Review: Black Label Diamond Paint Sealant

[Eric@CherryOnTop]

Hi all, today I'm talking about my experience with the new PBL Diamond Paint Sealant. This was part of the "care package" that Nick sent to me for testing and review.

I had a winter prep detail scheduled for today for a previous client to get her Audi s5 ready for the pending New York winter. My go-to for winter prep has been Collinite 845, but I figured we could give the new sealant a shot, it's advertised as lasting up to one year.

Without further ado:



I applied the sealant with a PC, a 5.5" flat black pad at speed 4. I used a foam applicator to apply by hand where the buffer wouldn't reach. Here is the sealant drying on the hood:



I applied the sealant to the whole car, then went back to where I started and began buffing off. A little bit of this product goes a long way and after the first panel it only takes about a half a pump to get adequate coverage on subsequent panels. The directions state to wait 5-10 minutes before buffing.

I think the thing that is best about this sealant compared to something like Powerlock, is how ridiculously easy it is to buff off. It takes almost no effort and does not gunk up my towels like other sealants do. Once it was all buffed off, I took a clean microfiber and did a final wipedown. I did find that the PBL sealant dusted quite a bit, but this was quickly remedied with the plush side of the microfiber.

Here are a few afters:











Overall I really liked this product. If I could change anything, I would give it a flip cap instead of the pump it comes with. Just a personal preference. 8 ounces of the PBL sealant will set you back 50 bucks, while Powerlock is only 30 bucks for 16 ounces (double the product for less money) and Collinite 845 is 17 bucks for 16 ounces. So PBL is the priciest of the bunch, I don't think it makes sense for a professional detailer to use this unless the customer is paying a premium for it.

I did a Chevy truck a few weeks ago for a winter prep and used 845 as the LSP and I met with the client briefly this afternoon to put some wax on the rockers where I did some paint touchup. He kept going on and on about how much he loves the look of the truck, how it's shinier than the day he bought it, how his parents loved it and his friends want to have their vehicles done now. Point is, he wouldn't have cared how much the LSP cost, he just wanted his truck to look great. If you figure the same amount of PBL sealant as a bottle of Collinite 845 costs 87 dollars more, that would just be money out of my pocket for a customer like this.

So I would classify this as an enthusiast's sealant and something for special cars and special occasions.

Thanks for checking out my review!

[Sicoupe]

Awesome work and car!!

[BayAreaTech]

Thanks for your Review...I ordered only the Sealant from the new line and can't wait to try it out when it gets here...

[Wors]

ekennett, nice work on the S5! Thanks for the honest feedback on the PBL sealant.

Does the paint feel slick after you buffed off the PBL sealant, compared to 845?

[RandyD]

I just received my order for this sealant and am excited to try it. My question is: Did you only give it one coat? How long would you have to wait to apply another coat? I ask because this is supposed to cure quicker than Menzerna Powerlock or BFWD or WDGPS.

[Bigbull2984]

Nice work & review and awesome car for winter too!

[Eric@CherryOnTop]

ekennett, nice work on the S5! Thanks for the honest feedback on the PBL sealant.

Does the paint feel slick after you buffed off the PBL sealant, compared to 845?

Not any slicker than with 845. The real test will be how it acts when wet. I also didn't clay the car because it was just polished out in July. On closer inspection, it probably could have used a clay job.


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[Eric@CherryOnTop]

I just received my order for this sealant and am excited to try it. My question is: Did you only give it one coat? How long would you have to wait to apply another coat? I ask because this is supposed to cure quicker than Menzerna Powerlock or BFWD or WDGPS.

Yes, one coat. Not sure how long to wait for additional coats, directions do not specify. That would be a great question for Nick.


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[Lexi65]

Still waiting for beading and sheeting shots with the water running from the house. .

[Scott@IncrediblyDetailed]

Nice review and good work that s5 looks great.