Paint Sealant

[wmpwi]

I was always fascinated by the concept and remember when the stuff first started appearing on the market it was all the rage, but that was a bunch of years ago and I haven't kept track. I saw a FFH TI that had 1/2 done in something and the other 1/2 left alone and the comparison seemed remarkable. OF course the car was in a show room and not real world conditions, but it was like Teflon. I saw some stuff on Opti Coat, but nothing recently on it or competing products. I've also heard it said this sort of thing has a 1,000% mark-up and dealers love to sell it more than extended warranties. Anyone care to offer up their experiences / opinions on the topic.

[jeff_h]

I bought a pickup 20 years ago and paid the markup dealer price for the 'paint sealant' (along with scotchgard and underbody rustproofing) as I wanted to keep my pickup in good shape for a long time.

 

The paint sealant looked really nice at first, but in time over the years as if faded it left a whitish tinge in the paint finish, it wasn't horrible but was nowhere near the nice shiny finish it once was and waxing it did not help much.

 

Of course this was 20 years ago, technology is probably better now and there are probably others who have had positive experiences, but as for me I'll never get it again due to that past experience.

[wmpwi]

'Of course this was 20 years ago, technology is probably better now . . . '

Yup, you must be old too. I wouldn't be considering it now, but I get tree sap on my car and it's a bitch to get off if you don't get to it right away (which I don't). Also, there's a particular species of bird in my area that seems to possess some bio-chemical wizardry that really wreaks havoc on the finish. Probably eats something in the tree w/ the nasty sap and when filtered through the bird, it's doubly nasty.

Edited November 23, 2013 by wmpwi

[GrySql]

I was in a vulnerable state when my Autoland Rep asked me if I wanted it done. I was going to pick up the car in two days.

I knew it was a high markup item and she got a fee for selling me.

I'd just asked my brother how he liked his sealant job after 3 years and he gave a positive review.

I bought it, a crew of three guys took 6 hours to do the job, they carefully sealed almost everything inside and out.

 

Jeff is not old, I am old. To me, anything that made upkeep easier was worth it. After all, it is supposed to have a 5 year warranty.

After a few months I had a spot on the dashboard that looked like it was drier than the rest, I called the Autoland Rep.

She put me in touch with the Detailer and I asked how he wanted to handle this 6" spot, I was 50 miles from his location.

I ended up having him send me a free pint bottle of the interior treatment and I applied it myself, worked fine and was easy.

Now I still have enough left to do the whole leather and vinyl interior.

 

I have had a bad case of sap and some seemingly corrosive bird droppings on the car a few times even though the car is garaged.

I used Ice Auto Wash and gave it a bath, all the bad stuff came off without effort.

Mostly it is simply washed with water from the hose and, like today, a soft automotive washing brush to get all the 583 bugs off the car after returning from my 2,000 mile trip two days ago. (Btw, it had sap on it from being parked under pine trees in Oregon 3 days ago, water alone took it off today)

I dry it with my soft, old cotton bath towels I've collected over the years.

 

Was the Final Seal cost worth it? So far, it has been for me. Others may disagree, it depends on circumstances and point of view.

[hermans]

I have it on both my cars and after a year of running through the car wash twice a week (the FFH since December and the MKZh since May) they still look like the day I picked them up. Well worth it, especially where my wife has to park.

Edited November 27, 2013 by hermans

[wmpwi]

I'm at that intersection of I still want it to look new & I'm too lazy to do what it takes so that's my motivation. Thanks.

. . . Jeff is not old, I am old. To me, anything that made upkeep easier was worth it. <snip>

[Waldo]

The paint on my wife's 2007 Mariner still looks like new. It's never had anything put on it, not even wax, not once.