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

**RaskyR1** · 04-08-2011, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by cptzippy

Rasky, what do you mean by Goo polish and re-coating? Did you reapply Opticoat?

LOL....Keyboard FAIL!

Yes, polished and re-applied Opti-Coat.

**cptzippy** · 04-08-2011, 02:46 PM

So how long did the Opticoat last for you RaskyR1?

**RaskyR1** · 04-08-2011, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by cptzippy

So how long did the Opticoat last for you RaskyR1?

I had it on for about 9 months and it was still beading like day one...I just wanted to remove the minor defects I picked up over the winter. The lowers had a lot of bonded surface contaminants and didn`t bead quite as well, but that`s what happens when you never actually hand wash the paint.

**Greg Nichols** · 04-08-2011, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Anthony Orosco

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

Originally Posted by wannafbody

If OptiCoat gets scratched by washing then it needs to be removed in order to deswirl the car. Removal kind of defeats the purpose of applying a coating that lasts for a couple years.

Originally Posted by Alfisti

From what I understand, if Opticoat gets scratched then you can polish it like any other clearcoat.

Originally Posted by Chris@Optimum

Opti Coat is a clear coat. It is not a nano sealant. It is not scratch proof. The benefits are that it contains polymers that, when cured (dehydrated) have a hardness approaching 9H, it has truly unparalleled hydrophobic properties and is extremely resistant to contaminants. You gain some thickness and some UV protection for your existing paintwork thus prolonging it`s life and if you need to polish, you will be removing swirls in the coating layer instead of the actual car finish. I`m not sure what kind of unrealistic expectations some of you have thinking it should be bulletproof and you can now wash with a scotch bright pad or something. It is verifiably harder than any currently used clear coat which give you a significant margin of error, but you should still take care practicing safe cleaning and not use it as an excuse to do shotty work or start using tunnel washes that see hundreds of cars per day using the same wash media.

Okay, I found the time to do a little testing of this idea. I had a few wipe down light swirls likely from a contaminated towel. So I got out the RED flat LC pad/pc/205.

after a few passes the slight swirls were gone, but the perky beads of the water were no longer perky they had flattened out. The coating is still there, the water is just slower to blow off or sheet off.

Conclusion(s)

1. 205 is much to abrasive even on a no bite pad than I originally thought

2. Opti coat is durable stuff!

3. I`m not sure I could get the slight swirls out with a less aggressive media. If the idea stands to remove marring is to "level" the surface below or at the level of the marring, then no matter what I use I have to follow that same line of thought, correct? If I used FFII I would still be removing the coating down to that level to remove the swirl.

4. The statement of a 9H on the mohs scale is hard to accept, that is much harder than quartz (7H).....diamonds are a 10H. IIRC I could use talc 1H and not scratch a 9H surface, I can scratch it with talc and little kinetic effort.

5. Don`t plan on polishing without some measurable reduction in the properties.

6. The coating can be removed without too much effort using 105/300 and a cutting pad on a PC. I was much more worried I would have to break out the sanding disks!

After I`ve written all this I hope it provides you with some information, answers some questions. HOWEVER, this test does not provide any quantitative measurement (#s) of findings, but rather on a subjective qualitative measurement (value based) of the viewer.

Cheers,

GREG

**Kean** · 04-08-2011, 10:12 PM

Thanks Greg. I guess one of the concerns I have is that I would need to completely remove the product in order to re-apply it (as the folks from Optimum have mentioned in discussions I`ve read). If I just have some minor blemishes I want to address, it appears I have no no other option other than buffing the entire panel if I happen to strike-through or diminish the product somehow while trying to correct my layer of OC (if that makes sense). This is probably the biggest factor that is preventing me from jumping on the product as my next LSP right now (although I will still end up getting it for some trim bits, wheels, etc.). If I had assurance the product could be layered on itself (even with a little "scuffing" with a mild polish beforehand) I would be completely sold. This would allow me to correct as needed and reapply (again, if needed) without the extra effort/worry.

**Chris@Optimum** · 04-09-2011, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by Greg Nichols

...4. The statement of a 9H on the mohs scale is hard to accept, that is much harder than quartz (7H).....diamonds are a 10H. IIRC I could use talc 1H and not scratch a 9H surface, I can scratch it with talc and little kinetic effort...

Cheers,

GREG

Hi Greg

Th statement about 9H hardness was for the ingredients, of course this will vary depending on the surface it becomes a part of. Sorry for the confusion.

Sent from my iPad 2 viaTapatalk

**Chris@Optimum** · 04-09-2011, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by Kean

Thanks Greg. I guess one of the concerns I have is that I would need to completely remove the product in order to re-apply it (as the folks from Optimum have mentioned in discussions I`ve read). If I just have some minor blemishes I want to address, it appears I have no no other option other than buffing the entire panel if I happen to strike-through or diminish the product somehow while trying to correct my layer of OC (if that makes sense). This is probably the biggest factor that is preventing me from jumping on the product as my next LSP right now (although I will still end up getting it for some trim bits, wheels, etc.). If I had assurance the product could be layered on itself (even with a little "scuffing" with a mild polish beforehand) I would be completely sold. This would allow me to correct as needed and reapply (again, if needed) without the extra effort/worry.

Just to explain further about re coating an entire panel: Opti Coat is a "clear coat", you wouldn`t "spot paint" without leaving a noticeable hint of your repair. Likewise, Opti Coat should be removed and applied to the nearest edges to prevent seeing an edge to where it was applied. Any aggressive polish will level it to the point that it can be reapplied. It`s really not that difficult.

Sent from my iPad 2 viaTapatalk

**Kean** · 04-09-2011, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by Chris@Optimum

Just to explain further about re coating an entire panel: Opti Coat is a "clear coat", you wouldn`t "spot paint" without leaving a noticeable hint of your repair. Likewise, Opti Coat should be removed and applied to the nearest edges to prevent seeing an edge to where it was applied. Any aggressive polish will level it to the point that it can be reapplied. It`s really not that difficult.

Sent from my iPad 2 viaTapatalk

Thanks Chris. I understand the explanation of having to abrade OC down to the factory clear before reapplication. ....again, that`s part of my concern. I guess I may not be explaining it correctly. Correction on my own vehicles is usually relatively light and maybe 1 per year. ....with spot touch ups if needed in between for isolated areas. With OC it seems I will end up having to do a full correction or none (and having to worry about taking down the finish far enough that the product is completely removed prior to re-application). ....or maybe Im not understanding.

**Accumulator** · 04-09-2011, 01:00 PM

RaskR1 & Greg Nichols & (of course!) Chris@Optimum- I`m really learning from this discussion! Glad you guys are doing all this work and coming up with (and sharing) so much good info.

Kean- I think you and I have some of the same concerns. I have some "gotta use this stuff!" applications in mind, but I can`t help but think of OptiCoat as a rather "special application" product, not necessarily something that we should all use on every vehicle in place of our usual LSPs :think:

E.g., fixing a single flaw (minor stuff, not even RIDS-serious) on a large panel is something I do every now and then, so I`m really glad that sort of thing got discussed.

**Kean** · 04-09-2011, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Kean- I think you and I have some of the same concerns. I have some "gotta use this stuff!" applications in mind, but I can`t help but think of OptiCoat as a rather "special application" product, not necessarily something that we should all use on every vehicle in place of our usual LSPs :think:

E.g., fixing a single flaw (minor stuff, not even RIDS-serious) on a large panel is something I do every now and then, so I`m really glad that sort of thing got discussed.

I think we have similar thoughts about OC. I`m 90% sure at this point it is a product I will purchase but I`m still not sure the extent of it`s use in my arsenal. I definitely have some ideas of what I will likely use it for though and I`m quite excited (regardless if it becomes my next LSP). ....wheels, some trim bits, etc. (since shelf life is not a concern from what I gather). I think the only way I will find out the true extent of its use (for me) will only be after I finally get some personal experience with it. I also agree that the wealth of input/information shared by users really helps (and is appreciated).

**Pital** · 04-20-2011, 11:35 PM

does it help in any way to prevent paint chips?

**David Fermani** · 05-20-2011, 07:56 PM

Hereâ€™s a little 16 month VIDEO update for everyone. As you can see, the coating is still on the surface doing its thing. Still much easier to clean and the beading is like day 1 too. No signs of failure even though I maintain the car with weekly Dawn washes and monthly touchless washes. No signs of premature trim or paint deterioration either despite the harsh chemicals & hot Florida sun.

Click:

**Barry Theal** · 05-20-2011, 08:20 PM

Thats really impressive! Speechless!

**salty** · 05-20-2011, 11:18 PM

Thanks for the update David, still looking good.

What happened to your door?

**Greg Nichols** · 05-21-2011, 12:16 AM

While the beading is great, it is different than day one IMO. The beads are not "perky" anymore. My coating is shaping the beads more like ameboa. The cleaning is excellent, which is a larger factor for me. The hydrophillic nature seems to be a bit different too.

Any ideas david on why yours has changed too?

Cheers,

GREG