[richie_s]

The hood of my car has stone chips and I've honestly just learned to accept it as normal wear and tear. Of course, my next car will definitely get a clear bra slapped on it the day after purchase, but there's nothing I can do with my current E.B. 335i.

The car has almost zero swirl marks because it's always carefully handwashed but would it be okay to put opticoat on top of stone chips? Does it prevent future chips? Would opticoat finally allow me to run my car through automated car washes without worry?

Also, does anyone know a good detailer that does opticoat in the Philadelphia/NJ area?

[ska///235i]

Opticoat is not a chip protection, dont waste your money on it. Get a sonax polymer net shield for $25 a can and apply yourself...same result

Opticoat do work but its all hype and detailers are charging crazy prices

[richie_s]

Originally Posted by ska///235i

Opticoat is not a chip protection, dont waste your money on it. Get a sonax polymer net shield for $25 a can and apply yourself...same result

Opticoat do work but its all hype and detailers are charging crazy prices

a ghetto opti coat.. I actually like the idea of that
Do you know if the sonax polymer net shield will trap hairline scratches underneath or would it fill them in?

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Most coatings and sealants are just that with little or no cleaning or polishing properties. Usually requires paint prep first ie clay bar and polishing. Otherwise you're sealing over contaminants and swirls.

[richie_s]

Originally Posted by pheerix

Most coatings and sealants are just that with little or no cleaning or polishing properties. Usually requires paint prep first ie clay bar and polishing. Otherwise you're sealing over contaminants and swirls.

so I can't just hand wash it and apply sonax polymer netshield on top? I've already had the car buffed a year ago to remove acid rain spots in the clear coat so I'm not sure if i should get it buffed/polished again for the sake of the clear coat

I don't have that many paint imperfections anyway

[ska///235i]

I would at least clay it...sonax stuff can last to 6 months

[richie_s]

Alright,, thanks for the tips.

Would it be wise to wax the car shortly before applying Sonax Polymer Netshield on top?

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by richie_s

Alright,, thanks for the tips.

Would it be wise to wax the car shortly before applying Sonax Polymer Netshield on top?

Do not wax

[1N54E92]

Originally Posted by ska///235i

Opticoat is not a chip protection, dont waste your money on it. Get a sonax polymer net shield for $25 a can and apply yourself...same result

Opticoat do work but its all hype and detailers are charging crazy prices

+1


if you are that bothered by the stone chips, try to have a paint shop professionally repair it then put a clear bra over it . It will look great!

[smithf80]

Ok let me set some stuff straight.

Opticoat will not prevent rock chips, it's just sort of like a harder version of clear coat. It resists swirling that might be induced from a hand wash, but it will NOT stop swirling from a car wash. Honestly, it's not worth it. Only thing its good for is preventing swirling on bad paint jobs.

I use Sonax Polymer Net Shield and love it. You should clay and polish the paint before applying, and then wash the car with dawn twice to remove any other residues. You want the paint to be as clean as possible before applying. DO NOT WAX. It works best when bonded directly to paint. You cannot apply this over wax.

I do two coats and am good for months and months. It makes washing the car extremely easy because the water just shoots right off with the leaf blower.

[originalgoods13]

Opti-Coat or any nanocoating LSP's requires paint correction first which includes decontamination of the paint work to achieve best adhesion to the paint work

The least expensive method is to fill in your chips with touch-up paint, patiently using a toothpick to fill them, decontaminate (good shampoo), then some kind of polymer sealant like Menzerna Powerlock

Honestly, I tried nano coating and it makes your vehicle look like ti is coated with Saran Wrap and you will lose the natural paint "glow" and "gloss" to an extent

Durability and scratch-proof is just a marketing hype on these nano coatings in my honest opinion and personal experience with these products

[tnsguypat]

Originally Posted by richie_s

The hood of my car has stone chips and I've honestly just learned to accept it as normal wear and tear. Of course, my next car will definitely get a clear bra slapped on it the day after purchase, but there's nothing I can do with my current E.B. 335i.

The car has almost zero swirl marks because it's always carefully handwashed but would it be okay to put opticoat on top of stone chips? Does it prevent future chips? Would opticoat finally allow me to run my car through automated car washes without worry?

Also, does anyone know a good detailer that does opticoat in the Philadelphia/NJ area?

I do want to respond to many of the misleading answers you have received. It is ok to opticoat over the stone chips. It will not do anything as to making them look better however it will protect them from rust. It will absolutely not prevent future chips. There is no product on the market that will allow your car to be run through an automatic car wash and come out with a swirl free finish. You just simply have no option but to hand wash it properly. I am from Las Vegas/ Reno, NV so I do not know anyone in your area. Like some others have suggested, use the DIY clear bra application and that will help protect the front from further rock chips. Like someone else also stated, use a toothpick and get some touch up paint to fill in those chips first to make them look better. It is recommended but not necessary to get your car polished before opticoat. If you had it recently done then they can simply do a 1 step cleanup on it so they don't remove too much of the clear coat. Opticoat is most definitely not a waste of money. It will not make your paint look cloudy. In fact it will have more gloss than before if applied correctly. Sealants are also a great option but just do not have the endurance of a paint coating. It is not a sales tactic for a detailer to apply a coating. I am a professional detailer and it would be in my financial benefit to seal your car every 3 months and charge you for it rather than coat it with opticoat and you are problem free for a year or two. We simply offer the option because it is more durable and like someone mentioned, the coating is actually harder than a clear coat. These are professional chemicals and require training to be done correctly. Even though most people think they can pick up a machine and just go to work on their car and coat it to be perfect. There is a reason you pay a detailer big money. It is an art form and it takes years of experience to know the difference between paints and proper application of polymer coatings. If you do more research you will see that coatings have actually prevented major scratches in some cases. It is a slightly new product and usually things get hated on until they become more common. If you have anymore questions feel free to message me.

[richie_s]

Originally Posted by smithf32

Ok let me set some stuff straight.

Opticoat will not prevent rock chips, it's just sort of like a harder version of clear coat. It resists swirling that might be induced from a hand wash, but it will NOT stop swirling from a car wash. Honestly, it's not worth it. Only thing its good for is preventing swirling on bad paint jobs.

I use Sonax Polymer Net Shield and love it. You should clay and polish the paint before applying, and then wash the car with dawn twice to remove any other residues. You want the paint to be as clean as possible before applying. DO NOT WAX. It works best when bonded directly to paint. You cannot apply this over wax.

I do two coats and am good for months and months. It makes washing the car extremely easy because the water just shoots right off with the leaf blower.

Thanks for the advice. I just clayed some parts of the car and applied sonac polymer netshield on top and I love the shine it gives.

Is it okay to use high-pressure water to clean my car with the Sonax Polymer Net Shield or will this decrease durability?

[smithf80]

Originally Posted by richie_s

Thanks for the advice. I just clayed some parts of the car and applied sonac polymer netshield on top and I love the shine it gives.

Is it okay to use high-pressure water to clean my car with the Sonax Polymer Net Shield or will this decrease durability?

No, it should not remove the Sonax.

[originalgoods13]

As a detailer myself, cquartz finest is a good alternative for a semi-permanent nano coating

It is super easy to apply an average competent Joe can apply it

There is a difference in gloss on a vehicle with nano coat vs a good quality polymer sealant or wax

Also, nano coat does not add an extra clear coat on paint work when it comes to thickness and durability

When I charge customer I usually charge labor plus supplies on nano coating, no different on applying wax or sealant though nano coat application usually takes twice the time so if $100/hour you are looking at least $300 for nano coat application

Menzerna Powerlock polymer sealant with let's say an AutoGlym HD wax on top could cost an average Joe less than $100 with about 1 hour on application

Price wise, not worth the extra $200-$500 for nano coat when you can reuse the Powerlock and HD wax for many years

Nano coat usually last 18 months average

[originalgoods13]

You can run the vehicle In a touch less car wash but be wary that they may use stronger detergents that may strip off your sealant or coating