Review and Extreme Testing: Opti-Coat 2.0 and CQuartz

[Dr. G]

Sorry if I missed this in the 17 pages above, but..is there a proper temperature range in which to use Opti-coat 2.0?

Thanks.

I am sorry for not responding to your question earlier. The ideal temperature range for applying Opti-Coat 2.0 is 50 F to 90 F. You can apply in slightly lower or higher temperatures but you have to take more caution. Thank you.

David,

[arack]

Round one to Opti Coat. Looking forward to the thickness information tomorrow. Carpro? Avi? Hello???

[oldmodman]

I really don't care how thick they are.

I used OptiCoat 2.0 on my friends cars when I know they won't be taking good care of them.
They still look good even though they send them through tunnel washing machines. And I don't have to fuss with them again for at least a year.

I use CQuartz on my own cars then hit it with Reload after every wash. Incredibly smooth and shiny. The finish always has a super slick feel and it seems to repel dust and bird "stuff".
Plus I can apply it with less "care" I have never had any difficulty applying it.

The main thing to dislike about either product is that you put them on and leave them alone.
I still want to use every new product that comes along.

[Chris Thomas]

I think Dr. G has done a very good job of explaining the coating's permanence. However, from the very first threads comparing Aquartz, Cquarts, Opti Guard, and Opti Coat 2.0 I have done my best to make the distiction that our products (Opti Guard, Opti Coat) are coatings like paint is a coating while Aquartz, Cquartz are extended life nano-sealants. The two fit a very different niche and should not really be compared as if they were the same tech.

The bond that forms when our coatings are applied is permanent. The coating actually becomes the topcoat just as if you took your vehicle to the body shop and had another layer of clear added. The only thing that will prevent our coatings from creating a "permanent" bond is an improperly prepped surface...just like paint.

Nano sealants, on the other hand, form a very different and weaker bond. The nano size allows the bond to be better than that of a traditional sealant or wax due to the multiplication of bonding points from the small size of the particles, but it still only sits atop the surface and does NOT become the topcoat. You will see the results of this over time as the bond weakens, the attributes of the sealant fade, and eventually you have to reapply...even with no polishing/abrading. Granted, this can be 2 years or so, but our coating never "wears away" from normal upkeep/cleaning (only abrading...like paint). To sum up, the bond formed by nano sealants is not "permanent" as it will weaken and break over time without being abraded.

As I've tried to convey in every thread that alluded to comparisons, there really is NO reason for a Opti Coat vs. Cquartz or Cquartz Finest vs. Opti Guard thread. They are both different products that do what the label claims and they both fill different needs.

One note on thickness: even if the coating and the nano sealant both show a measurable thickness, that is not the question that will prove permanence. The bond is the key here. Both the pre-polymer resin we use and the nano particles in nano sealants are almost as hard as diamonds when dried and hardened, but the product can only protect your paint when it is bonded to it. If that bond is lost, so is the protection. Opti Coat's bond will NOT weaken over time...it's permanent.

[arack]

Crickets? Carpro must be redoing their formula.

[timaishu]

Lets not be rude now. Both are great products. I don't want to see this thread closed due to bashing of either CarPro or Optimum.

[umi000]

So according to your definition i can clearly say that Cquartz and Cquartz FiNEST are permanent coats which will not be removed/ oxidize/ loose properties or what ever during time .
about your product Thickness coat vs nano thickness , i would love to see a proof of exact thickness layer the OC has over paint surface.

May just be me, but this seems like a pretty rude post, for one manufacturer to publicly question another manufacturer about their product - just falls short of saying "I think you're lying about your product claims".

[VW 91]

I think that its cool that the owners and developers of these 2 products are both here available to offer insight. Im not an expert, but it seems clear to me that they are two different products, yet they serve the same purpose of protecting paint, just that one does so longer.

Personally I have heard mixed reviews about Cquartz, but on the contrary, nothing but positive reviews about OC/OG. The responses by Avi also dont make me feel more inclined to purchase Cquartz either.

[CEE DOG]

Optimum and CarPro both offer some amazing products and are both companies that are leaders, not followers in innovation. I very much appreciate the information Dr. G, Avi, and Chris provide.

For anyone that wants to make snide comments or insinuations about either product I feel it’s a bit unjust (Just my opinion). I’ve used both OC and CQ multiple times and both are amazing products if the surface has been prepped properly. I've mentioned before where I think each excels.

I disagree with Chris on the assertion that CQ is not a coating. I define a coating as a product that adds measurable thickness and a measurable change in the properties of the surface. While Opticoat adds "a layer of clear" on the surface CQ adds "a layer of nano glass" on the surface. In my Q&A with Dr. G on the first page of this article Dr. G stated the purpose and reason he developed OC very well. Avi and Dr. G both provided a lot great and impressive info in the Q&A sections if anyone has not read that already. Thickness information, temperature ranges, etc. were discussed in the Q&A's on the first page.

I agree with Chris that these are two completely different products that each have their place. If you read my introduction on the beginning of the first page of this review you’ll see me mention that I meant no disrespect to either company by comparing them.

Since these products were first introduced (both without the best directions) they have both come a long way. Directions and methods of application are now plentiful for Opticoat and the timing and application of CQ has also been tested in a variety of climates and perfected.

I always cringe just a bit when this thread pops back up because of how I applied both products the first time I used them but hopefully people read further into the thread and see the later applications after I had learned better methods.

Thanks again to Dr. G, Avi, Chris, and all of you on the forum for your thoughts about both products. I know a bunch of us appreciate it. Also as to my remark about "snide comments and insinuations", I mean no offense to any (and all) making those comments. I just believe that kind of talk doesn't encourage the full discussion or understanding of whichever product it is made about.

[TRILLIS]

Agree totally!
Just took me 2hrs of reading to get to this post.
Man have I learnt some stuff tonight.
By the way great review man.