Most swirl resistant ceramic

**blsnelling** · 05-12-2020, 09:12 AM

I have a '02 Trans Am WS6 with only 22K miles that I am in the process of doing a full paint correction on. This car is 100% garage kept and will never see rain/weather. What ceramic coating would be most resistant to swirls from maintenance detailing? I have only washed it once since purchasing it in December. It typically gets dusted with something like ONR or a quick detailer. I'm considering CSL. I'm on the fence about EXO. I don't need the extra hydrophobic properties, just the most durability. What other options would you recommend?

**JDGolden** · 05-12-2020, 09:36 AM

I think I read on here that Gyeon Q2 Mohs is a real winner in that aspect.

Nice car! Always wanted a WS6.

**The Guz** · 05-12-2020, 09:56 AM

Don't get too caught up in the swirl resistance or coating hardness. Coatings are not scratch proof or swirl proof. Follow proper washing techniques and avoid constantly wiping the paint to avoid swirls.

With that said any coating is going to last a long time in that condition. I would go with something like Cquartz Lite or Gyeon CanCoat for a garage kept car. They will last long and you will get multiple applications when the paint gets swirled up in a year or two down the road. Cquartz Lite is the more "swirl resistant" as it forms the harder layer.

**TTQ B4U** · 05-12-2020, 11:12 AM

They will all do fine in terms of swirls or micro marring. The key is in day-forward care when washing, but most most importantly drying.

**TNMIKE46** · 05-12-2020, 11:30 AM

Welcome to the 2002 Black WS6 world. Mine has a little over 62000 miles. Right now I'm finishing up working on my car. I used Griots Fast correcting cream then perfecting
cream, cleaned with CarPro Eraser then applied Wolfgang Ceramic Spray (super easy to apply). Results were great; deep black shine!

Enjoy your car, it's a fun ride. Mine is the 6-speed.

**blsnelling** · 05-12-2020, 12:55 PM

I'm using a denim pad with Sonax Cutmax to reduce factory orange peal. I follow that up with an orange foam pad and Cutmax. Finally, I use a black foam pad with Sonax Perfect Finish for a swirl free mirror shine. I was prepared to use Menzerna 3800 but it wasn't needed.

**MarkD51** · 05-12-2020, 01:22 PM

Welcome to the forum! Nice car, wish you the best of luck.

If it was any other color, I'd maybe suggest bypassing a ceramic coating, using something like Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 and follow with Pinnacle Crystal Mist Spray.

Having owned black, I know what a bugger black is to keep swirl-mar free. Not because any other color is less prone to such, just that you see everything on black.

Yes, good ceramic coatings are more durable and less prone to marring. Of course nothing is going to make the car's finish bulletproof.

Carpro CQuartz UK is commonly one of your better coatings ranking very high on durability and mar resistance.
It's a little harder to work with than say some of these other spray and wipe coatings IMO, but the effort is worth it.

I might be inclined to also do all the wheels with ceramic with a wheels off detail. That has to be your choice? CQ UK will also work fine on Wheels, and so will CQuartz DLX. Some prefer DLX. I've used both products, both extremely good!

Thus, if you wish going that route, I'd say buy two 30ml bottles of UK, and buy a small addition of the Carpro Suede MF Sheets. The 16"x16" Sheets might be the best way to go, simply cut them down into four 4"x4" Sheets for coating applications.

With any Ceramic Coating, best not to get too inventive, and adhere to the manufacturer's suggested application procedures. Yes, a good panel wipe product like Carpro Eraser when all is done with correction and prior to application. Use clean towels and don't skimp with prepping.

A couple good soft MF Towels for final leveling-smoothing wipe, and good lighting so you can see how you are applying is a huge help.

**blsnelling** · 05-12-2020, 01:29 PM

I appreciate the feedback. As several have pointed out, I realize that nothing will make the finish swirl proof. I'm just looking to maximize my efforts. I've owned a lot of black vehicles, but have never had a garage queen that I wanted to keep as perfect as possible.

I'm getting the feeling that most are recommending something besides CSL/EXO. Is that because of price or performance?

**MarkD51** · 05-12-2020, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by blsnelling

I appreciate the feedback. As several have pointed out, I realize that nothing will make the finish swirl proof. I'm just looking to maximize my efforts. I've owned a lot of black vehicles, but have never had a garage queen that I wanted to keep as perfect as possible.

I'm getting the feeling that most are recommending something besides CSL/EXO. Is that because of price or performance?

There's a good many number of fans of GTechniq products. I have limited exposure to them only trying two. One was OK, and the other I had trouble with.

It's not that easy to swirl a vehicle that has a fresh CQuartz Coating upon it. You have to be using some pretty poor wash techniques, and filthy towels etc to do such.

Figure about 2 years with CQuartz UK on a regular day to day driver exposed constantly. A Garage Queen should hold up a lot longer.

As Mike Phillips, our forum guru master would advise, your pretty paint is going to be fine for a good while, even if there was nothing applied to it. It's when you "touch it", that's when the "fun" (Damage) begins.

Many members here go to extreme great lengths, not just the pros, but as well the hobbyists, Foam Guns, High Pressure Washers, Two Bucket washes with Grit Guards, the gentlest of towels for wiping and drying, some even use Blowers (Metro Vac) Leaf Blowers, anything to reduce rubbing which will cause sleeks, marring and swirling.

As Mike once touched upon, "swirling" under sunlight looks "circular", but that's not the case. Meaning swirling didn't occur because you were rubbing in some circular fashion, it's just the way the sun or a point source of light makes it look like such. Such is all totally random, and go every which way on a paint finish.

As for the durable coating like CQuartz, there's many videos here hosted by Mike Phillips, and as well you can find such with any specific brand coating posted on you-tube. Cory the USA distributor of CQuartz (Sky's the Limit) also had videos on you-tube applying these coatings I mention.

The more you study, the better your understanding and knowledge will go as far as the applications, the properties these coatings possess, and the pitfalls and mistakes of poor applications as well.

**MarkD51** · 05-12-2020, 07:48 PM

Now here's a simple vid on CQuartz application.

You might think, "crap, he's just wiping off all the coating he just applied!"

Nope! On a properly prepped panel, this stuff is on! And it's on with a rock hard glass finish and it's not coming off anytime soon! Some do 2 coats. IMO it's not that necessary. Not unless you missed spots from a negligent application.

You apply and wipe like this, insure no high spots, and then don't touch the paint for a minimum one hour time, and better to err on a longer time.

Then, once initially dry, the paint should get an application of a sacrificial product such as Carpro Reload, to protect against any water spotting should the vehicle get wet within the 7 day total cure time of such a coating.

After that, you simply maintain a coating with a proper coating compatible spray product that will mimic the coating's hydroscopic properties is all after a wash or two-few.

YouTube

YouTube