How long would you prefer a coating to last?

[Texchappy]

In an ideal world, the question above. 12 months? 24? 36? 5 years?

please explain your answer.

[evo77]

That depends on too many variables.

Are you a person who maintains your vehicle on a regular basis (weekly or bi-weekly washes) or are you a person that washes the car maybe once a month or longer?

Are you a person who doesn't mind spending hundreds of dollars on a multi-year coating or are you a person that wants something value oriented with great bang for the buck?

I think any good well known coating should be able to provide a solid 12 months of protection with regular maintenance. I don't see the point for anyone to shop for a coating that is 2,3,4,5,10 years. Why? I have yet to be convinced that any of those long term coatings can really survive that long on a real world daily driver that sees all kind of weather conditions.

[Rsurfer]

That depends on too many variables.

Are you a person who maintains your vehicle on a regular basis (weekly or bi-weekly washes) or are you a person that washes the car maybe once a month or longer?

Are you a person who doesn't mind spending hundreds of dollars on a multi-year coating or are you a person that wants something value oriented with great bang for the buck?

I think any good well known coating should be able to provide a solid 12 months of protection with regular maintenance. I don't see the point for anyone to shop for a coating that is 2,3,4,5,10 years. Why? I have yet to be convinced that any of those long term coatings can really survive that long on a real world daily driver that sees all kind of weather conditions.

And to add..no matter how careful you are when washing, you will instill swirls in the long run. It maybe less noticeable on lighter colors, but on dark colors it will look like spiders live on your paint.

In conclusion if your the type that is anal about your paint, why apply a 2+ year coating that will swirl in less than a year?

[Texchappy]

Just to be clear, I’m not asking how long I should. I’m soliciting y’all’s approach to the vehicles you coat.

[evo77]

Just to be clear, I’m not asking how long I should. I’m soliciting y’all’s approach to the vehicles you coat.

Please provide more background info.

Is this for your personal vehicle or for customers? Are you currently shopping for a coating and trying to decide what to go with? Which coatings have you narrowed down your research to?

[Paul A.]

From my personal perspective...

I like a 1.5 - 2 year coating on my personal car. I do a full paint correction once a year. I'd like the coating to still be there when I do the correction.

I wash once a week with very careful, gentle washes but still get some slight marring after 52 of those. Knowing I need to cut and buff I don't feel the need for a longer, durable coating.

[evo77]

It seems like most coatings are beat after at least 3 years.

That still depends on the maintenance and environment. Garaged vs. parked outside 24-7. Regions that experience colder climates, snow/salt vs sunny, warmer climates.

Phil from Miranda Detailing said in a recent podcast that the longest he has seen a coating last on any of the vehicles he has detailed is approaching 3 years (CQuartz UK) and its working at 90% or so. He said at the 2 year mark it was still at 100% performance. This is a partly garaged minivan and the owner regularly washes the vehicle. Now imagine same scenario with the vehicle parked outside all the time and washed once a month. Would it still perform the same? I don't think it would.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is, buy a reputable coating and don't spend a lot on it. Expect 12 months. Anything longer would just be a pleasant bonus. Reapply again when dead or deteriorating. Start process over again.

[Texchappy]

Please provide more background info.

Is this for your personal vehicle or for customers? Are you currently shopping for a coating and trying to decide what to go with? Which coatings have you narrowed down your research to?

I’m more interested in how a variety of people approach this. However, I only maintain my own vehicles as a weekend warrior and occasionally a friend’s.

There’s two reasons I ask this. The CQuartz lite on my wife’s car is at ~15 months and still tight beading. It isn’t driven every day and is in a climate controlled garage. Secondly, the last Scott HD video, most of the coatings were ‘gone’ after the 15ish months and CQuartz lite seemed to outdo UK. I realize there’s limitations to his methodology and they aren’t exactly maintained but still found the difference interesting.

[dlc95]

Hard to say.

I prefer not to go through the trouble of applying one. With the maintenance method I use I can get by with a spray wax.

It's my customers whom I want to deliver that option to.

I do have a ceramic on my gf's Jeep because it was new. The parts I did last September react like it was recently applied. The drivers side I did cquk 3.0 x2 + Gliss. It was awesome, but I removed it in favor of Gloss Coat which is on the rest of the vehicle, simply for the ability to maintain with ONR. I've used Reset at work and it's a great shampoo, but I've gotten used to not using soap at home. Once I tried rinseless in 2014 I never looked back.

A two year coating is fine for me.

[evo77]

I’m more interested in how a variety of people approach this. However, I only maintain my own vehicles as a weekend warrior and occasionally a friend’s.

There’s two reasons I ask this. The CQuartz lite on my wife’s car is at ~15 months and still tight beading. It isn’t driven every day and is in a climate controlled garage. Secondly, the last Scott HD video, most of the coatings were ‘gone’ after the 15ish months and CQuartz lite seemed to outdo UK. I realize there’s limitations to his methodology and they aren’t exactly maintained but still found the difference interesting.

You have to take Scotts testing for what it is. Its a test that is specific to that hood, with that paint, in that environment exposure and with that maintenance regimen. Results will vary.

Your wifes car isn't treated the same. Also, let me ask you this - during the entire 15 months have you EVER applied any toppers? If the answer is YES, which I'm sure it is, that will also affect the water behavior as well as life cycle. Scott does not add toppers. His panels just sit exposed to elements, get washed and blow dried.