How long does a proper detail last under an Opti-Coat?

[gecko2k]

Hi,

we are planing on Opti-Coating our Tiguan as soon as we are able to pick it up from the dealer. Sure it will need a proper detail before the Opti-Coating and we are not talking about a dealership detail here.

Is there something like a limited lifespan of wax and sealant layers when they are sealed with the above mentioned coating? It would be plain stupid if the ceramic coat on top outlasts a detail by years and you are not able to refresh the appearance of the paint?

Has anybody knowledge of this 'issue'?

[team_v]

Opti-Coat (Opti-Guard) is a hard wearing, aftermarket, ceramic clear coat for superior resistance to scratching (9H) and chemical etching from environmental impacts.

It provides permanent protection for all factory paints, and can also be applied to exterior glass, metal and hard plastic surfaces.






I don't know how long it will actually last in real life as they are making some pretty full on claims.

[gecko2k]

thanks team_v, but I am after the lifespan of a proper detail job, as the car would then be covered in opticoat and the paint would be inaccessible for further detailing....

[Wolfgang]

Not sure on the longevity but I know of someone who used Opticoat on a garbage truck, the Opticoat withstood daily washing for 5 months with a stiff brush.

Opticoat is hard enough that it can be lightly polished to remove swirls induced from washing, it will act as a sacrificial layer and protect your paint, as long as you don't wash your car with a brick you should be fine.

In fact, the only way to remove Opticoat is machine polishing with a cutting polish and pad.

[gecko2k]

yeah thanks. But I am thinking more of the detail BELOW the opti coat (not the opti-coat itself). You would think that those layers of wax and sealant would start to break down at some point? Or not?

[Buller_Scott]

given that they'd be completely sealed off from the elements, wouldnt the detail BELOW the opticoat last as long as the opticoat itself?

but being that opti coat would likely be the kind of product (like opti seal) that needs to bond to a contaminant free, clean paint surface, arent you supposed to put opti coat on the very bottom, for best results?

[Rob_R]

As with any sealant applied, for best results in the finished look, the car needs prepping. By that I mean some degree of paint correction maybe needed to ensure the duco is as blemish free as possible. No-one I guess wants to seal in swirls etc. Whatever sealant you use and who ever does it will/should advise you what is required for the best look.

[fuzion]

Opti-Coat (Opti-Guard) is a hard wearing, aftermarket, ceramic clear coat for superior resistance to scratching (9H) and chemical etching from environmental impacts.

It provides permanent protection for all factory paints, and can also be applied to exterior glass, metal and hard plastic surfaces.






I don't know how long it will actually last in real life as they are making some pretty full on claims.

That is false information.

Ceramic Clear is something that is on the actual paintwork of the vehicle, not a superficial "POLYMER" coat that is applied to a car.

Wnat to get technical? Read this thread.. because what they claim is far from real.

Ceramic Clear Coat Paint Finish - Professional Detailing Business Forums

[blake_jl]

Here's the MSDS http://optimumcarcare.com.au/images/...Opti-Guard.pdf

We don't do false information. We call it what it is.

We'd be happy to submit Opti-Guard for a third party test against Fuzion's Nanolex. That is what's important here. Product performance.

[fuzion]

Here's the MSDS http://optimumcarcare.com.au/images/...Opti-Guard.pdf

We don't do false information. We call it what it is.

We'd be happy to submit Opti-Guard for a third party test against Fuzion's Nanolex. That is what's important here. Product performance.

I wasn't asking for a comparison.

I was merely stating the truth on what Ceramic Clear Coat actually is. If you believe you are right over one of the largest most regarded Paint Supplier than i am baffled No war here, just stating the facts that are listed online from any search that can be done asking what ceramic clear coat is on google/yahoo/whatever search you choose to use

Further info

Differing Nanotechnologies
1. AQuartz is an inorganic silica / silicon dioxide
2. G'zox is an organic polymer
3. G| techniq is an inorganic silicate crystallization compound
4. Nanolex is an inorganic, solvent-based formula nanostructure coating

PPG Industries: CeramiClear Clearcoat - Products - Ceramic Industry

Clearcoat - Products - Automotive OEM Coatings

Opti-Coat, GTechniq, Cquartz/Aquartz, GZox, Nanolex, Pika, etc all are fantastic coatings made different ways but none are actual Ceramic Clear Coat.

Close as it would get is Glass Coating which is still NOT ceramic coat, which would show a reading on a Paint Gauge Meter sometimes.

Just my 2psi, anyone who wants to research it, can do so easily.. this isnt my opinion or my information, but from what i have researched and have seen/used in the industry from working at a panel/spray shop who also deal with ceramic-clear due to the Mercedes refinishes and car care.

CERAMICLEAR CLEARCOAT FROM PPG RAISES STANDARD FOR LONG-TERM VEHICLE GLOSS, DURABILITY

TROY, Mich., Jan. 8, 2003 – What do you call an automotive clearcoat that is so superior to existing coatings that its maker had to create a more rigorous test to measure its durability? PPG Industries calls it CeramiClear clearcoat. The clearcoat is the final original equipment manufacturer coating applied to a vehicle and it protects the color coat while providing a durable, glossy appearance.

CeramiClear clearcoat is the first automotive clearcoat to use nanoparticle technology and raises the standard for combined resistance to scratches, mars and acid etch. The patented nanoparticle technology creates a highly cross-linked network at the surface of the coating for superior resistance to damage caused by day-to-day use, car washes and environmental hazards such as acid rain and tree sap.

Developed in conjunction with a European luxury vehicle manufacturer during a
three-year period, CeramiClear clearcoat was first commercialized by PPG in August 2002. According to PPG, commercialization of CeramiClear clearcoat in Europe will accelerate in 2003.

“CeramiClear clearcoat is unmatched in scratch, mar and acid-etch resistance and retention of gloss throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle,” said Dennis Taljan, global director, decorative products for PPG. “We actually had to create new, tougher test procedures for CeramiClear clearcoat since no automotive coating had achieved this level of mar resistance before.
On average, vehicles coated with CeramiClear clearcoat will have fewer, narrower and shallower scratches and mars for better long-term coating appearance. Simply put, CeramiClear clearcoat will help new cars look new longer.”

PPG subjected CeramiClear clearcoat to extensive testing, including exposure to repeated car washes and various weather conditions. After approximately 40 cycles in a car wash, scratches that appeared on vehicles with CeramiClear clearcoat were about half the width and depth compared to those on vehicles with conventional two-component isocynate clearcoats. The result was a significantly higher gloss appearance on the vehicles coated with CeramiClear clearcoat.

Tests showed that after several months of weathering and passes through car washes, CeramiClear clearcoat retained more than 80 percent of its gloss appearance, while most standard clearcoats maintained a little more than 20 percent of their gloss. CeramiClear clearcoat has also outperformed most current commercial clearcoats in field testing for resistance to acid etch by as much as 50 percent.

This innovative technology works with an automotive plant’s existing waterborne basecoat, primer and electrocoat layers and can be used with a conventional circulating system. The coating does not increase emission levels or introduce new emissions to the waste stream and can reduce an automaker’s total cost by decreasing in-plant damage, buffing and dealership touch-up, Taljan said.

According to Taljan, vehicles coated with CeramiClear clearcoat can still be damaged by such items as keys, but scratches associated with day-to-day use as well as degradation from ultraviolet radiation, acid rain or salt are less likely to affect the appearance of a vehicle’s coating over time.

To further meet the needs of its customers, PPG developed an aftermarket refinish clearcoat – which provides approximately the same level of protection as the factory-applied CeramiClear clearcoat – for vehicles requiring body repairs.

[T Go]

Just to get back on topic....

When I got my Opti-Coat done, the detailer had to prep the car and decontaminate, claybar etc etc it before putting doing the paint protection, so not sure why you would bother getting it detailed.
Even though my car was only 2wks old, he did all of this to make sure it looked the best it could before getting the Opti-Coat on it.

[blake_jl]

You must have had your car done by Mark at Freedom Car Care. He is very thorough. Almost obsessive!

Yes back on topic - there will be no sealant, wax etc used under the Opti-Coat. That's not how it works and if it was there Opti-Coat won't bond.

The paint is prepped to give you a clean and bare painted surface for it to bond to. This is what you would call a "detail" beforehand. Polishing and cleaning the paint.

In simple terms, Opti-Coat then bonds to this surface and becomes a permanent part of your paint work. Once it is cured it is up to you what you put on top of it. The best option is nothing.

[gecko2k]

Thanks for clarifying. It would have been too awesome if I could have been able to keep a perfect detail for years and years without reapplying

[blake_jl]

Thanks for clarifying. It would have been too awesome if I could have been able to keep a perfect detail for years and years without reapplying

They key to that is a good washing technique!