[matlough]

Taking delivery in March and wondering if its worth spending the money and having one of the many Paint Protection waxes applied?

Various companies offer this service including BMW. Has anyone else done this?
Who did you use? Was it worth it?

[ages944]

I'm sure Picus can correct me if I'm wrong, but those kind of things sound like profit padding for the dealership.

[///Matt]

I got my car "permaplated".

It's supposed to protect the car from bird crap, water spots, bugs, and tree sap. It has a 7 year warranty, that if any of these things damage the paint, PermaPlate will repaint the affected panel for free.

I paid $200.

On top of a $45,000 car, I figured, even if it's BS, why not.

Also, included in this $200, they applied PermaPlates interior protectants also. Kept my leather looking good/clean for about 15,000 miles before I had to re-condition.

The interior portion of the PermaPlate product warranties my carpets and my leather against certain issues that every day life may cause.


It seemed worth it to me.

[picus]

I posted this in another thread yesterday.

"You'll find many opinions on paint protection packages; in general what you're paying for is the warranty. For the most part paint protection like Glare, Xzilon, Diamond Kote, etc... are just high durability sealants applied by the dealer at a huge markup. They almost always come with a warranty that specifies that the product be re-applied every 6 months to a year (which almost no one does). Since most folks never go back it's a huge money maker for the dealership.

The warranties also prohibit you from polishing or waxing your paint, which is a big turn off in my opinion.

I'd say take the money and invest in a quality paint sealant, leather cleaner/conditioner, and some scotch guard for your carpets, and do it yourself in a day.

If you want second, third, and forth opinions head over to autopia.org and search around."

To go into a little more detail; there is currently no product that will last more than ~12 months on paint. There may be some soon, but right now they just don't exist so as I mentioned you're essentially paying for the warranty. As a detailer I am inclined to say "pay a detailer to protect your car" because it is a much better bang for your buck (I can explain why if you like); or even do it yourself. That said this isn't a realistic option for a lot of people, so the paint protection CAN make sense if you expect you will use the warranty at some point.

[EHDEN]

if your leasing your car, i don't see the reason for the exterior paint protect. wash and wax your car regurarly. don't think you need that extension bird shit warranty on your car, unless your an idiot who parks your car under a tree every night when the night comes.

As far as the interior...if you tend to be a dirty person and eat and put un necessary junk all over your car...then go for the interior protection!

just my two cents...

[matlough]

Originally Posted by picus

....as I mentioned you're essentially paying for the warranty.

What kind of situations could you then claim under the warranty?

[picus]

Originally Posted by matlough

What kind of situations could you then claim under the warranty?

It depends on the particular warranty, they are all different. Most of them are like ///Matt's - you can make a claim if you have a serious bird poop etching, a water spot etching, a bug stain, or an embedded sap situation. You can't make a claim for scratches or abuse (using auto washes etc...). I *personally* feel like the situations where you can make a claim are pretty rare, and you can mitigate them yourself, but since not everyone has time to seal/wax their car it can be a good idea. Remember, you can easily spend $25 on a sealant and accomplish what they will be doing yourself in about 4 hours, but what you will not have is their "warranty". It's very similar to buying an extended warranty for your car at the time you buy it. Obviously it's a winning proposition for the dealer or they wouldn't sell it, but you never know if you'll need it or not.

We often have this discussion over at detailing forums. Most of these "protection systems" are ~$500+ from dealerships (Matt got a good deal), so if you choose to have a professional maintain your car say, twice a year (light polish, seal, etc...) you'll probably get 3 years of visits and your car will look good all the time, as opposed to getting washed/sealed every 6 months by the dealership (who are usually not "pros"). It really all comes down to your needs vs time though.

[tdekany]

Listen to Picus!

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by tdekany

Listen to Picus!

+1

[scottwww]

I applied Xzilon myself (bought it on Ebay). So far, so good.

Since i don't have an A/B comparison that I can make, I can't say for sure how different it is than if I hadn't applied it, but it seems to have left the finish pretty easy to clean.

In the spring I will go over it again very carefully. I'll polish, clay, Xzilon and wax it to see how good it can be.

[ProDetail]

cilajet.....it's the same coating that Gulfstream uses under a different name. It was made to preserve the life of the paint for jets.....it has been only used in the Aerospace industry & is trully a product that detailers love. It is now launching in the automotive industry....there are actually 2 products cilajet & cilajet wet. Being a professional detailer to A list celebrities in LA....the products I use are very important to me....when someone handed me this product to try...I was very hesitant; however, after using it....I will not use anything else. When both products are used in conjuction, the wet product literally takes out all the sun oxidation & webbing & even fills bird stains on the paint....then the cilajet sealant seals it all in. My clients love it not only for the shine...but when applied to the chrome wheels....the brake dust doesn't stick as much. It is applied to the complete exterior of the car glass, chrome & paint. It's easy to apply by hand or by electric buffer & dries quickly.

[matlough]

Originally Posted by ProDetail

cilajet.....it's the same coating that Gulfstream uses under a different name. It was made to preserve the life of the paint for jets.....it has been only used in the Aerospace industry & is trully a product that detailers love. It is now launching in the automotive industry....there are actually 2 products cilajet & cilajet wet. Being a professional detailer to A list celebrities in LA....the products I use are very important to me....when someone handed me this product to try...I was very hesitant; however, after using it....I will not use anything else. When both products are used in conjuction, the wet product literally takes out all the sun oxidation & webbing & even fills bird stains on the paint....then the cilajet sealant seals it all in. My clients love it not only for the shine...but when applied to the chrome wheels....the brake dust doesn't stick as much. It is applied to the complete exterior of the car glass, chrome & paint. It's easy to apply by hand or by electric buffer & dries quickly.

Cannot find this product anywhere - does it have another name (trade name)?

[Dr_Dirt]

Originally Posted by matlough

Cannot find this product anywhere - does it have another name (trade name)?

http://cilajet.com/Contact.htm

[audiudo]

Just recently purchased a 2008 beemer and the dealer offered me the Cilajet protection package. I was skeptical at first and decided not to purchase it. While waiting for my vehicle to get ready, I noticed another bmw with the same color that just had been sold. The salesman was puttting on the tags and I was admiring the car since I purchased the same color. I looked at the car and commented to the owner that I purchased the same color too.

A few minutes later, my black beemer pulled up next to the gentlemen's car and immediately I noticed a difference. I told my salesperson that my car didn't seem to be as shiny as the other gentlemen's car. He told me the difference was that vehicle had the cilajet package on it. As he went to get tags for my car, I asked the owner of the bmw what he thought about cilajet and he told me that he had cilajet on his previous car and absolutely loves the way its keeps his car's appearance.

When my salesman came back, I told him I like to purchase cilajet for my car. In that package, they also gave me the leather and had it applied to the wheels. Needless to say, I am absolutely THRILLED with the way my car looks!! I have driven my car around for several months now and it still looks like it just came out of the showroom.


I came across this blog when I was looking to find a dealer that sells cilajet in Md since my parent just bought a honda.

[drvai]

You have to consider that when you first saw your car, it was maybe without any kind of wax, and that will definetly make a diference.

[drvai]

Was checking the web site and they offer a 10 year warranty... that's interesting.

[audiudo]

The dealer gave me 10 year warranty on the paint and I also got 5 year warranty for the interior. I look through the company website and was happy to see that it was used on the presidential helicopter. If it is good enough for the president, its good enough for me. LOL

[R-expert]

I just landed into this forum and read the posts. Everyone is so concerned about his or her car and there are so many frauds out there. Hard to find anything that delivers what it promises.
Any way when it comes to cilajet, it simply does not work and there is NO REAL WARRANTY.
After considerable research, I would like to share the results with those who are seeking information about ciliajet.
According to the manufacturer, Cilajet is an epoxy-based product. Epoxy is a synthetic material that works like glue and forms a plastic/PVC-like surface. Epoxy is a resin and contains two main components Epichlorohydrin & Bisphenol-A.
Environmental and health risk:
The primary risk associated with epoxy use is sensitization to the hardener, which, over time, can induce an allergic reaction.
Both epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A are suspected endocrine disruptors.
Bisphenol A is linked to the following effects in humans:
Estrogenic activity;
Alteration of male reproductive organs;
Early puberty induction;
Shortened duration of breast-feeding;
Pancreatic cancer
See: http://www.environmentcalifornia.org...nol-a-overview
And: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/epichlor.html

Application:
Since epoxy is liquid (so is Cilajet) it creates a thin layer over the paint (According to the company one ounce is enough to cover a medium size vehicle). When epoxy cures, it creates a somewhat plastic and glue-like coating, hard as PVC. This application over the paint results in a "PVC-like" overlay. While epoxy is very resistant polymer against environmental contaminants, it does not tolerate mechanical violations, such as polishing. Remember a PVC pipe or an epoxy floor does not require complete scratch free surface. However, your car does. In addition, since the paint is not etched (see below) the binding is not stabile and durable. Therefore, compounding a vehicle with an epoxy coating creates scratches (It is like compounding plastic).
Therefore, Cilajet voids the warranty if epoxy treated vehicle is polished. Also, it is a misleading statement from the manufacturer that the binding of the epoxy is on molecular level. While the curing process is a molecular action (that is hardening process involving epoxy resin and a catalyst), the connection between epoxy and surface is mechanical. Remember that epoxy is widely used as concrete floor coating (requires etching process), deck wood coating (wood is very porous and etched by nature), untreated metal (that is exactly what was used in manufacturer's testing).

Cosmetic effect:
The softness of the paint as stated by Cilajet has VERY little to do with the coating. It is a result of polishing and compounding. The gloss value has also to do mostly with the polishing part. However, the epoxy adds some shine on the vehicle as it does with your garage floor.
What I often see is statements such as "it makes my car shiny". Well, motor oil makes your car shiny; butter makes your car shiny so does a million different waxes and shining products. The question you should ask is:
Does it PROTECT the paint? Why? What are the chemical properties? What are the resistance and failure points?

Functionality:
Cilajet is a paint sealant . Sealants have one function ONLY. That is making a surface waterproof and water repelling. That is it. Just because something is repelling water, does not mean that it is protecting against everything else. Moreover, if Cilajet was protecting as it promises, the warranty should be different.

Warranty and Durability:
As it is the case with all epoxy-protected surfaces, the application will decay with the usage. Therefore, the 10-year warranty is very limited. The warranty says:

"Eligible vehicles: New Vehicles: cilajet™ Limited 10-Year Warranty applies only to new vehicles that have been treated with cilajet™ within 180 days of titling, have less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time of application and have the product reapplied after 5 years of original ownership. Commercial vehicles and/or vehicles for hire are NOT eligible for the 10-Year and 5-Year Limited Warranty.
Pre-Owned Vehicles: cilajet™ Limited 5-Year Warranty applies to pre-owned vehicles that are 5 years old or newer, with less than 40,000 miles on the odometer at the time of application."

As stated by the manufacture, warranty does not include commercial vehicles and commercial usage of the vehicle voids the warranty.

Since the coating is very thin and the epoxy is not as strong as it should, in order to provide proper protection, the sealant cannot resist harsh chemicals. Therefore, manufacturer limits the warranty if any contaminant is not removed immediately, or if bug remover or degreaser is used.

"The treated vehicle must be properly maintained by frequent washing and the removal of any foreign substance, as soon as it is noticed. If a bug, tar, or tree sap remover is used, cilajet™ must be reapplied to the affected surfaces to keep the warranty in force. Failure to maintain the vehicle’s condition by regular and appropriate washing/cleaning invalidates the warranty."

Well, as you see there IS no warranty. Hehehe...Whatever happens to the paint is a result of "Failure to maintain the vehicle's condition". This warranty is a joke. I wonder why they don't provide a 50 year warranty, or why not lifetime? Legally they do not need to fulfill it. ALTERNATIVELY, if you have any problem with them so they have put an arbitration clause in the warranty too. So forget small claims process. You must go through the costly arbitration process.
See: http://www.cilajet.com/cilajet%20warranty%2010yr.pdf

[R-expert]

Cilajet was tested only in a lab in Texas for 110 hrs and not on the paint. They sent a chrome/nickel plate, which DID show loss of chrome and heavy pitting.
My car has a few chrome details but it is not made of chrome or nickel plates. By the way, that was 110 hrs of (let's say) very harsh testing. But 10 years warranty is 87,600 hrs (5 years 43,800 hrs) subject to sun, dust, acid rain, you name it.
Even in their own test, they are using an untreated metal plate. Guess what? One industrial usage for epoxy is as a non-corrosive sealant on untreated metal, not automobile paint. It protects steel wool from rust, so do undercoating and rust protective products or liquid galvanizer. However, I don’t put those products on my car, and my Beemer is not made of steel wool or untreated metal, is yours?
See: http://www.cilajet.com/steelwool.pdf
and: http://www.cilajet.com/cilajettest.pdf

[Haywire]

Like quite a few here said, you are paying for the warranty, I paid about 8oo bucks canadian for all three things. paint, sound, interior...figuring its one of the few things i can do that actually retains the vehicles value.

If i have any issues, and they play ball and just take care of bird shiat, bugs and so forth...i wont have any problems. but if it comes time that i want my car treated again because i have etchings and so forth...then im going to burn down the fu@king dealership

I say if u think u should do it, do it... im not MR HANDY myself. But if youre a crafty dude and like taking the time to do it yourself, or eventually wanna pay someone else to do it for you down the line...you can do that too.

btw. i actually like the soundguard, real quiet ride.

[picus]

Originally Posted by audiudo

Just recently purchased a 2008 beemer and the dealer offered me the Cilajet protection package. I was skeptical at first and decided not to purchase it. While waiting for my vehicle to get ready, I noticed another bmw with the same color that just had been sold. The salesman was puttting on the tags and I was admiring the car since I purchased the same color. I looked at the car and commented to the owner that I purchased the same color too.

A few minutes later, my black beemer pulled up next to the gentlemen's car and immediately I noticed a difference. I told my salesperson that my car didn't seem to be as shiny as the other gentlemen's car. He told me the difference was that vehicle had the cilajet package on it. As he went to get tags for my car, I asked the owner of the bmw what he thought about cilajet and he told me that he had cilajet on his previous car and absolutely loves the way its keeps his car's appearance.

When my salesman came back, I told him I like to purchase cilajet for my car. In that package, they also gave me the leather and had it applied to the wheels. Needless to say, I am absolutely THRILLED with the way my car looks!! I have driven my car around for several months now and it still looks like it just came out of the showroom.


I came across this blog when I was looking to find a dealer that sells cilajet in Md since my parent just bought a honda.

As mentioned, it's likely you didn't have any sort of product on your paint, which is why the other car appeared shinier. As I said above it's a personal decision and the warranty can come in handy, but generally speaking there are cheaper, better alternatives out there.

[NoKids]

Originally Posted by picus

As mentioned, it's likely you didn't have any sort of product on your paint, which is why the other car appeared shinier. As I said above it's a personal decision and the warranty can come in handy, but generally speaking there are cheaper, better alternatives out there.

Picus, i'm sorry to inform you that Audiudo hasn't posted on this forum in 366 days. something tells me he isn't coming back.