I haven't waxed it and it's still crystal clear.
ArmorCoat rocks!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
ArmorCoat rocks!
Last June/July, I had my car completely repainted. The shop that did the work showed me some samples of a product called ArmorCoat. It's more/less a thicker, more durable clear coat that is applied just like regular automotive paint. It serves a similar purpose as the 3M protective film but it conforms to all of the compound curves minimizing edges and areas that are left unprotected.
My car had about 60k miles on it when it was repainted and the front bumper, fenders and rear bumper were beaten with rock chips. I chose to have the entire front bumper, the lower parts of the fenders/rear bumper, and rocker panels ArmorCoat'd.
Today, a co-worker informed me he backed into the front of my car.
With my car being a custom color, I expected the worst walking out to the parking lot. The front of the car was covered in bugs from this weekend so I couldn't really assess the damage without cleaning it. I grabbed some quick detailer and went to work. Much to my surprise... the ArmorCoat resisted the impact completely! 
In 20k miles, I also don't have a single rock chip on any of the ArmorCoat'd panels!
PS. I'm in no way affiliated with ArmorCoat.
My car had about 60k miles on it when it was repainted and the front bumper, fenders and rear bumper were beaten with rock chips. I chose to have the entire front bumper, the lower parts of the fenders/rear bumper, and rocker panels ArmorCoat'd.
Today, a co-worker informed me he backed into the front of my car.
With my car being a custom color, I expected the worst walking out to the parking lot. The front of the car was covered in bugs from this weekend so I couldn't really assess the damage without cleaning it. I grabbed some quick detailer and went to work. Much to my surprise... the ArmorCoat resisted the impact completely! In 20k miles, I also don't have a single rock chip on any of the ArmorCoat'd panels!
PS. I'm in no way affiliated with ArmorCoat.
Last edited by Tech; Aug 23, 2010 at 03:54 PM.
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Thanks for the information. Glad your Vette was spared damage. I never heard of the product, however will certainly look into it when the time comes.
At first, I thought this was a new Armor-all product.
At first, I thought this was a new Armor-all product.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
When you walk up to the car, you can see faint lines behind the tires. However, most people (car nuts included) don't notice it until I point it out.
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Interesting. I wonder what it'd cost to do the entire car. I get a lot of knuckle-heads out here that do stupid things around cars in parking lots. It'd be nice to protect the entire car.
I wonder how resistant it is to keying. I've been keyed already and I've only had the car since March.
I wonder how resistant it is to keying. I've been keyed already and I've only had the car since March.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Palm Beach Florida
I was watching the video and cringed when I saw that they have to wet sand your clearcoat to apply it. That is a deal breaker for me. I have used 3M and didn't like it, but it was reversable, just peel off. I recently found cleartastic film to be pretty nice and has a nice shine to it. I did my bumper and hood on my C5Z. Looks good, has a nice shine, and can come off when I want.
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Thanks for the info. Will keep the name of the company on file for possible future use.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Palm Beach Florida
I wouldn't want it to "adhere", I would want it to protect, yet be reversible. This product is a marriage. When it gets cruddy looking your stuck w/ it or a respray. I had 3m and it got marked up, but it protected well. 2 yrs in I just put it in the sun and then pulled it off. I traded the car that week and it was as new. With this product I would have had to go in for a removal and spray. That's all I was pointing out was the differences in the products.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,977
Likes: 256
From: St. Louis Missouri
I wouldn't want it to "adhere", I would want it to protect, yet be reversible. This product is a marriage. When it gets cruddy looking your stuck w/ it or a respray. I had 3m and it got marked up, but it protected well. 2 yrs in I just put it in the sun and then pulled it off. I traded the car that week and it was as new. With this product I would have had to go in for a removal and spray. That's all I was pointing out was the differences in the products.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,450
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From: Palm Beach Florida
I'm no fan of 3m having used it twice. Both on black cars. I live in FL, and it is a harsh environment w/ the sun and getting sandblasted. There are 2 grades of 3m and I went w/ the better one the second time which had a shiny clear finish. It scratched and got marred up easily. having black I'm sure it showed worse. I removed it to look better for my trade value, and if I had to respray that would have been an expense on a car I was trading. My tint installer recommended Cleartastic and I have found it to be much better, doesn't scratch easily and had a nice shine. I did my whole hood and no one catches it unless I point it out.