In Janurary of 2007 I purchased a new vehicle. At the time of purchase I was presented with the opportunity to purchase a product called Diamon-Fusion (Although I see many references to Diamond Fusion) that would be applied to my windshield before delivery. I have been less than impressed with it’s preformance.
When the product was presented to me it was touted as a product very different from RainX. I was told that it formed a molecular bond with my windshield. Not only would it provide RainX type features, but I was told that it would help my windshield resist chips and cracks – in fact I was told it came with a windshield warranty! I had always loved the effect that RainX had on my windshield, but did not enjoy having to reapply it every few months. The prospect of a product that would not have to be re-applied appealed to me very much. The over $300 price tag didn’t seem like much, especially with the 4 year warranty that was promised.
After picking up my vehicle I was amazed at the performance. When driving at any speed over 45 MPH I would not even have to have my windshield wipers on. The product would shed water so well it would just slide off. I was impressed.
It is now April of 2007 – only 3 months after I purchased my vehicle and had the Diamon-Fusion Product applied at the dealer. The water beading effect is totally gone. When comparing my windshield to the other auto glass on my vehicle, it has no better qualities than the rest of my glass.
I had asked at the time of purchase if any maintenance was required. The dealer told me no, however I did receive a spay bottle in the mail from Diamon-Fusion shortly after purchasing the vehicle stating that if the effect was wearing off I could renew it by applying this spay.
The prospect of bringing my vehicle back to the dealer every 3 months to have it reapplied over the course of the next 3 years does not sit well with me.
I figure I could purchase about 42 bottles of RainX for what I paid for this one application of Diamon-Fusion. And bringing my vehicle in for a reapplication is far more time consuming than if I just applied the RainX myself.
I wish I had discovered this article before my purchase:
http://autopia.org/forum/detailing-product-discussion/88225-diamond-fusion-windshield.html
When doing searchs I find it helpful to also try Diamond Fusion (with a “d” at the end) as many people get them confused.
After mentioning my issues to one of the service advisors I was told that yes you do have to apply the maintenance spray regularly. I was told there was nothing that they could do. I asked how is that any different than using RainX? I was told that you still have the anti-glare properties (I really don’t notice that) and that I have the guarantee of windhsield replacement should I ever get a crack. I thought maybe the warranty would be worth it.
When reviewing the warranty document that I received when I picked up my vehicle, I discovered the following:
- I only have a standard warranty. To get winshield replacement if it is determined that the windshield is not repairable required the “Replacement Plus Warranty”. I was never offered this option, yet I was told that repair/replacement was part of the warranty.
- Here is what the standard warranty covers: “Covers repair costs only, not the replacement of the whindshield. For any windshield damage described herein which is deemed non-repairable, the customer must pay for the cost of the replacement at the time of the replacement. Whishield damage is deemed non-repairable if said chip or crack lies in the direct vision of the driver, if the crack is over 6 inches in length, if there is an actual hole in the glass, or if the repair compromises the overall integrity of the windshield.“
Heck, based on all of that when will they ever pay to fix a chip or crack?
Based on my expereince, purchase glass coverage from your auto insurance agent and buy a few bottles of RainX.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I second that. Total scam.
It stops working after 3 months and the “warranty” only covers a $20 repair job that you could do yourself buying a glass repair kit from Wal-mart for $5. Most of auto insurance companies would pay for the job and waive deductible, so there’s not benefit of that warranty.
If you have a small chip, the “certified technician” would overpressure the repair so that the glass cracks and you’ll have to pay extra out of your pocket to replace the windshield anyway.
I had the same experience. I bought DF after a new car purchase, and in 3 months the rain would begin to sheet off the glass at 75mph only. Rainx works much better. I call the guy who applied the DF and he came out to reapply it again, and it’s still no better. I’m pissed because my story is the same as you guys. I’m a new Dad & thought I was doing something good for the family by buying a product that would help me and my wife see the road better in rainy conditions. I have yet to goto Angies list to tell of my experience, and you can bet I will. Question? Did you guys notice that the spray bottle sent to us by DF smells like, applies like, and performs like Rainx? If I was rich I would pay a CSI like company to test Chem properties of the two, and then sue the makers. I just blew $300 for nothing.
Kline
A Rain-X competitor is applied by some auto dealers but available for DIY – “Aquapel Glass Treaetment” – supposedly developed by PPG, supposedly for Airplane pre-takeoff treatment against rain and ice .
search for: “Aquapel Glass Treaetment” at places like:
http://www.shopzilla.com/%22aquapel-glass-treatment%22/search
http://shopping.yahoo.com
It’s carried by TireRack.com, which sounds like a positive vote,
and avail @ amazon, eBay. It claims to last 10x longer than RainX.
I liked DiamonFusion’s “fill the cracks” feature . .
I had the same experience as Andrey. I had a very small chip in my windshield. The tech came and “repaired” the chip. He acknowledged that he turned the chip into a 2-inch crack, but said not to worry because the crack had filled with the epoxy (although it certainly did not look like it to me). The following day, the crack proceeded across my entire windshield. my husband and I started questioning the entire purchase. Once we found out we could not got to anyone else to have the windshield replaced AND that the replacement was an after-market windeshield. We decided to use our car insurance (a total of $100 deductible vs the $599 we paid for the diamon-fusion) and go to a reputable auto-glass company. I also found out that windshields now are responsible for much of your car’s structural integrity. These obviously incompetent windshield repairers do not use appropriate adhesives nor do they know how to do a proper installation, resulting in potential for serious injury in the result of an accident. I feel very stupid, but a little smarter for my experience. My late Aunt Joyce always called it “tuition.” It is expensive, but you can learn from it.
Well. I used to be a rainx dude up until I discovered Aquapel from PPG. It is very difficult to get here in the east coast but I ordered at Amazon ($9.99) and it took like 10 minutes for me to apply it on my windshield. It is now 5 months after first application and it still works like a charm. You can apply this to your side windows and those last like 2 years since there are no wipers that come in contact with the glass. Aquapel guarantees one application to last for 6 months. It actually bonds with your glass and becomes very smooth.
I always had my doubts on Diamond Fusion and it is similar to the “Throttle body cleaning” recommended maintenance that the dealers try to sell during a service visit. Outright scam!!!
Just because u fell for a sellsman not telling yiou everything about a product does not make it a bad product. The maintance that you are complaining about take 10 mins out of your day and with the fact that the Hydrophobic properties are 20 times better then rainx i think you got a great deal. Then you robbed them with a bearly over $300 Price tag you stole the producted. Most car dealerships now charge up to $1000 with the 4-Year warranty and only give you 3 wipes that are good for the first year then charge you For the rest of the time. And if you bought the product because you like the water beading off then you really did not lisen to the sells pitch. Diamon Fusion is for windshield strengthing so that you do not have to replace your windshield as often, and the argument with just using your insurance is mute for if you make a claim with your insurance company for anything it makes them not like you to much. They will give you an extra discount as well for not making claim so going with a Warranty is really smart. Now you have to remember that Diamon Fusion is not the end all save all to windsheild damage they can still get broken and have to be repaired but with they Lifetime Warranty on the product its self that alone makes it with it for as long as you own your car you will always get a new application of Diamon Fusion. So Tell me what is there really to complain about it is a good solid buy.
But they will not repair any damage that is in the drivers line of sight – how is that a warranty? And my experience with RainX on my other vehicles has been just as good as the coating on my Diamon Fusion vehicle. I do not see any benefit. It takes me just as much time to apply RainX as it does their rejuvenator.
I am not sold at all on the windshield strengthening properties. Someone will have to provide me some solid proof of that. I have chips in my Diamon Fusion windshield just like my other vehicles.
I wanted to take a minute to correct what I think are some fundamental misunderstandings about this product. No disrespect intended, but the comments about this product seem to be the work of laymen who have little understanding of auto glass or the properties of glass in general and this product may be incorrectly getting a bad rap through no fault of its own.
First off, let me explain why I believe I am qualified to speak about this product. I have been in the auto glass replacement industry for over 25 years. I have replaced thousands on windshields and other pieces of glass on ordinary street cars, race cars, classic cars, farm equipment, construction equipment, motor homes, boats, 18 wheelers, trains, dune buggies and just about anything else that you can drive and I have dealt with windshield damage from every conceivable cause. Secondly, I do not have a dog in this hunt. I am not affiliated with DFI, nor have I ever been, nor do I know anyone who is. I am speaking solely as someone with knowledge of auto glass and has also seen this product function first hand.
For starters, you have to look at the Diamon Fusion application as a two part process with to completely separate and unique functions. Probably the easiest way to understand how it works is to compare the 2 part Diamon Fusion process to clear coat and wax.on a car’s paint, the clear coat equating to the Diamon Fusion part 1 and the wax to part 2, very separate and unique functions. The clear coat is there to provide a barrier between the external surface of the paint and the elements. The clear coat does provide a level of protection for the paint in that it will prevent oxidation and prevent dirt, chemicals, moisture etc. from making direct contact with the paint and eventually diminishing the integrity of the painted surface. It is common for the clear coat layer(s) to prevent paint chips and scratches from minor contact however it will not protect the body of the vehicle from dents caused by heavy contact and no one would ever expect it to. Any wax we apply to the clear coat will cause the nice beading effect when rained on and does provide for a nice shiny vehicle but, of course, these properties wear off over time and the wax needs to be reapplied. However, simply because the properties of the wax diminish, it does not mean that the clear coat is gone. We just never really think about the clear coat being there. As this equates to the Diamon Fusion product, simply because the water beading properties of Part 2 diminish over time it does not mean that the protection of Part 1, the “clear coat” does not remain. The purpose of Part 1, just like the clear coat, is to provide a barrier between the exterior surface of the glass and the outside elements, protecting the integrity of the surface and preserving the optical clarity of the windshield. Just because Part 2 will need to be applied from time to time it does not mean that Part 1 is not there and doing its job. And, just like no one would expect a layer of clear coat to prevent the paint from being damaged by a rolling shopping cart, no one should expect Part 1 of the Diamon Fusion product from repelling a large rock. But, just as the clear coat protects the paint surface from the day to day sand-blasting, nicking and scratching of road debris, the Diamon Fusion Part 1 will protect the surface of the glass from same. The rain beading property of Part 2 is a completely separate function from the surface protection function of Part 1 but, unfortunately, the only part that the lay customer car see with his or her eyes. In comparison, products like Rain-X or Aquapel function as a wax only and offer zero protection to the glass surface.
As to whether this Diamon Fusion product can be considered a “scam’, I think one needs to separate the actual function of the product itself from the associated charges and warranties. If someone is over-charging for the product, over-selling its capabilities or offering a dubious and confusing warranty, it does not necessarily mean that the product itself is flawed. Some of the application charges I have seen are extremely high when compared to the cost of the actual kit and the relatively short time it takes to apply. Does it prevent windshield damage? Sand pitting? Definitely. Stone chips? Probably some, but it’s impossible to say for sure. Stone chips are like snowflakes with no two ever exactly alike. Every stone is of different size, shape, weight and contacts the windshield at a different relative speed and trajectory. There have been some very unscientific tests done on Youtube with BB guns, etc. most likely done by folks who are attempting to sell the product. If I had to make a determination based on my experience in the industry and my knowledge of the product, I would say that the Diamon Fusion product will probably prevent some, but not all, stone chips and will probably reduce the severity of the chips you do get. That’s actually saying quite a bit because it may be the difference between a complete windshield replacement and a chip repair, or a chip repair vs. no damage. The main benefit you will get out of this product is the preservation of the optical clarity of your windshield over the course of time and a marked reduction in the stone pitting / sand blasting effect that comes with highway driving. It is not fair to judge the quality of the product as a whole just by whether or not it beads water. I hope I have cleared up some misconceptions here.
I have been in the glass business for 41 years & have seen all the hype . I would sell you a service contract for a thousand dollars & laugh all the way to the bank .
I’ve sold this stuff at our Toyota dealer and there was a bit of hype. So I decided to get it done to my own car. Didn’t work at all! Driving behind a gravel truck and when the trunk hit a bump in the road, it started spilling gravel all over. Next thing I know a loud smack and my windshield crack spread within 10 minutes. That was when I actually read the fine print. Guess what, it’s not covered! It only costed me about $100, but it was wasted. I wouldn’t sell this to anyone now.
by the way, “glassman”, you should try harder to not look like you don’t represent the company in any way.
They charge enough for the vehicle when you purchase it then they talk you in to buy all the extra coverages.Things like paint protection ,fabric protection,interior cavity rust protection ,under body corrosion and sound protection ,vinyl and leather protection and on and on and on.Do you want some good advise ,save your money .How long does the average person keep a vehicle for maybe 5 years.
Thanks Fred
Hello,
I am a representative from Diamon-Fusion International. We regret the negative experience some of you seem to have encountered with our product and the incorrect information you may have received from various dealers and installers, and we’d like to help clear up any misinformation you might have been given. I hope it’s ok if we answer some of the what seems like are the most confusing points.
-Basic background: Diamon-Fusion® is a low-maintenance, not a no-maintenance, coating for silica-based surfaces (glass, porcelain, tile, granite, & quartz). Using most brand name cleaners on the market to clean DFI treated glass is harmful because they are acidic and harsh. Diamon-Fusion® is easily cleaned with just mild soap and water, so no harsh chemicals are needed.
-Because it is a patented product and is typically professionally applied, it has not been generally available to the public through retail outlets. We are the owner of the technology, therefore, all dealers and applicators set their own pricing and warranty policies. Many variations of coverages, price points, etc. exist. As with any product purchased, care must be taken to thoroughly read and understand what is being offered and covered.
-Independent testing has proven that Diamon-Fusion® makes windshield glass ten times harder to pit, chip, or crack. That is only one of the other benefits, besides water repellency, that it provides. We’d love to talk to you about them and many others, and invite you to revisit our website—or better yet—give us a call toll-free at 1.888.344.4DFI(334).
-Without detracting from competitors or trying to explain the nuance of each difference, we believe we are the only patented glass coating we know of that has had the extensive testing for safety that we have, will help to keep your insurance claims down by not having a relatively small claim when a full warranty is purchased, and is guaranteed not to haze, peel, or yellow.
-As one reviewer noted, simply because the properties of the coating diminish somewhat, it does not mean that the coating is gone. Yes, there is maintenance needed; we know of no other coating that has none at all. As also noted, however, the little time it takes to Revitalize Diamon-Fusion®, is well worth the small amount of effort that would need to be done anyway, and with less superior products.
I hope this response has helped give you more concrete information about Diamon-Fusion®. Please contact us soon and let us do our best to share with you how to avoid a potential problem that may seem relatively minor now, but that could become costly and a big inconvenience in the future.
Thank you all for your input, especially to those that tried to point out differences and share their positive experiences. We also greatly value the opinions of those with less than perfect experiences as this is how we learn and improve. We hope to have the opportunity to have you as Diamon-Fusion customers in the future.
Sorry, JJ. No, I am not affiliated with DF but I have tried the product on several of my fleet vehicles as well as my personal vehicle for the specific reason that I was skeptical myself. Yes, I had thought of offering the product through my company. No, I have not as of yet begun to do so because I am not thoroughly convinced of its effectiveness myself. I have also applied it to a few of my customer’s vehicles as a means to track their independent evaluations over the period of several months.
The prevailing idea that somehow application of this product will prevent a car windshield from breaking or suffering damage for any reason is misguided. Its basically the equivalent of blaming the company that manufactured your car’s clear coat paint when the car’s body gets dented or the paint gets scratched. If you can’t understand that simple analogy then this product is obviously not for you.