The Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 is a hand applied paint protectant that you use with a foam applicator, not as trendy as once before.  When version 3.0 was released, it was a instant hit amongst most enthusiasts.  This was the first product I used for long term protection.  I found it to be a benchmark where others had paled in comparison over the years.  I learned about it from feedback from serious detailing enthusiasts.  It remains a popular product, but perhaps currently underrated due to two factors.

I used Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant early on in business.  My clients were a big fan of the benefits, looks and durability. Take a look at a few shots below!

Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 may have dropped in popularity due to the assumption that the best sealant paint protection is only spray on sealants with the claim of Si02 (i.e. ceramic) in it.  From experience, I can verify that is not necessarily always the case.  Many consumers get romanced by Si02 jargon, forgetting that not all hand applied or spray on Si02 sealants are created equal.

Years ago at the onset of this paint sealant’s popularity, the difficulty of cleaning a sealant from a used applicator pad was one means to judge the quality of the product.  Part of the reason Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 ascended in popularity was due to it being impossible to remove all of the excess sealant from the old applicator pad.

This product has also received mixed reviews from a variety of platforms with respect to durability, which is my primary motivation for writing this article.  I can verify from years of experience, that it is an outstanding product.  But I have heard and spoken with multiple people who have not gotten the best performance out of the product.  Unfortunately, not to be named, a very popular car blog posted a critical review of this product in terms of durability that I do NOT believe to be remotely accurate (1 month durability).  My suspicion is user error.  The blog ironically rated multiple products much higher in durability that I believe do not match this product in performance.  This is another reason why I push for people to accumulate multiple reviews from different sources, versus being persuaded by every positive or negative review post product release.

Often mixed reviews are a consequence of individuals not following the instructions in critical areas.  In this case the manufacturer did not include this essential detail on the bottle.  It is recommended that Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant have 12 hours of (dry) cure time once the application process is complete.  Although it is listed on the Detailed Image product page, it is not shown on the bottle.  In fairness to many people who were unaware, the bottle should be the source of reliable and necessary information.  This has led to negative feedback in performance.

Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant is not hard to apply.  It was the last step in my first EVER detail.  The wipe off in a 30 to 45 min application window is incredibly easy.  Although spray on SI02 sealant applications are still faster, this is much easier (foolproof) than most Si02 sealants and definitely ceramic coatings.  But it is critical to keep your car moisture free (including fog and morning dew), and also important to get the car really clean (tar and traffic road/film removal).  Evening fog and morning dew will drown the polymers preventing it from linking and forming a bond to the paint.  This is where some of the people I spoke to acknowledged they have gotten into trouble.  Though I recommend 12 hours (some do 24 hours), at least 4 hours gives it a chance to setup.

It really is a very good product with respect to performance and value from a paint sealant.  I experienced 6+ months of this product effectively doing what it was supposed to do.  The hydrophobic behavior (water beading) did not start to drop until the 5 month mark.  There was an ease of cleaning almost like that of a ceramic coating for the first month, and still noticeable for a few months.  Value wise, $39.99 is not expensive for the number of uses you can get out of it.  I still have my original bottle.