Local detail shop is going to stop using Opti-Coat, deal?
02-23-15, 04:52 PM
#31
Like I said before, you should only do decontamination with Iron x followed by clay bar one time a year. The coating protect the paint away from contamination very well, and that is why the less frequency. Iron x should be done first before clay bar and if you have coating, use ultra fine clay bar (not the medium or heavy duty one). With this method, you should be able to remove probably all contamination and the paint should be glass like smooth.
For Reload, you can apply dry or wet both ways. Applying wet, you end up diluting the product a bit and have less durability. That is why I only apply it dry. Another reason is that I don't want my drying towel having Reload on it because then it will suck at absorbing water. Therefore, if you apply it wet, make sure you wash your drying towel afterward.
When I apply it dry, after washing and drying the entire car, I spray evenly everywhere (one panel at a time), I use 1 towel to spread it and buff just a bit, then I use a 2nd towel to do final buff.
Opti-Seal beads/sheets similar to Opticoat while Reload beads/sheets similar to Cquartz. After trying both brands, I personally prefer Carpro Reload and Cquartz over Optimum brand because it is slicker, bead better, sheet faster, with more glass like gloss. You can compare them yourself easily by applying half the hood with Reload and the other half with Opti-seal and see it yourself
Let me know what you think.
For Reload, you can apply dry or wet both ways. Applying wet, you end up diluting the product a bit and have less durability. That is why I only apply it dry. Another reason is that I don't want my drying towel having Reload on it because then it will suck at absorbing water. Therefore, if you apply it wet, make sure you wash your drying towel afterward.
When I apply it dry, after washing and drying the entire car, I spray evenly everywhere (one panel at a time), I use 1 towel to spread it and buff just a bit, then I use a 2nd towel to do final buff.
Opti-Seal beads/sheets similar to Opticoat while Reload beads/sheets similar to Cquartz. After trying both brands, I personally prefer Carpro Reload and Cquartz over Optimum brand because it is slicker, bead better, sheet faster, with more glass like gloss. You can compare them yourself easily by applying half the hood with Reload and the other half with Opti-seal and see it yourself
Let me know what you think.
02-23-15, 06:09 PM
#33
Your car is too. With the right lighting, right angle, you can capture that crazy glass like shine on camera. It is hard to do with a white car but possible. I did it with a crappy iPhone camera haha. Since we are local, we should meet up sometimes. There will be a West Minister Meet in spring, I hope to see you there with your car buddy!
02-23-15, 07:14 PM
#34
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I think I'm over thinking the process! I'll hold off on the decon. It makes more sense applying Reload on a dry car too. I hope I don't go crazy and apply too much! I'm going to apply half my hood with Reload and leave the other just opticoat to see a difference! Thanks for answering my noob questions!
Thanks! I don't know why I got it. I think I was being cautious because I saw some grim on the bumper and some bug splatter. I guess I was trying to avoid claying. I'm sure I'll find a use for it.
Yeah, I need to work on my picture skills. Can't seem to find the right lighting and angles! haha I was thinking about getting a DSLR but my iPhone 5s should be able to take decent pix. Hopefully I will make it to the meet in May. I might be out of state but if not, I will be there! Are you going to the Fsport meet? I might go but most likely not. I might be busy and it's 2 hours away!
Like I said before, you should only do decontamination with Iron x followed by clay bar one time a year. The coating protect the paint away from contamination very well, and that is why the less frequency. Iron x should be done first before clay bar and if you have coating, use ultra fine clay bar (not the medium or heavy duty one). With this method, you should be able to remove probably all contamination and the paint should be glass like smooth.
For Reload, you can apply dry or wet both ways. Applying wet, you end up diluting the product a bit and have less durability. That is why I only apply it dry. Another reason is that I don't want my drying towel having Reload on it because then it will suck at absorbing water. Therefore, if you apply it wet, make sure you wash your drying towel afterward.
When I apply it dry, after washing and drying the entire car, I spray evenly everywhere (one panel at a time), I use 1 towel to spread it and buff just a bit, then I use a 2nd towel to do final buff.
Opti-Seal beads/sheets similar to Opticoat while Reload beads/sheets similar to Cquartz. After trying both brands, I personally prefer Carpro Reload and Cquartz over Optimum brand because it is slicker, bead better, sheet faster, with more glass like gloss. You can compare them yourself easily by applying half the hood with Reload and the other half with Opti-seal and see it yourself Let me know what you think.
For Reload, you can apply dry or wet both ways. Applying wet, you end up diluting the product a bit and have less durability. That is why I only apply it dry. Another reason is that I don't want my drying towel having Reload on it because then it will suck at absorbing water. Therefore, if you apply it wet, make sure you wash your drying towel afterward.
When I apply it dry, after washing and drying the entire car, I spray evenly everywhere (one panel at a time), I use 1 towel to spread it and buff just a bit, then I use a 2nd towel to do final buff.
Opti-Seal beads/sheets similar to Opticoat while Reload beads/sheets similar to Cquartz. After trying both brands, I personally prefer Carpro Reload and Cquartz over Optimum brand because it is slicker, bead better, sheet faster, with more glass like gloss. You can compare them yourself easily by applying half the hood with Reload and the other half with Opti-seal and see it yourself
Let me know what you think.Thank you Your car is too. With the right lighting, right angle, you can capture that crazy glass like shine on camera. It is hard to do with a white car but possible. I did it with a crappy iPhone camera haha.
Since we are local, we should meet up sometimes. There will be a West Minister Meet in spring, I hope to see you there with your car buddy!
Your car is too. With the right lighting, right angle, you can capture that crazy glass like shine on camera. It is hard to do with a white car but possible. I did it with a crappy iPhone camera haha. Since we are local, we should meet up sometimes. There will be a West Minister Meet in spring, I hope to see you there with your car buddy!
02-25-15, 12:12 PM
#35
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For $500, if you feel it is a reputable shop, that is a VERY good value including one step of correction. I charge around $500 for a one-step correction and basic sealant or wax application (assuming ~7 hours of work)... assume Opti-Coat lasts you a solid 2 years before you decide you want to have your vehicle polished again and re-coated. That is $250/year... this is less than it would cost to visit a detailer 2-3 times each year for a reapplication of a polymer sealant. If you're someone who does not enjoy waxing their vehicle every month, or applying a few times a year, a coating is certainly a great choice.
FWIW the Optimum Warranty is not worth anything in my opinion, so I wouldn't let that bother you. It is void if they think you "didn't maintain the vehicle properly".
also... $1000 is nothing like the cost of a quality paint job
-Zach
FWIW the Optimum Warranty is not worth anything in my opinion, so I wouldn't let that bother you. It is void if they think you "didn't maintain the vehicle properly".
also... $1000 is nothing like the cost of a quality paint job
-Zach
This info is 1000% on point.
02-25-15, 12:17 PM
#36
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02-25-15, 12:22 PM
#38
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Ceramic Pro's claims are very largely unfounded in real science and some of the things they and their installers have spouted are truly laughable. They are also big on the "setting a hood on fire" trick at car shows. Smoke and mirrors.....
02-25-15, 12:42 PM
#39
/rant
-Zach
02-25-15, 01:35 PM
#41
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Reason why I said that is because he demonstrated a stratched hood being fixed by hot air.
He got some sandpaper (don't know what grit) and scratched the treated hood. He then used a head gun and it completely disappeared. The hood was coated with 4 layers of CP9H. The Ferrari was being treated with 8 layers!
FWIW he used a heat gun and immortal does not need heat to repair itself.
That being said, I wonder how cquartz finest would compare with 4 layers as far as durability. cp9h was almost double the price of finest!!!
QUOTE=GoFast908Z;8928112]Not in this universe.[/QUOTE]
He got some sandpaper (don't know what grit) and scratched the treated hood. He then used a head gun and it completely disappeared. The hood was coated with 4 layers of CP9H. The Ferrari was being treated with 8 layers!
FWIW he used a heat gun and immortal does not need heat to repair itself.
That being said, I wonder how cquartz finest would compare with 4 layers as far as durability. cp9h was almost double the price of finest!!!
QUOTE=GoFast908Z;8928112]Not in this universe.[/QUOTE]
02-25-15, 01:44 PM
#42
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Funny how the shop manager tried to upsell me on cp9h by stating I had to wash my car if I used opticoat! I'm pretty sure I would have to with cp9h! Luckily the owner which I initially contacted was cool, otherwise I would've gone to another shop!
02-25-15, 02:11 PM
#43
Did he show you the panel after it had cooled back to room temp? Paint will swell when exposed to heat, and this will hide some scratches.
This can be an issue when correcting paint as the pad generates heat on the panel and can sometimes hide fine scratches if the paint swells, however with DA machines, the surface temps are kept rather cool even with heavy compounding (<150F)... much, much cooler than what is coming out of a heat gun. Ceramic Pro is not marketed as a self healing coat, therefore I would assume this was some sort of parlor trick.
Also... you have to wash your car regardless of what is applied to it that just emphasizes mine and jeff's point about some CP installers.
This can be an issue when correcting paint as the pad generates heat on the panel and can sometimes hide fine scratches if the paint swells, however with DA machines, the surface temps are kept rather cool even with heavy compounding (<150F)... much, much cooler than what is coming out of a heat gun. Ceramic Pro is not marketed as a self healing coat, therefore I would assume this was some sort of parlor trick.
Also... you have to wash your car regardless of what is applied to it
that just emphasizes mine and jeff's point about some CP installers.
02-25-15, 02:28 PM
#44
Don't bother with this shop again with this type of manager who is THAT ignorant or misleading! Yeah right, use CP9h and you will never wash your car again woo hoo lol
assuming you are the pig who will believe this. 
02-25-15, 02:28 PM
#45
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I probably looked at the panel about 30secs to 1min after he took off the heat gun and the scratches didn't come back.
The infomercials demonstrate a lighter banging on the panel, I wonder how that works. I'm sure it's all clever marketing. I hope their customers washes their cars haha He made it seem like opticoat needed high maintenance and cp9h didn't. Little did he know, it's going to be highly maintained haha
The infomercials demonstrate a lighter banging on the panel, I wonder how that works. I'm sure it's all clever marketing. I hope their customers washes their cars haha He made it seem like opticoat needed high maintenance and cp9h didn't. Little did he know, it's going to be highly maintained haha