Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 (DGPS) Review

[DFB]

Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 (DGPS)

Just like my earlier review on Collinte 845, this is a fresh take on an older product.

Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 16 oz. (wolfgangcarcare.com)
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 16 oz. (autogeek.net)



The Backstory -

Back in the early 2010’s, I went looking for something different to use on my then relatively new FG Falcon XR6. Up until this point, I had been using a variety of Mother’s and Meguiar’s waxes, sticking with what I could find at the local automotive store.



At one point, I started using Meguiar’s NXT. Who remembers Meguair’s NXT? The purple branded Tech Wax 2.0 could be had in paste or liquid forms, and there was a specific soap to help maintain with. The soap was nicely scented and produced great suds, but it was hard to measure out due to its gloopy consistency. I never tried the liquid sealant, but I used the paste wax many times. From memory, it was hard work to apply, hard work to buff off. It did produce a shiny and slick surface though. The paste wax has since been discontinued, but the liquid sealant and soap are still available.





I think it's about this point where I started to get deep in the detailing world, and I wanted something more special than what Meguiar’s offered. After trying the Autoglym system for a while, I reached out to a forum sponsor, Waxit, who would go on to suggest using a product called Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant, a product I was told would really suit the darker tones of Sensation blue paintwork. And boy did that suggestion prove valuable, because to this day, DGPS has been the secret sauce for that car.

What Is It and What Does It Do?

Deep Gloss Paint Sealant is a cross-linking polymer paint sealant, which the Wolfgang Concourse Series was originally designed around. Longevity is said to last up to 6 months, anecdotally, that figure is optimistic at best. Having said that, I can get a year out of it on a garage queen. Wolfgang also make note of the anti-static properties DGPS provides, helping to repel dust, dirt and grime.



There are a few key reasons why I come back to the product –

- The glossy, wet look it creates. After application, Wolfgang suggest that the “paint looks like a clear glossy coating was just poured over it.”

- The slickness!

- The depth that it adds to paint, enhancing the colour beyond its natural state.

- Hydrophobic qualities that rival fancier ceramic coatings.



Naturally, paint protection technology has moved on since this product hit the market, including within the Wolfgang’s own portfolio. As such, Deep Gloss Paint Sealant is hardly the last word in durability or longevity, be that among newer ceramic coatings or even similar polymer sealants. For use on a daily driver, this is probably not the best choice. For pampered garage queens, this is a truly wonderful paint sealant that delivers supreme gloss, slickness and hydrophobic qualities. And for that reason, I think there is still a place for this product.

Where and How To Use

Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant can be used on all painted surfaces. This is another product I would avoid getting on unpainted rubber and plastic trim, it will otherwise stain. And just like Collinite 845, there are few quirks to its application.

This product can be applied to the car by hand or via machine. I prefer to use the machine with a black waxing pad to speed up the process and ensure even coverage, swapping to a small foam hand applicator for intricate areas like the wing mirrors and front bumper.



Application -

1 - Wash and decontaminate the car, polish if needed. Follow with an IPA-based prep spray such as Carpro Eraser or Gyeon Prep.

2 - Prime the pad (hand or machine) with a semi-generous amount of product, squeeze or spread to distribute.

3 - Working panel by panel, apply a thin coat to the whole car, reapplying product to the pad as needed. Remember, a little goes a VERY long way.

4 - You then need to be patient, DGPS needs to sit for untouched for 30 to 45 minutes to set up.

5 - After setting, start removing the residue with a microfiber towel, starting where you began the application.

6 - The curing of DGPS is activated by oxygen, so exposure to moisture during the first 12 hours will compromise proper curing and tamper with the long-term durability. So, think ahead.

The end result is a rich colour enhancement with deep reflections and exceptional slickness......................







Tips & Tricks

- Shake the bottle! It’s very important to shake the product prior to and during use as DGPS does tend to settle and separate in storage.

- This applies to most waxes and sealants but it's worth repeating, apply thinly! The pain of trying to plough throw excess sealant is easily avoided.

- I prefer foam applicators for sealants and waxes, but a microfiber applicator can be used if desired. For machine application, choose the softest pad in your system, in my case its usually a ShineMate or Lake Country black foam pad on the lowest speed setting.

- This is another product that’s extremely difficult to remove from your applicator. You will need repeated applications of APC or pad cleaner, running warm water and plenty of patience. All would be forgiven if the pad was simply thrown in the trash!

- The 45-minute wait for DGPS to cure is not as bad as you think. By the time you have applied it to the whole car, cleaned up your pads, removed your taping, its usually ready to be buffed.

- DGPS is best applied and then left undercover for 12 hours, in a garage if possible. This is to limit moisture interference. Otherwise, apply earlier in the day to give the product enough time to cure before dusk and dew sets in.

- After 12 hours, DGPS can layered with a wax, but to be honest, you really don’t need it.

Conclusion

As mentioned in the beginning, Wolfgang DGPS is not the latest and greatest LSP on the market. But it does have a charm, one that is all about tactility. The lustre it brings to the table is truly exceptional, and the ultra-slick feeling the icing on the cake.

I remember a family friend being stunned at how my car looked and beaded water, which was promptly followed by the question of what I was using on it. The person in question had been using DoDo Juice products up to that point, so he knew what he was looking at. If a car guy that's into detailing can ask you that question, then you know you’re onto a winner.

These are some of my most favorite images of the XR6, the way it looked after paint correction and coat of DGPS was pure perfection to me!







Sadly, the Wolfgang brand has been discontinued in Australia. I actually ordered a bottle of the sprayable version of DGPS before the announcement was made, but I was sent a bottle of the original by mistake. As such, I’ll have enough to last me a while. For those in Australia, your only way to replenish stock would be to import it at great expense from the USA.

[Setec Astronomy]

Wow, who knew that you can't get Wolfgang down under anymore but you can still get NXT? NXT was maybe the best-smelling product ever.

Great thread, thanks.

[DFB]

Wow, who knew that you can't get Wolfgang down under anymore but you can still get NXT? NXT was maybe the best-smelling product ever.

Great thread, thanks.

Wolfgang sort of got lost in the crowd once ceramic coatings became a household name, in particular expanding from the professional sector to the hobbyist market. Combined that with a lack of innovation and it's easy to see why the brand was dropped by the local distributor. I do see Wolfgang offer ceramic coatings in the US, but they never appeared locally, the distributor in question is also the local Carpro importer, so they naturally push those coatings instead.

The same lack of innovation and promotion applied to Zaino as well, it too being dumped by the same distributor.

[Setec Astronomy]

The same lack of innovation and promotion applied to Zaino as well, it too being dumped by the same distributor.

Well, here in the US, Zaino hasn't come out with a new product since 2007, except for their MF towels, which were a few years after that. There used to be great discussions over on Autopia about whether Zaino made their own products at their address here in New Jersey, so since it was within a couple hours drive for me, one weekend I decided to see what the Zaino "factory" looked like...turned out the address was a Mailboxes, Etc. If they don't have those in Australia, that's a place where you can have mail sent so it looks like you have a street address (obviously there are other reasons for people to use the service). Mailboxes, Etc. was later acquired by UPS, to become The UPS Store. Of course today I could have "driven" there on Google Street View. Zaino uses a different address today, also not the "Zaino Factory".

[briarpatch]

Thanks for the in-depth review and the pics. The last time I used WDGPS, it was really runny...barely thicker than water. Was yours the same way?

[DFB]

Thanks for the in-depth review and the pics. The last time I used WDGPS, it was really runny...barely thicker than water. Was yours the same way?

Yeah, its a pretty messy product to use. You do need to shake it up before use because it separates in the bottle and exaggerates the "wateriness". I think the stains on the bottle says it all...................

[Desertnate]

The Wolfgang SiO2 Paint Sealant is really thin too. Doesn't seem to hurt the performance, but you do have to be careful with it. Must be a common Wolfgang thing for their liquid sealants.