P&S Bead Maker - Review

[louielouie]

I've posted this on the F30/F32 forum but I did mention here in another post that I'd do a write up on this product so here it is.
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After seeing all the buzz around Bead Maker lately, I thought I'd pick up a 16 oz bottle + gallon to try for myself. This weekend, I drove about 200 miles through desert highways so after an extensive wash on Monday, I applied P&S Bead Maker to my BSM 435i for the first time.

The car is ceramic coated and has a relatively fresh coat of Reload which was applied at the beginning of November. I heard this product bonds well with not only waxes and sealants but also coatings so this has been something a lot of consumers have been looking for including myself.

Application:
Heavy spray application for the initial use as instructed. I went through about 5/8 of the bottle but there were no issues with the buff off. It bonded nicely and I had no streaks. Initially after the wash, the sun was picking up so the car was moved to the shade. It was low 60s out but the sun was beating down so after moving the car, I applied from cold side of the car to the sun exposed side to allow the paint to cool. I can't comment on how quickly this product flashes in warmer environments, but it wasn't difficult to work with in my particular climate at the time.

Look and feel:
The car looks amazing after initial application and it does get better once the hardening agent kicks in. The car had to be parked outside due to some work being done in the garage so it did pick up a light layer of dust, but I'm excited to get a maintenance coat on when I use it as a drying aid. The slickness is like oil on the car. I didn't touch the paint without gloves after curing, but application with an Eagle Edgeless 500 and buffing with the 365 felt like being on a slip n slide.

Here are photos of the results right after completed. I don't have an actual camera and they're overexposed but it's the best I have for now.



I'm leaving the below as placeholders for further updates I'll have on this product.

Hydrophobicity:
I didn't have a chance to maintenance wash the car this weekend, but it did rain last Wednesday and Thursday. Water was beading/sheeting off the windshield at 60 MPH to where I didn't have to use my wipers at all.

Life Span:

[jdgamble]

Keep us filled in on the longevity, although that might be tricky with a coating.

I’m curious... you said you applied with an EE500. How did you pull that off without linting? I have yet to find a decent application for those towels. They feel great, but the slightest bit of moisture seems to create enough friction to pull them apart for me.

[louielouie]

Originally Posted by jdgamble

Keep us filled in on the longevity, although that might be tricky with a coating.

I’m curious... you said you applied with an EE500. How did you pull that off without linting? I have yet to find a decent application for those towels. They feel great, but the slightest bit of moisture seems to create enough friction to pull them apart for me.

I believe most users were seeing 1 - 3 months but I will keep that in mind.

I wash all my towels before initial use and haven't had issues with any of them. I use the Eagles for my ONR washes, sealant applications and occasionally drying. No issues at all.

[Poiseuille]

subscribed

[dpgfunk]

I just picked up a bottle of Bead Maker as well. I've had good results with Hydrosilex, we'll see how this stuff compares.

[louielouie]

Originally Posted by dpgfunk

I just picked up a bottle of Bead Maker as well. I've had good results with Hydrosilex, we'll see how this stuff compares.

Don't forget to apply heavy. I used most of my bottle on first application so I'm glad I picked up the gallon.

[louielouie]

Small update on hydrophobic properties:

I didn't have a chance to maintenance wash the car this weekend, but it did rain last Wednesday and Thursday. Water was beading/sheeting off the windshield at 60 MPH to where I didn't have to use my wipers at all.

[dpgfunk]

Good results with the initial application of Bead Maker. Although Hydrosilex feels a lot more slick to the touch, Bead Maker appears to bring out a little more gloss and depth. We'll see how long it lasts.

[louielouie]

Hydrophobicity update:
This is my first test after the application. It has been 2 weeks since initial application and my last wash. The beading is insane and the results are noticeably better than Reload which I've been using for about a year now. Here's some photos as well as a video.

[Tepr05]

+1 for Beadmaker. I've started using it on everything: most recently my shower doors and tile, bathroom sink/counters, and my F80 diecast 😁

Edit to say: works wonders keeping the car clean after multiple weeks of rain. Aside from spray/splash dirt around the fenders, the car looks remarkably clean as if it had been washed post-rain.

[gatorfast]

Just ordered a gallon, excited to try it out.

[louielouie]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Just ordered a gallon, excited to try it out.

Are you using this in combination with another LSP? I think this could be a good thread to share results of longevity when paired with different waxes/sealants/coatings.

[KevinM]

Thanks for the write-up. There are so many products these days....I just changed from Sonos PNS to Hydrosilex and now this pops up.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by louielouie

Are you using this in combination with another LSP? I think this could be a good thread to share results of longevity when paired with different waxes/sealants/coatings.

Nope this will be the only one I use. We'll see how it holds up.