CQuartz or AQuartz - anyone vouch for this stuff?
05-26-11, 10:04 AM
#31
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05-26-11, 01:01 PM
#32
I would seriously consider a new detailer. It sounds like he is doing one of two things which are not working for you.
1. He is only hiding your swirls instead of correcting them or
2. He is the cause of your swirls with either his wash or drying techniques.
Actually you can do an ONR wash with as little as 2 gallons of water. I have done this numerous times inside of my garage (which has no drain) when it was below freezing outdoors and I drive a fullsize GS Lexus myself. If you have a garage the condo board never has to know.
You certainly don't want to put OptiCoat on your car unless you know all of the swirls have been removed (not hidden) or you will definitely not be happy. By the way my experience with Opticoat is with the original version - not the consumer available Opticoat 2.0. I can only assume they are comparable.
1. He is only hiding your swirls instead of correcting them or
2. He is the cause of your swirls with either his wash or drying techniques.
Actually you can do an ONR wash with as little as 2 gallons of water. I have done this numerous times inside of my garage (which has no drain) when it was below freezing outdoors and I drive a fullsize GS Lexus myself. If you have a garage the condo board never has to know.
You certainly don't want to put OptiCoat on your car unless you know all of the swirls have been removed (not hidden) or you will definitely not be happy. By the way my experience with Opticoat is with the original version - not the consumer available Opticoat 2.0. I can only assume they are comparable.
Last edited by OutlawTita; 05-26-11 at 01:06 PM.
05-26-11, 09:11 PM
#33
I use Swissvax Shield. I think the climate in South Florida is much more challenging than in California though. Hundred degrees, with high humidity is pretty challenging for any Carnauba wax. Carnauba melts at 180 degrees, and I reckon my hood must reach that temperature quite often.
I'd like to add for Jim that CQ's etching properties seem quite promising. Leaving bird droppings on a few days in the SoCal sun didn't have an effect on the coating at all. I was impressed with that finding
05-26-11, 10:01 PM
#35
Issac, care to handle this?
BTW, i'm using a Highline II meter
BTW, i'm using a Highline II meter
Ummm, In my 50 years of polishing I've never seen a DA remove 1 mil of paint with one pass. You sure about what you measured? What PTG were you using?
OK, so I've only been using the DA for 16 years, not 50, but I've never seen a DA with light polish and mild pad remove more than a fraction of a mil after several passes.
Paint is typically 5-6 mils thick. Clear is usually 1.5 - 2 mils, and that would mean that you would remove all the clear in one to two passes and all the paint, clear, base and e-coat in 4-5 passes.
???
OK, so I've only been using the DA for 16 years, not 50, but I've never seen a DA with light polish and mild pad remove more than a fraction of a mil after several passes.
Paint is typically 5-6 mils thick. Clear is usually 1.5 - 2 mils, and that would mean that you would remove all the clear in one to two passes and all the paint, clear, base and e-coat in 4-5 passes.
???
One micron is equal to 25.4 microns. I measure almost every auto I detail the most I have ever seen a DA remove on one pass was .2 of a mil. This was using a very aggressive combination with a very aggressive pad and a aggressive application on soft paint. Is it possible that you meant .1 mils, or 1/10th of a mil (which seems excessive but doable)
05-28-11, 02:47 AM
#36
I think we were measuring in Microns John. I'll have to make sure next time I use your Highline II. Assuming that you are removing quite a bit of clear, it might also be due to using much smaller pads. The decreased surface area when using a DA makes some polishes quite aggressive, but since I know you're using Green+light polish, it does seem odd. I'll check it next time I'm at the shop...
05-29-11, 06:18 AM
#37
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This is a great thread.
Coatings are definitely not the end all but they do provide great protection and piece of mind.
I have used Cquartz, Aquartz, Opti Coat, Nanolex, they all have their good and bad points. Application is not easy but not hard.
They key is to apply on paint that's is swirl free.
Like Todd said you want to use good car wash techniques and these type of coatings will do well.
It definitely does well with bird droppings.
It won't prevent from contaminants but it will ease the removal.
Coatings are definitely not the end all but they do provide great protection and piece of mind.
I have used Cquartz, Aquartz, Opti Coat, Nanolex, they all have their good and bad points. Application is not easy but not hard.
They key is to apply on paint that's is swirl free.
Like Todd said you want to use good car wash techniques and these type of coatings will do well.
It definitely does well with bird droppings.
It won't prevent from contaminants but it will ease the removal.
04-16-12, 07:39 AM
#38
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How has CQuartz been holding up on the BMW? I just applied Opticoat to my new mercedes and plan on doing the F10 soon.
04-16-12, 11:38 AM
#39
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More interestingly, I had 2 coats of CQuartz applied to my Lexus last June (following when I created this thread). While I no longer have the Lexus, I gave it to my parents, and the coating is still going strong despite the fact that my parents wash that car at a high volume hand wash. There hasn't been any loss in performance.
According to my detailer, CarPro is launching a new version targeted at detailers soon, which should be more of a permanent coating like Opticoat, as opposed to a 2-3 year coating like CQuartz. He prefers CQuartz because you don't need to worry about ensuring an even surface without high spots. That said, I know other detailers who rave about OptiCoat.
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