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Thread: F11? Hype or is it worth it?

  1. #1
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    F11? Hype or is it worth it?

    Seen plenty of advertising and hype about Top Coat F11, spray and wipe off wax/sealant. Has anyone actually used this stuff and is it worth it?

    If not, any other recommendations? I currently use Meguier's Ultimate Liquid Wax, its synthetic and has a great shine and durability, but it still requires the old way of rubbing on/off and takes an hour at least per car. No white haze either, so I like the stuff, just hate the work.

    EDIT: Found this review about F11 from a pro detailer. Not really what its hyped up to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NquujGpELIU

    Also multiple other reviews say the same.

    Did find some good reviews of DPC Armor and Meguiers Ceramic Wax
    Last edited by kouks; 05-04-2019 at 11:45 PM.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

  2. #2
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    The F11 appears to be a typical sealant, 'best to apply every 3 months to maintain protection'. That's a common time frame for sealants and the application of F11 mirrors many other sealants.
    So, knowing that, it's really expensive and there are sealants way cheaper and just as effective. Some are even easier to apply. Optimum's Opti-seal is a wipe on and walk away product. No buffing.
    Klasse HGAS has been around for a long time and offers great protection. Rejex too. A lot of guys use Rejex on their wheels. Zaino was one of the first sealants to hit the mass market and it's still around. Jescar (Menzerna) Power Lock. Sonax Net Shield. Poorboy's EX-P. All winners and all cheaper.


    If you don't mind giving the car a quick once over every week or so, Duragloss Aqua Wax is a winner. Not a sealant technically but a quick detailer. Sort of a short term sealant with huge shine. Ditto FK425. P&S Beadmaker is a quick detailer currently enjoying huge popularity and offers incredible shine and water beading.

    Anyway, F11 looks like a typical sealant and would work just fine - it's just so darn expensive and there are just so many products in the same genre but way, way, way cheaper.

  3. #3
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    It's just a spray sealant. Take a look at the Sonax polymer netshield. This product works great.

  4. #4
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    Well, here's my unscientific test, but it is dramatic.

    On the left of this photo is Meguir's Hybrid Ceramic Wax, with two coats. Applied as described on the bottle for the first coat and then again applied as per the second coat. Although it beaded water fine, it did not get rid of the swirls and still maintained a bit of haze. Maybe it needed more buffing, but that's not what the bottle says to do. Anyway, I did try some extra hand buffing, but no real effect.

    On the right is Meguir's Ultimate Liquid Wax. Applied just like a regular wax and taken off like a regular wax. As can easily be seen, the swirl is nearly gone, and the color is deep Calypso Red.

    I did this to try and use some other stuff so I didn't have to work as hard getting the cars nice and pretty, but it seems the old fashioned way of applying wax and using Meguirs Ultimate Liquid Wax is the way I'm going to stay.

    On my e38, I used the Ultimate about two weeks ago. Today the sprinklers got some water on the hood. As I drove away the beaded droplets were being blown off by the airflow. On my daughter's e46, I used Ultimate to get rid of some slight scratches on the trunk from her sliding a box on it when it was dirty. That was a month ago and the scratches are still hidden. This stuff work great.

    Last edited by kouks; 05-07-2019 at 09:21 PM.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

  5. #5
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    Yup, predictable results.
    Sealants like the original query about F11 don't fill swirls. Waxes do fill swirls. So, if the goal is to fill swirl marks and provide a shine, a carnauba wax based product is really the only way to go.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnZ3MC View Post
    Yup, predictable results.
    Sealants like the original query about F11 don't fill swirls. Waxes do fill swirls. So, if the goal is to fill swirl marks and provide a shine, a carnauba wax based product is really the only way to go.
    Yes, but people need to realize that the swirls aren't gone.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnZ3MC View Post
    Yup, predictable results.
    Sealants like the original query about F11 don't fill swirls. Waxes do fill swirls. So, if the goal is to fill swirl marks and provide a shine, a carnauba wax based product is really the only way to go.
    Both products are Meguirs and both say they are wax. I understand Ceramic is considered a sealant, but the product said it was a wax and filled swirls. Obviously not. I have read that the Ceramic stuff is longer lasting, but I’d rather have a great shine and color and re-do every 3-6 months. I will also try Meguirs Ultimate Sealant 2.0 over the Ultimate Wax and see what that does and maybe make it last a few months more.

    02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)

  8. #8
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    ^^^
    A few thoughts - you can't determine whether it's a sealant or a wax by what the product says. The marketing guys often use whatever descriptor they want to make the product more receptive to the buying public and the average joe doesn't understand the difference between sealants and waxes and just wants the car to look nice.
    And when the 'filling' properties are mentioned, it may take more than one application to actually fill. Autoglym's SRP is a great example. It's a sealant that claims to remove minor swirls. It fills them but it took 4 - 6 layers to do it on the wife's DD.
    Anyway, be wary of marketing claims and you're doing the right thing - doing your own research.

  9. #9
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    Re:F11 - I had a detailer go over my wife's VERY dirty PT Cruiser inside and out, he did a nice job, so asked him to do my Oxford Green 01 740iL while he was there in May 2019. He told me he used F11 on the paint, touting its magical properties, especially how future dirt would blow off because the finish was so slick.
    Well, a few days after he left, our oak pollen started to fall and my car turned yellow. I got out the leaf blower, and to my surprise and disappointment, the pollen did not blow off, but instead, acted like it was adhered. It took a full blown hand car wash to remove the pollen, and I went back to my trusted Meguiar's Ultimate. IMHO, that stuff is excellent! Easy on, fairly durable and a great shine without swirls. I won't ever use F11 on my car again.

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