mikegunnz

I got my TL about 3months ago, and from the advice of a friend of mine who works at a Chevy dealership put on the Paint protectant they sell.(gave it to me for free)
It supposedly has acrylic which bonds with the paint to harden it and make it chip/scratch resistant and has teflon to help make cleaning easier.
He said it chemically bonds to the paint and works great. I was a little skeptical but tried it cause he said he used it too & it works.

Well while this is not a really long-term test, I think it works great.
I've been driving for 3 months with about 3450 miles(80% hwy miles) and have had quite a few pebbles get kick up at my car I still haven't had any chips in the paint. I've got a small chip in my windshield, but that was not protected with the stuff.
On top of the good results just today I had a rock, not a pebble but an actual rock get kicked up by a semi. From my quick glance at it as it was heading for my hood, it look around 1/2in-1inch in diameter.
I checked my hood when I got to work this morning and found a small ding where the rock hit. Not Very noticeable, but if you look at the hood from a few ft or closeer u can def see it.
Surprisingly though, the paint is still flawless.
This stuff really works.

Just a long-winded update for those interested in this product.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Where would "regular" folk who don't have dealer connections get it from??

mikegunnz

You can do a search online for paint protectants, it's made by several different companies. Just be sure it has acrylic in it.
I applied two coats of the stuff, and my friend said to "refresh" it by applying 1 more coat a year.
Can't remember what brand mine is, but it has acrylic & teflon, and claims to harden paint to resist chipping, teflon help in ease of cleaning, and has UV protection.

Road Rage

Teflon applied from a bottle? Yeah right! NASA has to do that in a clean room environment for parts of the Space Shuttle, and even those have high failure rates. That brings the credibility of the product into question.

And doesn't hardening a flexible surface make it more likely to chip rather than aborsb the shock? That's why flex additives are added to polyurethane and plastic parts.

You are fortunate that your care has not been chipped, but that is more likely luck rather than some dealer applied goo. I have only 1 chip in 6000 miles without it.

TUFF GONG

Man, call me ignorant but my common sense tells me no matter how many angles I look from there is no way a "protectant" would prevent chip's. How can a invisible coating applied from a magical liquid from a bottle prevent a piece of solid hard pebble at high impact. What is this some thick clear coat that's an actual measurable MIL's thick?
I'm sure it helps protect from the environment etc., but I don't know. Like Road Rage said, you've bean lucky with the chip situation. I've only got 3300miles on mine but there is no chip on my car yet. (mostly highway driving NY style having to leave not much space between me and the car in front, otherwise everybody cut's you off. Basically high probability of unavoidable projectiles) All I haveis a nick on the windshield right directly in my view(Funny, I saw that pebble coming up at me, and even though it was a fraction of a second, I thought "sh!t, that's gonna hurt dam!" but can't do anything about it in that time frame though. Amazing how fast our minds work).

Go get a clear bra applied, made by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. The good stuff Now this stuff is a lot more believable.

mikegunnz

The flex agents are only added to the bumper(ergo the difference in shades of white between the body of car and bumpers) on white tls.
While I'm no chemist, the acrylic won't prevent chips completely, but by hardening the paint it will make it more RESISTANT to chips, just as in the same way acrylic nail hardener make a woman's nail harder and less likely to break.
As far as NASA being the only ones that can apply teflon to a surface, I'd have to argue that point as well, since hundreds of different nickel & dime companies manufacturer cheap $5 teflon coated pans everyday. While these may be cheaply made and not exactly the way NASA does it, it's still teflon coated.

Road Rage

1) Flex agent does not give the color mismatch, it is the different texture of the substrate. Someone on the Forum quoted his wife who engineers such things. And my body shop contact told me they add flex to every car bumper like the Acura's they have to re-paint .
2) Never said NASA is the only one, just that it is not an easy exercise; and the quality of plating on pots n' pans varies, and the rejection/redo rate is up there.

Point is the same - Teflon (PTFE) as an additive in polish/wax is bogus. Dupont had that on their website for years.

http://waxdepot.safeshopper.com/faq.htm?727#12

Read this post from real experts - it also trashes acrylic in addition to Teflon. So a miracle acrylic/teflon product really is an ass hat product.

Kab-boom! I would get the dealer to pay to remove it.

Closer

Basically any product on the market claiming it is using teflon is bogus.
In Material Science Engineering you study the process of creating and
applying teflon. It takes an insanely strong glue and enough heat to melt
your car.

Don't want to jump on a flaming bandwagon, but I think you got suckered
on this one. Not too late, Dawn detergent and Zaino.

AcidHorse

Man, what a way to market stuff, eh?

mikegunnz

Yeah, the paint sealant companies pay me pretty well.
How do u think I got the money for my TLS?