McKees 37 Paint Coating - Resistence to Scratches/Swirls

[Eldorado2k]

For those using McKees 37 paint coating, what is your real-life experience when it comes making your paint less susceptible to scratches and wash-induced swirl marks? Do you see a noticeable difference in preventing minor scratches and swirls?

In my experience testing it on my daily driver I saw no help in preventing wash induced swirls. As a matter of fact as of this past Thursday, there were light swirls going in 1 direction [front to back] that were obviously instilled from waterless washing. The Mckee's paint coating had been on my cars paint for just over 3 months before I decided to call it off...



This was my 1st tread into paint coatings.. I recommend doing a panel or 2 before committing your whole entire vehicle and see if you're happy with the results.



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[Desertnate]

In my experience testing it on my daily driver I saw no help in preventing wash induced swirls. As a matter of fact as of this past Thursday, there were light swirls going in 1 direction [front to back] that were obviously instilled from waterless washing.

The only time I've ever encountered severe swirls was from waterless washing, and that led me to abandon waterless washing practice for good. What you experienced may have had nothing to do with the coating. You could have suffered that with just about anything on the car.

What really surprised me from your other post was the ammount of grime on your claybar. All of my cars a DD's, one of which gets rarely washed, and my clay never looks that bad. I wonder where that is coming from?

[kevincwelch]

In my opinion, the manufacturers' claims that coatings (such as CSL, C1, Mohs, etc.) have on some controlled testing level or molecular level an improved scratch resistance are probably true; however, in practical terms, when these coatings are spread to the micron or submicron level across the clear coat, they probably offer little-to-no scratch resistance. People who wax their cars lay down a layer of protection that has virtually no gains on the Mohs scale and proudly show off their swirl-free paint. Scratching and swirling in my opinion is all about use, overuse and abuse. Washing technique and style. Lubrication. Dirt and grime.

I challenge anyone to test their "scratch resistant" coatings with a set of Mohs hardness picks.

Silica coatings (and those with titania) offer theoretical advantages in scratch resistance. I think their primary benefit is making the car look great, beading water, sheeting water and making paint easier to clean, but not more scratch resistant.

Or maybe we should set up a test...

[Eldorado2k]

The only time I've ever encountered severe swirls was from waterless washing, and that led me to abandon waterless washing practice for good. What you experienced may have had nothing to do with the coating. You could have suffered that with just about anything on the car.

What really surprised me from your other post was the ammount of grime on your claybar. All of my cars a DD's, one of which gets rarely washed, and my clay never looks that bad. I wonder where that is coming from?

The swirls I incurred were minor, so minor that they're hard to get a picture of..
This is what I was talking about.

You can sort of see them to the left of the light



Here's another pic



Here's that same pic, zoomed in. You can see the straight line swirls in this pic



Honestly, I'd have to say they happened because unlike the results you guys speak of [in regards to having smooth paint] my paint was lacking that same smoothness very shortly after having applied the coating, within a month I not only noticed a drop off visually in regards to it staying a bit less dusty, but the paint lost that initial smoothness and at the end of the 3 months felt more like unprotected paint that you try to "quik detail" with limited success... You know how Meguiars says "you know when it's time to re wax when quik detailer doesn't wipe off as smooth as it once did" And that's exactly what happened on my paint.. The proof is shown with how much grime the claybar picked up after just 3 months time of maintaining a fairly clean car at all times.

The reason for the heavy amount of contaminants is due to the fact that I live within 1 mile from the port of Los Angeles, and the air quality around this particular part of the city is among the worst in the already notorious bad air quality city that is LA. Top it off we're bordered with several refineries too...

But regardless, before I put the Mckee's coating on those 2 panels, my entire car was almost @ 9 months of smooth baggie test passing paint with my previous tried and true methods of protection. When I clayed the vertical panels [which hadn't been coated] on my car that same day [this past Thursday] the clay came up smooth & clear, no contaminants. Also, the Kia is well past 1 yr. since I had to clay it and it's still smooth today.


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[ScottH]

After re-reading my original post, I thought perhaps I should have been more specific in my question. Does a Paint Coating lessen or reduce the risk of swirls and micro-marring. Forget I said the word scratch (grin).

Thanks to all of you....
ScottH

[Octopiston]

I can't say it reduces the risk by way of being harder than the factory clear, but more by the car staying clean longer because not as much sticks to the surface, and being easier to clean.

If you want easier to clean, looking clean longer, and over a year's worth of those traits in a hydrophobic lsp...then go for McKee's coating. If you want protection from swirls, work on your washing practices.

Ex. I did my mother-in-law's truck. She goes out after a rain and wipes it down with towels, eventhough I've advised her against it repeatedly. It has marring because of that.

[WillSports3]

A paint coating will reduce it in SOME ways. After all that prep work you did to coat it, you will probably touch your car very very carefully after that.

[fightnews]

I can't say it reduces the risk by way of being harder than the factory clear, but more by the car staying clean longer because not as much sticks to the surface, and being easier to clean.

If you want easier to clean, looking clean longer, and over a year's worth of those traits in a hydrophobic lsp...then go for McKee's coating. If you want protection from swirls, work on your washing practices.

Ex. I did my mother-in-law's truck. She goes out after a rain and wipes it down with towels, eventhough I've advised her against it repeatedly. It has marring because of that.

You must of missed this picture of mckees coating after 3 months



Why does it seem these coatings hold on to grime and contamination so bad. Ive seen it in other threads to.