[RCF]

So back in May, I washed my SS really good with Dawn and clay barred it. I started off using Chemical Guy Clay Bar Alternative, but it didn’t seem to be doing a great job with the small black (tree sap?) spots, so I switched to a Meguiars clay bar. When I was finished, I rewashed the car and the paint surface was slick with no gritty, bumpy, etc feeling.

The next morning, I set up my portable canopy over the front half to keep it in the shade. I applied Blackfire SiO2 to the front half applied with a clean microfiber damped with it, then buffed with a clean microfiber one section at a time), then repeated on the back half after moving the canopy and letting the surfaces cool after getting out of the sun.

The car looked awesome!!! Pic below.

Well... between traveling, weather, etc, I haven’t driven it much and haven’t washed it again until today. It’s been sitting outside in the driveway (working on getting garage cleaned out and will be back in soon).

Holy crap, the paint felt HORRID this morning! Before/during washing, it felt kinda like an old greasy, dirty film. And you could feel contaminants like a 5+ year old car that’s never been clay barred. Even after washing it good it feels like crap. And there was no water beading or sheeting whatsoever! It did water bead after it was applied, rained on me once while driving it.

I’m at a loss as all the reviews of the Blackfire SiO2 spray are positive. The paint looked and felt amazing after applying! Was never hazy, etc. Not sure what could have caused this???

[KirkH]

Originally Posted by RCF

So back in May, I washed my SS really good with Dawn and clay barred it. I started off using Chemical Guy Clay Bar Alternative, but it didn’t seem to be doing a great job with the small black (tree sap?) spots, so I switched to a Meguiars clay bar. When I was finished, I rewashed the car and the paint surface was slick with no gritty, bumpy, etc feeling.

The next morning, I set up my portable canopy over the front half to keep it in the shade. I applied Blackfire SiO2 to the front half applied with a clean microfiber damped with it, then buffed with a clean microfiber one section at a time), then repeated on the back half after moving the canopy and letting the surfaces cool after getting out of the sun.

The car looked awesome!!! Pic below.

Well... between traveling, weather, etc, I haven’t driven it much and haven’t washed it again until today. It’s been sitting outside in the driveway (working on getting garage cleaned out and will be back in soon).

Holy crap, the paint felt HORRID this morning! Before/during washing, it felt kinda like an old greasy, dirty film. And you could feel contaminants like a 5+ year old car that’s never been clay barred. Even after washing it good it feels like crap. And there was no water beading or sheeting whatsoever! It did water bead after it was applied, rained on me once while driving it.

I’m at a loss as all the reviews of the Blackfire SiO2 spray are positive. The paint looked and felt amazing after applying! Was never hazy, etc. Not sure what could have caused this???

The SiO2 spray on/wipe off has 1-3 months protection under the best conditions. If it has just been sitting in the driveway for 2-3 months, getting dusted by cars driving past, tree pollen and sap raining down, rained on, sun UV rays, etc.- those are pretty tough conditions.

Generally you should wash it every 2 weeks under those conditions and reapply the SiO2 every month. It's just car "wax" with hype not a miracle product.

[RCF]

Originally Posted by KirkH

The SiO2 spray on/wipe off has 1-3 months protection under the best conditions. If it has just been sitting in the driveway for 2-3 months, getting dusted by cars driving past, tree pollen and sap raining down, rained on, sun UV rays, etc.- those are pretty tough conditions.

Generally you should wash it every 2 weeks under those conditions and reapply the SiO2 every month. It's just car "wax" with hype not a miracle product.

Thanks for the reply!

Didn’t think it was a miracle coating but couple of things I should have been more clear about I guess (& maybe #2 is totally unrelated, I don’t know) -

1 - a couple of my cars sit out there all the time, and have never felt that awful when I’ve washed them, sometimes as much as 6 months since last wash (older pickup). It honestly does need to be clay barred again already.

2 - 2 months and no beading? Every wax I’ve ever used has lasted much longer. Do SiO2 sprays not last as long as “normal” waxes? Honest question as maybe I should go back to mequiars stuff.

[KirkH]

Spray on/Spray off SiO2 like Gyeon WetCoat, etc. last about 1 month in good conditions, but they are super easy to use every wash. The spray on/wipe off advertises 6 mos, but my experience has been 3-6 months in best conditions. 1-3 months for normal conditions.

There are lots of shampoos that also have a little SiO2 in them to reapply or boost as you wash.

Carnauba wax is a natural product and will last about 1 month in the best conditions. It melts off, etc because its a natural product.

I recommend polymer paint sealants for people who want beading for 6-12 months. They will generally do so without any boost.

Many will come on and say ceramic coating is the answer. They will bead for 12-24 months. I have coated my own vehicles but went back to polymer sealants because the ceramic coatings will get water spots if you leave hard water on the paint too long, and we have hard water here.

[RCF]

Thanks again for the info!

Yeah, when I said wax lasted longer I meant the polymer stuff not carnuba.

Any help or harm using SiO2 spray over a previously applied polymer sealant?

[KirkH]

Originally Posted by RCF

Thanks again for the info!

Yeah, when I said wax lasted longer I meant the polymer stuff not carnuba.

Any help or harm using SiO2 spray over a previously applied polymer sealant?

No harm.