 RE: xzilon protectant
Here's a "detailer's" opinion of this product that I found on the web:
Allright here goes. You can take everything I say with a grain of salt, I am just giving you my experience as a detailer. I see XZILON on a lot of cars that I detail so here is the breakdown.
1) It's a high durabilty sealant that will normally last 6 months to a year. It *does* bond to the paint in the same way any polymer based sealant will bond to paint (Zaino, UPP, Poorboys sealants, Megs NXT etc... all the same concept. Polymers bond to the surface of the paint to protect it). The bonding process has nothing to do with the kind of paint. Paint sealants will bond to almost any smooth surface - this isn't a new concept. The only difference between the consumer ones and XZILON is that they are higher luster/less durabilty so they need to be re-applied more often.
2) You need to have it re-applied. Their 5-year gaurantee is *NOT* 5 years of durabilty, it's 5 years of free re-application at the dealership. Tell them you want it re-applied every time you show up. In my experience dealerships never have to re-apply it, so you might meet some resistance ("Oh it doesnt need to be" or "Oh we dont do that") Yes it does, and yes they do.
3) Most folks don't know that, so they never have it re-applied which is why XZILON is such a huge money maker for dealerships. $500-$800 for a 2 ounce application of a sealant you can buy online for $15 a bottle. If the customer never has it re-applied that's something like a 5000% profit for them.
4) It protects the same as any locally available sealant. Protects from bird poop, rain, acid rain, the sun, sap, etc...
5) Unfortunately if you read the fine print the warranty is void if you wax or polish your car, which is a bummer. This essentially means once purchased you're stuck with their product. If you wax your car or have it polished they'll tell you the warranty is void.
This is where I move away from facts and get into opinion. It's my opinion that this stuff is a total rip off. Even if you have it re-applied every 6 months you will never see $500 of worth out of it. You can go to pep boys and pick up a bottle of NXT for $16.99 and apply it yourself in 15 minutes every 4 months for 5 years (15 applications) on one bottle. That's $16.99 out of pocket and ~6 hours of work over 5 years to save anywhere from $480-$680. Alternatively you could pay a detailer to clay/polish/seal your car every half-year for the same amount, and that way you essentially get a free clay/polish every 6 months which will keep the car looking great. XZILON will not protect against scratches, swirls, etc.
Don't feel bad - thousands of people opt for this stuff and really it isn't a *bad* thing, it's just a grossly overpriced thing. | 
