Hi all,

I'm ordering a New 2001 XLT in Deep Wedgewood Blue and the dealer is trying to convince me to get the truck sealed with a Silicon Paint Sealer. Cost is about $400 and they coat the bottom with a sealer also.

Has anyone had experience with this coating and does it actually work, or am I wasting my money?

Thanks.

 

I'm sure you'll get differing opinions on this but I believe it's a waste of money. The sealer is expensive, it doesn't look as good as some of the aftermarket waxes and polishes and it eventually wears off.

------------------
1999 Lariat Super Cab, S.B. 5.4L, 3.55 LS
and everything but the leaky slider window.
Bright red w/ gold 2-tone, Leather Captain's Chairs
Mods: Duraliner bedliner, Bugflector II, Hide-a-hooks.
& a leeetle chrome tip on the exhaust.

 

I have a bright red F150, and trust me, the Teflon paint sealant offered by the dealership works well. My cousin bought a red Expedition the same time I bought my truck, but without the sealant. Mine still looks brand new, and when I feel over the paint, I cannot feel any contaminants, just a smooth as day it was applied (over a year ago). His Expy has a lost of luster, and you can easily feel the oxidation.

It should be noted that we live in the same area in the Philippines, and use our trucks the same. So you can't blame his lower paint quality on anything else. The Ford dealerships here offer the same Teflon paint sealant as those in the U.S. (At Least In San Diego, CA), and I know you guys get our 5-year paint guarantee as well. That guarantee alone may be worth the cost, considering Ford paint quality problems. But believe me, the Teflon stuff works!

 

I have it on my truck and I hate it.I can't wash my truck in direct sunlight-what water doesn't run off, will evaporate too quickly.My paint has this wierd sticky feeling to it(from the sealant).When I drive on a gravel or dirt road every place on the truck that was touched by a hand(or any other exposed body part) has the dust about 5 times as thick as everwhere else.My 98 had no sealant and this didn't happen.If your color paint is prone to fading and you plan on owning this truck a long time it might be worth it.I think that a good name brand wax is the way to go.

------------------
-----------------------
2000 f150 4x4 sport,black, 3.55 5spd ,4.2 liters of fury ------mods----pioneer cd,alpine sub,cadence ultradrive amps,alpine mids&tweets,Delta tool box,class III reciever hitch,herculiner bed liner,taz floor mats,profile bug guard,custom painted tail light covers,headlight covers,cranked torsion bars,pirelli scorpion at(265/75 16), modified air box(crash1 style),JET air filter


www.lightningcrashz@hotmail.com

 

You all may have heard this before, but you might like to know that DuPont, the manufacturer of Teflon, issued a press release stating that there is no benefit whatsoever when it is used on passenger car applications. It won't hurt anything, but in order for Teflon to bond to any surface, it has to be heated to 700 degrees. I think that would probably finish off anyone's paint. There may very well be Teflon particles suspended in the compound, but they do no good unless they bond to the surface. Otherwise they just float away.

Generally speaking, I'd stay away from any kind of "protection package" that a dealership has to offer. They are usually of substantially lower quality than you can find in the aftermarket, the people at the dealership tend to do a haphazard job at applying the product, and most importantly, they are WAAAY overpriced! Dealerships have an unbelievable markup on items such as this!

 

You all may have heard this before, but you might like to know that DuPont, the manufacturer of Teflon, issued a press release stating that there is no benefit whatsoever when it is used on passenger car applications. It won't hurt anything, but in order for Teflon to bond to any surface, it has to be heated to 700 degrees. I think that would probably finish off anyone's paint. There may very well be Teflon particles suspended in the compound, but they do no good unless they bond to the surface. Otherwise they just float away.

Generally speaking, I'd stay away from any kind of "protection package" that a dealership has to offer. They are usually of substantially lower quality than you can find in the aftermarket, the people at the dealership tend to do a haphazard job at applying the product, and most importantly, they are WAAAY overpriced! Dealerships have an unbelievable markup on items such as this!

 

so you are saying that my coating will wear off?700 degrees wow!! Do you have any idea when it will be ok for me to put a goodcoat of wax on my truck?I am not concerned with the price paid for it- dealer threw it in cause I was a hard sell(along with underbody coating and scotchguard on the seats)I am happy about the scotchguard-as we all know two year olds can be quite messy.

------------------
-----------------------
2000 f150 4x4 sport,black, 3.55 5spd ,4.2 liters of fury ------mods----pioneer cd,alpine sub,cadence ultradrive amps,alpine mids&tweets,Delta tool box,class III reciever hitch,herculiner bed liner,taz floor mats,profile bug guard,custom painted tail light covers,headlight covers,cranked torsion bars,pirelli scorpion at(265/75 16), modified air box(crash1 style),JET air filter


www.lightningcrashz@hotmail.com

 

Yes, eventually the coating is going to wear off (if it hasn't already). If it were my vehicle, what I'd do is get a good quality surface prep product along with a polish and a wax (such as Meguiar's or Mother's...both good and easy to find) and use all three steps on a small area of the truck and see how well it works. It should strip off whatever coating remains and leave you with a finish that you can polish nicely. If it gives you good results, do the whole car. You may even want to use a clay bar on your paint too. Then you'll be into the waxing your truck every 3-6 months routine. If it doesn't work, I'd head over to the dealer and demand that they strip it off for you and detail the car normally. If they refuse, walk into their showroom on a busy Saturday and start howling like a timberwolf.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I have always believed that these "one-step, last for 5 years" paint sealants are a bunch of crap, and there really is no substitute for a good coat of wax and some elbow grease 2 or 3 times a year. My opinion though...others may vary!

By the way...if you're interested, you might check out both Meguiar's and Mother's web sites (meguiars.com and mothers.com). True, both are self-serving in that they are trying to sell product, but they also have a tremendous amount of good information on paint care. Good luck!

 

Hate to say it but they are junk. Get a detail shop to buff it off,then use a good wax. I just used Zymol for the first time a week or so ago,and it's pretty great stuff.
Bird poop and other stuff just wipes off
without even using water. First wax I've used that could do that! get that stuff off your truck. It really doesn't have all the benefits
they claim,and they are so overpriced.

------------------
98 F-150 4.6 Litre XLT2wd Ext. cab
prarie tan/tan int.
K/N gen.II fipk
custom dual exh/gibson rectangle tips/rear exiting.
color matched snuglid
Superchip!!!
Westin nerfs blk .powdercoat
Clear front corners
Cobra 75WXST cb w/weather alert
Kenwood cd w/Radio Shack speakers,don't laugh it sounds pretty good
On the way/wheels,tires,air dam, etc..etc.......
doin the monochromatic boogie
on the front end.Billet grilles on order
Hoping for deliverance from door crack hell.

 

Consumer reports did a study on car waxes.
The top three were Zymol, Prestone Bullet(which I don't think is available anymore) and Armor All. Considering the price difference, I use the Armer All.

 

I listened to Consumer Reports and used what they rated as best of show last year ... Nu Finish. This polish didn't work well at all. (See Topic in Supercrew .. Wax to stop tree sap) I'm amazed at how well the clay bar worked at cleaning and preping the paint. (It's alot of work on a supercrew, it's even more on a superduty crew dually!) But the results are amazing!! I recommned it, just plan on burning the day!


------------------
2001 Screw XLT
Oxford White, 5.4L,
Towing, Posi, Slider
Power seat, keyless
bedliner

 

I don't necessarily agree with Consumer Reports findings in all areas. I have purchased products that they have endorsed before...some were junk and some were good, so it's a hit-and-miss no matter who is testing. 3M products were not reviewed and they make an excellent line of auto polishes, but they are generally not available to the public without some effort.

I have been detailing my vehicles for about 20 years now. My best friend used to be the "new car prep guy" for Mercedes-Benz, and even he knew that there is no perfect formula. I like Meguiars products. Why? They can be purchased just about anywhere, they are easy to work with, and they give good, consistent results time after time. But what's best for you is what you like and what you have found works well.

 

so what is this clay bar you guys are talking about?Do you really think using one of the three step polishes will take the rest of that craplon(teflon) off?Thanks in advance.One more thing, I have had this truck since the end of march and wash it religously(its black and I hate seeing dust on it)2-3 times a week.I have been using a soap that supposed to have wax in it(I wanna say turtle wax or zipwax & I am too lazy to walk out to the garage to find out) Is this gonna affect how easily the teflon comes off?

------------------
-----------------------
2000 f150 4x4 sport,black, 3.55 5spd ,4.2 liters of fury ------mods----pioneer cd,alpine sub,cadence ultradrive amps,alpine mids&tweets,Delta tool box,class III reciever hitch,herculiner bed liner,taz floor mats,profile bug guard,custom painted tail light covers,headlight covers,cranked torsion bars,pirelli scorpion at(265/75 16), modified air box(crash1 style),JET air filter


www.lightningcrashz@hotmail.com

 

Crashz: Clay bar (or "automotive detailing clay") is a soft compound that comes in a bar about the size of a small bar of soap. It has the consistency of Silly Putty. The way you use it is you spray on a lubricant (whatever the maker of the clay recommends) and rub the bar over your paint. It pulls up road dirt, sap, etc. that has embedded itself into the top layer of your clearcoat and gives you a surface that is nice and smooth so that you can then polish it. Do not drop it on the ground, as it will pick up any dirt particles it touches. It's not hard to use at all, and definitely worth the extra step!

As for taking off the teflon coating, I'm fairly certain that a good surface prep cleaner will remove it, but just to be on the safe side, you may want to call the dealer and/or a few detailing shops in your area and ask if that coating needs a special solvent to remove it completely. With regard to car washes, I don't think what you are using will make any difference. Once your car is stripped and waxed however, be sure not to use household detergent or dishwashing liquid because those products are designed to cut grease, and they WILL strip the new wax off your car quickly! Always use a liquid specifically designed for washing cars. I like Armor All blue the best, but try lots of different ones.

By the way, I don't claim to be an expert. It's more of a hobby for me I guess, but I have done many cars and worked with a lot of paint finishes, so I have a fairly good idea of what works and what doesn't. You are the best judge of what is good however...good luck!

 

I have used the clay bar too with great results! It makes your paint as smooth as glass. You'll really be surprised at the difference!

------------------
1999 F150 SC, 4X4 ORP, True duals, Bedliner.