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

[porta]

C2 is a product that you can use and get about 8 months out of it. It is one of the new coatings

I dont think you will get out 8 months of C2.

[dervdave]

I dont think you will get out 8 months of C2.

Yeah I think 8mths out of a single neat application is pushing it a bit, but here are 2 quotes from the horses mouth so to speak, Rob Earle of Gtechniq :-



`we recommend applying c2 neat and then diluting and using as a qd every 2-3 washes that way you will always have a perfectly maintained finish. however a single application should last appx 6 months.`

`if you are using the c2 QD too then the coating will be perfectly maintained until the rust god calls time on your wheels`



C2 Liquid Crystal Sealant QD

C2 Liquid Crystal Sealant & QD





`

[KC@detailien]

When this product first came out I thought to myself why would I ever want that? Now I`m not sure I`d want to be without it!



Working full time and detailing part time does make it hard to find the time to work on my own car these days, so it`s definitely nice having the coating for me. It makes cleaning easier and it also stays looking nice longer. It`s definitely not for everyone though and I`m curious to see how it hold up to marring in the long run.

May so be it



well said

[imported_Rcrew]

Any updates to this experiment?

[Anthony O.]

People,



Opti-Coat, if applied properly and allowed to cure properly, can be polished with a mild/finishing product and a finishing pad with little effect on the coating.



I have done this on numerous vehicles and it appears to have very little effect on the properties of the coating.



If the need to polish Opti-Coat comes about I recommend using the least aggressive method first. I will personally reach for a black LC finishing pad and something like FPII, 3M`s UF or the new Optimum Finishing Polish (completely new) and first use my Flex DA to see how that works. If needed I will use a rotary.



If I must use something more aggressive then I will do the entire panel and re-apply Opti-Coat. While Opti-Coat will have a difficult time adhering and bonding to itself after it has cured I have found that it can be re-applied to an area that has been polished and then prepped properly. In my testing of this the Opti-Coat has not been completely removed but rather, for lack of a better word at the moment, "lightened" thus allowing for a "booster" of Opti-Coat to be applied.



I do not recommend doing a "patch" re-application of Opti-Coat as this may lead to odd streaks and an uneven finish. Do an entire panel and the results will be far better.



Lastly, Opti-Coat CAN be waxed over, even a sealant applied over it.....not really needed though and will most likely not be as effective.



Anthony

[Barry Theal]

David anymore updates as of late?

[MarcHarris]

Because it was brought up, Gtechniq C1 /= C2

[David Fermani]

Relax boys. I`ll be doing my 1 year review this month.

[jmsc]

subscribing to the 1 year review

[David Fermani]

1 YEAR REVIEW!!!



Here is my 1 year observation on the Optimum Opti-Coating. The product is holding up incredibly well. Even after weekly hand washes with Dawn Dish soap and monthly Touchless car washing. As a refresher, the entire Driver’s side ½ of this vehicle has been treated with the coating. This includes paint, chrome, textured trim, plastic and glass. No Wax, Sealants, Waterless washes or Quick Detailers have ever been used anywhere on the exterior of this vehicle. There are no discernable differences or loss in protection, beading, shine, gloss with the product or vehicle thus far. It has outperformed my expectations in every aspect that I can imagine. The only section that has “failedâ€� is the portion of the windshield where the wipers run over(due to friction). The areas around it have diminished quite a bit, but are still shedding water very differently than the uncoated passenger side. Bottom line, the product is sticking to the finish like a refrigerator magnet!! Still easy to clean, does not get heavy build up of road oils, even at it’s most dirtiest moment. Just a quick blast of the pressure washer removes 90% of any dirt buildup. Most conclusions are based on comparisons to the characteristics of the uncoated sides as well as past vehicles I’ve cared for throughout my 20+ years of reconditioning vehicles.





Here’s a quick video I filmed with my Smart phone to document some of the characteristics of the coating.

Click Image>>







In addition to the coating testing, Dawn dish soap has not damaged any part of this vehicle thus far. Even bare metal components show no signs of corrosion like many people warned. The paint is as glossy on the untreated side as it is on the treated one. Rubber seals, weather stripping and belt moldings are still in like new condition. And this vehicle is not garage kept and can stay running for up to 8+ hours per day in the brutally hot S. Florida salty environment.





As a side note, because this vehicles has a tendency of spending up to 8+ hours per day at various Body Shops, there is a slight bit of overspray on it. This undoubtedly has effected the way the water beads as the water is beading on a surface speckled with paint overspray rather than a bare one. After discussing this issue with Dr. G, he supplied me with their Water Spot Remover. I will be testing this product, coupled with a fine grade clay bar to clean the coating. Even though the coating is still strongly on the surface, it may require additional topcoat cleaning as a maintenance type of service. This may vary based on climate and environmental surroundings.

[Rob Tomlin]

Thanks for the update!

[maesal]

Thanks David !!

It sounds amazing, and you`re washing with dawn and detergents.

Happy new year !!

[salty]

Thanks for the real world up date.

[Scottwax]

Your experience mirrors mine, although I haven`t been using Dawn. Applied Opti-Coat to both my parent`s cars in September 2009 when my Mom got a new ES350. Also applied it to my Dad`s `04 Accord. Both cars still look great, my Dad says they are very easy to wash (he goes back and forth between a hose and ONR when washing them) and when I was over for Christmas, the beading on the Lexus was absolutely spectacular and as we drove, the beads ran very quickly up the hood.

[Greg Nichols]

David,



You need to make a video of this WHOLE testing, the truth is in the video! I have it on my own car been 4 months and a brutal winter, I take it through the touchfree to remove the salt, and it ALL comes off easily.



Cheers,

GREG