# Winter Top up protection for over Gtechniq CSL + EXO ?



## markcaughey (Apr 3, 2015)

Looking for some thoughts on what to top my already coated car with. It was coated with Gtechniq Crystal serum Light + EXOv3 back at the start of the year. I just feel like I want to top it up with a Reload type product just to add some fresh protection for the winter. 

Whats your thought I'm between CarPro Reload or maybe just stick with Gtechniq and go with C2.

It also crossed my mind to just give the car a finish polish and apply a fresh coat of EXOv3 but I think I would rather leave that until Spring as the car will likely pick up most of the wash inflicted marring during the winter months


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

C2v3 or something like Gyeon Wetcoat is also a quick and easy topper.

cheers

Chris


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## markcaughey (Apr 3, 2015)

I have CarPro Hydro2 that I use to top up the wheels each wash but just fancy something a little more substantial for the paint 

Im still between Reload and C2v3 but as I'm needing a new bottle of CarPro PERL I'm leaning towards Reload 

Another thing that makes me want to try out the Reload is I'm currently using CarPro Ech2o as a QD and have heard good things about mixing a little Reload in with the QD mix for a protection top up with each wash


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

Personally I think you should leave it as it is and let the coating do it’s thing. You shouldn’t have to top it and if you do you will lose the property of the coating. 
I would concentrate more on keeping it contaminant free and well washed. 


Gonz.


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## markcaughey (Apr 3, 2015)

great gonzo said:


> Personally I think you should leave it as it is and let the coating do it's thing. You shouldn't have to top it and if you do you will lose the property of the coating.
> I would concentrate more on keeping it contaminant free and well washed.
> 
> Gonz.


I hear you and thats usually what I go by and would never top a coating that has just been recently applied however considering EXOv3 is (if I remember correctly) a 12-18 month coating and has been on my car 9 months what has better properties 9 month old EXO or a fresh coat of Reload ?

Ideally I would like to apply a fresh top coat of EXOv3 however I don't have heated/insulated garage and I feel I have left it to late in the year to get suitable temperatures for the coating cure requirements


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

Do you believe the exo is failing?


Gonz.


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## markcaughey (Apr 3, 2015)

It still beads well for the most part but not wat it once was around the sills and lower areas


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## garycha (Mar 29, 2012)

Reckon you are on the right track with your OP.

I'd give it a reasonable decontamination wash, then a quick coat of C2, with Wetcoat a couple of times over the winter.

.....then refresh the ExoV3 come springtime.


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## euge07 (Jan 15, 2011)

Given the cost of the ceramic coatings and the maintenence/top ups/redone I don't see them as cost effective atal


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## garycha (Mar 29, 2012)

euge07 said:


> Given the cost of the ceramic coatings and the maintenence/top ups/redone I don't see them as cost effective atal


It depends how one perceives value vs effort. I think they are OK value:

Exo costs per car is about GBP30 for 2 coats. Depending on usage and washing regime, and will be effective for 12 months +

One doesn't have to do anything to coating in that time, beyond normal washing, and maybe 1-2 deeper clean Exo reactivations (fallout+appropriate for coating APC).

Optional C2 top will cost <GBP10 for enough to do 3-4 cars with 100ml. That will extend out Exo life for longer.

Say Exo+C2 cost you GBP 40 for 15 months protection. That's 2.66 PCM and hardly bank-breaking. These are approximations of course, but they stand up quite well I think.


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## euge07 (Jan 15, 2011)

garycha said:


> It depends how one perceives value vs effort. I think they are OK value:
> 
> Exo costs per car is about GBP30 for 2 coats. Depending on usage and washing regime, and will be effective for 12 months +
> 
> ...


I guess that's if you are doing it yourself, some of the prices I have seen on here for a company doing it are eye watering


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## markcaughey (Apr 3, 2015)

euge07 said:


> I guess that's if you are doing it yourself, some of the prices I have seen on here for a company doing it are eye watering


Yeah I done mines myself

The reason I went with coatings was to help with my cars extremely soft, black paint which there is no question that it does help with and it definitely outlasts my previous protection ( fusso ) the beading with that I found to drop off at around 3 months.

I still love Fusso though and I was more than happy to top that up every 3 months, a bit overkill I know but I just like to keep the protection/water behaviour at its best plus gives me something todo, thats the only thing with coatings you get bored and hence this post look for things todo.

If my next car has hard paint and is a light colour I would just got back to my old method of Fusso in a heartbeat and just continue top up every 3 months, Its still one of my favourite products and has the best water behaviour of any product I have tried


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## garycha (Mar 29, 2012)

euge07 said:


> I guess that's if you are doing it yourself, some of the prices I have seen on here for a company doing it are eye watering


True. And also do my own decon/DA/ Exo top up, after initial pro application (on top of CS). But with a company doing it it's not just the product cost, is it? You also have to factor in many additional hours of prep, paint correction/refinement before one can be in position to apply and cure Exo.

The Exo/Gyeon etc is but the icing on the cake.


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## Calvin8r (Feb 17, 2014)

I've got the same coating and have recently used kamikaze overcoat. It goes on so easy wet and works on the glass and plastics really well too. It beads as good if not better than fusso and takes no time to put on. Only downside is the price but you use very little and I'm loving it at the moment!!


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## euge07 (Jan 15, 2011)

been thinking over again about the coatings, 

just curious about retopping up with exo, so when the time comes to re apply exo what are you guys doing about swirls already present, as surely any machine polishing would remove the CSL underneath?


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## garycha (Mar 29, 2012)

euge07 said:


> been thinking over again about the coatings,
> 
> just curious about retopping up with exo, so when the time comes to re apply exo what are you guys doing about swirls already present, as surely any machine polishing would remove the CSL underneath?


Can't comment on CSL, but CS is not removed by single single stage DA refinement, just the Exo.

Gteqnuq eckon you need to wet sand car to get CS off bonded paint.


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## markcaughey (Apr 3, 2015)

euge07 said:


> been thinking over again about the coatings,
> 
> just curious about retopping up with exo, so when the time comes to re apply exo what are you guys doing about swirls already present, as surely any machine polishing would remove the CSL underneath?


When I done the coatings there was one high spot/smear where I hadn't wiped the EXO off properly, I had to hit that pretty aggressively with Meguires 105 and a microfibre pad to remove and that was just the EXO, I then recoated that area with both CSL and EXO. So my thinking is that one hit with a finishing polish won't do much to the CSL. With how good the paint looks just now I doubt the paint would need any more than just a finishing polish but even if there is areas that do I would just live with it and wouldn't go any heavier.


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