Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: The Critic
but for spray on options, consider Opti-Seal or CarPro Hydr02.
Thanks. Looks like one needs to be applied with a pad while the other is spray on only. Have you tried both? Which one did you like better?
There are a lot of options that are similar while being different.
CarPro Hydr02 - spray on after rinsing the car, rinse the car again to activate it, then dry the car. It says up to 3 months protection, but here in FL, after a month or so, I want to refresh it. It still works, but I like my beads to be tall and tight, not flat and big. This is for a car that's outside all of the time in the FL sun and rain, so YMMV.
Duragloss Aquawax - a spray sealant that can be applied two ways. After you rinse the car, before drying, spray the Aquawax on and then dry the car. This saves a buffing/wipe off step. Or, you can apply it like a regular spray wax and apply it after drying the car and then wipe off. AW is actually a spray sealant and has very good durability for a "spray wax". I get a good 3 months out of it in the summer. Longer in the "winter", as that means the excessive heat and the every day rain showers go away.
CarPro Reload - a spray sealant similar to Aquawax in that it can be applied to a wet or dry surface. I just started using this as, but it is very similar to AW with a little more hydrophobic properties and a little better durability. It is holding up a little better than AW so far, so I estimate it to reach 4 months or a little longer.
Ultima PGP or Optimum Opti-Seal - both are spray on wipe off sealants that are applied to the car after drying. I have used the UPGP many times, but OS only once. However, they are a little more finicky than a regular spray wax, because you need to "level" them as you wipe them off, or you will get high spots. It's not difficult, you just have to pay attention. The reward is well worth it though as these have much better durability. 5-6 months easy in the summer.
CarPro CQuartz UK or Optimum Opti-Coat - these are both coatings that are applied to a dry, clean and polished surface. Like OS and UPGP, these are more labor intensive, even more so than the previous two, because they are a semi-permanent coating, so they need to be applied evenly. The reward being that they last up to 2 years. I can't verify this as I just started using CQ UK, but from what I have seen and heard, 1 year doesn't seem like a stretch at all.
Ideally, you would apply a regular sealant or coating and then use Hydr02, Reload, Aquawax, etc. to boost the gloss and increase the durability of your main protection.
Hope this helps.