suntek clear bra and opticoat pro

[kirpal]

Hello
I am new around here so pardon me if this does not pertain here.


I am getting a 2014 acura MDX in a week and doing some research as to what is best in terms paint protection. I am planning to get the full frontal clear bra and then opticoat the whole car with clear bra on it. The installer changed to using suntek (as he had issues with 3M which he applied before). His group seem to have a good experience and does 3 to 4 per day. He charges me $1500 for full full frontal (with tucked in edges whereever he can) and then i am getting opticoat pro done with a guy who charges me $400 for the full car including wheels and glass and over the clear bra. So my questions are
1) does this makes sense to you? If these really work i am willing to put these if they really work and money is not an issue.
2) how well these clear bras hold up over years? i usually keep my vehicles for long time around 100K or so. if the bra were to be taken of after 5 to 6 years, will there be a difference in the fading of color with the rest of the car
3) has anybody done one or both of these and let me know thier experiences with this.

Thanks a lot

 

[FUNX650]

First of all...:welcome:...to AGO!

Next...
What area(s) constitute: "a full frontal on 2014 Acura MDX"...
$1500.00 seems a little steep for a front-clip's clear-bra!!
Especially with using the SunTek brand...IMHO.

See what the Professional Detailer says about getting your entire vehicle Opti-Gard'ed (Pro) first before any PPF installation...
Versus PPF first... Then the Coating application.

(It's been said that Optimum's Coatings have been known to take 30-60 days, or longer,
to fully cure...in order to perform to their designed-characteristics.)

I'm going to suggest going to XPel's website for information regarding what I consider the best PPF for vehicles.
There you can also find the link for a certified XPel PPF installer in your area.

Instead of 'Coatings'...I use the following on my XPel PPF:

Still going strong after 7 years!!




Bob

 

[theblob640]

I also have Suntek installed on my car. Full front bumper, partial hood, almost up to where my decals start, mirrors, partial fenders (same distance as hood), and headlights, also folded into the seams. I got it installed for about $800, I think $1500 is a little too steep from the description of your package. As far as a fade line goes, I cannot say until I get it removed, only had it for about 3 months. I am also interested to see if Opti-coat will work, but in the meantime, I just treat it as I would paint as far as protection. I seal/wax it.

 

[kirpal]

I also have Suntek installed on my car. Full front bumper, partial hood, almost up to where my decals start, mirrors, partial fenders (same distance as hood), and headlights, also folded into the seams. I got it installed for about $800, I think $1500 is a little too steep from the description of your package. As far as a fade line goes, I cannot say until I get it removed, only had it for about 3 months. I am also interested to see if Opti-coat will work, but in the meantime, I just treat it as I would paint as far as protection. I seal/wax it.

The quote i said was for full package (full hood,bumper,fender,mirror and cupts); Partial package costs $899 (partial hood/fender, full bumper, mirror, cups);

The opticoat guy i spoke to said he has done it over PPF and it works just fine and infact may be good. My guess is that this might acutally may not result in differential fading when PPF is removed, say, 5 years down the line.

 

[Radarryan]

I have 3M clear bra on my front clip. I paid $1500 as well, so I think your getting a good deal. I also put Opti-Coat on my 911, including the front clip with the clear bra and there are no ill effects. Optimum says this is fine and my real-world experience confirms.

 

[kirpal]

I have 3M clear bra on my front clip. I paid $1500 as well, so I think your getting a good deal. I also put Opti-Coat on my 911, including the front clip with the clear bra and there are no ill effects. Optimum says this is fine and my real-world experience confirms.

Thank you. How long have you had this?

 

[Radarryan]

Thank you. How long have you had this?

No problem! I had the clear bra installed in December, right after my car got off the boat and to the dealership (it was done by the dealer). Opti-Coat 2.0 was put on ~a month or so later. Actually, I am in the process of having Opti-Coat removed and GTechniq C1 and EXOv2 put on in place (I'd be happy to go over why I am doing so if you are interested).

All in all, I think you're going to be thrilled with both your choices. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[naruto19]

No problem! I had the clear bra installed in December, right after my car got off the boat and to the dealership (it was done by the dealer). Opti-Coat 2.0 was put on ~a month or so later. Actually, I am in the process of having Opti-Coat removed and GTechniq C1 and EXOv2 put on in place (I'd be happy to go over why I am doing so if you are interested).

All in all, I think you're going to be thrilled with both your choices. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

I would be interested why your switching! I am very on the fence between opti coat and gtechniq myself.

Question though how will you know that you have removed the Opti Coat 2.0 since it has bonded permanently with the clear? How will you know that you have gotten all of the Opt Coat layder off and are not taking off layers of clear? That would be my only concern with removing Opti Coat. And is one of the reasons why I haven't done it yet it. To me it seems like once you go Opti Coat that's it... your stuck with it.

 

[kirpal]

No problem! I had the clear bra installed in December, right after my car got off the boat and to the dealership (it was done by the dealer). Opti-Coat 2.0 was put on ~a month or so later. Actually, I am in the process of having Opti-Coat removed and GTechniq C1 and EXOv2 put on in place (I'd be happy to go over why I am doing so if you are interested).

All in all, I think you're going to be thrilled with both your choices. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

Me too! Please share why and how you are planning to get this done.

I looked at a couple of other posts on AGO. It looks like Opticoat is thicker and GTechiq is thinner but offers better shine and beading.

 

[Radarryan]

I would be interested why your switching! I am very on the fence between opti coat and gtechniq myself.

Question though how will you know that you have removed the Opti Coat 2.0 since it has bonded permanently with the clear? How will you know that you have gotten all of the Opt Coat layder off and are not taking off layers of clear? That would be my only concern with removing Opti Coat. And is one of the reasons why I haven't done it yet it. To me it seems like once you go Opti Coat that's it... your stuck with it.

Me too! Please share why and how you are planning to get this done.

I looked at a couple of other posts on AGO. It looks like Opticoat is thicker and GTechiq is thinner but offers better shine and beading.

Basically it all started when I had to get the left side and bumper re-clear bra-ed due to damage. Rather than put Opti-Coat 2.0 back on, I decided that I would take this time to try another coating, particularly one that looks better than Opti-Coat. While Opti-Coat provides multi-year protection, I really don't need it because I end up polishing my car once a year or so. The fact that Opti-Coat lasts 5 years or more is really a moot point. I choose to go with coatings because of the increased scratch-resistance that you do not get from sealants and waxes.

For me, it really came down between CarPro CQuuartz and GTechniq C1 topped with EXOv2. After a long phase of research and pictures, I went for the GTechniq protocol. Now, I actually was one of those who was affected by the problems GTechniq was having with their formulations, where a haze would appear the next day. GTechniq customer service is sending out one of their detailers to re-polish my car and then apply the coatings again. Also, Panel Wipe reacted very badly with my 3M clear bra, causing a haze that I have not been able to polish out. Hopefully their professional will have better luck, otherwise they will have to replace it (before I bought I checked and they said it was 100% compatible with 3M - it wasn't).

Now, for the removal of Opti-Coat: it can be removed just like any other paint system. Was is dependent is what products you would need to use, but in my thread asking for advice, Mike Phillips got in touch with Optimum and they said Hyper Polish would most likely take it off. Remember, we're talking microns here. It's very thin and the fact Opti-Coat is thicker is all reative. Personally, I used Menzerna SF4500 and on vertical panels it appeared to take it all off. GTechniq says to remove their coatings would have to be compounded off. I don't know if you would have to get that aggressive but more often than not the manufacturer knows best. Still, I would try a finishing polish first to see if that would work, if I were to do it myself. Since I no longer have the time, I am having their authorized detailer come up to do all the prep work, as well as apply the coatings. Rob, the managing director of GTechniq in the UK, has been fantastic trying to coordinate everything and get everything taken care of to my satisfaction. It certainly makes me less hesitant to buy their products when I know that the manufacturer will stand by them unconditionally.

What it came down to for me is look. Durability doesn't matter since I end up polishing every year or so, if not sooner! I believed that GTechniq EXO provided the best look, and by putting C1 on before I would have the scratch resistance that I wanted. If your going purely for look, I would look at GTechniq or CarPro. If you want durability, go with Opti-Coat since they will provide a lifetime warranty (since your car is new). Oh yeah, I do have my wheel faces and barrels Opti-Coated since durability is most important and the difference in look is minimal on wheels (if you can tell at all). If possible, go with the best durability one on wheels (at least the barrels) and the best looking one on the paint.

If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We're all here to help!

 

[naruto19]

Awesome response! Thank you!

You hit all the points that I was concerned about with Opti Coat. I too like the polish my car about once a year. That has what kept me on the fence with Opti Coat. Even though it seems to have great chemical resistance and bird dropping protection.

After doing research last night it seems like any wax, sealant, or coating doesn't have any measurable UV protection of any sort. So my main concern is paint protection. I think C1 or CQuartz might fit my need since they increase the hardness of the paint and will resist marring more from day to day use or maintenance washes.

I just can't decide weather to apply a coating under or over clearbra.

 

[Radarryan]

Awesome response! Thank you!

You hit all the points that I was concerned about with Opti Coat. I too like the polish my car about once a year. That has what kept me on the fence with Opti Coat. Even though it seems to have great chemical resistance and bird dropping protection.

After doing research last night it seems like any wax, sealant, or coating doesn't have any measurable UV protection of any sort. So my main concern is paint protection. I think C1 or CQuartz might fit my need since they increase the hardness of the paint and will resist marring more from day to day use or maintenance washes.

I just can't decide weather to apply a coating under or over clearbra.

Not a problem; I'm happy to help! So many members have helped me, and Mike Phillips is literally a Godsend, that I like to pay it forward when I feel I can contribute to the discussion.

Here are a few things I've noticed: the full chemical resistance and "stopping power" from bird bombs, etc. may take several months for the Opti-Coat to fully cure. Before this time, contaminants and embed into the coating, causing a claying or decontamination session to be necessary. Furthermore, I have read that Opti-Coat may be one of the most temperamental in terms of bonding. It seems that there are new threads being made every week saying that Opti-Coat has failed. It's a shame to waste all that money on coatings that won't bond to the paint if you use oily polishes that are non-Optimum brand and the IPA solution did not fully decontaminate. I never had a problem with this, though.

If it were me, I would apply the Opti-Coat (or whatever your choice of coating) over the clear bra, not under. Before the clear bra is installed, however, I would make sure that my paint was polished to perfection. Any defects will quite literally be locked in for the life of the clear bra. Since the clear bra is something like 95% clear, or more, you would want your paint to be free of defects. Since the paint protection film will take the brunt of the damage over the years, I would protect it with the coating. 3M specifically states to treat the film as paint - wash, wax and care for it as you would the rest of your car. Optimum, GTechniq, and CarPro have all said that their coatings are compatible with PPFs.

Frankly, there is no right or wrong answer in terms of the coatings. Like everything, the polishing/burnishing(jeweling) step will maximize the gloss of the paint. The coatings just amplify this but not to the extent that it would make a huge difference. Could you tell the difference between EXO and CQuartz if they were side by side? Maybe, but I bet you would think they both looked phenomenal if they were polished to perfection. And, if you looked at them an hour apart, I doubt anyone could tell the difference. For what I wanted, which was maximum look with less concern for durability, I chose GTechniq. I felt like C1 and EXO provided the best protection and look. Would CQuartz have been just as good? Possibly, but who really knows. For all I know, it is better. It's like saying Coke or Pepsi (obviously Coke!). There is no right or wrong answer. It's personal preference. Car people tend to be highly segmented, which is why there are so many products that do the exact same thing.

Hope this helps! I'm here for any other questions you may have.

 

[kirpal]

Thanks Radarryan for your helpful response. Unlike you and Naruto19, i am kind of less handy on the cars and all i can do is washing. For this, opticoat serves my purpose. Now big question is to resist driving my new MDX until it is fully cured. 'Several months' seem like a long time to keep it in the garage!

 

[Radarryan]

Thanks Radarryan for your helpful response. Unlike you and Naruto19, i am kind of less handy on the cars and all i can do is washing. For this, opticoat serves my purpose. Now big question is to resist driving my new MDX until it is fully cured. 'Several months' seem like a long time to keep it in the garage!

No, I didn't mean don't drive it until it is fully cured, but you should know the limitations while it is curing. I kept it in the garage for a few days, even though they just say 24 hours away from moisture is all you need. Enjoy your new car! I am always mixed because I love cars, love looking at them and love driving them. I just hate when they get dirty... Unless you have an old classic, drive 'em. That's what they're made for. If we owned cars that were not made for driving, then the odds are we could afford a good driver, too! :laughing:

Happy to help! :xyxthumbs:

 

[kirpal]

No, I didn't mean don't drive it until it is fully cured, but you should know the limitations while it is curing. I kept it in the garage for a few days, even though they just say 24 hours away from moisture is all you need. Enjoy your new car! I am always mixed because I love cars, love looking at them and love driving them. I just hate when they get dirty... Unless you have an old classic, drive 'em. That's what they're made for. If we owned cars that were not made for driving, then the odds are we could afford a good driver, too! :laughing:

Happy to help! :xyxthumbs:

Thanks, i can definitely do few days. I will just sit in the garage and explore all the technology!

 

[loudog2]

Kirpal let me what you think about the new MDX a week or so after getting it. I am deciding between that and the Audi Q7 s-line.

 

[FUNX650]

Just wondering if you're still going to travel down the Suntek-PPF route.
Thanks.



Bob

 

[kirpal]

Kirpal let me what you think about the new MDX a week or so after getting it. I am deciding between that and the Audi Q7 s-line.

I don't have it yet! and it is really frustrating to keep checking my email every hour or so to see if i have a good news from the dealership rep. He gave me today's date as teh delivery date. I have my 'temporary' appointments made for the PPF and opticoat.

But, i loved the ride when i test drove it few weeks ago. it has everything i need (note, i did not say 'want'). I am type of guy who looks for value, functionality and utility and MDX offers me all that at the price i can afford and still it is elegant. I am not a minivan lover. Also, i rely heavily on expert reviews online and that kind of put others below the list. I keep my vehicles more than 100K miles and possibly more. Repairs add up with other brands over this period.

I probably would have bought cayenne if i had more money to spend! (cost adds up quickly when you start adding options/accessories). That was the case with BMW and Audi.

So all i can say is it depends on your needs and interests. I suggest you spend sometime on MDX forum at Acura MDX Forum : Acura MDX SUV Forums and see for yourself what other experienced MDXers have to say about new MDX. Some of them have owned or currently own Audi as well. Hope this helps with your decision.

 

[kirpal]

Just wondering if you're still going to travel down the Suntek-PPF route.
Thanks.



Bob

yes. i found this option to be the best for me. I will come back here and let you and others know how that turns out. i am about to get the delivery of my vehicle anytime now!