What is the OBJECTIVE MEASURE of a good LSP???

[MiVor]

I was watching some youtube video`s about various LSP product performances/complaints and in most cases (often with some god awful rap music) there was only a hose pouring water on a hood to show beading or sheeting.
It caused me to wonder...what exactly IS the definitive OBJECTIVE measure of an LSP. Is it water beading, sheeting, depth of shine, mirror like reflection? And how is durability really measured. Is it when beading/sheeting is reduced or shine/reflection becomes reduced? If it`s beading, is it just beading or the size and/or shape of beads?
Or is it merely some SUBJECTIVE opinion of any or all of those things? What are your thoughts?

(Note: The photos represent one coat of Duragloss 601/105 followed by 2 coats of 601/111, hood also has a topper of DG Aquawax.)

http://www.autopia.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=27678&stc=1

http://www.autopia.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=27679&stc=1

http://www.autopia.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=27680&stc=1

http://www.autopia.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=27681&stc=1

[Bunky]

It is something you have to ultimately decide for yourself. I would think the LSP provides two functions: protection and appearance improvement.

Given some LSP`s do not bead much but sheet, the better measure is does it change characteristics over time (bead less, less slick, sheet less, appearance changes, etc) after the initial application.

For durability, it can be hard to assess comparisons since some cars are garage kept, around environmental effects (salt spray, tree drizzle, etc), whether you use a "wax" (something that promotes beading) car wash, post-wash detailer, etc.

One idea is to take some popular product, use it for yourself and then try to calibrate your impressions.

[PA DETAILER]

For me it is....

1. Ease of application.
2. WOW factor. Gloss etc....
3. Durability.

Seems beading as always been the yardstick to judge a LSP.

[JHL88]

Above all I believe it is how easy the vehicle is to clean (or stays clean for that matter) after that LSP has been applied.

[PA DETAILER]

above all i believe it is how easy the vehicle is to clean (or stays clean for that matter) after that lsp has been applied.

very good point!

[PA DETAILER]

:rain:

27682

Thats a shot of HM in the morning after a rain.

[MiVor]

Above all I believe it is how easy the vehicle is to clean (or stays clean for that matter) after that LSP has been applied.

Good point. I`ve often wondered, what`s so good about beads as when the sun dries `em up, yer left with ugly little dust rings! Seems that in some ways the best LSP is something that nothing sticks to....like a umbrella or shield above the ride. That`s what we need....force field technology (lol).

[Accumulator]

It is something you have to ultimately decide for yourself..

Right. Even when choosing between "objective criteria", you still have subjectivity in that different, well....subjects...will assign different values to various considerations.

I`m primarily about protection (including dirt-shedding during the wash), durability, and ease use both for refreshing and doing spot-correction.

The "staying clean between washes" is nice, and FK1000P seems to excell at this to the point that I sometimes go *ages* between washes. Funny, I use LSPs that bead, and I`m never bothered by any of the issues that people talk about...after a rain they always look OK, and if I pressure-rinse with DI water they basically look just-washed to any non-Autopian. It`s that "nothing sticks to it" effect.

[MiVor]

I`m also more into protection and durability (thinking ahead to winter) than show car shine. Oh I want it to look nice, but protection is a prime objective. Since I bought the truck I`ve been noticing a lot of older trucks and where they are rusting through. The bottoms of doors, rocker panels, tailgate bottoms and around fender wells are all prime targets it seems. Unlined beds are another problem area. Some might say that 8 years or so around here and a rust bucket is what you get. Maybe that`s true for average (or less) care but I wanna do better than that!

[pwaug]

Same here--more into protection and durability. Not just in the winter, but at this time of year protection from bird bombs, tree sap etc.

[Riff]

My measure is:

Do I like the way it makes the paint look? If yes, then it`s a good LSP.

[rlmccarty2000]

My measure is shine. If it doesn`t shine, who cares if it beads? You could coat you car with a good grease and it would bead or sheet water, but it might not shine.

[Accumulator]

MiVor- I`d get some rust prevention going on your truck if you see others of its kind that have serious rust issues. That "bottom of door" rust is the sort of thing you simply have to address before it gets going, shouldn`t take more than a few hours. Rocker and wheel well rust is usually just people not washing the salt out every few days, easy enough to head off.

[Accumulator]

Heh heh...I`m feeling like stirring this thread up a little:

You folks who are talking about it "looking the way [you] want" and other generalized appearance criteria aren`t addressing the Thread`s "OBJECTIVE MEASURE" topic ;) It`s a lot harder to answer MiVor`s actual inquiry!

"Objective" according to whom?!? How you gonna measure it? Even just coming up with a list of basically objective factors is a little challenging.

[E-Jag]

The objective measure of a good LSP is one which does whatever YOU want it to do, well. For me, that`s appearance - deep and wet. And I`ll be danged if I`m going to pay $70 or more to get it. I can make Scrooge look like a philanthropist, but if I fool around with a few layers of paint cleaner, 105, 111 and/or 845, followed by an application of AquaWax every other wash, my red car about glows in the dark. Each one of those products does what I want it to do. And, of course, there are other "objective measures" for other folks but, reduced to it`s basics, if it does what YOU want it to do it`s a good LSP.