Review-Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel

[CEE DOG]

A4 1.8tqm was kind enough to send me a sample of this product. Thank you David! Today I tested it and wrote the following review. See "Method of Application and noted Observations" for details.

Product(s) used previously:
1.-DP Gloss Tire Gel
2.-Eagle One something or other

Initial Product Observations:
1.- Manufacturer Claims: To Be Determined where possible
2.- Packaging: Plastic bottle with a snap up cap
3.- Label: N/A (See link)
4.- Directions: Clear and concise (2 different ways to apply)
5.- Consistency: Water based lotion
6.- Color: White
7.- Scent: Mildly Minty
8.- Size: 32 oz.
9.- Regular Price: 15.99
10.-Price Per oz: $0.50
11.-Additional sizes available: 8 oz. (7.99) 128 oz. (35.99)
12.-Made in: US

Ingredients posted on label of bottle:
1.-Unavailable - contains no petroleum distillates or VOCs

Additional products used for prep or during application:
1.- Griots Rubber Cleaner
2.- Tire scrub brush
3.- Air compressor
4.- Tire swipe

Method of Prep:
1.- Wash tires with Griots rubber cleaner and tire scrub brush while washing the car
2.- Dry tires with Air compressor and allowed to air dry for a day
3.- Shake sample bottle of Opti-bond

Method of Application and noted Observations:
This product lists 2 methods of application: A.- Wipe on with foam applicator or B.- Dilute 1:1 and spray on with spray gun and air compressor. I chose method A.
For this review I did 3 tires completely with the Opti and 1 tire with Opti 50/50 DP. I applied a small amount to a tire swipe and applied it first to the half of the 50/50 tire. I noted that the product was a wee bit runnier then I expected. It was not too runny, really just right for easy application. It took less then I expected to do the first half tire so I applied it a little too thick probably. After that I applied it to the other 3 tires. I went back to the first tire which I only applied the opti to half of and this time I applied DP to the other half. This is so we can test them side by side over the next few weeks. I will say the Opti is just slightly easier to apply then the DP. But really how difficult are either? Probably the easiest part of car care... The tires are a bit glossy for my taste with both the DP and the Opti. With the DP the instructions tell you you can tone down the gloss by waiting about 30 minutes and then wiping the tire. I assume you can probably do the same with Opti. After a few hours (as I was writing this review actually) I went out there and wiped a portion of the test tire to show what they look like after you remove a bit of gloss. The pictures will tell a little more of the story. For me there is only a barely noticeably difference between the look of the two. I think I favor the look of the Opti but not sure yet. It's so close for me it comes down to durability and price. Apologies in advance for imperfect lighting. Pulled it out in the sun but the sun was on the other side of the car from the 50/50 shot. The halogens came out a bit better and I did get a pick of a tire in the sun with opti only.
I will update this review over the next 3-8 weeks for durability and product performance.




Before Washing

Before Washing (Close Up)

Some Products

DP/ OPTI 50/50 After Initial Application

DP/ OPTI 50/50 After Initial Application Closeup

DP/ OPTI 50/50 After Initial Application Closeup (without tape)

DP/ OPTI 50/50 After Initial Application (Outside)

DP/ OPTI 50/50 After Initial Application (Outside closeup)

Optibond Only (rear tire) I

Optibond Only (rear tire) II

DP/ OPTI 50/50 After removing a bit of the gloss (Only from the middle of the A to a little left of the E)

DP with Full Gloss on Left and Less Gloss on right

Opti with Full Gloss on Right and Less Gloss on left

Pros I have witnessed so far:
1.- Excellent price
2.- Nice look
3.- Easy application


Cons I have witnessed so far:
1.-

???
1.- Durability to be determined

Additional Observations and/or Summary:
1.- N/A


Here is a little of the manufacturer info from Autogeek: (I have not tested all of the following claims but will update you on the ones that can be tested over time)

The thick, water-based formula provides a high gloss shine on all tires, wheel wells, interior and exterior trim, vinyl, and dashboards. The water-based formula is never greasy, so you can use it to protect and enhance interior vinyl. Yet, the formula is durable enough to withstand the elements on the outside of your vehicle! Advanced UV and ozone protectants shield tires and trim from sun damage and environmental pollution. Rubber and vinyl surfaces stay supple, flexible, and retain their color with regular use of Opti-Bond Tire Gel. The finish is water-based, so it will not attract dust. Just like the name implies, Opti-Bond bonds to the rubber to create a long-lasting finish. It will not sling off or rinse off. Opti-Bond Tire Gel produces a handsome, rich shine and durable protection with just one coat of its VOC-free, water-based formula. Get everything you want in a tire dressing – and nothing you don’t – with Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel.
_______________________________




And the link: http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti-bond-tire-gel-32oz.htmlhttp://www.autogeek.net/1z-einszett-leather-care.html

 

[TheGLL]

Great review! Thanks.

 

[Bunky]

Nice review. The gloss in the side by side look very close but the Optimum looks "cleaner" but seems to be about the same looks wise. Is that your conclusion?

 

[ScottB]

nice review ... I dont think I realized how close in final look they are. Did you rewipe the DP Gel after 10 minutes to remove residual or did it dry to that sheen. Spitup from either on first drive ??

 

[Old Tiger]

Excellent review, I didnt realize that Opti bond is a German product. I thought it was made in Memphis.

 

[CEE DOG]

Excellent review, I didnt realize that Opti bond is a German product. I thought it was made in Memphis.

MY APOLOGIES! Thanks for the correction. It is NOT made in germany! I had that on my review template and missed it. Apologies again to all
It is made in Memphis, TN. as far as I can tell. At least that's where Optimum is

I'll have to PM someone to see if I can edit the original. Thanks again for the catch.

Great review! Thanks.

Thank you!

Nice review. The gloss in the side by side look very close but the Optimum looks "cleaner" but seems to be about the same looks wise. Is that your conclusion?

Thank you Al. Yes I would tend to agree with that. I think you said it well.

nice review ... I dont think I realized how close in final look they are. Did you rewipe the DP Gel after 10 minutes to remove residual or did it dry to that sheen. Spitup from either on first drive ??

Thank you Scott, I did not wipe until a few hours later. See the last 3 pictures. The rest there was no wiping. The titles of the last 3 state which side is wiped in which picture. Let me know if it doesn't make sense the way it's written.

 

[CEE DOG]

One more note, I thought this sample would only do a few applications but it didn't even take a capful to do 4 tires.

 

[DARK HORSE]

As always great review Corey, you are definitely the "Review Master"! Thank you for spending so much time to provide us with such an excellent review!

 

[A4 1.8tqm]

Nice write-up Corey! Looking forward to seeing your durability results. I'll be posting a vice-versa review of the DP Gloss you sent me, and Opti-bond (and PB wheel sealant). Unlike your Sky, my car is always out in the rain and playin in the dirt, it'll be a nice comparison of each product in different conditions.

I used the DP on a friends car the other day. A little goes a long way! 2 light coats ~30 min apart left at full gloss. I was amazed at the wet look it left, even though it's dry (and slick!) to the touch.

 

[Goose]

Honestly, for the price I was not impressed.
Tires were washed correctly and Opti-Bond applied. Looked ok, a little too matte for me. The durability for me was, IMO, equally unimpressive. I've done 3 cars tires, those that stayed inside (garage queen and another car that gets used infrequently), those look pretty good. But one would expect that.

After a couple of very hard rain storms over a week or slightly more, there was no gloss at all on the tires. Like it completely washed off. This particular car is not driven hard during the week and is a 24/7 outside car.

I am equally not impressed with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine. About 40-45% through the bottle and still find that Duragloss 901 is slicker and has more shine. I like suds, this has none.

For $16 each, I am likely to not buy either again.

Not completely impressed with Signature Series II either. I've done dark red and bright yellow, meh. It looked ok but did not stand out what so ever. All of paint on these cars are maintained properly.
I do though, like the liquid Souveran samples. Gave a nice glow and was super easy on and off.

Might, in fact be looking to trade these products....before too long.

There, been looking to unload for a little while now....

 

[CEE DOG]

As always great review Corey, you are definitely the "Review Master"! Thank you for spending so much time to provide us with such an excellent review!

Thank you Tad! It was my pleasure.

Nice write-up Corey! Looking forward to seeing your durability results. I'll be posting a vice-versa review of the DP Gloss you sent me, and Opti-bond (and PB wheel sealant). Unlike your Sky, my car is always out in the rain and playin in the dirt, it'll be a nice comparison of each product in different conditions.

I used the DP on a friends car the other day. A little goes a long way! 2 light coats ~30 min apart left at full gloss. I was amazed at the wet look it left, even though it's dry (and slick!) to the touch.

Thank you David! I can't wait to see your review.

Honestly, for the price I was not impressed.
Tires were washed correctly and Opti-Bond applied. Looked ok, a little too matte for me. The durability for me was, IMO, equally unimpressive. I've done 3 cars tires, those that stayed inside (garage queen and another car that gets used infrequently), those look pretty good. But one would expect that.

After a couple of very hard rain storms over a week or slightly more, there was no gloss at all on the tires. Like it completely washed off. This particular car is not driven hard during the week and is a 24/7 outside car.

I am equally not impressed with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine. About 40-45% through the bottle and still find that Duragloss 901 is slicker and has more shine. I like suds, this has none.

For $16 each, I am likely to not buy either again.

Not completely impressed with Signature Series II either. I've done dark red and bright yellow, meh. It looked ok but did not stand out what so ever. All of paint on these cars are maintained properly.
I do though, like the liquid Souveran samples. Gave a nice glow and was super easy on and off.

Might, in fact be looking to trade these products....before too long.

There, been looking to unload for a little while now....

:hijacked: LOL! I've always wanted to use that smiley.

 

[Goose]

:hijacked: LOL! I've always wanted to use that smiley.

LOL. Sorry for that. Just needed to note that not everyone likes these products.

 

[Rsurfer]

Honestly, for the price I was not impressed.
Tires were washed correctly and Opti-Bond applied. Looked ok, a little too matte for me. The durability for me was, IMO, equally unimpressive. I've done 3 cars tires, those that stayed inside (garage queen and another car that gets used infrequently), those look pretty good. But one would expect that.

After a couple of very hard rain storms over a week or slightly more, there was no gloss at all on the tires. Like it completely washed off. This particular car is not driven hard during the week and is a 24/7 outside car.

I am equally not impressed with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine. About 40-45% through the bottle and still find that Duragloss 901 is slicker and has more shine. I like suds, this has none.

For $16 each, I am likely to not buy either again.

Not completely impressed with Signature Series II either. I've done dark red and bright yellow, meh. It looked ok but did not stand out what so ever. All of paint on these cars are maintained properly.
I do though, like the liquid Souveran samples. Gave a nice glow and was super easy on and off.

Might, in fact be looking to trade these products....before too long.

There, been looking to unload for a little while now....

Perhaps your not using these products corectly. Comparing ONR to 901 for suds. LOL! I could have put TW on that red and bright yellow paint and you would be impressed if it was prep correctly.

 

[Jeremy]

Honestly, for the price I was not impressed.
After a couple of very hard rain storms over a week or slightly more, there was no gloss at all on the tires. Like it completely washed off. This particular car is not driven hard during the week and is a 24/7 outside car

Lol what did you expect? I don't know of any tire shine that could hold up through that.It is water based after all.That being said after trying atleast 15-20 different tire shines I have settled on bold & bright for a spray and optibond for gel.I reach for the optibond 95% of the time thanks to not having a garage and wind

 

[Goose]

Perhaps your not using these products corectly. Comparing ONR to 901 for suds. LOL! I could have put TW on that red and bright yellow paint and you would be impressed if it was prep correctly.

Not just for suds, I Don't like it much at all. ONR is nothing special and nether is SSII. Seems to be there are many favors of the month on these forums. Until you try them yourself, can't tell if its BS or the product actually works.

And as for not using these products correctly, read directions, apply product. Not hard to understand.

 

[Goose]

Lol what did you expect? I don't know of any tire shine that could hold up through that.

I expected more because the car was Parked most of that time, not doing a dam thing. So, I did in fact expect more than I got.

 

[Matt]

Great review! So thorough! I'll be looking to see what the durability is like.

Goose: ONR (Optimum No Rinse) isn't supposed to have any suds, no rinse washes don't lather because they don't use a soap mix to clean the car, they use a special polymer mix. I have used both DP Rinseless wash and gloss and ONR and neither have any "suds", and they are both very thin with a water like consistency.

As for Opti-bond, I don't really think it's supposed to be a high gloss product. Unfortunately almost all the tire shine products on AG's website have a "high gloss" somewhere in their description. The fact is that not everyone (including me) wants a high gloss look to their tires, some want matte, some want satin and a lot of these products that have a "high gloss" listed somewhere, aren't actually intended to provide a high gloss, rather a satin sheen or matte rich appearance.


Sorry for the hijacked thread Cory,:nomore: :hijacked:

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Excellent Review. I only use opti-bond on tires and it will stay that way. I dilute it 1:1 and it works great. I think it looks awesome on wheel wells too. I just ordered another 32 oz. bottle. Opti-bond has the best durability from the products I've tried for tires. Great product! :xyxthumbs:

 

[CEE DOG]

LOL. Sorry for that. Just needed to note that not everyone likes these products.

No problem man. I appreciate your opinion on the reviewed product, thank you!
Just to note in the future you could make a new thread for your opinion on all those other products. Thanks again

Great review! So thorough! I'll be looking to see what the durability is like.

Thank you Matt! I'll be sure to keep you updated.

Excellent Review. I only use opti-bond on tires and it will stay that way. I dilute it 1:1 and it works great. I think it looks awesome on wheel wells too. Opti-bond has the best durability from the products I've tried for tires. Great product! :xyxthumbs:

Thank you Z. If the durability is as you and a few others have told me it will be my go to tire product. Looking forward to trying it on the wheel wells.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Thank you Z. If the durability is as you and a few others have told me it will be my go to tire product. Looking forward to trying it on the wheel wells.

It make work for some, but not for others. I'm looking forward to seeing your durability results. :xyxthumbs: