[golferman44]

We have been offered this for free from our customer service representative at the Lincoln dealership where we bought our car. He said it is worth $1499.00, but will be free to us.

We've researched this on the internet and it sounds too good to be true. What say you?

Backstory:
We wanted to detail our MKC ourselves. The owner's manual gives very little in the way of specifics of what materials were used to fabricate various parts of the car (inside and out), but gives several warnings not to use the wrong products on the various surfaces.

I called the service department at the dealership to get the info we needed so we would not use the wrong product on the wrong surface, etc. They were no help. Our customer service rep said he'd get the information we needed, but apparently had no luck,. Now he offering the Cilajet detailing.

The stuff is supposed to be amazing and on the exterior it is supposed to last 7-10 years.

Are we crazy to hesitate for a second on taking him up on his offer?

 

[FloridaMatt]

It's not crazy to hesitate when considering a deal that sounds too good to be true.

There have been reports of problems with it, and reports of it being great.

My advice is to carefully read the warranty, and in particular look for exclusions, and any requirement that a periodic reapplication/refresh/whatever be needed.

Instead of a free Cilajet treatment, you might ask your dealer for a couple hundred dollars worth of these products:

Motorcraft® Detail Wash & Dusting Cloths ? The Official Ford Parts Site | FordParts.com

(and ask them to include the products needed for the TSB listed under the detail wash)

 

[LINC]

I never ever do any type of After Market protection offers, as with most items today, all materials that need any type of protection are provided for in their manufacturing process. That is why we have paint Clear Coats today from the factory.

Cilajet Sealant?

All Manufacturers of anything cover the fact for owners to be knowledgeable that they are using a correct product for the surface to be cleaned and protected. Their all going to prefer you purchase their brands from them or their partners.

If your not sure what surface types the product is compatible with, read that cleaning product's label before using, as it will provide a complete list. If you have a good knowledge and product history results, then simply use whichever brands you that you have been pleased with.

I have always done my own washing, cleaning and detailing. I carry detailing to the max most times, mainly because I enjoy that part the most. I have narrowed down to using very few products keeping it very simple with just as great results.

 

[golferman44]

Wow, I didn't realize how controversial this product is until I visited some other auto forums.

People who have had it applied successfully pretty much love it, but there are a couple of horror stories.

I'm going to call Cilajet customer service tomorrow to find out if our Lincoln dealership is an authorized dealer (I'm pretty sure that they are or they couldn't offer it) and how we can be ensured that the Lincoln detailer has been properly trained in the application of the product line.

Obviously, it's an up-sell rip off. I'd never pay for it, but I'd rather be golfing than washing and waxing the wife's car and from what I have read, it cuts down on the time it takes to maintain the exterior substantially. I'm still on the fence, but I'm really tempted.

 

[vimish]

Seems like every couple of years a similar miracle product emerges.
I have found that nothing, from auto paint sealants to concrete sealants, lasts with a shine a more than a season when exposed to the elements. Think about it, none of these sealants is more than a couple molecules thick and are far from being applied under perfect manufacturer paint room conditions (surface prep, humidity/temp/uv control, clean air, etc.). Most cars have some sort of clear coat that is very slick, so the sealant isn't going to adhere properly unless the clear coat is roughed up... sort of defeats the purpose.

If you want your paint job to last, keep the car exterior clean and apply something as simple as spray-on-no-buff car wax monthly or so. $1499 can pay for a lot of premium car wash/waxes or even a cruddy repaint by Maaco!

 

[vimish]

In the worst of cases, the sealant will actually stick in some places while not in others. Potential result: in short order your car will look like as good as a uv-oxidized heap. Then the company will be happy to sell you an upkeep product. No such thing as free.

 

[mayday0017]

We own a few high end cars and keep the daily's detailed as well.

Best thing I have found is learn to use a high end orbital like a flex or find a good detailer. Polish the car very well to remove any scratches from drive through car washes or just general everyday road grime (I'm not talking about a scratch you can see just any old time I'm talking on the very very top of the clear coat left from improper hand washing or drive through car wash.)

Once the car has been polished properly the paint is VERY slick, now add a coat of sealant. I like the Meguiars NXT 2.0 , it is a good middle of the line sealant that you can pick up almost anywhere and doesn't turn plastics white. Apply it properly and enjoy having your paint protected. Also washing the car will be a breeze as almost nothing will stick and the water will shed right off.

Keep the car washed regularly so the sealant stays in good condition and reapply often (I do our cars every 2 months). The trick is keeping the sealant thick and fresh enough to keep the paint protected so you don't have to do a major detail again for awhile.

 

[golferman44]

Just to update:

After talking with Cilajet and researching the product, we decided to go ahead with the free application.

We purchased a car over 30 years ago from a private party whose son was a Tidy Car detailer and the product was amazing. I figured that any product developed decades later had to be a lot better.

That said, the Cilajet did not seem to take to the carpets. When pouring 1/2 t. of water to the carpet, the water soaks in immediately - it does not bead up on the surface of the carpet at all. We were told by the dealership that it must have something to do with the molecular make-up of the carpet material. We were told something similar by Cilajet. They ensured us that liquid might soak in, but it would not stain; then they recommended returning to the dealership for a reapplication. Who the heck knows which way is up with this stuff?

Since we have the all-weather mats and the reversible cargo mat, in the long run it really shouldn't be an huge issue....but still. Our experience with a handful of calls/interactions with the service departmet and the dealership in our short two month relationship with them receives very low marks by us, so we will not return for the reapplication to the carpet.....or anything else if we can help it.

Back to the Cilajet. The exterior application seems to have worked very well. When rinsing, the water and any dirt seem to "fly off" the surface. How well it stands up over time still remains to be seen, but the Tidy Car lasted well over 5 years with no reapplication and like that car, this car will be garaged. I will try to remember to report back on this thread as time passes.

Do I think this product is worth what the finance managers/the dealerships try to get for it? Absolutely not. We were told that they would normally have charged $1499 for the package that we received. It MIGHT be worth $200 which would cover the cost of the labor to apply it and a little profit for the dealership.

 

[5.0 Candy REDCS]

I purchased this product through my dealer, and have been VERY happy with it.....body is crazy slick and smoooooooth, a basic hand wash and she gleams, dirt has a problem adhering to the paint work, as soon as I start to do a primary wet down at the start of a wash cycle, it you see all the dirt and grime just let go and flow away!.....and you have not started washing it yet!!!!!!
This cost $900 plus tax...good, no very good warranty and an amazing product;link below:
Xzilon® Molecular Adhesion