Best Product to Prevent Water Etching...

[silkstone]

Need some recommendations of products to use that will best help to prevent water etching...

I live about 6 miles from a coal-powered electric facility that contributes to acid rain. I have multiple coats of products, but sometimes insane beading still allows the water to sit on the paint, which can be harmful in the summer. What product can withstand mineral deposits/acid rain, consistently?

[Dan]

This is just a personal observation, by no means the definative answer, but I have had more luck with carnaubas than sealants when it comes to acid rain damage. I plan on doing some experimentation in the near future on a painted panel as this is a hot issue for me too. What have you seen?

[imported_rydawg]

Any wax or sealant with oils will protect from acid rain, but will only last for a short amount of time

[Flish]

Man, that sucks...I`d consider a good quality car cover if you can garage the girl.

[imported_Blake]

I would probably suggest you use something like Collinite IW which seems to be tough as hell and hopefully will protect from etching.

I recommend it to friends who aren`t frequent waxers.

[wannafbody]

Need some recommendations of products to use that will best help to prevent water etching...

I live about 6 miles from a coal-powered electric facility that contributes to acid rain. I have multiple coats of products, but sometimes insane beading still allows the water to sit on the paint, which can be harmful in the summer. What product can withstand mineral deposits/acid rain, consistently?

I live 1 1/2 miles from a coal plant. In reality if the acid rain can etch paint then it will also eat thru your sealant or wax. I`ve had good luck with Zaino, Duragloss and Collinite. Washing frequently helps as well.

[silkstone]

This is just a personal observation, by no means the definative answer, but I have had more luck with carnaubas than sealants when it comes to acid rain damage. I plan on doing some experimentation in the near future on a painted panel as this is a hot issue for me too. What have you seen?

I`m leaning towards a heavy-duty carnuba, but something I can layer multiple. The car is a DD, outside all the time... I have tried everything from FMJ- to FK1000P...I used to wax once a month, with QD or spray waxing in between. Guess I will just take it to the next level and wax once a week, skip the QD/ spray wax. The products I have used are good, just a harsh enviroment I guess. Everyone is looking for that silver bullet*, to protect the paint.

[silkstone]

I live 1 1/2 miles from a coal plant. In reality if the acid rain can etch paint then it will also eat thru your sealant or wax. I`ve had good luck with Zaino, Duragloss and Collinite. Washing frequently helps as well.

Thx, I scored some Zaino from a member in here, some older version of Z2. Seemed to leave a tough finish. Gonna see how it holds up.. If it does well, I`m going to cross over to the dark side, and load up..lol

[silkstone]

Any wax or sealant with oils will protect from acid rain, but will only last for a short amount of time

:2thumbs: , yes, in the winter with the cool temp, the etching never happens. It is in the hot summer, rainshower, etc.. I`m at work and see impressive beading, but at the same time, the beads are baking on the paint..

[silkstone]

Man, that sucks...I`d consider a good quality car cover if you can garage the girl.

I wish I had a garage bro, I`d probably live in there on the weekends, layering for the perfect shine !!!

[velobard]

Consider some of the products that sheet water rather than bead. I know a lot of Meguiar`s stuff is formulated to do this and there have been discussions here about other stuff does as well. I used to enjoy watching water just sheet straight off a layer of fresh NXT and by the time the rain was over my car was practically dry.

[silkstone]

I would probably suggest you use something like Collinite IW which seems to be tough as hell and hopefully will protect from etching.

I recommend it to friends who aren`t frequent waxers.

Gonna try the IW #845 .... seems to be a fav. for extreme conditions. I`ve read it is more of a resin, than a carnuba however. Doesn`t matter as long as it works !!!

[silkstone]

Consider some of the products that sheet water rather than bead. I know a lot of Meguiar`s stuff is formulated to do this and there have been discussions here about other stuff does as well. I used to enjoy watching water just sheet straight off a layer of fresh NXT and by the time the rain was over my car was practically dry.

thx Velo, I have tried that, but sometimes the shape of the car ( flat areas ) seem to bead more & stay that way.. vs. a sloped or curved surface. When it rains, if my car was already pretty clean, I wipe the water off immediately. My neighbors already stare at me..lol.. because I am doing some kind of detailing aspect to the car every other day.

[velobard]

Well then, I`d get aggressive with major durability products. For example, with FK1 I`d use 2180 x 3, then 1000P x 3, then PW x 3. There`s plenty of other good products out there to replace any or all of those steps, such as Colinite or Duragloss. Keep a detailing emergency kit in the truck with fresh MFs, some good cleaner OD like 146 or PB S&W, and perhaps some spray wax like FX-100 or Aquawax as a booster layer or to touch up eroded areas.

[SVR]

So far I`m having zero etching with driven auto polish/sealant applied first by machine and then hand, topping that with fireglaze double strength plus sealant

Sometimes I buff on prime acrylic and carnauba, then a few coats of jett and then either driven or fireglaze and to this day no matter what the car gets hit with, nothing etches or stains it.



Carnauba is great for water spot protection but after a few big rain falls, the minerals may weaken the wax therefore requiring re application.



A combo of both sealant and wax is your best protection. And at least three coats of each certainly helps also.