QUESTION: Single Layer of Polymer Sealant -- Spotting, Scratching, Marring, Failing

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imported_rajs

New member
Let me preface this with -- All products mentioned below --- I like a lot and have produced nice results for me. I have some questions about them now -- and questions about Polymer based sealants such as Ex, Zaino, BlackFire, etc ....



I think I just caused my single layer of Poorboys EX to give out.



Around 3 weeks ago I cleaned my car up with Klasse AIO and then applied a single layer of EX [wipe on -- wait 30 minutes -- wipe off]. Since then I haven't done anything except for a couple times a week wash the car using ProtectAll's QEW solution. After some of the washes -- depending on time -- I applied a quick spritz and wipe down of Poorboy's S+W combined with ClearKote's QuikShine (40 % / 60 %) mixture. Car has looked great.



Now to the issue ... This past Friday late after noon / early evening ... I wiped the car down with only Spray and Wipe (S+W) -- it was a tad bit dusty since I had driven through a new housing development complex. Car cleaned up just fine. The next morning -- Saturday -- I gave the car a QEW wash and after the wash noticed some marring / scratching in the direction I move my PakShak MicroFiber in. This was over most of the car's body. I got worried -- obviously .... anyways couldn't do anything about it at that time since I had to go and take care of other things. Sunday come around and I decide to work on the car ... I start again with a QEW -- to get rid of any stuff I picked up in the last 24 hours. I get a little careless with the QEW which I brewed on the stronger side -- by wiping down a panel (Deck lid) with a microfiber soaked in QEW solution. I didn't go back immediately and dry it off -- since I had to attend to my dog. Around 15 minutes later I come back and realize I have the QEW dried up on the car's decklid. I take a hose spritz the area and the take a loaded MF with QEW -- wipe down and dry the panel with another Waffle weave MF. I finish the rest of the car.



As I walk around the car to make sure it is clean and dry -- I noticed that the deck lid has "spotting" on it all over --- I a little Quick detailer with a clean MF -- and it doesn't go away. I get up close and personall and look at it and run my fingers over the surface -- and get the immediate and lasting impression as if the spotting is areas where my sealant (Poorboy's EX) might have been eaten through by the QEW solution I left sitting on it for a while by accident.



Thus after all that -- my two questions -- does my guess at what happened sound reasonable or possible in regards to the spotting -- areas where QEW ate through the sealant ... and two --- it seems over time these sealants if not re-applied will get scratched or marred due to regular careful cleaning even --- because they are a little softer then the clearcoat on the car -- but still I guess better to have micro-scratches occur in the sealant layer instead of the clearcoat -- especially if all it will normally take is another layer of the sealant to make everything seem smooth and clear again.



Let me know.



BTW -- the car is a 2003 car -- so it's clearcoat and paint underneath are I assume, still in good condition.



Thanks.



- rajs



Oh -- BTW the Poorboy's EX looked great on the car -- really gave it a nice candy apple like coating at all times.
 
Why dont you try some Klasse All in One on the deck lid and see if it takes care of the water spots etc. If it does you can just reapply the sealant since you only have one layer on anyway.
 
Pats300zx -- I don't really think they are water spots at all. I really think I cut or went right through parts of the PoorBoys Ex Sealant layer that I had on the car -- and appearance initially look like water spots -- but is really just gaps where the sealant use to be and is no longer there. [I least that is the way it seems / looks and feels to me].



In regards to Klasse AIO -- I am going to try that tommorow to see if it will strip away all the remaining EX for me ... otherwise I will have to break out some Hi-Temp Light cut or 3M P-III MG.



Again I was more curious as to what happened per se --- and if my guess as to leaving the QEW on too long was correct. Also my question regarding a sealant and how it gets scratched / marred over time and gets long lines type of "swirls" or scratches it ... unless you apply a new layer every so often.



Oh well <grin> ... I guess that is part of learning ... though I want to make sure I understand what happened.



Thanks.
 
JimS -- Good idea -- I thought I would first post here -- since I know he looks at messages here once in a while. If I don't hear anything from him or the other experienced Autopians ... I will email him directly.



- rajs
 
rajs- Yeah, *I* would try the AIO first, then the PI-III Mg if that didn't work.



BTW, I'd quit with all the QDing, considering all the marring you seem to be getting. I've pretty much given up on it, only doing it after regular washes. Between refining my wash technique and skipping the between-washes QDing, I've pretty much eliminated ALL of my marring. Last applied BFII to the S8 before Thanksgiving, even under the halogens, not any marring.
 
rajs - I recommend switching back to conventional washing. IMO, Spray and Wipe is no different than a decent QD and is ill-suited as a wash replacement. I would ditch the EX, too, as the protection it provides is unacceptable. EX is simply a wax with added resin in it, only marketed as a sealant. Resin doesn't do anything in the presence of oils, which EX is loaded with.



Try Zaino, Klasse, or even Blackfire (if you don't mind the smearing), for something that lasts.
 
I've been hearing more on this EX failure more and more often, and I have to agree that any wax/resin combo is not a true polymer sealant in reality. Yes it looks nice as it's a wax in most of its form. Great idea, but does not last very long if you do not maintain it with more coats each time. I've heard some QD's can penetrate it since it's wax and the QD wants to bind with the wax, not the resin and you get spotty failures from it.



You would need to switch to a full polymer sealant, such as Zaino, Klasse, Megs #20 etc.



You need to start by removing all the previous EX, polishing is one good way, then remove all oils from polishing by one of two ways, Dawn wash or Alcohol/distilled water spray, then apply your sealant of choice.



Some sealants do have solvents or cleaners to aid them in bonding properly to a finish, but getting the oils off first is the best recommendation.



Find a true sealant that works for you, or switch back to just using wax if you want to keep "waxing" the finish.



Regards,

Deanski
 
Deanski and BW --- Thanks for the replies. I cleaned my car up with Dawn and Klasse AIO. I will clean the car up again -- next time we have a good day and apply Zaino onto it and see if it behaves any differently then the EX did over a 4-5 week period.



Thanks.
 
I've washed my truck several times since I did the last coat of EX on August 6. This weekend it rained and the beading was perfect. Tight tiny beads everywhere and NEVER and signs of any problems with EX. I don't believe that EX fails.
 
BW said:
rajs - I recommend switching back to conventional washing. IMO, Spray and Wipe is no different than a decent QD and is ill-suited as a wash replacement. I would ditch the EX, too, as the protection it provides is unacceptable. EX is simply a wax with added resin in it, only marketed as a sealant. Resin doesn't do anything in the presence of oils, which EX is loaded with.
Click to expand...



Or at the very least, use a California Duster if the car is dusty before using any QD. Still, conventional washing (either QEW or regular car wash soap and a hose) will clean better and more safely than a QD will.
 
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