[MJBradley1967]

I'm thinking about Crystal Serum (either Lite (4 years) or Ultra (9 years)) for my 2022 X5.

Has anyone had this particular coating applied?

- Does it last as long as advertised?
- When it starts to break down or wear off, is there any noticeable effect?

It's in the neighborhood of $500 for Lite and $1500 for Ultra, and obviously it has to be done right (esp the Ultra).

[malvern_man]

Originally Posted by MJBradley1967

I'm thinking about Crystal Serum (either Lite (4 years) or Ultra (9 years)) for my 2022 X5.

Has anyone had this particular coating applied?

- Does it last as long as advertised?
- When it starts to break down or wear off, is there any noticeable effect?

It's in the neighborhood of $500 for Lite and $1500 for Ultra, and obviously it has to be done right (esp the Ultra).

Gtechniq say the following on their website...

The nature of Crystal Serum Ultra means it cannot be purchased off the shelf but has to be applied by a trained, Gtechniq Accredited Detailer.

So yes it does have to be done properly.

But be aware that if your going to take your X5 through a car wash then you might as well just throw your money down the drain. To maintain the coating you need to hand wash the car yourself, power washer, snow foam cannon, 2 buckets with grit guards, quality wash mitts and microfibre drying towels. You'll need separate mitts and buckets for your wheels too.

[kenniff]

Originally Posted by malvern_man

Gtechniq say the following on their website...

The nature of Crystal Serum Ultra means it cannot be purchased off the shelf but has to be applied by a trained, Gtechniq Accredited Detailer.

So yes it does have to be done properly.

But be aware that if your going to take your X5 through a car wash then you might as well just throw your money down the drain. To maintain the coating you need to hand wash the car yourself, power washer, snow foam cannon, 2 buckets with grit guards, quality wash mitts and microfibre drying towels. You'll need separate mitts and buckets for your wheels too.

... or once applied, use a valeter that does all this and uses Gtechniq products to clean with

[Buckeye980]

I had a G550 with Gtechniq. I had the crystal serum topped with EXO4.

great products and was probably my second favorite coating i have behind the Kamikaze Zipang coat i have now on my X5.

You can definitely do it yourself if you enjoy the detail process. and its not hard to apply. i would do the crystal light and top it with the exo4.

key is to prep the car right. decon wash, strip all existing waxes etc, panel wipe, multi step polish, panel wipe, coating. and give it 24hrs before you drive it.


either way get their spray sealant as a maintenance spray

https://www.detailedimage.com/GTechn...866/250-ml-S3/

[weinerbarn]

I get mine back from the detailer today. Getting Ultra plus Exov4. Unfortunately don't have any long term experience with it yet to share. The Chicago Auto Pros YouTube channel has quite a bit of comparisons though.

[PHXATC]

Tons of this depends on how you drive your vehicle, where you store it (inside, outside, climate controlled, etc.), how many miles you put on your vehicle, and how you wash it.

CSL and EXO4 are a great combo and can be installed yourself. I had it on our Exploder for 26 months and it was not starting to show any signs of breaking down. I replaced it with the exact same thing, just because I had the product leftover from doing CSL and EXO4 on my daughter's vehicle.

[vinibabs]

I have the Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra and their wheel protection product.

It’s great and all, but honestly water spots are an issue for sure. The car rinses off reasonably well. But it’s not like hitting it with a hose makes it look brand new.

Super reputable shop did it. I notice no difference in gloss (brought the x5 in new).

I should’ve spent the money on ppf from the hood forward. I’d also do the rocker panels (feet hit those all the time) and the rear bumper near the trunk.

Full PPF might actually be the way as I feel like you can be a bit more careless with it. Park it in the sun and boom the scratches be gone.

[malvern_man]

Originally Posted by vinibabs

I have the Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra and their wheel protection product.

It’s great and all, but honestly water spots are an issue for sure. The car rinses off reasonably well. But it’s not like hitting it with a hose makes it look brand new.

Super reputable shop did it. I notice no difference in gloss (brought the x5 in new).

I should’ve spent the money on ppf from the hood forward. I’d also do the rocker panels (feet hit those all the time) and the rear bumper near the trunk.

Full PPF might actually be the way as I feel like you can be a bit more careless with it. Park it in the sun and boom the scratches be gone.

Your car looks great.

As for water spots try Koch Chemie Fse or use deionised water for your final rinse.

https://www.koch-chemie.com/en/produ...spray_exterior

[AAA]

I’m on 16 months (13k miles and garaged for what that’s worth) with CSL and EXO V4. I’m super careful two bucket, deionized water, and on second coat of V4. The car cleans up easily and the shine is significantly better than any X5 I encounter in the wild. My ride is Carbon Black and I have zero swirls/scratches which says something. Follow the guidelines for maintaining a ceramic coating and you’ll be golden. Also, I applied my own coating after I had a professional paint correction after delivery. Easy enough to apply if you are patient and enjoy the detail. If you’re not patient and don’t enjoy the detail, don’t bother and pay a professional.