Ceramic paint protection - opti coat pro

[wareaglescott]

A couple months ago I asked about ceramic paint protection products. Got some feed back but not a ton as this is a relatively new concept and has advanced quite rapidly in the last few years. Similar name to ceramic coating of metal pieces but a completely different topic. I went ahead and had it applied to the Cobra and thought I would provide some feedback.

Here is the product I used if you want to read about it. The science is a little beyond me so a basic description is it is a long lasting super protectant that is best to have professionally applied.
https://opticoat.com/

It was not cheap. I paid $400 for a paint correction process to remove any swirls or imperfections and then an additional $800 for the opti coat application. The detailer I used does a lot of high end cars and this is his product of choice. There are certainly others on the market. They have a couple different products. The one I got has a 5 year guarantee. Based on the fact that my car never sits out or is driven in weather and is always garaged he basically told me to expect it to last forever. I asked why the 5 year statement then and he said the manufacturer just says that to limit their liability.

I have been very impressed with the results. It took the shine to the next level and has stayed that way. I have about 400 miles on the car since the application. Probably 15 or so 30 minute drives. My routine used to be to detail the car almost every time I drove it right after pulling in the garage. With the ceramic coating it is almost like nothing sticks to the car. (that is part of the science part I don't understand). I get out looking to clean the car and there is simply nothing to clean off. The minimal things I do see just wipe away so easily. I think long term I will be very pleased with the coating.

Do want to point out that while this is a good paint protectant and keeps the car looking great and easy to clean it does nothing to protect against rock chips. I still have the clear vinyl protecting the front of the rear wheel arches and front of the car. You can apply the coating overt the clear film if you desire.

Here is a picture after the application. No editing of the photo. That is how shiny it looks now.

[CraigS]

That is very impressive.

[Frank Messina]

My son had this process done to his ZR1 Corvette. It does look ridiculous good, (yours too Scott) but I think you need to start off with a car that's fairly devoid of paint chips for it to make sense from a cost standpoint.

Frank

[wareaglescott]

My son had this process done to his ZR1 Corvette. It does look ridiculous good, (yours too Scott) but I think you need to start off with a car that's fairly devoid of paint chips for it to make sense from a cost standpoint.

Frank

Yes I agree. I was lucky in that my car had only been on the road for about 7 months when I did this and the paint was in very good condition to start with. The detailer did recommend the paint correction process prior to application to take care of any swirls. Otherwise they would have been trapped under the coating. I think the fresher the paint job the better your results will be.

[cgundermann]

That looks really nice Scott! Really makes the orange pop...

Chris

[WIS89]

Scott-

I really like the look after the application. You are right, it really just pops and looks exceptionally shiny!

Nicely done, and thanks for sharing your experience.

Regards,

Steve

[Duke]

Damn you! Now I have to go get this done. Once it spring arrives I found a local shop to get this done.

[AC Bill]

I guess Opti-Coat and others, use the term "ceramic" as a new catch phrase for marketing the product. I see the term "nano" is also used frequently. It's actually a polymer sealant.

Diamond Kote was one of the first to start marketing polymer sealants, mainly thru car dealers, over 30 years ago. I think we charged $500-600 to have it applied to a new car. It had a "lifetime" warranty, but the catch was, you had to come back and have it reapplied every year. I think that cost was around $125-150. Plus you must use the Diamond Kote car wash soap exclusively, which sold for around $35 a bottle. It was a great little money maker for a dealer, and the car salesman that could up-sell it to a customer, also made a nice commission.
https://www.diamondkote.com/auto/app...nt-protection/

I have used polymer sealants on several vehicles over the years, and it really is fantastic. Keeps a nice shine, and it does stop stuff from sticking to the car. I often just run a Swifter duster over the car after a cruise, as it rarely needs washing.

You do want the paint to be in good shape beforehand as mentioned, but you can easily apply it yourself. Use due diligence, when it comes to the purchase of the product, as it can often be found at very reasonable prices. It comes labeled in a variety of names. Mothers makes a good one, often used by pro detail shops.

[Straversi]

Damn you! Now I have to go get this done. Once it spring arrives I found a local shop to get this done.

Be careful. Scott has nothing to build so he has lots of time to help you spend your money!
Does look good though.
-Steve

[wareaglescott]

Be careful. Scott has nothing to build so he has lots of time to help you spend your money!
Does look good though.
-Steve

I am on a secret mission to bankrupt Duke so he is forced to sell me his 930 Turbo he recently bought. Don't tell him. lol

[KDubU]

That does look very nice. Any downside to doing this, e.g. does it make chip repairs harder?

[Duke]

I am on a secret mission to bankrupt Duke so he is forced to sell me his 930 Turbo he recently bought. Don't tell him. lol

Aren't you too busy stalking shipping containers these days

[Duke]

Picked up my cobra this morning after local paint correction and Opti-Coat ceramic protection added. Holy Cr@p what a difference. I thought it was nice before, but this is a whole new level. I would do this again in a heartbeat and highly recommend it.