CQuartz or AQuartz - anyone vouch for this stuff?
 

Was talking with a friend who told me he was experimenting with this stuff called CQuartz which apparently provides a fairly scratch resistant finish which lasts 1-2 years. Ideal for Florida where there is a lot of salt and dust, and the heat melts Carnauba pretty quickly.

Read a review here which makes it seem like it may be quite effective - especially for us struggling Obsidian owners.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...0-cquartz.html

Anyone have any experience with this stuff? Any of our sponsors selling it?

Autogeek sells this. I just tried their IronX on stubborn brakedust and it works amazing. I do however recommend wearing gloves and making sure to wet the ground before. Ironx smells HORRIBLE and has a lasting smell but it does amazing work on the wheels.

They are similar products to Optimum OptiCoat. I can tell you from personal experience that OptiCoat definitely works. It has been on my daily driver for 9+ months and doesn't show any remote sign of going away. I am fully expecting at least 2+ years of protection and quite possibly much longer.

It turns out one of our local detailers has been experimenting with this stuff and has some amazing results:
http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...st-review.html

But the thing I wonder is whether it really hardens the surface, making a black car safer to wash at a local handwash place.

Opti-Coat is an actual permanent coating whereas Cquartz is a nano coating that never promises to be permanent.

I've been reading about people having water spotting issues with C quartz.

I also don't think it's ever advisable to go to the handwash places even if you have opticoat. Remember, if you scratch your clearcoat or opticoat, it will still look bad...

So what is the value proposition of this stuff? If it doesn't provide any extra protection, but it just lasts longer than wax, then why not stick with wax.

That is like asking the value of clear coat over a paint job. Yes, clearcoat will scratch but is certainly protecting the paint. OptiCoat doesn't marr nearly as easy as a wax or sealant, it is MUCH easier to clean, doesn't require reapplication every month or even every few months, and looks as good after 9+ months (I imagine this will become a much longer time frame but I have only had it for 9+ months) as it does after one day.

I have tried many, many high end waxes and sealants but this is by far the most maintenance free of the bunch.

But the question is whether it is harder than the clearcoat. If it isn't, then I am looking at polishing every 6 months and clearcoat is easier to polish than opticoat.

It is not harder than clearcoat but it is harder than sealants and waxes. Basically, you are putting a tougher sacrificial layer on your car than wax or sealant. Some ppl won't do it b/c they like to play with different waxes and sealants. Some ppl just put it on the front of their car/truck so it is easier to wash bugs off since nothing sticks to these coatings (including waxes and sealants to a certain extent).

Sometimes it is the only option if you have a car that is on the verge of clear coat failure. It's good to have options but each person has to decide what is best for them.

Todd,

What do you suggest for someone like me? I have a black Lexus. Very soft clear coat. I pay Avi from Luxury Royal Detailing a $100 a month to hand wash using the 2 bucket method, and even then I need a 1 stage correction every 4 months.

I'm looking for a lower cost more durable solution, without having to regularly paint correct.

You got your car polished 4 times already? Wonder how much clear coat you got left...

Plenty. A DA polishing session probably takes off 0.2 microns. The car has 12-15 microns of clearcoat.

Batman
If you had OptiCoat on a properly polished and swirl free surface there would be no need to polish for at least a year and quite possibly 2 or 3 years. Yes the surface can be marred but with proper washing and drying techniques what makes you think there would be any issues requiring constant corrections?