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

My detailer did prep the paint, but since that was my first time actually getting my car properly detailed (before that, I've only had a car waxed many years ago from some car wash place - obviously they didn't know what they were doing), I didn't (and still don't) know what is considered to be excellent prep work. Should there have been absolutely ZERO swirls after prepping? My detailer spent hours prepping with all the steps you guys describe on the forums and uses high quality products, but I did still notice very few marring - is that normal for a pretty good job? I didn't push the issue because I thought I may have unrealistic expectations.



So most of guys in this thread wash more frequently than once a month?
 
not_a_virus.exe said:
So most of guys in this thread wash more frequently than once a month?
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I think most would wash weekly if circumstances allowed. Your car will obviously look better but I'm not sure which would marr less.



On the one hand, weekly washing will prevent a months buildup of grime that can be more abrasive. On the other hand, monthly washing means your touching the paint 1/4 less often which also means your less likely to marr your paint. :noidea:
 
I'm starting to think the surface wasn't clean to start with, I'm guessing some kind of fillers were left behind? So photos of the work might help. Full sun reflection shots.



The likely way you will get marring is from washing and drying, yes the random marring will occur from debris while driving.



Cheers,

GREG
 
When you guys prep and polish paint before applying a wax/sealant/coating, are you usually able to remove 100% of all swirls?



I'll post pics a little later. My car won't be washed though until the end of the month, and wax or sealant is being applied then to mask the marring.
 
Swirls yes, random deep scratches no. Wax and sealant are unnecessary with OptiCoat and will not mask anything if the marring is under the coating. I would wash the car myself and use Power Clean to strip away everything except the coating. If you still have beading after that kind of wash, then you have some Opti Coat. If you don't see any beading, then you don't have OptiCoat. Do not trust anyone else to do this test since the application is already questionable.
 
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.
 
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.
 
integritydetail said:
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.
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It should probably be pointed out that this will depend on the severity of the swirls, marring, or scratching....just to avoid people having any other unrealistic expectations.



I do not find this coating as a means to stop caring about your cars finish. To get the most from the coating you need to continue to regularly wash the car using proper washing techniques. If you do so it will give lasting protection that stays looking new for a very long time.
 
You're exactly right Rasky, that's why I chose the word swirls. Random deep scratches and severe marring will more than likely have gone through the coating and into the original finish. Minor swirls from car washing should polish right out of the coating. The selling point is easier maintenance and more durable protection, not maintenance free and wash with a brush. That's what I like about Fermani's test in this thread. He is using either a touchless automatic or washing with a strong detergent (that strips normal LSPs), but he is still washing regularly and not washing recklessly. His test shows how OptiCoat performs vs. factory clear and hand's down OptiCoat performs wonderfully. Sure you can get the beading with other products...but you cannot wash with Dawn and expect to see that beading for long. And I personally have never had any product make the car easier to clean than OptiCoat.
 
Chris (Integrity Detail) polished my car and applied OptiCoat right at 6 months ago. I had very few swirls but a couple of deep scratches on my paint. The swirls were polished out and the scratches were diminished but still there before application. I wash with ONR at least weekly (even with salt all over the car) and still have no swirls and a couple of deep scratches. It continually amazes me how much easier the car (especially wheels) cleans up with the OptiCoat. I have applied OptiSeal a couple of times (since it only takes about 5 minutes) but honestly can't really tell that it has improved the look more than 2-5% and can't even tell if it is there or not after a few washes.....but I can sure tell the OptiCoat is still there.



I am very curious how the OptiCoat will perform during pollen season.....won't be too much longer before I find out.



I must also add that OptiCoat has disappointed me in one respect (and this is only because it has so far exceeded all other expectations). Less than 60 days before I had the OptiCoat applied I had replaced my windshield and it was in very good condition except for one tiny spot on the passenger side. Quite frankly I liked the Klasse Twins on my windshield more than OptiCoat.....not quite sure what it is but it just doesn't seem to sheet water, clean up, or look as good. A small price to pay in my opinion.



Probably still the best money I have spent on detailing for my car to date....and I have spent plenty.
 
Nice to see some more long term reviews!





I need to try and get some testimonials out of my clients who had me apply it. ;)
 
integritydetail said:
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.
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Is this 9H the pencil hardness or the Mohs hardness scale?



Also how has the UV protection been measured? do you have a quantifiable number?



I'm just trying to get the facts as I'm selling this to customers and I need to know it very well.



Cheers,

GREG
 
My Dad's 2004 Accord still looks phenomenal, 15 full months after applying Opti-Coat. Still has tight beading all over the car.



This is how it looked after a recent ONR wash (he mostly conventionally washes his cars, sometimes uses ONR). He says the car is noticeably easier to wash since the coating was applied, and while doing an ONR wash, the dirt practically flew off the car as soon as the wash media touched it.



2004_Honda_Accord_front1.jpg




2004_Honda_Accord_rear1.jpg




2004_Honda_Accord_frontend1.jpg




2004_Honda_Accord_side1.jpg




2004_Honda_Accord_backend1.jpg
 
I don't come around here enough I guess. Really an awesome contribution to the site. Now I need to find me a shop to apply the coating to my new GTI!
 
Before our company started using Opti-Coat I coated 1/3 of my own hood with Opti-Coat, 1/3 with Car Glow's PTEF sealant, and 1/3 with Cherry Wax by Pro. We washed the car for 6 months using ONR. All three held up very well for the 1st 3 months mostly due to the fact that ONR is a very gentle cleaner. The PTEF seal held up for the full six months almost as well as the Opti. Up to this point I was holding judgement and not selling the product to the public because I wanted to offer a warranty with it, but didn't want to fall into the snake oil sales group. Well then the day finally came. There was a leak coming through our concrete ceiling so I parked the car under it knowing that it would etch the paint something horrible! I then parked it out in the sun for the remainder of the day. The next day we pulled it in to wash it. We soaked it with ONR let it sit for roughly 20 seconds. When we wiped you could clearly see that the water spots had etched everywhere but where the Opti had been! Success! Needless to say we are now offering Opti-Coat services in San Diego!
 
5pointadam said:
Before our company started using Opti-Coat I coated 1/3 of my own hood with Opti-Coat, 1/3 with Car Glow's PTEF sealant, and 1/3 with Cherry Wax by Pro. We washed the car for 6 months using ONR. All three held up very well for the 1st 3 months mostly due to the fact that ONR is a very gentle cleaner. The PTEF seal held up for the full six months almost as well as the Opti. Up to this point I was holding judgement and not selling the product to the public because I wanted to offer a warranty with it, but didn't want to fall into the snake oil sales group. Well then the day finally came. There was a leak coming through our concrete ceiling so I parked the car under it knowing that it would etch the paint something horrible! I then parked it out in the sun for the remainder of the day. The next day we pulled it in to wash it. We soaked it with ONR let it sit for roughly 20 seconds. When we wiped you could clearly see that the water spots had etched everywhere but where the Opti had been! Success! Needless to say we are now offering Opti-Coat services in San Diego!
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I've been using it for almost 6 months now. Since most clients you sell this product to WONT use ONR, they will run it through a touch-less which is much more harsh chemical wise. OC has held up great for me in a touch-less. I even sprayed Opti clean on the panels allowed to dwell.............no problem. ONR will leave behind some polymers that will aid in hydrophobic effects, so that would be a hard true comparison.



Cheers,

GREG
 
Actually, yeah, after we coated the entire car we washed it with our mild degreaser about 5 times. The coating is as good as new!
 
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