Sealant vs Coating Question

[AMarkham40]

I've been detailing my personal vehicles & some friends vehicles for several years now. I've always used a sealant (Four Star UPP) with great results. I'm hearing more & more about people using coatings. I don't know anybody personally that has used them nor have I seen a car with it applied. My bottle of Four Star UPP has lasted me for several years & it's still over a quarter full. These coatings come in an extremely small bottle for a big price. My question is, is a coating worth it for a daily driven vehicle compared to a sealant applied twice a year?

[silverfox]

I heard this analogy from Renny Doyle. He's right on point. Take two popsicle sticks. Place one in a Dixie cup fixed with 30ml of any good coating. Take the other and place it in a Dixie cup of the same 30ml of a sealant or wax. Allow both to dry for three days. Pull the popsicle stick out of the cup of coating. You will have a Plexiglas lollipop. That's what's on your car. Pull the popsicle stick out of the sealant or wax. You'll have a smeared, messy popsicle stick. Which would you want protecting your paint? Yes, I've tried it. Its a great selling prop to show prospective clients.

[trekkeruss]

I heard this analogy from Renny Doyle.

Interesting.

I'm far from any kind of expert, but years ago I used to use wax. Then when I came back to detailing, I switched to a sealant. Last month I made the move to a coating. I guess I don't really see a difference in looks. Admittedly, I have not compared side-by-side. Regardless, they all resulted in shiny paint...but the shininess came from polishing, not the LSP, right?

I have no idea how long the coating...in my case CQuartz UK...will last. I feel like my vehicle's paint is better protected, and a lot of detailing is not just about appearance, but the enjoyment of the process. I enjoyed applying a coating, so it was at least worth it to me from that perspective.

[FUNX650]

Are 'Coatings' worth it?

IMHO:
Only if a person chooses those that they can adroitly
fit into their schedule. All the while: adhering to the
chosen Coatings' total-cure-times...per:
The manufacturers' recommended time-frames.


Bob

[Desertnate]

My question is, is a coating worth it for a daily driven vehicle compared to a sealant applied twice a year?

This is an internal debate I'm having as well. The biggest of which is cost.

Today, I have have no issues applying a LSP twice a year. There are great economical products which easily last six months and the containers of product last a long time. I've been trying to find the bottom of a Klasse SG bottle for 9 years and a bottle of 845 going on two years now. I paid less that $25 per bottle in both cases. From what I'm seeing bottles of the more hobbyist friendly coatings run around $50 and you only get 3~4 applications. The costs go up higher when you also include the surface prep products

Reducing my LSP applications to once a year is appealing, but I don't see any other benefit, which makes it hard to justify the cost.

Despite all I said above, the coatings by DP and Blackfire catch my eye whenever I'm in the AG store these days. Maybe it's simply the call of trying out something new...

[Odisious]

Yeah, coatings are great in my opinion, just a heads up that beading and sheeting perform poorly in regards to coatings (much of the time). Here's the thing...WHO CARES! Your car will look dipped in glass, and it will clean better than ANY other sealant you have ever used. Tar literally wipes off with a single wipe of your wash item of choice.
There are many people here that think that because the coating beads and sheets poorly that it's gone or not present on the paint. You'd need a depth mic. to prove that though. My vehicle beads and sheets terribly, but it's protected like crazy and cleans so well. Just be ready for the possibility of poor beading and sheeting. If those are important to you, you may want to stick to sealants. Don't forget about the grossly inappropriate amount of prep work, and the attraction of squirrels that begin to run out to the roadways and bow before your car.

[Kamakaz1961]

I am not a coating person and never will. Do I think a coating is great...probably. Is it better than sealant/wax....maybe but I will never know and care not to find out. I enjoy taking care of my ride by detailing my car on a bi-weekly basis at least.

The fun of detailing is my therapy.

Now I think a person that wants to do little maintenance on their ride, a coating would fit them. IMO there is NOTHING wrong with either way. It is just a matter of preference.

I am still old school (and bald to boot) and I think (again my opinion) nothing beats the wet look, warmth and depth of a good quality wax. Not a sealant and not a coating (seen many).

My routine is a sealant and then a wax. Additionally, I have seen too many issues with coatings on the AGO threads about quality control issues. Just look at all the threads of a coating and see what I mean.

How many issues do you see with a sealant/wax? I know there will be some but significantly less than a coating.

Again, IMHO.

[ForceofWill]

I still prefer sealants. It's going to depend on how often you feel the need to polish the car.

My cars are drivers and regardless of how safe I wash, I always need to polish them more often than the longevity of a coating. So it's not worth it to me in cost or PITA to apply.

Salt, ice, people touching my car etc.. all make marks and light scratches I have to polish out. My go to is my sealant.

[ForceofWill]

Yeah, coatings are great in my opinion, just a heads up that beading and sheeting perform poorly in regards to coatings (much of the time). Here's the thing...WHO CARES! Your car will look dipped in glass, and it will clean better than ANY other sealant you have ever used. Tar literally wipes off with a single wipe of your wash item of choice.
There are many people here that think that because the coating beads and sheets poorly that it's gone or not present on the paint. You'd need a depth mic. to prove that though. My vehicle beads and sheets terribly, but it's protected like crazy and cleans so well. Just be ready for the possibility of poor beading and sheeting. If those are important to you, you may want to stick to sealants. Don't forget about the grossly inappropriate amount of prep work, and the attraction of squirrels that begin to run out to the roadways and bow before your car.

This is subjective and a personal opinion at best. I don't like the glass/mirror look, I want the depth I get with wax and the coatings I've tried do not out perform my sealant.

[Odisious]

This is subjective and a personal opinion at best. I don't like the glass/mirror look, I want the depth I get with wax and the coatings I've tried do not out perform my sealant.

Sorry, I was wrong, strike what I said from that post. Again, I apologize.