is a popular option. Note none of these, even the coating, will prevent all scratches.

Edited April 16, 2018 by falcaineer

[Eric Jones]

10 minutes ago, falcaineer said:

When first starting, it can definitely feel overwhelming. Here's a great article that should help pull it all together:

 

 

I'll also add my 2 cents: PS is a good all around option, especially for the three dailies (Hondas and Acura). It's easy to apply, and you can maintain with all sorts of products...HGG being my preference every 4 washes or so. PS will also give at least 6 months of protection. For the Beemer, aka your Garage Queen, PS would also be a great option, but wax will give you more depth and is a popular option. Note none of these, even the coating, will prevent all scratches.

when in the garage, my Z4 gets pretty dusty within a few days (something I didn't realize on my 2 white cars).  It seems like if you even brush your hand on the car the paint will scratch.  Will any of the products make that less likely to happen?  Seems like the PS would be much easier and cheaper to apply than the ceramic coating but how much of a step down in protection is it.  If you go with a paste wax, what products are you using between applications?  

[falcaineer]

9 minutes ago, Eric Jones said:

when in the garage, my Z4 gets pretty dusty within a few days (something I didn't realize on my 2 white cars).  It seems like if you even brush your hand on the car the paint will scratch.  Will any of the products make that less likely to happen?  Seems like the PS would be much easier and cheaper to apply than the ceramic coating but how much of a step down in protection is it.  If you go with a paste wax, what products are you using between applications?  

 

If dust is an issue, look into WW (or RW diluted 16:1) and WW towels. Perfect for light dust and super easy to use.

 

I think the article I posted does well to explain the differences in protection level, but basically, PS will give you at least 6 months, and a coating will last a year or two, assuming both are properly maintained. 

 

I don't use any of the paste waxes so I'll defer to others on what works best for them. I will add, though, that BG will give you some exceptional, albeit short-lived, shine on top of the wax (or PS for that matter).

[Rich]

Do like I do (2 white cars) when my cars are in the garage.  I got two super soft fleece sheets and sewed the short ends together. I just throw it over the car and it keeps the dust off, comes off real easy, and goes right into the washer and dryer when needed.  To fold it up, I flip both sides up on the roof, then just begin pulling it towards either the trunk or hood while rolling it. That way, the same side goes down every time and the dust stays on the other side. Been doing that for years. 

As for the waxes.  Americana seems to give the longest lasting protection, Patriot is my favorite since it's easier to go on and off and I'm happy with it.  I have the Ceramic Wax, but haven't had any kind of weather here yet to use it and give an opinion of it.  

[shane@detailedreflections]

A lot of your questions have been answered regarding sealants, waxes and their maintenance. I guess I’ll dive into the coatings a bit. 

 

My first question is why are you skeptical? You mention that you don’t know how so little product can protect your vehicle. Why couldn’t it?  The majority of any product we apply gets buffed off and ends up towels leaving an extremely thin layer of protection. Sealants and waxes leave a softer protection than a coating. I understand the “more has to be better” outlook on some level, but that’s purely visceral of a reaction and ignores the chemistry behind the protection.

 

Coatings are in fact harder, longer lasting, lower maintenance and more protection than a regular wax or sealant. That being said, coatings do require maintenance (different from a wax or sealant) and they are not impossible to damage. 

 

Coatings work by bonding to bare paint. This bond forms a microns thick layer of hard protection. Ceramic coatings tend to be much harder than your clear coat. They maintain their gloss without fading as long as the coating remains on. Depending on the coating used, there may be different layers (Adams is a single layer coating) to it. A hard base layer with sacrificial top layers that enhance gloss and hydrophobic action. A wax or sealant is a softer, wear layer that’s softer than your clear coat. 

 

To maintain a coating, you need to decontaminate it every so often. We commonly recommend twice per year. This involves iron decontamination of the paint and a light claybar. From there it’s as easy as using whatever topping agent (Ceramic Boost or other) on top. There’s less polishing. Less laps around the vehicle. And it’ll stay looking great.

 

The biggest thing if a client comes back and says their coating stopped working right is that their coating needs to be decontaminated. It’s not coating failure, but contaminated paint. 

 

My daily driver over has been coated in a coating from another manufacturer for over a year now. It’s been washed a handful of times and driven all the time. When washed, clayed and topped it looks like we just gave it the full service. It’s got a small micro scratch here or there, but generally the paint is in great shape. 

 

Hope this helps to explain coatings some. If you want to explore them, we can talk about prep and install practices. 

[mc2hill]

Lots of good information above.  And I will chime in and recommend Paint Sealant on the cars, but Brilliant Glaze topped with one of Adam's paste waxes will really make that black BMW look great.

As for the 'college' car, I had a similar situation with my son, and I put a coating on it.  I only saw the car every few months, and would wash with Strip Wash (or regular Adam's Wash Shampoo + 3 ozs of APC) and the car looked great again.  When Ceramic Boost came out I put that on too. 

 

[LSX Maestro]

For the daily vehicles I would recommend you just:

Wash (Strip preferably but if you're going to clay/decon/polish then any soap will work)

Decon (Done with Wheel Cleaner or Iron Remover)

Clay with a Rinseless Wash dilution

Polish (Maybe only on the Z4)

Liquid Paint Sealant (Applied by machine is best but by hand works well too)

H2O Guard and Gloss (Replace H2O Guard and Gloss with Brilliant Glaze and Americana/Patriot Wax for the Z4 for a more "Show car" look, not that H2O GG doesn't look good because it does and it's a lot easier/faster to apply)

 

Don't get confused or start over thinking it.  I was the same way and I still over think it sometimes, but you can't really mess it up.  Don't touch a car that has dust on it with anything that's dry or your hand.  Waterless Wash or Rinseless Wash will be your friend for dust removal, and Detail Spray can also handle light dust.  Use quality Microfibers. Use quality wash pads. 

[Eric Jones]

18 hours ago, shane@detailedreflections said:

A lot of your questions have been answered regarding sealants, waxes and their maintenance. I guess I’ll dive into the coatings a bit. 

 

My first question is why are you skeptical? You mention that you don’t know how so little product can protect your vehicle. Why couldn’t it?  The majority of any product we apply gets buffed off and ends up towels leaving an extremely thin layer of protection. Sealants and waxes leave a softer protection than a coating. I understand the “more has to be better” outlook on some level, but that’s purely visceral of a reaction and ignores the chemistry behind the protection.

 

Coatings are in fact harder, longer lasting, lower maintenance and more protection than a regular wax or sealant. That being said, coatings do require maintenance (different from a wax or sealant) and they are not impossible to damage. 

 

Coatings work by bonding to bare paint. This bond forms a microns thick layer of hard protection. Ceramic coatings tend to be much harder than your clear coat. They maintain their gloss without fading as long as the coating remains on. Depending on the coating used, there may be different layers (Adams is a single layer coating) to it. A hard base layer with sacrificial top layers that enhance gloss and hydrophobic action. A wax or sealant is a softer, wear layer that’s softer than your clear coat. 

 

To maintain a coating, you need to decontaminate it every so often. We commonly recommend twice per year. This involves iron decontamination of the paint and a light claybar. From there it’s as easy as using whatever topping agent (Ceramic Boost or other) on top. There’s less polishing. Less laps around the vehicle. And it’ll stay looking great.

 

The biggest thing if a client comes back and says their coating stopped working right is that their coating needs to be decontaminated. It’s not coating failure, but contaminated paint. 

 

My daily driver over has been coated in a coating from another manufacturer for over a year now. It’s been washed a handful of times and driven all the time. When washed, clayed and topped it looks like we just gave it the full service. It’s got a small micro scratch here or there, but generally the paint is in great shape. 

 

Hope this helps to explain coatings some. If you want to explore them, we can talk about prep and install practices. 

 

Skeptical only because in all of my reading and watching videos it seems like such little product is used an it sounds like that little product offers serious protection from scratches.  When I think of wax which I have always used in the past, I think more about appearance than protection.  When I apply wax I have usually put a couple layers on and I know its there because the water beads when it gets wet.  I don't really think about the protection its providing so when I now see this thin layer of product going on a car, part of my questions just how much protection it offers.  I am not saying I don't believe, I am saying I want to see first hand.  If I can put a ceramic coating on the Black BMW and get great shine, why would I not want to do that.  

 

For the two white cars, I will opt for the paint sealant and then maintain that using the various options.  

 

I read all the responses and watched some of the videos from the link provided in one of the answers.  One thing I am a little confused by.  From what I have read, I believe the paint sealant would be the lowest shine with Wax being the next level and Brilliant Glaze offering the most shine.  I see people are layering them in that order.  If you are putting a paint sealant on first, are you not limiting what the wax and the Brilliant glaze can provide?  It would seem like brilliant glaze followed by wax would be the best for the Black BMW. from a protection standpoint, I would think using the PS first would offer the best level of protection next to going ceramic.  

[shane@detailedreflections]

You’re correct in that a little bit of product offers additional protection. It has much to do with chemistry. It’s also a harder layer than your clear coat. When you think of a clear coat, it’s about the thickness of a post it note. There really isn’t a lot of material to begin with, but it’s trusted to protect your paint. That layer is very expensive to repair when damage happens. Ceramics provide just another layer. They are not as quick to scratch as clear coat, but they are not impossible to damage (I don’t care what video you’re shown). Be realistic in your expectations. 

 

When you think of waxes or other last step products, you should think in terms of protection. That’s the biggest reason to do it. The enhanced appearance is a bonus. You’re trying to preserve your paint. And you’re doing it with a soft layer of chemicals that can come off (mostly in your towel during application). As for seeing it first hand, I would show a client how water runs off the vehicle, how smooth it feels (even on my daily driver with minimal maintenance). I wouldn’t take a wire brush or lighter fluid to my car and set unrealistic expectations for my clients. 

 

Ceramics offer lower maintenance, great shine and high durability. The cons to them are they’re expensive (we start at $800 and go up) and unforgiving someonetimes in application. Mistakes show in prep and application. That’s enough to scare some people. 

 

For traditional products, sealant is the must durable and least shine. You want it to bond to bare paint. Glaze is short lived and appearance only. So that goes next. Then you’re locking it in with two thin coats of wax ideally. 

 

We still do plenty of traditional seal/glaze/wax jobs. We install coatings. It comes down to the budget and wants of our clients. It sounds like you’re comfortable with waxes, and that’s where we would steer you towards if you came to us.