Tom Guild Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Please excuse this double post. I previously added it to a thread that I had started that already had a "best answer" from Chris.. Now a request for couple more "best answers". I have been considering Opti-Coat for about a year. It all started when I leveled a bunch of paint nibs in the factory clear coat on my new Ram. I can see no evidence of damage but I am still not sure. Also there was correction in the repaint on the hood that may have compromised the clear coat. My major intent for using Opt-Coat is protection of the paint that is on the truck and at the same time have an appearance that approximates what I can do with traditional detailing products...not the boutique stuff, just stuff like Meguiar's Ultimate products Application: My truck has two fresh coats of Meguiar’s Ultimate Wax. I have Prep-Sol, Iso Alcohol and 3M Adhesive Remover on hand. What product would be the best to remove this wax? I also plan to polish the whole truck using Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish to remove any defects that might have shown up since I waxed the truck. I assume that I should polish the truck first and then use one of the solvents, right? Do I need to use Optimum solvents/polishes to insure good adhesion of Opti-Coat? I am most concerned about the paint on my truck’s hood and roof. Can Opti-Coat be applied just to these areas and still have a perfect paint match with the rest of the truck? What is the absolute most “surefire” applicator to use in applying Opti-Coat? There are a bunch of suggestions on various forums. After carefully applying the product, should a microfiber cloth be used to lightly buff the whole panel that has just been treated and how long should a person wait to do this light buffing? Again varying suggestions are given on the forums. After the product has been applied, can the applicator and microfiber cloth be washed and used again? Maintenance: I’m a guy who likes “slick”. Opti-Coat is not “slick”. Can any non-abrasive sealant/wax be use to “top” Opti-Coat? Can a cleaner/wax with mild abrasives be used? If a ”topper” is used, the Opti-Coat finish will exhibit the characteristics of the “topper”, beading, sheeting, and dirt repelling, right? An additional comment…I frequently use ONR when I wash the truck. It seems to be “nice and slick”. Might that be good enough? To make a correction in the Opti-Coat finish, polish the area of the marring/scratch. Then lightly polish the remainder of the panel and reapply Opti-Coat to the whole panel. Is this correct? If I wish to remove Opti-Coat and apply a “traditional” wax/sealant, how much polishing is required? Will a polish work (Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish) or is a compound (Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound) needed? Longevity: Opti-Coat may last indefinitely, but as it begins to wear, what are the symptoms and is the wear uniform? Is there any visible evidence that shows between the coated and uncoated areas? My truck is “is on the road” only about 24 hours per week. When not “on the road”, it is garaged both day and night. It is not exposed to any industrial pollution. However, it sees a lot of good old gravel road dust. What kind of longevity can I expect under these conditions. My Ram is white. Can you assure me that there is no chance of Opti-Coat yellowing? Body shop repairs and the compatibility with Opti-Coat is still a major concern. Over the years I have had a “ton of do overs’” from high quality shops. If a shop uses normal prep procedures, should there be any problems with repainting? I am quite sure that the answers to these questions are scattered throughout the various detailing forums, including this one. As a matter of fact there are quite likely differing answers (and that’s a problem for me). I guess I’d like to see the answers in one place directly from the “Optimum Guy”. Heck, might as well include Dr. G too. Thanks. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Guild Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Which is the better polish...Optimum Polish II or Hyper Polish? I'll be using a PC. Maintenance and Longevity? Hazing and yellowing after a couple of years is a concern of mine..especially because my truck is white. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distinctiv Detailing Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Chris, Whats your light-of-choice for inspection? I've have a set up with tungsten, halogen, LED, and fluorescent, but the reflection of the sunlight from outside seem to work out the best so far. I try to utilize that whenever possible, otherwise I resort to my multiple light apparatus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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