My Opti-coat 2.0 impressions/questions

[LilJayV10]

i like OC2.0. only problem is it needs a month to cure to full harness and for the enthusiasts, its hard to wait that month. lol

It's like clear coat. You don't wait a month do drive your car after it gets painted do you? :buffing:

 

[builthatch]

This is an old thread I know. I found it by searching for opti coat cure times. I OC'd a black Escalade this afternoon and was going to give it back to the owner but it started raining/sleeting and the roads have been salty. I told him I would let it set up over night before driving it in these conditions. Any input on this?

Also, I don't see how putting an "X" on that yellow pad is enough to prime it. When I do just the "X" the pad squeaks/drags till I add, what I think think is a lot, of product to the pad. However when I get done I haven't used very much product at all, about 10cc for just the paint on the Escalade.

I agree there is a learning curve with OC but I have to say, out of all the products I use and things I offer people get most excited about OC. It's the full correction I require before hand they don't like.

it's a painful fact of life: they have to realize that however the car looks prior to coating...that's how it will look indefinitely once coated.

whatever priming method works for you, that's fine. it isn't something set in stone. one recommendation that i am just starting to make is OPT has a dual sided applicator that has neoprene on one side and super duper soft foam on the other. it's vastly superior to the yellow pad that comes with the tubes. try it. it is a cross between the nitrile glove over the foam pad idea and the foam pad. the idea is that it doesn't suck up a ton of product like the yellow foam, but just enough (which is very little) to keep the pad primed.

10cc of 2.0 for such a large vehicle is fine imo.

Since this just popped up I'll ask my question here vs starting a new thread.

My gf just got a black car and the issue I am most concerned with is waterspot etching. Here in FL during the summer, it will rain every day for a little bit, then go back to baking heat and full sun. That will burn in waterspots on a black car almost immediately. The car is garage kept, but sits outside at work for 8 hrs a day.

Will OC be able to prevent waterspotting on the car during the summer months? From what I have read, the answer seems to be yes, but I haven't seen this addressed specifically.

rain shouldn't be a huge problem re: spotting vs. sprinklers and the like. Opti-Coat is really resistant to water spot etching so ideally once it is fully cured (remember that Optimum coatings just get harder and harder), you will be giving your clear ideal protection and the minerals should be less prone to etching and easier to wash off next time you clean the car.

imo the goal of Opti-Coat is not only to make life easier and keep the car looking great, but it is to save the substrate. let's say the coating does etch...at least it is saving your clear coat - very expensive piece of the puzzle! think of the coating as a sacrificial barrier. i remember when i first started using Optimum spray wax i used to ask Dr. G what happens with etching and he said it essentially traps the minerals and keeps them from getting to the clear. it etches, but saves the clear in the process. Coating is the same idea but obviously much more buff and infinitely less prone to damage from organic fallout.

if you get some light etching after some time, you should have no problem removing it with a light polish or AIO whilst saving the coating as long as you don't work it too long or hard.

It's like clear coat. You don't wait a month do drive your car after it gets painted do you?

i think you are both right, actually.

since the resin just continues to harden as it dehydrates...it might not reach "full hardness" for quite some time. and he did say "full hardness".

but, the overriding fact is typical instruction is that within an hour it can see water (rain) and within 24 hours it should be cured enough for washing. so that is what you are saying and that makes sense too

 

[Joelotto]

I'm no opti-coat expert but want to share what I have learned doing about 1 1/2 cars. Don't over think the process...it's simple and just keep it at that. Here is a good video of the speed and motion to use when applying opti-coat as well as some hints(this is the one I liked). [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5itLTTTMexE]Opti-Coat 2.0 application.wmv - YouTube[/video] I would say if your new to the product and learning the process don't start with a large panel like the hood or roof. Start with the trunk area if its smaller than the hood...then move to a door or rear quarter panel....something small. It will give you time to learn the product, the motion, speed and how much to put on the pad. IMO by doing a smaller area it gives you more time to learn the process, not over work the product to the point it becomes tacky.....you should have been done applying the product way before it becomes tacky....

 

[Royal2012]

I recently installed opti-coat 2.0 on a 2011 Infinity JX using the neoprene glove/pad/paper towel method and for being the first time it came out great. I only applied two to three lines of product on the towel paper and concentrated on a 16x16 area simotaneously utilizing my air compressor and MF towel to dry off or remove any high spots or streaking. This was the first time I have ever used this product and the vehicle came out great EXCEPT for one spot. Right above the driver side door handle I discovered the following day that the opti-coat had somehow bubbled up and cured. Based upon my reading the method I believe I should use to remove these bubbles is to polishing using the least aggressive pad and maybe an AIO to even out the surface? If that doesn't work I am thinking I have to go to a orange pad with maybe some M205. Once I even out the surface and remove the bubbles then I should polish, re-prep the surface again, test for hydroprobic properties and reapply another coat of opti-coat (if needed). I would appreciate any suggestions or comments. Thanks