Sealant comparison

[RippyD]

Washed the Rover and Sentra with CarPro Reset and a Big Red Sponge. Washed the Boxster with N-914 as rinseless ratio using Everest MF towels.

DG 104 is done. CanCoat and DG coating have slowed considerably and are likely close to done. The 4 spray-on-hose-off products on the Boxster are doing remarkably well, Sonax Spray and Seal in particular. Very few spray on products will shed water this quickly for 10 weeks.

Rover (video)

• CanCoat - clearing in ~13 seconds
• MS #6 - 5 seconds
• Red Mist - 4 seconds
• DG coating - ~11 seconds
• Duragloss 104 - ~17 seconds - calling it done
• Showstopper - 4 seconds
• DP Spray Sealant - 5 seconds

Sentra (video)

• Bead Maker - 6 seconds
• CarPro EliXir (QD) - 2 seconds
• Scholl Concepts Barracuda - 2 seconds
• BF synthetic spray wax - 4 seconds
• DG 931 as a QD - 2 seconds

Boxster (video)

• Hydro2 - 2 seconds
• Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic - 2 seconds
• McKee's Hydro Blue - 2 seconds
• Sonax Spray and Seal - 1 second
• Reload + Ech20 - 3 seconds

[NoMoreBlackCars]

Rippy, have you noticed any of the longer lasting products that seem to do well or poorly with water spots and etching? I've had too many etching problems with coatings so I'm looking to switch to one of the more durable sealants.

[RippyD]

Rippy, have you noticed any of the longer lasting products that seem to do well or poorly with water spots and etching? I've had too many etching problems with coatings so I'm looking to switch to one of the more durable sealants.

I haven't really noticed any big differences in spotting or etching with sealants. I believe that replacing a sealant as needed will help with spotting on the paint. Really haven't tracked this closely, but that seems to be the case. I have the same issue with coatings, especially on horizontal panels: spotting and etching that have to be removed with polish, which also removes the coating.

[NoMoreBlackCars]

I haven't really noticed any big differences in spotting or etching with sealants. I believe that replacing a sealant as needed will help with spotting on the paint. Really haven't tracked this closely, but that seems to be the case. I have the same issue with coatings, especially on horizontal panels: spotting and etching that have to be removed with polish, which also removes the coating.

Thanks, that makes sense to me. I just had Can Coat over CSL leave etched spots (tried all chemical removal options with no improvement) after the first drive 3 weeks after coating, topped with Reload to protect while curing. Car was covered until yesterday, no rain or other water exposure that I saw evidence of, and yet there is etching, as I had with another coating last year. I'm hoping a durable sealant and a lighter topper will do better. No durable protection product is worth it on black paint if it leaves spots.

[RippyD]

Added a few products to the Rover. I removed the old sealants with Duragloss Squeaky Clean and a black LC pad, then washed twice with CarPro Reset. Here's a video of the sheeting action (a lack of) before I reapplied any products.

Note that when I apply spray sealants I'm waiting a few seconds before buffing them off. I want to make sure they have a chance to bond before I remove them. When doing a full panel most of the product will be on the paint before it's wiped off. I'm trying to ensure I simulate this usage.

6 products added for additional testing, all with relatively poor results. I'm trying to ensure they are really as low as I measured them. Trying Rupes P808 for a 6th time because I've seen high variability with it.

Products added

• Prima Hydro Max
• Sonus Acrylic Glanz
• Rupes P808
• Mothers Speed Spray Wax
• Mystery Sealant #1 (check spreadsheet to see what this is)
• Chemical Guys V07

I fixed some display issues with the spreadsheet charts. When a new series gets added to the chart it doesn't always format correctly. Got those issues fixed at the charts showing product tests by duration now how consistent symbols and colors.

[NoMoreBlackCars]

Just about to decide what products I'll be using for the next year, and it would be so much more difficult, uncertain, and needle-in-haystack without your testing. Thank you! It helps that I'm near Seattle so essentially the same conditions.

The pains you've taken to get your spreadsheet data sorted only highlights how much physical work you've done and how detailed your notes have been. Hats off.

I am leaning toward FK1000 although the better durability and water behavior of Col 845 as well as easier application really gives me pause. Maybe I will divide my hood between FK1000, Col 845, PNS, and DG 111 (I still have a little of the latter 2). I am struggling to see record of whether FK1000 was ever applied without DG 601—can you clarify?

What's certain is that I'll go with DG AW and 931 for maintenance/drying aid, based entirely on your reporting and the praise here from others. I'll get both because they're cheap and decide which I prefer for my process and results. I may so play with a super hydrophobic SOHO like Wetcoat on lower panels in the cold months to see if it offers improved resistance to road grime.

[NoMoreBlackCars]

Just about to decide what products I'll be using for the next year, and it would be so much more difficult, uncertain, and needle-in-haystack without your testing. Thank you! It helps that I'm near Seattle so essentially the same conditions.

The pains you've taken to get your spreadsheet data sorted only highlights how much physical work you've done and how detailed your notes have been. Hats off.

I am leaning toward FK1000 although the better durability and water behavior of Col 845 as well as easier application really gives me pause. Maybe I will divide my hood between FK1000, Col 845, PNS, and DG 111 (I still have a little of the latter 2). I am struggling to see record of whether FK1000 was ever applied without DG 601—can you clarify?

What's certain is that I'll go with DG AW and 931 for maintenance/drying aid, based entirely on your reporting and the praise here from others. I'll get both because they're cheap and decide which I prefer for my process and results.
I may also play with a super hydrophobic SOHO like Wetcoat and a nonSiO2 topper like BSD on lower panels in the cold months to see if they offer improved resistance to road grime.

[RippyD]

Just about to decide what products I'll be using for the next year, and it would be so much more difficult, uncertain, and needle-in-haystack without your testing. Thank you! It helps that I'm near Seattle so essentially the same conditions.

The pains you've taken to get your spreadsheet data sorted only highlights how much physical work you've done and how detailed your notes have been. Hats off.

I am leaning toward FK1000 although the better durability and water behavior of Col 845 as well as easier application really gives me pause. Maybe I will divide my hood between FK1000, Col 845, PNS, and DG 111 (I still have a little of the latter 2). I am struggling to see record of whether FK1000 was ever applied without DG 601—can you clarify?

What's certain is that I'll go with DG AW and 931 for maintenance/drying aid, based entirely on your reporting and the praise here from others. I'll get both because they're cheap and decide which I prefer for my process and results.
I may also play with a super hydrophobic SOHO like Wetcoat and a nonSiO2 topper like BSD on lower panels in the cold months to see if they offer improved resistance to road grime.

Glad to read it's helpful to you. Yes, FK1000 was applied without DG 601. When I applied the longer term sealants to the Rover last year I did them without 601 on the top 1/2 of the doors and with 601 on the bottom. In all cases they had shorter durations with 601, except for DG 401 which seemed to do the same.

The last tests I did from these sealants had the following results:

Product	Duration (weeks)
Collinite 845	47
DG 104	49
FK 1000	38
Collinite 915	28

[PaulMys]

....the better durability and water behavior of Col 845 as well as easier application really gives me pause.

Don't sleep on Collinite 476s. It is easy to apply as well, just a little differently.

You can apply 845 to the entire car/truck, and go out and have lunch at your local deli. It will wipe off like a dream when you get back home.

With 476, you apply to one panel (or half a panel if it is large) and then wipe off.

[NoMoreBlackCars]

Thanks Rippy for the clarification. It's suprising to me that in your test FK1000P didn't do as well as 845 and that 915 was so far back from them, since the majority opinion (rarely, it seems, based on back-to-back testing) is that FK1000P, Collinite 476, and DG 111 are the most durable, with 915 a step back and 845 even more. I could see how the difference could be due to wet vs. hot & dry climate, or due to just lack of controlled testing aside from yours.

PaulMys, thanks for the tip. I prefer the 476 application process as you describe it so I'll opt for that over 845.

So I'm gearing up for a 4-way test of 476, 1000P, 111, and PNS on the hood. Will be testing for durability through the rainy NW fall/winter, but also, in order of priority, for water spotting, contaminant resistance, dirt and dust shedding, and water behavior. On the adjacent fenders I have Gtechniq CSL topped with Can Coat, applied only 3 weeks ago, so that will be fascinating to compare alongside the sealants.

A big part of what I'm testing for is how pristine these protectants will keep the finish on my soft jet black paint. Coatings are great in a few ways, including a little bit of marring resistance and preventing contaminants from etching into the clear coat, but in my limited experience they are themselves fragile in terms of susceptibility to etching from water spots, and even, in some cases, bug guts and bird bombs, which makes them like a thin fragile clear coat that must be protected as much if not more than the clear coat itself.