for those that don't enjoy waxing, I highly recommend this stuff. I've used it on several cars before, and have friends in other states with really crappy climates that swear by it.

www.toughguard.com

visit the site, its a apply once, good for five years, unlike most of the dealer crap they try to sell, where you have to re-apply it every six months. Its not cheap, but one kit is good enough to do two cars (I split it with my friend who drives a Jetta)

the car paint when done feels smoother than the window glass, it literally brings the true color out of your car. Once on you never wax the car, dirt and crap wash off easily with water and a mild soap.

I put this on every car I own, I'll post some pics shortly for you guys to see. But, if you really hate waxing, I highly recommend it.

 

I was thinking about getting this myself - how is it doing on the 8? post some pics maybe?

 

Would applying wax on top of toughguard add to the paint's depth? Can you still apply wax to it...?

Cheers!

 

I'd post some pics but since my car is so new it just looks shiny and clean, I will say that the paint surface feels smoother than the glass, after the application. In addition, my car doesn't get dirty nearly as fast, which is nice. The best part is that you only have to apply it every 5 years, although I will reapply it in three just b/c I'm paranoid like that

DO NOT wax the the car once it is applied, that will degrade the toughguard sealant. All the you need to do is wash the car with a mild soap and dry it. I have used it on two cars and been very happy. My Mazda6 was black and two years later its finish still looked band new.

 

So basically, if I put it on and the car gets dirty, it will look fresh-waxed every time I wash it?

 

basically, you got it. Its nice b/c the sealant seals the pours? in the paint, making it harder for dirt to stick to it in the first place, but yeah, a nice hand wash and dry, and the car is shiny like the day you got it. Sure 3 coats of wax may be a bit more shiny, but the look is damn good. The best part is really the protection from UV and oxidation from acid rain....ie, no paint fade.

I split a treatment with a friend and got his Jetta and my 8 out of one set with a little left over. So if you have a friend who might be interested, it becomes less expensive.

 

If it really lasts 5 years.. I don't think the $130 is going to kill anyone.

I just find it odd that they say "the thinner you apply it, the better it works".

 

So one last question (maybe )

How does Toughguard handle swirl marks - are they a problem? When my 8 shows up it will be the first dark colored car I've owned, and wnt to make sure it looks nice. Am I going to have to spend hours trying to polish out swirls?

 

hmm, not sure, I didn't really have a issue on my black 6, you might wanna contact them and ask, I'm not sure what would happen if you applied a polish onto a car with the toughguard treatment.

 

can we see some pics?

 

if you go to www.dotphoto.com, enter the username - brillo and the password - Mazda6, you can see my almost 2 year old black mazda6 with it on. I don't have any digital pics of my 8 handy since its so new, I should prolly take those. My old 6 is better anyways, cuz it shows the shine and luster on a almost 2 year old car.

 

I'd hate to say this, but I'd be skeptical of any company that claims a 5 year life span for coating. I have heard that claim from all sorts of sealant companies and they never last that long. Just keep your eye out. Sometimes you never know if it is truly on the car or not.
I represent the CrystalGuard product and the manufacture claims 5 years as well, but I don't ever tell my customers that. It's a pretty steep claim...

 

You all know the saying - 'If it sounds too good to be true...'

 

I've had friends in Europe use the stuff for years in much harsher climates, snow, ice, salt etc.. and after 8 years (he reapplied it after 4 years to be safe) his paint finish was amazing. I'm still testing it out myself but my 6 after almost two years with a wash looked brand new. I'm planning on re applying it in three years to be extra safe, hell it was $50 after splitting it with a friend.

All I can say is I have been very happy, and I live in Houston, where smog, acid rain, and UV are at their worst.