22ple VX3 Signature Glass Coating – Product Review and Application
by Zach McGovernWhen I saw that 22ple had released a new set of coating products, I was very interested in trying them out as I was already quite a big fan of their first generation VX Pro and VX1 Signature Products. My previous experiences with the 22ple paint coatings have been great as they provided long lasting gloss and protection while also being one of the easiest coatings to use on the market. Perhaps the only complaint I had about the product was the relatively high retail price compared to some of the competition…. that is, until now. 22ple VX3 Signature Glass Coat is the latest signature coating from 22ple, which has been improved with a new, more advanced UHMW Silica for even better performance, and also now at a very competitive price.
I applied this coating to this gorgeous Acura at the customer’s home, and as expected, it was a real pleasure to use. Using the CarPro Applicator Block and Suede, the coating was very easy to spread evenly across the vehicle as seen in the image below.
I allowed the coating to sit for roughly 5-6 minutes, as directed, before I began removing the excess product. Using light pressure, I wiped the panel first with a large suede microfiber towel to level the majority of the excess product, and then finished with a light pass with a Black & Yellow towel to ensure the panel was completely free of any high spots.
It took just an hour or so to apply one coat to the entire vehicle, and a little less than 15 mL of product were used. Keep in mind, many people who may be applying these types of products for the first time may use more product than we did, but the 30 mL bottle should be enough for one coat on any size vehicle.
The vehicle was left to sit in the garage for over 24 hours, and the end result was nothing short of stunning. The nicely polished paint topped with the glass coating created a very glossy finish with incredible depth. Check out those crystal clear reflections!
First impressions of this new offering from 22ple are great. Another easy to use product with a better price and performance. I will continue to monitor the durability of this product over time, however given my personal testing with previous 22ple coatings, I am expecting this coating to provide years of durable protection and gloss.
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How do you fold the suede towel for removal of the product? I’ve had 22PLE on my ’11 Porsche Turbo (Platinum Silver) for a little over a year. Should I be thinking of removing the existing 22PLE and applying a new coat? If so, what pad/product combo do you recommend I use to remove the glass coating?
Hi Shawn – I fold the large suede towel into quarters, same way with the microfiber towel that I use for the final wipe. Any of the 22ple products will provide good protection for well over a year as long as it has been maintained, so I would not think you would need to remove your existing layer any time soon. I would simply recommend applying some 22ple VS1 Final Coat for additional gloss, slickness, and protection. VS1 is meant to go on top of any of their glass coatings to complement the coating and will help to keep your car looking even better for a long time. VS1 is simple to apply, and a little goes a long way. Hope that helps!
Thank you
A bit off topic but I’d like to see a review of the vx pro 2. I have a small detailing business. 8/10 cars I do get a coatings though. I’ve used a ton. Still trying to find my true go to. As of late, cquartz UK has been my go to, but I have some gripes. So I’m really considering the pro 2 or gtechniq c1+ exov2. This coating does look good. I just fear that it will be like the original, Whig seemed to lose its gloss and soften up a little quicker then expected. Nice write up, and I look forward to seeing more.
Hi Chuck – I am hoping to do a review of VX Pro 2 in the near future. I had VX Pro on my personal vehicle for 2.5 years and the gloss was still incredible. I don’t have any long term testing with the new Pro 2, but my initial feelings are that VX Pro 2 is slightly less easy to apply, but the initial results are spectacular. I will plan on doing an initial review & application guide of Pro2 when I can, and then hopefully some testing on my personal car that I can provide ongoing feedback for. Thanks!
Hi Zack. Nice write-up. I see that you recommend VS1 as a top coat, but what about Chemical Guys V07? I just bought a 30mm bottle of VX3 and plan to do the car this weekend. I have a full gallon of V7. Any issues with using CGV7 on top of the VX3?
Hey Mike – Thanks for the comment. VS1 Final Coat is a unique spray sealant in that it is silica based and is specifically meant for use on top of silica based coatings. It offers many of the same great characteristics that you get from the bare coating which makes it an idea choice, however you can use any sort of quick detailer (like V07) on top of your coating. There are no issues with using something other than V07. I personally use Meguiar’s D155 or D156 after most washes, and use something like VS1 every month or two. Hope that helps!
Thanks, Zach. I just finished applying the VX3. Looks awesome (Jet Black BMW 1 Series). Can’t wait until the sun comes up so I can snap some pics. Easy to use too!
Great to hear!
Zach,
I recently just used VX3 on my brand new black SS Camaro. Full prep, polish, alc bath, the works. My car was left outside for a day when I was traveling for work and inherited some etching from the sap that fell from a tree. My car was fully cured at the time. I am very familiar with how to remove the etching but this is my first time dealing with coatings. What do you suggest?
Thank you,
Brad
Hey Brad – treat the coating just like clear coat. If the sap has in fact etched into the surface of the coating, that area will need to be polished and recoated. In these instances, the benefit of a paint coating vs. traditional waxes or sealants is that the coating’s high chemical resistance should have stopped the sap from damaging your actual clear coat, and instead the coating took the beating. This is why we consider all forms of LSP a “sacrificial barrier”. This can help preserve your clear coat over time. Hope that helps!
I put 22ple on my Ferrari 3 years ago. I would like to remove and put on a fresh coat this fall. How do you remove?
Simply polish the vehicle, prep the surface with an alcohol wipe down, and apply the coating as directed.
hi zak. I applied the product Monday following directions provided. car has been sitting in the garage since then. Pulled it out today’s and noticed some hazing. Wiped it with a micro towel but could not completely remove the hazing. did not attempt to hit it with any type of product as it may not be fully cured. any thoughts on what I can do?
Hi Pete – If you’re seeing haze from residual product on the vehicle, this is an indication that it was not properly applied. It is most likely that the product was either left on for too long before wiping away which would have resulted in a more difficult removal process and higher chance of residual product, or perhaps wiped away too soon when the coating was still wet which can lead to smearing of the product instead of a clean wipe. Since it was applied 5 days ago, the coating has likely cured beyond the point of being able to wipe the residue away, so you would likely have to do a light polish on the entire car to remove the haze and then reapply the coating. It is very important to apply these coatings in an environment with ample lighting (ambient light, not spot light/inspection light). It is also a good idea to then inspect the vehicle in daylight after it has been completely coated to check for high spots or other imperfections that may have resulted during the coating application so they can be dealt with before the coating has cured. Hope that helps.
Zak, thanks for the quick response. It is more likely that I did not wait long enough to wipe it off. Will give a polish and another go. Thanks
Zach, when polishing a previously coated surface are the pads washable and reusable or should they be discarded?
The pads are certainly reusable. Once the coating has cured, you can think of it just like another type of clear coat. It can be polished/corrected just the same as if the surface was not coated at all. Hope that helps!
Hi Zach,
I had applied 22ple coating on a 2008 997,this is my first time using this product, and the coating has been sat on the car for more than 7 days, now i noticed there are some rainbow looking spot left on the car, should i use light polish like merzerna SF4000 to remove them and reapply the 22ple glass coating?
Thanks a lot.
William
Hi William – You got it! Lightly polish the high spots until the visible product has been removed, then reapply the coating to the areas that were polished.
Hi Zach, a quick question on this coating (also submitted to Ivan). I have bought the 30ml and can’t wait to apply it. A few questions:
a) I don’t have enough time to do a full correction over a weekend and was wondering if you could apply the coating one – three panels at a time over a few days?
b) The car will sit outside while the coating cures but I won’t apply it unless i know the humidity is normal and no rain forecast. I think it should be fine but wanted to ask about this.
c) I have car pro eraser; can I use this to wipe the panels before application or do I need to mix an IPA.
d) Finally, after I do the coating in the morning at night the car gets dew on it but this is after at least 12-13 hours. Any issues with this.
Any responses are appreciated and looking forward to applying this product.
A – sure, no problem breaking up the work into chunks as long as it is done properly. If you suspect you can only get to 3 panels in a day, then I would simply clean those panels, correct them, wipe them with IPA, then coat them. Repeat that same process the next day, and the next, until you are finished. I would begin with the top of the vehicle, and work through the horizontal panels before moving to the sides. This will ensure that as you may be cleaning (rinseless washing?) the panels you will be working on each day, you will not be dripping onto freshly coated areas which cannot be washed for several days after coating.
B – I’ve used VX3 in high heat and humidity and I have never had any issues. Make sure you are working away from direct sunlight, and ensure the panels are cool to the touch!
C – 22ple specifically states to use diluted IPA. I would highly recommend following these directions and not using Eraser with this specific coating.
D – 22ple states that the car should remain dry/out of open weather for 8-12 hours, so as long as you’re able to do this, some morning dew should be OK.
If you have a friend/family member that would allow you to work in a garage, that would be ideal, but I understand that is not always an option. Hope this helps. Best of luck!
I just applied GTechniq C1 and Exo to my 350Z and was wondering if the VS1 Final Coat is ok to use as a top coat? The reason I ask is that GTechniq does not recommend their own C2 V3 Liquid Crystal as a top coat over Exo.
Thank you,
I’ll be completely honest – I know nothing about the GTechniq Exo product. I have applied VS1 on top of many different coatings, and on bare (uncoated) paint, and have always been impressed with how it performs. You may wish to contact GTechniq for more information about why a topper may or may not be used on top of Exo.
Thank you very much for your prompt reply.
Hi Zack, saw your reviews on the 22ple VX3 and VX Pro2. In your opinion, which is your preference for ease of use and looks. Have used the Original VX Pro a couple of years ago and I like it very much. Between these 2 coatings, what would your be “Go To” if given the choice. Asking as I want to try the either but would like a Professional opinion before I place an order.
Thank You.
Hi Ben – we haven’t yet released a public review of VX Pro 2, but I hope to get around to it sooner rather than later.
Both products are quite easy to use, however I would give the (very slight) edge to VX3 Signature coating in this regard. Both products also look stunning when properly prepped. The main benefit of the VX Pro2 will be durability and protection due to the higher silica content. If I had to choose just 1, I would personally go with the VX3 Signature Coating. This is for a couple of reasons – It is a breeze to use, looks great, and performs very well. Also, you simply cannot beat the price! It is an amazing value in my opinion.
Let me know if you’ve got any other questions!
Thank You, appreciate the response!!
Dear Zack – I live in rural Oregon – lots of wood dust and chemical pollution from sawdust plant where I work, plus lots of grass hay dust from trashing during 4 months of summer – hay dust has high silica content which I can see as tiny “glass” beads on Jet Black Nissan Rogue. Also have a feral cat who sleeps on hood and roof.
I waterless wash every other day to keep after pollutants, and hood daily to keep cat from grinding in dust/dirt tracks. Keep loads of wax on and use ChemGuys Extreme Slick detailer daily,and Meg’s Ultimate Quik Spray Wax weekly for max water beading and slickness against dust/road grime.
Waterless wash/Wax/detailers seem to be working well for sawdust/chemical/hay pollutants.
But, the cat is imparting slight surface scratches over time. Car has to live under open carport, and I don’t want to get nasty with the cat…she is very sweet, and earns her keep with the mice.
Since you seem to have extensive experience with coatings, would they really offer a harder surface to help with scratches? Could you venture a suggested product?
Can these coatings then be polished more frequently (twice a year) than the original clear coat to maintain an initial extensive detail/polishing?
Can only a portion of the car be done (i.e., hood and front quarter panels, front spoiler), or does the coating create a finish which is noticeably different from the untreated portion, especially on a black car?
Hi Richard – Unfortunately a coating will not provide enough of a hardness increase to stop surface scratches in the sense that you need it to. Also, you cannot polish a coating and expect it to still be completely in tact as coatings are still very thin (~1-2 microns). In your case, there is no product that will prevent the scratches on your hood. The only option is to NOT let the cat onto the car. Yes, you can only do a portion of the car. As long as you do complete panels and not just a portion of a panel, you will not see a dramatic difference between an uncoated panel and a coated panel.
Thank you for your reply.
The thickness of the coating puts things in perspective – vs. 60 to 120 microns of clear coat.
I guess it’s back to the paint shop for a clear coat re-spray every 2 to 3 years. Still cheaper than a garage.
Thank you for your time!
You could also look into clear bra / paint protection film. That would be much better than repainting your vehicle.