Gel coat ?

[Ross_328i_sport]

I am just wondering about gel coat and can you detail it in the way you would a normal paint finish and is it just as Susceptible to swirl mark if not how do you look after it probably?

Regards

Ross

[tribbles]

My experiences with gel coat are that it tends to dull very quickly - much quicker than a good paint finish. Personally, I would never leave a car in its gel coat finish, and paint it - although that is (obviously) more expensive.

[jgmadkit]

No problem at all with my Sumo. Even after 10 years the finish was as good as a paint job, very deep shine, only waxed it once a year after the initial polish up at the build stage. As for gel coat detailing, I doubt it's possible as it's a finish that has to be applied in one go and you don't see the finished side until it comes out of the mould.

John

[rushv8]

My Dax Rush is Black, so shows scratches / chips up worse than any other colour. That said , I gave the entire body a flatting out with 1000 grade wet n dry paper, then buffed using electtic buffing pad and successively finer polishing pastes. It has now lasted > 7yrs and still has a nice shiney finish. Any scratches or minor chips are eaisly dealt with in the same manner. Deeper chips can be filled with new Gelcoat and flatted out / polished up so they are practically invisible repairs.

Only worry I'd have with a Gelcoat finish is making sure the manufacturer applies a deep enough / even depth of gelcoat so that there is enough depth there for many years worth of polishing.

A good coat of hard shell wax such as autoglym once or teice a year is enough to prevent a "dirty sponge" causing any scrathces in the gelcoat itself in my experience.

Don't let it put you off !

[rushv8]

My Dax Rush is Black, so shows scratches / chips up worse than any other colour. That said , I gave the entire body a flatting out with 1000 grade wet n dry paper, then buffed using electtic buffing pad and successively finer polishing pastes. It has now lasted > 7yrs and still has a nice shiney finish. Any scratches or minor chips are eaisly dealt with in the same manner. Deeper chips can be filled with new Gelcoat and flatted out / polished up so they are practically invisible repairs.

Only worry I'd have with a Gelcoat finish is making sure the manufacturer applies a deep enough / even depth of gelcoat so that there is enough depth there for many years worth of polishing.

A good coat of hard shell wax such as autoglym once or twice a year is enough to prevent a "dirty sponge" causing any scrathces in the gelcoat itself in my experience.

Don't let it put you off !