# New CarChem sealant



## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Sorry if this has been posted but I searched and couldn't find it.

Did anyone order the 'free' CarChem sealant? Effectively £2.99 for 100ml.
https://www.car-chem.com/shop/freesealant

Not much info about it on the website (including application technique) but it's claiming 'up to 12 months'.

For the price of a coffee I ordered one.


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## minimadmotorman (Mar 18, 2012)

I've ordered one to give it a crack.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

I've ordered one too. I'm a fan of long lasting sealants. If it is actually long lasting, then great, I'll find it out.


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

Ordered as soon as the e-mail arrived at the weekend.

Interested to see exactly what the liquid is when it arrives, and what instructions (if any) come with it.


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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Fatboy40 said:


> Ordered as soon as the e-mail arrived at the weekend.
> 
> Interested to see exactly what the liquid is when it arrives, and what instructions (if any) come with it.


Yes. I've used the Hydroseal Hybrid recently so imagine it may be similar, maybe longer lasting? I swore I wouldn't buy anything new for a while but for 3 quid why not.


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## cole_scirocco (Mar 5, 2012)

Ordered mine too, waiting to see... I need a new sealant.


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## kingswood (Jun 23, 2016)

ordered too


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## Neilkarting08 (Oct 25, 2016)

Ordered mine too. I love the car chem stuff and local to me too. 

Sent from my B3-A40 using Tapatalk


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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Just received mine. Smells quite serious. Not sure when I'll put it on as I don't need to yet really.


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

washingitagain said:


> Just received mine. Smells quite serious...


The solvent in it's really strong isn't it.

It's a little annoying that nothing on the label indicates what the solvent's actually carrying though. We've still no idea if..

# Is it silicon based?
# Is it some type of polymer?
# Can it be used as a topper / top coat?
# Does it have to be used on bare paint?
# Can it be immediately exposed to water?

... so tomorrow it's out with the black metallic test bonnet :thumb:


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## cole_scirocco (Mar 5, 2012)

Received mine, might give it a go tonight.


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## DIESEL DAVE (Jul 26, 2007)

Yep could do with some product details


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## bildo (Mar 29, 2008)

Good luck with the details. 

As much as I love CarChem's products, they never reply to a thing or provide any other information.

Such a weird business concept. I assume they sell in bulk, and can't be bothered asking questions or something?


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

(All of the below is my own personal opinion, I am not a professional detailer)

Well, as Jim Royle would say "12 months my a**e!" 

I took loads of photo's but doubt I'll upload them as there's little point...

# Got out the black metallic test bonnet, washed it, then hit it with a high PH (close to 12) pre-wash to remove what products may have been left on it.

# Split the bonnet into two, used CarPro Reload as my control on one half, and applied it and the mystery Car Chem product in the same manner (totally different applicators and buffing cloths etc.).

# The Car Chem product was very streaky, needed substantially more buffing.

# Beading from them was almost identical, Reload was better but by such a small margin it could have been just my own prejudices making the judgement.

# Hit the bonnet with the high PH pre-wash again, washed it down and dried it. Both products had pretty much gone.

... so in my own personal experience the mystery product is just a hard to buff off competitor to Reload etc., not the new messiah.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Fatboy40 said:


> (All of the below is my own personal opinion, I am not a professional detailer)
> 
> Well, as Jim Royle would say "12 months my a**e!"
> 
> ...


Bit of a flawed test though fatboy. I'd recommend the following to improve your test with hopefully better results.

Firstly properly prep the panel. Give it a claying, light polish & panel wipe (not IPA), especially so if it's been sitting outside in the elements for testing of other products. Also worth considering how easily residue can be left behind from a strong pre-wash mix if it's only been rinsed off with water. This residue could have affected both products in your own test.

Allow 24 hrs for curing of the product, even if it's not recommended by the manufacturer. If it's enough for most ceramics then willbe plenty for both Reload & the Carchem sealant. Finally scrap the chemical resistance testing as it's a complete waste of time imo. Beyond learning how chemical resistant a product is to a certain chemical, its not going to tell you anything about true durability.

Once you've done the above prep work & allowed a proper cure time, have the play with hydrophobicity etc then sit the panel outside somewhere & allow the elements to wear it down naturally. Far more useful information to be gathered this way. Still won't be proper real world testing as it's not on a car but it's as close as you are going to get with a test panel.

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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

Brian,

To me your post sounds more like deflecting from Car Chem's labeling...

_"Carchem's new sealant is designed to form a glossy protective barrier on car bodywork which will protect paint for up to 12 months."_

... than a critique of any process I may have used. CarPro's global website states for Reload...

_"Reload has also proven itself as a stand-alone sealant, where it can offer up to 4-months of protection on daily drivers."_

... so personally I'd expect more from a product that has a claimed longevity of three times Reload's.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Any durable product needs proper preparation and unfortunately, I'd agree with Briannumbers that Fatboy40's prep and lack of post application cure means that this test doesn't tell us much.

These products need to bond strongly, without the right surface or long enough for that bond to set, a 5 year ceramic wouldn't last either.

The streaking was evidence that the surface wasn't totally clean and capable of taking that product.


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## bildo (Mar 29, 2008)

Fatboy40 said:


> Brian,
> 
> To me your post sounds more like deflecting from Car Chem's labeling...
> 
> ...


If you haven't given either product a decent surface to bond to, then surely you've made either claim irrelevant though?


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

Well, Car Chem's product packaging...



> Carchem's new sealant is designed to form a glossy protective barrier on car bodywork which will protect paintwork for up to 12 months.


... where they use the word "will", and Brian's response, have triggered me in that I've bought some CarPro CQuartz Lite ready to use this weekend (which I'd wanted to buy for a while anyhow).

I'll prep the bonnet with a mechanical polish and panel wipe etc., split it 50/50, and give the products 24 hours or so to cure before I hit them with anything.

CarPro's current coating spec sheet states that Lite will last "> 6 months", so a sealant which claims it "... will protect paintwork for up to 12 months" should be able to match it unless the label is just bulls**t.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Fatboy40 said:


> Well, Car Chem's product packaging...
> 
> ... where they use the word "will", and Brian's response, have triggered me in that I've bought some CarPro CQuartz Lite ready to use this weekend (which I'd wanted to buy for a while anyhow).
> 
> ...


The key words in their label is 'up to'. They aren't stating it will last 12 months in every instance, only that in the right conditions it can last that long, likely under lab conditions.

Would I expect it to last 12 months on a daily driver? No chance. If you get 6 months from it I'd say that's impressive. Regardless look forward to your thoughts on cquartz lite as it's one I've considered as an alternative to the Gyeon Cancoat I use currently. Don't think it has quite the same levels of hydrophobicity as Cancoat though so the only thing putting me off but both will do 12+ months if topped despite 6 month durability claims.

How do you plan to test durability? Again hitting them with a chemical isn't in any way, shape or form an accurate means to gauge durability & it shows how flawed many of these YT reviews are with very few channels actually taking the time to test them properly. It's simply a test of chemical resistance which has an insignificant role to play in product durability claims in my opinion. As an example, TW hydrophobic spray wax is insanely resistant to chemicals & wins the majority of these chemical tests taking lots more hits from APC etc before breaking down. On a car in the real world it will last around 4 months.

In comparison something like Megs HCW doesn't show anywhere near the same chemical resistance as the TW product, taking far fewer hits of APC before breaking down but in the real world, it will last 4-6 months on a car. This shows how flawed & misleading chemical resistance testing is & it's a shame people wrongly use this type of testing as misinterpretation of a products durability claims when deciding what products to purchase.

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## JU5T1N (Dec 7, 2019)

I don't think chemical resistant tests are insignificant, who here isn't gonna clean there car with some form of chemicals for 12 months?. What about the chemicals that are in puddles along the roads that get splashed up the car?. Chemical resistance testing is a part of durability unless of corse you aren't gonna wash or drive your car.


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## blademansw (May 23, 2011)

Mine came the other day, not tried it yet though.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

JU5T1N said:


> I don't think chemical resistant tests are insignificant, who here isn't gonna clean there car with some form of chemicals for 12 months?. What about the chemicals that are in puddles along the roads that get splashed up the car?. Chemical resistance testing is a part of durability unless of corse you aren't gonna wash or drive your car.


So you clean your car with neat APC then agitate it into the paintwork as part of your maintenance wash? There are oils/fluids on our roads, I'm not disputing that but not at the concentrations you see in reviews nor will they be flooding the panels if they do hit the car. It's ridiculous testing imo & already been proven as nonsense.

The real world durability testing we have seen from thorough reviewers when compared to the chemical resistance tests tell an entirely different story. Products perform brilliantly in these chemical tests but are beaten by 'poorer' products in the real world. Ultimately it's lazy reviewing in which churning out more reviews & pulling in more views (and money!) is more important than providing real conclusions & factual results, willingly providing misinformation for those gullible enough to believe it.

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> So you clean your car with neat APC then agitate it into the paintwork on a regular basis? There are oils/fluids on our roads, I'm not disputing that but not at the concentrations you see in reviews nor will they be flooding the panels if theh do hit the car. It's ridiculous testing imo & already been proven to be nonsense from the real world durability testing we have seen from dedicated reviewers not just chasing views & suscribers by churning quick vids out. Ultimately It's lazy reviewing which some viewers seem to love but don't realise it's not a representation of true durability. It's misinformation ultimately for those gullible enough to believe it.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


I do understand your point - it's not representative of real world conditions, but I do think that if I was selecting a winter LSP I would want to know it was capable of withstanding the 10 wash test, plus multiple hits of a TFR, Alkaline pre-cleaner, iron remover etc. as ultimately these can be LSP killers in an accelerated time.

Am I glad YouTubers have some barometer of chemical resistance testing, provided this isn't termed 'durability'.

With that said, I am very against throwing neat acids, panel wipes and highly concentrated decon shampoo onto the LSP. This does nothing for me and is in no way shape or form likely to happen in reality unless you upset a neighbour..


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## JU5T1N (Dec 7, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> So you clean your car with neat APC then agitate it into the paintwork as part of your maintenance wash? There are oils/fluids on our roads, I'm not disputing that but not at the concentrations you see in reviews nor will they be flooding the panels if they do hit the car. It's ridiculous testing imo & already been proven as nonsense.
> 
> The real world durability testing we have seen from thorough reviewers when compared to the chemical resistance tests tell an entirely different story. Products perform brilliantly in these chemical tests but are beaten by 'poorer' products in the real world. Ultimately it's lazy reviewing in which churning out more reviews & pulling in more views (and money!) is more important than providing real conclusions & factual results, willingly providing misinformation for those gullible enough to believe it.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


People use different products, things like tfr and high alkaline snow foams are as strong or stronger than apcs. Part of a products durability will be how much washing the car degrades it and how many washes until its completely gone. People will wash there cars so it is real world testing. Rain water is acidic while most snow foams, shampoos are netruel or alkaline. Some LSPs may resist alkalines better some may resist acids better. Thats probably the difference your seeing in chemical vs "real world" rain water tests.


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

Brian1612 said:


> So you clean your car with neat APC then agitate it into the paintwork as part of your maintenance wash?


I used this at 1:4...

https://www.achemshop.co.uk/product/concentrated-citrus-wash/

... so not a "neat APC".


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## DIESEL DAVE (Jul 26, 2007)

Got mine, used it, found it unremarkable, nowt unique which is needed to succeed in the sea of sealants available.


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

DIESEL DAVE said:


> Got mine, used it, found it unremarkable, nowt unique which is needed to succeed in the sea of sealants available.


Did you find it "streaky" as well?


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## DIESEL DAVE (Jul 26, 2007)

Fatboy40 said:


> Did you find it "streaky" as well?


Can`t say I did mate


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Fatboy40 said:


> I used this at 1:4...
> 
> https://www.achemshop.co.uk/product/concentrated-citrus-wash/
> 
> ... so not a "neat APC".


It's not a direct go at you fatboy, just the way reviews have went in general which is frustrating, don't agree with it at all & think it is lazy reviewing, quantity over quality. To conclude a product is more durable than another because it can take a few more hits of some APC/TFR/acid/panel wipe, whatever it may be is just ridiculous & intentionally misleading to the viewers.

Test it on the car properly & come to a real conclusion, much like I did with Wowo's Crystal Sealant on alloys. The likes of TW hydrophobic wax will beat it in one of these chemical tests but I'll bet my A45 on the fact that TW won't last 6-8 months on an alloy wheel like Crystal Sealant can, doing 300 miles per week during the harsh Scottish winter as well.

Next best thing & one I particularly like is a test panel which you wash weekly or bi-weeky the same way you would wash your car, while leaving it outside 24/7 to allow weathering to degrade it. Use your pre-wash then shampoo of choice, see how long it holds up. It's the closest you will ever get to real world testing without applying to a daily driver car.

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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

The chemical testing on the Youtube channels is entertaining and there is some information to be gleaned from it, I agree that it isn't fully representative. As a few have stated, Turtlewax Hydrophobic Sealant Wax (Seal n' Shine) is hugely chemically resistant, moreso than a few lite ceramic products. This is useful knowledge as you know that if you like to go to the £5 car washes, making sure that you have a cured coat of TW HSW on the car means that it should still be protected afterwards. Saying that, who goes to the trouble of applying such a product to their car, then would use such a sinful practice?! 

We are also seeing that the TW HSW lasts between 3-6 months in real world conditions, closer to 3 months on a daily driver. The same is true of Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax and other similar chemically resistant spray sealants. (Griots 3 in 1 Ceramic Wax appears to be a notable exception and has great chemical resistance and 6 months+ real world durability).

Onto the Car Chem Sealant, I have my own test lined up. My Jalopy has both sides doors and the two front wheels currently free of products, so a perfect opportunity to put 12 month sealant up against a 12 month sealant. On one front door and one front wheel I'll apply the new Car Chem sealant. The paint will be properly prepped. The wheel will just be the faces. On the other side I'll apply my trusted Wowo's Crystal Sealant. The front doors, particularly the bits just behind the front wheel take a beating so this will be tough and the wheels themselves will be accelerated testing. This way, the side by side is as close as I can get to similar(ly harsh) conditions and the car is my daily which don't get no love.

Just need a day off when the weather isn't raining. It should be easy in July!


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## Sheep (Mar 20, 2009)

JU5T1N said:


> People use different products, things like tfr and high alkaline snow foams are as strong or stronger than apcs. Part of a products durability will be how much washing the car degrades it and how many washes until its completely gone. People will wash there cars so it is real world testing. Rain water is acidic while most snow foams, shampoos are netruel or alkaline. Some LSPs may resist alkalines better some may resist acids better. Thats probably the difference your seeing in chemical vs "real world" rain water tests.


You're grossly overestimating the concentrations, and abrasions that these products should be expected to hand, and how it translates to re-world durability. Waxmode is the only channel running proper real-world tests in conjunction with chemical testing. He has also highlighted that strong cleaners on their own usually do much less unless their agitated. All these testers smear strong cleaners across the paint using microfiber towels - when was the last time anyone in their own mind working on their own car did that? You'd be in swirl city after 2 rounds. Jimbo doesn't even use a consistent chemical regime, so his tests don't compare even to themselves. Apex Detail tries to be a bit more realistic, using a APC assisted wash to show a more normalized wear down, but his "Traffic Film" spray is straight bull - in no way is ANY one of those fluids in road water with anywhere near that concentration. He would need to use 1 drop and dilute it, like rain does to the roads.

Overall chemical testing is a measuring stick for the sake of measure sticks - it creates clicks and controversy and not much else. You would literally have more relevant information just washing the hood 10 times with regular shampoo than any other chemical, as most people taking the time to wax their car can be expected to also buy a car wash.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Sheep said:


> You're grossly overestimating the concentrations, and abrasions that these products should be expected to hand, and how it translates to re-world durability. Waxmode is the only channel running proper real-world tests in conjunction with chemical testing. He has also highlighted that strong cleaners on their own usually do much less unless their agitated. All these testers smear strong cleaners across the paint using microfiber towels - when was the last time anyone in their own mind working on their own car did that? You'd be in swirl city after 2 rounds. Jimbo doesn't even use a consistent chemical regime, so his tests don't compare even to themselves. Apex Detail tries to be a bit more realistic, using a APC assisted wash to show a more normalized wear down, but his "Traffic Film" spray is straight bull - in no way is ANY one of those fluids in road water with anywhere near that concentration. He would need to use 1 drop and dilute it, like rain does to the roads.
> 
> Overall chemical testing is a measuring stick for the sake of measure sticks - it creates clicks and controversy and not much else. You would literally have more relevant information just washing the hood 10 times with regular shampoo than any other chemical, as most people taking the time to wax their car can be expected to also buy a car wash.


Sorry to anyone who actually cares about the Car Chem unnamed sealant, this is a more interesting conversation topic. :spam: To Brian's credit he does test a heap of things - the 10 wash 'reset' test, heats one part of the panel to mimic intense sunlight in certain climates, it's difficult to judge the road grime one (i'd rather it was too strong than too weak, better to undersell than oversell right?), he doesn't generally agitate his chemicals while on the panel and does often apply them in sunlight. I've seen him test not just hydrophobics but gloss after doing this which often yields interesting results.

Soz bit of a fanboy - he's the best out there in my opinion with no dishonest motives - he doesn't have a big enough following to be making a tonne out of it, does not accept 'free' products and isn't paid. As straight a guy as you'll see and with genuine passion for what he does.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Couldn't agree more with Sheep. Wish more people had this same mindset. As for Brian at Apex, he is one of the better reviewers although as Sheep has pointed out, the road chemicals test, think he calls it 'Road Brine' mixed with brake fluid, engine oil etc is ridiculous.

Rosco look forward to your review 

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## Sheep (Mar 20, 2009)

atbalfour said:


> Sorry to anyone who actually cares about the Car Chem unnamed sealant, this is a more interesting conversation topic. :spam: To Brian's credit he does test a heap of things - the 10 wash 'reset' test, heats one part of the panel to mimic intense sunlight in certain climates, it's difficult to judge the road grime one (i'd rather it was too strong than too weak, better to undersell than oversell right?), he doesn't generally agitate his chemicals while on the panel and does often apply them in sunlight. I've seen him test not just hydrophobics but gloss after doing this which often yields interesting results.
> 
> Soz bit of a fanboy - he's the best out there in my opinion with no dishonest motives - he doesn't have a big enough following to be making a tonne out of it, does not accept 'free' products and isn't paid. As straight a guy as you'll see and with genuine passion for what he does.


He does put out a lot of content, and that's always good, but his testing should just stop at the 10 wash test - after that it's pointless. I say this as I have a smattering of products around my car, parked outside, and exposed to all the real world wear you will get. These chemicals that can last through chemical testing don't always last on the stuff that is guaranteed to hit the paint - weather! Pollen hit my hood after half a month in to the test, and all the spray on products basically died - WoWo CS, Seal N Shine, Ceramic Spray, and Megs HCLW. You know what was still there and kicking? Finis wax, AG HD, 476S, and even FK1000P was holding on. I'm thinking about making a separate post just to highlight this, and how Chemical testing is way to narrow-spec when it comes to durability.

Also, I work in the Auto Industry - if any cars were leaking fluids at the concentration that they use, they would all seize up after a few blocks. Those fluids that contain detergents - oil, transmission etc - wear down over time as well, and have less cleaning ability. They don't factor that in to the test, instead using brand new, high strength ATF which is one of the most powerful chemical detergents in a car. If you put ATF on a shop floor and let it soak, it will pull off any stains that were there previously - seen it happen before.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Sheep said:


> He does put out a lot of content, and that's always good, but his testing should just stop at the 10 wash test - after that it's pointless. I say this as I have a smattering of products around my car, parked outside, and exposed to all the real world wear you will get. These chemicals that can last through chemical testing don't always last on the stuff that is guaranteed to hit the paint - weather! Pollen hit my hood after half a month in to the test, and all the spray on products basically died - WoWo CS, Seal N Shine, Ceramic Spray, and Megs HCLW. You know what was still there and kicking? Finis wax, AG HD, 476S, and even FK1000P was holding on. I'm thinking about making a separate post just to highlight this, and how Chemical testing is way to narrow-spec when it comes to durability.


I think Brian at Apex has gone away from what made his tests really good - back to back vs tests or several products in one go and just does one product at a time, which in isolation is ok, but more difficult to appraise.

My main point is that I don't think that pollen will have killed all those products. I've seen similar thing happen with full ceramic coatings and whilst the pollen has stuck to and killed the surface tension, if you find a way to remove that gently enough without significantly harming the protection underneath, you will find that it will come straight back. If you didn't mind marring, you could clay that panel and see the same. The interesting question is, why does the pollen affect the surface tension and stick to the spray on products more than the pastes?


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## JU5T1N (Dec 7, 2019)

I think the apc test is better than nothing, when done with 2 different products side by side it will give a rough idea which one is likely to survive more washes.
Of corse to make an accurate test you would have to include contact washing with shampoo and make sure dilutions and pressure used in the contact wash are the same.


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## Sheep (Mar 20, 2009)

roscopervis said:


> I think Brian at Apex has gone away from what made his tests really good - back to back vs tests or several products in one go and just does one product at a time, which in isolation is ok, but more difficult to appraise.
> 
> My main point is that I don't think that pollen will have killed all those products. I've seen similar thing happen with full ceramic coatings and whilst the pollen has stuck to and killed the surface tension, if you find a way to remove that gently enough without significantly harming the protection underneath, you will find that it will come straight back. If you didn't mind marring, you could clay that panel and see the same. The interesting question is, why does the pollen affect the surface tension and stick to the spray on products more than the pastes?


It didn't stick, because the other half of the hood is performing well. The same story goes around the rest of the car, where a lot of these spray on products are being out classed by the older durability products. Right now the product performing the best is Sonax PNS.


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

To be honest I'm starting to think I've more interesting things to do with my time than fart around with the new Car Chem product, it really isn't worth the effort as I've 150ml of CarPro CQuartz Lite waiting at home for me now which will take less effort to apply and produce better results (plus I know it can be topped with Reload to improve its hydrophobic effect).

At the tail end of 2019 I bought 5 liters of Car Chem Hydrocoat Hybrid, I tried it in so many different ways but I just didn't get on with it, so I gave it all away for free. Personally I don't think Car Chem have quite got the hang of silicon products in their labs yet.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

I'm not a massive fan of it when using as typical sealant in that you allow to cure for 5 mins. I found it difficult to buff as well but it's pretty easy to use as a spray & wipe topper product. Works quite well this way.

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## Lexus-is250 (Feb 4, 2017)

Fatboy40 said:


> To be honest I'm starting to think I've more interesting things to do with my time than fart around with the new Car Chem product, it really isn't worth the effort as I've 150ml of CarPro CQuartz Lite waiting at home for me now which will take less effort to apply and produce better results (plus I know it can be topped with Reload to improve its hydrophobic effect).
> 
> At the tail end of 2019 I bought 5 liters of Car Chem Hydrocoat Hybrid, I tried it in so many different ways but I just didn't get on with it, so I gave it all away for free. Personally I don't think Car Chem have quite got the hang of silicon products in their labs yet.


Hydrocoat Hybrid is a funny product. When it's on the car it looks brilliant and it throws water off at such low speeds. Just doesn't seem to last that long.

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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Lexus-is250 said:


> Hydrocoat Hybrid is a funny product. When it's on the car it looks brilliant and it throws water off at such low speeds. Just doesn't seem to last that long.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk


My experience too. My experience of HH is it produced the best shine I've ever had on my white car. I found it so easy to apply so longevity isn't a huge issue.

What I like about Car Chem stuff is they price sensibly, do some great value deals (e.g. the mystery boxes) and I don't feel I'm paying for some trendy product in fancy packaging costing 25% more. I seem to have ended up with quite a lot of it!

They don't get much discussion on here and online which always surprises me. I suspect because a lot of their trade is manufacturing for others so they don't really push the domestic markets.


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## Lexus-is250 (Feb 4, 2017)

washingitagain said:


> My experience too. My experience of HH is it produced the best shine I've ever had on my white car. I found it so easy to apply so longevity isn't a huge issue.
> 
> What I like about Car Chem stuff is they price sensibly, do some great value deals (e.g. the mystery boxes) and I don't feel I'm paying for some trendy product in fancy packaging costing 25% more. I seem to have ended up with quite a lot of it!
> 
> They don't get much discussion on here and online which always surprises me. I suspect because a lot of their trade is manufacturing for others so they don't really push the domestic markets.


Mine is white as well and it really adds a lot of shine to it. Anachem Hybrid and Wowo's hot wax are better though.

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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Lexus-is250 said:


> Hydrocoat Hybrid is a funny product. When it's on the car it looks brilliant and it throws water off at such low speeds. Just doesn't seem to last that long.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk





Lexus-is250 said:


> Mine is white as well and it really adds a lot of shine to it. Anachem Hybrid and Wowo's hot wax are better though.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk


Don't tell me about more stuff to buy!


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## Fatboy40 (Apr 15, 2013)

I won't waffle on but did a 50/50 against CarPro CQuartz Lite, two coats of each an hour apart, cured for 24 hours (I did the test bonnet first thing Saturday am).

Revisiting the Car Chem product one thing I will absolutely give it is that it's slick, not just a little, but *really* slick.

However, as expected the CQuartz Lite was substantially better (but a little grabby to the touch) in its performance and ability to withstand pre-wash and solvent panel wipe, and just as simple to apply, so I've no logical reason to use the Car Chem product. But, if Car Chem said that it's OK to apply it as a topper to an SiO2 / TiO2 coating then that could be interesting due to it's slickness (I do wonder what's actually in the Car Chem product, but I doubt they'll ever say, as I think it may have even been a little slicker than even CarPro Gliss v2).


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## Sheep (Mar 20, 2009)

I wish I could get a sample, would do up a test against whatever people feel like.


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> The key words in their label is 'up to'. They aren't stating it will last 12 months in every instance, only that in the right conditions it can last that long, likely under lab conditions.
> 
> Would I expect it to last 12 months on a daily driver? No chance. If you get 6 months from it I'd say that's impressive. Regardless look forward to your thoughts on cquartz lite as it's one I've considered as an alternative to the Gyeon Cancoat I use currently. Don't think it has quite the same levels of hydrophobicity as Cancoat though so the only thing putting me off but both will do 12+ months if topped despite 6 month durability claims.
> 
> ...


I agree, the chemical tests while somewhat interesting are not real world testing. Car guys usually take good care of the LSP's and that would include mild soaps. I guess thats why some companies publish PH level tolerances.


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

roscopervis said:


> The chemical testing on the Youtube channels is entertaining and there is some information to be gleaned from it, I agree that it isn't fully representative. As a few have stated, Turtlewax Hydrophobic Sealant Wax (Seal n' Shine) is hugely chemically resistant, moreso than a few lite ceramic products. This is useful knowledge as you know that if you like to go to the £5 car washes, making sure that you have a cured coat of TW HSW on the car means that it should still be protected afterwards. Saying that, who goes to the trouble of applying such a product to their car, then would use such a sinful practice?!
> 
> We are also seeing that the TW HSW lasts between 3-6 months in real world conditions, closer to 3 months on a daily driver. The same is true of Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax and other similar chemically resistant spray sealants. (Griots 3 in 1 Ceramic Wax appears to be a notable exception and has great chemical resistance and 6 months+ real world durability).
> 
> ...


For future reference how does crystal sealant hold up? i looked at it a few times for maybe an option in the future. I don't think full blown ceramics are the right fit for me, to finicky and seems to require MORE maintenance.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

I find Crystal Sealant is excellent all round. I haven't specifically run harsh chemical tests but Sheep showed that it is more detergent resistant than most. 

Applied properly and maintained with pH neutral products, with regular mileages and normal use, a year of durability is certainly achievable on paint, over 6 months on wheels (perhaps 9 months).

I also think that people think about actual ceramic coatings a bit weird. Fundamentally, they are (or should be) highly chemically resistant and durable sacrificial layer, just like regular products, but more so. As such, they should be able to be treated more harshly than your regular products and benefit the end user as such. That's how I use the coating on my car, seems to be working well.


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

roscopervis said:


> I find Crystal Sealant is excellent all round. I haven't specifically run harsh chemical tests but Sheep showed that it is more detergent resistant than most.
> 
> Applied properly and maintained with pH neutral products, with regular mileages and normal use, a year of durability is certainly achievable on paint, over 6 months on wheels (perhaps 9 months).
> 
> I also think that people think about actual ceramic coatings a bit weird. Fundamentally, they are (or should be) highly chemically resistant and durable sacrificial layer, just like regular products, but more so. As such, they should be able to be treated more harshly than your regular products and benefit the end user as such. That's how I use the coating on my car, seems to be working well.


thats awesome, right in my personal target range - upwards of a year. thanks! and its very inexpensive.


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## GC#65 (Nov 8, 2014)

I ordered the freebie from Car Chem to try out. I decided yesterday, when we had cloud cover, to try it on the roof panel. Grime Out first, rinse, Reset wash, rinse and dry. Then BH cleanser polish by hand and then a wipe off with Gyeon Prep to get rid of as much of the polish residue as I could.
Then, the sun decided to make an absolutely massive blasting appearance just as I started to apply it. It wasn't easy on and off in my experience. Maybe it was the product, maybe it was the sun. It is very slick and glossy and will see what the longevity is like. I will wait for a cloudy day and try it on my bonnet.


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## kev999 (Feb 16, 2007)

Lexus-is250 said:


> Mine is white as well and it really adds a lot of shine to it. Anachem Hybrid and Wowo's hot wax are better though.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk


Get garage therapy cs and sigma,


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## Neilkarting08 (Oct 25, 2016)

GC#65 said:


> I ordered the freebie from Car Chem to try out. I decided yesterday, when we had cloud cover, to try it on the roof panel. Grime Out first, rinse, Reset wash, rinse and dry. Then BH cleanser polish by hand and then a wipe off with Gyeon Prep to get rid of as much of the polish residue as I could.
> Then, the sun decided to make an absolutely massive blasting appearance just as I started to apply it. It wasn't easy on and off in my experience. Maybe it was the product, maybe it was the sun. It is very slick and glossy and will see what the longevity is like. I will wait for a cloudy day and try it on my bonnet.


Probably the sun. Mine went on easy and wiped off just as easy.

If it's dirty, clean it


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## GC#65 (Nov 8, 2014)

I see this has now been released, imaginatively called "Lockdown".
I also read that they have added wetting agents due to application issues in trial.

Anyway, I won't be buying nor using again.


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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Seeing as I started this thread, thought I’d contribute now I’d actually used it. I’ve used it on 2 cars now – a white one and a grey Mini (with black roof). This was the ‘test’ product, not the fully released ‘Lockdown’.

In short, I found it a tricky to buff off – especially on the black roof. I thought maybe I was applying too much but I ended up reducing how much I was using and it still wasn’t easy to get off. Seemed very ‘oily’ and I was just moving it around when buffing. I felt like I’d had a work out after finishing!

On the plus side, it produced a very shiny finish and having washed the white car once since, it certainly beads! Still feels very slick to the touch. Let’s see how long it lasts.

Personally, I’d rather stick with their Hydocoat Hybrid from their range as it’s so easy on and off and creates a great shine. Seemed to last a good 2-3 months and for the short time it takes to apply, probably a product I prefer.

I guess if the full release version has sorted the application issues it might be a winner but only if it really does last a long time.


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## broncoupe (Aug 19, 2010)

Totally agree with your comments 
I bought a 1 litre bottle delivered today from CarChem so will assume this is latest version 
It behaved exactly as you stated 
Slick as a teflon frying pan but a total sht to remove 
Flashes really quick you wipe off and there is this residue that seems oily in that it smeers
Tried leaving it longer no difference, tried less product the same, tried more just the same
The paint was freshly machined 2 stage and prewiped with Prep then left for 30 mins to be dry before coating with Lockdown
I reasoned as you can recoat it after an hour if it didnt wipe clean at this point it never would 
This residue was over the whole car I didnt have time to strip the car and start again
My solution was to spritz Beadmaker on top 
So i now have a hybrid but smeer free paint 
Needless to say the bottle is heading for the graveyard


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Using the original sample, I have found that using it like a coating, small amount, cross hatch on the panel, leave it a bit, then buff. Don't chase it, it will self level and be good on the paint if you have buffed off the solvents and transfer materials etc. I'll have any of this stuff people want to get rid of!


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## broncoupe (Aug 19, 2010)

Happy to take your advise 
I was doing a small area what i didnt like was the amount the spray head on the bottle was wetting the pad 
So when you first wiped your area was it wet or virtually dry
Did you use a dropper to dispense a very small amount like a ceramic
thanks


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Sounds a lot like the old version of Wowo's crysral sealant application wise.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


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## broncoupe (Aug 19, 2010)

To be fair to the product buy the smallest bottle
You use so little


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

broncoupe said:


> Happy to take your advise
> I was doing a small area what i didnt like was the amount the spray head on the bottle was wetting the pad
> So when you first wiped your area was it wet or virtually dry
> Did you use a dropper to dispense a very small amount like a ceramic
> thanks


I've only got the small sample bottle so not much spray comes out, but I used a microfibre pad, sprayed a small spritz onto it and then covered the area which turned out to be about half a door. I finished applying the door, cross hatch and by that time, the product was very thin on the paint. I left it and wiped and at that stage I got the haze, a bit like you do when doing glass that will dry quite quickly. If you use a damp but mostly dry microfibre, that might help if you get streaking. Leave it like that and it should be fine. If you want to go back around it sometime later with a plush microfibre, that's fine too.

It's a bit like Crystal Sealant, but that gets very stiff and grabby when dry, Lockdown stays slippy but the volume and cross hatch thin application is te same. Crystal Sealant should come straight off, Lockdown is much more flexible.


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