Is the 3M protective Car film worth it?
#31
have you waxed or put a coating on your car? If so, did you also put it on the Xpel film?
if you have not, I would do that. the Xpel finish needs waxed / coated just like the rest of the vehicle. There are some coatings like CQuartz, 22PLE, Gtechniq that are hydrophobic / dust resistant.
Also, given that you do have a black car, you will notice every bit of dust more than other colors
if you have not, I would do that. the Xpel finish needs waxed / coated just like the rest of the vehicle. There are some coatings like CQuartz, 22PLE, Gtechniq that are hydrophobic / dust resistant.
Also, given that you do have a black car, you will notice every bit of dust more than other colors
yeah I figured it would show a little more on black...so not so much that with a little dust its very obvious. I'll get the wash and the coating done and see what happens.
#32
AudiWorld Super User
I have the Optimum Opti-coat over the whole car and it's permanent unless polished off with a rotary. So far, it's been great and I'm very pleased. It cuts down on the cleaning time, stays looking cleaner for longer, all but eliminates the need for waxing and provides the extra protection against UV and other junk that gets on the car's surface (including the film). You can Google reviews of Opti-coat and the others previously mentioned. While they all have differences in formulation and application, just about all all of the popular paint coatings will do an excellent job.
#33
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No haven't waxed or put any coating on it. Which coating do you recc'd out of the 3 or can't go wrong with any. Is coating a one time thing or has to be repeated at a regular interval? Thanks.
yeah I figured it would show a little more on black...so not so much that with a little dust its very obvious. I'll get the wash and the coating done and see what happens.
yeah I figured it would show a little more on black...so not so much that with a little dust its very obvious. I'll get the wash and the coating done and see what happens.
I am a DIY type of guy, so I installed two coats of CQuartz myself. Just make sure to prep the car well if you do it yourself. Given you have had the car and been driving it, I would do a several step process
1. Wash with Dawn dishwasher soap - as this will strip anything the dealer put on the car
2. Spray down with Iron-x or use Iron-X Soap directly applied to a wash mit to remove iron contaminants
3. If using just Iron-X, re-wash with a non-waxing car detergent (if you used Iron-X Soap directly applied instead, you can skip this step)
4. Dry well
5. Optional - some folks do a quick final wipe down with a mix of distilled water and Isopropyl alcohol
6. Apply the coating of your choice
I chose C-quartz because it is a bit glossier of a finish than Opti-Coat and is quite easy to apply yourself. Opti-coat is harder to work with from a DIY standpoint but still doable.
If you go to a detailer, Opti-coat is supposed to last longer than the others, so you could go that route. C-Quartz and the others i named have been shown to last at least two years or longer. Opti-coat says it will last longer (they claim a lifetime - I am always skeptical of claims like that and have not yet seen long term performance tests that show what the performance is like after two or three years)
I just figured it would be easy for me to re-apply C-Quartz or something else after 2 years if I needed to and I wanted something easy to work with. I think the C-Quartz cost me around $50 and it was easy to apply
Last edited by Maverick61; 10-01-2013 at 12:54 PM.
#34
AudiWorld Super User
Here's an exhaustive comparison review of CQuartz and Opti-coat 2.0.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...0-cquartz.html
Note that Optimum told me that Opti-Coat Pro, if applied in the same manner as 2.0, is a thicker material, faster drying and is only available for detail shops. The consumer DIY version, Opti-Coat 2.0, uses a thinner material which is easier to apply. So the main difference between the two is a thicker coat (2.5-3.0 u vs. 1.0-2.0 u) and faster cure time for the Pro version. (And the install cost by a detail shop). I would point out that my Quartz Gray A6 is very glossy with the Pro; even a coat of wax didn't improve the shine appreciably, it just felt slicker to the touch.
Below is some info on Opti-Coat 2.0 (not the Pro version) from their website. (Realize there's some marketing here).
Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0
Opti-Coat is a hard wearing, aftermarket, ceramic clear coat for superior resistance to scratching (9H) and chemical etching from environmental impacts. It provides permanent protection for all factory paints, and can also be applied to exterior metal and hard plastic surfaces.
Opti-Coat is not a wax or sealant like other products on the market. It is a ceramic clear coating very similar to factory type clear coats. A layer of Opti-Coat measures approx. 2 microns in thickness, or about 100 times thicker than your typical wax or sealant. Unlike paint protection sealants such as PTFE, Nano Sealants, GlassPlexin that degrade over time and are easily removed through washing with water or chemicals, Opti-Coat does not degrade and cannot be removed by chemicals such as heavy duty truck wash or even caustic degreasers. It is totally resistant to these chemicals and produces a permanent film that is chemically bonded with the factory paint layers. Opti-Coat is effectively the vehicles new outer clear coat. It is far more resistant to chemical etching than factory clear coats and far more resistant than competing paint protection sealants. The 2 micron layer also provides a thick buffer between any damage and the factory paintwork
<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>
</td><td> PTFE</td><td> GlassPlexin</td><td> Nano Pro</td><td> Ceramic Quartz</td><td style="background-color:rgb(255, 0, 0);"> Opti-Coat</td></tr><tr><td> Category</td><td> Synthetic Wax</td><td> Synthetic Wax</td><td> Glass Coating</td><td> Glass Coating</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> Ceramic Clear Coat</td></tr><tr><td> Origin</td><td> UK</td><td> USA</td><td> Germany</td><td> Japan</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> USA</td></tr><tr><td> Main Component</td><td> PTFE</td><td> GlassPlexin</td><td> SiO2</td><td> SiO2</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> SiC</td></tr><tr><td> Coating Film Thickness</td><td> 0.02 u</td><td> 0.02 u</td><td> 0.2 - 1 u</td><td> 0.5 - 1.5 u</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> 1-2 u</td></tr><tr><td> Durability</td><td> 4-5 months</td><td> 6-12 months</td><td> 12-18 months</td><td> 12-18 months</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> Unlimited</td></tr><tr><td> Gloss</td><td> * *</td><td> * * *</td><td> * * * *</td><td> * * * * *</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> * * * * *</td></tr><tr><td> Scratch Resistance</td><td> *</td><td> *</td><td> * * *</td><td> * * * *</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> * * * * *</td></tr><tr><td> Chemical Resistance</td><td> *</td><td> * *</td><td> * * *</td><td> * * * *</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> * * * * *</td></tr></tbody></table>
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...0-cquartz.html
Note that Optimum told me that Opti-Coat Pro, if applied in the same manner as 2.0, is a thicker material, faster drying and is only available for detail shops. The consumer DIY version, Opti-Coat 2.0, uses a thinner material which is easier to apply. So the main difference between the two is a thicker coat (2.5-3.0 u vs. 1.0-2.0 u) and faster cure time for the Pro version. (And the install cost by a detail shop). I would point out that my Quartz Gray A6 is very glossy with the Pro; even a coat of wax didn't improve the shine appreciably, it just felt slicker to the touch.
Below is some info on Opti-Coat 2.0 (not the Pro version) from their website. (Realize there's some marketing here).
Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0
Opti-Coat is a hard wearing, aftermarket, ceramic clear coat for superior resistance to scratching (9H) and chemical etching from environmental impacts. It provides permanent protection for all factory paints, and can also be applied to exterior metal and hard plastic surfaces.
Opti-Coat is not a wax or sealant like other products on the market. It is a ceramic clear coating very similar to factory type clear coats. A layer of Opti-Coat measures approx. 2 microns in thickness, or about 100 times thicker than your typical wax or sealant. Unlike paint protection sealants such as PTFE, Nano Sealants, GlassPlexin that degrade over time and are easily removed through washing with water or chemicals, Opti-Coat does not degrade and cannot be removed by chemicals such as heavy duty truck wash or even caustic degreasers. It is totally resistant to these chemicals and produces a permanent film that is chemically bonded with the factory paint layers. Opti-Coat is effectively the vehicles new outer clear coat. It is far more resistant to chemical etching than factory clear coats and far more resistant than competing paint protection sealants. The 2 micron layer also provides a thick buffer between any damage and the factory paintwork
<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td>
</td><td> PTFE</td><td> GlassPlexin</td><td> Nano Pro</td><td> Ceramic Quartz</td><td style="background-color:rgb(255, 0, 0);"> Opti-Coat</td></tr><tr><td> Category</td><td> Synthetic Wax</td><td> Synthetic Wax</td><td> Glass Coating</td><td> Glass Coating</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> Ceramic Clear Coat</td></tr><tr><td> Origin</td><td> UK</td><td> USA</td><td> Germany</td><td> Japan</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> USA</td></tr><tr><td> Main Component</td><td> PTFE</td><td> GlassPlexin</td><td> SiO2</td><td> SiO2</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> SiC</td></tr><tr><td> Coating Film Thickness</td><td> 0.02 u</td><td> 0.02 u</td><td> 0.2 - 1 u</td><td> 0.5 - 1.5 u</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> 1-2 u</td></tr><tr><td> Durability</td><td> 4-5 months</td><td> 6-12 months</td><td> 12-18 months</td><td> 12-18 months</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> Unlimited</td></tr><tr><td> Gloss</td><td> * *</td><td> * * *</td><td> * * * *</td><td> * * * * *</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> * * * * *</td></tr><tr><td> Scratch Resistance</td><td> *</td><td> *</td><td> * * *</td><td> * * * *</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> * * * * *</td></tr><tr><td> Chemical Resistance</td><td> *</td><td> * *</td><td> * * *</td><td> * * * *</td><td style="background-color: rgb(211, 211, 211);"> * * * * *</td></tr></tbody></table>
#35
AudiWorld Senior Member
I had OptiCoat Pro applied a week ago, and it's awesome. Full paint, plus wheels. $400
Paint looks incredible with an extra lustre.
Did my first hand wash with Optimum NoRinse on Sunday morning, and it was a breeze to clean.
Paint looks incredible with an extra lustre.
Did my first hand wash with Optimum NoRinse on Sunday morning, and it was a breeze to clean.
#36
AudiWorld Member
#38
Not sure what color your car is, but if it is white, based on my experience, I wouldn't do it. Had XPEL and Venture Shield on two white cars (S5 and wife's Kia SUV). Both yellowed slightly over time...no doubt more apparent because of the white paint. Both covers were properly maintained....Plexus once/month. However, I've had better experiences with darker paints...no yellowing visible; no doubt due to darker paint. Bottom line...I wouldn't put any film on a white car again.
#39
AudiWorld Super User
Not sure what color your car is, but if it is white, based on my experience, I wouldn't do it. Had XPEL and Venture Shield on two white cars (S5 and wife's Kia SUV). Both yellowed slightly over time...no doubt more apparent because of the white paint. Both covers were properly maintained....Plexus once/month. However, I've had better experiences with darker paints...no yellowing visible; no doubt due to darker paint. Bottom line...I wouldn't put any film on a white car again.
#40
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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Not sure what color your car is, but if it is white, based on my experience, I wouldn't do it. Had XPEL and Venture Shield on two white cars (S5 and wife's Kia SUV). Both yellowed slightly over time...no doubt more apparent because of the white paint. Both covers were properly maintained....Plexus once/month. However, I've had better experiences with darker paints...no yellowing visible; no doubt due to darker paint. Bottom line...I wouldn't put any film on a white car again.
So based on this experience I decided that the Xpel Ultimate still looked really good on a white care after 2-3 years still, I was going to give it a try. Even if I get only 5 years out of the product, that is still 5 years of paint protection and I could still get it redone under warranty if yellowed anytime over the 10 year period.