When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm going to be picking up my new TLX in a few days and I was considering having Opti-Coat Pro applied to help keep the paint in the best condition possible. I've had several black vehicles recently and any extra help would be nice.
Has anyone used Opti-Coat or any equivalent type of protection and if so, what would your personal opinions be?
I got the ResistALL package on my White TLX. They coat the outside paint and also the leather on the inside. It guarantees the leather won't crack or fade and same thing goes for the paint. I have had the car since November 2014 and I haven't seen any difference yet. The dealer wants me to come in every 6 months or so and get it reapplied for no charge.
Recommend discussing with an automotive paint specialist. There are no "magic", "diamond hard" or "ceramic" glazes or sealants that are technologically superior to anything you can buy over the counter. They charge you more for the "insurance" of claiming your paint is being protected from acids, chemicals, and etching that your paint is already physically impervious too or that can already be rubbed out or color sanded by any good detailer should they occur.
I would recommend doing it yourself, or if you just have to give someone your money in order to feel you have some kind of superior protective finish, then pay a reputable detailer for a long term package to keep your car waxed and sealed.
Recommend discussing with an automotive paint specialist. There are no "magic", "diamond hard" or "ceramic" glazes or sealants that are technologically superior to anything you can buy over the counter. They charge you more for the "insurance" of claiming your paint is being protected from acids, chemicals, and etching that your paint is already physically impervious too or that can already be rubbed out or color sanded by any good detailer should they occur.
I would recommend doing it yourself, or if you just have to give someone your money in order to feel you have some kind of superior protective finish, then pay a reputable detailer for a long term package to keep your car waxed and sealed.
I agree that there is no magic solution. I am simply hoping that the coating will add some protection, maybe keep the paint looking factory fresh longer, and aid in the ease of normal cleaning.
The detailer that was recommended by the manufacturer is very reputable and they will do any necessary "paint correction" before applying the coating.
With my car being black, and having 2 previous black vehicles, any help keeping the car clean or vivid would be a welcomed treat.
For what it's worth, I no longer enjoy spending hours washing and waxing my car.
I had Opti-Coat applied to my Graphite Luster Metallic by a Denver-area detailer. I had initially sought him out to look over some paint defects on the vehicle. I ended up having him correct all those then do the Opti-Coat. It's not cheap but I've been quite happy. After nearly 4K miles, paint looks as good as new. Washing and drying is very easy as much of the water tends to bead off nicely.
For what it's worth, I also decided after the investment in Opti-Coat I would no longer go to any car washes that are not touch-less. I don't have the time or desire to wash my car at home, but when I do get it done, it's always been touch-less.
Based on what I know about the Opti-Coat process and what I saw the professional detailer doing, there's no way I'd attempt to do it myself. I suppose others who may be more skilled at this stuff could take it on, but I wouldn't recommend someone take it on if they have no experience applying.
I'm going to be picking up my new TLX in a few days and I was considering having Opti-Coat Pro applied to help keep the paint in the best condition possible. I've had several black vehicles recently and any extra help would be nice.
Has anyone used Opti-Coat or any equivalent type of protection and if so, what would your personal opinions be?
Originally Posted by Red2K
I got the ResistALL package on my White TLX. They coat the outside paint and also the leather on the inside. It guarantees the leather won't crack or fade and same thing goes for the paint. I have had the car since November 2014 and I haven't seen any difference yet. The dealer wants me to come in every 6 months or so and get it reapplied for no charge.
Opti-coat and Resist-All are two different types of products, but you may end up paying about the same price. Opti-Coat Pro, which is only sold to detailers and applied by them, is a coating. It bonds to the paint. It is more like a very thin layer of clear coat but it is not clear coat. There are similar products that you can buy yourself and apply yourself if you have the capability to properly prep the car. Opti-guard, CQuartz to name two. A new car won't be much work to prep, but even new paint can use some improvement. I've Opti-Coated a few cars with Opti-Coat 2.0 which they no longer sell. It is A LOT of work to prep a car, even a new car. It takes me hours. A pro will be faster, but don't under estimate how much work there is to properly prep a car for a coating. Once you apply the coating, any remaining defects are locked under the coating and can only be polished out after you get through the coating.
The Resist-All is a paint sealant and 'scotch guard' type product that you can easily apply yourself with very little effort. What they are really selling you at that price is a warranty that if there is some stain or something they will fix it. But read that wording carefully, there are probably a lot of loop holes that would void your claim. These products are add-ons to the sale and they use it to make additional money on the sale. It is not in their best interest to pay more to fix a stain than they made on the same. Over many purchases like all insurance they hope to take in more than they pay out. So your value in this product is how much you expect to use the claim and whether you come out on the good side of your investment. Google search this before you buy it and make an informed decision.
Opti-coat and Resist-All are two different types of products, but you may end up paying about the same price. Opti-Coat Pro, which is only sold to detailers and applied by them, is a coating. It bonds to the paint. It is more like a very thin layer of clear coat but it is not clear coat. There are similar products that you can buy yourself and apply yourself if you have the capability to properly prep the car. Opti-guard, CQuartz to name two. A new car won't be much work to prep, but even new paint can use some improvement. I've Opti-Coated a few cars with Opti-Coat 2.0 which they no longer sell. It is A LOT of work to prep a car, even a new car. It takes me hours. A pro will be faster, but don't under estimate how much work there is to properly prep a car for a coating. Once you apply the coating, any remaining defects are locked under the coating and can only be polished out after you get through the coating.
The Resist-All is a paint sealant and 'scotch guard' type product that you can easily apply yourself with very little effort. What they are really selling you at that price is a warranty that if there is some stain or something they will fix it. But read that wording carefully, there are probably a lot of loop holes that would void your claim. These products are add-ons to the sale and they use it to make additional money on the sale. It is not in their best interest to pay more to fix a stain than they made on the same. Over many purchases like all insurance they hope to take in more than they pay out. So your value in this product is how much you expect to use the claim and whether you come out on the good side of your investment. Google search this before you buy it and make an informed decision.
Thanks for the information on Resist-All. I actually ended up paying $0 for the package because the dealer was a good guy to deal with. He also explained to me, that if I was to return the car at the end of the lease, the Resist-All warranty would take care of all the paint defects, little rock chips, and the leather inside the car too.
I got the ResistALL package on my White TLX. They coat the outside paint and also the leather on the inside. It guarantees the leather won't crack or fade and same thing goes for the paint. I have had the car since November 2014 and I haven't seen any difference yet. The dealer wants me to come in every 6 months or so and get it reapplied for no charge.
Check the wording on the warranty. It may say you HAVE to have it reapplied every 6 months or the warranty is void.
I also had Opti-coat Pro installed on my TLX (graphite). Love the stuff. Four months later and when it gets wet it has that "just waxed" appearance each time it rains. Great stuff, that makes clean up easier.
Thanks.
On a side note. Are you seeing many TLX's on the road? I like in Parker and have had mine since the end of Dec. I have seen exaclty ONE other TLX on the road - and I've been looking too.
I decided to go with the Opti-coat and it's at the shop now for the application. The dealer wanted $250 more for the glass coat but I wasn't able to get any real information about the durability of it. The detailer said he was very skeptical of the coating at first, but he's been quite impressed since he started using it (I had already signed on to do it, so he didn't have to "sell" me). I know it's not a magic potion and there will have to still be effort used to keep it clean, but if it helps like what I've read, I'll be more than satisfied with going this route. I'll keep you guys up to date after I get my car back if any of you are considering using this product.
I purchased the Resist-All product when I purchased the car. The Acura dealer told me I don't bring the car back in for interior/exterior reapplication of the products. They gave a box containing the products and I am to do the reapplication myself. Rocket_man is right on here, read the warranty verbiage. I just got my first rock chip (small), dealer said the Resist-All product does not protect against rock chips and the warranty does not cover this. Why did I ever buy this Resist-All product! Ok, I was really sick when buying the car.. lots of cold medicine... lack of judgement
Thanks.
On a side note. Are you seeing many TLX's on the road? I like in Parker and have had mine since the end of Dec. I have seen exaclty ONE other TLX on the road - and I've been looking too.
Not many. I live in Highlands Ranch. Just saw one yesterday, but outside of that, maybe just a couple? I've had mine since October and have been looking.
Guys looking for OCP in Denver, I am a certified installer. Check out my website here. Www.coloradodetail.com. Be sure to check out my facebook page as well. Call any time if you have questions. I also have cquartz uk at a cheaper price. Again call anytime 3037094449
I picked up my car today from the detailer and it looks amazing. I know that a good wash and wax will do the same, but I hated taking it out of their shop to drive it home. I don't know if the coating will make a difference long term, but I decided it was worth a shot.
As for pricing, as was asked above. I paid $850 for the entire package which included first clay bar and wash, then prepping any imperfections, and then applying the Opti-coat. For a little extra he even conditioned the leather and cleaned the interior. For what it's worth, when I first dropped my car off, the guys at the shop drove me back to the dealer to pick up my car. Great service and a great attention to detail. I'll post some pictures when I get some time and keep updated on the durability and ease of cleaning as time goes.
I picked up my car today from the detailer and it looks amazing. I know that a good wash and wax will do the same, but I hated taking it out of their shop to drive it home. I don't know if the coating will make a difference long term, but I decided it was worth a shot.
As for pricing, as was asked above. I paid $850 for the entire package which included first clay bar and wash, then prepping any imperfections, and then applying the Opti-coat. For a little extra he even conditioned the leather and cleaned the interior. For what it's worth, when I first dropped my car off, the guys at the shop drove me back to the dealer to pick up my car. Great service and a great attention to detail. I'll post some pictures when I get some time and keep updated on the durability and ease of cleaning as time goes.
I got my Opti-Coat applied at a detailer in Indianapolis and their name was, ready for this (Jimmy Buff-It Auto Detailing). I thought it was a clever name, and I was told the original owner's name was Jimmy, and he told people "I'm Jimmy and I buff it". They had great reviews and they were an authorized installer. I couldn't be happier with the job they did and they were very easy to deal with and thorough.
They hadn't seen a TLX yet and they loved the front (jewel eye headlights) and they said several people commented on how nice the car looked. I was very proud at that moment, but I suppose they weren't going to tell me that lots of guys thought it was butt ugly
Here's some photos I took before I headed out to drive home in the elements. It still looks great after 70 miles of highway driving on a very windy, wintery mist drive home.
I got my Opti-Coat applied at a detailer in Indianapolis and their name was, ready for this (Jimmy Buff-It Auto Detailing). I thought it was a clever name, and I was told the original owner's name was Jimmy, and he told people "I'm Jimmy and I buff it". They had great reviews and they were an authorized installer. I couldn't be happier with the job they did and they were very easy to deal with and thorough.
They hadn't seen a TLX yet and they loved the front (jewel eye headlights) and they said several people commented on how nice the car looked. I was very proud at that moment, but I suppose they weren't going to tell me that lots of guys thought it was butt ugly
Here's some photos I took before I headed out to drive home in the
elements. It still looks great after 70 miles of highway driving on a very windy, wintery mist drive home.
It looks great! While the coating is an excellent product, the thing that really makes it shine is the prep. That's why these things cost so much. But the coating isn't indestructible, you still have to take care of it. Beautiful car.
It looks great! While the coating is an excellent product, the thing that really makes it shine is the prep. That's why these things cost so much. But the coating isn't indestructible, you still have to take care of it. Beautiful car.
Exactly!! The detailer said that nearly every panel needed some form of paint correction from minor scratches to a little more serious work. He said the same thing, he spent hours and hours prepping and only a few hours actually applying the coating.
I'm not looking for a bulletproof coating, just anything to help keep my car looking great as long as possible. I'm realistic, but I've also got high hopes for this product. Even if it doesn't last as long as I'm hoping, the car looked amazing when I picked it up.
I really have no need for any vehicle add ons and would not recommend them for a modern vehicle. This includes paint sealants, security etching, scotchguarding, undercoating etc. As with previous vehicles and my wife's current truck, I quickly hand wash my 2004 TSX once a week and take it to the local car wash once every week or two during the winter (switched away from touchless several years back as this wash does a better cleaning than the touchless). I hand wax the car twice a year with a quality liquid wax (one hour job). I also touch up stone chips regularly. The car has over 100,000 miles, is used daily for commuting on the highway and in the city and still looks great.
I had sought out a detailer who could resolve some paint issues on my new TLX. After learning more about the paint correction process, I had him proceed, and as part of that, went ahead with Opti-Coat.
While I'm pleased with how the Opti-Coat is working out, the biggest benefit to me was the paint correction. Not only were the three areas with a paint defect fixed perfectly, but the paint on the whole car was greatly improved. I look forward to seeing how well the Opti-Coat will help retain the benefits of the paint correction.
I had sought out a detailer who could resolve some paint issues on my new TLX. After learning more about the paint correction process, I had him proceed, and as part of that, went ahead with Opti-Coat.
While I'm pleased with how the Opti-Coat is working out, the biggest benefit to me was the paint correction. Not only were the three areas with a paint defect fixed perfectly, but the paint on the whole car was greatly improved. I look forward to seeing how well the Opti-Coat will help retain the benefits of the paint correction.
Agreed with the paint correction part. As good as modern technology is, I read that most manufacturers are now using more environmentally safe paints and they aren't quite as durable as they used to be. The guys at the shop said that Honda/Acura products are some of the softer paints they deal with so any extra protection that the coating may provide is well worth it. He did also have to do some extensive correction and prep and I can assure the car looks magnitudes better now than it did just a week ago when I picked it up at the dealer.
Agreed with the paint correction part. As good as modern technology is, I read that most manufacturers are now using more environmentally safe paints and they aren't quite as durable as they used to be. The guys at the shop said that Honda/Acura products are some of the softer paints they deal with so any extra protection that the coating may provide is well worth it. He did also have to do some extensive correction and prep and I can assure the car looks magnitudes better now than it did just a week ago when I picked it up at the dealer.
Aye - I gave my new TLX (actually it was two months old) a complete polish and seal job back in November. The pictures don't really do it justice!
It's a lot of work (those detailer guys earn their money!) but the difference in the paint when you're done is appreciable. I'll do it again every couple years with some spot corrections done (buff out light scratches etc) as needed.
I just took my car to the detailer as part of the warranty requirement (inspection of coating) and to have some tar removed from when the morons from the highway department decided to chip and seal a recently paved portion of my daily commute.
They told me it would take between 2 and 3 hours to wash, inspect, and remove the tar. After 1 hour and 20 minutes the guy came back and told me he was done. He said that he wished every car had Opti-Coat applied (or insert your favorite coating) because the tar just wiped right off. He told me that as much tar as I had he would have normally had to spend much longer and be more vigorous with the removal. I asked if he's had other cars with the protection and he replied that he's seen 2 or 3 and they all clean up faster than without.
To this day, the car still repels the water just as it did the day I picked it up. I'm more than excited about the results so far.
Oh yeah, the idiots from the county road department just chip and sealed (copious amounts of tar and loose gravel) the roads directly in front of my house. Imagine how happy I am about that! At least I know that the tar will come off a little easier.
Last edited by Hoosier_TLX; 08-14-2016 at 12:09 PM.
Just curious for you guys that get the Opti-coat sealants/coatings, how do you take care of your car on a regular basis? Wash it once a month, biweekly, or weekly?
My take is that these sealants/coatings do have hydrophobic properties, but they're "snake oil" if you take care of your car on a regular basis. For $900, I could buy all the supplies I need to detail my car for more than 5 years myself. That said, are you a wash it every now and again kind of guy, or do you wash it every week/other week, wax or seal it twice a year, and do-it-yourself kind of guy? No right or wrong answer - just depends on your priorities and lifestyle.
I don't have any coating on my TLX, but I do use Optimum No Rinse at least once every 10 days. That provides enough protection for the part of the world I live in imo.
I debated some sort of coating at the beginning of ownership, but 9mo down the line it still looks great, minus one pretty good scratch that no coating could've protected thanks to that truck transporting mud...
I don't have any coating on my TLX, but I do use Optimum No Rinse at least once every 10 days. That provides enough protection for the part of the world I live in imo.
I debated some sort of coating at the beginning of ownership, but 9mo down the line it still looks great, minus one pretty good scratch that no coating could've protected thanks to that truck transporting mud...
I'm two years in, and I don't have a coating per se. I do wash weekly, but sometimes biweekly if there's not that much dust. I'm garaged at home and work too. I do clay, polish, wax myself twice a year. (I mostly use Griot's Garage products.) Luckily, no dings and around 5 small chips that I've filled in with OEM touch up. I spray wax once a month to hold me over. Overall, still smooth and no oxidation.
I'm two years in, and I don't have a coating per se. I do wash weekly, but sometimes biweekly if there's not that much dust. I'm garaged at home and work too. I do clay, polish, wax myself twice a year. (I mostly use Griot's Garage products.) Luckily, no dings and around 5 small chips that I've filled in with OEM touch up. I spray wax once a month to hold me over. Overall, still smooth and no oxidation.
I do about the same, but I also use Opti-seal. Up to 6mo protection that goes on easy and quickly. Doesn't set in as hard as the real coatings do, but it's great
This truck has sat outdoors 24/7 - 365 for the last 18 year. Been polished 3 times or so by me & detailed, $150, twice. Don't think after 18 years the big bucks finish protected cars will look any better. OH yeah the truck lives a much harder life than any cars do, the off road tires are for off road..
This truck has sat outdoors 24/7 - 365 for the last 18 year. Been polished 3 times or so by me & detailed, $150, twice. Don't think after 18 years the big bucks finish protected cars will look any better. OH yeah the truck lives a much harder life than any cars do, the off road tires are for off road..
Hate to be that guy but the paint on your 1998 ranger is much different than the one on a 2015+ TLX. EPA standards changed a lot of paint compositions and Acura/Honda took it to the extreme with their paint. Many dark color acura vehicles have had to been repainted under the warranty due to "crows feet" appearing under the clearcoat due to paint failure. Any car made in the US will have CRAP paint quality compared to one made overseas without EPA regulations.
Opti-coat is a great product I've seen recommended on various forums. I personally use Zaino's Products and they are sealants that last close to a year with monthly car washes. Absolutely rocks when it's time to clean the love-bugs in FL from the front of the car.
Also, I'd highly suggest TLX owners get the front bumper wrapped in 3M Clearbra or a similar product. After seeing all the chips on my 3G TL it's a mistake ($600 for new paint) to redo the front bumper vs getting the 3m Clearbra on first.
I've done a paint correction and Opti-Coat, as well as the clear film.
To be honest, the clear film was the biggest benefit as well as the initial paint correction. The Opti-Coat was good while it lasted, but one winter in Alberta was enough to do it in. I can't be arsed to re-apply it because I'd have to correct some spots on the paint again. I don't have many swirl marks though, but then again I avoid automatic car washes that aren't touchless. Unfortunately, the touchless ones use pretty intense soaps that tend to degrade the Opti-Coat. Here, during the winter, there is no other option but to use the automatic touchless car washes, because otherwise the car would go without being washed for 6+ months. The salt, gravel, clay, and silt really do a number on it.
I'm going to apply another sealant before winter. If you live in a harsh climate, don't expect it to last long.
Not sure when the paint quality that the manufactures use went to crap but so far the 2004 BMW that also lived on the driveway till it was sold in 2013 had no paint issues with a few details in its life. I might have polished it but I just don't remember. Next oldest is the Expedition, its never been detailed, still comes up like new when its washed.
Based on some of the comments in this thread these coatings don't seem to last any longer than a good quality waxing. Thought clear coating was supposed to be the thing that saved the color coat. Now we have big bucks coating products to protect the clear coat.
I have also heard that the newer paints are "softer" than those of the past for some of the reasons mentioned earlier. I have no "proof" of that or any other official argument on the matter. I have a 2002 Dodge Ram with red paint and it sits outside every second of the day. It looks fine except some sun damage and I almost never wax it. I had a 2008 Cadillac CTS in black and it was garaged and it looked amazing till the day I got rid of it but I had it detailed regularly because it was more important for me to have it looking nice. I had my TLX opticoated because even when I cleaned my CTS I had to work to keep it clean and I was just hoping to make that chore a little easier. I can say that without any doubt, the coating has made that task faster and the car still looks freshly waxed despite nothing being applied for 18 months. I did pay a little more to have that done, but so far I haven't paid anything to have my TLX done so it's starting to even out and when I do wash it, it is a very speedy process and the grime and dirt just falls off.
If you guys like or love spending hours per month detailing your cars I get it and I know how much enjoyment some people get in doing that. I don't have the time because I work 7 days a week and honestly, I don't enjoy all the bending and whatnot to do a good job. In my opinion, the Opti-Coat has done what I hoped it would do, and by most accounts, it has exceeded my expectations.
The main thing is we all like to keep our babies looking nice and the only difference is how we go about doing that.
One last shot at offering some "food for thought" against an $800 bill, then to everyone's relief I will shut up on this topic. Disclamer this one is garaged when not being used. Car is used every day its not raining or below 40*F which down here is a lot of days on the road. Limitations are caused by the tires, track in back, semi-track in front (very dangerous in the rain) & it has no roof to keep the cold out.
The car on the road for 17 months has been washed once. Gets a mid week dusting with a fluffy thing & a McGuire's quick detailer spray & wipe down. Invest about 15 minutes in that. About once a month all the bright stuff, polished stainless steel, gets a wipe down with a stainless steel cleaner. Header pipes near the engine will discolor yellowish from the heat & need to be maintained. Unretouched pictures taken an hour ago.
02-12-2015, 05:12 AM
