Coating Question for Detailers

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marchese_alexander

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I want to coat my car, Lexus IS200t Ultra White, but I can't make up my mind. I have been searching for days but most reviews/comments are from customers not Pro Detailers. The products I have searched so far are the , CQUK, CQFinest, Opti-Coat, Modesta and Ceramic Pro. Below is a summary of what Detailers have told me and info found online.

CQUK - $500* Very popular and very similar to Finest but no warranty. Only lasts 2 years. Face of wheel coated.
CQFinest - $1000* popular for it's "better" gloss. Offers a warranty. Only lasts 2 years. Face of wheel coated.
Ceramic Pro - $? Uses 2 layers but top layer that gives gloss gets scratched easily according to detailer. Don't know much of the product.
Opti-Coat Pro/Pro+ - $1000/$1200* Pro+ provides UV protection but have heard people experiencing water spot issues. Offers warranty and last 5 years.
Modesta - $1500 Surprisingly I cant find info (reviews) on this product. Its suppose to be the "best". No warranty. Price includes paint correction and whole wheel coated.

*$200 paint correction (based on car paint condition)

Detailer I spoke with have worked with all of the above, but stopped using Opti coat because it was giving him some problems (yellowing, water spotting). Now, what I think:

CQUK - Like the price but having to pay every 2 years $500-700 is going to end costing more than the more expensive coatings
CQFinest - If is practically the same product then its not even worth considering due to the higher price tag
Ceramic Pro - From what the detailer told me he didn't sound too convinced about the product
Modesta - For the price it seems this is the way to go as it includes the paint correction ($200) and coating the whole wheel ($400), so the coating only costs $900, but handing $1500 in one shot is something hard to do.

What I have been trying to find out is, do they really last what each company claims? CQUK 2 years, Finest 2 years, CP ?, Modesta 3-10 years (according to their website) How realistic are these numbers? Are car really lasting 5 years? Why I cant find proof of that?

Any Detailers on here that have worked with these coating or any other "pro" (no over the counter) coating, what are your thoughts? Thanks!!!
 
What about getting it wrapped instead off coated?
 
marchese_alexander said:
I want to coat my car, Lexus IS200t Ultra White, but I can't make up my mind. I have been searching for days but most reviews/comments are from customers not Pro Detailers. The products I have searched so far are the , CQUK, CQFinest, Opti-Coat, Modesta and Ceramic Pro. Below is a summary of what Detailers have told me and info found online.

CQUK - $500* Very popular and very similar to Finest but no warranty. Only lasts 2 years. Face of wheel coated.
CQFinest - $1000* popular for it's "better" gloss. Offers a warranty. Only lasts 2 years. Face of wheel coated.
Ceramic Pro - $? Uses 2 layers but top layer that gives gloss gets scratched easily according to detailer. Don't know much of the product.
Opti-Coat Pro/Pro+ - $1000/$1200* Pro+ provides UV protection but have heard people experiencing water spot issues. Offers warranty and last 5 years.
Modesta - $1500 Surprisingly I cant find info (reviews) on this product. Its suppose to be the "best". No warranty. Price includes paint correction and whole wheel coated.

*$200 paint correction (based on car paint condition)

Detailer I spoke with have worked with all of the above, but stopped using Opti coat because it was giving him some problems (yellowing, water spotting). Now, what I think:

CQUK - Like the price but having to pay every 2 years $500-700 is going to end costing more than the more expensive coatings
CQFinest - If is practically the same product then its not even worth considering due to the higher price tag
Ceramic Pro - From what the detailer told me he didn't sound too convinced about the product
Modesta - For the price it seems this is the way to go as it includes the paint correction ($200) and coating the whole wheel ($400), so the coating only costs $900, but handing $1500 in one shot is something hard to do.

What I have been trying to find out is, do they really last what each company claims? CQUK 2 years, Finest 2 years, CP ?, Modesta 3-10 years (according to their website) How realistic are these numbers? Are car really lasting 5 years? Why I cant find proof of that?

Any Detailers on here that have worked with these coating or any other "pro" (no over the counter) coating, what are your thoughts? Thanks!!!
Click to expand...
All these coatings require maintenance boosters and the car has to be washed with care so you don't accelerate the coating deterioration.I don't know how inclined you are when it comes to carcare,but I assume you can wipe on and wipe off I say do it yourself.Glosscoat is so easy to work with and virtually you just can't screw it up.cq uk is a little tacky and I don't see 2 years personally out of it nor pretty much any of them you listed 2 to 5 years is a stretch.for something to last that long you would have to maintain your car every week.pinnacle mckees Glosscoat Wolfgang uber these are some of the coatings that are user friendly and sold to the public.save your cash and do it yourself.
 
200.00 for paintcorrection seems kinda low btw.
 
There are numerous members on here who swear by polish angel,it's supposed to be a great outstanding product and there coating system is so so easy.Not cheap check it out though.
 
We offer Gyeon, Kamakaze, and Modesta. In my opinion Modesta would be the one. I don't think anything looks better and is easier to take care of. Had it on mine for almost 8 months and still looks great! And 1500 is a great price!
 
GSKR said:
All these coatings require maintenance boosters and the car has to be washed with care so you don't accelerate the coating deterioration.I don't know how inclined you are when it comes to carcare,but I assume you can wipe on and wipe off I say do it yourself.Glosscoat is so easy to work with and virtually you just can't screw it up.cq uk is a little tacky and I don't see 2 years personally out of it nor pretty much any of them you listed 2 to 5 years is a stretch.for something to last that long you would have to maintain your car every week.pinnacle mckees Glosscoat Wolfgang uber these are some of the coatings that are user friendly and sold to the public.save your cash and do it yourself.
Click to expand...

According to the detailer they don't need boosters only proper maintenance. I would do it myself but I dont have a garage.

"I don't see 2 years personally out of it nor pretty much any of them you listed 2 to 5 years is a stretch" ... do you speak from experience? Cause that's the thing people comment base on whatever they think not from actual proof.
 
Mike lambert said:
We offer Gyeon, Kamakaze, and Modesta. In my opinion Modesta would be the one. I don't think anything looks better and is easier to take care of. Had it on mine for almost 8 months and still looks great! And 1500 is a great price!
Click to expand...

have you seen Modesta last what they claim, up to 10 years?
 
marchese_alexander said:
have you seen Modesta last what they claim, up to 10 years?
Click to expand...

Understand that detailing product durability is all theoretical... this goes for coatings, waxes, sealants... heck, even tire shine.

There are so many variables to take into consideration that it is nearly impossible to determine how the product you select may or may not perform over a given period of time. That is why there are so many options and so many opinions... what might have worked well for one person, may not have been as good for another.

Also, please understand that with coating durability claims, this does not mean that all of the initial properties of the coating will remain in tact throughout the claimed lifespan. Properties like surface tension, which directly translate to the ability of the coating to repel water, dirt, etc. are usually the first to begin to diminish overtime as the coating becomes contaminated and various cleaners (which contain surfactants) are used over and over and over again. This is why it is now common practice to use a "booster" to maintain hydrophobic properties. The actual base layer of the coating which provides the sacrificial barrier from the elements should last an incredibly long time. Yes, even the coatings that have a 2 year warranty (ie CQuartz Finest) can outlive that by a long shot. Again, water beading does not indicate if a coating is present or not... there is truly no way to know if a coating is 'still there'.

Another thing to consider is that most vehicles will benefit from being polished every 1-3 years depending on how it is maintained, the environment it lives in, the color of the car, etc. When I say polished, I do not mean corrected... once your vehicle is in good shape, it should never need true paint correction... but a light machine polish every 1-3 years will ensure your paint is as glossy as possible. This polishing process will remove, or at least partially remove, the coating layer at which point a new coating will need to be applied. This is the reason I tend to not pay much attention to coating durability claims past 3 years... I know that in order to keep the vehicle looking its best, the coating will be removed and replaced within the first 3 years.

-Zach
 
marchese_alexander said:
According to the detailer they don't need boosters only proper maintenance. I would do it myself but I dont have a garage.

"I don't see 2 years personally out of it nor pretty much any of them you listed 2 to 5 years is a stretch" ... do you speak from experience? Cause that's the thing people comment base on whatever they think not from actual proof.
Click to expand...
I have 25 years of experience and tried 90 percent of the coatings out there.After 6 to 9 months you will need a booster like reload or hydro.coatings are not impenetrable.The benefits of a coating are keeps the car cleaner and makes maintenance a lot easier and super hydrophobic.Wait till spring to do a coating and just seal it with collinite 845 for now.Or for 1500 wrap the front of the car with Suntek or xpel,and for 57.00 you can coat it yourself.Do as you wish but remember one thing the detailer is a salesperson who will push a product on you and state that it's maintenance free and hope you fall for it.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Understand that detailing product durability is all theoretical... this goes for coatings, waxes, sealants... heck, even tire shine.

There are so many variables to take into consideration that it is nearly impossible to determine how the product you select may or may not perform over a given period of time. That is why there are so many options and so many opinions... what might have worked well for one person, may not have been as good for another.

Also, please understand that with coating durability claims, this does not mean that all of the initial properties of the coating will remain in tact throughout the claimed lifespan. Properties like surface tension, which directly translate to the ability of the coating to repel water, dirt, etc. are usually the first to begin to diminish overtime as the coating becomes contaminated and various cleaners (which contain surfactants) are used over and over and over again. This is why it is now common practice to use a "booster" to maintain hydrophobic properties. The actual base layer of the coating which provides the sacrificial barrier from the elements should last an incredibly long time. Yes, even the coatings that have a 2 year warranty (ie CQuartz Finest) can outlive that by a long shot. Again, water beading does not indicate if a coating is present or not... there is truly no way to know if a coating is 'still there'.

Another thing to consider is that most vehicles will benefit from being polished every 1-3 years depending on how it is maintained, the environment it lives in, the color of the car, etc. When I say polished, I do not mean corrected... once your vehicle is in good shape, it should never need true paint correction... but a light machine polish every 1-3 years will ensure your paint is as glossy as possible. This polishing process will remove, or at least partially remove, the coating layer at which point a new coating will need to be applied. This is the reason I tend to not pay much attention to coating durability claims past 3 years... I know that in order to keep the vehicle looking its best, the coating will be removed and replaced within the first 3 years.

-Zach
Click to expand...
Agree.
 
GSKR said:
All these coatings require maintenance boosters and the car has to be washed with care so you don't accelerate the coating deterioration.I don't know how inclined you are when it comes to carcare,but I assume you can wipe on and wipe off I say do it yourself.Glosscoat is so easy to work with and virtually you just can't screw it up.cq uk is a little tacky and I don't see 2 years personally out of it nor pretty much any of them you listed 2 to 5 years is a stretch.for something to last that long you would have to maintain your car every week.pinnacle mckees Glosscoat Wolfgang uber these are some of the coatings that are user friendly and sold to the public.save your cash and do it yourself.
Click to expand...


Huge misinformation there man, just saying.

OP, I hope you read Zach`s post. I`ll add to it. Preparation is key. The better the paint looks before application, the better the end result.

Please be educated on how you take care of your car. This is a huge factor in longevity.

I have customers with 3 year old CQUartz UK on their car and it still looks amazing because they properly took care of the car.

As for boosters. They are there. Reload for CQuartz, Opti Seal for Opti Coat Pro & +, etc. Are they absolutely necessary? No. But many enjoy the "topper" to refresh the beading and sheeting as the coating ages.

Want to find good reviews on the coatings you are considering? Simply Google the name + reviews and look at the car forums and what people are saying.

Good luck!
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Understand that detailing product durability is all theoretical... this goes for coatings, waxes, sealants... heck, even tire shine.

There are so many variables to take into consideration that it is nearly impossible to determine how the product you select may or may not perform over a given period of time. That is why there are so many options and so many opinions... what might have worked well for one person, may not have been as good for another.

Also, please understand that with coating durability claims, this does not mean that all of the initial properties of the coating will remain in tact throughout the claimed lifespan. Properties like surface tension, which directly translate to the ability of the coating to repel water, dirt, etc. are usually the first to begin to diminish overtime as the coating becomes contaminated and various cleaners (which contain surfactants) are used over and over and over again. This is why it is now common practice to use a "booster" to maintain hydrophobic properties. The actual base layer of the coating which provides the sacrificial barrier from the elements should last an incredibly long time. Yes, even the coatings that have a 2 year warranty (ie CQuartz Finest) can outlive that by a long shot. Again, water beading does not indicate if a coating is present or not... there is truly no way to know if a coating is 'still there'.

Another thing to consider is that most vehicles will benefit from being polished every 1-3 years depending on how it is maintained, the environment it lives in, the color of the car, etc. When I say polished, I do not mean corrected... once your vehicle is in good shape, it should never need true paint correction... but a light machine polish every 1-3 years will ensure your paint is as glossy as possible. This polishing process will remove, or at least partially remove, the coating layer at which point a new coating will need to be applied. This is the reason I tend to not pay much attention to coating durability claims past 3 years... I know that in order to keep the vehicle looking its best, the coating will be removed and replaced within the first 3 years.

-Zach
Click to expand...

CarolinasFinestDetailing said:
Huge misinformation there man, just saying.

OP, I hope you read Zach`s post. I`ll add to it. Preparation is key. The better the paint looks before application, the better the end result.

Please be educated on how you take care of your car. This is a huge factor in longevity.

I have customers with 3 year old CQUartz UK on their car and it still looks amazing because they properly took care of the car.

As for boosters. They are there. Reload for CQuartz, Opti Seal for Opti Coat Pro & +, etc. Are they absolutely necessary? No. But many enjoy the "topper" to refresh the beading and sheeting as the coating ages.

Want to find good reviews on the coatings you are considering? Simply Google the name + reviews and look at the car forums and what people are saying.

Good luck!
Click to expand...


THIS^^^^

Any of the coatings you listed will work very well. IMO you should focus more on finding a detailer in your area you trust over which coating you go with.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Another thing to consider is that most vehicles will benefit from being polished every 1-3 years depending on how it is maintained, the environment it lives in, the color of the car, etc. When I say polished, I do not mean corrected... once your vehicle is in good shape, it should never need true paint correction... but a light machine polish every 1-3 years will ensure your paint is as glossy as possible. This polishing process will remove, or at least partially remove, the coating layer at which point a new coating will need to be applied. This is the reason I tend to not pay much attention to coating durability claims past 3 years... I know that in order to keep the vehicle looking its best, the coating will be removed and replaced within the first 3 years.

-Zach
Click to expand...

I am very glad you bring this point up. This is the reason I am very pleased with the results I get with the 2-3 year coating on my car. I know I am going to polish in 18 months anyway, so the 2 year coatings (and price) are great for 'my' needs.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Understand that detailing product durability is all theoretical... this goes for coatings, waxes, sealants... heck, even tire shine.

There are so many variables to take into consideration that it is nearly impossible to determine how the product you select may or may not perform over a given period of time. That is why there are so many options and so many opinions... what might have worked well for one person, may not have been as good for another.

Also, please understand that with coating durability claims, this does not mean that all of the initial properties of the coating will remain in tact throughout the claimed lifespan. Properties like surface tension, which directly translate to the ability of the coating to repel water, dirt, etc. are usually the first to begin to diminish overtime as the coating becomes contaminated and various cleaners (which contain surfactants) are used over and over and over again. This is why it is now common practice to use a "booster" to maintain hydrophobic properties. The actual base layer of the coating which provides the sacrificial barrier from the elements should last an incredibly long time. Yes, even the coatings that have a 2 year warranty (ie CQuartz Finest) can outlive that by a long shot. Again, water beading does not indicate if a coating is present or not... there is truly no way to know if a coating is 'still there'.

Another thing to consider is that most vehicles will benefit from being polished every 1-3 years depending on how it is maintained, the environment it lives in, the color of the car, etc. When I say polished, I do not mean corrected... once your vehicle is in good shape, it should never need true paint correction... but a light machine polish every 1-3 years will ensure your paint is as glossy as possible. This polishing process will remove, or at least partially remove, the coating layer at which point a new coating will need to be applied. This is the reason I tend to not pay much attention to coating durability claims past 3 years... I know that in order to keep the vehicle looking its best, the coating will be removed and replaced within the first 3 years.

-Zach
Click to expand...

So the N years is just a sales strategy? I have been trying to find reviews from cars with coatings and so far I haven't found a single review from a 3+years coated car. Perhaps you got a point.

I was talking to another detailer and he told me that the benefit of the opti coat versus other was that it did not needed a booster. I guess I need to talk again with him.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
GSKR said:
I have 25 years of experience and tried 90 percent of the coatings out there.After 6 to 9 months you will need a booster like reload or hydro.coatings are not impenetrable.The benefits of a coating are keeps the car cleaner and makes maintenance a lot easier and super hydrophobic.Wait till spring to do a coating and just seal it with collinite 845 for now.Or for 1500 wrap the front of the car with Suntek or xpel,and for 57.00 you can coat it yourself.Do as you wish but remember one thing the detailer is a salesperson who will push a product on you and state that it's maintenance free and hope you fall for it.
Click to expand...

I want to do the coating now because of the winter conditions. Is CQUK easy to apply, for someone with no coating experience?

Sent from my SM-G920T using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
hollerstiltner said:
Just in case you weren't aware, Cquartz UK isn't a pro only product. You can buy it yourself here at autogeek.

http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-cquartz-uk-edition.html
Click to expand...
Yes I was aware. He offered me the UK version saying that was almost identical to Finest but finest is simply advertised different.

Without a garage it would be difficult to do it myself, but if I'll be saving couple bucks might look into figuring something out

Sent from my SM-G920T using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
marchese_alexander said:
So the N years is just a sales strategy? I have been trying to find reviews from cars with coatings and so far I haven't found a single review from a 3+years coated car. Perhaps you got a point.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. If you never plan to have your car polished again, the coating of your choice can last for many, many years. As I mentioned, some properties, suc has the ability to repel water and dirt due to high surface tension, will likely diminish over time. This is not an indication that the coating has failed or is no longer present. It is just an indication that the surface tension has been altered. This is typically due to contamination and repeated exposure to cleaning chemicals which contain surfactants that, by definition, will lower surface tension.

The base layer of protection should be present until an abrasive (compound or polish) is used, or a significant amount of time has passed.

My point was that in order to maintain the best looking finish, almost every car will benefit from a very thorough detail and polishing process every 1-3 years at which time a new layer of coating should be applied.

The common misconception is that these coatings will perform like new for years and years and years, but the reality is that the "semi-permanent" durability factor has nothing to do with the ability of the coating to make pretty beads or anything like that. Coatings require maintenance and replacement for maximum performance. In the end, the performance, protection, and ease of maintenance far exceeds the abilities of traditional waxes and sealants. You just have to know and understand the abilities of the coating.

marchese_alexander said:
I was talking to another detailer and he told me that the benefit of the opti coat versus other was that it did not needed a booster. I guess I need to talk again with him.
Click to expand...

As previously mentioned... no coating "needs" a booster. If you wish to maximize the hydrophobic abilities over time, you will need to apply some sort of additional hydrophobic protectant on top of the coating as the surface tension is reduced over time and the coating itself loses some of the ability to repel water.
 
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