Bought my FR-S a few weeks ago and I decided to give James a try. Got it opti-coated yesterday and the car looks great. He took his time, explained the processes and is just a super cool guy to hang out with for the day. Way better than giving your car to some stranger and potentially getting a nasty surprised when they finish.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-c...125_130333.jpg

Thanks NMMI89!

I plan on getting this done before Christmas, thanks for the sunsetdetailing shoutout NMMI89

Maybe I misunderstand you here: They reapply it every 6months? If they truly applied Optimums Opti guard or coat, you don't need reapplication! This stuff last for YEARS on its own.

Did I mis read or interpret you statement? Or "opti guard TYPE" service meaning they sold you something else like.........Perma plate?

If that is the case I understand. Basically they are re waxing your car every 6 months. Realize they will wash it before they rewax it with that stuff........meaning they will likely marr the finish.

Cheers,
GREG

Most likely the Parma plate stuff. The opti guard is basically a thick coat of permanent plastic which is much better than that dealer applied stuff that washes off.

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Is there a way of knowing if you got the opti coating on it?
after getting my frs I was recommended to get a "paint and fabric protection" plan on it so I made an appointment to get it done
I don't remember if that's what they were talking about
It looks really good though after I wash it
Sucks having a raven though it gets dirty fast

If you have to get it put back on every few months then no. Also from what I have read is that opti coat and opts guard are the same thing made by the same manufacturer. One is designed for slower set time for the public to deal with installing while the other sets up faster and is for more experienced techs. I posted something here a while back with a link to a good article about it.

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If the paint is prepped properly Optiguard shouldn't come off. Ever. The only way to remove it is through abrasion ( polishing ). And yes, OG can be polished at least once or twice with a FINISHING PAD AND POLISH to remove FAINT swirls. If you are just using a touchless carwash, it'll never come off.

After washing, the water sheets off and beads. That's been my experience. Takes me about an hour and a half to two hours to detail my car. wash, dry the hit it with detail spray.

While is might be thought they are the same thing because they do the same things is not correct. Opti guard has a higher concentration of solids in the solution.

Cheers,
GREG

My brother and I just had our vehicles opticoated by James (both FR-S), from the recomendation of @NMMI89. I can honestly say I am 100% satisfied with his work. He drove down to my brother's house, and spent an entire day doing paint correction and opticoat.

I highly recommend James. He's a great guy, takes the time to chat with you, explains the whole process, and even sent me a list of products he recommends after the opticoat has been completed (for future washes).

My brother and I backed out of another opticoat installer in the San Diego area, after this detailer seemed to change the pricing on us at the last minute. I'm sure this other detailer does good work, but it's just bad practice to spring new fees onto a customer the day before we were scheduled to arrive.

Anyway, I'm glad this happened...because it gave us a chance to work with James. James will be getting all my future business.

I was frustrated by the lack of opticoat installers in Southern California (with good references), so I was glad the OP posted this!

How much does it run?

Unfortunately, every market/city is different. I've seen some as low as $3-400, and some over $700. In SoCal, it seems to be around $500. That includes paint correction (required).

Edit: I should also mention, that the more correction is needed in the paint...the more costly it'll be. This is why it's best to get it done ASAP, before your paint gets too bad. Mine (only 2 months old) had major swirls from the dealer washing it. I specifically told them not to, but they always seem to do it anyway. Having a dark colored car like mine, doesn't help!

opticoat makes such a huge difference... mine was around 500 and honestly so worth it...i got the lifetime stuff though...suppose to last over 5 years or so.

There is no time limit on opti.. It all depends on the weather you drive it in and how often it gets washed and all.
Alot of people have seen it fade away in about a year time , mines been on for 8 months and I can spot little patches that have come off , entire car will be redone when winter is over