Just got a new car as a gift and unknowingly "xzilon" was applied to it. Anyone ever heard about it? xzilon.com .....its pretty much a 5 year warranty or more like a contract saying that it will last for that long?!?! I'd say a bunch of bs, but anyways, I am not allowed to polish or buff this thing at all to stay under warranty and they won't even re-apply whatever they had put on. Just wash and wax....but I mean why would I need to wax it if it already is pretty much like a sealent itself? double protection perhaps? I was just wondering how I would go about stripping this stuff?
Lifetime Paint Protection There is no polymer, synthetic or natural wax, or after-market product available that can provide a two, five year or lifetime protection to a paint film surface. Read the fine print in the contract offered by car dealerships, there is normally a clause that states you should return the vehicle for a "maintenance" application of the product (at 3 or 6 months intervals) failing to do this will void your warranty or the fine print will basically exclude every condition you could claim against The primary protection provided for a modern water-based colour coat is a polythene paint that has a thickness of 2-3 Mils (0.002-0.003") this is protected by a sacrificial barrier of wax or synthetic polymer sealant. This semi-liquid barrier is all that stands between the environmental contaminants (ultra violet radiation, acid rain, ozone, industrial pollution, rain, road dirt and tar, etc) and the paint film surface. This renewable barrier is less than 0.000001" thick. While it’s true that a polymer paints melting point is 350+oF, it is still subject to evaporation and erosion by the elements and vehicle washing. However its durability is approximately five or six months. The technology for a lifetime protection for a vehicles paint film surface does not currently exist. Most dealerships rely on the fact that few customers read the fine print on the contract; the PermaPlate box says is must be reapplied every 6 months and every 3 months on darker coloured cars (for which a service charge will apply). While it will not provide ‘lifetime’ protection go to a Chrysler or Dodge dealer and get them to apply their sealant Product specific - Daimler-Chrysler Master Shield sealant - this product provides both real protection and a real warranty for any make of vehicle. Daimler-Chrysler has marketed and sold their "Master Shield" warranty program since 1980, and Auto International has been their primary supplier of the products used since day one. If the products Auto International did not live up to what they claimed to do, or there were a large number of unhappy customers lodging huge warranty claims, or Daimler-Chrysler own testing labs could not validate the products. Do you really think Daimler-Chrysler and Auto International would have continued to market them successfully for over 26 years? Daimler-Chrysler Warranty
Thanks for this article. That snake oil has been bothering me ever since my friend's mom had it applied to her car. Keep up the good work!
The sadist part, is that people get sucked in to this stuff from the business office and pay anywhere from $600 to $1900 just to wax a car!
My uncle has terrible arthritis in his hands so waxing his Vette is out of the question. A friend of the family worked for a dealership and applied Xzilon to the car at wholesale cost (much, much, much cheaper than what dealers sell it for) back when he bought it four and a half years ago. While I think I could make it look much better with regular detailing, I have to admit for a car that is only washed twice a month, it doesn't look bad after 4 1/2 years, looks better than 95% of the 4-5 year old cars on the road. Again, it looks no where near as good as any of us could make it look but if you are someone who hates waxing/detailing your car and you can find some online for about $50, it may not be a bad deal.
Xzilon is a joke. I saw the pitch from the sales rep. He put it on the car, then he blew on it for a second or two and then wiped it off. The stuff doesn't last.
This is NOT true. Matrix Micro Coatings offers a lifetime warranty, and you never have to reapply. The product is no joke, it really works.
If you want to strip it, just pour some water on it, and then stare at it for 5 minutes. If you want to reapply it, buy some on ebay for $20. eBay Motors: Xzilon Molecular Adhesion Paint Protectant (item 250365447902 end time Feb-04-09 08:54:50 PST)
As a Chemical Engineer I stand by my statement as I know of no coating that will last a 'Lifetime'. PPG / Mercedes-Benz invested a lot of maney in R&D for their nanatechnology 'CeramiClear' coating that is consdered the longest lasting automotive coating to-date, but there is no 'lifetime' warranty given The rate of environmental exposure that negatively effects (clear coat) paint varies widely, but experience shows that 0.0005 –inch per annum is about average. Protective coatings polymer sealants, wax, etc), being renewable are meant to be sacrificial (it is subjected to oxidation, thereby by saving the clear coat)
I work for detailing and BMW and Lexus......when a customer buys a vehicle and the salesman offer the xzilon package I would mostly refuse to do it but then I'm forced to anyways. If the customer choose to a black vehicle I literally will stop working and go up to the customer and explain why it is not a good idea to use it on the paint. I find that the chemical acts like a stripper to remove all types of polish or any type of correction done to the car and you will see what the car really looks like with all the swirls and scratches.
