Carpro Dlux OVER Opti-Guard

[WRXINXS]

Hello AG,

I got my 1993 RX-7 Twin Turbo Opti-Guarded a few months back. This included all my trim. Even after the trim was coated, it still looked faded so I decided to attempt to apply Carpro Dlux on top to darken it.

I have no experience mixing coatings, and Chris Thomas over at Optimum said that it might stay on for a wash or two but will NOT bond over the Opti-Guard.

I decided to try it anyway and see for myself. I applied the Dlux to my front cowl/front wiper arms and rear wiper arm a month or so back. I have no before pics of this application but they were very faded and Dlux made this trim jet black. Unfortunately I forgot if I used IPA beforehand or not so that may affect the bonding if I did not.

I have washed the car two or three times since (Foam cannon only to remove light dust. No washmitt on the trim. Optimum Soap 2oz to 9oz water) and the Dlux is holding up well. Here are some pics I took yesterday (This is after a few washes with my cannon). I may have noticed a slight drop off over those few washes although at this point it is hard to tell. In addition, I only applied one coat so two coats may have been needed to fully darken the trim in the first place.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_11_700.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_12_700.JPG

Yesterday I decided to apply Dlux over my Opti-Guarded front air diffuser. The diffuser itself is a brand new Mazda part I put on a few months ago but it is not a very dark plastic color even being new.

I cleaned it with DP Rinseless Wash n Gloss, OPC @ 1:3 and finally used eraser to remove all residue and oils from the surface. It was beading water when I cleaned it so obviously the Opti-Guard was doing its job. Here are some pics of the process:

Products Used:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_3_700.JPG

Before:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_1_700.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_5_700.JPG

During:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_7_700.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_4_700.JPG

After:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_8_700.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_6_700.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/2-27-13_Dlux_10_700.JPG

The after pics were taken after just one coat. I did come back once the first coat was dried and applied a second layer. I can say the diffuser is now JET black and looking great. It will be interesting to see if Dlux can in fact bond to the Opti-Guard.

Dlux has become my absolute favorite trim product. It will significantly darken your trim and had made all the trim I put it on jet black. I do however still use Ultima Tire and Trim Guard Plus on my WRX because I have been using it for about a year and I think it might be very difficult to get the trim surface free of its oils in order to apply the DLUX. Any tips for this? APC? Griots Rubber Cleaner?

Thanks for looking,
Drew:xyxthumbs:

[richy]

Glad to hear it worked well that way too. It is a great product, no question!

[FUNX650]

Hi Drew...If I'm understanding your post correctly...


-May not be the need to worry about any "bonding issues":

It appears that CarPro Dlux actually permeated the Opti-Guard Pro 'Coating-LSP'
to reach, and effectuate: "a more pronounced darkening"... to the underlying trim?
(I wonder how this is possible!) :wow:


-How long has your Opti-Guard Pro been "curing"?


-Verrrrrry interesting, to say the least.

{OH Chris@Optimum...}


:)

Bob

[WRXINXS]

I had the Opti-Guard pro installed mid Dec last year. Maybe you are right Bob and it somehow permeated the Opti-Guard? It does seem to apply as if nothing were on the trim.



Hi Drew...If I'm understanding your post correctly...


-May not be the need to worry about any "bonding issues":

It appears that CarPro Dlux actually permeated the Opti-Guard Pro 'Coating-LSP'
to reach, and effectuate: "a more pronounced darkening"... to the underlying trim?
(I wonder how this is possible!) :wow:


-How long has your Opti-Guard Pro been "curing"?


-Verrrrrry interesting, to say the least.

{OH Chris@Optimum...}


:)

Bob

[WRXINXS]

Also, I double checked the front cowl and wiper arms and its hard to tell if some of it has come off over time, or if I did not apply absolutely evenly with the one coat that it got.

I might come by and add a second coat to ensure proper coverage and to see if the washes are really stripping it off or if I did not get even coverage the first time.

Still looks almost perfect though.!

[HellaBroke]

Good post and good info thank you.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using AG Online

[FUNX650]

Also, I double checked the front cowl and wiper arms and its hard to tell if some of it has come off over time, or if I did not apply absolutely evenly with the one coat that it got.

I might come by and add a second coat to ensure proper coverage and to see if the washes are really stripping it off or if I did not get even coverage the first time.

Still looks almost perfect though.!

^^^It sure does!!^^^ :props:


I must say: THANKS!!...Drew for your most interesting thread-starter's topic.


If I may interject a few more thoughts on this subject matter...
-CarPro Dlux must have some chemicals/ingredients that will either:
1.) Get rid of Opti-Guard PRO
2.) Commingle with OG-Pro
3.) "Dye/Tint" OG-Pro
4.) Permeate OG-Pro (would this leave the OG-Pro intact somehow or the other?)

I still wonder how any of the above is possible...Because:

Per: Chris@Optimum

-"OptiCoat (SiC) forms permanent carbon-oxygen bonds and are not broken with caustic or inorganic acids.

OptiCoat is not affected by detergents or degreasers. Besides polishing,
the only way OptiCoat is removed is by using paint removers.

So basically, anything that removes aliphatic urethanes or other OEM clear coats, can remove Opti-coat".


{Calling all cars: APB for Chris@Optimum}

:)

Bob

[primo spaghetti]

i might have missed it, but how do you know the CQ is still there?

i think a half and half comparison would be more likely to provide with the fairest test results...

[WRXINXS]

Nice post Bob! I'm not sure how it works, Chris might be able to help answer this but I do wonder if as you say, the Opti-Guard Pro is still intact under the Dlux? I'll be interested to find out if it stays on permanently or not.





I must say: THANKS!!...Drew for your most interesting thread-starter's topic.


If I may interject a few more thoughts on this subject matter...
-CarPro Dlux must have some chemicals/ingredients that will either:
1.) Get rid of Opti-Guard PRO
2.) Commingle with OG-Pro
3.) "Dye/Tint" OG-Pro
4.) Permeate OG-Pro (would this leave the OG-Pro intact somehow or the other?)

I still wonder how any of the above is possible...Because:

Per: Chris@Optimum

-"OptiCoat (SiC) forms permanent carbon-oxygen bonds and are not broken with caustic or inorganic acids.

OptiCoat is not affected by detergents or degreasers. Besides polishing,
the only way OptiCoat is removed is by using paint removers.

So basically, anything that removes aliphatic urethanes or other OEM clear coats, can remove Opti-coat".


{Calling all cars: APB for Chris@Optimum}

:)

Bob

[WRXINXS]

i might have missed it, but how do you know the CQ is still there?

i think a half and half comparison would be more likely to provide with the fairest test results...

The CQ (Dlux) I know is still there because the trim is still jet black.

[Ron Atchison]

Doubt the OC is still there. I have nothing to back this up but here are my thoughts. If OC were able to stick to oily vinyl trim, petroleum bi-product, then there would be no reason for all the precautions taken for removing polishing oils prior to applying OC to paint. Even with cleaning it first your only hitting the surface and the oils will eventually come to the surface again. So its a matter of time before the OC is sitting on oil and simply washes off.

[swanicyouth]

Doubt the OC is still there. I have nothing to back this up but here are my thoughts. If OC were able to stick to oily vinyl trim, petroleum bi-product, then there would be no reason for all the precautions taken for removing polishing oils prior to applying OC to paint. Even with cleaning it first your only hitting the surface and the oils will eventually come to the surface again. So its a matter of time before the OC is sitting on oil and simply washes off.

I agree. I've OptiCoated plastic trim before and it never seemed to stick for very long. I have nothing to back it up either, other than my own experience.

[FUNX650]

Doubt the OC is still there.

Not saying you are wrong...But:
Like I mentioned before...Where, then, did the OC go?

If Opti-Coatings will not allow anything short of the chemicals found in paint-removers
to remove them from the: 'top-side in'...
How then can the oils in plastic trim penetrate Opti-Coatings from the: 'under-side out'?!?!

Are the "chemicals" in the oils found in this type of plastic trim,
more potent than paint-removers' chemicals?

I have nothing to back this up but here are my thoughts. If OC were able to stick to oily vinyl trim, petroleum bi-product,
then there would be no reason for all the precautions taken for removing polishing oils prior to applying OC to paint.
Even with cleaning it first your only hitting the surface and the oils will eventually come to the surface again.
So its a matter of time before the OC is sitting on oil and simply washes off.
However...If the above postulations of yours are indeed correct...Then:

It would seem to me that the list of 'materials' that Opti-Coatings are touted to bond with
and form a permanent barrier---not a sacrificial barrier as waxes/sealants are known for...
really needs to be modified somewhat.

Thanks for your insight rzatch!

:)

Bob

[WRXINXS]

Doubt the OC is still there. I have nothing to back this up but here are my thoughts. If OC were able to stick to oily vinyl trim, petroleum bi-product, then there would be no reason for all the precautions taken for removing polishing oils prior to applying OC to paint. Even with cleaning it first your only hitting the surface and the oils will eventually come to the surface again. So its a matter of time before the OC is sitting on oil and simply washes off.

Rzatch are you saying oils on/contained in the trim/diffuser are from previous applications of petrol based trim dressings or is the oil you speak of from the trim itself (Part of the original manufacture process).

I only ask because I bought this car in November and I highly doubt the previous owner had ever applied any type of trim dressings to the vehicle. Also, when I got it to the time it was Opti-Guarded I never applied any trim dressings either. Now it is possible that the dealer I bought it from applied some type of dressing but the trim did not appear that way.

Also, it was only a few months from the time Opti-Guard was applied to the time I applied the Cquartz so even if the oils will eventually destroy the coating, I doubt it happened that fast.

Drew

[PiPUK]

I must say my first thought was to question the bonding of the Optimum product to the trim. Has anyone got an MSDS for it - I could more accurately comment with that in hand?

Generally, the most advanced coatings out there are very surface specific. In order to form covalent or iono-covalent bonds, one needs the correct coupling agents. Look at the various surfaces one might encounter - glass (inorganic - silicates), metals, trims (misc plastics), clearcoat (organics such as urethanes, hybrid organic/inorganic, etc, etc). The chances are that if a product adheres to all of them that it may well compromise the ultimate strength of said bond. More than that, if a product is optimised to bond to any one (inorganics for instance), it will often not be optimal on others. Consider, for instance, paints (general). Many paints are great until you would try to apply to glass or bare metals. They will cover but they will not last.

We really need Optimum to comment on this and maybe tell us what tests they have done which lead them to believe there is bonding to plastics and how they have measured that it remains 'stuck' with time.