AvalonKing Armor Shield IX DIY Ceramic Coating Review & Testing

[@joesphblas6394]

Damn I applied this product over a year ago on my truck and to say the least it’s still going strong! I’m satisfied with the product and plan on using it on my other vehicles! With proper maintenance wash the coating will maintain its shine, but since my truck is used as a work truck I wasn’t looking for a show room shine just something that will make my truck easier to clean and still look good when I’m done!

[@joaquinlombardi1454]

Hi my dear Dmitry! The video and the test is excellent (as allways)… let’s see if the people at Avalon says something about the product. My best wishes for 2023 my dear friend.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Joaquin, great to see you again my friend! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season and doing well. Best of luck to you in 2023!

[@kevinmckinney100]

I applied this coating just over a year ago. Spent about 3 days on wash, decon, polish and coating. Initially all seemed great and it was so easy to apply. I was so disappointed though to find it had degraded to basically nothing after a few washes. I used a pH neutral snow foam and Avalon's own shampoo recommended with this coating. Really frustrating after spending so long on prep. Anyway, this year I'm going to repeat the process but apply Gyeon Mose or Syncro. Definitely wouldn't waste my time woth this stuff again

[@DmitrysGarage]

It's too bad, sounds like similar stories others posted here :(

[@brianv.1300]

After polishing do you do a wipe down with a panel prep or alcohol wipe down solution. Polishing can leave residues you cant see imbedded into the paint pores which would could make the coating not adhere correctly/well.

[@DmitrysGarage]

@@brianv.1300Yea of course, it gets sprayed with iso and wiped.

[@kevinmckinney100]

@@brianv.1300 Yes, fully wiped down with panel wipe after paint correction. Just for an update on the Gyeon, I went with Mohs Evo in the end and so far it has performed far superior to what Armor Shield ever was. On two months now and no noticeable degradation yet

[@KevinWhite-l5u]

I had the same experience, it is annoying given all the prep you go through to get to the application stage. The claying process alone takes hours, let alone the compounding, polishing, wipe down etc. I tend to stick with the ceramic sprays now, they are much easier to apply and you can re-detail when required and just re-coat (just not in full sun of course).

[@Boris-xx7dw]

I apply Avon king to all my training cars , they are doing roughy 50 k miles per yr and still repelling water like the day I coated the car ! I’ve coated my Cayenne 2 yrs ago and all 7 school cars . No problem at all and will still use it .

[@DmitrysGarage]

Glad it’s working for you, and if you like it you should keep using it. I can’t explain why it works for some people and not others, likely something supply chain related. Some people have great experiences like yours, others have experiences identical to mine.

[@carsncabins1349]

Finally.. the first truly honest review of armor shield.. thanks man!

[@guitaradam2000]

I've applied AvalonKing IX on my Subaru and my results seem to be quite different to yours - particularly with the beading. It also seems to be holding up very well after 3 months and multiple washes. I do agree that it wasn't as slick as I expected though, vs. my other vehicle which was coated by CeramicPro, and even some off-the-shelf ceramic spray bottles. I did FULLY decontaminate, polish and prep my vehicle before its application (which took me like 2 days), and I allowed Armor Shield to cure for well over 3 days before taking it out of the garage (and a week before it got wet) which could explain why the longevity and hydrophobic performance on my application seems to be vastly better than in your test.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. I also did all that same prep stuff, the panel is always polished and decontaminated before testing, cure time was followed, etc... Seems like this product is hit and miss, some people report same issues others say it worked great.

[@KevinWhite-l5u]

I get a bit OCD with my detailing and I fully prepped my car in a garage, from snow foam, wash, decontamination, second wash, full clay, light wet sand, compound and a 3 stage polish, finishing with an iso prop wipe down to remove any residue. I applied this in the garage (2 coats) and then left to cure for 3 weeks. A bit like some of the other comments, it seemed to drop off very quickly (under 2 months) and was almost unnoticeable. To cap it off, a seagull then dropped its breakfast on the rear panel, which seemed to react with the coating and then the clearcoat (it was only on the surface for a matter of hours, which is when I noticed it). This resulted in the need for a light wet sand and polish to remove the crazing and the whole coating process was required again. I was not impressed in the slightest by this product and have had better success with the semi permanent ceramic sprays (I quite like Mothers CMX). At least with these you can re-detail and re coat regularly as required and the application is much much easier.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Appreciate the field report. I think this product seems to be at best inconsistent. Some seem to have success, but your experience seems more consistent with the other high quality reports (i.e. detailed reports).

[@darrengriffith9680]

Geez dude let it cure for 3 weeks!?!

[@kevinwhite8836]

​@darrengriffith9680 Only reason it was left for 3 weeks was, it was done when country was in lockdown for Covid and we couldn't travel anywhere. Just left it in the garage for max cure effect. The point I was trying to make is that, it had plenty of time to bond and that this was definitely not a reason for the coating failure.

[@troyzuber5739]

I put it on my e46 over a year ago and it still beads up like the day i put it on. Its very important u wipe the whole car off very well with alcohol get the surface totally degreased. I also bought the soap i use in the foam cannon and the cera.ic detailer i put on from time to time

[@jvande102]

I spent 16+ hours washing, polishing, IPA wipe, and coating our new Yukon 3 weeks ago with the Avalon King Armour Shield and contact washed it for the first time today and it's already turned to a sheeting product. I'd imagine it will be gone in a hand full more washes. This stuff is either inconsistent or total crap.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Jake, that really sucks :(, I think it's just either hit and miss or not a very good coating.

[@jvande102]

@@DmitrysGarage yeah it does man, really disappointed in the results after so much work. It's not all bad though. When I applied the coating, I wasn't able to get as many of the dealership tunnel wash scratches out of it because I didn't have aggressive enough pads at the time. Now I have the opportunity to go after those. Also, my nephew works for a pro detailer so I think I'm just to take it to them and have the apply one of the System X coatings they offer.

[@pattrentadue6230]

I’m so glad I came across this video. I just installed this on my Wife’s Cayenne S after 15hrs of preparation. I washed the truck for the first time a week later and had essentially the same results. Absolutely no beading or or quick sheeting. I was in complete shock and immensely disappointed after all that hard work. I followed the exact same process as you did on the video for application. I will stick with what I know works from now on. Avalon King has a great marketing campaign but I wouldn’t never use this stuff again based on my experience.

[@rustyshaklferd1897]

Very surprised. Iv used it on two vehicles. The first first was a few years ago and it was as hydrophobic after 3 years when I got rid of the car as the day I applied it.

[@DmitrysGarage]

It’s interesting the experiences seem to be all over the place. Some people say it worked great for years. Others had my experience. Anything is possible, bad batches, formulation changes, application of other sealants (i.e. some ppl spray on booster products). I work with what Im sold/given so obviously this is a limited sample size. I do appreciate your insights and you watching!

[@briankec1352]

So glad i seen this video since I've been looking for a more substantial product that would last longer than what I've been using. Currently I have been using the turtle wax ceramic spray which i love and it works wonders for the price. It obviously just needs to be applied more often, so I was hoping to find something that last longer that wouldn't break the back.

[@Stainlessautos]

This product has always been kind of iffy for me. I just can’t imagine picking this up when there are very well recommended products for close to the same or a little bit more money. Cquatz uk 3.0, gyeon mohs, adams graphene to name a few. I can’t imagine this is much more easy to apply than any of those.

[@clbdyc]

I've used gyeon one. This one is easier to use.

[@papiloran]

What is the best one ?

[@jerryforese2908]

Weird this is the first negative review of Avalonking I have seen. I have applied it to 3 motorcycles and my car and no issues.. water still beads off with ease after 2 yrs

[@DmitrysGarage]

Yea hard to say why. Maybe formula changes or bad batch. I test what I get. Interestingly there are similar experiences in the comments though.

[@dwaynelewis7809]

​@DmitrysGarage hey man what is your best ceramic coating brand

[@LifeofBrinc]

Maybe because he wasn’t sponsored by them? All these products work and who wants any of them to last forever?

[@chichyiphone4]

Exactly the video I was looking for! Thank you - keep it up. Could you do a video on other ceramic coatings that are better; such ceramic pro and that maybe fulfill there claims when it comes to UVA.

[@fredberger2451]

Just subscribed as i bought this product. I hope it works but aside from that you have alot of great content. Thanks bud

[@MrCarjoe29]

Thank you for this. I’ve always wondered about durability for this as a diy.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Glad you liked the video. Not sure if it's just a bad batch or what, but after some research seems it's made in China and imported (added some notes to the description) so it's possible.

[@illestFlavor]

What I see a lot of brands doing is just pouring water from a cup or splashing the paint from a headless hose then showing the weak blobs of beading. Using a pressure washer is the real way of doing it to see how good it really is.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Agreed, I never understood people just pouring water from a cup or splashing it on a vertical car panel lol. Never washed my car that way ;). Thanks for watching!

[@nos71m84]

You missed a bunch of steps; you need a clean surface (example: wash/clay/polish/IPA). At 3:33, you can even see a dirt on the panel and 3:40, you wiped that dirt into your panel. From that point on, the outcome is meaningless. Amazing how many people missed that!! Human error!!

[@DmitrysGarage]

All of those steps are done for every test i do. I dont see any dirt, looks like marring on the hood (came from a junk yard) that the wet coating fills in.

[@1961jagman]

bought some of this a few weeks back and not that cheap since it from china , not used it yet as the weather here in wales uk is crap, so not tried it yet, hope it works better than yours did, great vid by the way,

[@DmitrysGarage]

Good luck! Hopefully it turns out better!

[@cb8491]

Did AvalonKing ever reach out to you??

[@DmitrysGarage]

Na never heard from them again.

[@cb8491]

@@DmitrysGarage that's a shame, would have been nice to hear what they had to say. I used this product, and like you, it was dead after a wash or two. Highly disappointed.

[@john5600]

Good review. I would be interested in a test of MPT Classic.

[@robbalsley9722]

Dimitry, I was really surprised to see it break down after a few washes. I just reordered an old school paint sealant that I used many years back that to this day I personally think is the best out there and that is Wolfgang's deep gloss paint sealant 3.0

[@DmitrysGarage]

I am a massive fan of the deep gloss 3. Still my favorite liquid sealant! Pretty sure it was the winner of my last few top product yearly reviews. Its been around a while and it’s terrific. Thanks for watching!

[@billarmstrong2411]

Great review! Probably why they are now selling it for half price!! I prefer Turtle Wax products and Adams and they look and work amazing!

[@BigBear--]

This coating was almost always available at a discount. I'd be surprised if anyone ever paid the "full msrp". You could always get it for around $30-$40 per 30ml bottle kit. Which for that money it's not a bad deal if it worked for you.

[@anthonytorelli9175]

I started using this product a year ago. I came up with similar results. I am also a professional so application was simple. Unfortunately I ran into the same results and it seemed to wash away as fast as it was installed. I did try and contact them but they showed little interest in customer service in correcting the problem. They did not offer any additional product or solutions.

[@willtopete]

You had me in the first half...🤣 Thanks for the review as I was considering using this product

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for watching! Might be a bad batch who knows, but it is what it is.

[@MD-ph9bk]

It’s not a bad batch. I’ve applied it several cars. Total junk! Redid the cars with CQUK 3.0 for free.

[@mrek2068]

Thank you. A very interesting video. For me, I like Car Pro CQUARTZUK 3.0 topped with Car Pro SIC, which provides brilliant protection, deep, deep gloss and water repellant qualities. Car Pro is also tried and tested over several years.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting :), I like CQUK 3 too, I never got a ton of durability out of it, but I need to get it tested with the new system as I used it before I was doing testing. Will definitely be interesting!

[@jessehinojosa5625]

Thanks. Saved me some money!!

[@samischan]

Wow, there must be something wrong with that batch. AvalonKing is still beading for me after 2.5 years. I would contact them and ask what's going on here.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Definitely a possibility. Some people seem to have good luck with it. As far as i can tell its an $8 chinese coating so who knows what their QC is like. China can put out excellent quality of all kinds of stuff, but in my personal experience you have to pay for it and/or be on the manufacturers ass all the time. They generally target cost over quality since thats what so many of their customers want when outsourcing.

[@dtbeachbums]

@@DmitrysGarage unless you get a similar result doing a retest and then comparing the first test to the second test I think you should try that instead of making assumptions based on a single bad end result.

[@mygt8a4re]

​@dtbeachbums good points, but, he has had great results the first time with many other coatings using the same testing senario. Tons of people are making the same exact claims you witnessed here, so this is not new information. Do you want to gamble on a product that may or may not work as promised? Even if the next test worked perfectly as promised, your now in a 50/50 situation. That's too much of a gamble for those who's time and money are on the line.

[@DungHo51]

Hi. Great content. I was wondering if you can review hyperclean STAK ceramic coating

[@Gumshoe88]

Not sure if it was here or another channel but a detailer rated nanobond the best overall?

[@Steven67454]

I would like to see a comparion test between Armor Shield 1x vs. Adams advanced Graphene Ceramic coating test to see who comes on top??

[@DmitrysGarage]

There is a newer video with Adams advanced coating. It came out a few weeks ago. It’s massively better in my opinion.

[@keithecklundii5225]

Excellent video. I'd be interested in knowing what the results of DIY DETAIL'S Ceramic coating looks like, if you have it in you to test it.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks! I'll make sure I've got that coating in my spreadsheet for future tests.

[@brianv.1300]

2 years in, working great for me still. Paint prep was a chore as usual but application was a breeze.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Im really glad its working for you! The results seem to be varied. Some say theirs was same as mine, others say they had great results. It seems (based on my research) that this is a relatively cheap product white labeled from China. So its likely batch to batch QC is inconsistent.

[@hellofranky99]

​@@DmitrysGarageHow is being cheap defined here? What price should I expect to pay for a high quality ceramic coating?

[@jaken528]

Nice.. I'd like to see a chart of similar products for the tests..

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks! Check out: dmitrysgarage.com/wax it has a table

[@kevintoepper2828]

There is a link that has a bunch of tests with different products

[@pmeledforever680]

great review!

[@vincentmiano342]

That UVA testing is really interesting but I am getting confused... Paint without protection oxidize a lot quicker vs with protection and oxidation comes from UV and how come that ceramic coated car does not fade unlike bare clearcoat. What's your opinion on this. btw love your videos thanks for doing this tests for us!

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for watching and this is a great question. I think we are seeing a variety of factors when we see our nicely cared for cars vs. paint on clunkers. One aspect to consider is that the chemical reactions responsible for oxidation are not entirely caused by UV light. Oxidation can be seen on boat hulls, rust, and many other objects that aren’t being worn down by UV but are exposed to oxygen, water, etc... People even wax their boat hulls to avoid oxidation and some well known car wax companies make boat products. Waxes and coatings provide a barrier, albeit a thin one, to the environment. This reduces overall oxidation. Secondly well cared for cars are frequently garaged, washed, decontaminated, and generally loved. They arent left to rot in the sun or ran through a whirling automatic car wash three times a year after driving through salt and snow. Speaking of salt and snow, look how nice southern cars look! We’ve got so much UV here but our cars look great.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Oh and I forgot to mention abrasion protection for your UV protective clear coat. The slick hydrophobic surface protects the clear coat physically when washing and drying.

[@timexmhat93]

Do you keep cure time for 48hours?

[@DmitrysGarage]

This product recommended a 7 day cure time, which was done instead of the usual 24 hours I use.

[@timexmhat93]

@@DmitrysGarage 48hours cure time and 7days without wahsing. How do you wait for this test? I am using this product and i have the same problem but … i did 30 cars before and alĺ was okay and now … horrible

[@DmitrysGarage]

@@timexmhat93 They might just be having bad batches :-/ who know. For the wait time, I just keep the hood in the garage, it's climate controlled.

[@timexmhat93]

@@DmitrysGarage i have trouble with 14 cars ... all faded after 3-5 months. I did all aplication correctly :( i am changing this ceramic coating ...

[@Pumpkin-Brain]

I might have missed it but did you let Avalonking cure for 24 to 48 hours before testing and washing?

[@DmitrysGarage]

As I recall it was a week cure time, yes.

[@nicorallysport]

Nano age or nano king graphene are cheaper but much better!. Otherwise good review my friend! 👍 👍 👍

[@DmitrysGarage]

Will definitely check those out, thanks for the recommendation.

[@matthewpfeiffer3527]

Stupid question I just installed this product also did you shake it well?

[@DmitrysGarage]

Yea someone else asked about that and yes. Just didnt show it in the retake. Also was testing it on some glass before shooting this. Some people seem to have good results with it, hopefully you do! Always possible my batch was a dud

[@matthewpfeiffer3527]

@@DmitrysGarage when did u buy it? I baught mine early December this year.

[@DmitrysGarage]

I want to say they sent it to me in September 2022. Or there about.

[@matthewpfeiffer3527]

@@DmitrysGarage ah ok maybe I'm clear then

[@nickydexgg4579]

I know this video is a year old, but ... I thought this coating was supposed to be done in 2 coats? Also, was it allowed to cure for the recommended time? I thought maybe you said it called for 7 days?

[@archiepezek]

I had a bad experience with Armor Shield. Last year I applied it to my Dodge Challenger--the paint was prepped and all necessary steps were taken prior to the coating application. I don't have a garage and there was an unexpected storm about 14 hours after I coated the car. I went out to the car after the rain storm and found that the paint was completely flat with no beading or hydrophobic properties whatsoever--the coating must have just washed off. Evidently the coating needed the full 24 hours of cure time before it could get wet. Naturally this was my fault, but I purchased Gyeon Mohs afterwards because it has a 12-hour cure time.

[@DmitrysGarage]

The long cure time is unusual for the product. I have done some cure time testing, and I've found most products actually cure pretty fast as far as abrasion durability from washes. Really shouldn't all wash off from a rain storm 14 hours later :-/.

[@rustyshaklferd1897]

It absolutely does need the cure time. I had to wait weeks for a forecast of no rain for a week before applying.

[@DmitrysGarage]

@@rustyshaklferd1897 yea its just unusual they demand such a long cure time. I did do the cure in my test, just pointing out its abnormally long.

[@P4SDetails]

Haven’t tried any AK products, but I have seen them pitched quite a bit.

[@BigBear--]

There seens to be some other variables at play, since so many people see success with the coating. There are a lot of variables not really discussed when it comes to proper coating application/curing/bonding. Humidity, temperature, and certain variables with the actual chemistry. Could be the QC tolerance range is larger for some aspect of the coating chemistry, that then combines with an installation/curing variable that leads to improper coating cure/bond, and eventual early coating failure. Kinda what happened with Cerakote recently...

[@DmitrysGarage]

Keep in mind I'm applying the coatings in a climate controlled space so humidity and temperature are as optimal as you can get. It's ~72F and ~45% relative humidity in there. I think the inconsistency is due to poor qc overall. As others have pointed out (and Ive researched it as well) this is a couple of dollar ceramic coating from china with a custom label. On the other hand look at companies like Adams that do their own r&d (through B&B Blending), their stuff is consistently good in my testing. AutoGeek stuff is consistently good (i.e. wolfgang coatings and sprays). I think you ultimately get what you pay for and in this case its like a ~$3 coating and marketing. As far as cerakote, I don’t really see any long term coating level durability claims from their product. It says months of protection, not a year or years: “You get the convenience of a quick detailer, but with long lasting results! Because of our proprietary, true inorganic ceramic technology, this won't wash off after a few washes, let alone the first wash or rainstorm you go through. It lasts for months!”

[@BigBear--]

@@DmitrysGarage Right. Maybe since it'a more designed for DIY, it requires higher humidity? Who knows. My point wasn't that it's are your fault. It was that it could be a number of variables, including a bad batch, for why it didn't work for you.

[@DmitrysGarage]

I get what you’re saying, but humidity generally works against coatings. Their documentation says it is “best applied in a low humidity environment”. They say 50-80F and under 60% humidity. So my environment should be perfect. I think it is like you said bad batch due to inconsistent QC. I got the product directly from their team. Scott HD did an interesting deep dive on their supply chain if you want to learn more about that.

[@BigBear--]

@@DmitrysGarage Yeah, I watched Scott HD's video. It told me absolutely nothing. Lots of generalized assumptions, very little actual info. At least half the industry white labels, or customizes products from other manufacturers. The fact it comes from China, or that the manufacturer offers other product's, says nothing about it's actual chemistry or actual cost (other than we know that obviously it costs way less to make than what they sell it for, like any other product). Avalon King's new GOAT coating is Swiss made...and? It's either good or not, same for customer support, don't really care where it comes from. All that's to say that Scott HD's video wasn't some grand revelation, it's all the same info you could get by just looking at the Avalon King IX's box, where it says Made in China. I don't care to even defend AK, or their coatings, I just don't like baseless assumptions (he never actually tests the chemistry in AK IX's version vs the manufacturer's off-label products), or inaccurate info (his "conclusions" based on his assumptions, not provable facts). As for the humidity level. My only point about that is that it's just one of many different variables, and thay maybe it had something to do with the early hydrophobic failure. Meaning if the QC range for some products sets ideal range in say 30-45%, could be this batch came out that it's ideal range was either way lower or way higher. Not the only thing thay could matter, just one of many. Whatever combination of variables, obviously something didn't play well for you in you're environment (not your fault, or should matter to you, if the product failed, that's on them). Final point I'll make is that beading, or water behavior in general isn't the only performance indicator for a coating. It could still be there, just have unusual hydrophobic behavior/performance. But I get why that's a common form of testing, as it makes for easy visual representation, and comparison, in video format.

[@DmitrysGarage]

My point was that other manufacturers have actual chemists and labs. i.e. Adams and their products consistently test well (they’re not a sponsor, nor have they even sent me free products). They are not marketing forward companies; they don’t just white label a product from china and then pump everything into marketing. They may get their various chemicals from china, but thats different than white labeling a finished product. Im sorry you didn’t find the video compelling. I agree there could be other variables. However, my environment is as optimized as it could be. So im with you, its not something I care about since most people will have less optimal environments. If you look through the comments plenty of other people had similar experiences so i suspect its simply inconsistent dissolved solids in the solution. Someone screwed something up when mixing it up. It is the most obvious explanation. Hydrophobicity is a key feature of the coating so this is why it is being evaluated. Another consideration is I never heard from Avalon King again after the negative review. That is uncommon. Most other companies take it on the chin and say “yea probably not our most X product”. Ive done negative reviews of Adams stuff (even they can screw up) and the conversation continued (Chris, their chemist/cto is great), AutoGeek has had the occasional stinker, again never got ghosted after. Lithium engaged with me and I even made a followup video when they acknowledged QC issues and I found maybe 50/50 working packets. Im not sure if they’re just immature, know the product isn’t great, or know there is a qc issue and don’t wanna talk about it. Typically my negative reviews elicit a response, almost always when its someone I have ongoing contact with. I will gladly do a follow up video if there is something to follow up on. I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you, I like these in depth conversations a lot!

[@thegooseman72]

Maybe I missed it in the video but how long did you wait before washing the panel? I just used this product yesterday so no review on my part yet. However the instructions says it takes at least 48 hours to cure and not to expose to water/ wash 4-7 days.

[@DmitrysGarage]

It wound up being a few weeks because I wanted to wait at least 7 days so I worked on other projects.

[@neilhibbert5201]

Hi sorry but I didn't see you shake the bottle before application?

[@DmitrysGarage]

That was a filming error, I should have shown that. Keep in mind I don’t always get everything right in the first take and wind up re-shooting and I must have just missed that. It was definitely shaken up and I had just been using it with a generic applicator to try it out on some glass before repacking it in the box and shooting the hood.

[@neilhibbert5201]

Hi it would of been a reason why the products did not work. That's. Sorry if it doesn't mean a thing k.

[@DmitrysGarage]

No worries, you’re not wrong for thinking that and thanks for watching. Its just one of those things, hard to remember to show everything perfectly when doing multiple takes and the final video edit is out of order with actual timelines. Like my gloss test panel was coated before the hood too, but I still have to be like “wow lets open this pretty box together” :).

[@SnakrGarage]

The same happened to two of my clients. After 2 months, gone!

[@DmitrysGarage]

That really sucks! Definitely disappointing results.

[@jdjames997]

This company markets and emails like a mad man, i get this is a competitive business in car coatings, but how about making the product last longer and work better instead of emailing me every day?

[@detailingnotwashing3838]

My friend... is clear that you like something else. The AK dries the car in the end while the others are leaving beads :). For me is better AK then the other as I don't dry the car. Just foam, water and go. Cheers. Florin RO

[@corlt1]

Was the surface of your test hood buffed or preped before the application of the Avalon King?

[@DmitrysGarage]

Yea it gets polished for every test.

[@SHEKOMKHITARYAN]

Hey Dmitry! With all the respect, I honestly don't understand what kind of surface prep you have done here, if on 3:17 (and actually both before and after, and during the whole application process) i clearly see that the surface is super dirty...i can literally see pretty heavy contamination (dots and spots) around any light reflection whenever you move the camera...and i even see a big peace of dirt or something black that you just wiped of with the applicator during the application 🤔 As for me, that doesn't look even close to a proper pre-ceramic coating surface prep. Am i wrong?

[@DmitrysGarage]

Every test i do gets a machine pre-polish and iso decontamination. The dirt you’re seeing is just some material from the included black terry and applicator, its a pretty cheap towel. It came off when I opened the package, but thats not going to affect the test, its not actually dirt. The hood itself is from a junkyard, so it doesn’t have a flawless finish, but other products hold out just fine on it. Some for many hundreds of washes with this exact process.

[@francisgenabe7095]

Did the Armor Shield cure for 24hrs before the water test?

[@DmitrysGarage]

Yes

[@nos71m84]

At 3:38, your hand is at the bottom right corner and you start to move upwards. A piece of dark color dirt is in your path. your applicator hits the dirt and moved it to the right side, At 3:41, you started to move applicator downwards and goes over that dirt. After that point, that piece of dirt is everywhere since you applied that dirt everywhere. To give a fair review/testing, maybe you need to do this again. Will be interesting to see if result is the same. Thanks, I still like your excellent reviews. Just want to be fair.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Appreciate you watching and I do see it now. However, that's not dirt, that's just little fluffy chunks from the black cloth that came with the kit. You can see it first appears at 3:02 when I'm installing the black applicator cloth. That's not going to affect the coating since it's not dirt that dissolves into the product.

[@pto44]

I've watched several videos on the AvalonKing ceramic coating and I like that this video attempts to inject some objective analysis into the review. However, at the end of the day there are no magic bullets with any consumer-grade auto care product. Also, there is always a lot of subjectivity as to the effectiveness of these products. There are too many variables that affect the quality of the results, from surface condition, to product usage, to environmental conditions, to maintenance. I just tried the Armor Shield IX for the first time and I have the same observations as Dmitry but I am going to reserve final judgment for six months. I do not expect any product to last for more than 12 months, and I am planning to recoat the vehicle every six months, which I think is a better strategy than trying to double coat it and hope for a year or two of protection. It is easy enough to apply so doing it every six months is not a big deal to me. If it breaks down in less than six months then I will try a different product.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for the really thoughtful comment. I agree that conditions and even product batches can vary. Though I would say some companies put out consistently good products that score well in my tests and in my own personal use. For example I spend a lot of my own money on Adam’s products, AutoGeek house brands (ie Wolfgang) and a few others. For example the vast majority of coatings I’ve tested from Adams have been stellar. Ive used multiple batches and have had years of performance on my own and other cars. My testing also tries to be as standardized as possible. If you check out some of my newer clips (like my latest adams advanced video) my testing is further standardized through more mechanized tooling. You can indeed get a consumer coating from Adams, AutoGeek, ExoForma, CarPro and others that do last for years that are in my experience no worse than most of the “dealer only” stuff.

[@robbiebankz]

Just curious how long did you let it cure before doing your water test?? Because it does say to let it cure for 48 hours..

[@DmitrysGarage]

As mentioned in the video it was a week. Thanks for watching!

[@bradleythompson7609]

Instructions also say not to wash for 1 to 2 weeks after application

[@monstershayne]

Thanks for the video, almost went with this as one of my favorite youtubers uses it on everything, though he is sponsored. Went with Gyeon Pure EVO instead, hopefully it doesn't "wipe off" like this one did

[@747rotate]

Ha, that's just one more reason I haven't jumped on the ceramic coating train. Sure when first applied they look great but none of them I've seen hold up to the manufacturers claims. Get a scratch on a panel and more than likely you've got to polish it out and then recoat that panel and more than likely it will have more gloss than the other panels. What a pain in the arse that would be. That's why I much prefer waxing. So much easier to take care of. Recently I've been using Polish Angle High Gloss paste wax and although it is expensive I'm getting almost a years protection from it plus the application process is amazing. And then I found out some people who post pictures of their coated cars, etc. actually use filters to enhance the photo. Pretty sneeky if you ask me. There's one particular person who I won't name, but his shop is in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area and he's really good at polishing and coatings and his pricing is by no means cheap . Anyway his photos almost look too good to be true if you know what I mean. The gloss is insane and in day to day life I've never seen a vehicle that glossy. Well I found out he uses filters for enhancement, no wonder they look so good. I think many people see those kind of pictures thinking they can achieve that look and are disappointed when their results don't look like that super glossy photo . Another great video my friend and that's what I admire about you. You don't sugarcoat anything, are unbiased and tell it like you see it. Always look forward to your next episodes. Keep up the awesome work!

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for watching! I agree coatings aren’t for everyone. I have seen some great coating products that have lasted for me for around two years but I generally repolish and coat at that point anyway. I dont think anyone can keep a daily driven car perfect for more than a couple of years anyway as you noted with getting a scratch.

[@RobHTech]

User error. I've seen countless vids about this product. It sheds water just fine, it just does it differently by shedding more slowly.

[@DmitrysGarage]

I'm not sure what exactly the user error you're referring to is. After a couple of washes you can see the product is performing the same as the control, if that's intentional then it's not a very good product since clearing water to aid cleaning and providing a slick surface to reduce abrasion is the point of these products. Thanks for watching!

[@kevintoepper2828]

I'm glad I haven't opened mine. I'm sending it back. I'm not taking a chance of a bad batch

[@jdjames997]

So the first car I put this on, it worked great. 2nd car (a Lexus which has excellent paint) it wore off in a couple months. I just bought a new truck and after 2 coats it doesn’t seem to be working at all, and I used almost 2 full bottles of coating. I am also disappointed, won’t be buying again. Also, not only is beading weak, but the tree stuff and general stuff that falls on truck while outside seems hard to get off, like there is no coating on the paint at all, like bare paint. Seriously disappointed, a good wax is cheaper and works 100 times better. Possibly Trying Adam’s Graphene next….

[@stephenlouden480]

? I just coated a black BMW X3 a couple weeks ago with this and just did the first wash in it. it worked awesome looks strainer and beads like he'll do you epithet didn't shake the product up or the surface wasn't prepped correctly. I'm going to keep washing the clients car over the next few months and hope it doesn't start failing.

[@MD-ph9bk]

I did several vehicles with Avalon King Armor Shield IX. Never again!!! Total garbage!!! Felt bed for customers whose vehicles I applied it too. Went back a redid them with CQUK 3.0 for free!!

[@DmitrysGarage]

That sucks :( really good on you to do right by your customers though!

[@MD-ph9bk]

@@DmitrysGarage and if you can find a product that’s more true and bulletproof the CQUK 3.0, let me know! It’s right up there and performs as well as professional coatings.

[@williambrewer855]

my coating failed after a couple of months. it seems to be very weak against the elements. i paint corrected and wiped the panels down very well, worked in a good temperature, and gave the coating ample time to to cure. im moving to a different brand for sure.

[@Bzapp725]

Avalon tells you to wait 48 or 72 hours before you put the coating in use.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Correct, and thats what was done.

[@Bzapp725]

@@DmitrysGarage wow... That makes me want to test my old Avalon king coating😟

[@DmitrysGarage]

@@Bzapp725 keep in mind formulations change or i got a bad batch. Avalon King sent me this one to test directly so it shouldn’t have been an old batch or something. Afaik they dont make their own chems, looks like they’re importing at least some of this stuff from china and white labeling it. Definitely curious how yours is holding up.

[@Bzapp725]

@@DmitrysGarage I guess I simply believed their claims. Never did any testing though. I will try to get back to you after I do.

[@Bzapp725]

@@DmitrysGarage I guess I simply believed their claims. Never did any testing though. I will try to get back to you after I do.

[@fatalostriches8618]

Actually surprised how bad the durability was! Almost Topcoat F11 bad

[@DmitrysGarage]

It is possible it's a bad batch, but I was definitely not impressed with the durability.

[@benhook1850]

Avalon king strikes me as being poor Chinese generic mass produced rubbish in fancy packaging

[@DmitrysGarage]

The packaging is definitely fancy. As far as I can tell it is from China which may explain the performance, could be related to the performance as QC could be a variable there.

[@PeteyMcSavage]

And That some American jerk off is marketing this crap and making a ton of money off passing on as top of line coating. Chinese products suck except general tso chicken

[@realtruthrealgrowth]

I was thinking that thought as well 😂😮wait most of everything you buy says made in China,so you may be on to something! 🎉 Anyway Great Video, it was very well put together and insightful 👏 👍

[@vindexeon3562]

Maybe you could only afford those things

[@bric7244]

I think fir the money there's much better out there nano bond is incredible for half the price And lasts for almost 2 yrs and that's with one wash a wk.. I ve heard too many looked great at first but quickly stopped working with this avalon king.

[@biggun7]

I got 3 yrs out of my application, must be the user ! 🤣🤣🤣😝😝😉

[@DmitrysGarage]

Glad to hear it worked for you.

[@robinsonautodetail4322]

I’ve had bad luck too unfortunately

[@hartlanddetailer5670]

Dmitry, thanks for your testing. However, I am not interested in products made in that country...

[@DmitrysGarage]

Thanks for watching even if it wasn’t your kind of thing :)

[@jaken528]

Just put this on.. so far, not slick.. I can see it though meguiars hybrid paint coating is so much better lol

[@btbd2785]

This was the result from other channels as well. It's horrible to spend so much money on a product that doesn't perform how it should. " ALL SHOW AND NO GO"! All in all thisI would not recommend this product "ALL SHOW AND NO GO"! You purchase a cermaic coating from maximun protection; not for it to immediately fail!!!!

[@DmitrysGarage]

Yea I keep hearing that it seems to be all over the place. Thanks for watching!

[@merycoralcoraltapia9566]

Cuanto cuesta xf

[@a.p.369]

May be it's your fail that it got washed off? I didn't see you preparing the hood. First you have to degrease it with isopropanol. Avalon King offers a special IPA-spray. Second, the coating needs 48 hours of cure time, then avoid car wash for minimum 7 days. Did you beware all those rules? When you make a test presentation do it right!

[@DmitrysGarage]

The hood is polished and decontaminated with isopropyl alcohol for every test. As mentioned in the video it was cured for 7 days.

[@dtbeachbums]

Something is possibly happening during the application or prep in the video that caused this test to underperform but it can be applied twice so its possible it could need another coating before the end result of a review like this.

[@pto44]

@@dtbeachbums Also he mentioned that it was cold weather when he made the video, and that would affect how well the product cures regardless of how long it was allowed to cure before washing.

[@dustin3700]

Definitely not a solid product due to a cheap Chinese coating and the consistency isnt there, you may get a good batch or a bad one. Heavy marketing made this popular not the product. Its the F11 of coatings.

[@DmitrysGarage]

Yea it's too bad, I had high hopes because it's so popular, but just didn't seem to work for me. Thanks for watching!

[@dustin3700]

Try selling this as protection for 1-2k and watch your business fail.

[@tags841]

This is just a chinese coating repacked

[@amnguyen1659]

I was swindled. Nothing special about the product.

[@61bdelaney]

This was a terrible review. Did he read the instructions? No wash for 7 days.

[@DmitrysGarage]

And thats exactly what was done. It was explained in the video. Sounds like you didn’t watch the whole thing, it’s explained 2min into the video…

[@2ndAmendProtector]

So you’re saying Avalon King ceramic washes away completely after 3 normal car washes. Lol

[@kevinponto9454]

It’s odd that it did. Not sure what went wrong with it to be honest. I have applied this coating on several of my vehicles and families vehicles and they all have lasted great. Always made sure to use a ceramic safe soap and hand wash and my coatings stay tip top