This was written by KrisMas in Autoworld forum

Cheap wax - don't last long - need to re-apply regularly
Better wax - more expensive - last a little bit longer - lesser frequency of application
Coatings - cost a bomb - last for ages - you might even already be considering selling off your car by the time it fails

Note: for each of the above there are different grades of products, so I'm just putting a general statement.

The above would generally apply PROVIDED THAT you undertake PROPER MAINTENANCE ROUTINE which are more or less the same regardless you're using cheap wax, expensive wax or coating - which is cleaning and washing regularly.

Neglect the maintenance part, even a coating *might* just last as long as a cheap wax before you'd get waterspots, embeded contaminants, marrings, swirls, etc.

The main advantage of putting on a 'coating' instead of wax/sealant is the amount of effort you'd need to put down for maintenance. Eg. washing is easier as a coating would shed/release dirt better; no more monthly re-waxing; some coatings even boast high hardness level so it's more difficult to get swirls/marring; etc.

But, my point is, regardless any type of protection you put on, whether it be a cheap wax or the most durable coating available in the market, you'd still need to undertake PROPER MAINTENANCE ROUTINE. Because, end of the day, all of them are just a SACRIFICIAL LAYER OF PROTECTION put on top of the paint.


............ so in conclusion you still have to care for it using REGULAR PROPER MAINTENANCE ROUTINE even with a coating.

This post has been edited by CoffeeDude: Mar 8 2013, 11:51 PM

Here is my opinion.
Correct me if I'm wrong but please don't shoot me.

If you want to go for coating, you have to be prepared to do regular maintenance - wash and dry it every week and also wash and dry it after raining.

A coating is hard. Harder than waxes.
It is also thicker. Some people say they can't feel the metal of the car body after coating.
A coating is better than wax when it comes to protecting the paint from colour fading and bird bombs.

The problem with coating as some users have found out is watermarks.
Because a coating is much harder, when watermarks form on it, it is also much harder to get it out.
Watermarks on waxes are easier to correct because wax is softer it requires less effort to sacrifice it.
Usually people who have spent a lot money on a coating also wouldn't want to DIY

A coating is definitely more durable than waxes and in the long run is cheaper too.
If you were to send your car for a 3 step clay, polish, wax it'll cost you say RM200 each time.
If you do that twice a year for 5 years, it will come to RM2000.
A Sierraglow coating is less than that ..... I think

Anyone who wants to have a nice and shiny car ..... there is no shortcut.
Either you spend lots of money to pay someone to do it for you or you spend less and do it yourself.
The other option is to just have a clean car (wash whenever you feel like it) instead of a very shiny one.

Have you seen watermarks on a windshield?
A windshield is made from glass. Real glass.

If watermarks can form on real glass which is very hard, it'll have no problem to form on a chemical glass coating.

I shall not say how the detailer removes the watermark from the coating coz I don't know

I just wonder.

Let's say you do the paint coating but lazy to do the maintenance.

Instead of weekly washing the car, you send it to roadside car wash once a month.

After a while swirl marks and watermarks forms on the coating.

Will the detailer fix the problems back for you for free?

Let's see .....

A buyer pays RM750 for a Sierraglow coating.
He must maintain the coating by washing, claying and drying the car.
I estimate this maintenance will easily take 2-3 hours to do.
And he can't send it roadside RM10 car wash coz they don't exactly do claying right?

Every week need to spend 2-3 hours to wash, clay and dry the car

or else pay more $$$$ to send back to Sierraglow

This post has been edited by CoffeeDude: Mar 15 2013, 11:20 AM