When to use permanent sealants like opti and qtz?
- Thread starter glen e
- Start date
Todd@RUPES
Just a regular guy
TroyScherer
Ummm.... Ya.....
I am not a pro detailer but here are my thoughts on the subject.
My personal use and experience:
In my opinion OC/OG is the best protection for wheels. I am currently in the process of applying OC/OG to all of the wheels on my vehicles. I would suggest this to everyone.
OC is great protection for daily drivers and cars that you don’t always have time to take care of. Essentially you would never need to wax again. It will better resist marring and scratches. It defiantly makes it easier to wash as well; as the dirt releases so much easier. I have just OC/OG my truck that sits outside 24/7.
CQuartz is more of a super sealant in my opinion as it has around a 2 year life span. I have this on my wife’s car and it is very nice. It has good looks and releases dirt and water very well. In essence it is very similar to OC/OG but it is not permanent. Using Reload on top of CQ is great!
As far as choosing CQ vs. OC/OG:
I think the choice between CQ vs. OC/OG is dependent on your overall goal and comfort level in application and polishing skills. With both CQ & OC/OG you want to have the vehicle polished as perfect as possible. But since OC/OG is permanent you really want everything perfect before you seal everything in. Since CQ is approx a 2 year sealant I feel like you have a little more leniency on perfection. Because you know that sooner or later you will have to re-prep and re-apply, giving you the time to get better at machine polishing. As far as price and getting the best bang for your buck; I would say the winner is OC/OG.
Choosing a coating vs. sealant or wax:
Choosing coating over a sealant or wax is all about overall long term protection. If you want to best protection with the least maintenance then a coating is your best option. So far both CQ and OC/OG allows me to wash a vehicle very quickly without having to spend the time reapplying protection every month or two.
If you like applying waxes and sealants and have the time then I would defiantly go for that. I enjoy it and at this time have the ability to spend the time every other weekend. So at this time my car is and will continue to wear a sealant and wax. I just enjoy the time I spend and all the different varieties available to use.
Now when it comes to customer cars the decisions are very much the same but also the big factor is cost. With coatings your overall cost is going to be higher because of the cost of application. Most pro’s are charging a premium for applying a coating as it is permanent and the knowledge and ability to do the work. The level of polishing can be the exact same, so it comes down to the final steps. Most customers will not “go” for a coating IME only because of the additional cost. They just can’t seem to see the long term cost and benefits of this yet. I am working on my sales pitch at this point. Also having a vehicle to show them will definitely help as well.
For specialty vehicle and cars that are well cared for I would almost always reach for a sealant or wax unless a coating is requested. You simply don’t need the added cost or protection that coating bring to the table. My list of sealants and waxes is quite expansive for my own use and I enjoy the choices. With my new use of UPGP & BFCS, I can easily top up my vehicle in the same time it takes to use a QD.
The coatings offer some scratch resistance as well as excellent protection for a long time. For daily drivers where you don't want to seal/wax ...it's a great choice.
I use CQuartz mainly for its scratch resistance and eventually "top" it with a sealant and /or carnauba...I get bored just using Reload. The durability of the topper is compromised I'm sure, but it gives me a fresh "waxed" look.
Also, you can use a nonabrasive cleaner and/or Eraser (or IPA mix) to remove the old toppers and the coating will remain. That works for me, but to each his own.
I use CQuartz mainly for its scratch resistance and eventually "top" it with a sealant and /or carnauba...I get bored just using Reload. The durability of the topper is compromised I'm sure, but it gives me a fresh "waxed" look.
Also, you can use a nonabrasive cleaner and/or Eraser (or IPA mix) to remove the old toppers and the coating will remain. That works for me, but to each his own.