Review: Optimum GPS

[gmck]

I'm not sure why you continue to post this misinformation unless you have a hidden agenda.

That is a ridiculous statement. Why on earth would I have a hidden agenda? Could you please refrain from using such antagonistic language in your responses to me on this forum.

don't waste time testing the limitations

That may well be your attitude towards product testing, but it is not mine. How else would one know of the limitations of a product without “pushing” the product? Perhaps if you took a similar approach to my own in your testing, you would be more qualified to answer questions and supply the correct advice about the products you represent.

After contacting me and Dr. G and getting the same answer

Dr. G in his reply to me made no comment re the 60 day cure time test I’ve just referred to above. A no comment could hardly be described a user error.

not in a cleaning fashion, but made multiple passes.

Please do not infer what is not true. On all occasions I have used Poli-Seal on a LC red pad, one of the softest pads available. On the 60 day test, I made two (a couple) very light passes and the coating was all but removed.

you only need to put some PS on a hand applicator and work the area a small amount.

Do you consider that a hand applicator would be less aggressive than a LC red pad via DA? You don’t mention what type of applicator – could you please expand.

when applying PS as maintenence

You have often stated in various threads “If you want it to feel slicker top it with OCW or Poli-Seal”. Should users here, now assume that Poli-Seal should only ever be applied by hand and not by machine for maintenance?

What would you claim to be a safe period of time to apply Poli-Seal to an Opti-Coat’d vehicle?

I really think your posts hurt more than help

I would hope not. I simply reported the results of my testing in the message to Corey as I see Corey as someone who has demonstrated a desire to know more about the limitations of the products he is using. I would guess that there are also others here who have used or intend to use Opti-Coat who are equally interested.

 

[ScottB]

keep it civil and to subject at task ...

Vendors and users won't always see eye to eye, but lets keep this post product driven for best outcome to all our forum users.

 

[Chris Thomas]

to gmck,

Anyone can certainly test any products you like in any fashion they choose, but the information you post derives from your "experimental mode" is not consistent with our directions and definately causes confusion among the majority of users. I don't like following you around trying to clear up that confusion, but I do so that people who use our products according to OUR directions can feel comfortable using the products. I will try and make my comments less abrasive, but I will always correct misinformation. Also, no one is going to track down and read all the threads we've spoken in, both here and on the Optimum so the quotes you've made trying to show some contradiction need to be shown to have no merit. Dr G and I have both tried to explain this to you and we cannot seem to get through, so all I'm asking is for you to stop posting "experimental mode" results as if they are common results.

to the staff and forum members,

My apologies for the sidebar. My concern is that newbies to the forum or to Optimum's line may see such posts and develop an unfounded fear of our coating, it's application, or it's maintanence. When gmck's issue was initially brought to our attention, Dr. G and I personally gave it our full attention and in light of the circumstances we deduced that our instructions were misapplied and that there was no contradiction with PS when used as WE described. Any one can PM or email me with concerns with Opti Coat, Poli Seal, or GPS when used in ANY combination. I usually answer within one business day.

 

[gmck]

A very strange reply – you go to some effort, but you failed to answer even one of the questions I asked. Should I and other readers here therefore conclude that that you don’t have answers to those questions? No amount of the vacuous nonsense you present in your response is going to convince anyone here otherwise.

Why do you refuse to answer the following simple questions?

1. What is considered a suitable cure time before an Opti-Coated vehicle can be maintained with Poli-Seal? From my test 60 days is not sufficient, therefore I would have thought it is a reasonable question to ask. I’m sure anyone who has Opti-Coated his vehicle would also be interested to know, for at some point any Opti-Coated vehicle is going to require maintenance.

2. Would a DA using a non cut soft pad such as an LC red pad be suitable or should all maintenance of an Opti-Coat surface be done by hand.

3. Do you consider that a hand applicator would be less aggressive than a LC red pad via DA?

4. If a hand applicator is required could you please indicate the type of hand applicator you recommend? Your previous post didn’t say.

I doubt any one reading here, including a newbie would consider any of the above questions unreasonable, so I don’t understand your reluctance to answer them. Anyone here that has Opti-Coated their vehicle can do the same test, therefore if they do, the same questions will be asked again.

you post derives from your "experimental mode" is not consistent with our directions

Could you please advise why you infer that polishing a 60 or 90 day cured Opti-Coated surface with Poli-Seal would be considered “experimental”? Could you also advise in what way I did not follow your instructions for that particular test.

For the sake of completeness, please do not confuse this issue with the layering tests I performed on my own vehicle at the end of November as Dr. G has already covered that issue in his reply to me.

so the quotes you've made trying to show some contradiction need to be shown to have no merit

.

There was no significance on my part implied by using the quotes. It was a quote after all, so why not use quotation marks. For some unexplained reason you have jumped to a conclusion that it was meant to imply a contradiction. I presume you don’t deny your statement therefore why would you be concerned by it? Either we can use Poli-Seal for maintenance or we can’t. I don’t personally care if your original statement is now considered incorrect; I would just like confirmation that Poli-Seal is still considered suitable for that maintenance.

I intend to complete a 90 day test as soon as possible and will report my results here. Are there any precautions you would like me to observe for the 90 day test?

 

[Chris Thomas]

This thread has been derailed enough. You have my email...you have David's email or you can PM me. Likely, any answers given will not satisfy you as they haven't been able to thusfar. I swear, I feel like I'm being punk'd every time we converse.

 

[Perfections]

Usually I don't post off the topic but I'll give my experiences to possibly help. When I opti coat a car of course I try to have no high spots in my application which now after several is very easy to do, but when I started I did have some. This is why I keep the car overnight to further look at everything I may have missed. When I find a high spot I use polyseal by hand very slowly and gently until its removed. I know this works and doesn't remove the coating because 30 days after application I have that customer come back for a free wash so I can make sure I didn't miss any spots with my initial application and to test the spots I applied polyseal. As far as maintenance goes I had a customer come back about 60-70 days after initial application with a water spot which I removed with polyseal by hand using the same technique I use to remove high spots. I then hit it with griots Prewax cleaner to remove the polyseal I just applied and hit it with water to check and make sure I didn't go through the coating, and using no pressure by hand it seems to not affect the coating, as the beading and sheeting between opticoat and polyseal are totally different so I know the polyseal was no longer on the surface and the coating was still there. There are a ton of variables when using machines to polish paint so personally I'd stick to using polyseal by hand using pretty much no pressure letting the chemical clean the surface versus abrasion and you shouldn't have any problems. Sorry Corey for not sticking on topic just trying to help out with questions

 

[Dr Oldz]

Corey I am curious as to know if you cleaned the sprayer when you were done. I use the spray polish and compound often and find it very beneficial if I take the sprayer off and spray the product back into the bottle. I never have trouble the next time I use the sprayer that way. I'm am sure this would be a good practice with GPS also.

 

[gmck]

Usually I don't post off the topic but I'll give my experiences to possibly help.

Thanks for your reply and sharing your experiences. I don't disagree with anything you have said or your method of removing a high spot.

My concern is about maintenance, not hot spots because like you I don't get them any more either. My 60 day cure test is for sure a contrived test but it was implemented to simulate maintenance of an Opti-Coat'd/Opti-Guard'd surface. Reverting to hand maintenance of the surface is simply not an option for maintenance as it would be quicker to remove, correct and reapply if required.

I suspect most users here haven't done this sort of testing, so I'd be interested if anyone here would be prepared to do the same test so as to compare results.

 

[CEE DOG]

Corey I am curious as to know if you cleaned the sprayer when you were done. I use the spray polish and compound often and find it very beneficial if I take the sprayer off and spray the product back into the bottle. I never have trouble the next time I use the sprayer that way. I'm am sure this would be a good practice with GPS also.

Jim, I did do exactly that with GPS as I do with probably 80% of my detailing products when I'm done (I think) for the day. Only problem is sometimes I need them again the same day which ends up wasting some time. I need to start waiting until I am completely done with everything lol. Other thing is with the lesser viscosity products you lose a bit from the end sometimes.

 

[Niebelung]

Tried using GPS today by hand, has a thick oily feel to it but it worked well in covering up very fine marring.

The only problem I had was that my GPS didn't atomize the way it did in Corey's video. It came out as a stream and splatted on the paint. This happened no matter which setting on the nozzle I turned it to =(

So it's a great AIO, just not sprayable for me unfortunately.

If it helps, the ambient temp I was working at is approx 92F and 60% humidity in the shade. The consistency of the product is more like a cream rather than a liquid like OCW.

 

[Chris Thomas]

Tried using GPS today by hand, has a thick oily feel to it but it worked well in covering up very fine marring.

The only problem I had was that my GPS didn't atomize the way it did in Corey's video. It came out as a stream and splatted on the paint. This happened no matter which setting on the nozzle I turned it to =(

So it's a great AIO, just not sprayable for me unfortunately.

If it helps, the ambient temp I was working at is approx 92F and 60% humidity in the shade. The consistency of the product is more like a cream rather than a liquid like OCW.

Mine does that from time to time. It is much thicker than OCW and will NEVER atomize that well, but you can try a few things: remove the sprayer and spray what's in it back into the bottle, reattach the sprayer, shake well and try a spray. Sometimes you pull up the thicker stuff off the bottom and it sprays in a stream. Another tip is to use the spray turned to the setting witl 5 dotted lines instead of 2. And last but not least: be sure to pull the trigger like you mean it. GPS, Hyper Compound, and Hyper Polish are thick so they need a forceful trigger press to come out in finer particles...they need more momentum than a thin liquid like OCW. I was able to demo this at SEMA and that was usually the problem.

 

[CEE DOG]

Thanks for the feedback Niebelung!

The forceful trigger pull is in important point Chris!

 

[Theostoubos]

Hi Corey and all

Sorry to revive this thread but shortly after reading your review, I got myself some GPS. I had a very brief try with it and I would like to ask you something that you might be able to help with.

Maybe its a stupid question but I'm a bit confused.

During your test you apply GPS in order to correct an area sanded with 3000 unigrit. But if you are polishing in a real life scenario a car with light to medium swirls, is there any other way (except IPA and re apply GPS) to make sure that you re not glazing/covering the defects but actually removing them... ?

...Or since GPS has the cutting power to remove 3000 Unigrit marks, ensures that defects will be removed.

Is the working time comes in effect here as well ? If you work GPS for a short period of time, it performs more like a glaze and if you work longer it acts more like a polish ?

Thanks
Theo

 

[Buff-N-Glo]

Hi Corey and all

Sorry to revive this thread but shortly after reading your review, I got myself some GPS. I had a very brief try with it and I would like to ask you something that you might be able to help with.

Maybe its a stupid question but I'm a bit confused.

During your test you apply GPS in order to correct an area sanded with 3000 unigrit. But if you are polishing in a real life scenario a car with light to medium swirls, is there any other way (except IPA and re apply GPS) to make sure that you re not glazing/covering the defects but actually removing them... ?

...Or since GPS has the cutting power to remove 3000 Unigrit marks, ensures that defects will be removed.

Is the working time comes in effect here as well ? If you work GPS for a short period of time, it performs more like a glaze and if you work longer it acts more like a polish ?

Thanks
Theo

It depends on what your goal is, I personally would not use this product for correction, since it is also a glaze. This is more of a product for someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time correcting the paint but wants a showroom look from waxing. The polishing step is like an added bonus.

 

[MarkD51]

Sorry to diss a product, but of all the products I ever bought from Autogeek since the very first day, GPS proved to be the very worst of all.

And an idiot I was to buy a 1/2 gallon of it.

I bought the product specifically to maintain my white Cargo Trailer, to clean the paint from rain stains, and protect. I used it once, and it worked. Must've used about 4-5 oz total. It didn't protect long.

And in 2 months the entire rest turned into Cottage Cheese, Was unusable, and in the trashcan it went.

Let me go on to say, that I have bought many other Optimum products, like Opti-Seal, Tire Shine, Opti-Bond Gel, and have Hyper Polish as well, and I think they are all outstanding products!

Just caught a dud was all. It happens.

 

[VISITOR]

this was years ago but the one thing about optimum polishes/compounds IME is if you don't use them soon they start to separate no matter how much you shake them. even the OID i have has some brown sediment towards the bottom of the bottle and you have to shake it so it mixes...

 

[MarkD51]

this was years ago but the one thing about optimum polishes/compounds IME is if you don't use them soon they start to separate no matter how much you shake them...

Such shouldn't happen. To me it's a sign of an improperly made product and can often source back to a horrid water filtration system as one cause.

 

[VISITOR]

Such shouldn't happen. To me it's a sign of an improperly made product and can often source back to a horrid water filtration system as one cause.

another thing is under/around the cap it would be black almost as if it were mold. i ended up throwing them all out...

 

[Setec Astronomy]

This is an old thread, and I may even have posted something about this earlier in the thread, but there was a period when Optimum reformulated their polishes from more of a solvent-base to more of a water-base (that doesn't mean they don't still have solvents, because they do), and they had rancidity problems. They seem to have solved that, though, since we haven't heard complaints in recent years. I'm not sure if the Autogeek warehouse temperature has anything to do with the problem, since the Optimum polishes seem to be fairly slow-movers for them.