Are coatings so good it doesn`t matter if they get better?

rotts4u

rotts4u

Member
I have been in auto detailing since the early 80s as a hobby detailer. I have seen products come a long way since the days of Rain Dance, TR3 Resin glaze etc. But now with the current batch of coatings it seems as if they are so good, I really don`t care if they get any longer lasting or not.


I bought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee 13 months ago and coated it with Optimum gloss coat and it still looks and acts like new. On occasion while drying Ill use some opti seal as a drying aid but other than that I just wash it and enjoy the shine and extreme beading. I think it will likely last 18-24 months which to me is enough. I sometimes find myself wanting to reapply something on it even though it doesn`t need anything other than a ONR wash.

Am I the only one that feels this way? Or have I not yet realized there are other un-met needs related to LSP type products. Better dirt resistance, or spot free drying etc?

Thoughts everyone?
 
As new technology comes out and improvements are made, its the job of producers to market solutions for us on problems we didnt even realize we were facing. Day and age we live in.
 
I think that coatings are only as good as the person doing the prep work and application. Some will have slight differences in appearance (although I don`t think it`d be too discernible for most to notice), but outside of that it`s all in the prep before the coating. I`m content putting a coating on and only expecting up to two years of protection, because I feel at that point the car would likely need some type of correction, especially if it`s a daily driver and you contend with things such as salt/brine and other road debris that will get kicked up into the paint.

Coatings can only improve from here, but when do you reach the point of there being no actual difference in the protection, application, etc. or are happy with what you use? After using Gloss Coat I really couldn`t think of anything else I could ask for from it. It was easy to apply, looked good and the hydrophobic properties made blowing water off the car very easy. In my mind, for me there would be no reason to try anything else besides the fact that this is Autopia and it`s what we do.
 
I think it does matter that they get better. Everything I want is already here, just not in one product: self-healing, spray and rinse application, multiple year protection.

Once a multi-year spray and rinse self-healing coating is on my car, I`m sure I`ll want for more.
 
I think we should see more coatings with filling ability like essence+.

I`d also like to see self-healing clear coats from the OEM`s. I`m sure it`s possible I just feel like the general market doesn`t care enough to make it worth the increase in cost. Although as just-in-time manufacturing and customization continues to progress, I feel like it shouldn`t be too long before we`ll be able to spec the clearcoat on a new car.
 
Self-healing clearcoat would be awesome, but car makers are slow to innovate unless there is a direct benefit for them. This is something that really only benefits the buyer, and most of them don`t care about the appearance enough to want to pay extra for this feature.

since car makers must compete on price, I could only see this suceeding as an option, and most cars in the US are bought fromdealer stock. Here, one-pff options mean that cars sit on the lot longer and cost the dealer more money through finance charges.

Self-healing clearcoat could succeed if it is made a standard feature on high-end cars, or in Europe where cars are often custom-ordered with options the buyer wants from the dealer.
 
Self-healing clear coats are availible now, not sure why manufactures don`t offer it as a factory direct option for an added cost, much like the custom color option many luxury car makers offer.

I agree that there is always room for improvement. Personally I can`t wait for the day where we have a coating for our vehicles that is truly super-hydrophobic, clear and durable.
 
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