Anyone ever tried a 3M synthetic polish?

A friend works at 3M in their Automotive Appearance Care business, and says they have a new product (not sure it is available yet) that will last over a year. 3M is notoriously conservative in their claims (relative to their competition), so I'm curious...

Not sure if this is the "3M Performance Finish" or a new, similar product.

 

Please post some more info and pics when you / your friend has some experience of it - I would be interested to hear whether these claims are truly founded or not

Is it available to the consumer market?

 

I'll find out tomorrow. I know he's got some samples for me...I'll see if I can get briefed on the science end of things, while I'm at it...

I know the "3M Performance Finish" is available in the consumer market (sort of; like a lot of 3M products it's there but in very limited places--you can google it or look it up on 3M's site). It's a "reactive silicone" product.

But I'm not sure if the "Performance Finish" is what he was referring to, or if they have a new product in the works.

 

My googling revealed this. Looks like their new product is the 3M Performance Finish. I would also be interested in seeing more detailed information on this product. Maybe do a quick write up on ease of application and take some pics of the S while you're at it?

 

Okay I have some samples and a 3M Microfiber cloth - apparently the entire consumer LINE of 3M appearance care products is under launch, but distribution is limited at the moment. By 07 you should be seeing it all over the US in auto stores.

From what I've been told, this product will last thru about 9 months of anything (Minnesota Winter was cited), and a year in most places w/ water still beading beautifully. The product will be offered at dealers as well, and dealers will be offering an extended warrenty on the finish (sounds familiar, ha).

As it says on the 3M page, this is a reactive silicone product - it chemically bonds to the paint of your car - so it lasts. Being silicone, I imagine it will shine pretty well (might also attract dust, tho?).

At any rate, the application method is to use a damp cotton cloth, panel at a time, and remove w/ microfiber-pretty standard. If I get a chance this weekend, I'll try it out & keep you all posted.

 

silicone

Silicone just sitting on the paint is a painters nightmare.

Now you are going to put something on the car that is silicone based that now bonds with the paint.

I hope you never need you car painted again.

The hole panel would need to be blasted down to then bare metal to get rid of the silicone depending on how far it penetrates into the clear/color/primmer.

But there is most likely is something that 3M offers to de-bond the silicone from the paint should it need to be painted but I am sure it is going to cost you your first born to get that stuff.

I will continue to use Zaino for now.

 

"But there is most likely is something that 3M offers to de-bond the silicone from the paint should it need to be painted but I am sure it is going to cost you your first born to get that stuff"


Not when you work at 3M, and have the employee store.

 

This is something I would love to see a comparison test with. For instance, maybe tape off your hood and do one half in Product X and the other half with this new product from 3M. I'm always weary of a company making bold claims about their product lasting 7 months or more in the harshest of elements.

If you think about it, we're talking about the equivalent of a wax or sealant. This is something so microscopically thin it would be almost impossible for it to withstand the abrasive nature of a car's finish. Blazing heat, ice cold, Pay-N-Spray car washes with harsh chemicals, fallout, etc. all eat away at any product applied to a car's paint. I'll remain skeptical until I see some good results. Take lots of pics and tell us what you think when you get a chance to try it.

 

yeah, I hear you on the long-lasting claims. 3M makes no official time claims on the packaging (as usual), but internally I have heard it lasts unusually long. Maybe it is because everone's car is encased in ice for 1/2 the year?

 

Personally, durability is not something which interests me in the least. If the product lasts a month on my car then I'm happy. I find waxing a relaxing process and am happy to do it once a month.

There are a lot of products out there though which make outrageous claims like that they last 1 year or even 5 years or even the life of your car. I've yet to hear of one that actually lived up to its durability claims. So, as you might imagine, I am extremely doubtful of 3M's claim that this product lasts 9-12 months. It's wonderful that 3M can throw around words like "reactive silicone" that few of us likely know the meaning of, but IMO the proof is in the pudding.

This being said, I whole heartedly encourage anyone to try this product and report back their findings. Just keep in mind that these product claims are outlandish and that the product may not live up to them.