New member with first coated car - expected lifespan


Lachlan

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Hi all,

New member here from Adelaide Australia.  Always been interested in detailing an keeping my cars looking nice.  Done a bit of paint correction in past with great results.

I recently got a new (to me) car thats been opticoated, but not 100% sure on what product was use, other than it was a professional product as I have the warranty card, but no receipts.  The cars a December 2014 Mazda 3, so the coating is coming up on being 8 years old.  I have no idea about the previous care/washing habits but the previous owner seemed very meticulous and the car looks incredibly well cared for.

When I first washed the car, I noticed there was not much beading and barely any hydrophobic properties of the coating.  I did a full decon of the paint work and followed up by clay baring it.  The water beading is really good now, and the hydrophobic properties improved, but are nothing like videos I see of ceramic coated cars.  Is there anything else that can be done to improve the hydrophobic properties, or is the coating at the end of it lifespan and I should look at getting it redone?  I'll try and take a video to show how its performing.

The car still looks great, minimal marring and a good amount of shine (it white so it doesn't have a really deep reflection), but being the first car I've had that's been coated I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is normal

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sorry for the delay in getting you approved, Lachlan, I was on vacation last week (but welcome).  It appears the coating is nearing it's end, but using Opti-Seal (or Opti-Coat Hyper Seal if you can get it) could return the hydrophobic behavior.  Otherwise, reapplication of the coating might be your best option.

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Thanks Ron

I think I can safely say the coating is completely gone.  I found this awaiting me on my car after work this afternoon,  and it's already etched into the clear. 

Thought it would be protected from things like this even though the hydrophobic properties are gone but I guess I was wrongreceived_1309917616529230.thumb.jpeg.4ab27fb24fc70449ec0d69cabba8583f.jpeg

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Thanks Ron, I know it can be polished out.  It was more this is confirmation that the coating is definitely past its effective life.  Bit annoyed with myself as I thought it was, and had contemplated getting it redone.

My only concern about the polishing it is I know Mazda have very thin paints, so hopefully its not too deep and it comes out.  I have polished cars in the past and come up with some great results burning through the clear scares me on this car.

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Thanks Ron

When the coating is past is useful life, has the coating just disappeared/worn away, or will there be any coating or remnants of it that need to be removed before apply a new coating?  If there is anything left, is there any extra steps that need to be added to the prep for a new coating, or will paint correction take care of that?

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