Hi Mate,
Not sure who told you this but it is not correct. Opti-Coat does not dissipate (come off) over time. It can only be removed by abrasive polishing. There are guys in the US who are well into year four of their original Opti-Coat application without the coating showing any signs of giving up.
Both of these coatings are quite a different to each other in composition. Opti-Coat is a
ceramic polymer coating. C1, like many other coatings (C.Quartz, Ceramic Pro, 22PLE, Modesta etc) is a
glass based coating.
A chemistry-based comparison was recently explained by Dr David Ghodoussi, founder of Optimum Polymer Technologies (yes his doctorate is in chemistry
)
In other words, Ceramic polymer coatings, such as Opti-Coat, are not prone to attack from acids and contaminants. Glass-based coatings are and will degrade over time due to their chemical make-up.
So hopefully that puts to bed any idea that Opti-Coat wears off.
So why are there more glass coatings on the market than ceramic polymer coatings then? The reason is simple. Looks. Glass coatings contain silica, which helps enhance surface gloss. Take two
normal cars and apply both types of coating to each and the glass coating will appear more glossy. I call this
artificial gloss, as there was no real work (paint correction) done to achieve it.
There is however a problem. Over time the silica in glass coatings will leech out, as will any artificial gloss along with it. This is why I have an issue with detailers who rely on coatings to provide additional gloss instead of properly finishing down a surface to achieve lasting gloss within the paint itself and then using the coating to merely
lock in that gloss and protect it. Gloss like that will last as long as the coating itself. Not the silica with it.
Have a look at the thread on the white R35 GTR I did a short time ago. This was coated with 22PLE (glass coating) at the owners request. In this detail I very specifically documented gloss readings and pre-coating photos to establish the levels of gloss in the paint
before the silica gloss-enhancing coating was applied.
http://www.ozmpsclub.com/forum/detai...gtr-white.html
99.9% of gloss achieved on this car was via the paint correction. The coating added no apparent additional gloss through visual inspection. Had I been relying on the coating to supply the bulk of the gloss it would have dropped off within 12 months.
As per Dr G's quote above, Opti-Coat also has a much higher resistance to chemicals than glass-based coatings. Meaning that it is better able to shed off attacks without it damaging the coating.
Bird poo is a perfect example of this.
I had a customer who's solid black Mazda RX8 I corrected and Opti-coated a few months ago. In late Nov he sent me a photo of what looked like bird poo etching on his roof sill. He was understandably distraught as he'd just spent a lot of money with me getting his car just right.
Here is the photo, taken just after he'd washed the car.
Pretty nasty and obvious, especially on a solid black car which shows up
every imperfection
My advice to him, as strange as it sounds, was to do nothing. Continue to wash the car as normal and watch over the next few weeks what happens. He was understandibly skeptical but heeded my words. My last words to him on the phone were "send me an updated photo in a few weeks"
Approx three weeks later and four or so washes, he sent me the following update
Opti-Coat had shed the residual lime in the bird poo and the "etching" was gone. It in fact wasn't etching as the Opti-Coat did not allow it to penetrate. Standard clear coat or glass coatings would not have been able to do this. Both would have permanently etched requiring paint correction.
This highlights a couple of differences between the two types of coatings. Congratulations if you made it this far. You've done very well lol! Hope this helped