Opti-coat : bird poo fail?!?

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jrs1418

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On May 18th, I decided to OC my hood for a test panel. Most of the rest of my car has had Wolfs HB since January including my hood before the clay/polish/OC. This wasn't my first OC application, i've done quite a few and followed the installation directions and even IPA wiped x 2.

On June 20th after one month of not being washed it finally got a waterless wash.

June 22nd I parked it under "THE TREE" and got these
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Today June 26th I washed them off. Theyve also been rained on since the 22nd. And THIS is whats left behind:

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Tried to get the best pix I could, most definitely etched into my paint. And, if you notice on the before picture where you can see the hood/left fender.. the bird poo was splatted on both sides. The fender has Wolfs HB on it, and I noticed the smallest little etched spot compared to the OC side.

This is a bummer for me :(
 
I believe no matter a wax, sealant, or coating, they are all considered sacrificial barriers. Mike Phillips uses the sacrificial barrier term on all LSP's. this basically means that your protection sacrifices itself to protect the paint and cc underneath. I wouldn't be surprised that bird droppings or even water spots could etch into opti coat if not wiped off.
 
jrs1418 said:
On May 18th, I decided to OC my hood for a test panel.

On June 20th after one month of not being washed it finally got a waterless wash.

June 22nd I parked it under "THE TREE" and got these

Today June 26th I washed them off. Theyve also been rained on since the 22nd.
Click to expand...
-The timetable you've listed may not have given the OC enough time to completely cure.
Once cured...is when Optimum-Coatings' attributes are at their best.

-Maybe it's just me, but:
Once noticed...I would not have left bird poop on any of my vehicles for 4 days.

jrs1418 said:
This is a bummer for me :(
Click to expand...
Chin up...All hope is not lost:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/50385-opti-coat-2-0-vs-bird-poop.html

:)

Bob
 
FWIW....echo to the above responses. Bird poop, tree sap, eggs....those are the big three that MUST be removed right away, period.

Adding to that, and I'm not sure if others are experiencing this, but bird poop seems to be getting increasingly toxic. The last few cleanups I've had, all same-day efforts, have involved etching that required correction. The last one still puzzles me - my own car, with two recent coats of DGPS, poop removed with QD/MF in under two hours after the attack, and the etching was BRUTAL. So...sorry for the long sad story, but...the moral remains, get that crap off of there quick-like. Literally. :)
 
VroomVroom said:
The last one still puzzles me - my own car, with two recent coats of DGPS, poop removed with QD/MF in under two hours after the attack, and the etching was BRUTAL.
Click to expand...

This exact thing happened to me earlier this week. I have x1 KAIO + x2 WG DGPS 3.0 on my 335i and I'm pretty sure I caught a bird bomb within a couple hours of it happening and I too have etching left behind. :mad:
 
Wes Bremec said:
I believe no matter a wax, sealant, or coating, they are all considered sacrificial barriers. Mike Phillips uses the sacrificial barrier term on all LSP's. this basically means that your protection sacrifices itself to protect the paint and cc underneath. I wouldn't be surprised that bird droppings or even water spots could etch into opti coat if not wiped off.
Click to expand...

I agree.

Opti-coat is not an armor. It's stronger than your traditional LSP and lasts longer but it's not invincible.

Waiting 4 days to remove bird poop is just asking for it.
 
IMHO (after doing one car), The rate of OC2 application is so low and most if it is solvents anyhow, it's not realistic to expect a continuous layer of OC2 resin after it cures. More like microscopic spots here and there (I may need to play with my microscope to prove it). Enough to repel water, but not enough to protect against corrosive paste.

BTW, is it uric acid in those chemical bombs that is the culprit?
 
Most of my experience is with Opti-Coat Pro, but I have seen what looks like etch fade and disappear over about two weeks. It's been described as a surface stain vs etching. I'm not sure if that'll happen for you because the coating is the consumer version and hadn't been on long, but you can try to see if its above the surface by claying or using a chemical paint cleaner with no abrasives.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Now that he is left with that etching....

How can it be taken out..( I have same problem)


Is wet-sanding the only way?

Mike
 
Machine polishing will remove etching most of the time, unless it is very severe.
 
Marc08EX said:
I agree.

Opti-coat is not an armor. It's stronger than your traditional LSP and lasts longer but it's not invincible.

Waiting 4 days to remove bird poop is just asking for it.
Click to expand...

amen..optimum has done a great job of marketing OC...I use it a lot so I'm a believer... but many who get it done seem to think it's some type of force field barrier that will not scratch or let things thru like poop. So non detail people treat their cars WORSE in some cases...LOL...
 
Chris@Optimum said:
Most of my experience is with Opti-Coat Pro, but I have seen what looks like etch fade and disappear over about two weeks. It's been described as a surface stain vs etching. I'm not sure if that'll happen for you because the coating is the consumer version and hadn't been on long, but you can try to see if its above the surface by claying or using a chemical paint cleaner with no abrasives.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...

I've seen the same thing happen with OC. Its like the etching goes away on its own. Leave it and see what happens.
 
Chris@Optimum said:
Most of my experience is with Opti-Coat Pro, but I have seen what looks like etch fade and disappear over about two weeks. It's been described as a surface stain vs etching. I'm not sure if that'll happen for you because the coating is the consumer version and hadn't been on long, but you can try to see if its above the surface by claying or using a chemical paint cleaner with no abrasives.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...

Sorry i didnt elaborate.. it IS OC Pro, had over 30 days cure time in Hawaii.

It is most definitely an etch, hard to grab it on camera but it is not above the surface, but if you'd like I'll clay it today & clean with an APC. I'd love to be wrong on this.

I've heard OC has been called "chemically resistant" and "permanent". And I'm NOT bashing OC, but i was once "sold" but now I am not.

And how come the side with Wolfs HB is clean?

Side notes: 2 other OC experiments i've been doing have OC PRO doing a damn good job of UV protecting headlights. MUCH better than Spar. And I've also seen better scratch and swirl resistance than Wolfs HB.
 
just wanna bring this in here

Chris@Optimum said:
There is nothing wrong with being old fashioned. And learning from our past is almost the only way to avoid pitfalls in the future, but...once in a while something comes along that changes things. Opti-Coat is one of those things.

First of all, Opti Coat is not a wax or sealant. Our pre polymer resin crosslinks and form silicon carbide aka synthetic diamonds. Opti-Coat doesn't just sit on your paint work like wax or only "bond" to itself like a sealant. It works by bonding to your factory clear coating and becoming a permanent part of your vehicles paint system. Just like the clear coat bonds to the base coat, Opti-Coat bonds chemically to the clear coat.Opti-Coat is not a paint protection wax or sealant that will wash away, or break down over time. Opti-Coat bonds permanently with the factory coating, protecting the surface indefinitely and will not delaminate.

A single layer of Optimum Clear Coating (Pro Version Professionally Applied) measures approximately 2 microns in thickness. When compared to other paint protection products, Opti-Coat is more than 100 times thicker, with tests showing a wax coating measuring less than 0.02 microns.

This allows Opti-Coat to effectively absorb damage that would otherwise affect the factory paint layers. Swirl marks and light scratches are not only decreased by the harder Optimum Ceramic Coating, the factory paint is protected and preserved. Even if you do require polishing down the road, it's nice to know you are only cutting into the coating, which is easily replaceable, than thinning your actual factory paint system.

Opti-Coat is completely resistant to acidic environmental substances such as bird droppings. Unlike your factory clear coating that can be permanently damaged, Opti-Coat will not etch or dissolve when in contact with these substances, and a clean, glossy clear coating is maintained. And, as we all know wax and sealants do very little protection here in the long term. A bird dropping on either would mean another application.

We have even accommodated skeptics with our Lifetime warranty for new car applications and a 5 year warranty on used car applications (Opti-Coat Pro installed by an approved installer) that if the Optimum Clear Coating is unsatisfactory in its performance of protecting the vehicles factory paintwork from oxidation, or damage from bird droppings, bug splatter, tree sap or UV damage, whilst being maintained in accordance with the terms and conditions of this warranty, OPT or its agents will at no cost to the owner repair or clean, and re-#treat the affected area.
Click to expand...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...-2-0-application-holding-45-days-after-3.html
 
No matter what you use, bird droppings should be removed right away. After just 4 hours of being on the paint, look what happened.
 
I understand and always knew bird poo will damage paint, even if taken off right away. I was putting OC pro to the test on its claims in bird ooo, UV protection, etc. So far it appears it will not stand up to some bird droppings if left on for 3-4 days.

Please understand, when we do this professionally, we tell people certain things when selling a product such as this based on the mfgr claims. I just wanted to shed light on my findings.. I really wish it was above surface but its not.
 
How do you guys advertise Opti Coat? I've been saying "It is advertise as permanent, but it always depends on the situation"
 
For profit I've only done 2 full cars, and a carbon fiber hood. I tell them the advantages of the product as stated by the mfgr of course with a disclaimer about lack of maintenance and to stay away from machine washes.

I don't believe that for the average customer, having bird poo on their car for a week is something out of the norm or something that would say they don't maintain their car. Keeping it real, people who buy this want maintenance free. People who are polishing their paint every 6 most don't waste their money on this.
 
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