Opti-Coat Pro3

[Tug Bankert]

bc,

If money was no object than sure, the sky is the limit. Ppf if properly maintained should last the useful life of a car which is usually 12 years or 200,000 miles. Ppf may get slightly weathered and edges get dirty but who cares, the paint underneath is stick veryuch protected from high impact damage , oxidation, etc. (Ppf can last much longer than 12 years if properly maintained, even in Florida). 

The weather may affect the cure times for a coating but just like you mentioned, 12 hours before water, 7 days until chemical hardness and 30 to be fully cured is what we should always follow. Who has time to calculate humidity levels and rise in Temps and change the cure times based on that. It's humidity that does the work. The more humid it is for me, the fast the coating cross links. Heat lamps will do nothing the speed up opti coatings. When I coat my personal vehicles, I throw a layer of opti seal on it an hour after coating and drive like normal right away. Pro 3 does not need the opti seal just so you know. 

[bcwang]

3 hours ago, Tug Bankert said:

 I throw a layer of opti seal on it an hour after coating and drive like normal right away. Pro 3 does not need the opti seal just so you know. 

Hi Tug,

What did you mean by pro3 not needing optiseal?  Does it have some different characteristic than the other coatings that make pre cure resistance to contaminants better to the point optiseal doesn’t add any benefit?

 

What about when you apply plus on top of pro3?  Wouldn’t that final coat act like plus and benefit from optiseal protection the same as pro plus?

[Tug Bankert]

bc, 

Pro 3 is much harder than pro and therefore more chemical resistant. I could put opti seal on it but it's not necessary in my experience. The plus layer is just gloss and has the strength of what it is stuck too. Also remember that when we say "layer" , they are not independent layers. They all become one layer.

[Autokosmetik]

On 9/15/2021 at 11:13 AM, Ron@Optimum said:

beyond the snark, Auto, Optimum always enjoys the suggestions on how it should market products, what products it needs, and the tests it should perform.  Everybody knows our business better then we.  You obviously don't understand how Optimum operates and that's understandable because we're not a "traditional" company.  Of course we want more sales, to be recognized as the leader in car care products, enjoy the respect and love of all.  We also accept in a social media world some of that is unattainable.  I'm curious if you've made the above testing suggestions to all the over ceramic coating manufacturers - I haven't noticed any deep dive analysis on their products (beyond self serving promotional marketing)?  Optimum could do all that expensive, time consuming research and it would be blown off as hype...I've been told more than once that our coatings are "snake oil", ironic when you consider the large number of ceramics now available. 

Dr G's approach is to authorize the best installers and incentivize them to sell the products.  They are the best sales force we could employ.  Last point - ceramic coatings aren't for everyone and OC3 in particular will be limited to those who want the best...Optimum can live with that.

Hi Ron,

Apologies for not getting back to you, and thanks for your response.  I do have a good understanding of how Optimum operates - I started installing Opti-Coat Pro in 2007 and was named the installer of the quarter for North America in 2008.  I have a long history with Optimum, and after having tried other products, I always come back to them.  Their products do what they're supposed to, and I don't believe any other company in the auto protection space has a better pedigree.

Indeed, the testing that I suggested is something that many other coating manufacturers and distributors are providing.  I think it is useful marketing material and with the price point that the product is being offered at, seems a reasonable investment from the manufacturer.  But, at the end of the day, the ownership has all the data and knows best.  

I'm very delighted with our new Opti-Coat M-line maintenance display, and we are putting wash packages together with buckets & grit guards.  It really catches peoples eye when they walk in.   We are authorized Opti-Coat 3 installers now as well, although most clients in our region are opting for a full PPF wrap over a coating of that caliber since Calgary is one of the last cities left in North America which still blankets the roads with gravel 8 months of the year due to snow.

For an upcoming specialty car I'm receiving, I will be applying Opti-Coat Pro3 over the paintwork and allowing it to cure before installing a custom vinyl livery and a full PPF wrap.  I think the value of Pro 3 is not necessarily rational, but it is real, and to preserve and protect the factory paintwork as much as possible, underneath a PPF wrap, I know of no better option.

One of humanity's fundamental strengths is its diversity, and that extends to the diversity of opinions among this group.  I apologize if I came across as snarky - I am passionate about data and marketing but at the end of the day, my preferences are my own, and I appreciate your thoughts. 

Best regards, Jed

[Ron@Optimum]

Jed, thank you for a well crafted response.  I will admit I sometimes get short tempered when getting criticisms about Optimum's marketing or research. People are welcome to their opinions but ultimately Optimum will operate it's business according to it's priorities and convictions.  We are very much a company that reflects it's owner and there's a reason he's turned down investors/partners. Dr G may have some blind spots but I believe in his vision for Optimum's future and non negotiable values. 

That said, Jed, we're proud to have you as a Pro Installer - as I stated, Optimum has the best detailers!

[Tug Bankert]

I'm assuming that Opti is not doing installers of the quarter, etc. anymore?

[Ron@Optimum]

that was my idea and went away when I retired to the lake...