Optimum Product Review[s]

O

offcenter

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I thinks somebody commented on this before but I'm not sure. After my 1 coat of AIO and 3 coats of SG, the car looks awesome (silver) however the jerks at the dealership washed the car or should I say, scratched the car. The roof has some scratches I know I didn't do because I wash and dry and polish front to back- these scratches are left to right. The question I have is, can I use IHG to fill in the scratches without removing the AIO and SG coats I already applied? Or do I have to reapply AIO and SG again? Would just using AIO reduce/fill the scratches? I was gonna Blitz it this weekend but now I have scratch removal on the agenda.Thanks
 
try to get a free service or item out of them. That is unacceptable...



I would not put IHG over KLASSE, I would strip the klasse and see if the scratches are in the polish or the clear coat, and then remove them and then apply more sealant.....
 
I agree with DK. I would call the dealership and give them hell. I would strip the Klasse, there is a chance that the marring is in the Klasse and not on the clearcoat. If you strip it and it is on the clearcoat, remove them with an abrasive and the reapply the Klasse.
 
Thanks guys, regarding the dealer, they just paid the body shop to repair the rear bumper because they scratched off the paint! As far as free service, that is already part of my VW warranty, free service and free paint damage and scratches! I don't want them to further screw up the paint so I will remove the Klasse and start all over. It is just the roof, not an all day job. Can I just use AIO to strip the AIO/SG layers?
 
You could use AIO, but if you to take it down to the clear with no Klasse on the surface you can use an of the following:



Any abrasive

50/50 mix of Alcohol and water

Pinnacle Paintwork Lotion



There are others but any of the above will work well.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by ShowroomLincoln [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>You could use AIO, but if you to take it down to the clear with no Klasse on the surface you can use an of the following:

Any abrasive
50/50 mix of Alcohol and water
Pinnacle Paintwork Lotion

There are others but any of the above will work well. [/b]</blockquote>
Thanks ShowroomLincoln,
Since I want to do it this weekend and don't have any PPL, what abrasive can I use. 3M swirl remover or something else I can easily buy locally?
If I do the 50/50 mix, is that IPA/distilled water?
 
Yes, 3M SMR would work. And the 50/50 mix if of Isopropyl Alcohol and water would work also. You can mix it alittle stronger if you like, something like 70/30 alcohol and water.



You could create new marks with the SMR if you are not careful. The alcohol and water method is not abrasive, and you could remove the Klasse without causing any new scratches. That way you can make sure the only scratches put on your car are from the dealer and not you. :)
 
Showroom Lincoln is correct. The I.A wash was especially helpful for me in removing the Klasse SG. It removed the SG that two passes of the 3M SMR couldn't. Trust me it did remove additional SG that was on my car. Laters.
 
A few weeks ago Dr. David Ghodoussi came to Truth In Detailing Chat. While in chat I had a chance to talk about some products I had wanted to try and decided on placing an order. After calling PAC and talking to Jack for a while [great guy] and Angelo [another great guy] I placed my order for Optimum Opti-Seal, and Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel to add to the Optimum Car Wax that Jack offered to send me to try out. I already had a gallon of Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine and a quart of Optimum Poli-Seal in my possession. I had an opportunity to try all 5 products on my boss's car this past Sunday. There are no before images and hardly any afters but I will provide my personal thoughts in regards to these products. The car is a 2003 Chevy Malibu that he bought late last summer, and it had not been washed since. This is through a Michigan Winter with salt and dirt on the roads too. There was an abundant amount of grease covering the side of the vehicle as well which was slung up from both tires covering the passenger doors and rear quarter panel. I will have a small write up integrating the product reviews as I go :)

Process
Megs APC+ at 4:1 to clean the grease off of the paint. Liberally soaked the wheels, tires, and wheel-wells in Megs APC+ at 4:1, followed by agitating and rinsing them. Washed with dawn and dried using waffle weave microfibers. After inspecting the paint, there was absolutely no need for clay. Even after being neglected for the last 6 months.

Reviews

Poli-Seal


The paint did not need clay, but it did need to be cleaned before it could be protected. Poli-Seal was applied with microfibers and buffed off with microfibers as well. Poli-Seal goes on very easy and is removed just as easy. What I like about Poli-Seal is that you can see the contamination coming out of the paint as soon as you buff in the product. Although we operated on silver paint, the areas that were cleaned with Poli-Seal were very apparent. Although I said clay was not needed, there was rail dust on the door panels which the Poli-Seal made very quick work of. The paint was instantly smoother and was protected too. As an AIO I was very impressed. I was more or less using this as a paint prep, but was going to add more protection to it shortly.

Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine


After finishing the vehicle, I washed it once more with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine. Since the vehicle was moved from where it was washed to where we were working on it, the ONR removed residual dust left over from the Poli-Seal, and the wheels and wheel-wells/tires were cleaned once more.
I have been using ONR for the last 6 months and have been very happy with it's results. The ease of use, the look after using it, and the versatility. I have used ONR as a clay lubricant and as a quick detailer. As a clay lubricant it works excellent as the price is very affordable and the lubricity can be dialed up by adding a little more ONR. As a quick detailer, I can use it with confidence to remove dust and finger prints and leave a nice finish.

Opti-Seal



Opti-Seal is one heck of a cool product. This is the first WOWA product I have used and I was very happy with the results. I am using Optimum Car Wax on the paint, to test it out, but the Opti-Seal I used on the spoiler, glass, wheels, and other trim. It is very slick and if you use the right amount needs no further attention beyond the application of it. I actually did use it on my dads car, but just on the hood. After washing the sheeting was excellent as compared to the rest of the car which had OCW on it, which was beading nicely. I look forward to using Opti-Seal as a base on my next details.

Optimum Car Wax


This is the product I was sent to test out, and I really looked forward to using it. The claim that it would last as long as a paste wax, but it was in a spray form that just needed to be sprayed on and wiped off, is very appealing. On my boss's car, it added a great amount of gloss and slickness. I am amazed at how slick the paint feels after OCW has been applied. The ease of use makes me want to use this after every wash to ensure there is protection on the car because it is so quick and easy to use! I will be washing my boss's car for him to track the durability and not let anyone compromise the integrity of it.

Opti-Bond


The last product to review is Opti-Bond tire gel. This gel is fantastic in my book. I am not a huge fan of glossy wheels or wheel wells, and opti-bond is not a product that leaves that finish. It leaves a very clean looking surface. The application is easy, I applied it with a round microfiber applicator, not a gel applicator, because I then proceeded to dress the wheel wells. After applying and leaving to sit for a while, I wiped off the surfaced to ensure there was no 'standing product" to be slung off and wasted.

Pictures

There are just a few images that I took when I finished. For not being taken care of, the silver really came to life after the OCW.
IMG_0231.jpg


This is where the Opti-Seal was applied. It was extremely slick and glossy when finished.
IMG_0236.jpg


I shot the last 3 pictures in black and white because I think it is easier to see how "clean" the car looks. Not how shiny or wet the finish is, but how the final product looked. This was not a correction job, but merely a cleaning and protecting job. You can see the tires are not shining either, but more of a matte finish. I was happy with the finished product, and I offered to spend the afternoon on his car for free to test out my optimum products, so he was thrilled as well.

IMG_0238.jpg


IMG_0245.jpg


IMG_0248.jpg


I shot these tonight on my dads hood. I just added OCW on top of the Opti-Seal. This is on a horizontal panel so the water had a chance to bead. When it was washed with pressure the beads were very fine and slid right off of the vertical panels. This is just a pooling of water, but after using a flooding method, almost no water remained on the hood.

IMG_0262.jpg


IMG_0265.jpg



Thank you TID and PAC for the opportunity to try out some products! I hope to have some better pictures in the future and I hope I have a chance to try out the other Optimum Car Care products. Thanks for looking :clap:
 
Luke,

Wow, great write up and pictures !!
That silver paint really cleaned up great - you can really see the metallic in it and to think you didnt really correct it with a machine or anything, right ??

These products sound like what I may need to get sometime soon after I burn down some of the other things I have waiting.

Thanks again for your time and talents with the camera.

Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
Luke,

Wow, great write up and pictures !!
That silver paint really cleaned up great - you can really see the metallic in it and to think you didnt really correct it with a machine or anything, right ??

These products sound like what I may need to get sometime soon after I burn down some of the other things I have waiting.

Thanks again for your time and talents with the camera.

Dan F
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Correct. Zero machine polishing and essentially no hand polishing either. The Poli-Seal was not aggressively worked in. In terms of a sealant and wax, it is just so simple to use. Thanks for the compliments Dan, I will be following up on his car again on Sunday and I might be able to get a few better pictures.
 
Great write-up Luke. I have used ONR, Opti-Seal, and Finish Polish, and have loved all of them. Everything that I have used from Opt has worked as advertised. I would love to try OCW, Opti-Bond and Poli-Seal. After reading your review, I know that I will soon.

Thanks again for posting:thumbup:
 
Auto Concierge said:
I know a few guys really like the Optimum QD, I want to know how it stacks up as for ease of use/finish. Any comments would be great.
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The Optimum Instant Detailer and Gloss Enhancer is Optimum's "quick detailer".

Optimum Instant Detailer and Gloss Enhancer concentrate adds an incredible gloss and slickness to the paint finish. This water-based, environmentally friendly formula utilizes flouropolymers, which repel dust, dirt, and oil. The concentrate is meant to be diluted 4:1 for use. Regular applications between washes will keep your vehicle looking cleaner, and of course, much slicker! You can use Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss in several ways.
Click to expand...

I have yet to try this product out, but being dilutable and an optimum product, makes it appealing. In terms of using ONR as a QD, I have found it to be practical in several instances.

- After a quick drive, the finish has some dust on it, and the QD strength ONR works well to separate the dirt and dust so the finish can be wiped clean again without inducing scratches. The finish is glossier and looks great as the protection is boosted in terms of looks.

- After an ONR or regular wash, I spritz the finish with QD strength ONR to help in drying if I am using a towel. This allows me to dry the finish easier without scratching and I can add gloss to the finish.

- Bird Bombs and spot cleaning. With using proper techniques, it works well to clean off bird bombs. The polymers separate the debris from the surface very quickly and effectively.

- Window cleaning. At the same dilution as QD, it cleans windows effortlessly and leaves a slick finish.

- Washer Fluid. Why not? It has been suggested before that it can be used to Clean windows. It is environmentally safe, cheap if used at a high water to ONR dilution, and leaves a nice finish.

- Interior cleaning. Again, at QD stength, I find it to clean very well and leave the surface without a greasy mess, and without leaving a plain, dry look on vinyl dashes and door panels. I am sure there are other uses, but it cleans well without drying the surface the way a cleaner might.
 
Try Opti-Bond diluted (1:1) with water, in a spray bottle. Same look, MUCH easier to apply as you can squirt/spray this solution on an applicator sponge and apply to the tire. FTW!

Also an item to try is Optimum's Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer. Diluted (1:3) with water (I use distilled), this is an excellent product for removing wax after initial application. This has been successful in wiping off wax completely, and leaving a nice smooth finish.
 
michakaveli said:
Try Opti-Bond diluted (1:1) with water, in a spray bottle. Same look, MUCH easier to apply as you can squirt/spray this solution on an applicator sponge and apply to the tire. FTW!

Also an item to try is Optimum's Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer. Diluted (1:3) with water (I use distilled), this is an excellent product for removing wax after initial application. This has been successful in wiping off wax completely, and leaving a nice smooth finish.
Click to expand...

I added a comment on the OID&GE in my previous post, and I look forward to trying that as well.

The Opti-Bond, I asked about it a few weeks ago in terms of diluting it, but I was told to try it full strength first. I have a spray bottle labeled already for OB 1:1 that I am going to try out soon as it is. OB is very much a gel though, but I will see how it works and report back. If I have a hard time, I have 8oz sample bottles I use for my Poli-seal and Opti-bond that I may add it to. Dispenses easily onto applicators without a mess.

60148p.jpg


For my ONR I used an HDPE dispensing bottle. I can easily measure 1/2 oz or 1oz of ONR in just seconds. There are under $2 and I find them very useful.

66098p.jpg
 
Just a quick update.

Opti-Bond works awesome at 1:1 in a sprayer! I love the finish it leaves, and through the use of a sprayer, I am able to coat the entire face of the tire evenly, even the small groves on our performance tires that an applicator + gel struggles to reach.

Concerning my bosses car, it has not been washed in a month. They live on muck fields by a dirt road and the paint was covered in pollen, dust, dirt, anything else that could have fallen onto it. It had rained the other day and the finish beaded up instantly. For not being washed, and being through a month of spring pollen and rain, I am impressed with the OCW. I know it is supposed to be a standalone wax, but we did an afternoon cleaning and topped it with OCW until we could revisit the car and add some more protection, and after a month it is still performing great!
 
Leadfootluke said:
I added a comment on the OID&GE in my previous post, and I look forward to trying that as well.


For my ONR I used an HDPE dispensing bottle. I can easily measure 1/2 oz or 1oz of ONR in just seconds. There are under $2 and I find them very useful.

66098p.jpg
Click to expand...

Great idea! Got a ready source for the above pictured bottle? Thanks.

Jack
 
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