Perma Plate (teflon coating) vs. Waxing

[surfah]

Hello,

I am a novice and know practically nothing about car car/car care products.

I would like an honest and detailed explanation of the ads/disads of using teflon coating (i.e., perma-plating) vs. just plain 'ol waxing.

I had friends who have teflon-coated their cars and have never waxed. just washed and after 2 years, their cars still look practically brand new after washing.

On the other hand, there were people who "swear" that waxing is the best way to go to preserve their original glossy finish of new cars.

I am getting a new car next month and would like to maintain the glossy new car finish as long as possible and am wondering which is the best way to go about it.

Thank you very much in advance.

[puterbum]

First of all welcome to this wonderful forum!

Second . . . Teflon coatings on paint are all marketing hype. The dealers buy the stuff for $20 / gallon and sell it for $500 / couple ounces that it takes to do a car. Teflon (PTFE) requires a temperature of around 700 degrees to actually bond to a surface. At that temperature . . . let's just say that they wouldn't do that to your car and thus the teflon wont bond.

Search the forum for "teflon degrees bond" and you will get a number of threads.

So what to do? Buy the ebook! "The book" has a huge wealth of information for new and experienced detailers alike. Also read the Details, Details, Details section of http://www.autopia-carport.com

[Short Cut]

Justin nailed the teflon issue, it is pure hype. You would be better off with a good wax or sealant.

Wax Plusses: You can get a variety of shines by using different waxes. A good non abrasive wax can also be layered to change the look/shine even more.

Sealant Plusses: A bright non-muted shine that lasts considerably longer than wax. Sealant won't evaporate off in hot weather like wax can.

Good Waxes: Blitz, P21S, Souveran, 3M Showcar Wax, Meguiar's #26.

Good Sealants: Klasse, Zaino, Blackfire

Good Luck!

[surfah]

Thank you both very much !

I appreciate you both for taking the time to answer a question I'm sure you both have addressed several times in the past !

Thanks again.

[surfah]

Oh...I also asked Perma-Plate this same question and here is their reply:

************************************************
Thank you for your e-mail.

Perma-Plate offers five protection products to treat new vehicles -
Perma-Plate Paintguard, Fiberguard, Leatherguard, Rustguard and
Soundguard.
In your area, the most common package would be Paint, Fiber, and
Leatherguard, but it appears that you are primarily concerned with the
Paintguard.

Paintguard is a polymer paint sealant and does not contain any Teflon.
There are are differences between this type of product and a wax.
First,
waxes do not contain any UV protection. Also, Paintguard is detergent
resistant - meaning that you aren't removing the protective layer every
time
you wash your vehicle and that you can use car washing soaps to better
clean
the surface and remove road film.

The purpose of the Paintguard Renewer is to clean (polish) the surface
and
reseal any areas that have had the sealant removed through abrasion
(brushing up against the car, driving in dusty air, repeated washing,
drying, etc.) or chemical contact (bugs, road spills, chemical
cleaners,
etc.). This product is used an average of every six months, but will
vary
with local climate, driving and washing conditions.

The Perma-Plate warranties should also be a consideration when deciding
how
to protect your vehicle. Retail products available through auto parts
or
other stores do not have warranty backing. If your finish is damaged
by
weather induced fading, oxidation or loss of gloss Siskin Enterprises,
Inc.
will repaint your vehicle. There is also additional coverage for
damage
caused by water spotting, bird droppings, tree sap, acid rain and
industrial
fallout.

I hope that I was able to answer your questions, but please feel free
to
contact our office toll free at (800)453-8470 with any additional
concerns.
****************************************************

Any comments ?

[Dave C.]

Klasse, Zaino, and BF will do all of the things that Perma-Plate is claiming. As far as their warranty, it raises a red flag in my mind, but give it a shot if it's reasonably priced. I'd be interested in seeing if the product meets the mfg's claims.

[Intermezzo]

I found out through this forum that the protective paint coating my Acura dealership offered me several years ago for 120 dollars was actually just a quick application of Meguiar's #20 which costs 16.95 for a 16 ounce bottle at CMA.

[DETAILKING]

All it is, is a polish/wax. Sometimes acrylic based. It's applied by the dealer or an outside shop. It costs the dealer about $10.00 if they apply it themselves
or approx. $60 if farmed out
to an outside shop. It's a great money maker. The guarantee is useless and hinges on the laws of average. Just try to get a paint job out them.....hehehe....... Don't waste your money. If these systems could ever work they'd be formulated in the paint or applied at the factory.....

[YoSteve]

Teflon as an additive does provide excellent lubrication. I'd like to see it in a QD though (where lubrication is one of the points). Teflon is one of the best lubricants out there (a lot due to its high melting temperature resistance). It may not have its place in car wax, but I think it would (if someone did it correctly) in a quick detailer. IMO, I wouldn't knock teflon out of the game completely, they just haven't put it correctly into a product.

[surfah]

Thanks once again to you all !

[DETAILKING]

Good concept, but not that feasible.....

The melting point of teflon is ~621 °F. The only way to add it to a formulation is in solid form. It is often added as "thickeners" to paints, oils, and grease, for lubricating properties, and for cost savings when selling a product by volume. In this case, it is ground to a VERY fine powder and added to the product and it stays suspended. I just can't see that happening or being effective in a quick detailer............just my opinion.......

[puterbum]

Steve -

Wouldn't teflon be abrasive? The point of QDing is to get particulate matter OFF of the surface, not put it on, right? I may have misinterpreted you though.

ADDED: Oops, typed before DK replied, posted afterwards.