no-subt2

I am considering STEK DYNOshield paint protection film (PPF) one my vehicles which will only be used on the occasional fair weather days. On previous cars, I had used SunTek Ultra PPF before with Modesta BC-04 ceramic coating on top on the PPF. I will have paint color correction done prior to the PPF application. My questions:

1. Does STEK DYNOshield PPF with no ceramic coating on top have the same, if not better, amount of gloss, depth of shine, hydrophobic properties, stain resistance, and longevity as SunTek Ultra PPF with Modesta BC-04 ceramic coating on top?
   
2. What would you recommend?

BudgetPlan1

Unfortunately I cant really comment on any comparisons of SunTek/Modesta vs. STEK DynoShield. We did have a car completely done in DynoShield last April and installer topped it with Kamikaze Surface Film Coating. Black car, brand new at time and 6 months in, no complaints with the install, the PPF or appearance.

If interested, kept some notes about living with it for the first 6 months, can find them here: https://budgetplan1.wordpress.com/li...ek-dynoshield/

Have been living with coated cars for the last 3 years but this was our first foray into PPF...very pleased so far.

no-subt2

Thank you BudgetPlan1....very interesting read on the link you provided. In there you said, “The PPF [STEK Dynoshield] was coated with Kamikaze Film Surface Film Coat after application for a bit of extra protection and that combo combined with the Cosmic Spritz has made for an easy maintenance routine so far.” My installer said that a coating was not needed on the STEK Dynoshield. Who was your installer so I can get his opinion on this?

Has anyone else used STEK Dynoshield and did you put a coating of any type on top?

BudgetPlan1

The Stek Dynoshield does indeed have a hydrophobic coating built into the film in addition to it's self healing properties so coating is not necessary to maintain those characteristics.

As we spec'd out the job beforehand, they had noted this and we were gonna proceed with not coating the film but in the end it was added.

Does it need it? I would guess not but as I said, I'm new to PPF and I trust these guys completely, having watched their work, attended their events and leaned on them for their detailing advice since I started messing around with this stuff in 2016...great bunch of folks doing work at the highest level.

'They' are Esoteric Detailing in New Albany, OH, and are a forum sponsor here as well, profile info below. I'm sure if you contact them, they'll give you solid advice.

https://www.esotericdetail.com/

Personally I view coating something like Stek Dynoshield as kinda a "Certainly can't hurt and *maybe* it helps" affair but I certainly don't have the expertise to say with any real degree of accuracy. That's why I chose somebody I knew I could trust and just followed their recommendations.

Esoteric_Detail

Yes, coating can be applied to Stek (as you can with any PPF), but Stek is unique in that it only retains 1 layer of coating; additional layers will actually be rejected from the surface of the film after the first layer of coating.

Thanks Kurt!

To add some color- Kurt has probably applied more coatings and done more independent coating testing than any other consumer in America (please read the blog that he linked earlier). He knows what he is talking about!

no-subt2

If surface scratches occur on the STEK Dynoshield PPF, which has a layer of coating, and the PPF self-heals it self, does the POF coating “flow” or “self-heals” into where the scratches were?

As per my original question, “Does STEK Dynoshield with its integrated one coating has the same, if not more, depth of shine and protection as SunTek Ultra with Modesta BC-04 ceramic coating applied on top?

HooosierDaddy

https://www.polishworksautodetail.com
I've got the wifes new Macan here getting a full front STEk and Modesta coating. Drew (owner & installer) really did a good job explaining the benefits of each and we landed on the current configuration. I'm sure he'd be happy to answer your questions if you were to call

But your question of coating over film and the healing properties does raise some questions, I'll check with him on monday.

The STEK Film does for sure have a much better depth of shine than the others. One thing Drew told me is that all films have some form of a built in coating.

I'll share some pics of the Macan when it's completed.

HooosierDaddy

I believe you did STEK on my Neighbors Huracan a couple months ago?

BudgetPlan1

Puzzling as it is to my mind, topping the self-healing PPF appears to have no ill-effect on the underlying films healing ability.

I saw a STEK demo at an Open House last Summer where they marked up 'naked' DynoShield and it rebounded nicely so it appears as if both the 'another coating on top' as well as the built-in coating of the STEK film will both maintain the self healing.

Cant speak to all coatings but I know some coatings are a bit flexible even after curing.

Kinda weird since 'coating hardness' is a much ballyhooed marketing point, irrelevant as it turns out to be in reality, but it 'is what it is'. I poured some leftovers of a coating in an open cap, let it cure for a week and even at a thickness far exceeding that of a coating layer on paint, it was interestingly pliable.

Cured quartz coating flexing:
My guess, and it's really nothing more than a guess, is that *maybe* the underlying films ability to rebound kinda carries the thin, coating layer above with it?? Heck, I dunno...all I do know is after 6 months of use, I really can't see the minor swirling that often accompanies life with a black car that sees actual daily use.

I have switched from post-wash towel drying to air drying with a dedicated, heated air blower so generally the surface is never touched with a dry towel...certainly a possible contributing factor too. Dollar for dollar, the air dryer has been the single best detailing 'thing' I've spent money on.

I have seen a very light 'oops' defect on the car (ok...I opened the door into a light pole) disappear, was a very light surface line but it went away so it does seem to work under the coating.

This might be a tough one to answer given the overall subjectivity of appearance and lacking any seriously expensive DOI/Gloss meters, not to mention having 2 cars side by side to compare. Hopefully someone who has more info can answer.

Esoteric_Detail

We may have...we've worked on so many Huracans that we can't remember them all!

This is absolutely true- coatings will not diminish the ability of the PPF to self-heal light swirls/imperfections. We've done a lot of testing with this over the last several years, and we have not run into any problems with a coating deteriorating the characteristics of PPF.

Right now, there is not enough variation from one film to the next where a normal consumer will notice a different with the naked eye. MUCH more important is the quality of the installer who is applying Stek/Xpel/Suntek/etc. Stick to finding an excellent shop, even if it means transporting your car far away. You will be much happier in the end!