# Spray Sealants - Sonax PNS vs Wowos Crystal Sealant



## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

Evening all!

I'm slowly falling into the bottomless pit that is keeping-the-car-clean. Im yet to venture into the world of getting a DA polisher to compound and polish the paint as the car is fairly new and would be worried incase I bodged it hah! Ive just picked up some Meguiars Wash Plus which will be used *on a clean car* to strip any waxes and possibly lightly polish any minor swirls before application of any sealant so hoping that will compensate a little. 

I've experimented with a couple of waxes/sealants in the past and found that waxes might not fit the bill for me as Im abit more time constrained.

*Now, forgive me if this is wrong, new to this and its just from abit of reading*

From what Ive read in my many hours of downtime this past couple of weeks many waxes typically attract more dust than your some sealants (eg. Sonax PNS), and this alongside the longevity of sealants has me searching the internet for the best sealant out there (yet another wormhole). My car is Metallic Black and I live in an area where it rains half the time and the other half the car is caked in dust, which on a black car hurts to look at. 

So Ive come to a point where I've decided on going with the well renowned and highly spoke of Sonax PNS which will be topped up with BSD. However, Im starting to see more people mention Wowos Crystal sealant and sing its praises but when I look for reviews theres a grand total of about 3! For anyone who has experience with these sealants how do they compare in terms of longevity/look/application etc.. 
Would you recommend going with any of these and if so which one? Any other worth looking at?

Cheers

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## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

I too am getting intrigued by Wowo Crystal Sealant but very little out there about it


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

As black it is going to attract dust so you have to be realistic, even if you washed it everyday that will be the best it can get, that practically a difficult challenge. 

You can but try to see what works in your situation of daily driver usage, these are not show cars. Your dilemma us that once you put them on you will see the swirls, some can live with that others less eager.

With a da plus some time the paint condition will improve, that is what generally happens the deeper you go into keeping it clean the less accepting we are of those swirled results.

Watch #junkman2000 he shows how hard it us if not impossibke to do serious damage to paint with a da, where most people start.

Seal your car see what you can accept or what you need to embrace to reach a higher clarity plus outcome.

Good luck. John Tht.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

I don't have any experience of PNS but Crystal Sealant is fantastic and my wheel sealant of choice as it's extremely durable. 

I will say application can take a little getting used too aworking in small areas is a must. I tend to apply to a thin pile MF or MF applicator, spread over around 1/4 of a panel then instantly buff it with another short pile cloth. The faster you are the easier it is to remove.

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## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

Titanium Htail said:


> As black it is going to attract dust so you have to be realistic, even if you washed it everyday that will be the best it can get, that practically a difficult challenge.
> 
> You can but try to see what works in your situation of daily driver usage, these are not show cars. Your dilemma us that once you put them on you will see the swirls, some can live with that others less eager.
> 
> ...


Thanks man! Ill give him a watch and probably invest in a DA Polisher in the next few months as I do find a swirled car hard to love. Was just gunna wait to get it done professionally if it ever got bad but from what youve mentioned it sounds more achievable than initially thought. Any particular DA recommended for a starter? Any decent ones <£100?

Thanks

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## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

Brian1612 said:


> I don't have any experience of PNS but Crystal Sealant is fantastic and my wheel sealant of choice as it's extremely durable.
> 
> I will say application can take a little getting used too aworking in small areas is a must. I tend to apply to a thin pile MF or MF applicator, spread over around 1/4 of a panel then instantly buff it with another short pile cloth. The faster you are the easier it is to remove.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Yeah Ive heard the application is abit tricky but its something im more than willing to learn for the benefits of the sealant! How long does it usually last on your wheels? Heard around 2 month? And have you any experience with it as a paint sealant?

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## Derek Mc (Jun 27, 2006)

I have Pearl white at the moment and with work and family almost no time (unlike the luxury of the past where I was able to spend an entire weekend from Friday night to Sunday night just washing and detailing my car)
I have a routine that amazes me now on how :-
A. How easy it is
B. How non-swirl inducing (on soft Mazda paint)
C. How lasting it has been 6 months and still beading like crazy!!
D. Dirt falls off, no- really it does I apply BHAF by a pressure bottle pressure wash, two bucket and soft rinse thats it!!

I bought some of the Auto Allure Boost Si-O2 when they had a spot on here, I don't know what it is based on but do know it was a repack and I would dearly love to know what it is also sold as, because it is incredibly good, and fits my very limited time on the car perfectly. I have some left and plan a top up onto my car for winter but want to get some more one way or another,,,,


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## JoeyJoeJo (Jan 3, 2014)

I bought Crystal Sealant for my wheels while they were off the car and liked it so much, I gave it a try on my paint and rear window and I struggled with removal and buffing.
I think the wheels are more forgiving for my ham fisted technique than the larger panels.
I now mostly use it as a spray on, rinse off on the wheels and it does that well but I'm not brave enough to try it on the paint!


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## MSwiss (Sep 25, 2017)

I used Wowos on my Black merc with great results, it was a little tricky but well worth the effort. I messed about with different cloths and found working a small area with 2 short pile best for me. I did this in November I think and its still beading now, it has reduced but you can see there is still some protection. I am re doing this weekend.

Its also my go to for the wheels, spray on when wet dry and buff off. quick and gives good protection.

As a note Brian on here used it while the car was still wet and found this was quicker and easier. I am sure it would reduce the longevity of the product but I wouldn't think by much.


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## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

Derek Mc said:


> I have Pearl white at the moment and with work and family almost no time (unlike the luxury of the past where I was able to spend an entire weekend from Friday night to Sunday night just washing and detailing my car)
> I have a routine that amazes me now on how :-
> A. How easy it is
> B. How non-swirl inducing (on soft Mazda paint)
> ...


Ive heard the name chucked about a few times on here, will have to have a look into it! How does the hydrophobic properties stack up against the likes of Sonax PNS for example as Ive heard that seems to be top dog when it comes to spray sealants?

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## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

Thanks for all the responses! 

By the sounds of it this seems to be a go to spray sealant for wheels so might just have to invest to try it out anyway. 

From what Ive seen the insane beading on Sonax PNS drops off very slowly and has a relatively long life (without BSD topping) when it comes to a spray sealant (about 4-6 months i believe). Is this the same with the Wowos Crystal Sealant? Also, it looks like it might even protect for longer than 6 months which would be a massive bonus if the beadin and sheeting properties are still strong



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## Derek Mc (Jun 27, 2006)

Mclarxn said:


> Ive heard the name chucked about a few times on here, will have to have a look into it! How does the hydrophobic properties stack up against the likes of Sonax PNS for example as Ive heard that seems to be top dog when it comes to spray sealants?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


All I can base it on is non-spray sealants that I used before like Klass Carlack and CG Jetseal all of them gave me about 3 months tops with a good level of beading. With the Auto Allure I applied it early March this year and it is still beading and dispersing dirty water and rain spray like it was when first applied, however as it is now heading for winter I will re-do it to get me through the worst of the muck & bullets from a winter in West Scotland I hope!

I am off to research Wowo's Crystal though it sounds like the replacement I am seeking if I can't get the Boost Si-O2


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

These are 2 of my favourite products and I use them both a lot.

If you want ease of use, it has to be PNS, all the way. It lasts about 6 months or so on average, best to give it 2 layers. It is the most hydrophobic (jointly) product I have used and it is very good at self cleaning. It's just wipe on, wipe off. Can be a touch grabby, but easy peasy.

Crystal Sealant is probably not far off twice as durable, but on the otherside, isn't as easy to use. It does start to grab quickly so you have to be very quick in wiping on and then wiping back off. You know it's going to be durable when the bottle says if you need to remove it early it will need a machine polish.

I think you'll get up to 12 months on paint and 6-9 months on wheels, depending on mileage, but learning the technique and sticking with it is worth it. 

A good QD for both would be BSD.


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## wish wash (Aug 25, 2011)

Has anyone used crystal sealant on matte alloys.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Mclarxn said:


> Yeah Ive heard the application is abit tricky but its something im more than willing to learn for the benefits of the sealant! How long does it usually last on your wheels? Heard around 2 month? And have you any experience with it as a paint sealant?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


On wheels I tested a single coat to 8 months. No tops up etc and that was while doing 300 miles per week and washing with a diluted alkaline wheel cleaner. Beading dropped off initially then weirdly picked back up. By the end it was still protecting but not to the level it was initially. You can easily top up protection by apply and buffing to either a dry or wet wheel, same story with paintwork. Using it as a drying aid makes it way easier to use though durability suffers with a single drying aid application lasting 3-4 months instead.

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## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

Wow, thanks again Rosco and Brian. 

By the sounds of things Wowos Crystal Sealant seems like the next best thing to a coating once you have mastered the application. Pretty much sold on it now due to that. Will most likely use on it the wheels for now as I have PNS in the post and it would be a shame for it to become a garage ornament after reading some reviews! Can easily strip it with wash plus if I get that new sealant itch again. 

Any tips on application of Crystal Sealant? Work in very small sections and buff off instantly? Mf aplicator pad? 

Will be ordering BSD soon anyway so that would be perfect if they work well together too.

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## iCraig (Aug 9, 2017)

Don’t forget there is always Meguiars ultimate fast finish too, there’s loads of reviews on it in the US and it apparently lasts 5-6 months. It’s currently on offer for £14 at Halfords too, I bought a tin recently but not used it yet...


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## Mclarxn (Sep 3, 2018)

iCraig said:


> Don't forget there is always Meguiars ultimate fast finish too, there's loads of reviews on it in the US and it apparently lasts 5-6 months. It's currently on offer for £14 at Halfords too, I bought a tin recently but not used it yet...


Aye that was another one that Ive got my eyes on and looking forward to see what the durability is like with it, definately have not discounted it yet. Only reason I pulled the trigger on PNS already was that phenomenal hydrophobic properties it has but more than willing to try others!

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## tosh (Dec 30, 2005)

I've got both Sonax PNS and Meguiars UFF


Meguiars Ultimate Fast Finish is more user friendly - very difficult to get anything wrong when applying this. If this is your first time applying this type of product, then I would vote for the Meguiars.


Putting BSD (or any QD) over the top means that you're really not seeing the benefit of the PNS/UFF. If you want to learn about this stuff, just apply the PNS/UFF on it's own, and do your next washes with a wax-free shampoo. You can then tell how long it is until you need to top it up with either another coat, or apply something like Sonax BSD.


The Meguiars Ultimate Fast Finish 12 months claim, is based on applying it to a car, and washing 50 times with a wax free shampoo (i.e. once a week).



BSD really is a spray sealant - I have no idea why Sonax sell it as a detailer - I've seen 3 months out of it on bare paint, which is amazing for something sold as a QD. 



Good luck, and try not to search for the 'ultimate' of anything - you'll end up with 10s/100s of barely used bottles in your garage!


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Mclarxn said:


> Wow, thanks again Rosco and Brian.
> 
> By the sounds of things Wowos Crystal Sealant seems like the next best thing to a coating once you have mastered the application. Pretty much sold on it now due to that. Will most likely use on it the wheels for now as I have PNS in the post and it would be a shame for it to become a garage ornament after reading some reviews! Can easily strip it with wash plus if I get that new sealant itch again.
> 
> ...


Application wise as you said Rosco. Either a folded towel or MF applicator. Few mists on that, use it slightly damp for minimal issues on application or dry for full durability quotes. As an idea for panel size I'd split the bonnet into 4-6 sections and that's the sort of area you should be working with. Buff the minute you have spread it with a short pile cloth.

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## Lexus-is250 (Feb 4, 2017)

If you get wowos on bare paint it will last for ages. I topped mine up as recommended by someone on here on a wet car and used my drying towel and it worked a treat. 

Used it on my wheels over 4 months ago and it's still going strong but I also use it as a glass sealant as well. 

Looks wise on my silver car it's superb. For £20 You can't go wrong. 

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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Heard good things about Wowo crystal sealant - as long as you perfect the application. 

Seems quite a few use it on wheels as well :thumb:


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