reyoasian

iTrader: (2)

eshine
wisdom detail
etc.

IS3Fguy

I buy mine from eshine. They are the only one that offers free shipping.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

thanks for the tip.... free shipping is always good..

FSportIS

iTrader: (13)

Zack, I thought when we have coating. Wax or sealant would not stick to the surface as good as when we don't have the coating. Therefore, wax or sealant durability will be shortened significantly and for this reason, applying wax or sealant on top of coating is only getting a small marginal gain of having that extra protection for such a short time and not worth it unless it is easy to apply like hydr02 mentioned here.

Is hydr02 also having some kind of anti-static property that repels dust? I know there is no such a thing as true anti-static product out there that really repel dust completely but so far, I have tested and used the Finish Kare 425 (quick detailer, not sealant) as a drying aid after every car washes and my car stay clean for a longer times due to less dust.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

You're correct, traditional waxes and sealants will not last as long when they are applied on top of a coating.

HydrO2 and Reload are silica based sealants that work very well on top of these silicon coatings. They also posses hydrophobic properties and resistance to dirt that are as good as many coatings therefore you are not loosing any benefits of the coating by topping it.

As far as anti-static... There really is no hope for completely static free surface. Static electricity is generated when you wipe your vehicle, therefore hydro2 will help to reduce this as it is a true touch less application, however if you towel dry the car, you will always create some static. I prefer to blow the car dry, but even that is not a perfect.

(On my phone... Can elaborate more when I get back to a computer if you'd like... Let me know if you've got anymore questions)

Zelfiris

Also oldetownautospa as mentioned by Zach. They offer the lowest prices from my last 2 years of purchasing experiences in Canada

I tried this product yesterday and the beading is amazing. Also tried it on a panel in direct sunlight just to see the effects and definitely the finish is really bad. Streak marks and spots everywhere on that one panel. Make sure to use it in cooler temp too (I applied it in 77 Fahrenheit, bottle instructions say about 70 I believe)

IS3Fguy

Will Hydro2 provide the same or similar protection as CQ Finest? I know that it will not as long as CQ finest, but it looks like they both provide the same benefit such as easier to clean vehicle, prevent dust or water and other contaminants to settle or stick on the car. So why one would pay lot more for CQ Finest if Hydro2 provide the same benefit?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Definitely not the same.

While HydrO2 is certainly a more chemical resistant form of protection compared to many traditional waxes and sealants, it is certainly not comparable to a coating... especially CQuartz Finest.

It will be comparable in terms of hydrophobic properties, and ease of maintenance, but a paint coating will offer much better protection. A coating will also offer increased surface hardness to help resist wash induced scratches/marring and also add a measurable layer of thickness back to your vehicle which helps provide a thick sacrificial layer between the surface of the coating and the surface of your paint.

IS3Fguy

So Hydro2 and Cquartz Finest are the same in term of hydrophobic properties and ease of maintenance, but only Cquartz Finest help resist wash induced scratches/marring.

So....if I don't use machine wash and only hand wash my car carefully by following the correct methods and etc., Hydro2 should be sufficient to protect my car. Is this correct?

IS3Fguy

I apply Hydro2 today on my car and mixed the solution in 1000 ml spray bottle and I ended using the whole bottle to spray my car. Is this normal, or am I using it too much on my car?

2slow

iTrader: (5)

One word. Phenomenal! I fully detailed a IS-F about 6 months ago and he needed a quick wash today.The paint was still in good condition so it did not need a clay or polish. I applied the product
accordingly and wiped it down. The paint came out very smooth and water beads very tightly. This one made it permanently on my top shelf. Great product to use in between full details.

Tips: Use a good spray bottle. I had cheap one from walgreen's that didn't spray evenly which made me use extra product

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Sorry... I guess I am not being particularly clear.......

HydrO2 and Finest (or any other paint coating) are not the same on any level... HydrO2 offers great hydrophobic properties (ie it beads and sheets water well) which could be compared to the hydrophobic properties of a paint coating, although HydrO2 will last for just a few months while a paint coating will continue to perform for years.

A well protected vehicle will be easier to maintain regardless of if you have a wax, sealant, or paint coating applied. Therefore HydrO2 will make your vehicle easier to maintain while it lasts, but it is not as resistant to dirt and contamination as a paint coating... especially Finest.

Technically a wax is 'sufficient protection', therefore your question is a very subjective one... will HydrO2 protect your vehicle? Yes it will. Will a paint coating protect your vehicle better? Yes it will, but "better" is a relative term.


To simplify things, HydrO2 is a sealant (a damn good one), but it is NOT a paint coating and is not on the same level as a premium product like Finest. Given the price, ease of use, and excellent resuts, HydrO2 is an amazing product that I will continue using until they can come out with something even better (which will be difficult!). HydrO2 is great on top of coatings to help provide even more protection (which is how I use it on my own vehicles), or as a stand alone product.

Hope that helps... if not, let me know if you've got any more questions.



Wow, you used WAY too much. You should only need 40mL (~1.35oz) of product, which equals 160mL (~5.5oz) of mixed solution, per average 4 door vehicle.

Again, let me emphasize the fact that you only need a fine mist of product on each panel. Anymore is just wasteful as it will all be washed away and will add no additional protection or durability. Seriously, just a super fine mist over one panel, then immediately rinse, and you're done... move on to the next panel.

Glad you're enjoying it!! And yes, a good sprayer is key. A high quality spray trigger with adjustable spray pattern is ideal. Use the fine mist setting to maximize your area and minimize product consumption

FSportIS

iTrader: (13)

Wow Zack, it is good to have you on the board. You seem to have so much knowledge of many products. Are you also a member in http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ ???

For Opticoat coating, will any of the following remove the coating?
1. Clay bar
2. Hand polish (not machine) with mild polish product.

How do I get rid of the very minor swirl on the coating after years of normal wear and tear without the need to reapply the coating?

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

I am a member on Autogeek.. username zmcgovern45 (my threads).

I am also an author for the Detailed Image Ask A Pro Blog... You can also find a lot of informative articles, product reviews, etc from me there.


1 - Clay bars contain absolutely no abrasives, they will not remove any material of any kind on their own, therefore they will not remove opti-coat. In fact, even coated vehicles need to be properly decontaminated overtime.

2 - Believe it or not, hand polishing can be more aggressive than machine polishing when done incorrectly...... but I won't start off on that tangent. To answer your question, yes, hand polishing could remove opti-coat. You risk jeopardizing the coating when you use any type of abrasive on the surface. Clearly the finer the abrasives, the less material will be removed, and the less chance you have of compromising the coating, but the risk is still there regardless of how careful you are or how fine of product you use.


Unfortunately if you want to remove swirls, the car will need to be machine polished, and it will need to be recoated. I really dislike the fact that OPT markets Opti-Coat as a permanent protection because it misleads many consumers into thinking they will never need a proper detail again. In all reality, almost every vehicle will benefit from a light polish every 1-3 years depending on the environment it is kept in and how it is maintained. I personally polish and recoat my Lexus every 1.5-2 years, and do a light polish on my wife's car every year because it is jet black and therefore requires more maintenance.


The following photo shows a portion of a hood on a customer's car that has been partially polished. The top portion in the photo has been polished, and the bottom has not. Notice how much deeper and darker the polished area is compared to the unpolished area. This vehicle was only 1 year old (2013 model year) with less than 5,000 miles on it. It is only driven in the summer, yet it still benefited greatly from a routine polishing.



Now, this particular vehicle was not properly protected throughout its first year of 'life' which contributed to the accelerated wear on the paint, but I coated it with OC Pro after polishing, and now the metallic paint looks absolutely incredible and the owner was just astounded at how much of a difference it made.







So long story short... if it has been 2-3 years since your vehicle has been polished & coated, it is probably due for another complete detail and recoat if you'd like to bring it back to its former glory. Otherwise, you can just live with the minor swirls.


Let me know if you have any more questions.

-Zach

FSportIS

iTrader: (13)

I greatly appreciate your detailed answer. Yeah, I know how shinny the car is right after the Opticoat. I actually think that it looks shinier than the first day I got my car brand new lol. The ease of maintenance is such a big pro of having the coat and the water just sheet and bead after multiple months that none of the wax or sealant can do. I'm amazed most is I can leave the bird bombs on the car for almost a week and it does nothing but stain the coating only.

There is still a small con. Over several months even with careful 2 bucket system car washes all by myself, I still see few spots with "very very minor" swirl detectable only under bright lighting. Since I am looking for perfection, I still want to get rid of these minor swirl but at the same time I don't really like to polish the paint unless it is truly necessary because I want to keep the original paint thickness as the first day I got my car.

I think that Opticoat has about 1-2 micron thickness or so and one layer of polish will take 2-3 micron. So polishing will not only removing the Opticoat but part of the clear coat as well.

What a dilemma lol.