Opti-coat 2.0

Optimum made it quite clear that its no point layering as it will not stick to itself. Then only way to layer is to put more on before it fully cures, but then when you put too much at this stage it will start to haze and you will not be able to get it off if it hardens in that state.

For me I just use OC2.0 as a protective base as its a good protective base if you don't have time to always wax the car but only time to wash. Then when ever I have time I will put a layer of carnauba on the top. Just to make the OC last even longer. So you know it will always have OC2.0 protecting and the car always will bead. You shouldn't see the beading fade. Moreover with the amount of rain we are having many LSP fail very fast especially if you are driving long distance and the lower parts of the car the LSP fails really fast as so much water get continually gets sprayed there by the wheels and other cars. Just to know if your LSP fail OC2.0 is still there to protect.

I think its a great 2 stage way of protection and piece of mind.

Already know that. Just that reading the following thread:
Review & Extreme Testing: Opti-Coat 2.0 and CQuartz

Just interesting to know that people are layering OC2 after it fully cured. Only way to be sure is a paint thickness gauge. Also different ways of putting on OC2 instead of straight lines, etc.

Bro jonlsl, how is your coating putting up with carnauba wax topper so far?

Mine just top up with OCWax once in a while. Wax definetely gets washed off. Also water spots are evident every week on my twlight gray color car. Not so on non coated panels. Always clean it up lightly with poliseal AIO and applicator sponge every two weeks. Quite surprise to see coating holding on so far.

As I said OC is a good beader but not a very good sheeting action. The beads of water seems to want to stick there, Just like DG Track Claw. Which in turn would not be so good for darker colors. But OC 2.0 water mark saving grace is that it can be cleaned away easily with washing, or AIO without really affecting the coating where as the other coatings that I have tried AIO would severely weaken a coating or take it right off.

So it seems that from your test and my test OC2.0 is best for light colored cars, especially on white, silver, gold. With darker colour cars just have to get the water marks away with AIO and you still have the other full benefits of OC2.0. So currently still the best all round coating my opinion so far. Reasonable price, reasonably easy to apply, durable and so easy to take care. Every coating will have its downside but the downside of OC2.0 is easy to live with, I'm sure you will agree with me.

So now we just need a coating just like OC2.0 minus or greatly reduce the water spotting. May be OC 3.0??

Bro ehol79, maybe you can find a particular topper which will not allow the water to stick on the car so much to reduce the water spotting problem. Currently I only have DG stuff and TW Platinum Carnauba. Our friend in KK not yet get his shipment of Collinte 915 so I haven't bought to try yet. Maybe Bro Jackson can lend you some of his 915 for you to test to see if it helps with the water spot. Or someone else might want to let you try some DoDo Juice. Maybe you can also try Megs Ultimate Quick Wax (the new hydrophobic version), spray after every car wash.

I also there are two types of beading, one which beads and the water doesn't want to stick on the car and the type of beading which still beads but water seems to still stick on the car. Kind a hard to explain but I have noticed it with different products.

Currently the OC2.0 on the civic with carnauba wax is still like new. I don't really have a water spotting problem on my civic I think mainly because the car isn't really hot and got bonnet insulation and it hardly ever sees the sun for long periods at a time. Even though when it rains the car comes back to the house and straight into the shade and the car dries in the shade. The car also not factory paint so many be that also might contribute slightly to less water spotting, I'm not sure but I think its more because the car has no chance to bake the water away very quickly. Also here in S'ban the air, rain and roads are much cleaner than klang valley. Here my civic can wash every 2 weeks. The car is driven 6 days a week about 450km a week but those trips are just for taxing children and no traffic jam and high speed. The OC2.0 I think will easily last 6months tutup mata and i think it should make 12months easy with these types of conditions.

As for the OC 2.0 on the cefiro with solid white paint. The car is currently sitting in the shade and not moved since mid dec last year. Partly the car needs to be fix as got coolant leak and I got a company car so don't need to drive it. But the car has been crapped on by birds which has made a home right on top of the car on the light fixture hanging from the ceiling, so the roof has got loads on bird poo on it.

Why did I leave it there. 1 lazy to wash, 2 test the coating out. It would be a brutal test for any coating. The only saving grace would be that the car see no heat from the sun. If the bird poo eats into the paint I'm no so worried, as I also might want to repaint it since the paint is getting thin in some parts and its been on the car since day1. So we will see if the myth about the bird poo eatiing into the paint is cause by the heat softening the clear which causes the etching. Well I have no clear on the car only OC2.0. So we will see how lah.

Wow what a long reply...

How about OC1.0 aka Opti guard or is it gard? Must have some difference right?

I will need to look for a topper after CNY. Need to think what to get. Problem with my car is it is parked under a half covered roof top in my house and at office parked beside an open car park beside highway.

Hmmm, interesting that OC2 can stick on your single stage paint. Heard some people have problems with OC2 on single stage paint. Usually no problem with CC paint.

No experience with OC 1.0. Dr.G from optimum says its basically the same except it dries cures faster. Some people say on the net it lasts slightly longer.

Dr.G said that they have had experience where it doesn't stick well on some single stage paints and on some it sticks well. E.g. It seems to stick well on this Mazda (with just the colour coat left) done locally by prodetalier. So we will only know until we try as we will not know what type of paint is used on the car.

Happy shopping and trying for now topper, that's the part I like the most. Shopping. My friend has a subaru which is repainted with dark blue has got real water spotting problem. So far he has found using Rainaway and Megs Ultimate Quik detalier (new hydrophobic) helps with water spotting provided he washes the car within 3days.

That's the problem with hydrophobic coatings, the water beading is nice, the only problem is water spotting. Detailers offering coatings (myself included) will most likely advice to wash the car once a week or more often to prevent water spotting. That kinda defeats the purpose of the coating doesn't it, instead of being more 'maintenance-free', we now have to maintain the coating.

The gloss, protection and the durability especially is great. If water spotting problem did not exist, it will be easy money for every player in the coating industry! I think the durability also makes the water spots more 'durable'. They stay on the surface and continue to accumulate as long as the coating is still hydrophobic, which most quality coatings are.


*photo adjusted to make the water spots more noticeable*

The photo above is the bonnet of a car with a glass coating on the left and colli 476S wax on the right. This is after 5 months with normal once a week wash, no QD/spray wax. The Colli isn't beading water anymore at this time and the coating is quite flat after 2 months due to incorrect application. But you can see the waterspots that has been etched into the coating is still there. 476S wax may had some waterspotting in the first few months, not a lot, but somehow there was very little to none after 5 months.

My theory is, since wax is not durable, the waterspots 'washes' away with the wax. Since there is no beading on the paint anymore because of the dead wax, there are no waterspots too. The side with the coating still looks darker but looks so much uglier because of the waterspots.

Just my short 2 cents opinion. I'm going to do a full write-up on coatings soon, just need to try to make a home made waterspot remover for coatings.

Hi Bro, I agree with the mentioned. However, after doing regular maintenance with cars that had coating and wax for mths to years, I am all in for the ideal that coating is still worthwhile to apply when protection is in mind. From my observation, I don't see significant less waterspotting with collinite/swissvax (apart from ceramic or powered clear) compared to say opti-coat even when I wax as frequent as 2 weeks once. With normal wax/sealant, the water mark may not appear like those commonly seen on a coating but there are still all sorts of awkward shape of etching mark.

However, when owners diligently wash their car often enough, it is where coating will really excel due to their superior detergent/washing resistent characteristic. The protections from coating will be even more obvious over a period of time. Despite we still have to maintain the coating, it is still an easier task to do so compared to maintaining clearcoat or surface with old wax. I personally find maintaining 'aged' coating more pleasurable than 'aged' wax. In the nutshell, the key is still coming out with the best maintenance regime as what you suggest. If only there is an ultra hydrophlic product that is idiot proof to use, non invasive and able to adhere exceptionally well to all coatings..

Agree with you bro. Maintaining 'aged' coating vs 'aged' wax...aged wax probably isnt there anymore whereas the 'aged' coating will come to life with just a simple spray wax. Hydrophilic coating would probably be the best answer for waterspotting, sadly, most consumers are brainwashed into stronger water beading = ICHIBAN! No water beading? what pariah product is this...hahaha.

Yeah, exactly! Not only no water beading = pariah product, a good number of consumers are also brainwashed that strong water beading = protection. So what if the surface is beading water for months but after stripping off the wax, it has full of waterspot.. I think end of the day, practically the best way to determine protection is by visual and claying.

Apart from 'aged' wax dying, some 'aged' wax really attract all sorts of nonsense despite being durable, e.g swissvax. Perhaps it is our climate, when neglected for weeks, it can really cling on unnoticeable dirt despite it being exceptionally durable. Preping back the surface as compared to one with coating is a pita. Many times, not even a IPA wipe down can remove the clinged on dirt.