Optimum Products | Newbie reflections (thoughts...)

E300Diesel

New member
I've started reading this forum for the last few weeks and I can admit, becoming overwhelmed sometimes with the complexity of the products and procedures. With more and more reading I think I am slowly coming around... Slowly :nervous2:



From some of the posts and recommendations from Lightman I purchased the Optimum Hyper Compiunt (OHC) and Optimum Fine Polish (OFP). Both to be used with a PC 7424. It appears from reading the product description and threads that these aformentioned products work best with a rotary.



The vehicle at my hands was my '97 Mercedes E300. The vehicle has the typical swirl marks, etc... But no buffer holograms. Just usual wear and tear. I tackled the vehicle with an older style Lake Country pad (orange) with the OHC. There was evidence of the removal of some of the light swirls and scratches but some of the deep ones were not dissapearing. I had a yellow pad from a Jetta I had done the day before on one area but wasn't seeing much of an improvement. In addition in order to get any, dare I saw correction with the PC, I had to use a good amount of pressure and slow gradual movements.



Afterward I used a blue pad and applied some of CG's M-Seal. I like this stuff a lot. It went on easy on speed 3-4 on the PC and wiped off just as easy with a baby smooth touch.



Regaring the concave LC pads. I personally found this style to be a PITA. It seemed as though only the outside of the pad was making any real contact (hence my gracious application of pressure :nervous2: ). I've ordered a UDM which will be arriving end of the week and will also order some of the ne wLC CCS pads, yellow, orange, white, etc.... Already have a nice blue CCS pads waiting to break out of her plastic enclsoure. I already have the OHC, OFP, CG's M-Seal and will also add the KAIO to my newbie arsenal when I attempt to detail a 2003 Toyota Corolla that has never seen any love, other than usual washing.



From what I've learned when I tackle the Corolla I've do a nice wash, then attack it with the KAIO on a white pad to clean the surface. Then start with the OFP on an orange pad and see what happens after 2-3 gradual passes. If not enough I will move up to a yellow pad with OFP. If nothing then, I think moving up to OHC with an orange pad maybe a step in te right direction. Ofcourse a good thorough claying after the washing will ensue...



Sorry ya'll if that's too much to address in one post.... :thx
 
I'm not familiar with OFP, only OHC, OC, and OP. They will work fine with a rotary or a da. It's usually a problem in the opposite direction with some polishes, they will work ok with a da but dont do well with rotaries. Optimum polishes are extremely versatile and IMO easy to use. Love the super long working times and virtually zero dust.



You don't want to use a yellow pad or orange pad with OP or OFP (which i've never heard of but assume if it's actually a real product it's probably even finer than OP), those are finishing polishes...use a polishing/finishing pad with them, not a cutting or light cutting. Otherwise you'll end up having to go over it all again.



I've never used a UDM, but from what I've seen I'm guesing they probably work somewhere in the range of a cyclo...more action than a pc but not as much as a rotary. I'm thinking you will eventually just end up keeping it simple, on cars with lots of swirls you'll end up going yellow pad/ohc, and finishing with a polishing/finishing pad and OFP/OP.
 
Lightman said:
... with OP or OFP (which i've never heard of but assume if it's actually a real product it's probably even finer than OP)...



I double checked and it is indeed OP not OFP. My error... :help:
 
Lightman said:
You don't want to use a yellow pad or orange pad with OP ...



Hmmm, I only detail my car, but I've used OP with a Propel orange (light cutting) pad without any problems. The polish is pretty versatile.
 
I think you will find the UDM corrects noticably better than the PC. I'd try Optimum Compound with a burgandy Meguiars cutting pad as my starting point.
 
Im a hard core user of the optimum line and i cant even imagine using it with a DA machine. It takes forever and a day to break down with a rotary, i cant even imagine how long it would take with a DA.



BTW, OP can be used with ANY type of pad. But that can be said for any compound/polish out there.
 
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