OPTI-NEWS: Opti-Coat 2.0 is no longer available to the public. OCP is now the only Opti-Coat.

[builthatch]

Gotcha. I do not feel it's the best all around anymore, but it is exceptional in some ways, and it offered what I felt was a better option to a certain clientele. I was actually pretty torn on whether or not to keep it after the announcement, and I even took the day to think about it. I will also add that IMO it's not as good as it was back in 2010 (many will agree), though application is easier, faster, and the Primer Polish is nice.


 


At the end of the day I would have to raise my current application pricing at least $100 to make up for the increased cost. I say "at least" because 10cc will rarely do a whole car with wheels for me and it's only being sold in 10cc now....though rumors have mentioned larger packs, albeit at a higher cost.


 


At the end of the day I simply do not agree with yet another massive price increase and I will not subject my clients to that, yet again. It's now to the point where the price is no longer worth the performance IMO given the other quality options available.

 


well said. i understand.

 

[JoeyV]

Yeah, the lack of notification is BS and you would think they would have learned that after the last 2 price increases.


 


Honestly, its really just the idea of raising the price for the 3rd time in just over two years that set me over the top. 300% this time around and I'm sorry, I'm not passing that added cost onto my clientele again just because they get a worthless piece of paper that says 5yr warranty. I've always only gotten 3 cars from 40cc, sometimes less, so 10cc size is not cutting it for me.


 


I had zero issue with minimum monthly product order, I do 4 cars a month and almost all are coating jobs. I also could care less about getting rid of OC 2.0, though I don't think it will stop the hacks from using the new product and just calling it Opti-Coat.


 


What blows me away is how many are just sitting back and taking these massive increases time and time again and acting like it's no big deal. What would happen if all our other products shot up 300% overnight, let alone 600% in a 2 years span?!? It would put us out of business because no sane person would pay the price we'd have to charge in order to cover our cost and make the same money we did before! Sit back and do nothing and they will continue to do it time and time again! Grow a sack people!!!


 


 


 


End Rant!

I wholeheartedly concur. I stepped down from OCP this Monday and am currently in talks with other coating companies. My clientèle, not local market, but my personal clientèle, was already hesitant with the current MAP of OCP and went for it mostly due to it being a money saver in the long run. With the ridiculous increase now, no one will go for it, making the minimum monthly purchase harder to achieve. The mandatory warranty is also ridiculous, as when offered as a separately purchasable add-on previously, not a single person thought it was a good investment, now, telling them the price has gone up, and they have no say in getting the warranty or not simply won't fly.


 


I have stepped down from the PRO line, but will continue to use ONR until another product that is as cost efficient and works as well comes out.

 

[zerix]

If I may inquire, what was the previous MAP before the announcement?

 

[Thomas Dekany]

If I may inquire, what was the previous MAP before the announcement?

 


What does it matter? A shitty hack detail is $300/$400. Lets say it is $200. Offering OC that will keep your finish in amazing shape for years after years is worth even $1500 up front. If you understand what you are getting, please don't try to go by MAP prices. That is the minimum one should charge, but in the real world why "give away" such service for peanuts? Don't be cheap. Good stuff is never cheap and cheap stuff is very rarely good enough. Just saying.

 

[Dan]

What does it matter? A shitty hack detail is $300/$400. Lets say it is $200. Offering OC that will keep your finish in amazing shape for years after years is worth even $1500 up front. If you understand what you are getting, please don't try to go by MAP prices. That is the minimum one should charge, but in the real world why "give away" such service for peanuts? Don't be cheap. Good stuff is never cheap and cheap stuff is very rarely good enough. Just saying.

OC doesn't do much to keep your paint in amazing shape. Regular washing with good technique does that. Actually OC doesn't offer anything other than not needing to LSP. There are better LSPs for environmental protection, shine and contaminant release.



I think Optimum realized that a lifetime warranty was unsustainable. Combined with complaints from OC detailers about being undercut by hacks and you have the current situation.



No biggie for me, OC was great for wheels and that's about it. There are better sacrificial paint protectants out there.

 

[JoeyV]

No biggie for me, OC was great for wheels and that's about it. There are better sacrificial paint protectants out there.

 


This. The cost/value of OCP at MAP was what was great, but now, seeing the cost go up, with no REAL benefits (I'm sorry, but that BS warranty that doesn't actually cover anything isn't an added benefit and clients see right through that), it's lost it's value and therefor my interest. For the same price I'd have to charge for OCP right now, I can offer PPF across the entire hood and simply LSP the rest of the car with wax. This won't create disappointed clients when I tell them OCP doesn't protect against deep scratching and rock chips, whereas PPF does. AND it creates repeat business for having the car LSP'd twice a year.

 

[Lonnie]

Seems to me the caveat in all of this was the offering of a "Lifetime Warranty" to begin with. The oxymoronic term "limited lifetime warranty" means just what it says: most of the time a lifetime is how long the business stays viable.


 


I am hoping that by raising the price of product that it is NOT a two-fold business strategy by OPT:


1) To raise capital to cover under-funded possible future claims,


2) Limit product sales by price so as to limit liability exposure


 


Many customers are lured into buying a product or service because of this "lifetime" term. I personally would like to see it outlawed from business as a means of advertising a product or service. Unless a business is willing to have a large pool of money, like an escrow account, to cover possible claims against this warranty, it is a worthless under-funded term. Most companies KNOW that most consumers will either forgo asking for replacement or just forget the warranty, or that additional service fees, like shipping and handling, will cover their cost anyway. 


 


For that matter, how often do you see "double your money back if not completely satisfied" anymore. NEVER!  As stated above, how many of you have ever sent something back to a company under a "we'll refund the purchase price if not completely satisfied" even because you have to incur the shipping cost. It's not cost-effective for you to do so.


 


Why not just have no warranty, let the products' performance and viability speak of itself, and let free-market results determine price? If it's good, offers reasonable value for its price, consumers will buy and re-buy it. It's not difficult business economics. It's when you gouge the customer for bad products or business decisions that hurt the consumer and, hence, the viability and reputation of a company .


(But not if you are too big to fail: ask GM and the taxpayers who supported them, but lost $10 BILLION in stock purchases and sales. Don't even go there!)

 

[PurePrecision]

I spoke with Ron at optimum about this. He stated that they were actually putting 12-13cc's per tube. While this could potentially cover an escalade, there's not much left for error.


I understand that Optimum is potentially trying to weed out the hacks. But this is ensuring that almost no up and coming detailers will be able to offer their coating due to their minimum purchase requirements.


Looks like I will be rewriting sales pitches.

 

[Earl E Byrd]

<span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Lonnie... no problem with Gov't shutdown costing 24 billion...[don't go there girlfriend :wub:]

 

[SON1C]

subbed

 

[Thomas Dekany]

OC doesn't do much to keep your paint in amazing shape. Regular washing with good technique does that. Actually OC doesn't offer anything other than not needing to LSP. There are better LSPs for environmental protection, shine and contaminant release.


I think Optimum realized that a lifetime warranty was unsustainable. Combined with complaints from OC detailers about being undercut by hacks and you have the current situation.


No biggie for me, OC was great for wheels and that's about it. There are better sacrificial paint protectants out there.

 


 


Dan - I used 2.0 on a neighbor's red pickup truck 2 years ago - according to her, she takes it to a car wash every 2 weeks. (with brushes) Car sits outside 24/7 "where I live in the woods" - you should see finish now. as red as the day I did it, So your statement is not correct. Oh and btw, leave bird poop on the finish for a month with OC on it - what other coating will do better than that? I am all  ears.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

This. The cost/value of OCP at MAP was what was great, but now, seeing the cost go up, with no REAL benefits (I'm sorry, but that BS warranty that doesn't actually cover anything isn't an added benefit and clients see right through that), it's lost it's value and therefor my interest. For the same price I'd have to charge for OCP right now, I can offer PPF across the entire hood and simply LSP the rest of the car with wax. This won't create disappointed clients when I tell them OCP doesn't protect against deep scratching and rock chips, whereas PPF does. AND it creates repeat business for having the car LSP'd twice a year.

 


How is it that nobody has an issue with Cquartz's MAP?

 

[Thomas Dekany]

I spoke with Ron at optimum about this. He stated that they were actually putting 12-13cc's per tube. While this could potentially cover an escalade, there's not much left for error.


I understand that Optimum is potentially trying to weed out the hacks. But this is ensuring that almost no up and coming detailers will be able to offer their coating due to their minimum purchase requirements.


Looks like I will be rewriting sales pitches.

 


Not in my syringes!! 

 

[Driven Auto Detail]

Not in my syringes!! 

 


Yeah, I can't say I've ever seen any of mine have more than 10 or 40 (depending on what I was ordering).

 

[rexrock]

How is it that nobody has an issue with Cquartz's MAP?

Because we don't get emails from Corey telling us its going up....again and again.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Because we don't get emails from Corey telling us its going up....again and again.

It is $600 how high can you set it? What is the new MAP for OC?

 

[RaskyR1]

It is $600 how high can you set it? What is the new MAP for OC?

Where on earth did you get that number???

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Where on earth did you get that number???

From Corey - I can find it in my e mails if you'd like

 

[RaskyR1]

Dan - I used 2.0 on a neighbor's red pickup truck 2 years ago - according to her, she takes it to a car wash every 2 weeks. (with brushes) Car sits outside 24/7 "where I live in the woods" - you should see finish now. as red as the day I did it, So your statement is not correct. Oh and btw, leave bird poop on the finish for a month with OC on it - what other coating will do better than that? I am all  ears.

 


Durability/performance of any coating comes down to regular care, which I'm sure you are well aware of. OCP was still like new when I recently polished it off my car after 2 years. However, a very good client of mine comes in every 6 months with his S4 and it maybe sees a touch-less wash once or twice during that time. At the 6 month mark there was zero beading, even after a chemical decon (though I know it was still there). I polished with Primer and recoated. Another 6 months goes by and again, zero beading, even after another chemical decon. This time around I polished of OCP and recoated with CQuarts Finest, so we'll see if holds up any better when he comes back in.


 


Point being, regardless of whether a coating manufacture says its permanent, or its only said to only last for 2+ years, they all fall flat on their face if not cared for regularly and properly. On top of that, I have yet to see a client go more than 2 years without needing to have the car polished again because of the wash induced and/ or other marring. You can give them all the care advice and products you want, but rarely do the stick with it like we do on our own cars.

 

[RaskyR1]

From Corey - I can find it in my e mails if you'd like

You may want to do that and read it again, because it's $425 for the actual application. However, unlike OCP, Finest installers are required to perfect the paint prior to applying it, so the actual price would be higher with correction included, and I believe it was said it should be between $600-$650 min with correction. I marketed OCP the same way and made correction a requirement, because I don't believe in coating over swirls.