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Old 03-31-2012, 03:34 PM   #1
NewbergPSI
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Default New 2012 WRX STI when should I wax and wash or....

I have a spanking baby new 2012 WRX STI Limited and I am not sure when I should wash wax her.

I had read something about waiting for paint to settle but I was thinking today's paints are pretty good and given probably 3 months since it was built (factory, transit etc) I figure it should be fine.

What is recommended for an initial wash wax on these cars.
I used Meguiers on my 2004 cobra clay bar, polish wax etc..was like glass.

So like: Clean and Prep
Polish
Wax

I just want to hurt the new paint is all.

Oh Plasma Blue Pearl is the color.

Thanks!
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Old 03-31-2012, 05:02 PM   #2
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The paint is long cured by the time it reached the dealership. What I recommend is to seal and wax your new car asap, there should be no waiting.
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Old 03-31-2012, 05:09 PM   #3
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You can wash, clay, polish, wax, etc. as soon as you take delivery of your new vehicle. Paint applied in a shop environment is a different story. In that scenario you should follow their instructions as there may be a cure time involved.

As for what steps you need to perform on a new car, nothing changes. If you have contamination, use clay, a decon product, etc. If the finish has scratches/marring, correct it by polishing if you wish. If you want to protect it, use your choice of wax/sealant. ....etc, etc.
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Old 04-01-2012, 02:55 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pho_shizzle View Post
The paint is long cured by the time it reached the dealership. What I recommend is to seal and wax your new car asap, there should be no waiting.
If it would ever stop raining in Oregon I would.
It has been raining every day for nearly 3 weeks straight.

And yep at projected at least another 1.5 weeks more of it before one even cloudy day. Record setting water this last month. 8". Insane

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Old 04-01-2012, 08:25 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Kean View Post
You can wash, clay, polish, wax, etc. as soon as you take delivery of your new vehicle. Paint applied in a shop environment is a different story. In that scenario you should follow their instructions as there may be a cure time involved.

As for what steps you need to perform on a new car, nothing changes. If you have contamination, use clay, a decon product, etc. If the finish has scratches/marring, correct it by polishing if you wish. If you want to protect it, use your choice of wax/sealant. ....etc, etc.
This... I told the dealership not to TOUCH my car. I didn't even want them to take the plastic off, but it's regulation for inspection in NY where I bought it. I polished with a fine polish to get any slight imperfections out and then used opti-coat on it which I HIGHLY recommend for Japanese paint!
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Old 04-01-2012, 02:03 PM   #6
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....Opti-Coat is what I have on the wife's Forester right now. Definitely an option but folks should do some serious research on the product first. There are some concerns IMO/IME some may have with it. Personally, while I consider it a great product, I don't believe it will work for all scenarios.
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Old 04-02-2012, 12:41 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Kean View Post
....Opti-Coat is what I have on the wife's Forester right now. Definitely an option but folks should do some serious research on the product first. There are some concerns IMO/IME some may have with it. Personally, while I consider it a great product, I don't believe it will work for all scenarios.
what are you concerns? i am very well-versed with opti-coat 2.0 and can answer all of your questions.

interesting facts:

when applied properly 2.0 yields a build thickness that is 10 BILLION times thicker than the average sealant or wax. yes, billion. it approaches 1 micron.

it's about as slick as Teflon at 15 dynes/cm.

my thoughts? the first thing anyone should do with a new car is wash/clay/polish/IPA wipe or Dawn wash and coat everything with Opti-Coat 2.0 sans the windshield, lol.

i also would consider a clear bra for these Subarus.
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Old 04-02-2012, 09:26 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by builthatch

what are you concerns? i am very well-versed with opti-coat 2.0 and can answer all of your questions.
I don't believe he expressed an unknowing concern...

I believe what Kean was trying to say is, that OC is not applicable to all situations. And should be selected on a case to case basis, it is not an LSP replacement. It is a PERMANENT coating (like clear coat), and each individual needs to understand that before proceeding.

The average consumer simply doesn't have the need, or the know how, to use this product. And quite frankly, if the finish is not perfect before application, they are going to be very unhappy with the results. Which is probably why it stayed away from the public market for so long.
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Old 04-02-2012, 10:26 AM   #9
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I don't believe he expressed an unknowing concern...

I believe what Kean was trying to say is, that OC is not applicable to all situations. And should be selected on a case to case basis, it is not an LSP replacement. It is a PERMANENT coating (like clear coat), and each individual needs to understand that before proceeding.

The average consumer simply doesn't have the need, or the know how, to use this product. And quite frankly, if the finish is not perfect before application, they are going to be very unhappy with the results. Which is probably why it stayed away from the public market for so long.
i agree with pretty much all of what you said with the exception of it not being a replacement for wax/sealant. in function...it is a replacement. once you coat, you'll never have to wax or seal again. but as you mentioned, there are a ton of prerequisites to assure that it works out properly and the customer..err...user is thoroughly pleased.

you propose an interesting dilemma though re: the average consumer. you said if the finish isn't perfect before application, they are going to be unhappy. if they are the average consumer, which i assume you mean the average auto enthusiast since we are on an enthusiast board - when they wax their car, is the car perfect before hand or when they are done? it isn't, but they are pleased with the outcome. if they are pleased with the look of the car when it is waxed, despite swirls being present, etc., will they be unhappy with a car that looks the same, has much better protection and will keep them from having to wax again? again, i know what you are saying regarding special application circumstances and what is required to actually use the product so it lasts, etc., but i think everyone's idea of a car looking good is different and there might be more leeway with this product than we think.

i'm glad this product is being discussed here on NASIOC because it is great!
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Old 04-02-2012, 01:07 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by builthatch
what are you concerns? i am very well-versed with opti-coat 2.0 and can answer all of your questions.
I appreciate the assistance although to Aspen’s point, my remarks were regarding new users to the product and/or those who may not be completely familiar with the characteristics of it. I had been following OC since its v1 days especially when David Fermani started his review of it a little over two years ago. I purchased a syringe of the “2.0” version the same week it became available to the general public.

IMO, I believe its particularly beneficial for potential users of this product to become more familiar with it prior to purchasing. Unlike other LSP’s, there are some rather unique characteristics to OC that could be of concern. Just a few examples….

- Its permanent and will require that it be abraded from the finish if you wish to remove it (i.e. for re-application, if you want to apply a different LSP, etc.).

- Its non-layerable for the most part although opinions seem to have changed since its release even from Dr G and Chris @ Optimum (although not exactly a cut and dry subject).

- Application can also pose a challenge especially for those unfamiliar with WOWA sealants. It is far from a “bubba-proof” product and does have a learning curve IMO/IME. Heck, even I had a couple of issues applying Opti-Seal the first couple of times. The difference is that excess OS can be removed with relatively little effort well after it has been applied.

- Adequate lighting and an eye for detail are important with the application of OC. Even with the longer cure time of “2.0” vs. its earlier variant, high spots/unevenness must still be addressed in relatively short order or you will need to redo the panel (polishing to remove the product first).

- Let's face it, some folks know the result they want but not everyone has the ability to properly assess their situation or even have the basic skills/knowledge some of us take for granted to achieve that. If they did, we wouldn’t have the types of threads we commonly see in these forums. ….i.e. “I noticed my paint in the Sun (or insert particular lighting situation) and I noticed loads of swirls. How do I get rid of them?” This is definitely not something you want to discover after applying a product like Opti-Coat. ….especially for those folks who may not have a DA, pads and appropriate compounds/polishes to remove the product and correct their finish (I certainly wouldn't want to do all of that by hand). Even if so, at ~$60 a syringe, it would be an expensive and time-consuming lesson.

- Even when someone has their finish prepared to their liking and they apply OC without issue, there are still post-application factors to consider. I think we can all agree that a main benefit of a permanent coating like OC is longevity. However, like your clearcoat, OC (while maybe arguably harder) is not impervious to marring. There is going to be a point where some (as they would with any other LSP) will want to correct the finish and re-apply OC. In my own case, that is usually every year or perhaps a bit more on my own vehicles. ….some folks are more frequent. One has to realize that if (for example) you are correcting every 6 months, are you really benefiting that much from the application of OC (beyond other characteristics)?

- Aesthetics and layering are another potential concern for those who prefer to use carnauba’s or other products on top of sealants. The fact is not everyone is going to like the look of something like OC. Because it doesn’t like to “hold onto” things that are applied over it for very long, topping is not really a feasible option unless you like to frequently re-apply.

Those are just some possible and (I believe) reasonable reasons some might be concerned relative to the use of Opti-Coat. As I mentioned earlier, there do seem to be some ways around some of these “issues” so they will not always be cut and dry. ….which is even more reason for folks interested in OC to do some research on the various detailing forums so they have a good idea of what to expect prior to purchasing.

Opti-Coat is a great product IMO/IME but (as I said before), it may not be for everyone. ….as with most products, tools and techniques in detailing.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:02 PM   #11
methodically
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Quote:
Originally Posted by builthatch View Post
what are you concerns? i am very well-versed with opti-coat 2.0 and can answer all of your questions.

interesting facts:

when applied properly 2.0 yields a build thickness that is 10 BILLION times thicker than the average sealant or wax. yes, billion. it approaches 1 micron.

it's about as slick as Teflon at 15 dynes/cm.

my thoughts? the first thing anyone should do with a new car is wash/clay/polish/IPA wipe or Dawn wash and coat everything with Opti-Coat 2.0 sans the windshield, lol.

i also would consider a clear bra for these Subarus.
i'm with you on most of this except 2 things.. I have read that the opti-coat is as thick as 2 microns.

The other thing is that initally people were applying OC to their glass, Optimum doesn't really recommend it. I don't know why. It was in an interview I read with one of the reps for them.

I'm not sure if clear bra will even stick to OC? I've thought about it myself, but I am likely just going to go with a set of RA UR mudflaps. Some people don't like them, but it's better then sandblasted paint.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:10 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by methodically
The other thing is that initally people were applying OC to their glass, Optimum doesn't really recommend it. I don't know why. It was in an interview I read with one of the reps for them.
....some folks still apply OC to glass. From the beginning Dr G didn't recommend its use on these surfaces due to potential safety concerns in relation to optical clarity/distortion possibly caused by the product.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:24 PM   #13
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I can't say from experience because I never applied it to the glass myself. I always just use rain-x which is very slick. Our issue here is town water and it is the most horrible water i've ever seen in my life. OC isn't the best with spotting... as many LSP's may not be and it's not slick... not to the touch anyway. I'm going to add it to pillars between the windows and any other plastic area where the water can actually penetrate into the finish and have to be buffed out.

I did consider adding an LSP over it, even though I know they don't last long, but Werkstatt's acrylic jett trigger is about the best looking LSP I have seen and it is an acrylic polymer so perhaps it's lifespan might be a little longer ( hope anyway). We'll see.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:25 PM   #14
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I put my thread of my own car brand new, prepped and OC added if the OP or anyone else is interested to see the look of it.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:45 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by methodically
I can't say from experience because I never applied it to the glass myself. I always just use rain-x which is very slick. Our issue here is town water and it is the most horrible water i've ever seen in my life. OC isn't the best with spotting... as many LSP's may not be and it's not slick... not to the touch anyway.
While the grabby-ness of OC will diminish some, it never becomes slick like other LSP's. ....more "squeaky clean" like feel for lack of a better term. However, it does still bead and has good shedding characteristics IMO/IME.

IMO, while I don't do it myself, I have seen enough testomonials from folks to believe it can be applied to glass without problems with distortion. Obviously, if applied on the windscreen, the product will wear away along the path of the wiper blades. ....eventually.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:53 PM   #16
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I never really had that grabby feeling when removing my OC like some do. I assume you are talking about the squeaky clean grabby feeling though? I know what you mean with that. It is definitely a very clean feeling paint, but yes, most definitely does bead and shed water and dirt very well.
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Old 04-02-2012, 03:57 PM   #17
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i'm with you on most of this except 2 things.. I have read that the opti-coat is as thick as 2 microns.

The other thing is that initally people were applying OC to their glass, Optimum doesn't really recommend it. I don't know why. It was in an interview I read with one of the reps for them.

I'm not sure if clear bra will even stick to OC? I've thought about it myself, but I am likely just going to go with a set of RA UR mudflaps. Some people don't like them, but it's better then sandblasted paint.
not 2 microns. a properly applied coat of opti-guard will be closer to 1 micron and the 2.0 will be somewhere between that and .5.

a clear bra will indeed stick to OC - no problem there. and in fact you can coat the clear bra as well for quite a bit of protection.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kean View Post
....some folks still apply OC to glass. From the beginning Dr G didn't recommend its use on these surfaces due to potential safety concerns in relation to optical clarity/distortion possibly caused by the product.
that is correct - there is a possibility of slight distortion that comes with overapplication, you know, when you get that hazy or "rainbow" effect that comes when it's a bit too thick...too much product. it can be easily leveled, though. so, the real problem with glass, specifically windshields, given that you are applying it properly, is this: inorganic acids and abrasion are the only real enemies of Opti-Coat. well, on a windscreen, the wipers abrade the glass so you end up losing the coating. a better (easier, more cost effective) choice is to simply occasionally treat the windshield with optimum spray wax after cleaning. that's what i do! the rest of the windows? coat them without worry. just make sure you are applying it properly and very sparingly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by methodically View Post
I can't say from experience because I never applied it to the glass myself. I always just use rain-x which is very slick. Our issue here is town water and it is the most horrible water i've ever seen in my life. OC isn't the best with spotting... as many LSP's may not be and it's not slick... not to the touch anyway. I'm going to add it to pillars between the windows and any other plastic area where the water can actually penetrate into the finish and have to be buffed out.

I did consider adding an LSP over it, even though I know they don't last long, but Werkstatt's acrylic jett trigger is about the best looking LSP I have seen and it is an acrylic polymer so perhaps it's lifespan might be a little longer ( hope anyway). We'll see.
in my opinion opti-coat can look sensational (not just protect incredibly) but it depends strongly on the substrate condition. the old "jeweling" moniker that has been thrown about for a few years re: polishing might not necessarily be a bad idea if you are super duper sensitive to the slight differences in various LSP appearances. obviously, the closer the substrate is to microscopically flat, the more incredible the overall package will look when encapsulated by the coating.

great discussion guys. like i might have mentioned, i'm glad to see this technology being discussed outside of the boutique detailing sites!
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Old 04-02-2012, 04:09 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by methodically
I assume you are talking about the squeaky clean grabby feeling though?
....yes. The initial "grabby" feeling seems to lessen a bit but it will never become slick like other LSP's (IME). Just that squeaky clean-like feeling close to how bare paint can sometimes feel.
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Old 04-02-2012, 04:13 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by builthatch
great discussion guys. like i might have mentioned, i'm glad to see this technology being discussed outside of the boutique detailing sites!
....I agree. There a lot of neat, new products/technologies these days.

Speaking of which, Im currently out of my G/Techniq C4 and can't find a source. ....I have feeling they are reformulating their line. I was going to use Wolfgang Trim Sealant in the meantime so if you guys have any input on it, please let me know.
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Old 04-02-2012, 10:08 PM   #20
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I heard that it was either wolfgang or maybe another brand... but it was basically the same exact stuff as Menzerna I believe it was. All I use are Menzerna polishes. I am open to try any LSP or anything else but the polish is a closed deal
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Old 04-03-2012, 09:54 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by builthatch

i agree with pretty much all of what you said with the exception of it not being a replacement for wax/sealant. in function...it is a replacement. once you coat, you'll never have to wax or seal again. but as you mentioned, there are a ton of prerequisites to assure that it works out properly and the customer..err...user is thoroughly pleased.

you propose an interesting dilemma though re: the average consumer. you said if the finish isn't perfect before application, they are going to be unhappy. if they are the average consumer, which i assume you mean the average auto enthusiast since we are on an enthusiast board - when they wax their car, is the car perfect before hand or when they are done? it isn't, but they are pleased with the outcome. if they are pleased with the look of the car when it is waxed, despite swirls being present, etc., will they be unhappy with a car that looks the same, has much better protection and will keep them from having to wax again? again, i know what you are saying regarding special application circumstances and what is required to actually use the product so it lasts, etc., but i think everyone's idea of a car looking good is different and there might be more leeway with this product than we think.

i'm glad this product is being discussed here on NASIOC because it is great!
I didn't mean it the way you took it, perhaps I should have elaborated more. OC is another option as opposed to an outright replacement. In the reality of it wax/sealant is still useable, but has a dramatic loss in longevity. Perhaps a coat of OCW after every wash to keep something sacrificial on the OC. After all, OC is still susceptible to etching and such is it not? Of course, if you take the type of people that will be using OC (detail oriented/OCD) then I suppose it becomes a moot point.

In response to your second statement. Yes, I completely agree, not everyone views a finish the same. I was referencing using my own perspective as opposed to that of the average consumer or customer, I should know better. However, in reality would the "average consumer" really be using OC? More than likely not, and if they did, you are absolutely right in thinking they wouldn't know the difference unless it was made evident.

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