I have yet to have to remove Opti-Coat so I am glad I came across this thread.
As far applying it on white paint or any paint for that matter what I do is to just forget about trying to be so sparing with it and apply more to the applicator than what Optimum recommends. I look over the car and devise a plan of attack first. I ask myself a few questions.
1. What panels have a gap or seam around the entire panel that will enable me to apply Opti-Coat to that panel and not rub the applicator against it while applying it to another panel later? If such a panel exists I do this panel first,
IF it isn't in a location that I may accidentally rub any part of my body against during the application to another panel.
2. Where shall I begin my application and and will I be able to reach my beginning point from the other side when I run over there to apply the product to the other side from the other side of the vehicle? If not then I am sure to get a ladder before I begin the application instead of going to look for one in the middle of the rush of applying the Opti-Coat.
I have a rather large belly so I have to make that part of the plan and start at the top and work my way down to the bottom of the car so my belly doesn't smudge things up.
I try to do the roof first then the hood then the trunk lid then both front fenders and around the front bumper and grille. Next I decide if I'm going to be doing the side glass or not. If so I do the glass and all surrounding rubber and or chrome trim, then do the side mirror housings before moving down to do the doors. After the doors I move onto the rear quarters.
If there is no seam to separate the rear quarters from the part of the roof that the doors close onto, at this time I open the doors and do the rear quarter and continue up the pillar and around where the doors close at the top. finally I move onto the rear bumper and tail lights.
Earlier I mentioned not being so sparing with the product. I apply more product to the applicator because it helps to allow the applicator to glide easier across the paint and also ensures that I am getting full coverage with the product.
Starting with the roof with a clean microfiber towel in my back pocket, I start applying the opti-coat in the center of the roof about ten inches from the middle of the car. I find that short side to side strokes of the applicator is easier than trying to move the applicator in long sweeping strokes. I do a strip from the center of the roof to the front stopping at the windshield rubber seal, (I apply on the seal) then I go from my starting point in the middle of the roof and work toward the rear glass. I work in roughly ten inch applicator strokes moving the applicator from the center of the roof toward the side where the doors are (against the direction that the air flows across the car).
Next I apply another strip of the product from the rear glass to the front glass as far as my arm can reach toward the center of the roof making sure that I am overlapping the first strip that I did by a few inches. Then I start from the edge of the roof closest to the doors and work in the same direction until I reach the first strip of product that I laid down. So far all I have done is side to side strokes of the applicator on one half of the roof.
Now I will start near the windshield and apply the Opti-Coat in the direction that the air travels across the roof (front to back) in ten inch applicator strokes going over the entire half of the roof that I have already applied the Opti-Coat to but now i am moving the applicator in the opposite direction. This ensures total coverage and takes about 8 minutes in total.
The last thing I do before running over to the other side of the car to apply to the other side of the roof is to grab the rag from my back pocket and lightly buff off the wet spots and/or the haze marks. On white paint you won't see them but they are there, trust me on this. I lightly buff that half of the roof in side to side direction then from front to back and quickly run to the other side of the roof Apply more Opti-Coat to my applicator and repeat the same exact steps ensuring that I do not apply the Opti-Coat farther out on the roof than what I can reach with my towel to lightly buff off the haze and wet spots.
The roof is the hardest panel to do IMO. and once it's done I simply repeat this procedure on all other panels applying the Opti-Coat in two different directions then lightly buff down the haze and wet areas with the towel in my back pocket.
The important thing is to rely more on your memory than on your eyesight and remember what fender you started at because by the time you get around the car and back to that fender the Opti-Coat will have begun to cure and if you apply or buff onto that panel after it has begun to cure you will likely have a smudgy mess to buff off and redo.
You really have to hustle to get the Opti-Coat applied and buffed down if you want the best results. Click the link below to see the results of my process.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/41954-polished-my-daily-driver-last-time.html
I hope this helps, TD
