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  1. #1
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    Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Product Review: Optimum Car Wax v2 (OCW) December 2009
    Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax-autogeek_2083_34941712-jpg

    First off, thanks to Meghan at AG for the test sample of OCW. You did your part so now I will hold up my end of the bargain.

    Introduction
    So, first of all, what is OCW? Optimum Car Wax is spray wax from Optimum Polymer Technologies, makers of the ever-so popular Optimum No Rinse (ONR) rinseless car wash product.

    Key benefits of OCW (from the manufacturer’s web site):

    • Easy to Use
      • Takes less than 15 minutes to wax the whole car.
      • No buffing required.
      • No residues to remove.

    • Durable
      • 1 application lasts up to 5 months

    • UV Protection
      • Helps reduce fading

    • Non-abrasive
      • Will not create swirl marks like traditional car wax/polishes

    • Environmentally Friendly
      • Contains no harsh chemicals or VOC's

    • Performance Guaranteed
      • If not completely satisfied with performance, purchase price will be refunded.


    Optimum Car Wax is currently used by many car washes and detail shops. The superior performance, ease of application, and no messy residue are just some of the reasons these professionals prefer Optimum Car Wax over all other products in the marketplace. Refer to our testimonials page for details.

    AutoGeek product link: Optimum Car Wax is a spray wax made with real carnauba and synthetic paint sealants for protection & shine! high-grade carnauba wax and silicone

    So what’s not to like, eh? Sounds very promising on paper, but will it really deliver on its promises? To find out, read on…..

    Why a spray wax?
    I was really itching to try this product because its touted benefits seem to be right up my alley. I like the concept of spray waxes because many of us either just don’t have the time for a full waxing session after each wash, or don’t need a full waxing each time. While traditional waxes have come a long way in ease of use and long lasting protection, it still takes time to apply, let cure, and buff off. For me, it typically adds 30-60 minutes to my process depending on temperature and how long I have to let the wax cure (and if I’m doing both of my cars, double that!). Also, after a full detail my paint gets sealed so I only expect regular maintenance in between, which means I don’t need to always do a full waxing. So, naturally the idea of a spray and wipe wax that gives me the just waxed look and extends the time between a full waxing really appeals to me. OCW claims to be a blend of carnauba (high grade, at that) wax with polymer-based UV inhibitors that give you the protection and gloss of carnauba while also providing enhanced UV protection – all in a convenient wipe-on-wipe-off spray formula. Also, OPT (Optimum Polymer Technologies) markets this as a direct competitor not to other spray waxes, but as a rival to traditional PASTE WAXES (see OPT's web site for more)! Now that is quite a claim. It even claims to hide light swirls and imperfections while it contains no abrasives. If you aren’t impressed yet, there is also that small bit about OCW offering a staggering 5 months of protection!


    From The Horses Mouth
    Most of these claims are not exclusive to OCW, but what I find interesting is the UV inhibitors and “5 months of protection” claims. To get more clarity, I went straight to the source; Optimum Polymer Technologies, Inc. in good ole’ Memphis, TN. David from Optimum was kind enough to answer all of my questions. I have paraphrased his responses below.

    Me: In regards to the 5 months of protection, is that using OCW as a stand-alone product, or in conjunction with a protection product underneath such as your own Opti-Seal?
    Optimum: OCW by itself. This will depend greatly on environmental conditions and your washing regimen. Using the wrong kind of soap or products, for instance, may affect longevity.

    Me: I’m not aware of any carnauba that last 5 months, so is the protection referring to the polymer UV protection only?
    Optimum: You can easily get 3-5 months of UV and general wax protection. Some people have reported as much as 7-8 months based on their own testing. This typically means your paint will be protected from the elements and still bead water for several months, however, gloss will be reduced as time goes on. Depending on your preference, OCW can be layered monthly, or more or less frequently as desired. Also, while the gloss may diminish, the general protection does not. OCW takes nicely to “layering”. All carnauba loses it's gloss, simply reapply when desired.

    Me: If OCW contains carnauba, is there a measurable amount (claims to be a safe protectant for use on black trim so it makes me wonder)?
    Optimum: Carnauba does not stain plastic – it should only leave a clear film. Abrasives are what stain plastic trim, and OCW contains no abrasives. Its purely a wax.

    Me: Why doesn’t optimum make a paste or liquid wax?
    Optimum: Our liquid wax is Poly-Seal. It’s a cleaner wax that removes light defects and contains carnauba. Paste wax is dated technology. Many people are moving away from paste wax because newer technology is providing similar results with easier to use products. We don’t like having more than one product that does the same thing, so our only pure wax is OCW. That keeps our product lineup simple.

    Me: So, are there any new products you guys are cooking up?
    Optimum: We have some exciting new products for the professional and consumer market that are in testing now and should be released next month. But, I’m not at liberty to discuss in great detail (chuckle).


    Thanks to David at Optimum for taking the time to answer these questions.

    My Personal Experience
    Before using OCW I washed, clayed, hand polished with SwirlX,, applied NXT 2.0, and let cure overnight.

    Performance
    I’ve never really considered a product’s aroma to have any significance, but apparently car care product manufacturers beg to differ. The first thing that hits you when you spray OCW is the Pina-Coloda smell. It’s quite pleasant and makes using the product quite enjoyable. Once you start misting the OCW on your car and get in the zone, you may occasionally peek at the label to ensure yourself that you grabbed the spray wax and not your quick detailer because it’s an identical experience. The formula is a milky-white color and I assume that’s from the carnauba it contains. I was expecting it to a bit thicker in consistency, however, and not so watery. Being that this is the only spray wax I have tried, I cannot compare it to anything else. This watery consistency somewhat took away from the confidence that the carnauba in OCW was actually adding to the process. As I worked around the car, however, my MF towel became soaked and I began to gain more confidence since it was leaving a temporary but visible film of product on the paint. I actually switched my technique a few panels into it. Instead of spraying and then buffing off right away (which is how the directions advise), I sprayed the panel, used the now OCW-dampened towel and “smeared” it across the panel. I did the same to the next panel, and then went back and easily buffed the previous panel. The product sat for less than 30 seconds, but this process instilled more confidence in what I was doing. It’s a personal preference thing, but so much of this detailing hobby is personal preference and that made the process much more rewarding for me. It was about 60 degrees in my garage so I was getting no hazing or streaking and I hope that is also the case when it warms up in the 90 degree range come summer time. Keep in mind, the manufacturer advises to avoid temperatures below 55 and above 90.


    Results
    As promised, I quickly finished up my Bimmer (cabrio) in roughly ten minutes. I inspected for streaks or residue and there were none to be found. I stood back to admire my platinum silver Bimmer and was reminded of my childhood when we used to play with the mercury inside those household thermostats (that may explain some things). Ok, maybe a bit dramatic, but needless to say I was very impressed. The paint was glistening and the reflections seemed as if they were separated from the paint. My eyes were lost in the reflections and I could barely see the actual paint surface. I could be wrong but I believe this is what is referred to as “depth”. Finally! Has my quest for depth on my bright silver car come to and end? Well, not exactly. It had actually ended with Meg #26 Yellow Wax, but that’s not nearly as convenient as this. And, after all, the number one goal for a spray wax is convenience. #26 Yellow Wax is definitely a high standard to aspire to for a non-boutique wax, let alone a spray wax, and Optimum Spray Wax has done so admirably. I will continue to use OCW as my maintenance wax; however, every so often I will hit it with some pure carnauba. And that may only be for my personal satisfaction. If pressed for time, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to use OCW as my only LSP (without sealant or other wax).

    Thoughts and Conclusion
    So if you have gotten over yourself about OTC products, and use(d) NXT 2.0, you know what a fantastic product it truly is. You may be thinking to yourself, “Self, NXT 2.0 looks great even by itself, how do I really know OCW contributed anything”? Well, the only way to find out was to do a test. So, before doing the whole car, I actually did a test on my trunk. The test was as follows:
    Wash,(recently clayed), polish to start with a clean slate. I divided the trunk into three sections. One had NXT 2.0 by itself, another had NXT 2.0 topped with Megs #26, and the third was NXT 2.0 topped with OCW.

    I think its safe to say that the vast majority of us will use a spray wax like OCW as a topper, maintenance, or booster wax, so that’s why I didn’t test it by itself (even though OCW claims to rival paste waxes in characteristics). I decided to do the visual inspection the next day since I had been staring at the paint so long that day. The next day, I tried to find a difference but it was very difficult since the lighting is not exactly the same at any two points. I had look at it from many different angles and for a really long time. Even though the difference was very subtle and completely subjective, what I gathered was that the NXT-only portion was very shiny and reflective. By reflective I mean that it reflected a lot of light off the surface, whereas the other two portions had less light reflecting off the surface so you could actually look into the paint a bit more. In other words, NXT 2.0 alone had more reflectivity and sparkle, but the other two sections had more depth. I felt it would be next to impossible for a camera sensor to capture this characteristic so I didn’t bother with posting pics of this test. You’ll just have to take my word for it (or not). I could not distinguish the Megs Yellow wax-topped portion from OCW, but I suspect Megs #26 carnauba-factor lasts longer(???). This was a very pleasing result, nonetheless. One thing to note: Look at the final pics and take note that my front bumper had only NXT 2.0 (intentional). The difference here is much more obvious than it was on my trunk test. See if you think there is a difference.

    After being impressed by the versatile ONR, I'm equally impressed with OCW. Even though the success of one product in a manufacture's lineup doesn't always guarantee the same for the rest, I will be trying more Optimum (OPT) products as I like their approach. I suspect many "old-schoolers" and die-hard enthusiasts will prefer a paste wax if for nothing other than than tradition. I urge you to try OCW and compare just exactly how much you are losing and weigh that against the sheer convenience you gain. If convenience and time-saving is as important to you as looks, you should seriously consider trying this product. Priced roughly the same as a high-end quick detailer ($15 16oz), you've got little to lose.

    Enough rambling, let's see some pics, already!
    This experience was both fun and enlightening for me. I hope you enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed conducting it, and I look forward to providing more reviews.

    Here are some pics of the final result. I was on my way out when I took these so I couldn’t get as many shots as wanted to but hopefully the beauty can be seen. Keep in mind the “convenience-to-beauty” factor here is very high. Remember, the front bumper was NOT hit with OCW, only NXT 2.0. So you can better see the results, I linked to my zenfolio page.

    Zenfolio | F. Alexander Premiere Photography | OCW Pics

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax-autogeek_2083_34941712-jpg  
    Last edited by sparkism13; 12-02-2009 at 10:35 AM. Reason: new link to pics

  2. #2
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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Great review!!! Looks like ill be ordering this on my next order. Thanks AG for letting people sample your products

  3. #3
    Super Member MisterShark's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Wow! Great report. Very well composed and laid out.

    I like the Optimum stuff I have so far (ONR, Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer, and Power Clean) and have just run dry on my Meg's UQW: I guess I'm going to try some OCW now to fill that slot.

    Thanks for the thoughtful review.
    James

  4. #4
    Super Member Pats300zx's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Fantastic review. Thanks for putting that together. OCW has always been one of my fav spray waxes. It will always be something that I have on hand. I still have a ton of the first version to use
    Only Z Best Detailing-Automotive Concours Detailing Services
    http://ozbdetailing.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ozbautodetailing

  5. #5
    Super Member ScottB's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Very deep review indeed ... nice contact and responses from Optimum too. They consistently work to improve the line and offer some sure fire hits. Thank you both ..


    Scott

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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Thanks guys. I just started using AutoGeek recently and have been truly impressed. When Meghan said she would send samples, I was not expecting what I got. I felt I should return the favor.

  7. #7
    Super Member SRHTX's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    OCW - Have it. LOVE IT!!!
    Stephen R. Hollon, Jr
    Pearland, TX
    (956) 357-7696 – Cell/Text / srhtx@yahoo.com

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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax


  9. #9
    Super Member DLB's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Um..WOW! That's one of the best forum reviews I have ever seen man. Good job.

    <taking notes from sparkism on how to right a good review>

    I am hoping to try some more of the Optimum products...
    I know I have heard nothing but good things.

    DLB

  10. #10
    Super Member SRHTX's Avatar
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    Cool Re: Review: Optimum Car Wax (OCW) v2 Spray Wax

    Quote Originally Posted by DLB View Post
    Um..WOW! That's one of the best forum reviews I have ever seen man. Good job.

    <taking notes from sparkism on how to right a good review>

    I am hoping to try some more of the Optimum products...
    I know I have heard nothing but good things.

    DLB
    Optimum is pretty much what I'm changing to on exterior wax detailing. Yes. I will still use Meg's 105/205 of course.
    Stephen R. Hollon, Jr
    Pearland, TX
    (956) 357-7696 – Cell/Text / srhtx@yahoo.com

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