REVIEW: CarPro Reload 2014 "New & Improved"

[Dr_Pain]

http://carproforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=178&d=1412171782

The "New and Improved" CarPro Reload was introduced a few months back, with much acclaim and anticipation for greatness. Personally, I have a very large arsenal of CarPro products and can honestly tell you that I have NEVER been disappointed, so was anticipating this release on pins and needles!

Like any new product (or improvement on old product), there is some testing period, and then "the mass" pronounced itself. It seems that the 2014 version of CarPro Reload has frustrated a few. I too had an "adaptation" period to the product, but instead of seeing it as a frustration I decided to "evaluate" what could be done to lessen the learning curve.

Here is an overview of the two products:

CarPro Reload 2013

Product Color: White
Product Category: Water Based Inorganic Synthetic Spray Sealant
Product Additives: Modified Silica (nano-ceramic glass components)
Application: Shake well. Spray on dry or wet panel. Spread with one MF towel and buff immediately with another MF towel. Apply on a cool panel away from direct sun exposure
Intended surface to protect: In addition to paintwork, it can also be used on rubber, plastic, and glass.
Reported ease of application: 8/10 (where 10 is so easy a baby could do it)
Estimated Protection: 4 months


CarPro Reload 2014 NEW and IMPROVED

Product Color: Beige
Product Category: Water Based Inorganic Synthetic Spray Sealant
Product Additives: Modified Silica (nano-ceramic glass components 5%)
Application: Shake well. Spray on dry or wet panel. Spread with one MF towel and buff immediately with another MF towel. Apply on a cool panel away from direct sun exposure
Intended surface to protect: In addition to paintwork, it can also be used on rubber, plastic, and glass.
Reported ease of application: 6/10 (where 10 is so easy a baby could do it)
Estimated Protection: 4-6 months


As you can see there is not much difference in terms of descriptions, except for 1) Product Color, 2) Ease of Application and 3) Protection.... and obviously 4) the "chemistry". The 2014 VERSION is much more concentrated formula with more durability against chemicals.

Because both the 2013 and 2014 are water based, they can be diluted. I will admit that I had never diluted them before, and went about using the product following the principle that "a small amount goes a long way". I've never had a problem with light or dark cars and the "Bead Show" from this product can only be described as INCREDIBLE!!

The NEW formula does currently have a couple of issues. It has been reported that an "oily holograms" would remain after wiping off the product. Many suggestions were offered to help the problem, and the following is a sampling of those recommendations.


DO NOT use the product too thin (or sparingly)
Use multiple high quality MF towels to apply and remove the product
If a high spot occurs, Erasor or IPA can be used to level the product (within 5 second) however once the product bond Erasor won't remove Reload
For the oily residue that may remain (on some vehicle) a damp MF towel will help
The recommendation with the older version was to dilute for black vehicles, but it seems that the 2014 version may benefit from dilution with all vehicles.
Because of using the product diluted, a lot more product needs to be applied to the surface for the "BEST" intended results


NOTE: Dilution should be done with distilled water or de-ionized water to prevent the introduction of minerals (from tap water) which may dry on the paintwork and alter the end result
NOTE #2: There is a difference between the oily hologram vs. high spots. A high spot is due to an unevenly spread product (operator error). If you leave a high spot and the product is allowed to cure, the only way to remove it is to use a few drops of finishing polish (like Reflect or SF4000) and VERY GENTLY hand polish the high spots.

Well, what has experience with the NEW product been so far (on my black Ford Raptor, and other cars). NOT following the advice of Avi and Corey (@ CarPro), and the experience of others before me, I've had a few problem!! Now don't get me wrong, those problems were INTENTIONAL (meaning I caused them in my quest to truly evaluate the product and its application). I will admit that I did not leave a high spot on purpose because that is just "operator error", which would have happened with the prior product as well.

Here is a breakdown of what I tried:


Used a variety of different MF towels (long nap, short nap etc..)
Used straight and diluted 1:1
Used QD vs. Erasor vs. a damp MF to "treat" the oily holograms


Microfibers: I tested Cobra Super Plush, Cobra 530, CarPro Boas, Microfiber Madness Crazy Pile and Summit 800


The CLEAR winner was the Microfiber Madness towels. Some had reported that using a short nap would ease in the removal and my experience was that it did the exact opposite, it just spread the oily stuff rather than absorbing it. The Boas were good, but it was clear that the Cobras were outclassed!!

Diluted vs. Non-diluted :


The diluted product was MUCH easier to deal with (although it still created the holograms, especially with the Cobras). What did help was testing by overapplying. In that case both performed about the same. The main problem I see with over-applying the straight Reload becomes a "cost/application" issue. Diluting the product helps in curbing the cost associated with over-application though.

NOTE: I've followed the saga of "Reload 2014" on AGO and on the CarPro forum, and would like to paraphrase one of the best speculation I've read so far (which Mark provided). His thoughts are that using the product sparingly would create a situation where Reload would get "soaked in" faster (than the old formula), which would explain why over-applying a more even layer seems to work better!?!? Longer work time? Easier "chemical bonding" environment if you keep the product wet longer?

QD vs. Erasor vs. Damp MF .


I will spare you the long read and just say that the BEST results, and the procedure that makes the most sense is to use a damp MF. Erasor would alter the product and may affect its longevity. The same (to a lesser extend) will occur with water and QD, however I fear that QDs may leave "something" behind (some form of surfactants or ?!?)

ADDENDUM: I read a recommendation from a CarPro installer who suggested to apply the straight Reload 2014 by spraying a damp MF towel instead of spraying the panel. I did not think of that but I feel that he may be the best "quick fix" trick we have on hand, while Avi and is crew are reformulating Reload for us. Another consideration for this technique is that this way you will use much less product, even if you were to compare this technique vs. the diluted over-application technique. Something to test for sure!!!

Additional Thoughts: Since Reload can be applied on a wet panel, we should also test Mark's theory through applying the straight product onto a wet panel!!

Conclusion: (from my experience) For best result while using the current batch of Reload 2014:


Dilute the product 1:1 with distilled or de-inoized water
Apply LIBERALLY on the paintwork (or apply undiluted directly onto a damp MF)
Use Microfiber Madness Crazy Pile and Summit 800 for BEST results (or some longer nap comparable towels, like the CarPro Boas)
Use one MF to spread and one MF to remove
Inspect for high spots and correct with Erasor or IPA (before the product bonds)
If oily holograms remain, use a DAMP MF to gently wipe the surface.


The following are a couple of video references on application and removal (in these videos the CarPro Boas were used)

New CarPro Reload 2014 (http://youtu.be/hxARI5IaQU8)
CarPro Reload 2014 Quick Application (http://youtu.be/KWVIj9BeLBE)

If you have some suggestions, comments or questions feel free to post them. Thanks for reading!!

[HUMP DIESEL]

Thanks for the information Doc!

HUMP

[trashmanssd]

subscribe, I want to read but need to set aside time thats a lot info.

[Pats300zx]

Outstanding review Doc !!!!

[runrun411]

Thanks for a great review. I just watched the videos. That stuff is no joke.

[Dr_Pain]

Thanks for a great review. I just watched the videos. That stuff is no joke.

You are ABSOLUTELY right that this product is no joke.

*Does it perform?? From the personal experimentation I've had so far, the answer is a resounding Oh Absolutely!!!
*Do we need this on the market?? OH HECK YEA!!!
*Do we need a user friendlier product that is a little less finicky, still cost effective, and that could be a "traditional sealant" killer?? Well, you know my answer to that :xyxthumbs:

You know the beauty of this is that Avi commented that they are back at work trying to fix the problem. What a great company!!

[cleanmycorolla]

Nice thoughts and review.

However seems like a lot to have to do for a perfect application. I have some on the shelf. Maybe I should finally see for myself.

I'll probably dilute 1:1. Seems easiest and more can be applied!

[mg6045]

I gave up completely . its way too much of a hassle to try to use this product.

I want effective products that are easy to use. I'm not against anyone with a different philosophy.

I wont even attempt its use on a dark colored car and I also dont sit well with the fact that I should not worry cause I dont see the problems if the car is white. In the correct light you will see the oily residue, and it smears a LOT. (if your wondering I always dilute reload 1:1)

I'm sure it can be done correctly, but it takes quite a bit of effort. What about the people who dont want to have to buy a new collection of expensive towels just to use one product ?

Thanks for the writeup, I actually enjoyed reading it.

btw, I am a huge fan of Carpro's products, but i'm not sure how this one slipped out the door. I'm imagining the large batch that was made for production and shipping is when the problem arose. (not the beta product)

[KillaCam]

I have no issues with the old version. A little product goes a long way. If you use two towels, one to apply, and one to buff off excess, it's almost impossible to mess it up.
The stuff has terrible durability though if it's not applied on perfectly bare paint or perfectly bare coated paint.
Terrible as in doesn't even last a week.

[Sicoupe]

Awesome write up CLAUDE!

[silverfox]

Or just use hydro2 or D156 every month or so. A finicky product that requires that much finessing is frankly never going to be anything on my shelf...sorry Carpro. Never been a fan before it was "improved", and it sounds like the same tune, different batch. Try using it in cold temps and multiply those issues 5x. Not everybody lives in Florida. Just my 2 cents.

[runrun411]

You are ABSOLUTELY right that this product is no joke.

*Does it perform?? From the personal experimentation I've had so far, the answer is a resounding Oh Absolutely!!!
*Do we need this on the market?? OH HECK YEA!!!
*Do we need a user friendlier product that is a little less finicky, still cost effective, and that could be a "traditional sealant" killer?? Well, you know my answer to that :xyxthumbs:

You know the beauty of this is that Avi commented that they are back at work trying to fix the problem. What a great company!!

I used the 2013 version and I think it's great as well. I also have the 2014 and looking forward to trying it. For all I read about streaking, I'm a little nervous about using it. I also have used Hydro2. IMO with CarPro you can't lose with any of their products.

[Dr_Pain]

Unlike the previous comment on this thread discussing durability, I find the durability to be good on the 2013 and great on the 2014. CarPro worked to improve the product but obviously came short of a truly painless experience.... and that is why they are back at work!!!!! The product is still awesome but left a bad taste in a couple of end users. As pros we tested and confirmed and evaluated some step to improve the experience (while they are reformulating)

Hydro2 is a great product but unfortunately does not compare to Reload. Don't get me wrong, I still prefer Hydro2 over Permanon.

@runrun, NOTHING to fear!! Apply as instructed and make sure to avoid the "operator error" of leaving a high spot, and worst thing that can happen is that you have an oily hologram (which is topical and won't last). If you don't care about this streaky stuff (light colored vehicle or forecast of rain tomorrow etc...), then be assured that this will be resolved after your first wash.

The problem is at application time. You have a clean and well protected vehicle with this oily residue (that you can only see under lights). For me, I don't want my Black Raptor to be all jacked until I get to wash it again!!! So we had to find a simple way to remediated this. You can alleviate some of the headaches and aggravation (in part) by using quality plush MF (to soak up the residue) and from multiple report by using a damp MF.

But basically, the next wash will take care of all those issues (NOT the high spots!!)

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Excellent review and advice, Claude!!

However, a product should NOT take this much explaining. People seem to have all sorts of problems with it. I refuse to use an LSP that's not bubba proof. Defeats the purpose of your hard earned polishing. I sold my reload 2014. Love Hydro2, though.

[MarkD51]

Thank you Dr. Pain for your very thorough review, and as well a thorough walk-through on how to best use this product.

I admit I was a little intimidated upon its first use, and I found I had absolutely no issues applying it full strength on a dark color finish, as perhaps I'm another "old fart" who's been around the block a couple times, and once some things penetrate through my thick skull, I'm OK.

I would say in my experience with the product, it was no harder to apply than one of the WOWA Sealants like UPGP, WG Liquid Seal, or Optimum Opti-Seal. That these products can produce funny applications if not applied properly, you'll see high spots, and perhaps a bit of streaking.

Fairly simple with these, that if you apply a bit too heavy handed, a simple go-back with another towel solves the issue. I should note I did this with the WOWA's myself at first, there's a little learning curve understanding that a little product goes a long way.

And as well, some common sense being used, clean paint, cool paint, shade are commonly benefits. I surely would not try applying any protective product under some crazy unorthodox conditions.

The differences though, and although it might be called a "Sealant", it appears this is where Reload differs, in that when you leave a high spot, one might run into the same issues as leaving a high spot with a Paint Coating, one will not be able to easily level such errors.

Your explanations and tips of useage no doubt actually took more time to write, than what an end user will experience and need to do with Reload v2014 IMO. And that too, perhaps not all end users may experience any such issues of application.

You know from the Carpro Forum that I was one of the few that experienced a little bit of minor oiliness left behind with this particular formula, and Corey's advice of a simple wipedown with a dampened MF Towel after application appears to solve that issue.

This I feel is no biggie for me to go back if need be, and do this, takes another 10 minutes is all, and if the product lives up to its said claims of stated longevity, and its other inherit properties, then that's OK in my book.

I've only used the product once, and on a dark colored car. I will try it soon on lighter colors to see the results.

I assume that those who have used one of the Carpro CQuartz Coating Products, will wish to use Reload solely, and on a periodic basis, as it appears to be the very best product choice in all aspects for maintaining these durable Coatings.
Mark