F11 - Love it, but is there a better choice

[pittpens24]

I am always trying new products like many of us - almost like an addiction. New to the online game of professional products and with soo many choices out there, where to begin?

I'll start by saying I have a 2018 Black Silverado. I recently corrected and topped with Fuzion.(you may have seen my Fuzion help post)

I've used almost everything available OTC for a maintainer with the best so far being Lucas Speedwax and Meguiar's Ultimate QD until I tried F11.

F11 is glossier and much more slick than the other two - also the 1st product I ever bought not available OTC.

I searched and found nothing about F11 on here so what is the deal? Obviously it is $$$, but works incredibly for what little knowledge I have.

What I love about it is:
The slickness it produces, dust doesn't stick to it so easily(godsend on black)
Much better performance than the Lucas or Megs QD in the sense bugs and bird dropping practically wash off with a garden hose
Deep Gloss
Easy application
Works wonders on plastic trim, tonneau cover and glass as well
**The best thing is rain protection - repels road grime and splash up on the sides - looks like it was just washed after driven through the rain and dries on its own with no water spots or dirt. No other product has come close to that thus far.

Cons:
$$$$
Streaks so it is not as user friendly as Lucas Speedwax
Little more work to remove

I know you professionals have tried it and I also know it is expensive and you are running a business so there are cheaper alternatives for clients, but I am looking for what you would put on your own car where true product performance is the end result.

[MarkD51]

I get notifications from some of these products, like the one you mention on places like Facebook.

And I will not say that any are bad, although many make some quite bold claims.

While I haven't recently hunted this site, I suspect this product you mention and like is not sold here, and thus it is usually frowned upon speaking about such other products. Sorry, but that's the way it is, it's their site, and they have to make some rules and regulations to keep things orderly.

By no means am I trying to say because they are not sold here, that they are somehow duds, quite the contrary, maybe are very fine products.

There's many products sold here that you won't commonly find on store's shelves, take for instance one being Collinite.

There's others I have seen advertised, and sure they have followers and fans. One, my friend has recently tried on his '65 Black Caddy, Prod**a, and likes it a lot, again not sold here, yet. But some of these products might become staples here one day, many have from countless manufacturers.

About all I can add, is many products can do some good things, but often not all. You would not expect a spray detailer to last a year or more like a hardcore ceramic coating, they weren't commonly designed for such. Just like a detailer surely doesn't want to use a more difficult to use Hard Paste Wax after every wash.

About the best advice I can give, is to use what you like, and what gets the job done best for you

[MarkD51]

There are countless boutique products made all over the USA that outside those local areas, nobody's ever heard of them.

Again, because such small time makers exist doesn't make them inferior to the better-more widely known products available.

One company's line I used to use years ago, are now long gone, and were based in Chicago was a company called "Nu Look".

Companies such as this and many others can commonly cater to detailing shops, sell in large bulk quantities often.

You want a gallon, 5 gallons, and even 55 gallons of a certain product, be it a shampoo, a tire dressing, wax, perfumes, compounds and polishes, no problemo.

[pittpens24]

I get notifications from some of these products, like the one you mention on places like Facebook.

And I will not say that any are bad, although many make some quite bold claims.

While I haven't recently hunted this site, I suspect this product you mention and like is not sold here, and thus it is usually frowned upon speaking about such other products. Sorry, but that's the way it is, it's their site, and they have to make some rules and regulations to keep things orderly.

By no means am I trying to say because they are not sold here, that they are somehow duds, quite the contrary, maybe are very fine products.

There's many products sold here that you won't commonly find on store's shelves, take for instance one being Collinite.

There's others I have seen advertised, and sure they have followers and fans. One, my friend has recently tried on his '65 Black Caddy, Prod**a, and likes it a lot, again not sold here, yet. But some of these products might become staples here one day, many have from countless manufacturers.

About all I can add, is many products can do some good things, but often not all. You would not expect a spray detailer to last a year or more like a hardcore ceramic coating, they weren't commonly designed for such. Just like a detailer surely doesn't want to use a more difficult to use Hard Paste Wax after every wash.

About the best advice I can give, is to use what you like, and what gets the job done best for you

Oh Crap! I did not even think of it that way - just thought of this as a detailing forum. So sorry if I overstepped forum rules

[pittpens24]

Now that I think about it, I didn't overstep any boundries. I am simply asking for a better performing product. Honestly I didn't even look to see if it was sold here, but assuming from the previous post it is not.

[MarkD51]

Back in the 70's and 80's and when I switched to using many of Nu Look's products, I was mostly using off the shelf stuff. Many products were within the Meguiars line, and some others, Blue Coral, Slipstream Airplane Wax, Treewax Boat Wax, and others. The Slipstream and Treewax were hard Carnauba Pastes, and a ##### to apply and remove, so was Blue Coral Paste.

The Meguairs line back then made very fine products, but many of their sealants and waxes back then just weren't cutting it on daily drivers. After a wash or two, the products were gone, and offered zero protection.

I began to think many of the Meguiars products back then were more suited for the show car circuit, and garage queens.

Whereas Nu Look's products were heavily laden with pure Carnaubas, many times I'd watch the owner making his waxes, and they were vastly more durable that what I could find from many off the shelf products to be had back then. Frank the owner always told me that many of the Meg's products were just loaded with silicones for shine, but no durability.

Fast forward to today, lots of breakthroughs have been made, research, chemistry has gotten considerably better.

[limited0602]

How often would you say you apply F11?

The hot product on here for slickness and gloss, while also being very affordable is Beadmaker. It's main knock is it doesn't last a long time. If you apply every couple weeks, I think you'll be very pleased with it from the reviews I've read. When you run out of F11, give this a shot: Renny Doyle Double Black Bead Maker Paint Protectant and you can also buy it in gallon form: Renny Doyle Double Black Bead Maker Paint Protectant

Even better is if you watch for deals, you can get a pretty decent savings (25% off at times). I have no personal experience with F11, but everything I've read about it is it's an overpriced sealant.

[pittpens24]

How often would you say you apply F11?

The hot product on here for slickness and gloss, while also being very affordable is Beadmaker. It's main knock is it doesn't last a long time. If you apply every couple weeks, I think you'll be very pleased with it from the reviews I've read. When you run out of F11, give this a shot: Renny Doyle Double Black Bead Maker Paint Protectant and you can also buy it in gallon form: Renny Doyle Double Black Bead Maker Paint Protectant

Even better is if you watch for deals, you can get a pretty decent savings (25% off at times). I have no personal experience with F11, but everything I've read about it is it's an overpriced sealant.

Been doing it after every wash(once a week or two if it rainy - my work parking lot is dirt )
Seems the more layers, the better the resistance to rain splatter, bug juice and bird droppings. One bottle did my truck 10x.
Beadmaker sounds like the same type of product. Will def give that a shot! Thx

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

[Mike Phillips]

I've never used it before and I don't watch the videos for it on Facebook as they simply look like they are produced and targeted at the masses. Nothing wrong with this but I'm not part of the masses they are targeting.


Here's what I like, it's one of my favorite products. It too is expensive but it's good.

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating


I had a Mercedes-Benz last week that I had to coat the hood after a clear bra was installed. (already did the rest of the car). I used the PBL Surface Coating as a secondary layer on the horizontal surfaces because it make the paint feel so slippery.

When the car came back the owner showed me some "spotting" on the rear of the car. The "Spotting" would NOT rub off. I had to mechanically remove it using a polish. The spotting was a little bit of PBL Surface Coating overspray I had sprayed some onto the TOP of the trunk lid and some overspray drifted down on to the vertical panel.

After machine polishing the coating off I then chemically stripped the paint and replaced the coating.

What this showed me and the owner was how tough the PBL Surface Coating is.


For what it's worth, I use the PBL Surface Coating on my wife's Honda H-RV. Been using it since we bought it. I frequently update this thread with pictures of water beading.


KILLER CAR WASH - Wolfgang Uber SiO2 Coating Wash


This is from last Saturday morning, see post #26






The wash is the Wolfgang Uber SiO2 Coating Wash but the BASE product on the paint is the PBL Surface Coating.

Good combo.


Here's a thread dug up "today" for another thread where I used the PBL Surface Coating.


OriginalBASECOAT/CLEARCOAT paint - 1996 Porsche 993

[MarkD51]

There's countless of great products here to use, which will serve a similar purpose of let's say a bi-weekly detailer after you wash.

And there's others that are basically just as easy to use as a detailer spray, such as some of the wipe on-walk away products (WOWA's) but last considerably longer and protect very well.

For instance, Duragloss Aquawax is a product I like. After trying a small bottle gotten here once, my next orders were typically the large Gallon Jugs. Quite inexpensive as well IMO. Works great as both a drying aid, and as a detailer spray. Not designed for long life, but it is a great topper to use over other waxes and sealants as a maintenance product I've found.

WOWA's such as Optimum Opti-Seal and Ultima Paint Guard Plus are again two killer products, so easy to use, and there are others. They go quite far, one bottle of either will do usually dozens of vehicles, durability on a daily driver is quite good, I would say is about between 3-4 months. Great especially in areas where you don't wish to be dealing with build ups of residues. Or you want to lay down some good protection and not spend hours on end.

Many spray on products now tout SIO additives in them, and again, there's a good number to choose from here.