transio
02/10/2006, 08:48 AM
[EDIT: upon further use of the product, I have changed my review to a positive... read later posts]
Ok,
So I put on this Flood Restora product on my VX a few months ago. (See here for details (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=7276).) It's intended for vinyl siding on homes, but Scott tried it on the VX cladding with some success, so I decided to give it a shot.
My initial thoughts were that I was very happy with the product, but dissatisfied with my application of it on the VX. It darkens the cladding to a very attractive, shiny black color that lasts for one year, according to the manufacturer's specs. However, because it goes on like paint, you can see a visible texture in the film if you apply it too thick.
After 3 months, my opinion has changed drastically! The product is definitely not intended for vehicular applications, and it shows! Stones that would normally bounce off the cladding without leaving a mark now leave scratches and discolorations in the Restora film. It's very soft, and almost any abrasive contact will make it look terrible.
Furthermore, it cannot be removed except by peeling it away, leaving a raised edge, and making it impossible to apply a new coat over the affected area without having it look, well, botched.
I decided to remove the product entirely from my vehicle. Getting it off the cladding is bad enough. I spent 3 hours last Sunday with a heat gun trying to peel it away, and only got about 1/10th of the way through... this is gonna be a real pain. I also made the mistake of applying it to my hood. The heat gun didn't work there, and I had to go in with sandpaper to get it down. I started with 300 grit, which made my hood look milky. Now I'm gonna have to get some 600 grit, and maybe buff it out when done to get the hood shiny again.
All in all, I would say this was a horrible experience, and although I was thinking about reapplying this stuff before, I would definitely NOT do it again considering the ungodly toil involved in removing it.
So there you have it - thumbs down. Seems like a great product for what it was intended to do (revitalize paneling on houses), but definitely NOT for the VX!!!
Ok,
So I put on this Flood Restora product on my VX a few months ago. (See here for details (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=7276).) It's intended for vinyl siding on homes, but Scott tried it on the VX cladding with some success, so I decided to give it a shot.
My initial thoughts were that I was very happy with the product, but dissatisfied with my application of it on the VX. It darkens the cladding to a very attractive, shiny black color that lasts for one year, according to the manufacturer's specs. However, because it goes on like paint, you can see a visible texture in the film if you apply it too thick.
After 3 months, my opinion has changed drastically! The product is definitely not intended for vehicular applications, and it shows! Stones that would normally bounce off the cladding without leaving a mark now leave scratches and discolorations in the Restora film. It's very soft, and almost any abrasive contact will make it look terrible.
Furthermore, it cannot be removed except by peeling it away, leaving a raised edge, and making it impossible to apply a new coat over the affected area without having it look, well, botched.
I decided to remove the product entirely from my vehicle. Getting it off the cladding is bad enough. I spent 3 hours last Sunday with a heat gun trying to peel it away, and only got about 1/10th of the way through... this is gonna be a real pain. I also made the mistake of applying it to my hood. The heat gun didn't work there, and I had to go in with sandpaper to get it down. I started with 300 grit, which made my hood look milky. Now I'm gonna have to get some 600 grit, and maybe buff it out when done to get the hood shiny again.
All in all, I would say this was a horrible experience, and although I was thinking about reapplying this stuff before, I would definitely NOT do it again considering the ungodly toil involved in removing it.
So there you have it - thumbs down. Seems like a great product for what it was intended to do (revitalize paneling on houses), but definitely NOT for the VX!!!