pamiboy

Hi Guys,
I am hearing about this product called Optimum Opti-coat 2.0 for clear coating of the paint. Has anyone used it on your MB. Is it worth the money? Can it be applied by a "first timer" or has to be done by a pro?
Does it reduce the frequency of car waxing? (I don't mind doing regular car washes often). Does it maintain the "new car look" for a longer period...?
Thanks in advance.

Munich77

I put a coating on my car right after I got it. You can put them on as a first timer if you are careful. However, the paint needs to be perfect otherwise the coating will just seal the scratches. Opti-coat is like another clear coat. Once you coat it you really don't need to wax the car although some people love to put some wax on top of it. It should maintain the new look for a longer period - the key is to wash the car properly.

pamiboy

Thanks...I have the car for nearly 3 months now. Have waxed the car a couple of times. So I can give a good shampooing with wash and apply the opti-coat..correct? I haven't seen any scratches or blemishes on the paintwork so far.
How much does it cost? Is it widely available in the auto stores..?

dfordham

Probably should do a clay bar first.

Regards,
Don

Munich77

I would say you have to do an extensive prep. You would have to clay the car and decontaminate it. Since opticoat needs to stick to pure oil free paint you would need some sort of prep step as well - at least an isopropyl alcohol wipe down.

mikeyle

claying will also leave tiny scratches in your paint, so you would have to use a minor polish after claying and the alcohol wipe down, unless you have experience completely detailing your car, id leave it to a professional.

pamiboy

Thanks guys. This is looking like the job is likely outside my level of expertise. So it should have been done initially when I bought the car. Somehow the thought of a few "so called professionals" rubbing it off on my new car's paint doesn't appeal to me. I might just decide to stick to occasional waxing then. Cheers.

Munich77

Sounds like a plan - modern waxes last a long time anyhow.

Airmousam

Let a pro do it. I went with c quartz finest, very happy with the results

http://www.mercedescla.org/forum/5-c...n-just-do.html

pamiboy

I looked at the dealer map for C quartz, the nearest one is at least three hours away for me. How long does the process take? Will I have to leave the car overnight there or can I drive back the same day? Anyway $1000 is a bit too much I think. Thanks

Airmousam

The time is in the paint correction portion. That takes a while, and even if you think the car is perfect there are swirls that need to be removed before the finest is applied. Process would likely be 2-3 days. The coating needs to be applied under certain conditions...pretty warm if I remember..flashes, buffed, and applied again flash...buff.. I believe I paid 1400 with a clear bra installed

mikeyle

its definitely the prep work before the application of opticoat or cquartz that takes the most time, the detailer takes a while to make sure every swirl and scratch is removed before sealing the paint. the actual application of the product is pretty easy and quick with little room for error.

Munich77

There are other coatings too - the key as others have said is that the car needs to be swirl free.

K-A

Opti Coat is all about the prep. Considering it acts as a second clear coat, you certainly don't want to lock in any imperfections.

I have heard some detailers claim that they don't like the shine, so they stick with a good sealant.

Realistically, IMO, it comes down to your color. If you have a black or dark car, Opticoat is a good option with occasional waxing to follow. Or a good sealant with occasional waxing will also last you a year or two, depending on how you maintain the car in between.

On a white or silver car, I think waxing with the occasional clay/polish is sufficient, though a casual sealant on that probably wouldn't hurt. White cars are almost impossible to tell imperfections on, unless you have no coat of protection on the paint or let it get too bad.

I use Optimum No Rinse Wash/Wax and find that, as per the manufacturer's claims, using that as your regular wash means that you never have to worry about applying wax onto your car. You'll always have solid protection on the paint, and it saves lots of time and money. Doing a yearly or bi-yearly (again, depending on color, whether it's garaged, how much you drive, how well you maintain the paint and wipe off things like bird poop, etc.) sealant along with that has been more than sufficient on my Jet Black car.

thefisch

What do you consider occasional when it comes to waxing with something like opticoat or without it? Do you still wait to see if water still beads on the surface?

K-A

It comes down to how you treat the car. I.e if you get it washed at car washes who I find use abrasive soaps that strip wax, you'll probably want to put a coat of wax on the car every 4-6 months to try and prolong the OptiCoat, depending on how **** you are about the car, etc.

If you wash it yourself, light-abrasive soaps, then I'm sure once a year could suffice. Personally, I like using ONR Wash/Wax because it applies a fresh coat of wax on the car every time you wash it, so you essentially get constant protection on your car, which goes an extra long way when you're already putting OptiCoat on it or even a Sealant once or twice a year or so (again, depending on how much abuse your car gets).

It's been a while since I researched OptiCoat, so I can't remember if most guys still use regular wax periodically, or if they just let the Opticoat relieve them of having to wax the car again. It comes down to how meticulous you want to be with it and how you want the product to work for you. A coat of wax will always help shine though.

mbuster25

Believe it or not, even a brand new car can benefit from paint correction and polishing. Especially if your car is dark color, you will be amazed at how reflective and swirl free it can be! I believe a new car dealership (Mercedes or not) does more damage (to the car surface) than good prepping the car for you.