Nick McKees37
McKee's 37 Product Support
- Jan 6, 2011
- 7,265
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In the month of October 2011 Toyota sold 22,043 units of its most popular passenger vehicle in the United States, the Camry. If you break it down, that's roughly 711 Camry's sold each day of October 2011. That means by the time I finish writing article on a partly-cloudy Tuesday afternoon, work the rest of the day and go home and eat dinner, Toyota will have sold another couple hundred Camrys to people who want a no-frills, virtually maintenance free vehicle to get them from point a to point b.
Optimum Polymer Technologies, a car care company recognized world wide for being an innovator in the industry was created by Dr. David Ghodoussi, an organic chemist that specializes in polymer technology and paint formulations. The saying; "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" does not apply to Dr. Ghodoussi and the products that he develops because in the eyes of a perfectionist, there is always room for improvement. One of Dr. Ghodoussi's most recent breakthroughs - Opti-Coat 2.0 - not only revolutionized paint care technology, it defined a new category.
While Toyota’s Camry and Optimum’s Opti-Coat 2.0 are two completely different products, they both perform exceedingly well in their intended use and serve the same overall mission, and that’s to provide the user of each respective product a worry-free experience. So when Jill, a fellow member of the Autogeek family, purchased a new Toyota Camry a couple weeks ago I deemed this the perfect opportunity to capitalize on her investment of worry-free transportation and provide worry-free permanent paint protection that can only be offered by Optimum's Opti-Coat 2.0.
What exactly is Opti-Coat 2.0? It's not wax or sealant that wears off over time. Opti-Coat 2.0 is actually a resin-based coating that acts as a second layer of clear coat to provide permanent paint protection over the lifespan of your vehicle. It's very easy to apply and the only maintenance required, besides a normal wash every now and then, is a quick application of Optimum Poli-Seal once every six months.
Upon arrival I was pleasantly surprised to see the Camry that I would be working on was in relatively good shape. The car wasn't horribly filthy and I didn't see any obvious defects besides some scratches on the rear quarter panel and some bug etchings which I would later discover wouldn't come out. Overall, I was off to a good start.
I got things started by rinsing the vehicle of any loose dirt particles and giving it a good bath. To ensure all previously applied waxes were removed and to give the paint a thorough cleansing, I used P21S Total Auto Wash in conjunction with a regular car wash soap. I've been using P21S Total Auto Wash a lot lately because it works exceptionally well at removing old waxes, sealants, road film, bugs, tar, and anything else you can throw at it. It doesn't have a harsh chemical smell and it rinses freely leaving no nasty residue behind.
To agitate the paint after letting the P21S Total Auto Wash dwell for a couple minutes I used the new Supreme Micro-Chenille Wash Mitt. The new line of chenille wash mitts have proven to be more durable than the mitts they replace while also featuring microfiber fingers that are considerably larger. The new mitts have premium features including a double-stitched cuff and integrated inner loop for easy maintenance. Because of the thick microfiber fingers, dirt is trapped safely away from the paint to ensure safe, swirl-free washing.
To clean the wheels I used an assortment of brushes including the Daytona Speed Master, Long Handle Boar's Hair Wheel Brush and Clean Wheel Lug Nut Brush along with Blackfire's Gel Wheel & Tire Cleaner. This wheel cleaner is a hidden gem in the Blackfire line and I have yet to find a neglected wheel that it can't handle. It features a non-caustic gel formula that clings to the wheel's finish allowing maximum dwell time so minimum agitation is required. Because it features a formula that's non-acidic, Blackfire Gel Wheel & Tire Cleaner is safe on all wheel finishes including uncoated aluminum.
The best product I've found to deeply clean tires is Optimum Power Clean used at full strength. If a tire is thoroughly cleaned using a high quality cleaner and a heavy scrub brush, you will get much better durability out of your tire dressing of choice as it will bond much better to a clean tire.
Note: For routine cleaning, Power Clean diluted at 3:1 is all that's needed.
The best brush that I've found to really give tires a thorough cleaning is the Short Handle Tire/Wheel Brush Green. It features stiff nylon bristles and an ergonomically designed handle. These brushes are virtually indestructible and will take any abuse you can throw at 'em.
After cleaning the rest of the wheels and tires, I gave the Camry a thorough rinsing, dried it off and pulled it into the Show Car Garage. The first step was to clay it and for that I used Detailer's Pro Series Universal Detailing Clay and Clay Lubricant. The DP Universal Detailing Clay is huge and weighs in at a whopping 200 grams. You can break this clay into three manageable size pieces and store the rest for later.
After claying the Camry I closely inspected the paint with a Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light in the hunt for swirls and scratches. My earlier observations were correct and the paint was in excellent shape overall. I was able to find some very light swirls on the trunk lid along with the aforementioned scratches on the rear quarter panel. I was very fortunate to have Hector, AKA Highline on hand to help out with the process of getting the paint prepped for Opti-Coat 2.0 application.
To remove the light swirls from the trunk lid Hector used a Porter Cable 7424xp, Wolfgang Finishing Glaze and a Hydro-Tech Tangerine polishing pad.
After removing all the swirls from the trunk lid, Hector used CarPro Eraser and a rolled edge microfiber towel to remove all polishing oils for accurate inspection with a Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light.
While Hector went over the rest of the vehicle with a light polish and a bottle of Eraser in hand, I tackled the scratches on the rear quarter panel with my trusty Porter Cable 7424xp equipped with a 4" Hydro-Tech Cyan cutting pad and a little bit of Meguiar's 105 Ultra Cut Compound.
After polishing the areas of the vehicle that needed attention and doing a complete wipe down with CarPro Eraser to ensure a squeaky clean surface, it was time for application of Opti-Coat 2.0. To make application easier I emptied the contents of the syringe (20cc) into a spray bottle. This ensures more thin, even coverage over your applicator of choice.
Note: When applied correctly, one syringe of Opti-Coat 2.0 is enough to cover two-three midsize vehicles.
When you're starting out with a fresh applicator you should always prime it first with a spray or two of product. After priming the applicator, only two or three sprays is needed per panel (more so for larger panels). Opti-Coat 2.0 application is as easy as applying Opti-Seal, Optimum's spray sealant, except you spray the coating on the applicator instead of spraying it directly onto the paint. After you complete two panels you will feel like an expert because Opti-Coat 2.0 is that easy to use. When I first used Opti-Coat 2.0 I often wondered how something so durable as a permanent coating could be that easy to use. Leave it to Dr. G to make it happen.
Opti-Coat 2.0 can also be applied on plastic headlight and taillight lenses to help prevent oxidation from occurring.
Opti-Coat 2.0 is also the definitive wheel sealant because it can withstand extremely high temperatures.
A lot of people are apprehensive about application of Opti-Coat 2.0 but it really couldn't be any easier. After you complete a panel you will start to see the product "flash" a couple seconds later. This is when you want to level any high spots using your applicator of choice. Level these high spots using very light pressure because if you exert too much pressure you will be reapplying product that has absorbed into the applicator. Ideally you want to work in a garage with excellent lighting so you can see any high spots before you pull the car outside. If you have any high spots remaining after the coating cures, simply level them out using an aggressive polish or compound with a dual-action polisher and then re-coat the area.
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