Optimum vs. Menzerna Polishes

Deanski said:
It is the ONLY thing to use on hardened clearcoats. Both 106FF and 85RD were designed for just that. Made for Benz/Maybach for the PPG finishes.



Deanski



Thats what I have heard. I am curious though. Has anyone tried the new polish from 3M? It is made for the hardened clearcoats also. I think it is 3M Finesse-it SRC.
 
Deanski said:
Optimum is a younger company that has to outsource the product since they do not own the manufacturing facilities to make the polishes. Although it's under Optimum design and control, there is no lab, no years of experience etc etc... Calm down, I'm not trying to discredit here. Just what every young company starts off doing. Nothing wrong with that!





Optimum does indeed have a lab, several mixers, and they do manufacture their own products. David also *years* of experience dealing with coatings for OEM paint suppliers. I only mention it because I have toured the facility.....
 
If 106 beats PO85RD I would hate (love) to see it on my car. Because 85RD is the glossest polish I have ever used!!!



rydawg said:
I was a little dissapointed, cause I like a lot of fk1 products. It dried up fast and spit chunks. It did not remove many defects, but it seemed like it filled a little. I was more concerned by the way it spit these clumps. Feels like it needs to be watered down a little. The gloss was good, but not as good as 106ff. 106ff blows it away hands down. I was bummed out a little cause I like there products.
 
106ff and 85rd finish out the same. 106ff is just more aggresive. OK..85rd and 106ff are the best polishes. It depends if you want cut or little to no cut. They are both winners!
 
I've looked at the secret decoder ring and still can't figure out what the current US version of PO85RD3.XX equates to as far as the common product name. If PO85RD is the product name, I don't see it listed on the properautocare.com website. Can someone tell us what PO85RD is and what the differences are between the different versions (3.01 and 3.02)?



Thanks!
 
rydawg said:
106ff and 85rd finish out the same. 106ff is just more aggresive. OK..85rd and 106ff are the best polishes. It depends if you want cut or little to no cut. They are both winners!
Isn't the PO85RD hard to find in the States now? I ordered both of those a couple of months back from an overseas vendor as a package deal and look forward to trying them out.



This thread has a lot of good info..... thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts, experiences, and insight on both (OPT and Menz.) of these lines of polish.
 
Deanski said:
Optimum is a younger company that has to outsource the product since they do not own the manufacturing facilities to make the polishes. Although it's under Optimum design and control, there is no lab, no years of experience etc etc... Calm down, I'm not trying to discredit here. Just what every young company starts off doing. Nothing wrong with that!



Something wrong saying something that flat isn't true though. David does have his own manufacturing plant (I've been to it) and he is a chemical engineer with years of experience. He does formulate, test and make his own products. To suggest otherwise does a great disservice to him and his company.
 
mose said:
I haven't had the chance to use Menzerna yet but isn't it supposed to be the best product to use on Ceramiclear?



My understanding from Mike Phillips of Meguiars is that PPG also worked with Meguiars to make sure CeramiClear is correctable, and DACP using a rotary and yellow Meguiars polishing pad will do excellent correction on CeramiClear according to what he told me. That doesn't mean Meguiars will finish down as well as Menzerna but that does give another correction option.
 
PO85RD = finishing polish



PO85RD3.01 = Intensive polish for SCR

Po85RD3.02 = uppgraded version of RD3.01 with added poweder for faster cutting.
 
I will recieve a 16oz bottle of the PO016FA this week. Will come back to you guys after I have tested it.
 
Scottwax said:
Something wrong saying something that flat isn't true though. David does have his own manufacturing plant (I've been to it) and he is a chemical engineer with years of experience. He does formulate, test and make his own products. To suggest otherwise does a great disservice to him and his company.



Geez, what did I say... Even IF he has a mfg facility, it's limited in nature. OK so he may have a chemical engineering background, it still limited. Good for him.:clap:



Trying to gauge Menzerna vs another polish is a bit difficult. Everyone uses different ways to obtain the level of gloss. And it is with that you just can't do a fair evaluation unless it's done in a controled environment, not out in the field.



It's like trying to get Menzerna into the majority of body shops. Everyone has been using 3M for generations. 3M has a very strong marketing and field staff that has so many seminars and training seesions it's insane. But, give a 3M user the correct corresponding Menzerna polish and they are very impressed, but just can't give up good ol 3M. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't.



A good example is the crew that did the prep work on my new Porsche. Great guys, very talented and 3M trained. I dropped off the 85RD for final finish and instructed which pad to use and speed/technique etc. As impresssed as they were, they just cannot give up 3M. As I informed them this was a straight polish, not a glaze.



I'm sure Optimum is a fine product and maybe will grow to a larger market share in the trade. But until then, I will always use Menzerna polishes on all customer cars as I know the results and abilities. I do not have the luxury of time to spend working polishes and need the same quck polishing/finishing that Meguiars did but with greater accuracy that Menzerna provides.



Regards,

Deanski
 
Deanski said:
Geez, what did I say... Even IF he has a mfg facility, it's limited in nature. OK so he may have a chemical engineering background, it still limited. Good for him.:clap:



You said this:



Optimum is a younger company that has to outsource the product since they do not own the manufacturing facilities to make the polishes. Although it's under Optimum design and control, there is no lab, no years of experience etc etc...



IF? I have been to his manufacturing plant. Inside. Seen the equipment. Seen all the samples he has in his lab. There is no 'IF' about it.



Limited? If by limited in that he only makes his own product there, then you are right.



Limited chemical engineering background?



Optimum Car Products



Optimum Polymer Technologies, the manufacturer of Optimum Car Care Products, was founded in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 01, 2001 by Dr. David Ghodoussi. Dr. Ghodoussi has over 12 years of experience as an Organic Chemist overseeing research and development focused in polymers and automotive paint formulations. He received his Ph.D. and Master's degrees in Polymer and Organic Chemistry from Oregon State University and an MBA from University of Memphis. He also holds Bachelor's of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering and in Chemistry from the University of California in Santa Barbara.



12 years, and that was in 2001. That would now be 18 years experience.



Sorry Dean, I respect you and your opinions but in this regard you are flat wrong.
 
Deanski said:
It's like trying to get Menzerna into the majority of body shops. Everyone has been using 3M for generations. 3M has a very strong marketing and field staff that has so many seminars and training seesions it's insane. But, give a 3M user the correct corresponding Menzerna polish and they are very impressed, but just can't give up good ol 3M. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't.



Optimum sure doesn't seem to have a problem moving into the OEM market at the plant level, or at the distribution level.
 
Deanski said:
OK so he may have a chemical engineering background, it still limited. Good for him.



Someone inventing those polishes and ONR is not limited but gifted :bow :bow :bow
 
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