Ultimate Winter Protection

[dstrack]

Hello everyone... Been lurking on here WAY to much (haha). I have a question I could not find a definitive answer by searching.

I currently have Wolfgang DGPS on my Cayenne and I am curious if I would get better all around protection from the elements (bird crap, salt, acid rain, etc...) with just the sealant or with a carnauba, or both?

I have seen some pros post that carnauba protects better than a sealant for some cases?

I am not interested in a looks or durability debate (as I have a heated garage and car re-apply a wax every month if thats the ultimate protection wise).

I am only interested in what is the best way for me to protect my paint.

1. Sealant
2. Carnauba
3. Sealant Topped With Carnauba

p.s.

...at this time I am not interested in coatings. Since I discovered this site I found many different products I would like to try and coatings seem long term set it and forget it. I also enjoy spending time in the garage once in a while instead of vegging out on the couch.

Thank in advance guys and gals I have learned a ton from you already!

Dan

[Two_6s]

You can definitely "top" the sealant with a carnauba. You will not only add a bit of additional protection, but you will get the visual benefits of both as well.

Just make sure you follow the curing directions on both products.

[swanicyouth]

IME topping ads zero to longevity.

[7PaintGuns]

I sort of touched on this the other day...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/96522-pre-winter-detail-protection.html

[AZpolisher15]

Lots of different opinions on this and you'll not find a definitive answer. With that said. I like the idea of choosing one product you like and applying two coats, 24 hours apart (unless manufacturers recommendation is different). The idea behind the two coats is to ensure an even application on the entire surface.

I use Meguires Ultimate Liquid Wax (100% synthetic polymer paint sealer) in the summer months. And I use Collinite 845 or 476 in the winter. The products are seemingly protecting my paint very well in hot SD summers and salty SD winters. And I'm happy with their longevity.

[dstrack]

Lots of different opinions on this and you'll not find a definitive answer. With that said. I like the idea of choosing one product you like and applying two coats, 24 hours apart (unless manufacturers recommendation is different). The idea behind the two coats is to ensure an even application on the entire surface.

I use Meguires Ultimate Liquid Wax (100% synthetic polymer paint sealer) in the summer months. And I use Collinite 845 or 476 in the winter. The products are seemingly protecting my paint very well in hot SD summers and salty SD winters. And I'm happy with their longevity.

Thanks for all the responses so far. Harpolith I agree with your philosophy. I have always been a old school pure carnauba two coats kinda guy for the last 20 years.

Then I found this forum and just put the Wolfgang DGPS on last week. I like it so far. ...Has a nice pop on my silver Cayenne especially in the sun. After doing way to much searching and reading I am almost more confused now than I was when I started with all the different combos people are talking about. yikes!

I understand all the different combos for possibly a different look if that is something you can tell on your car (on my silver it all looks the same to me, even the DGPS vs my old carnauba).

...but I have seen much contrasting info about sealants are more durable, last longer. ...No carnauba protects better
...No use a sealant then use carnauba for double protection.

Optimally I would like to see some facts about what is the best route to go protection wise vs a bunch of opinion.

[FUNX650]

RE: Ultimate Winter Protection



I use Meguires Ultimate Liquid Wax...
in the summer months...

Meguiar's Ultimate Wax will more than suffice for
ultimate protection during the Winter months! :dblthumb2:



Optimally I would like to see some facts about what is the best route to go protection wise vs a bunch of opinion.

Yea...Wouldn't we all!


Bob

[vobro]

Your Fact: you've been a 2 coat carnuba guy for 20 years, seems you have found your combo
My fact: I live outside Chicago which for the last 2 winters have been absolutely horrendous. I have 3 daily drivers (2 coated with CQUK) and the other has been a test bed for the testing for my own fun. Any sealant or sealant/wax combo I've used all faired equally. In my history the key for my area is to wash as often as I can.
I'm not sure what kind of winters you see but the Wolfgang sealant has been shown to be a very good one and if it were me I'd just run with that

[AZpolisher15]

Thanks for all the responses so far. Harpolith I agree with your philosophy. I have always been a old school pure carnauba two coats kinda guy for the last 20 years.

Then I found this forum and just put the Wolfgang DGPS on last week. I like it so far. ...Has a nice pop on my silver Cayenne especially in the sun. After doing way to much searching and reading I am almost more confused now than I was when I started with all the different combos people are talking about. yikes!

I understand all the different combos for possibly a different look if that is something you can tell on your car (on my silver it all looks the same to me, even the DGPS vs my old carnauba).

...but I have seen much contrasting info about sealants are more durable, last longer. ...No carnauba protects better
...No use a sealant then use carnauba for double protection.

Optimally I would like to see some facts about what is the best route to go protection wise vs a bunch of opinion.
Ha yep join the club! I think it boils down to this... Any product is a whole lot better than no product. You could look at it like this- ALL of the products available will give you 98-99% of the protection you're looking for. That other 1-2% is what all the discussion is about. That's kind of what I've gleaned from my countless hours of detailing research. You've applied the DGPS- you're covered :). But throw some carnauba on top if you'd like!

[dstrack]

Vobro, I live in Shorewood, IL close to you. Its probably those last two brutal winters that have me concerned for this winter.

I wash my car every time its salty and the roads dry up or usually once/twice a week. ...Also I work from home so my car is a semi garage queen as sometimes it wont leave the garage for a week straight. Especially in the brutal cold winter!

Ideally I'd like to stick to one lsp and keep it simple. I was just concerned after a few posts I saw from some seemingly respected guys that were saying that carnauba actually does a better job at protection on bird dropping and water spots than a sealant.

That made me think maybe I should top my sealant.

Then I was thinking the sealant might be better for slickness helping keep my paint cleaner longer.

...As you can probably see I am very analytical and been borderline ocd about figuring out what the best route to go and seems there is no right answer. I am worrying about the last 1% of protection apparently.

If thats the case then I'll just stick with the DGPS until I try something else different.

[vobro]

Vobro, I live in Shorewood, IL close to you. Its probably those last two brutal winters that have me concerned for this winter.

I wash my car every time its salty and the roads dry up or usually once/twice a week. ...Also I work from home so my car is a semi garage queen as sometimes it wont leave the garage for a week straight. Especially in the brutal cold winter!

Ideally I'd like to stick to one lsp and keep it simple. I was just concerned after a few posts I saw from some seemingly respected guys that were saying that carnauba actually does a better job at protection on bird dropping and water spots than a sealant.

That made me think maybe I should top my sealant.

Then I was thinking the sealant might be better for slickness helping keep my paint cleaner longer.

...As you can probably see I am very analytical and been borderline ocd about figuring out what the best route to go and seems there is no right answer. I am worrying about the last 1% of protection apparently.

If thats the case then I'll just stick with the DGPS until I try something else different.
Lol, small world. I'd say most people here are OCD,and if you are analytical why not do a panel test? My one dd that's not coated I like to test different products and that's gives me something to ponder during the winter. Perhaps we'll get a taste of what's to come on Saturday!

[dstrack]

I am sure I will be testing a bunch but I was looking for some guidelines to get me heading in the right direction and wanted best protection right now for winter coming up.

Actually I have dodojuice supernatural hybrid on my one fender right now over the DGPS and red mist on the passenger door. haha

Honestly I didn't really put them on there for a durability test but more for a looks test since I just ordered them and had to know if they looked any different on my silver paint. Everyone kept saying how crazy glossy they are and thats what I was wanting on my silver.

fyi... ...They all look exactly the same to me in shine, gloss, depth, wetness, warmth and however else I can think off to compare.

Although I just did a full machine correction on the car and aside from a rids or two the paint is pretty flawless.

I actually think it might have looked better right after final polish than with any lsps on it which is leading me to believe that for this paint color less is definitely more instead of layers of lsp.

[AZpolisher15]

I am sure I will be testing a bunch but I was looking for some guidelines to get me heading in the right direction and wanted best protection right now for winter coming up.

Actually I have dodojuice supernatural hybrid on my one fender right now over the DGPS and red mist on the passenger door. haha

Honestly I didn't really put them on there for a durability test but more for a looks test since I just ordered them and had to know if they looked any different on my silver paint. Everyone kept saying how crazy glossy they are and thats what I was wanting on my silver.

fyi... ...They all look exactly the same to me in shine, gloss, depth, wetness, warmth and however else I can think off to compare.

Although I just did a full machine correction on the car and aside from a rids or two the paint is pretty flawless.

I actually think it might have looked better right after final polish than with any lsps on it which is leading me to believe that for this paint color less is definitely more instead of layers of lsp.
I know what you mean about seeing conflicting info and all the different combos of products. I'm not a pro detailer like a lot of the forum guys. But I am a little OCD with my truck. I also enjoy the experimentation. If you do any tests I'd love to hear about them if you have the time to come back and update. I was hesitant to put a carnuba on top of my sealant but I read so much on the forum about the Collinite waxes being tough as nails. With a snow storm coming this weekend I finally decided to give it a shot. I put 476 on top of the Ultimate Liquid. To be honest, it just feels tougher than a sealant to me. Hard to explain but running my hand across it I just know that there's a nice hard coat of wax there.

As far as the science goes, when you take a wax with solvents in it, I can't imagine that it doesn't have an effect on the product underneath (sealer). But maybe it doesn't strip it ALL off? Who knows. As you know, these Midwest winters and road chemicals are tough on cars. If you do decide to put a carnuba on top, I highly recommend 845 or 476. The 476 is pretty amazing stuff (actually, they both are). The 476 flashes HARD. and it's difficult for me to conceive of a sealer curing harder. But at the molecular level, microscopically thin level after buffing, it's hard to say. Without having scientific proof, the Collinite gives me more confidence than any sealer.

I didn't mean to suggest anything by the 1% comment. Other than that we are protected very well with a majority of the products out there now days. I've nearly driven myself crazy searching for that "best". There are a lot of fans for just about every product Autogeek sells. I'm actually a scientist myself, so I understand the want of some quantifiable data.

[dstrack]

I have some 845 (thanks to the collinite nation on AG) and used it on my moms volvo.

Probably should have got the 476 but decided on 845 because I though I would use it too and people said the 476 muted silver flakes and all the family cars are light with metal flake paint.

Decided not to use 845 on my Cayenne because as lame as this sounds I wanted something more special on the Porsche. haha

Plus I wanted to try something else for the fun of it I guess.

Sounds like I should just get the 476 since in winter its not a fashion show out there.

No harm in the 1% comment you hit the nail on the head and I needed that.