Ron@Optimum

BC, there you go again, questioning many things I state. I don't know what ceramics OP has been demoing, but I've attached the announcement FROM THEM about their new line ceramic coatings. For more info on OP, please go to their forum:

No sure I understand the question here - Paint Guard, Opti-Coat Pro, and Opti-Coat Pro+ are not the same product and none are advertised as permanent. Can they all last beyond their warranty, yes. Will they, maybe, depending on several variables. Being full SiC does not mean they are equal in durability, gloss, chemical resistance, etc. Optimum added Paint Guard (which was a product already available to new car dealerships) to meet competitor entry level products. We don't promote it because we don't think it's the best deal for customers, but as a tool for our Pro installers when price is critical. FYI, most installer are able to demonstrate the greater value of Opti-Coat Pro and frankly, Opti-Coat Pro+ is our biggest selling ceramic, regardless of price. To your permanent claims - I have a car with Opti-Coat Pro applied by Yvan over 7 years ago. It's still there and the car looks shiny and new BUT I see micro-marring in bright light and trust me, I follow proper washing procedures. I mentioned the marring to Dr G and he said Opti-Coat Pro is great, but not going to last forever.

BC you seem to distrust my answers, but I'll try again. First, if you understand SDS and legalese, you know that they can be extremely cautious in recommendations. Many products SDS "recommend" wearing gloves, safety glasses, even respirators just to be on the safe side - very few users follow that advice. If you want "benign", use only DI water and no chemicals. I and thousands of others have used Opti-Seal/Hyper Seal for years with no chemical reaction during or after application. Second, Optimum does not suggest using our sealants on leather (though customers have for years with no issue), so if you use it on non proscribed surfaces and feel tingling or have concerns, don't use it.

Hyper Seal can be driven in rain as soon as it's dry and durability is on paint OR ceramic coating. If you read past posts you'll see that Hyper Seal is formulated for long term durability on ceramic coatings.

OP has not introduced ceramic coatings yet - scheduled for 10/1.

Dann Williams is not an owner for OP, but a key employee. I'm sure he influenced their product line, but Dann is not a chemist and was not involved with OPT product development beyond testing. I don't know where OP is getting product (they are not, to my knowledge, a manufacturer), and wonder where their SiC chemistry comes from. I don't know of any other ceramic with true SiC formulas.

depends on it's condition, but I would start with 1:3 dilution ratio. As always, rinse well after cleaning.

not exactly sure what you mean by "consumer brand", Optimum has very few Pro only products. Gloss-Coat provides a quality consumer ceramic and new formula Hyper Seal meets the need for a less durable but easily applied and reasonably prices coating. As far as marketing, everyone has an opinion (including me) but for Optimum the only one that matters is Dr G and he's happy with his strategy.

The phrase "over thinking it" is over used, but I feel that's what you're doing. How much difference is there between "dunking the sponge" and "getting it as wet as you want"? I've frequently recommended the BRS because it holds so much solution and there's nothing in the instructions trying to limit how much fluid you use. Dunking, soaking, getting as wet as you want - all semantics. How much ONR solution you apply is solely your decision...though I've had people complain that it makes a mess on their garage floor, which falls under the "you can't win" heading.

1099 allows corporations to document payment to contractors without withholding state, federal, SSN, and other fees. I'm responsible for those expenses through my company.

knowing Dr G's environmental orientation, I don't believe there's any risk from the chemicals in Opti-Seal or other OPT products. Ceramic coatings and Clear Coat Restorer recommend care when applying.

honestly, shrinking was a necessary thing. IMO the staff growth was due to increased sales and potential new product lines, but also because Dr G was ill and could not longer manage the day to day. I was out of the loop in Arkansas and had little interaction with HQ. David made decisions (and allowed decisions to be made) while he was under treatment, that were premature, risky, not his usual MO. Once reasonably healthy he reacted to those decisions and instituted a variety of business moves, some he probably regretted, but others absolutely necessary. He is in full control now and I expect increased staffing in the future, but he will build slowly due to past mistakes. David is slow to trust and some recent history has reinforced that feeling. I'm fortunate that he trusts me, mainly because we have a long history, I'm loyal, have no ulterior motives, and don't need this job. I'm a lucky dude!

I'm actually an independent contractor with my own company. David was part of a group of businessmen I organized to act as an unofficial "board of directors" for each other. That morphed into consulting and I kept in touch with Optimum, doing ala carte marketing projects until his business grew enough for him to ask me to take on regular assignments. I'm paid and have set duties, which do not include facebook or the Optimum Forum, but as a 1099. I did have an office next door to David's at Optimum but moved to a lake in Hot Springs AR 6 years ago, so I'm retired but not retired. Dr G asked me to be the Tech Specialist because of my familiarity with product/policies (and maybe due to his comfort level with me) - being an ambitious SOB, I've taken on other responsibilities as I see them unattended and due to staff changes. I've watched Optimum grow from a small internal staff, move into new facilities (twice), add vice presidents, regional managers, special projects, new product categories...and then shrink back to close to it's origins.

Tug, more accurately Dr G is not your traditional CEO. Over the years David has been offered partnerships, venture capital, asked to sell product to Walmart, Autozone, etc and has always walked away. I've worked with many business owners over the years, he has a unique mentality - he's not "all about the benjamins". I've never known him to cheat a vendor, stretch accounts payable, or be unethical in any way. As has been pointed out, he could make more money/increase sales if he increased marketing (including hyping products), added unneeded line proliferation just to expand sales, relabeled products, or reduced quality. Optimum has relabeled products, but when asked to reduce quality to increase profitability, he refused (I was in that conversation). We could increase sales if Optimum opened up sales of Pro products to the public, but David feels so much loyalty to you guys, he won't do it. He takes his time bringing new products to market (to my frustration sometimes), because he continues to test and have others beta test, until he's confident in the quality. David is a very private man and HATES it when people compliment him, but I've known him for 16 years at different degrees of closeness (ironically, I don't work for him and never have) and haven't met a more honest, ethical, or flat out smarter man. Not only is he a chemical genius, but he has a prodigious memory...he certainly remembers every mistake I've made! Dr G IS Optimum-

looking through some old notes, found this: Gloss-Coat ideal pH = 2 to 10, do not use products with PH > 10.

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.

according to Dr G, additional layers of ceramic coating ensure complete coverage and may increase gloss, but do not change hardness/chemical resistance/durability.

unfortunately CCR is not a cure all - good luck!

Optimum depends on it's reputation AND the quality of it's installers to sell OC3. I'm not sure how we would overcome skepticism over any tests and too many qualities are nearly impossible to quantify. There's no easy way to do durability testing, gloss and shine can be measured (but how often?), chemical/UV resistance another tough one. Bead size vs sheeting is an argument waiting to happen, everyone has different opinions over which is best. I know Dr G is happy with OC3 sales and felt it filled a niche in our ceramic coating lineup. Our first distribution of OC3 was to Pro Installers, to use on their personal vehicles and they became beta testers and their cars a billboard for the product.

I'm glad Tug made the point about layering - when Pro+ or OC3 are applied you call that layering since they go on separately, but after they bond it's not layers in the traditional sense. The products become one with the clear coat with no discernible differences and that's why OC is so durable.

videos are always difficult to decipher (for me) - see some kind of damage (you say not delam?) and hazing. Prep for CCR calls for decontamination, polishing with Hyper Compound/wool pad to remove oxidation and abrade the paint, and finally clean up with Paint Prep. Did you do all that? Tug Bankert (an Optimum Pro Installer) had this post under Optimum Products Discussion: Ccr will repair and restore oxidized paint so long as there is enough clear coat for it to bond do. If their is failure than no. Power clean straight, ferrex and clay, scuff slightly with hyper compound and wool pad on a da and lay it down

Tug, always appreciate your Pro insights. I have not tested OC3 yet (Dr G promises to install on my new car, but I don't get to Memphis often). There are a lot of characteristics expected of ceramic coatings, including durability, UV protection, chemical resistance, hardness, gloss, slickness, etc. The chemistry to make all this happen sometimes works at cross purposes - the conflict between SiC and Si02. Optimum's original ceramic was durable (still on cars 14 years later), hard, and chemically resistant, but it wasn't as "shiny" and slick as some others on the market. The Si02 components in competitors made them shiny and slick but reduce durability, hardness, and resistance, requiring re-application/reloading. Even though pro installers don't even touch cars (slickness), customers wanted those features, so Dr G formulated Plus. The effort to be all things to all people would give Dr G grey hair, if he wasn't bald!

though it's surface cured quickly, we recommend waiting an hour before driving in rain.

A car with Opti-Coat Pro (or Plus) can be driven in rain 1 hour after coating IF it's had Opti-Seal or Hyper Seal applied. Curious about your interest since your not a Pro Installer?

The original recommendation was apply Opti-Seal/Hyper Seal and the car can be driven in rain after 1 hour. Experience taught us that if there was a chance of rain and no sealant was added, wait 12 hours before exposing it. It was not a change in formula, more experience with the product.