GRAND FINALE -Optimum Opti-Coating - Durability Test Review!!!

**MichaelM** · 08-23-2010, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by MDRX8

I`ll stick with Gtechniq Crystal Lacquer Coating C1 --- Exterior Coatings // G|Techniq Looks awesome.

Still bitter?

**DM101** · 08-23-2010, 11:04 AM

Nope. Dr. G did me a favor by not selling it to me, a detailer, that does 4 to 5 cars a week. Gallery // G|Techniq

Originally Posted by MichaelM

Still bitter?

**imported_Ivan Rajic** · 08-23-2010, 11:27 AM

Not sure if it`s been discussed, but I`m curious about how the coating does with induced swirling, etc. With that paint color it`s not easy to tell but I`d love to see if it acts more like a very hard clear coat and stays pretty much swirl free for a while, even with weekly washing, or...?

Considering all the descriptions and reviews of the product, I can only assume that it protects the actual paint from swirlmarks?

**DM101** · 08-23-2010, 01:17 PM

"""C1 forms a sub micron cyrstalline film which is extremely hard. This characteristic makes c1 extremely effective at preventing minor scratching from poor wash technique on relatively soft automotive paint. We have run tests comparing c1 coated panels with uncoated and against panels coated with various high end carnauba waxes and polymer sealants. On average c1 coated panels exhibited 50% less marring.""""

Originally Posted by LUSTR

Not sure if it`s been discussed, but I`m curious about how the coating does with induced swirling, etc. With that paint color it`s not easy to tell but I`d love to see if it acts more like a very hard clear coat and stays pretty much swirl free for a while, even with weekly washing, or...?

Considering all the descriptions and reviews of the product, I can only assume that it protects the actual paint from swirlmarks?

**not_a_virus.exe** · 08-24-2010, 06:27 PM

With these super durable nano-coatings like Opti-Coat and C1, other than their long-term durability, what other advantages do they have over high quality sealants? I mean, wouldn`t both provide the same look and beading anyway? Just one lasts a lot long, right?

If so, wouldn`t it be more economical to apply sealant every 6 months?

**imported_Picus** · 08-24-2010, 06:53 PM

So far I`ve found with Aquartz and OC, that they have superior "cleanability", in the sense that they make the car incredibly easy to keep clean; more so than a typical sealant. Of course most of us probably keep our cars pretty clean anyway, but for DDs that aren`t washed often they seem to make the cleaning of bugs/tar/general crud much simpler.

**imported_Bence** · 08-24-2010, 08:17 PM

...and don`t forget that these coatings have a hardness close to MOHS 9, which makes them far more resistant to marring, swirls, everyday abuse than normal sealants...

**itb76** · 08-24-2010, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bence

...and don`t forget that these coatings have a hardness close to MOHS 9, which makes them far more resistant to marring, swirls, everyday abuse than normal sealants...

This sounds like a godsend to owners of Jet Black BMW`s.

When I have a car with good paint again I`ll be looking to try.

**not_a_virus.exe** · 08-25-2010, 12:33 PM

Okay, that makes sense.

But since OC is not 100% scratchproof, when it does get that inevitable marring, do you polish it out? Can you even just spot polish? Or do you layer with some sealant or wax to fill up the scratches?

What if you get a deeper scratch that can`t be simply filled up? You gotta re-polish the whole area and re-apply OC?

**porta** · 08-25-2010, 02:11 PM

I will apply some OC on my new solid black Audi A4 Avant, I hope it can help to prevent some swirls.

**imported_Ivan Rajic** · 08-25-2010, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by not_a_virus.exe

Okay, that makes sense.

But since OC is not 100% scratchproof, when it does get that inevitable marring, do you polish it out? Can you even just spot polish? Or do you layer with some sealant or wax to fill up the scratches?

What if you get a deeper scratch that can`t be simply filled up? You gotta re-polish the whole area and re-apply OC?

That`s partly why I was asking.

It seems like this is a great product for those who either wash very meticulously and only need to polish paint once a year or less often to get perfect paint, or for those who don`t care much about the swirlmarks and are after the long term protection.

I am extremely curious though how much this prevents actual swirl marks in the paint, and also if the actual coating can get swirl marks but not the paint, since it`s so hard and resistant?

**jpochile** · 08-25-2010, 03:53 PM

Hi Guys :

We are a Subaru performance shop here in Chile and also a detail shop . I´m very interested in trying this product

since as you all know Subaru paint is in another league in softness . This product could make our life here a lot better

Please let me know to whom should I send our information to be able to buy this product . We have a purchasing office in Miami so

the product will be ship to Maimi .

Cheers ,

Jean Paul

**imported_Picus** · 08-25-2010, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by LUSTR

That`s partly why I was asking.

It seems like this is a great product for those who either wash very meticulously and only need to polish paint once a year or less often to get perfect paint, or for those who don`t care much about the swirlmarks and are after the long term protection.

I am extremely curious though how much this prevents actual swirl marks in the paint, and also if the actual coating can get swirl marks but not the paint, since it`s so hard and resistant?

I may be wrong, but I think the idea with these products it they actually form a coating that is harder than paint; so they are harder to marr. They will inevitably marr, of course, so the question is how to maintain them. My guess (again this is just a guess) is that you can lightly polish the coating to remove marring without impairing the integrity of the coating. If you get a RID/deep scuff etc then you will need to heavily compound and re-apply the coating.

I think the idea is that the coating is applied to mitigate the need to polish at all, since the coatings hardness > the paint.

This is all supposition, but from what I`ve read and the people I`ve spoken to about OC/Aquartz this is my general understanding.

As an aside; right now I normally recommend to my clients that they claybar/lightly polish a properly washed car once a year. With OC/AQ I`d imagine that might go up to as much as 3-4 years. To me that alone is worth the cost on a DD. Even if you have to re-apply every ~4 years to maintain a perfect finish, you`re still talking about 4 years of the car looking good and being protected, and in the end the cost to the customer is likely still less.

**WhiteStripes** · 08-25-2010, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by jpochile

Hi Guys :

We are a Subaru performance shop here in Chile and also a detail shop . I´m very interested in trying this product

since as you all know Subaru paint is in another league in softness . This product could make our life here a lot better

Please let me know to whom should I send our information to be able to buy this product . We have a purchasing office in Miami so

the product will be ship to Maimi .

Cheers ,

Jean Paul

Here`s the link to OPT`s contact page.

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**WhiteStripes** · 08-25-2010, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Picus

I`m offering it only on new cars (as an addition to a new car prep), I add an hour of prep time then the cost of the product. I normally don`t bother with product cost but being as this isn`t cheap I`m including the cost. So far I`ve applied to DDs of previous clients, most of whom have weekend/fun cars I also work on. I may start to offer it on non-new cars, but the bulk of the cost there would be the prep. I`m not going to put OC on anything but perfect paint, I don`t really see the point.

If an Autopian Detailer, or say another non-approved by OPT detailer were to bring you a car they had personally prepped, would you apply the coating after inspecting it to meet your standards at least?