Chris from Cali

I also used Opti-Coat on my S6 before I took delivery. It makes a huge difference in getting water to bead (and keeping snow from sticking). It still needs to be waxed, etc. - I usually do it right before winter and before summer.

TTCarrera

Actually, I use Optimum Instant Detailing Spray after a wash or even to sweat the dust off. It's chemically related to the OptiCoat 2.0 and cross-links/attaches easily. High gloss and it gives a slick, slippery finish. Takes about 3 minutes to wipe down & buff the whole car.

The Opti-Coat actually repels the wax and it doesn't last very long. The IDS is easier and provides a higher reflective result.

Try it.

However, some expert detailers do believe that carnuba over the Opti-Coast gives a "warmer" look, whatever that means. So if that's what you're looking for and don't mind the extra time, that's great.

Maverick1

Most waxes will not last very long so if you're not into spending lots of time detailing polymers last much longer.
I use a product called "Rejex" which is an amazing product that leaves a great shine and very slick surface that lasts 6-8 months.
Was initially developed for the aviation industry to prevent engine soot from sticking to the planes fuselage.
Works for me.

chuck911

That's an interesting link and I hope more people will check it out. Thanks!

I like the way the writer admits "nano" is used for marketing and not really accurate for a lot of products. Once you get past those kinds of problems there's some basic facts left to deal with and he does a pretty fine job of it.

One thing never mentioned in all the chemistry talk is what does it look like? I'm thinking along the lines of TTCarrera's point that a lot of detailers prefer the look of carnauba. In other words it sounds to me like if you follow the writers very thorough cleaning process, including alcohol wipe-down, and carefully seal with the right new product, then for sure the paint will be protected and preserved better than with any wax. That right there is a pretty good argument for poly - the right poly- over wax. But which one? You seem pretty happy with yours.

Light is a funny thing, especially when we start getting into how things look out in the real world under lots of different lighting conditions. My car looks absolutely stellar parked in the shade under a clear blue sky. Direct sunlight, not so good. Would poly/nano/whatever help it look better in sunlight- while still looking stellar in the shade? Or will what works so well for you on gray not be so great on other colors?

TTCarrera

I think you meant wax over poly, right?

I don't think you'd want to thoroughly prep the paint and remove everything, then put wax on it, then Opti-Cost 2.0 on top of the wax. That's contradictory. Yes, it would seal in the wax, but the wax doesn't fill the pores like the nano does and I don't think you'd have the intended reflectivity.

The idea behind the nano/poly (such as the one I chose, Opti-Coat 2.0) is that the microscopic nano particles chemically attach to and fill the pores in the paint. It is self-leveling and creates a smoother surface, mimicking the concept of a mirror reflecting light at uniform angles, such as the rear deck/spoiler in the below photo. Notice the detail in the reflected clouds? Almost as clear as the reflection off the rear window glass.

Without the fill, light refracts out of the pores at different angles and you get less reflectivity/shine.

If you do the nano/poly first on properly prepped paint, you will get maximum gloss. Then covering it with wax for either a sacrificial layer of protection or for the mythical "warmth" will work out well for you.

TTCarrera

Excerpts from the cited author's post:

A paint surface contains microscopic peaks and valleys, much like the profile of a mountain range. These irregularities are known as capillary structures; there may be millions of these defects per square inch. Contaminants such as fine dirt, minerals, and pollutants are drawn into the voids where they are extremely hard to remove.

The filling of the capillary structures with nanoparticles produces a hydrophobic surface. (A hydrophobic surface is one that repels moisture.) In contrast, a hydrophilic surface is one that absorbs moisture. The potential of a surface to absorb or repel moisture is based on many factors, including: temperature, relative humidity, material homogeneity, and static electricity. Surface roughness is also a major factor; the rougher the surface, the higher the spreading rate or attraction for water. The smoother the surface, the more repellent it is to moisture.

Nanotechnology coatings form a very tight matrix chain-link structure that comprises a clear thin film of tightly packed nano particles forming an extension of the surface. These very dense particles are both a very strong bond and one that is not easily breached by chemicals or detergents. They also improve paint surface clarity and reduce light scattering, providing improved light reflectance.


Don't know what color your 911 is, Chuck. But as to whether or not it would shine more when in direct sunlight, there's only one way to find out. But I can assure you that I am very happy with the improvement in my Agate Gray 991.

chuck911

No, I meant poly over wax- "over" in the sense of, "as preferred to"! Poly as preferred to wax. I was comparing the merits of each, not the order of use.

And that stuff about microscopic peaks and valleys, that's just what I was talking about. These are getting filled in one way or another. The question is, with what? And how does it look? With wax there's a lot of petroleum distillates carrying the wax. I don't even know if this complex solution is capable of penetrating into such small fissures as some of these nano polymers would do. Probably not.

The problem I've had is one, so much of this stuff is marketing hoo haw (even this guy admits most "nano" isn't really nano) and two, all of it that I have seen looked lame, so that three, I figured the odds of finding something better than wax are so low why bother? If it ain't broke...

And although I did mention my car it wasn't really my car I was talking about so much as the idea of different people preferring a certain look on a certain car. Like the way you wanted yours to pop in daylight. Some have noticed the tendency of certain waxes or poly's to look better on cars of a certain color.

That Opti-Coat 2.0 certainly looks the bomb on yours.

(That's "bomb" in the good sense, I mean!)

TTCarrera

Oh, got it.

Thanks, yes it's the bomb.