longest lasting sealant

[6']['9]

i know theres been threads regarding longest lasting/durability on waxes but what do you guys recommend as far as sealants. i was looking at the klasse SG which on one site says it last 1 year then another says 6 months... whats the average durability on a sealant?

[Ice9]

From what I can tell, they all make great claims. One problem with making claims like that is that they are unqualified. Is that 6 months of durability in an enclosed dust free environment or in a Nebraska winter with salted roads?



And at what defines "lasts"? Does that mean, still looks good? Or still protects?



The best that I can do is assume that most of the sealants (SG, NXT, Blackfire, UPP, Zaino, Glanz, etc.) will provide some protection and I experiment from there.



There have been some non-scientific studies and there is also the Guru Report that you can take a look at. I prefer to just tinker with different products.

[tom p.]

...from the Dynamic Duo: Klasse! Does it last a year? Dunno. I have run it the past couple of winter seasons (Oct > April) on a daily driver and the paint has never looked so good as it does with Klasse. :up :up



I could not ask or expect more from any product. It`s a total no-brainer for $40.

[Wang]

in harsh environments like salt fog, humidity, acid, hardness/friction,

[togwt]

Quote: It would be nice if these companies peformed their own wear tests..





~One mans opinion / observation~



In an ideal world it would be, but Klasse have consistently been a best seller in Europe/US since the ‘60s. It’s hard enough (almost impossible) to obtain tech info or even a point of contact from them let alone suggest a test like the one you suggest.



The other problem with durability, as was suggested, will it do as well in Florida sunshine as it will do in a Nebraska snow, too many variables to make it valid?



Take 99% of claims like, “will last X months, never need to wax again, etc as marketing hype (polite term for b….y lies)





~Hope this helps~





Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*

[WannaSRT-10]

As said before, if your an Autopian, durability really shouldnt be an issue, but if your in detailing for a business, it becomes an issue immediately.......

[imported_Greg]

Originally posted by WannaSRT-10

As said before, if your an Autopian, durability really shouldnt be an issue, but if your in detailing for a business, it becomes an issue immediately.......



While this is generally true because most of us have to wax, apply layers, clean obsessively, it really makes me mad when companies tout products that last 1 year, or 6 months when it is quite obvious that after 3 weeks, its gone!



What makes me even more mad is when a product has been marketed as a "durable sealant/synethetic" concoction and then it last 1 month. Then when you speak up against that product, someone indefinitely says, "Yeah, but c`mon, that doesn`t matter, you`re an Autopian and wax your car every waking second of the day." GO read NXT, EX, or Platinum reviews if you don`t know what I am talking about.





I had Klasse on my DD for a while and the slickness and visual signs of protection were gone after about 3 months I`d say.

[imported_Intermezzo]

Originally posted by WannaSRT-10

As said before, if your an Autopian, durability really shouldnt be an issue, but if your in detailing for a business, it becomes an issue immediately.......



Actually, I`m more inclined to believe the opposite is true. If durability isn`t an issue for Autopians, then we wouldn`t discuss it as much as we do....nor would so many sealants be so popular here (Zaino, Klasse, PUPP, BFII, Meg #20). Even among carnauba waxes, the subject of how long they last is brought up pretty consistently.



Also, not all Autopians live in So Cal, Texas, Arizona, etc. where detailing can easily be done year-round. For people living under a blanket of snow during the winter, I think it would be safe to say that durability becomes relatively important.

[BradE]

Originally posted by Intermezzo

Actually, I`m more inclined to believe the opposite is true. If durability isn`t an issue for Autopians, then we wouldn`t discuss it as much as we do....nor would so many sealants be so popular here (Zaino, Klasse, PUPP, BFII, Meg #20). Even among carnauba waxes, the subject of how long they last is brought up pretty consistently



Also, not all Autopians live in So Cal, Texas, Arizona, etc. where detailing can easily be done year-round. For people living under a blanket of snow during the winter, I think it would be safe to say that durability becomes relatively important.



You are the man Tony. :bow



I reject the notion that "true Autopians" don`t care about durability. I`ve heard that repeated by a number of people and I`m frankly getting sick of it. What a load of garbage. If durability is so unimportant, then why are we talking about sealants and waxes? Just glaze your car everyday and forget it. After all, it`s all just about appearance, right? :rolleyes:




Originally posted by Greg

What makes me even more mad is when a product has been marketed as a "durable sealant/synethetic" concoction and then it last 1 month. Then when you speak up against that product, someone indefinitely says, "Yeah, but c`mon, that doesn`t matter, you`re an Autopian and wax your car every waking second of the day." GO read NXT, EX, or Platinum reviews if you don`t know what I am talking about.



It`s like your reading my mind Greg, awesome post. :bow

[Wang]

I just ordered a Klass Kit and am intending to use it for durability. It sounds like it lasts longer than most (including NXT??) according to many experiences out there. Still dont know if its more deep and reflective than NXT though....




Originally posted by Greg

While this is generally true because most of us have to wax, apply layers, clean obsessively, it really makes me mad when companies tout products that last 1 year, or 6 months when it is quite obvious that after 3 weeks, its gone!



What makes me even more mad is when a product has been marketed as a "durable sealant/synethetic" concoction and then it last 1 month. Then when you speak up against that product, someone indefinitely says, "Yeah, but c`mon, that doesn`t matter, you`re an Autopian and wax your car every waking second of the day." GO read NXT, EX, or Platinum reviews if you don`t know what I am talking about.





I had Klasse on my DD for a while and the slickness and visual signs of protection were gone after about 3 months I`d say.

[imported_Greg]

Wang- durability is so so extremely subjective that it is always going to be based on users experience. While I might say Klasse only appeared to last for about 3 months, some have reported higher. There is no real way to judge if a product is still protecting the paint finish. You can use your senses to judge slickness, beading, bird bomb cleanup, etc, but these are not scientific in nature and are simply observations.

[imported_BretFraz]

Well, if we think durability is subjective, where does appearance fit in? Talk about subjective....



At least with durability there are methods to test it. They might be unscientific but no individual enthusiast can afford a scientific test. Even if an organization conducted such a test, they`d have to sell the results to consumers to offset costs. And this medium being the internet, there aren`t enough willing to pay for something they expect should be free.



I believe durability standards can be established but it takes a willing industry to set them. And its much more profitable to claim durability than it is to prove it.



In the meantime were all left trying to figure it out for ourselves with little or no formal expertise. This is why understanding product ingredients is important. If you can learn what a product is comprised of and how the ingredients work together, you can at least form a reasonable fact-based opinion of a product`s capabilities. It`s like assembling a chemical puzzle. Or maybe solving a murder mystery. There are clues out there, you just gotta know where to look and what to look for. Put the clues together and the truth becomes clearer. May not be perfect but its something which is a lot better than what the marketing folks would have us to believe.

[NEW AGAIN]

[COLORx w/ MED #98]



This combo is on a 04 Vette maroon have been working great even though its a short time period.Have been raining here for a couple of days. The water seems to SHEET off the vehicle and there is not alot of build up of dirt on or around the vehicle at all.



The owner is quite pleased with the effects of this combo so far just my .02 cents of a good sealant.

[Accumulator]

True Autopians don`t care about durability?!? Well, in some ways I`m sorta the Autopian Heretic anyhow, but *I* sure care about durability! No, not on the Jag, but on most of the others I definitely do. Life`s too short....



FWIW, *MY* experience with Klasse is that numerous coats/layers of SG (I always do five or so over the course of a week and then usually just let it go) can indeed last a year under the conditions *I* experience. That includes weekly spot-claying when I wash and washing with strong wash solution (Griot`s car wash). I might add another layer now and then, but I haven`t on the two examples below. No, this isn`t exactly scientific, but MY results *have* been consistent over quite a few years.



Example 1- The MPV gets used year-round, it gets DIRTY, and it gets washed a LOT; it`s the primary dog-hauler. But the SG on it is about seven (7) months old and it`s still beading like crazy. Not even starting to sheet yet. I can still feel it on the paint. Last year I let it go a year and then redid it on general principles, but it didn`t actually NEED doing at that point.



Example 2- The WRX gets the same treatment and it too only needs done once a year. It doesn`t get used as much as the MPV, but it sure isn`t pampered.



Ohio winters aren`t exactly easy on sealants, either ;) But both these vehicles ARE garaged, and I never let them stay dirty too long before I wash them.

[imported_Greg]

Originally posted by bretfraz

Well, if we think durability is subjective, where does appearance fit in? Talk about subjective....



At least with durability there are methods to test it. They might be unscientific but no individual enthusiast can afford a scientific test. Even if an organization conducted such a test, they`d have to sell the results to consumers to offset costs. And this medium being the internet, there aren`t enough willing to pay for something they expect should be free.



I believe durability standards can be established but it takes a willing industry to set them. And its much more profitable to claim durability than it is to prove it.



In the meantime were all left trying to figure it out for ourselves with little or no formal expertise. This is why understanding product ingredients is important. If you can learn what a product is comprised of and how the ingredients work together, you can at least form a reasonable fact-based opinion of a product`s capabilities. It`s like assembling a chemical puzzle. Or maybe solving a murder mystery. There are clues out there, you just gotta know where to look and what to look for. Put the clues together and the truth becomes clearer. May not be perfect but its something which is a lot better than what the marketing folks would have us to believe.



Perhaps I should have interjected that durability is subjective to the eye, as well as the conditions present. This is nothing that hasn`t been to death here lately though.



Bret- the main reason I said it was so subjective because as I`m sure we`ve all read that and I can`t confirm the validity of these claims:

1. Beading isn`t a sign of protection- just suface tension- this is true

2. Slickness isn`t a sign of protection

3. The best "protection" doesn`t bead- from limited Zaino testing, Zaino beads like crazy and is considered the forerunner of durability and protection

4. Some products sheet water on some cars, others bead (ie Accumulator said his SG is beading like crazy, on the car I had SG on for an extended period of time- it was virtually dry after a rain)



While I am probably forgetting some, our first instinct is to associate protection with beading and slickness, while in reality I can put canola oil on my car and it will be slick and bead.



I totally agree that to figure out this puzzle, one must first understand what consitutes "protection" and what things are going on with the ingredients and the cross-linking, then maybe durability will become objective once and for all!