If you're interested in paint coatings I'll get you sorted

[OneBadSS]

@TRIMMELL, where in the midwest did you move to? I may have missed it, but did not see it browsing through.

 

[TRIMMELL]

@TRIMMELL, where in the midwest did you move to? I may have missed it, but did not see it browsing through.

Currently in SE Kansas. Will be working Kansas and Oklahoma and North Texas when I am down to visit family in the Dallas area.

 

[1Wolf]

Hi Trimmel,

Just wondering if you have heard of "AutoImage" in the Chicagoland area? Almost every review of them I could find out on the net seems excellent.

Also, they offer Opticoat Plus and Modesta. I'm new to the concept of paint coatings so was wondering if you had any opinions on Opticoat plus versus Modesta?

I spoke to the owner on the phone for quite some time, seemed very knowledgeable and seemed a very good guy who has been in business a long time.

With regards to the Opticoat Plus versus Modesta his opinions seemed honest. He said that the Modesta is a few hundred more expensive and takes more time for them to do. He said that Modesta "might" be a bit more durable. But there is no warranty on Modesta. They've only been doing the Modesta about 3 years. The Opticoat he said is a bigger name brand and does offer a warranty, and is a bit cheaper and easier for them to do. However, he cautioned me to read the fine print from Modesta. He also mentioned that Opticoat has changed their formula many times over the years. They've been doing the Opticoat a long time but he still prefers the Modesta.

They also offer CQuartz but, based on the uses I explained to him on the phone, he thought that perhaps CQuartz might be a bit too "showroom" for what I'm looking for.

For reference, my Raptor is a daily driver. It lives in a garage, but is parked outside all day on workdays and carts me back and forth to work. It will only get hand washed and never see an automated car wash. I've purchased a bunch of Adam's products to take care of the careful hand washing and been watching their videos to learn the best I can. However, its still a daily driver and while I'd never leave bird poop on it, park under sap, or take it to a wash with harsh chemicals and brushes...It probably won't get washed weekly or anything like that.

Any opinions and advice would be very welcome. Thanks!

 

[TRIMMELL]

Hi Trimmel,

Just wondering if you have heard of "AutoImage" in the Chicagoland area? Almost every review of them I could find out on the net seems excellent.

Also, they offer Opticoat Plus and Modesta. I'm new to the concept of paint coatings so was wondering if you had any opinions on Opticoat plus versus Modesta?

I spoke to the owner on the phone for quite some time, seemed very knowledgeable and seemed a very good guy who has been in business a long time.

With regards to the Opticoat Plus versus Modesta his opinions seemed honest. He said that the Modesta is a few hundred more expensive and takes more time for them to do. He said that Modesta "might" be a bit more durable. But there is no warranty on Modesta. They've only been doing the Modesta about 3 years. The Opticoat he said is a bigger name brand and does offer a warranty, and is a bit cheaper and easier for them to do. However, he cautioned me to read the fine print from Modesta. He also mentioned that Opticoat has changed their formula many times over the years. They've been doing the Opticoat a long time but he still prefers the Modesta.

They also offer CQuartz but, based on the uses I explained to him on the phone, he thought that perhaps CQuartz might be a bit too "showroom" for what I'm looking for.

For reference, my Raptor is a daily driver. It lives in a garage, but is parked outside all day on workdays and carts me back and forth to work. It will only get hand washed and never see an automated car wash. I've purchased a bunch of Adam's products to take care of the careful hand washing and been watching their videos to learn the best I can. However, its still a daily driver and while I'd never leave bird poop on it, park under sap, or take it to a wash with harsh chemicals and brushes...It probably won't get washed weekly or anything like that.

Any opinions and advice would be very welcome. Thanks!

Hello, I haven't heard of them but I did look them up and they do seem to do quality work. In regards to coatings, CQuartz, Opticoat, ceramic pro and modesta are the most common brands. There are literally thousands of coatings out there but those are the most common. The biggest factors when a detailer is choosing which coating the to promote and specialize in are ease of application, price, durability and the all important wow facotor. CQuartz in my opinion is the best of all of them. It is great at them all. Looks great, easy to apply if you know what you're doing and it is very durable. Every detailer likes to do things a bit different and that may influence them one way or the other as well with picking s particular coating. If you decide to go with CQuartz have the CQuartz UK applied. Even the CQuartz finest installers usually agree that CQuartz UK is the most durable.

Things to know about coatings.
-They have to be maintained. Regular maintenance washes, regular application of Sealant and they need to be kept away from hard water.
-Hard water will leave spots from hell that a lot of the time will leave the coating having to be polished. That is the big reason I have quit doing coatings on glass. Most customers don't have the knowledge or the desire to maintain them properly so they end up with spots on the glass that are more noticeable than on the paint and then they try to blame he installer. Bird bombs, bugs and other regular contaminants haven't had any negative effects on any of the coatings I have applied but make sure you do hand wash it regularly and take care of your coating. And stay away from automatic car washes that use super acidic presoaks. They are not good for coating.

What are they quoting you on prices for coating? $1,200-$1,600 is kind of the range for a Raptor with paint in "new" condition that doesn't need a ton of correction.

 

[1Wolf]

Thanks Trimmel. The world of "coatings" can be a bit overwhelming to those of us who are not professional detailers and are new to it and trying to research. Asking google leads to opinions that are all over the map. Pretty much, if the coating was applied properly and well maintained than the purchaser loves it and raves its the best. If the coating was improperly applied and/or the purchaser expected it to be a "deflector shield" and didn't care for it properly...then they complain and its the worst coating ever. Then there are a ton of subjective posts amongst professional detailers that are more focused on which ones are most profitable, easiest to install, require new equipment or techniques, etc. so its actually kind of hard to find reliable unbiased info for the everyday person on the topic of simply "which is best for my own application".

For me, I don't need it to have a "candy shine". Just "new car" shine is enough for me (as long as it doesn't make the finish LESS shiny then when it was new). My biggest desire is ease of washing, durability, how resistant it is to issues, and how long it lasts.

Also, I prefer something that doesn't permanently "change" the finish beneath so that if years down the road I don't re-apply it and continue forward with sealant/or wax and more traditional care care...it just goes back to being normal black paint + clearcoat.

I'm supposed to be meeting with the owner tomorrow to take a look at my truck and discuss options. They will definitely have to do some prep work as its covered in hard-water spots. I purchased the truck in Alabama and had a 900-some-odd mile drive home to the Chicago area. I'll post back with what he quotes me.

Thanks again for all the help, advice, and info

 

[jakeO]

Wow I just got a quote @ $2600 prep , paint restoration and Opti coat or Ceramic Pro. At that price I will just wrap it.

 

[TRIMMELL]

Thanks Trimmel. The world of "coatings" can be a bit overwhelming to those of us who are not professional detailers and are new to it and trying to research. Asking google leads to opinions that are all over the map. Pretty much, if the coating was applied properly and well maintained than the purchaser loves it and raves its the best. If the coating was improperly applied and/or the purchaser expected it to be a "deflector shield" and didn't care for it properly...then they complain and its the worst coating ever. Then there are a ton of subjective posts amongst professional detailers that are more focused on which ones are most profitable, easiest to install, require new equipment or techniques, etc. so its actually kind of hard to find reliable unbiased info for the everyday person on the topic of simply "which is best for my own application".

For me, I don't need it to have a "candy shine". Just "new car" shine is enough for me (as long as it doesn't make the finish LESS shiny then when it was new). My biggest desire is ease of washing, durability, how resistant it is to issues, and how long it lasts.

Also, I prefer something that doesn't permanently "change" the finish beneath so that if years down the road I don't re-apply it and continue forward with sealant/or wax and more traditional care care...it just goes back to being normal black paint + clearcoat.

I'm supposed to be meeting with the owner tomorrow to take a look at my truck and discuss options. They will definitely have to do some prep work as its covered in hard-water spots. I purchased the truck in Alabama and had a 900-some-odd mile drive home to the Chicago area. I'll post back with what he quotes me.

Thanks again for all the help, advice, and info

Yeah, everyone has their own opinion about coatings. Overtime coatings will simply wear away with washing, breakdown from the UV rays and any chemicals you use when cleaning. I haven't heard of them changing the clear coat and I certainly haven't heard of it causing any issues with the gloss. Every coating should increase the gloss similar to what it would look like with a very high quality wax applied. Hard water spots are easily removed. I washed, prepped, polished and coated a Black 16' Ram 2500 diesel for a friend of mine at Christmas that he had just washed at home without drying. Further more their water treatment system was messed up and it left a heavy coating of minerals. Not just spots. The entire truck was covered in a film.

I use CarPro's water spot remover. There are similar products from other brands out there. You simply spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes and I will then spray the entire area with waterless wash and gently wipe the area with a double thickness edgeless towel and repeat as needed. It took a good couple of hours on his truck but it was super safe for the paint and it made less work when it came time to polishing.

---------- Post added at 06:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:05 PM ----------

Wow I just got a quote @ $2600 prep , paint restoration and Opti coat or Ceramic Pro. At that price I will just wrap it.

Ouch, that's extremely high for a truck with paint in "new" condition. All vehicles will need some level of paint correction but a new truck shouldn't need the same amount of correction as say a 10 year old car that's taken to a cheap car wash. Shop around. $2,600 is way too much for coating a new truck. Even a car needing a ton of correction shouldn't need $2,600 worth unless there is a ton of we sanding around. What state are you in?

 

[jakeO]

TRIMMEL I have found another place in Kc that will do it for $1400 ish and they have a deal with a tint/vinyl shop to do the front bumper. said 4 days to get it done.

 

[TRIMMELL]

TRIMMEL I have found another place in Kc that will do it for $1400 ish and they have a deal with a tint/vinyl shop to do the front bumper. said 4 days to get it done.

That is much more inline. I have only charged $2,500 once and that was on an older Mercedes that was run through a crap $20 car wash weekly and was swirl marked to hell. $1,400 for correction/coating on a "new" Raptor is right in the middle of the range. Let me know if you have any questions or issues with your coating.

 

[Eagle7222]

Any recommendations in charlotte, nc?


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