is it safe to use an APC on Opti Coated paint?

I would never use apc strait nor 4:1 ration on paint. If accidentally left to dry I'm sure it's not good on paintwork
 
PiPUK said:
Oh I know, I manufacture tonnes of the stuff! There are products out there which will dull chrome on a first hit if not used correctly. To be honest, there are heavy duty vehicle cleaners now doing the rounds which are much worse and people tend to be less cautious in their use. It is not uncommon for me to encounter dulled trims which the customers think to be normal when it is actually their wash routine.
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I completely agree with you. Take a look at any car that's been thru a touchless wash once a week for a few years. But back to the topic. APC is not harmful to paint.
 
Andr3wilson said:
Opti Coat is actually Clear? Man... I did not know clear coat could be wiped on and buffed flat. I also wasn't talking about generic solvent cleaners.

As far as the APC, most are very similar in using a sodium hydroxide base. I have not seen one APC that will harm or cause damage to the paint.
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Are you being sarcastic, or did you really not know?
 
VP Mark said:
Yep. There is nothing short of a paint levelers at body shops that will remove OC chemically. Naturally when using any APC!, degreaser, bug remover ect. Make sure to rinse it completely.

Your OC is not removable by APC or degreaser, just to be clear.

I'm a pro installer.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
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Im curious how do you go about removing or re applying after a set amount of time. Has a client came back after two years and you had to remove and or reapply? How did you go about handing this?
 
Legacykid said:
Im curious how do you go about removing or re applying after a set amount of time. Has a client came back after two years and you had to remove and or reapply? How did you go about handling this?
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I am not Mark, but "if" you need to reapply, like lets say you had a panel repainted at a body shop, you just prep the panel and reapply oc. If for some reason, you want OC off your car (not sure why anyone would request that), you compound the paint, like you would normally do. Does that answer your question?

PS: you can't top it, without prep work first.
 
tdekany said:
Are you being sarcastic, or did you really not know?
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In a technical sense, OC along with other coatings that crystallize, are a clear coat. But it is not an ISO-cyanate clear coat (like whats on a modern car). OC along with other coatings get their structure Silicate. The size and granule structure of the silicate is a ratio to durability and gloss. Larger silicate will be more durable, more have a more grainy look. Smaller silicates will be clearer but much less durable. This is how Cquatz, UK edition, and Finest differ. OC is the same as OC pro, only pro cures faster.

Now going back to your initial comment that OC needs to be polished to be removed and a solvent cannot remove it once cured, I completely disagree. Sikkens OTO; which is a common body shop solvent and paint safe cleaner (very violent, do not breath in, wear a mask that fully covers your face) is specifically made to break down remove silicate. This is pretty much its only purpose, surface prep for painting. I am not claiming this off of what I have read or researched, I am claiming it off of what I have actually done, first hand experience. All LSP is removed by this product 100%

Going back in history, remember when a bunch of bone heads were pushing methyl hydrate as a tar and sap remover, then puzzled when it removed CC and paint? Do you think that OC is impervious that?

I have a lot of work to do today, so I am done trying to explain this. If you disagree or have any further questions, please contact Optimum. 1-901-363-4955
 
Maybe this helps.

babuha4a.jpg


Optimum days its a clear coat, so to me its a clear coat. And no, APC won't remove OC if you choose to wash your car with it.
 
tdekany said:
I am not Mark, but "if" you need to reapply, like lets say you had a panel repainted at a body shop, you just prep the panel and reapply oc. If for some reason, you want OC off your car (not sure why anyone would request that), you compound the paint, like you would normally do. Does that answer your question?

PS: you can't top it, without prep work first.
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makes sense, but i understand it lasts 2-3 years some people have said 4-5 depending on conditions i assume. Once that time comes what would you do? similar to a paint correction or a 1 step?

Thank you
 
Legacykid said:
makes sense, but i understand it lasts 2-3 years some people have said 4-5 depending on conditions i assume. Once that time comes what would you do? similar to a paint correction or a 1 step?

Thank you
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OC lasts as long as you own your car. Not sure who claims 2-5 years. It is a permanent clear coat. Does not wear off.
 
Legacykid said:
Im curious how do you go about removing or re applying after a set amount of time. Has a client came back after two years and you had to remove and or reapply? How did you go about handing this?
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As Thomas said, compound and re apply. If OC is not there after two years either the installer did a poor job or the owner of the vehicle abraded the paint to remove it.

If a client of mine came back to me in less than 3 years and said their coating was not there anymore I would first decontaminate and inspect. sometimes the beading of OC can be compromised due to contaminates.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
 
Andr3wilson said:
OC along with other coatings get their structure Silicate. The size and granule structure of the silicate is a ratio to durability and gloss. Larger silicate will be more durable, more have a more grainy look. Smaller silicates will be clearer but much less durable. This is how Cquatz, UK edition, and Finest differ. OC is the same as OC pro, only pro cures faster.
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I am curious about the source of this information - I have not seen it before.
 
Andr3wilson said:
In a technical sense, OC along with other coatings that crystallize, are a clear coat. But it is not an ISO-cyanate clear coat (like whats on a modern car). OC along with other coatings get their structure Silicate. The size and granule structure of the silicate is a ratio to durability and gloss. Larger silicate will be more durable, more have a more grainy look. Smaller silicates will be clearer but much less durable. This is how Cquatz, UK edition, and Finest differ. OC is the same as OC pro, only pro cures faster.

Now going back to your initial comment that OC needs to be polished to be removed and a solvent cannot remove it once cured, I completely disagree. Sikkens OTO; which is a common body shop solvent and paint safe cleaner (very violent, do not breath in, wear a mask that fully covers your face) is specifically made to break down remove silicate. This is pretty much its only purpose, surface prep for painting. I am not claiming this off of what I have read or researched, I am claiming it off of what I have actually done, first hand experience. All LSP is removed by this product 100%

Going back in history, remember when a bunch of bone heads were pushing methyl hydrate as a tar and sap remover, then puzzled when it removed CC and paint? Do you think that OC is impervious that?

I have a lot of work to do today, so I am done trying to explain this. If you disagree or have any further questions, please contact Optimum. 1-901-363-4955
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That's odd. My client had his Opti-Coated car in for repair and the body shop tried everything they had to get it off and ended up calling their paint rep on how to handle the situation...guess it must not be that common. :rolleyes:


Right from Dr. G himself, "Once it’s cured the only way to remove Opti-Coat is by polishing, sanding, or with the use of paint removers"

The way a read the above, any "paint safe" solvent will not remove Opti-Coat, and I have yet to see a "common" body shop solvent remove it.

As far as the APC, most are very similar in using a sodium hydroxide base. I have not seen one APC that will harm or cause damage to the paint.
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Seriously???

I've seen dozens of APC's that will leave stains in automotive paint...I've even seen P21S TAW do it. :confused:
 
I will make sure to take down a photo and the condition of the OC on my car the day I sell it. 4.5 years and counting on now...
 
RaskyR1 said:
That's odd. My client had his Opti-Coated car in for repair and the body shop tried everything they had to get it off and ended up calling their paint rep on how to handle the situation...guess it must not be that common. :rolleyes:


Right from Dr. G himself, "Once it’s cured the only way to remove Opti-Coat is by polishing, sanding, or with the use of paint removers"

The way a read the above, any "paint safe" solvent will not remove Opti-Coat, and I have yet to see a "common" body shop solvent remove it.



Seriously???

I've seen dozens of APC's that will leave stains in automotive paint...I've even seen P21S TAW do it. :confused:
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Good for you Chad, highfive! I have really stopped giving a darn here. I will keep doing what I am doing because it's working for me in my particular situation. Do whatever you please.
 
Andr3wilson said:
Good for you Chad, highfive! I have really stopped giving a darn here. I will keep doing what I am doing because it's working for me in my particular situation. Do whatever you please.
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This is the funkiest way that I have seen anyone admit that they are wrong. :dblthumb2::xyxthumbs::props::props::props:
 
tdekany said:
This is the funkiest way that I have seen anyone admit that they are wrong. :dblthumb2::xyxthumbs::props::props::props:
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I'm not admitting I'm wrong. I am standing by what I said 100%. I am not wasting anymore time on here.
 
tdekany said:
This is the funkiest way that I have seen anyone admit that they are wrong. :dblthumb2::xyxthumbs::props::props::props:
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Lol...... :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

All I really have to offer this topic is that I seriously tested over a year or more the ability of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide cleaners (Super Clean, Purple Power and Chemquest's Cita-Plus, in their available concentrated levels) to remove the consumer grade Opti-Coat on my Buick. Over a dozen times I've sprayed the car down with these "as purchased in gallons" concentrated cleaners and then simply started about my work day, then the last thing I'd do before closing down the shop would be to re-hydrate the dried cleaner and wash the car.

I've seen some degradation in the coating now a few years later but after a wash the old Buick still sheets and beads water which suggests to me that the coating is still on the car even after a few years of torture testing.

I'm done with the torture testing by the way (have been for a year now) and I wash my Buick maybe once every few months, but I still pre-soak with a diluted sodium hydroxide APC before it gets it's bucket wash.
 
RaskyR1 said:
Seriously???

I've seen dozens of APC's that will leave stains in automotive paint...I've even seen P21S TAW do it. :confused:
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Which one's? I'm being serious, I want to stay as far away as I can from any detailing APC (not degreaser) that is not clear coat safe. My go to are Adam's and Megs 4:1, and the standard applies with any cleaner...not in direct sunlight, don't let it dry. But an APC designed for detailing should be 100% clear coat safe IMO.Im the MAN
 
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