The durability quandary

[Texchappy]

Simple question but I suspect there`s not such a simple answer:

Do any LSP`s actually live up to their durability claims?*

*I realized there are many factors that go into durability but going through several reviews lately I can`t remember one that states folks get the stated durability.

[wdmaccord]

I`ve been getting 6 months out of BFWD with 2 coats of BFCS on top. Of course I don`t use touchless washes in the summer only 2BM with DG901 or rinseless with BFRW. I finish the 2BM with BFMSID and finish the RW with BFPS. All these factors could add up to the 6 months I get out of it.

I use Coll845 in the winter and get 6 months out of that no problem. That is with at least one touchless wash per month with a few RW`s, before it gets way cold, with DGRW+AW and finished with AW.

[Thomas Dekany]

Look into coatings, it is a completely different world.

A black car in Arizona vs a white car in San francisco - traditional LSP will not last too long on the black car. No issues with coatings, don`t really matter where you live.

[Texchappy]

I actually have some Opticoat 2.0 but I`ve hesitated to use it because I doubt my ability to get the paint pristine enough underneath it.

[silverfox]

Durability in my opinion is not a term that applies to non coated paint. There is nothing durable about wax or sealants. Put a popsicle stick in a container of a coating and allow to harden. In a few days, pull it out. You essentially have a Plexiglas lollipop. Do the same with a wax or sealant. You end up with a greasy popsicle stick. Which would you want protecting your paint?

A better term is perhaps longevity.

[Swanicyouth]

Some stuff I have found to be quite durable:

-Naviwax Ultimate & Dark

- Bilt Hamber Finis

- Collinite 915

- Pinnacle Synergy.

IMHO these are the most durable things you can buy in a tub - only two are available readily in the U.S. market.

[RMD]

Some stuff I have found to be quite durable:

-Naviwax Ultimate & Dark

- Bilt Hamber Finis

- Collinite 915

- Pinnacle Synergy.

IMHO these are the most durable things you can buy in a tub - only two are available readily in the U.S. market.

you can get the Bilt Hamber Finis in US now. There`s a tuning shop in Ohio that sells some of their products, including Autofoam.

[Accumulator]

Lots of variables when it comes to durability.

In my case, I quit using Collinite on most of my vehicles because it wasn`t durable enough for me, yet look how many people think it`s great in that regard.

silverfox- Try that test with KSG ;) Not that I really think it`s a fair analogy.... And FWIW, I`ve basically quit using KSG because I can equal its durability with far fewer appliations of FK1000p, which many might dismiss as "merely another paste wax".

Not slamming coatings, I use them on certain wheels. But not on the vehicles proper.

[Accumulator]

There`s a tuning shop in Ohio that sells some [Bilt Hamber] products, including Autofoam.

Do you happen to recall the name of that shop?

[bigltc]

Bilt Hamber Cleaning & Degreasing - Everything you need for your VW, Audi, and Porsche! (http://www.hstuning.com/index.php?vpath=119_120&cPath=152_159)

[bigltc]

http://www.autopia.org/forums/new-autopians-introduce-yourself/179920-hello-bilt-hamber.html

[pwaug]

On October 25th put a coat of DG501/601 on and followed that the next morning with a coat of DG105/601. Aquawax was added once in December and once in January. Today (when the car was clean from a wash 3 days ago) it started to rain. Beading on the horizontal and vertical surfaces is still excellent. Not quite as tight as in November, but still going strong. The car is garaged at night, but out in the weather during the day and we all know what a disgusting winter we had in SW PA.

So to answer the OP`s original question at least DG`s sealants live up to their claims.

[JSFM35X]

Coatings are the only way to go as long as you have the ability to fully correct paint. They don`t hide any imperfections like waxes.


Look into coatings, it is a completely different world.

A black car in Arizona vs a white car in San francisco - traditional LSP will not last too long on the black car. No issues with coatings, don`t really matter where you live.

[bswombaugh]

On October 25th put a coat of DG501/601 on and followed that the next morning with a coat of DG105/601. Aquawax was added once in December and once in January. Today (when the car was clean from a wash 3 days ago) it started to rain. Beading on the horizontal and vertical surfaces is still excellent. Not quite as tight as in November, but still going strong. The car is garaged at night, but out in the weather during the day and we all know what a disgusting winter we had in SW PA.

So to answer the OP`s original question at least DG`s sealants live up to their claims.

I to agree with the above statements about the Duragloss sealants. I use the Duragloss line of sealants as an LSP almost exclusively on 90% of the vehicles that I detail. I have seen the 105/601 combo last from 9-12 months on many vehicles. Duragloss has a complete line of products that are great performers at a great price.

[Dogfather]

Plenty of beading as I drove to work this rainy morning. I applied FK1000P to my ungaraged daily driver this past Oct.