[Gunsmokez]

Quick question, to the guys who are doing opti coat. Does this protect black cars from swirls etc?

[Sev]

I had Xpel done 3 days after driving off the lot. Worth the peace of mind.

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by Gunsmokez

Quick question, to the guys who are doing opti coat. Does this protect black cars from swirls etc?

nope. will still have to maintain it like a clearcoat.

[paul84043]

If you plan on actually driving the car, get some protection on it. If it's an "investment" and you're using it to keep your garage from floating off into space, then let the next owner do it.

[Blazin383]

I did the entire front end, full hood, full front quarter panels, door handle cups and mirror backs. Cost $1800 including tinting the windows, but I really think it will be worth it in the long run! But....first time a rock flies where dose it hit....? The roof!

[KMPrenger]

I had a type of clear bra on my 5th gen (installed myself to save $$$) and I loved the fact that it was there, and in fact it did save my paint on a few occasions.

I have already purchased another for my 6th gen. The box is sitting in my garage. Problem is, I can't come up with the time to install it.....I know its going to be a pain in the rear.

[tcbracing]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

I had a type of clear bra on my 5th gen (installed myself to save $$$) and I loved the fact that it was there, and in fact it did save my paint on a few occasions.

I have already purchased another for my 6th gen. The box is sitting in my garage. Problem is, I can't come up with the time to install it.....I know its going to be a pain in the rear.

I am going to do mine myself as well. I did stripes on my last car and they came out great, so I know I can do this. Maybe we could have an install party and help each other out KM. I'm only about an hour from you.

[cleoent]

Doing mine on Monday. Full front wrap, full hood, fenders, mirrors, lights and door cups.

[Husker67]

Thanks for all the input guys...............will have it done this Friday. Hope it looks good, I am extremely picky about cars!

[datboi448]

Originally Posted by Husker67

Thanks for all the input guys...............will have it done this Friday. Hope it looks good, I am extremely picky about cars!

Interested in the cost of it, looking to get some done on mine when it comes in.

Some people go overboard and get opticoat then ppf and then another coat of opti.

Optimum does not recommend ppf on top of their coatings but that to get the best adherence with ppf on top that the coating would need to be polished with the disclaimer that it voids their warranty.

I read a post on their site from a regional manager that the newer 2.0 opti takes longer to completely harden and if you get anything on it like bugs, bird poop, sap, during the first month you have to remove it immediately otherwise it can still penetrate the coating and leave a stain that can only be sanded out.

[samsumon]

Originally Posted by GP86

I want to add that the front bumper is plastic. Many other pieces of the car are metal. It's much easier to remove and repair the plastic piece than it is the metal A-pillars, fenders, hood, etc.. My Xpel installer also convinced me that the plastic piece does not get as damaged despite the fact that it is right on the front of the vehicle. The metal parts are more prone to being damaged, and restoring their painted surfaces would be much more difficult as well.



Opticoat is one of many "ceramic" coatings used to seal the exterior surfaces of a car. I'm told ceramic is just a generic buzz term and it's in fact a type of acrylic. It is supposed to protect the surfaces from damage due to environmental factors. Xpel recommends Opticoat (and I assume Opticoat recommends Xpel) but to me this is just marketing and business. That does not necessarily make one better than anything else available.

I elected to go with Opticoat because I am hoping to lock in a nice shiny finish on the car. My car will be polished before the opticoat is applied. I am unwilling and in some ways not able to wax my car. I am hoping the Opticoat will allow me to still have that waxed appearance without the hours and hours of labor.

Opticoat goes over top of the Xpel paint protection film. Xpel is a thick plastic film that is designed to protect against damage from physical objects like rocks, debris, shoes, etc.. Opticoat will protect against chemical damages like acidic rain, salt, bird droppings, and other crap that your car will often see.

That is my understanding of the products. After reading about it for several weeks I bit the bullet and committed to spending $2K on protecting my car using the above products. I don't know if it will be worth it or not. I cannot fathom spending more than that and I wish I could have done it for less.

I just applied ceramic coating myself using one of the kits online......... I would 100%, without a doubt, highly recommend this to anyone.. I did the entire process as told, polish and all... Very labor intensive and I know I could have done a better job, but it as a reassurance that in a year when this coat is wearing off, I will gladly spend 1k for someone to do it.. VERY worth it on keeping the car looking cleaner, longer.



As far as xpel, not sure. I put some pieces around the car, more of the bottom and near the tires where rock can kick up, but I cant see myself spending 2k to protect the car. I dont think my resale will make up for it.

[GP86]

My Xpel should be done and the Opticoat installer called me last night. I hope to pick the car up on Friday. Bad news, he found several acid rain spots on the hood, roof, and the worst spot being on the rear fender. He said the fender spot cannot be repaired because the paint has been damaged. This is infuriating, but there is nothing that can be done about it. I may have driven the car once in light rain, but I cannot imagine that this is what caused the damage. I expect that this must have occurred while the car was sitting in GM's lot for 3 weeks.

Secondly, I want to update on the price. Opticoat Pro was $800, and an extra $300 for polishing the vehicle. So $1100 total. The Xpel was $1195, but so far this is just an estimate. I will find out the final cost of Xpel installation when I pick the car up. Xpel is being applied to headlights & foglights, a pillars and custom roof header, mirrors, custom rockers leading into the door sill and up the rear fenders a bit, and custom "luggage" which is the area below the entry into the trunk.

I'll post some high quality pics when I get the car.

[archer1965]

Originally Posted by stars_fan

Personally I think it's easy to tell because you have stripes.

nobody that's seen it in person, including three shows this year, has noticed.

[archer1965]

Originally Posted by GP86

I want to add that the front bumper is plastic. Many other pieces of the car are metal. It's much easier to remove and repair the plastic piece than it is the metal A-pillars, fenders, hood, etc..

the hood of 2016 cars are carbon fiber, not metal.