Detailed Image

iTrader: (2)

Coatings have been becoming extremely popular the past couple of years. Detailers and weekend warriors have been switching over from waxes and sealants to see what all the buzz is about. Two of the biggest issues we hear from our customers before they make the switch however is, price and the ease of use. Coatings will continue to grow and evolve with time, but 22ple recently released the VX3 that really takes price and ease of use into mind.

22ple VX3 Signature Glass Coating allows you to see exactly what coatings have to offer, all at a great price point. Where VX3 really shines however is in ease of use. I could explain exactly how easy this coating actually is to apply, but we just had two great articles that were released by Ivan Rajic of LUSTR Auto Detail and Zach McGovern of Attention to Detailing that explain it better than I ever could. Take a look at two amazing photos from these articles below and do not hesitate to click the link on each to read the full articles on our Ask-A-Pro Blog.

• In this first article, Ivan gives his product review of the VX3 and shows you just how easy it is to apply.

• In our second article, Zach shares his take on the VX3 and includes some fantastic pictures in the process.

We hope that you find these articles as helpful as we did and you give coatings a shot, we know we are happy we have! If you do have any questions on coatings, or any other products please do not hesitate to contact us as well.

Greg @ DI

p0on

great results here!! I too have been considering a glass coating, but have been looking at OptiCoat Pro for a one-time application. Any thoughts on that?

VIVID

iTrader: (12)

I'll be trying this product in two or three weeks when my current wax 'wears' off.

If I'm not mistaken this will take the place of the usual wax job??? Or does one wax after it?

Sean

beachbum718

If you get one nick in it or slice. Then you have to replace it? Its like a clear wrap?

Detailed Image

iTrader: (2)

No coating will be completely perfect for the duration of your ownership, therefore there is no "one time use" protection product, and here is why...

While it is true that these ceramic coatings will form a crystalline structure which is bonded at a molecular level to itself and to your paint, some of the important properties that consumers like will wear away over time as the coating becomes contaminated and wears.

Coatings will shed water very easily for a considerably long time, however this property will begin to degrade overtime as the surface tension of the coating begins to fall due to contamination and/or chemical use.

Also, these coatings will not prevent swirls and scratches, therefore every few years or so the vehicle will likely need to be polished to remove any light defects that have accumulated over this period of time. The polishing process will remove or degrade the paint coating, therefore a new coating will need to be applied.

If you are going to have your vehicle corrected and coated, and you never wish to polish it again and understand that the coating will need to be topped with additional polymers to enhance beading and gloss overtime, then any coating will provide many many many years of protection. Opti-Coat Pro happens to back this up with a warranty.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
Attention to Detailing - Peoria, IL

Ceramic coatings do replace the need for a traditional wax or sealant. Coatings offer considerable advantages over waxes and sealants because a coating is thicker, harder, and much more durable than traditional protection.

Check out my article on The Benefits of a Paint Coating for more info.

You may choose to apply specific polymer based products on top of a coating for even more protection, and to enhance beading as this will degrade over time, but in general, waxes are not the best product to use on top of a coating.

22ple VS1 Final Coat is my preferred coating topper. It was created specifically to use on top of 22ple glass coatings, but can be used on top of other coatings like Opti-Coat and CQuartz as well.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand about paint coatings is the importance of the prep work. Before installing a coating, the vehicle must be meticulously cleaned, decontaminated, corrected/polished, and then wiped with an alcohol solvent to ensure the surface is defect free and completely free of any oils. Coatings require a completely bare surface to bond to for maximum durability. You cannot simply apply a coating onto the paint after washing the car like you can with a wax or a sealant.

Let me know if you've got any questions!

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
Attention to Detailing - Peoria, IL

You are thinking of paint protection film, or PPF.

Ceramic coatings do not protect against rock chips/impact damage. Once cured, they are a thin layer of solid crystal (glass in many cases) on the paint. They cannot be sliced or peeled or anything of that nature. Rock chips will still occur, as will scratches.

The only time a coating will need to be reapplied is after paint correction/polishing process.

Hope that helps.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
Attention to Detailing - Peoria, IL