Optimum Compound & Polish = M105 & M205?

[nubaseal]

I know M105/205 is the most popular polish combination ever but for some strange reason I never got on with M105. It dusted like crazy and when I tried the Optimum Compound, it took me by surprise as there was no dust, it was so much easier & the polish stayed clear while working. Plus a breeze to wipe off.

Does this mean I can use the optimum twins as a direct replacement for M105/205 in all situations? Where does the Optimum Finish polish figure in all this as Meguiar's doesn't seem to have a finishing polish ( considering 105 is a compound and 205 is a medium cut polish).

[swanicyouth]

I don't use Meg's polishes - but I've spent a lot of time with the Optimum trio. My gut tells me M105 is more aggressive than Compound, but I do know Compound has a long working time and doesn't dry up or dust if used correctly. Polish II likely has similar cut to M205, and it also is easy to use.

Finish is an ultra fine polish with little cut for "jeweling", LSP removal, or on soft dark paint. It's also good as the last thing that touches the paint before OptiCoat - minus water. As, there is nothing in any Optimum polish that messes with the bonding of OC, it just needs to wiped with water. I don't think Meg's makes such a fine polish as Finish. All these polishes are SMAT.

[ZeroSP]

I don't use Meg's polishes - but I've spent a lot of time with the Optimum trio. My gut tells me M105 is more aggressive than Compound, but I do know Compound has a long working time and doesn't dry up or dust if used correctly. Polish II likely has similar cut to M205, and it also is easy to use.

Finish is an ultra fine polish with little cut for "jeweling", LSP removal, or on soft dark paint. It's also good as the last thing that touches the paint before OptiCoat - minus water. As, there is nothing in any Optimum polish that messes with the bonding of OC, it just needs to wiped with water. I don't think Meg's makes such a fine polish as Finish. All these polishes are SMAT.

Truly agree... While I have less to say for the Opt Hyper Compound, the Hyper Polish is way underrated here in AGO. Let's not forget the finish polish and the metal polish too.

[tuscarora dave]

I've never really been too concerned with dusting while compounding as long as I can save time and finish nicely so I stuck it out with M-105 to get through the learning curve with it. Along the way I had tried several alternative compounds and polishes, including Optimum Hyper Compound, Optimum Compound II, Optimum Hyper Polish, Polish II, Optimum Finish.

Some of the things I noted while using Optimum's compounds and polishes.

1. They do work longer with very little to no dusting, but they take a lot more time and passes to get the same results as I get with the Meg's Twins. This added time doesn't work for me as time is money.

2. The polymers that are in Optimum's compounds and polishes that allow them to be less dusting, and workable in sun or shade, tend to be difficult to completely remove by doing alcohol wipe downs after compounding to inspect your true results however, they do eventually wash off, potentially revealing holograms down the road a ways, when you would've sworn up and down your finish was perfect the day of compounding and polishing.

If you're aware of this, and adjust your polishing times to be sure you're removing enough paint to be absolutely sure the product isn't masking anything, I guess it's a non issue.

#2 was just an embarrassing lesson I had personally learned along the way.

[nubaseal]

I've never really been too concerned with dusting while compounding as long as I can save time and finish nicely so I stuck it out with M-105 to get through the learning curve with it. Along the way I had tried several alternative compounds and polishes, including Optimum Hyper Compound, Optimum Compound II, Optimum Hyper Polish, Polish II, Optimum Finish.

Some of the things I noted while using Optimum's compounds and polishes.

1. They do work longer with very little to no dusting, but they take a lot more time and passes to get the same results as I get with the Meg's Twins. This added time doesn't work for me as time is money.

2. The polymers that are in Optimum's compounds and polishes that allow them to be less dusting, and workable in sun or shade, tend to be difficult to completely remove by doing alcohol wipe downs after compounding to inspect your true results however, they do eventually wash off, potentially revealing holograms down the road a ways, when you would've sworn up and down your finish was perfect the day of compounding and polishing.

If you're aware of this, and adjust your polishing times to be sure you're removing enough paint to be absolutely sure the product isn't masking anything, I guess it's a non issue.

#2 was just an embarrassing lesson I had personally learned along the way.

Thanks for sharing.

I thought Optimum claimed its polishes are water based and you don't even need an IPA wipe down prior to applying Opti Coat. If what you are saying is correct, there should be a lot of Opti Coat failures or at least complaints that the fillers washed off after the coating cured. Is that the case?

[tuscarora dave]

Thanks for sharing.

I thought Optimum claimed its polishes are water based and you don't even need an IPA wipe down prior to applying Opti Coat. If what you are saying is correct, there should be a lot of Opti Coat failures or at least complaints that the fillers washed off after the coating cured. Is that the case?
You're welcome.

Optimum claims a chemically synergistic compatibility between their polishes and their coatings. That doesn't mean that there aren't any polymers left behind after wiping with water or alcohol. It just means what is left behind doesn't interfere with Optimum Coating's bonding.


I simply shared my own experience with the Optimum line, which was after compounding,polishing and doing IPA wipe downs to inspect my work, the results appeared to be flawless in direct sunlight. Upon returning to this client's home to do a wash and wax a few months later, to my surprise there were some pretty bad holograms in the paint. This was before I started using coatings so it had nothing to do with coatings at all.

At that point, I knew that the optimum line was likely to (regardless of alcohol wipe downs) mask the actual condition of the paint on cars. I simply made several more section passes with their polishes after compounding to be absolutely sure this wouldn't happen again. For me, this just took too long.

In the end, I went back and finished the M-105 learning curve and haven't looked back.

[nubaseal]

I don't use Meg's polishes - but I've spent a lot of time with the Optimum trio. My gut tells me M105 is more aggressive than Compound, but I do know Compound has a long working time and doesn't dry up or dust if used correctly. Polish II likely has similar cut to M205, and it also is easy to use.

Finish is an ultra fine polish with little cut for "jeweling", LSP removal, or on soft dark paint. It's also good as the last thing that touches the paint before OptiCoat - minus water. As, there is nothing in any Optimum polish that messes with the bonding of OC, it just needs to wiped with water. I don't think Meg's makes such a fine polish as Finish. All these polishes are SMAT.

Thanks. Coming from you, it inspires a lot of confidence in their polishes :xyxthumbs:
Can I ask what all polishes do you use, other than Optimum?