Do coatings resist scratches?

[Cosmin]

So my question is, does Opti-Coat or Pinnacle coating scratch as easy as clearcoat? If so, can it be fixed without re-applying the opti-coat?
Thanks guys!
-John

a lot of what your read about coatings from the manufacturer is just marketing. scratch resistant included.
are better than wax or seal, and helps on maintenance and improves visual appearance , but is all you can get from coatings. is no scratch resistant

 

[FUNX650]

You CAN wax Opti-Coat BUT The wax will no bond properly like it would with a OEM clear coat.
You can get a week or two of the wax on the surface but it will then wear off.

To me...
{and also keeping in mind the below Dr. G quote (Thanks VT!):
"...Opti-Coat (2.0) is a clearcoat automotive paint..."}

In order to make the above posting a viable, and proper-analogy, a couple of questions must be answered:

-In the first place...Do waxes actually/really "bond to" OEM CC-paints?

-Secondly...What type of bond is it then, if they do?

-Thirdly...Why would waxes just be on the surface of OC, for a week or two before wearing-off,
if OC is, as Dr. G has stated: A clearcoat automotive-paint...where it's purported that waxes
will last for (much) longer time-frames before wearing-off?




Bob

 

[zmcgovern45]

To me...
{and also keeping in mind the below Dr. G quote (Thanks VT!):
"...Opti-Coat (2.0) is a clearcoat automotive paint..."}

In order to make the above posting a viable, and proper-analogy, a couple of questions must be answered:

-In the first place...Do waxes actually/really "bond to" OEM CC-paints?

-Secondly...What type of bond is it then, if they do?

-Thirdly...Why would waxes just be on the surface of OC, for a week or two before wearing-off,
if OC is, as Dr. G has stated: A clearcoat automotive-paint...where it's purported that waxes
will last for (much) longer time-frames before wearing-off?




Bob

I'm interested in learning more about this as well. I've seen it repeated (and have repeated it myself), but would like more details.

How does one determine that the topper of choice is in fact gone? The topper beads water, the coating beads water, how do you know which one you are seeing?

For instance, I have been using Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer on my wife's car that is coated with 22ple VX1 Pro. SBSD's beading/sheeting characteristics are different than 22ple VX1. I have definitely seen more than "one or two weeks" worth of SBS beading characteristics.

 

[Evan.J]

To me...
{and also keeping in mind the below Dr. G quote (Thanks VT!):
"...Opti-Coat (2.0) is a clearcoat automotive paint..."}

In order to make the above posting a viable, and proper-analogy, a couple of questions must be answered:

-In the first place...Do waxes actually/really "bond to" OEM CC-paints?

-Secondly...What type of bond is it then, if they do?

-Thirdly...Why would waxes just be on the surface of OC, for a week or two before wearing-off,
if OC is, as Dr. G has stated: A clearcoat automotive-paint...where it's purported that waxes
will last for (much) longer time-frames before wearing-off?




Bob

Alright I sent Chis Thomas a message about these question there Bob in hopes that we can get some answers. Ill keep you posted rops:

 

[swanicyouth]

I don't understand why wax wouldn't last as long on OC, since wax doesn't bond to paint - it just sits on it. So, if it's just sitting there, why doesn't it last as long as regular paint? That being said, I think it's kind of a waste of time to wax OC. Just use Sonax BSD on top of it.

 

[drbll]

I chose to use Cquartz on my 2013 vivid black Harley Limited. I can say that the coating helped with daily dust induced scuffing, but it is no match for the wife's boot running across the top of the saddlebag cover...

 

[Romans5.8]

I'm interested too on the paint comment. Because the other thing is, clearcoat does not bond to cured, baked on clearcoat. Otherwise we could all just to to the paint shop and ask for 15 mils of clearcoat to be put on top of ours and we could polish weekly for years! Clearcoat failure would also not be an issue. But the fact is, it won't bond. You have to sand down and re-paint.

It's probably really close in some ways to a clear coat paint but there has to be more to it then that.

I chose to use Cquartz on my 2013 vivid black Harley Limited. I can say that the coating helped with daily dust induced scuffing, but it is no match for the wife's boot running across the top of the saddlebag cover...

When you find the cure for wife-boot let me know. LOL. She has her own bike, but occasionally rides mine. That means melted boot on pipes, scuffs on saddlebags, you name it. Oh well! Motorcycles go through a lot of abuse. The lower part of my fuel tank always has swirls and scratches in it, because my overpants or blue jeans rub up against it when I ride (occasionally)! That and, well, the sides of the tank are taking it from my pants too!

 

[Evan.J]

OK did just a little bit of googling and found some responses :

Opti Seal, Optimum Car Wax, and Optimum Instant Detailer can certainly be added to "amp up" the glow and improve the "slick feel" that many of you desire. But, one of the attributes of Opti Coat is that not much will stick to it. That makes cleaning a snap, but also decreases the life of any toppers you may want to try. As you are all aware, unless a wax is a hybrid, it just sits on the surface anyway and can melt off in the heat whether coated or not. This is the same effect that topping Opti Coat will have with not only waxes, but sealants and hybrids as well. I am not saying that it will fall off in a few days and I am not saying that it will come off as soon as it is washed once, but I am saying that an 8 month sealant may only last a month on an Opti Coated vehicle. Also, I personally haven't seen a wax allow such spectacular beading that just blows right off with a blower like Opti Coat...and I'm certain that topping Opti Coat will lessen this attribute. So...if you MUST top, I recommend a quick, easy, and cheap product that you won't feel bad applying since it will be gone in a short time.

You can top Opti Coat with anything you like. The most bang for the buck is Optimum Spray Wax. Also, anything will stay on for a time...but due to the non-porous nature of Opti Coat, typical longevity will be reduced to a few weeks tops.

Opti Coat doesn't need to be topped or boosted as is recommended for many nano coatings (oc is not nano tech) as a maintenance process, because it doesn't wear away or degrade over time. But, you can certainly top it for feel or look if you like.

Optimum spray wax is perfect because its fast, cheap and looks great.

 

[swanicyouth]

I'm interested too on the paint comment. Because the other thing is, clearcoat does not bond to cured, baked on clearcoat.

It doesn't? Why not? You would have to sand it likely. Why wouldn't it work? I'm not saying it's a good idea or it would look clear - but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Clearcoat bonds to color coat. That's factory baked on. Clear coat bonds to aftermarket paint sprayed in a booth and air cured. OptiCoat is a type of clear coat that bonds to clear coat. I don't see why clear coat wouldn't bond to clear coat if it was prepped correctly.

?

 

[FUNX650]

I'm interested too on the paint comment.
Because the other thing is, clearcoat does not bond to cured, baked on clearcoat.

Otherwise we could all just to to the paint shop and ask for 15 mils of clearcoat to be put on top of ours
and we could polish weekly for years! Clearcoat failure would also not be an issue.

But the fact is, it won't bond. You have to sand down and re-paint.

It's probably really close in some ways to a clear coat paint
but there has to be more to it then that.

Opti-Coat, before starting to cure, is stated to be a pre-polymer resin---"liquid in form".

Then...
Using, and furthering, your analogy that: CC does not "bond" to cured, baked-on CC...
How in the World does any Sealant (let's also say: "liquid in form") allegedly "bond" to cured, baked-on CC?

Or...(Let's continue your analogy's furtherance): Any other LSP offering, for that matter?



Bob

 

[Romans5.8]

Opti-Coat, before starting to cure, is stated to be a pre-polymer resin---"liquid in form".

Then...
Using, and furthering, your analogy that: CC does not "bond" to cured, baked-on CC...
How in the World does any Sealant (let's also say: "liquid in form") allegedly "bond" to cured, baked-on CC?

Or...(Let's continue your analogy's furtherance): Any other LSP offering, for that matter?



Bob

Well that's like saying since you can't use wood glue to glue wood to plastic, then you also can't use wood glue to glue wood to another piece of wood. Actually glues are a fantastic analogy because they have tons of different chemical makeups that drastically change their effectiveness and what they can bond to. Some can bond plastic to metal or metal to wood, some can only bond two like-surfaces and only if they are easy to bond (like wood or certain plastics), and so on and so forth.

As far as clearcoat not bonding, our own Mike Phillips has explained that before too. TECHNICALLY if you sand it down you can bond it, assuming you don't sand through; but you don't have to sand for Opti-Coat, so what makes it different? That's my point. If Dr. G is going to simplify it and call it a clear coat, is he meaning, it's LIKE a clear coat, or it literally is a clearcoat? What makes it bond to smooth paint that a regular 2 part clear doesn't have? I'm CERTAINLY not denying the claim, I'm just curious that's all.

I am NOT a professional painter. However, what I've learned from Pro Painters I know and even Mike P's book, is that clearcoat must be applied to color coat, or to another tacky layer of clear coat, that it won't bond to hardened clear coat. I could most certainly be wrong (wouldn't be the first time). But again, it's just curiosity. Dr. G is saying it's a clear coat (we assume a well made clear that beads and shines!). I'm wondering if he's just trying to dumb it down for us when he should've said "It works like a clear coat", like the other coatings claim, or if it really is clear coat paint with some exotic additive to make it bond to clear?

Other LSP's have bonding agents, I would assume, or are formulated differently. Just because clear won't bond to clear doesn't mean other things, including Opti-Coat won't. All I'm saying is, I'm curious as to why Opti-Coat, apparently a clear coat, can where others can't. Just the pursuit of knowledge is all!

 

[Flatlander]

I have used just about every coating available and can definitively tell you that IME THEY DO NOT APPRECIABLY REDUCE FINE WASH-WEAR REDUCED MARRING. Some (GTech C1/Exov2) are more scratch resistant than others (OC 2.0) but they all scratch just like the clear underneath. I have found particularly OC is VERY soft. For instance, if a person were to brush their leg along my dirty car in the winter (ND), the OC would completely scratch up. There is no "patch repair" for that coating either. The whole panel needs to be polished and recoated.
The real purpose of the various coatings is to reduce maintenance and protect the fragile clear underneath. For those purposes, they all do an excellent job. Some coatings allow for "topping" (DP) and some simply shed whatever you put over them immediately (OC). The point is that the paint (clear) under the coating is being protected from UV degredation, wash-induced marring and when you do polish, you are simply removing the coating and revealing the beautiful virgin paint underneath.
Some coatings last longer than others but IMO they all need to be removed and replaced avery year of so due to the wear and tear of driving and using the vehicle. Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[FUNX650]

Other LSP's have bonding agents, I would assume, or are formulated differently.


Just because clear won't bond to clear

^^^Where have you presented proof that this is true?^^^


doesn't mean other things, including Opti-Coat won't. All I'm saying is,

I'm curious as to why Opti-Coat, apparently a clear coat, can where others can't.
Just the pursuit of knowledge is all!

What are "bonding agents"?

If other LSP's would have these "bonding agents"...
Why would Dr. G leave them out of Opti-Coat...Or did he?




Bob