How long to wait before OptiCoat / CQuartz?

[MoeMistry]

I just took delivery and the detailer with whom I have scheduled paint correction work with is one of the Opti-Coat installers who decided to no longer work with Optimum. Since I'm primarily interested in longevity, he'll still be able to do OCP for me with the supply he has left. I'm not discriminating enough on the paint visuals to probably notice the difference between OCP and CQuartz and I would go either way based on what I've read. I'm also having his partner throw on XPEL on my front end.

Since my detailer is a stone's throw away from the factory (and a bit behind schedule with his other clients), Tesla was nice enough to let me keep the car at the delivery center (parked outside) until his schedule opens up in a week since my home is ten miles away. I'd rather wait on driving it rather than risk the rock chips and bug hits. Fresh paint is inevitably a magnet for all things dirty. Tesla also honored my request to not wash the car prior to delivery and did not require me to sign the release form I've read about elsewhere.

By the way, if you're curious about the whole OCP business change causing many installers to look elsewhere, Google up "Autopia OCP is now the only Opti-Coat" and you can read through the lengthy thread. I won't link it here.

Glad to hear your MS is starting things on the right foot. Pretty cool of SC to not wash the car and keep it there.

 

[Getinring]

I had my p85+ in for Xpel with CQuartz and am very pleased with the glossiness of the CQuartz. It definitely beads water well with washing and makes cleaning up much easier. Like others I was on the fence of opticoat vs CQuartz. What I realized after is the surface prep or paint correction is just as important. Taking mine to Moe after delivery, he definitely made it look shinier than when I picked it up at delivery. He also pointed out some areas on the door where they really marled it up during the prep process which he corrected nicely. So both nice products but I'm glad I went with CQuartz nano. Here's the finished product with Xpel all the way around with CQuartz

 

[breser]

Just picked my car up from having XPEL Ultimate, Opticoat Pro and Formula One Pinnacle Tint done.

 

[MikeK]

A question for you guys with the various coated finishes: what's the standard procedure for washing the car once these have been applied?

There's a waterless car cleaning place in Redwood City ("Eco Green Auto Clean"), and they had the gig to periodically clean all of the showroom cars at the Menlo Park location. They apparently get a lot of business from the Maserati dealer across the street.

I've used them, and they do a decent job. The process uses microfiber cloths and a spray that is claimed to lift the dirt, which is then wiped off with the cloths. I do notice some fine scratches in the finish in places. My car is white, so these are hardly noticeable, but I wonder if the coatings you're discussing would stand up better? I also didn't do the paint protection film, and I have a few little dings in the front of the car from pebbles that I wouldn't mind getting touched up...

 

[Gizmotoy]

A question for you guys with the various coated finishes: what's the standard procedure for washing the car once these have been applied?

There's a waterless car cleaning place in Redwood City ("Eco Green Auto Clean"), and they had the gig to periodically clean all of the showroom cars at the Menlo Park location. They apparently get a lot of business from the Maserati dealer across the street.

I've used them, and they do a decent job. The process uses microfiber cloths and a spray that is claimed to lift the dirt, which is then wiped off with the cloths. I do notice some fine scratches in the finish in places. My car is white, so these are hardly noticeable, but I wonder if the coatings you're discussing would stand up better? I also didn't do the paint protection film, and I have a few little dings in the front of the car from pebbles that I wouldn't mind getting touched up...

I just go to a touchless wash (high pressure filtered water, no brushes). It never gets dirty enough in the Bay Area to require a serious scrubbing like my cars back in the Midwest did. I have a few minor swirl marks where I got lazy when drying and used too much pressure, but overall the paint still looks excellent at about 11 months old with only very minimal damage.

Some people swear by the waterless stuff, and if I was doing it myself I might consider it, but there's a huge potential for damage and it doesn't take much to make a mistake. I don't think I'd ever visit a waterless commercial place where your vehicle is just another car to the guys doing the scrubbing. A little too much pressure or a slightly-too-dirty cloth, one time, and you'll get scratches. The risk is high.

 

[MoeMistry]

A question for you guys with the various coated finishes: what's the standard procedure for washing the car once these have been applied?

There's a waterless car cleaning place in Redwood City ("Eco Green Auto Clean"), and they had the gig to periodically clean all of the showroom cars at the Menlo Park location. They apparently get a lot of business from the Maserati dealer across the street.

I've used them, and they do a decent job. The process uses microfiber cloths and a spray that is claimed to lift the dirt, which is then wiped off with the cloths. I do notice some fine scratches in the finish in places. My car is white, so these are hardly noticeable, but I wonder if the coatings you're discussing would stand up better? I also didn't do the paint protection film, and I have a few little dings in the front of the car from pebbles that I wouldn't mind getting touched up...

IMHO, nothing beats a good wash with soap, DI water, and natural lambswool mitt. With Tesla paint being so soft, nano coating help, you're still asking for trouble by using car washes, waterless washes, etc. A good wash shouldn't take more than 30-45 minutes. Please let me know if you'd like me to elaborate.

- - - Updated - - -

I had my p85+ in for Xpel with CQuartz and am very pleased with the glossiness of the CQuartz. It definitely beads water well with washing and makes cleaning up much easier. Like others I was on the fence of opticoat vs CQuartz. What I realized after is the surface prep or paint correction is just as important. Taking mine to Moe after delivery, he definitely made it look shinier than when I picked it up at delivery. He also pointed out some areas on the door where they really marled it up during the prep process which he corrected nicely. So both nice products but I'm glad I went with CQuartz nano. Here's the finished product with Xpel all the way around with CQuartz

Thanks again for the opportunity. It's always great to get what clients feel is a new car, and make it even better...we call it "GP Certified"....it's the way all new cars should be delivered

 

[docrice]

In my (non-professional) opinion, coatings and sealants are a nice final touch, but everything really depends on good surface prep. Getting them to bond well and have durability requires a real clean surface and you really want the paint corrected down to a very refined level. Then it's a question of just how far you want to go to ensure it stays that way. Anyone can throw on wax and have shiny swirls.

In Redwood City (California) off the Hillsdale exit, right in front of the BevMo there's a self-service car wash that I've been using for my old car. I only use it to pressure spray the exterior with warm soapy water, then rinse, then a once-over with the spotless rinsing, then finally air blow-dry. As a rule, I wash it this way once every few weeks to get the basic dirt off. No towels or surface contact with anything other than liquid or forced air if I can help it. Any use of a mitt or towel means a marring risk. I've done the whole two-bucket process with the grit guard, etc., but I have a small garage and driveway and plus I'm lazy. My current process gives me a balance between being lazy and keeping the paint relatively swirl-free. I don't even use my CRSpotless anymore. I never invested enough time to really learn the best way to do waterless washing.

That said, there will be times when very careful surface contact with wash media is needed. I try to pressure rinse frequently enough (depending on weather and how dirty the car is) so contaminants don't get too married to the surface, but eventually I'm going to have to use a sheepskin or lambswool mitt. I like using as little pressure as possible when using them. I did some paint correction on my old car and after the number of hours I put into it, I've become a bit paranoid and don't want to have to repeat that detailing effort often, hence my somewhat hands-off approach for the most part. I get worried when I have to clay.

That said, I do use this for the windows (and only for the windows):

http://www.autogeek.net/bug-sponge-for-cars.html

But that's for my old car. Soon I'm going to have to wash my MS … with an unforgiving dark blue color when it comes to swirls and paint defects. Speaking of which, a general examination during my delivery inspection showed that the factory certainly does not provide swirl-free paint. Not surprising though. The swirls stood out quite nicely in the sun as well as under a 600-lumen Streamlight.

I'm wide open to suggestions on maintaining an unmarred look for the new car. I paid too much for me to ruin it too quickly.

Side note: I was reading through the vehicle owner's manual (in the center console) and on the maintenance section they mentioned that after washing it's recommended to dry the car with a chamois. Oh my, the horror!

 

[MoeMistry]

In my (non-professional) opinion, coatings and sealants are a nice final touch, but everything really depends on good surface prep. Getting them to bond well and have durability requires a real clean surface and you really want the paint corrected down to a very refined level. Then it's a question of just how far you want to go to ensure it stays that way. Anyone can throw on wax and have shiny swirls.

In Redwood City (California) off the Hillsdale exit, right in front of the BevMo there's a self-service car wash that I've been using for my old car. I only use it to pressure spray the exterior with warm soapy water, then rinse, then a once-over with the spotless rinsing, then finally air blow-dry. As a rule, I wash it this way once every few weeks to get the basic dirt off. No towels or surface contact with anything other than liquid or forced air if I can help it. Any use of a mitt or towel means a marring risk. I've done the whole two-bucket process with the grit guard, etc., but I have a small garage and driveway and plus I'm lazy. My current process gives me a balance between being lazy and keeping the paint relatively swirl-free. I don't even use my CRSpotless anymore. I never invested enough time to really learn the best way to do waterless washing.

That said, there will be times when very careful surface contact with wash media is needed. I try to pressure rinse frequently enough (depending on weather and how dirty the car is) so contaminants don't get too married to the surface, but eventually I'm going to have to use a sheepskin or lambswool mitt. I like using as little pressure as possible when using them. I did some paint correction on my old car and after the number of hours I put into it, I've become a bit paranoid and don't want to have to repeat that detailing effort often, hence my somewhat hands-off approach for the most part. I get worried when I have to clay.

That said, I do use this for the windows (and only for the windows):

http://www.autogeek.net/bug-sponge-for-cars.html

But that's for my old car. Soon I'm going to have to wash my MS … with an unforgiving dark blue color when it comes to swirls and paint defects. Speaking of which, a general examination during my delivery inspection showed that the factory certainly does not provide swirl-free paint. Not surprising though. The swirls stood out quite nicely in the sun as well as under a 600-lumen Streamlight.

I'm wide open to suggestions on maintaining an unmarred look for the new car. I paid too much for me to ruin it too quickly.

Side note: I was reading through the vehicle owner's manual (in the center console) and on the maintenance section they mentioned that after washing it's recommended to dry the car with a chamois. Oh my, the horror!

Most people don't realize, until the inevitable happens, that caring for their MS like any other car, is simply different. I'm not sure how many other cars are painted in CA, and what other states' rules are for enviro painting, but Tesla paint is much softer and different than Mercedes, Porsche, Lexus, etc. So caring for it should be done properly. It's not rocket science but here are a few things that are sure to swirls and scratch the paint:

1. Automatic/Drive-thru car washes
2. Washing with synthetic wool mitts - most detailers and "hand" car washes use this
3. Natural or synthetic chamois
4. Wiping with bath towels or cotton towels
5. Water-less washing - I only say this because so many do it incorrectly in place of a proper wash. If done correctly, it's safe.

In contrast, it's very easy to keep the paint in great shape. Start with a proper detail of claying/polishing/waxing. If applying nano, paint correct to assure a swirl/scratch free finish. I'd highly recommend a pro for this, but a DIYer can do it...just requires the right tools, patience, and TLC. Then a nano coating to help protect everything.

Once you have a proper foundation, just a simple wash, all-natural lambswool mitt, rinsing mitt after each section, washing from top to bottom, and a quality mf towel to dry...and that's it.

I compare car care to cooking. Nothing beats a simple dish with the best quality ingredients. All you need to properly care for your MS paint is soap, mitt, DI water, mf towel, and a nice spray wax.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

I responded to this a while ago with a linked photo of how things came out, but apparently my post never got "approved" by the moderators. Trying with the photo as an attachment to see if things work differently.

All-in, the process was not any more complicated than a normal detail. Paint was factory-fresh (6 days old), so clay bar/ironX decontamination was unnecessary. I did a wash with car soap + APC to strip any residue from factory paint prep, did a light single stage polish with HD polish and a rotary, 2x isopropyl alcohol wipedown, and then application of Cquartz UK followed by Reload. Overall the paint was in excellent condition to start and required very little correction. The clearcoat seemed no softer than I am used to seeing from Honda, Subaru, or VW. So apparently either Tesla has improved its paint process, some people have had unusual issues with their paint, or people are really just complaining a lot about ordinary water-based clearcoat issues.

I am impressed with the Cquartz UK. It required a little more attention to apply than a traditional sealant but as long as you keep an eye on when it beings to flash, and make sure you buff panels completely before moving on, there should be no issues. The glossiness and anti-dust properties seem excellent so far. Water beading is quite good but no better than other new-gen sealants like Sonax PNS. Overall, if the CQuartz lasts as long as it is supposed to, it was a good investment.

 

[MoeMistry]

I responded to this a while ago with a linked photo of how things came out, but apparently my post never got "approved" by the moderators. Trying with the photo as an attachment to see if things work differently.

All-in, the process was not any more complicated than a normal detail. Paint was factory-fresh (6 days old), so clay bar/ironX decontamination was unnecessary. I did a wash with car soap + APC to strip any residue from factory paint prep, did a light single stage polish with HD polish and a rotary, 2x isopropyl alcohol wipedown, and then application of Cquartz UK followed by Reload. Overall the paint was in excellent condition to start and required very little correction. The clearcoat seemed no softer than I am used to seeing from Honda, Subaru, or VW. So apparently either Tesla has improved its paint process, some people have had unusual issues with their paint, or people are really just complaining a lot about ordinary water-based clearcoat issues.

I am impressed with the Cquartz UK. It required a little more attention to apply than a traditional sealant but as long as you keep an eye on when it beings to flash, and make sure you buff panels completely before moving on, there should be no issues. The glossiness and anti-dust properties seem excellent so far. Water beading is quite good but no better than other new-gen sealants like Sonax PNS. Overall, if the CQuartz lasts as long as it is supposed to, it was a good investment.


View attachment 60856

Great job!!! The paint looks so wet. Take some outside nature shots...will make a great wallpaper on your screen at home/office

 

[Lionel Hutz]

Great job!!! The paint looks so wet. Take some outside nature shots...will make a great wallpaper on your screen at home/office

Thanks! I'll take some beauty shots at some point. It was about 10pm by the time I finished so the garage shot was about as good as it was going to get.

 

[LittoDevil]

Factory curing of the paint is much different than body shop. Your whole car goes into an oven, bare shell, at the factory. They can bake it at much higher temps than a body shop could.

You can nano coat right away. We do it for all our clients picking them up...straight from delivery center to your detailer

As a side note, IMHO, go for CQuartz Finest.

The current water based paint technology is air dried, the faster way to dry it is to add air jets to increase air flow and/or heat up the air but it's not baked like oil based paint. The "old or previous type.." oil based paint was baked and uses infrared paint drying lamps which cures the paint from inside out. Water based paint takes approx. 30 days for a full cure but it doesn't mean you can't coat it. I own an auto body shop so we have to stay on top of technology especially in California. The water based paint is mainly for environmental purposes but it takes much longer to dry.

Larry

 

[DR TSLA]

For any Tesla drivers in the Coachella Valley, I recently took delivery of my MC Red S85 and brought it to James at California Reflection after I had taken it on it's first road trip (Rancho Mirage to SF and back). He pointed out some paint imperfections and did "paint correction" prior to applying the OptiCoat Pro. It looks absolutely flawless, with a mirror like sheen that is dazzling (particularly in the desert sun!). it looks even better than it did when I took delivery (the guys at my local Tesla store were impressed). I have not yet been able to wash it (needs to "cure" for 2 weeks) but even after 10 days in the dusty desert, it looks like it was just washed! I am quite impressed with the OptiCoat Pro, and particularly with James, the owner-operator, who took the time to make sure everything was perfect. :love: