Sealant vs. wax based on seasons (here in Canada at least!)

Z

Zune

New member
Just switched vehicles & really want to keep the new one in showroom condition (2015 Audi SQ5 - Glacier white metallic).  I like taking the time to detail vehicles, especially the wax (some people find gardening therapeutic...I like keeping a car shiny!)  Our winters here in Southwest Ontario though can be a bit harsh...icy roads, & often a fair bit of salt.  I generally prefer waxing (over a sealant), but wondering if it might not be best to apply a good sealant before winter hits?  It's often hard to wax regularly in the winter (i.e. hose is frozen!!), & I'm not sure I like waiting 3-4 months between waxings.  Any thoughts/advice?


 


Cheers,


 


Al


 
 
Check out Collinite 845, it claims to be a wax but seems to last longer than most sealants. It also looks fantastic on white.
 
+1 on collinite 845 and/or 476s for protection. #845 is more user friendly (and trim friendly) than 476 and I enjoy applying it.


I often end up doing waterless washes in the winter and top with some spraywax or QD to tie me over until spring. 


I live in Maine btw, so I know a bit about harsh weather and daily drivers ;)
 
Thanks for the great advice guys.  I'm by no means an expert, but also don't mind doing the research & taking the time to take care of our vehicles properly.  I've heard great things also about Blackfire's Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection, especially after applying a clay bar treatment.  I was thinking of going this route, at least for the winter to try to get a more durable finish through the winter months.  Our winters here in London (Ontario) are relatively mild, but the city puts a fair bit of salt on the roads to keep them clear & free of ice.  Any experience with this product?  Thanks again!


 


Cheers,


 


Al
 
Blackfire looks great and beads water like crazy. It is not durable and offers questionable protection.
 
Collinite 476 protects very well, apply a panel or two at a time, then go back and remove. Very nice, warm glow. 
 
Zune- Welcome to Autopia!


 


Fellow Audi-nut here, and I expect my LSPs to last *at least* all through any tough winter.  Short answer: FK1000P.  Just get that and be happy.  Seriously  ;)


 


Collinite is good stuff.  Many sealants don't last nearly as long as Collinite, and 476S outlasts 845 by a considerable margin IME.  I use 476S on my '93 Audi, but for very specific reasons and it needs redone a *lot* more often than the vehicles with FK1000P even though those get used a lot harder.


 


Heavily layered KSG (at least six layers) lasts longer than Collinite.  FK1000P rivals the heavily layered KSG without having to do *nearly* as many layers.


 


For durability in a conventional LSP as opposed to a coating, I'd put FK1000P up against anything, which is probably the main reason why so many of my vehicles wear it.  On white it'd be a complete no-brainer for me (it's what I used on the white Crown Vic daily driver I used to have).  At some point I suspect that I'll switch even more of my vehicles over to it.


 


BFAFPP looks very carnauba-like.  It darkens colors like Audi silver too much for my taste and isn't very durable IME, certainly not something I'd use for winter.  Eh, it's NOT something I'd choose for a white driver period.  Ditto for 4-Star UPP (which I'm still using on the S8 despite its terrible lack of real protection against etching).


 


Back where I started- just get FK1000P.  You might consider spritzing it with FK425 after each wash as a drying aid, the two products work nicely together. 


 


EDIT: rather than claying, I'd do a proper decontamination with ValuGard's ABC, especially on a white car.
 
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