shortspark

At a detail forum they are talking about the difficult time professional detailers are having with ceramiclear paint, used primarily by MB and BMW. Some people are saying MB uses this paint only on their high end machines, such as AMG, but others are not so sure. Still others believe only MB vehicles made in Europe have this coating. I have "Diamond White" on my 2012 ML350 made here in America. Is there any way of finding out if ceramiclear paint was used? Here is what one expert had to say about this:

From Dr. Ghodoussi...
"After the "cerami"clear top coat is sprayed, the nano particles of Fumed Silica (SiO2), which are synthetically engineered, migrate to the top 0.2 mils of the clear coat as it is curing.

If you remove this potion of the clear layer of paint, the paint under it will be much softer and will not polish out or react the same way the nano particle portion did or would.
You will at some level have compromised the the finish on the car".

fabbrisd1

The paint process on certain AMG models including Black Editions, matee paint, and the SLS are entirely different than the paint process/material used on Mercedes production cars.

That said - the clear coat used on your Diamond White" does qualify as a "ceramic clear coat" of a different type described by the "Dr".

This is straight from my collision guys - who not only are MB Certified but are also certified and highly respected nationwide on the AMG finishes as well.

Frankly, for best paint protection for your new Diamond White I personally would recommend a "polish" such as Einszett Glanz Wax (Blue top) or a Black Fire polish product.

With a correct polish on your clean/new Diamond White - then any add-on wax on top can easily be done with a spray "nano-carnuba".

With the specific Einszett product, tht is a wipe-on a smooth thin coat, let dry/cure for 30 min, and then wipe off the haze with a microfiber towel.

Keep the beat !

shortspark

Thanks, that is good information. I have tried the Einszett anti-insect spray and it works very well - just a hose down with virtually no scrubbing. I understand they are German made so I am sure they have been thoroughly tested on all the MB paints. I am a big fan of spray wax/sealants so I think I will order the 1Z Einszett spray wax to try out. They also have a highly regarded polish (and as you said, the blue can glanz wax), along with other products for car care. Here is a good source if anyone is interested:

http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-products.html

fabbrisd1

It is a waste of wax to put it on the clear coat without a polish/sealant 1st - with correct polish/sealant then wax can be added to increase depth-of-lustre and will last..

Big misunderstanding in "detailer" world - where old-school-heavy-wax-heavy-buffing became the somewhat-sick thinking here in the US..

shortspark

Very true! The heavy buffing mentality comes from improper washing/polishing technique in the first place where swirls and imperfections are introduced and then have to be corrected with the buffer. This is minimized with clear coat and especially with white colors.

In the past I have used two product lines I like very much for white and light colored cars - Klasse and Duragloss. Klasse All in One for the polish/cleaner and their Sealant Glaze as the last step product. Great looks and durability and also German made, or at least German created. I even made a home brew spray of 1 part Sealant to 3 parts distilled water and it worked pretty good as a spray topper. Lately I have used Duragloss polish and sealants (their 111 is especially good on white cars), topped with a spray of their AquaWax that actually bonds to any of their sealants. Good stuff but I am anxious to try the Einszett line as well.

jean7of9

Please share your experience with Einszett after your try. I am a long time user of Zaino and want to find out how Einszett compares to Duragloss.

shortspark

I will try to answer your question but it will be only a partial answer because the proof is in the protection and longevity question, and that will take some time to determine. I received my Einszett spray wax the other day and had a chance to use it yesterday afternoon. The day before I gave my ML350 Diamond White a wash with a weak solution ratio of Chemical Guys Clear Shampoo. I included an ounce of Optimum NoRinse thrown in for slickness. The car was not too dirty and I could have gotten by with just the ONR but I wanted to try the Clear Shampoo, which is a great product! You can dilute it to a daily wash ratio that is PH neutral and will not strip your sealant or wax. Or, if you are going for a full detail and want to start from scratch, you can use it almost as you would a polish at a higher strength ratio to strip your last step product. I've also heard it works exceptionally well in foam cannons, if that is your thing. If I were to do a full detail, I would also use a paint cleanser such as the very fine German made P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser. As you know, the paint prep work and polish is far more important than the final wax or sealant.

I decided to experiment with my new Einszett by matching it up against two of my favorite after wash "toppers" - Optimum Spray Wax and Duragloss AquaWax. All three are not true waxes as I understand they have some polymers included and are as much sealants as they are wax - almost hybrids in formula and chemistry. I used the Einszett on the hood, both rear door panels and rear hatch area; the Duragloss on the front right side panels and the Optimum on the front left side panels. I did not spray wax the roof at all this time around.

I took a strong work light and went all around the vehicle. I could not tell a bit of difference in gloss (they were all terrific!) and all three were smooth as silk to the touch. The Optimum went on easiest in that it buffed out right away while the Duragloss seemed more "liquid" and required several more passes to buff out, even with a very plush "chinchilla" microfiber towel. Then again, I might have sprayed too much product on the panel as it did seem to have a much more powerful sprayer than the other two. Einszett was similar to the OSW in application. Basically, all three can be applied as you would "quick detailers" in that they are spray and wipe products.

Now I will determine which of the three protects the best and lasts the longest, although I realize the Einszett will be at a little disadvantage because the hood is a horizontal surface. However, I will still get a good reading as far as dust attraction and ease of future road grime, bug and tar removal.

Time will tell I guess but as of right now I can only conclude that most major spray wax "toppers" and maintenance sprays are fairly equal - at least on Diamond White. Of the three I used Duragloss would probably get the nod (at least initially) because it can be found in some NAPA and Carquest stores locally (I believe the others have to be ordered by mail) and because it is by far the cheapest. It takes a little longer to buff out as I said before but not terribly so.

Incidentally, I also ordered the 1Z Einszett vinyl/rubber treatment spray and used it on the engine, window/door rubber seals and exterior moldings, as well as on the dash and interior parts (except seats, steering wheel and pedals because the directions said not to). I was very impressed with this product. It made the black trim and rubber blacker but not shinier, if you get my meaning. It seems to be as good as Protectant 303 and that is saying a lot!

jean7of9

Shortspark: Impressive detailed report. Thanks for taking the time in sharing your experience.

shortspark

Thanks Jean, hope it helps.