blizz24

So I want to coat my car and have reduce my list to CQUK and Finest from CQUK, Finest, Ceramic Pro, Opti Coat Pro, Modesta. I was going with Opti but then learned that it doesnt have any UV protection, and being that I don't have a garage I need UV protection. Long story short I can't decide between UK or Finest. Both have UV protection from one of its components SiO2, which also is the part that gives the hardness to the coat. In this case UK has higher SiO2 content so in theory it suppose to be "stronger". Antother good thing about UK is that it was made for colder climate, and being in NJ thats a plus. Now, Finest besides having SiO2 also has TiO2 which reading an article (investigation) it was shown that TiO2 provides more UV protection combined with SiO2. The downside of Finest is that it takes longer to cure in cold temperatures as supposely it was made for hotter climates.

Any installers here that can contribute to the topic so I can make a well informed decision.

PS: Once the car gets coated I wont be using it until is fully cured 3-4 weeks

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iTrader: (17)

You're over thinking it.... Complete overkill to not use the car for 3-4 weeks after the coating is installed. It's good to go after 24 hours.

We are an authorized Finest Installer and have been for many years. Have also used CQUK many times. The main difference is going to be, CQ Finest comes with a warranty and is applied in a minimum of 2 layers. This means Finest will be a much thicker coating. That means more gloss, longer durability, and a thicker sacrificial barrier. We tested Finest against all the 22 coatings that are out now, OC Pro, and the standard CQ coatings, and so far after about a year of heavy washing with APC and shampoo, CQ Finest is clearly beading/sheeting better than the other ones. The first couple of months, all the coatings were comparable.

So, from personal experience, CQ will offer better chemical resistance and theoretically, being the thicker coating, will protect the paint better against light swirl marks since they should be in the coating and not in the actual paint (unless obviously the swirls are very deep and go through the coating from improper washing etc.).

Plan on re-polishing and re-coating at the 2 year mark regardless of what coating you go with, especially on dark paints.

blizz24

So the colder climate won't affect Finest?

I'll be out on vacation about 3weeks that's why I won't be using it

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Where are you getting this from? As far as I know, Opti-Coat has UV protection.

blizz24

installer told me that the Pro Plus was the one that had UV protection

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iTrader: (17)

That's not true at all. OC Pro and Pro Plus both have UV protection.

OC Pro Plus still uses OC Pro as the base (and main) coating with an additional product that goes over it and serves as a top coat. You get longer warranty with the Pro Plus (7yr. vs 5yr) because of that additional layer that goes over the initial OC Pro.

And no, CQ Finest is completely fine in cold climates. I am in the Chicago area and winters here can be absolutely brutal.

blizz24

Ok thanks...

when you do Finest do you keep the car to make sure it doesn't get wet or that is responsibility of the owner

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iTrader: (17)

We don't release the car to the owner until at least 24 hours after the second coat. After that it is fine to get it wet. Our shop is climate control around 65-70 degrees F.

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iTrader: (17)

Being in NJ, I would be more concerned about getting the underside as well as body cavities sprayed with some type of wax based undercoating/rust protection product. Leaving all those areas exposed to road salt and other ice melting chemicals will be the worst thing for your car. Road salt will do nothing to damage your Lexus paint, so with a coating or without, the outside painted surfaces are totally fine for the winter time. Coating with OC or CQ just makes the maintenance and washing easier and protects from swirls to a degree.

blizz24

what options I have to protect the underside? First time hearing that

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iTrader: (17)

Do a Google search in your area and find a shop that uses a wax based undercoating. Do not do a rubber-based undercoating.

I think most shops won't disclose the exact name of the product they use, but should tell you how often it needs to be re-applied, etc.

jincuteguy

If you lease a brand new Lexus for 3 years, would you still consider to put a Coating such as CQ Finest on the car? or would it be a waste of money since it's only 3 years and it's not even your car?

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iTrader: (17)

It all depends on how you maintain the vehicle throughout its life. Most of the high-end detailing services are more of a luxury than a necessity. Is a coating needed? Absolutely NOT. People got by just fine without coatings all these years. Do coatings make it extremely easy to maintain the paint? Absolutely!

If you're the kind of person that will go and get a paint correction and install a coating on your brand new car, but neglect the maintenance after the fact, meaning not wash the car often enough, take it to the dealer for washing, take it through the brush wash, or crappy hand car wash places, then what's the point of the coating?

If you're the type of individual that will wash and maintain the paint/wheels properly after the coating, than you will be very glad you had the coating installed because it will make the process much easier and more enjoyable for you.

Dealerships don't really care too much about swirl marks so don't expect to get more money for your car on trade in because the paint is flawless. Yes, in extreme situations, having a really swirled/scratched car will obviously affect the value of it, but not normal light swirls that are to be expected.

Blkexcoupe

iTrader: (8)

I'd still do it, and I wouldn't consider it a waste of money at all. I always want the car I'm driving to be well kept. I would do it even if I only planned on keeping the car for 1 year. It keeps the car cleaner and makes it easier to maintain, so it saves a lot of time.

popping

where is your shop located?