cQuartz Update

It has been about 6 months and one horrible winter since I applied the cQuartz. The car was driven most of the winter and has not had a proper wash since Thanksgiving (just a hose off every few weeks to get rid of the salt). We took a road trip this weekend and it rained the entire way. Not sure if you can tell from the pictures, but it is holding up really well. Should be in the 50's here tomorrow, so I'm going to get her cleaned up. We'll see how the "shine" has held up then and I'll try to post a few pics. So far, I've been very happy with the product.

Looking great. I live and breathe CQuartz. Best thing you can put on a black car.

Very nice! I found quite a few synthetic sealants lasts 6 months without any issues. Please report back in another 6 months.

I am almost 18 months with CQuartz on my Acura. Still beads water like day one. Nano coatings aren't for everyone but if I owned a black car it's all I would use.

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I would still like to see someone in the snow belt that daily drives through heavy salt winters provide feedback after 2 years of usage with no additional toppers or anything in between. I'm a fan of Nano coatings myself but just haven't seen a real world example where it was driven through harsh winters, parked on the streets, daily driven, no toppers used.

cQuartz Update: I'm now 12 months in with application. I have not applied any additional products. It still beads water, but not quite as well as a few months ago. I've been very pleased with how well it has held up overall. It has not protected against "swirl marks" as much as I had hoped, but I know this is a tough color and soft paint. The car is a daily driver, in the Midwest and garaged 50% of the time (so it sees a fair share of bad weather). The first picture below is from a recent road trip in Michigan. The car was actually pretty dirty (drove the rain, construction, pollen, etc), but the "shine" was solid. I thought the cloud reflection was pretty cool. The second was after a proper wash. I'll provide another update at 18 months.

Give it a clay bar treatment and it will bead like new again. The coating will collect contaminants just like the paint does.

Gator...thanks. As I've said in previous posts, I've always valued your insight. Is their any risk that a clay bar treatment would remove the nano coating? Would you suggest any application after claying it? Thanks

Clay definitely will not harm the coating. I always follow up my clay, and after every wash even, with CarPro Reload. It's a spray on sealant specifically designed for nano coatings. It will boost gloss and beading and make the coating last that much longer. And yes, the scratch resistance is not what it was touted to be unfortunately. How are you drying the car?

Thanks for the update. Is the "slickness" still the same as before after a wash or does it feel abrasive at all? Like Gator mentioned, try the clay and I'd be curious if the bead comes back fully as original.

Thanks. I'll use the clay next weekend. That makes perfect sense and I had not thought of it. Alpine…slickness is good, but certainly has diminished. Gator, I towel dry, but carefully. Paint is pretty good for a 11 year old car. I had originally followed Gator's instructions here until the point that I got nervous with the thickness of paint. All in all, I've been happy so far.

Sounds like you have a good regime going on. My only suggestion would be to add an electric leaf blower (not gas) to dry the car. Most of the micro marring comes from drying. Keep up the good work!

Interesting thread. I, too, have a black '03 C4S and have been looking for a product for the paint. Just ordered some Pinnacle wax and detail spray but am wondering if maybe I bought the wrong stuff.....

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Pinnacle makes great products. It all comes down to how much time you want to spend detailing. The Pinnacle gives great results but longevity, like any wax or sealant, is the Achilles heel. 3 months is pretty standard for a wax. Here in FL, it is more like 4 weeks on an outside living car. The advantage to the nano coatings is the longevity factor. I have a lot of experience with Pinnacle. Try it. You will love the deep wet look. If you get tired of reapplying, check back in and we can work up a different plan. Alpine has great detailing knowledge as well so hit either of us up.

Much appreciated Gator. Based on the longevity element I might rather do the multiple applications a year. Good to know there is a product that lasts much longer but if the results and shine are similar I'll opt for frequency as that process is one I enjoy. I also noted the mention of blowers to dry car and not towels, have to give that some serious consideration. I can definitely see where tiny swirls and marks would be a result of drying with towels(microfiber). I know they sell blowers specifically for this purpose but is there anything wrong with using the garden variety type that is already in my garage? I also have a basic polishing wheel that I've yet to use, kinda scared of doing damage to the paint. Have always done everything by hand but considering other options now.

No need to buy a dedicated detailing blower. I use a cheap electric one from Lowes. Same results.

+1 on the electric leaf blower. I have a cordless Black and Decker one and it works well. Very useful for getting soap bubbles and water from all the nooks and crannies. I then follow up with a microfiber drying towel. I'm a fan of the Griot products for polishing and finishing since their system is easy for a non professional. Use a dual action polisher that oscillates and spins. They have a new product called cleaner wax they is supposed to be the new hotness.

Thanks for info!

Gator/Alpine...had a chance to clay bar the car a few weeks ago. Thanks for the advice! The "slickness" is back and as you'll see in the video link it is beading nicely again. This was shot today when the car was very dirty (3-day road trip and it rained the whole time). I didn't apply reload or any other products. I'm going to see how long the cquartz will hold up on a dd here in the Midwest. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction- Video link: cquartz 10-16-14 on Vimeo

Very nice and glad to see the CQuartz holding up. The water repellent action is insane. Reminds me of the staged Rustoleum Never Wet commercials. Just wondering if any new swirls/scratches formed since you applied this?

Thanks. Yes, definitely have some swirls. I think the coating makes a big difference, but it is still tough to keep the paint looking perfect on a black car. I'd be the first to say that my "swirls" are self imposed. I'm careful, but not overly so. I have been towel drying, but have since changed to the leaf blower method recommended above. Probably a big contributor. From 5 feet, it looks great.

Love a good CQ water beading vid. Looking great Detroit! Glad the clay did the trick. Twice a year with it and you will be golden. The good thing about your swirls is that they are on the coating and not the clear coat. Next time the car is polished you won't be taking off the precious clear.

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Interesting. I never really thought about that. I have a blk car but I have to admit I rarely used the blower method until I got a good deal on a cordless 18v Ryobi recently. the Ryobi was nice as I could use it with my existing batteries and no cords to worry about. Before that I always dried with UWWP with microfiber and never straight with just a dry microfiber.