NXT Protectant and silicone oil?

[adreed24]

I have heard that silicone, silicone oils, and petroleum distillates are bad for vinyl, plastic, and rubber. Many of the products we find in stores contain one, or both, of these ingredients.

Does the NXT Tech Protectant contain any silicone, silicone oils, or petroleum distillates?

Thanks on advance!

[Mike Phillips]

Meguiar's chemist take in all considerations when formulating products for your car, they would never intentionally create a product that would be harmful or shorten the service life of the component.

You can read all kinds of information on the Internet, things like,

"Our products contain no harmful silicones"

Neither do Meguiar's. Silicone is inert, it can't harm anything.

[adreed24]

1. Are you saying that Meguiar's products contain silicone, just not the "harmful" silicones?

Or, are you saying that Meguiar's products contain no silicone, at all?

2. Why is it that silicone gets so much criticism, yet is used in so many car products made by different companies?

Thanks!

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by adreed24
1. Are you saying that Meguiar's products contain silicone, just not the "harmful" silicones?

Not all Meguiar's product contain silicone, in fact Meguiar's history is a history of manufacturing products without silicone for use by auto manufactures and in the re-finishing industry. If our chemists include a specific type of silicone in a product it's because it's either a benefit to the product or the process. Think about that last sentence. It's a benefit to the product, or the process, it's not in the formula to cause strife among people that fall prey to scare tactics or mis-information.

Or, are you saying that Meguiar's products contain no silicone, at all?

See my post above. Remember, we didn't come out with a wax until 1950, everything we manufactured from 1901 to after the 1950's was silicone and wax free. Name a company with this many years of expertise in manufacturing wax and silicone free products.

2. Why is it that silicone gets so much criticism, yet is used in so many car products made by different companies?

Thanks!

I think it has to do with the scare tactics of some companies and mis-information that keeps getting passed around on the Internet by people that repeat what what they read and hear both on the Internet and in the real world.

It's an endless cycle. Meguiar's does their best to educate people on the truth, that's the right thing to do.

Here's a thread with a reply I wrote that touches on the silicone issue you might like to read...

Wax war rages on.........

�Find something you like and use it often�

[ktlimq]

When I was reading web pages, this was not clear. When 303 says other protectants are bad, do they refer to protectants that contain any silicone, or do they refer to protectants that contain 'harmful' silicone?


I find that I get more electrostatic during application of NXT Protectant (because it is not water based?). But my finding is not a scientific test result.



I asked an EPDM rubber seal manufacturer about vinyl&ruber protectants. I asked whether any protectant that contains any kind of petroleum distillate is harmful. I did not get any reply from them.

I asked two car bra manufacturers about protectants. I asked whether any protectant that contains any kind of silicone is harmful. They answered by email that a protectant without silicone oil can be used. The car bra vinyl is micro perforated to allow moisture under the bra to evaporate, and silicone oil can clog the micro punctures.
I asked about this to Meguiars and Lexol. They answered that their protectants do not clog micro perforated car bra.

I opened a vinyl car bra box (I forgot the brand name) at PepBoys. The manual recommended not to use vinyl protectants. However, it did not say anything about silicone or 303 Protectants.

*Water based silicone emulsion is also sometimes called silicone oil.

[Mike Phillips]

You know, it appears as though there is a lot of interest in silicones...

Are they good? Are they bad?

Nobody is on the same page... if some type of definitive information on silicones in all their forms were to be compiled, would it be of any value?

After reading multiple threads on multiple forums on this topic, my first impressions are that it would be of no value as it seems this is a real emotional topic with people, and facts seem to be mostly dismissed...

Comments?

[Bill D]

FWIW, I had always learned that polydimethylsiloxane ( PDMS) is the "safe" stuff and dimethyl silicone is the "bad" stuff.

To be honest,I don't think everyone is ever going to see eye to eye on the topic. I personally err on the side of caution.

It's always great there is such a wide variety of choices when it comes to dressings and in this case, the quote Mike uses
"Find something you like and use it often" really applies.

[gb387]

They say all these things are bad for this that and the other... is the physical proof that its bad or good? Or is it just someone in the lab saying this? I am not being smart just trying to see why this might be floating around.

My bed cover says not to use silicones on it as well but I have yet to see any problems with it but I will keep an eye on it.

I agree with Mikes Quote as well.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

I too agree with Mike. As Mike pointed out, when people become educated about the true nature of silicones, and their uses, they begin to realize that it was nothing more than some companies scare tactics that lead to the debate!

Tim

[adreed24]

The reason that the issue of silicone is debated is because, if you care about your vehicle, and its upkeep, you want to use/buy something that is reliable and effective. This applies not only to protectants, but tires, engine oil, etc., because a vehicle is a big investment.

The confusion about silicone comes from the fact that many companies are making products with it. Each claims their product is better than the "other guy's".

When we ask our friends about different protectants, we get opinions based on only what they know, or have experienced. Sometimes these opinions are correct, but sometimes our friends buy the "cheapest thing", or just don't know, or care, if there are any differences in products.

Some companies don't help because when you contact them, you sometimes receive "no answer", or the company says their products' formulas are "proprietary" and they can't comment.

Luckily, Meguiar's has a trusted name and good customer service people, both on the web and on the phone. I've never heard anyone ever complain about their products.