Black Label surface coating, what's going on here?

**aim4squirrels** · 01-04-2014, 10:11 PM

I just spent the last 2 and a half days correcting my Brilliant Black Dodge Challenger. This was a full tilt diva detail inside and out. I hit a ? at the very end, but I'll give you the Full Monty on what went down here:

Wash
Iron X
Clayed

Interior-
Lexol cleaner on the leather seats
Damp microfiber on everything else
Dressed the entire interior with Black Label Leather and Vinyl Coating. Love it! The feel of the seats and steering wheel is amazing. The bottle said it works on the carbon fiber and interior plastics as well, so the whole interior minus the carpets, suede, headliner, and glass got a coating.

Exterior -
Flex 3401
LC 5" hybrid pads
Megs 205 on white pads
Wolfgang Uber Compound (only on pesky tough spots the 205 would not correct, not full panels)
Menzerna SF4500 on red LC finessing pads.

And the finish came out great. Very pleased with the results. Used M34 Final Inspection to check results and remove dust and some Menzerna oils.

I then used a liberal amount of the Black Label Surface Cleansing Polish on a blue flat LC 5.5" pad and hit all exterior surfaces, paint, vinyl, glass, (everything save the trim) and then removed it.

Then I used the Black Label Diamond Surface Coating with a green finger pocket applicator that came in my applicator mega pack.

Using every available light in my garage on Friday evening, I applied the coating and checked for high spots. Finding several, I erred on the side of caution and just went over the entire car with a purple super plush cobra microfiber. Ended just before 7:00 pm.

Here's the ? Part:

Today at noon, I opened the garage door and pulled the car out to look at it and apply the Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant. To my sheer horror, there were smudges, smears, and mist droplets everywhere. My heart sank. I kept thinking, "l knew I should have waited until daylight to apply the surface coating. You didn't have enough light in the garage, idiot." Panic grabbed me. I took the gold plush Jr. I had in my hand to clean up the excess trim sealant that inevitably gets on the paint, and I began to wipe at the excess coating on my hood like a madman.

16hrs later, and it still wiped away.

You read that right, the excess Black Label Diamond Surface Coating wiped clean off after 16 hours. I wiped every single smudge, smear, and over spray off the paint after 16 hours.

My only explanation is the temperatures. Yesterday, we had a high of 56 degrees at application time. It went down to 38 overnight, but my garage is never as cold as the outside, and I ran a space heater until midnight. I'd wager a guess that it maybe got to 45 degrees by 6am. Today got up to 67, when I was rubbing down the mistake spots.

So what the heck is going on? A coating can't be that forgiving, can it? And what on earth does that mean for the product that is currently on the car?

I'm pretty sure there is product on the vehicle, it feels unbelievably smooth. Like, "How YOU doin'?" smooth, and there are no smudges when I run my fingers over the paint. Yesterday when wiping off the polishes my microfiber towels would squeak over the paint, but they don't do that over the surface now.

Just need to know if I should be concerned.

**MarkD51** · 01-04-2014, 10:21 PM

I would say these coatings act not much differently than many other sealants and waxes, in the respect that weather conditions will effect their application, and cure times.

That probably, the temps you applied the coating was less than optimal. And there may be the effect of relative humidity coming into play as well.

I've seen this with other WOWA products I've used also, like UPGP, WG Liquid Seal, Optimum Opti-Seal. Also have had difficulty with certain sealants also, like Zaino, and even Duragloss 105, which is said to be as easy as pie to use.

I would suspect a longer cure time, and thus, it might mean that you would need to allow a longer time to fully cure before washing, or subjecting the vehicle to rain-water to be safe.

I did my Kia after a wash today, with Ultima Paint Guard Plus (UPGP), and although it was a fair day, not too cold, it did work me a bit more to even, and figure the temps were in the high 50's.
Mark

**aim4squirrels** · 01-04-2014, 10:26 PM

Thanks Mark, I don't have experience with a variety of paint coatings and sealants.

There's no immediate rain in the forecast. The car is garaged for now and doesn't need to be driven until Monday. I may crank up the space heater tomorrow to help it along.

**Munich77** · 01-05-2014, 09:53 AM

I noticed the same on some spots on my car. I think I am going to reapply a second coat in the spring.

**EvolutionDetail** · 01-05-2014, 10:20 AM

Subbed for the outcome of this.
I also purchased the Elite kit, because it seem like a very easy process, when compared to other "Coatings"

Also just to contribute my .2cent to the OP.
If i have to guess, i'd assume this Pinnacle coating is some sort of "Sealant that is on steroids." But it is much more liquify compare to traditional sealants?

Because for coatings like OC , CQ , 22ple. The coating will not be removed by simply wiping with a MF Towel. You'd have to polish it off.

PS: Does anyone know, if the Pinnacle Black Label Coating provides any level of scratch resistance?

**silverfox** · 01-05-2014, 11:56 AM

I've found that unlike sealants and waxes, coatings are much more finicky in both application and removal....it takes practice , practice , practice much more so to figure them out.

I honestly don't think coatings are for guys who want a perfect finish or for those who have not tried coatings on cars that are not their pride and joy.

I mean holy cow , you can get incredible results from waxes and sealants that look better and last over 8 months which end up bring polished off long before they expire. I am of the mindset that the coating durability argument for motor heads is a poor argument if not a totally moot point.

I've used coatings and frankly as much as I liked how easy they made maintaining the paint afterwards, I was never satisfied with the look compared to other options.

For my own car I won't be using them again. Even in the worse winters I've never really thought the coatings protected my car any better. Like I said the only benefit I saw was how incredibly easy subsequent washings were after applying the coatings.

**EvolutionDetail** · 01-05-2014, 12:39 PM

I have a question for you Fox.
I have always been a coating person, however i have used sealants and wax in the past. But back then i always re-polished my car after a month or 2. And i got tired of polishing, so i started using coatings.

So for say 6 months ago u applied sealant and wax.
And now is time to reapply.
Do you have to polish the entire car again before the fresh layer of sealant and wax?

The thing that frustrates me is that, i have to tape up the car and what not prior to the polishing process, and it always take me forever to tape up the trims / plastics.
I believe that is what keeping me AWAY from using wax and sealant ever again.

**Old Tiger** · 01-05-2014, 12:42 PM

CarPro coatings are forgiving too. Opti Coat and G|Techniq must be leveled immediately.

**Old Tiger** · 01-05-2014, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by EvolutionDetail

I have a question for you Fox.
I have always been a coating person, however i have used sealants and wax in the past. But back then i always re-polished my car after a month or 2. And i got tired of polishing, so i started using coatings.

So for say 6 months ago u applied sealant and wax.
And now is time to reapply.
Do you have to polish the entire car again before the fresh layer of sealant and wax?

The thing that frustrates me is that, i have to tape up the car and what not prior to the polishing process, and it always take me forever to tape up the trims / plastics.
I believe that is what keeping me AWAY from using wax and sealant ever again.

Polishing once a month is excessive. A Paint Cleanser or a nano polish wont abrade your clear,

**EvolutionDetail** · 01-05-2014, 12:55 PM

Yea, I realize polishing once a month is crazy lol.
Back at that time, i was just getting started with Detailing.
And i purchased SO MUCH products that i want to try them all.
So i polished it once a month to just try all the different products.
But now i don't EVERR plan on doing that craziness.

Now my question is, are there ANY paint cleanser or nano polish can be used without damaging trims / plastics? Because i HATE taping lol