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Super Member
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Looks like a great product. I'm all in. Great for headlight restorations im hoping
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McKee's 37 Product Support
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Originally Posted by FUNX725
Hi Nick...
Bob,
Hello!
Originally Posted by FUNX725
Thanks for sharing the news about Optimum's new products!
My pleasure!
Originally Posted by FUNX725
Out of curiosity...
Is any "sanding-prep" required on new/newer 'head-lights'...
prior to the Opti-Lens application.
Or does all polycarbonate-lens need to be "scuffed"...
for Opti-Lens to bond?
Sanding/polishing is only required if the headlights are yellowed/oxidized. If you're working on a brand spankin' new car, there (in theory) would be no need to sand/polish the headlights before applying Opti-Lens Headlight Coating. I would, however, lightly polish (let's say Optimum Finish Polish) the headlights on a vehicle that is several months old. A light polish applied with a soft foam finishing pad would remove any contamination without abrading away the factory-applied UV protection. Opti-Lens Headlight Coating, much like Opti-Coat 2.0, needs to be applied to a surface that's squeaky clean and free of contaminants.
Originally Posted by FUNX725
Reason for asking:
A 2010 model year vehicle's 'headlights' shouldn't be in:
Too-bad-of-a-condition, or even yellowed-out.
(Or at least a person would hope not.)
You're correct - they "shouldn't be" in too bad of a condition. But let's use that logic in regards to gas pedals sticking and wheels falling off brand new cars. That "shouldn't" happen.
I was actually horrified upon taking delivery on my new-to-me 2010 Mazda 3. The headlights looked like they were 5+ years old. While they weren't trashed, they were far from perfect (remember I work for Autogeek) so a quick polish (I believe I used Meguiar's D300) restored them to optical clarity before applying the Opti-Lens Headlight Coating (I also wiped them down with 15% IPA after polishing).
Originally Posted by FUNX725
Thanks.
Bob
Any time Bob!
Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy
Yeah, no offense Nick, but presumably the factory coating on your headlights is intact, and that might be the application for a lot of members, to extend the life of the factory coating. But some of us have cars where the original coating has failed and been sanded off, and that is the real test for Opti-Lens, how much it outperforms Opti-Coat or the Spar method for restoration.
No offense taken - this thread was created for questions to be asked and theories to be discussed. As I explained to Bob, the headlights on my vehicle had already began to yellow/oxidize so polishing was necessary. I'm sure the factory-applied coating was removed by the abrasive polished used to restore optical clarity. With a cabinet full of "the good stuff", applying a coat of Opti-Lens Headlight Coating was a no-brainer.
I'm sure as Opti-Lens Headlight Coating becomes available, comparisons will be made. I'm anxious to see how well Opti-Lens Headlight Coating holds up on my vehicle. Unless Max adds another 0 to my yearly salary, I'll be driving the Mazda for a while. I'm looking forward to the day 3 years from now when I bump this thread and say "hey look at that, my headlights are still perfectly clear."
Originally Posted by g35_coupe
I would assume this coating will last quite a while longer since I have been told it is an acrylic/silicon carbide coating that can only be removed by abrasives.
Unless physically abraded away, Opti-Lens Headlight Coating will not be removed ("wear off").
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Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
I polish my headlights with every detail, just part of the process. They look very good and clear with the lights off. However when the lights are on you can see what looks like a somewhat very light sandblasted look. Could I use the OOLHC to fill and hide this? What I mean is apply, and wet sand as many times as it takes to remove or hide these defects? Much like applying a clear coat finish to paint I suspect.
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Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Originally Posted by Nick@Autogeek
the headlights on my vehicle had already began to yellow/oxidize so polishing was necessary. I'm sure the factory-applied coating was removed by the abrasive polished used to restore optical clarity.
I'm no expert on this and I'm sure there is a lot of variation between mfrs., suppliers, and year-to-year, but the factory coatings I have seen fail have had to be sanded off. It fails on the part of the lens with the highest UV exposure, so that part of the lens turns yellow. Then there is a transition area where there is some coating left, that looks blotchy, then there is a part where the coating is still good. So the old coating has to be removed in the transition and good area, and polishing doesn't do it, only sanding.
So I'm not sure if it was just the coating on your car that was yellowed and you polished off the yellowed part of the coating, or if the factory coating is really gone. It doesn't really matter, if Dr. G has formulated this product for lights, then as far as I'm concerned it's the product to use on headlights (and I'm hoping maybe trim) rather than the Opti-Coat I've been using.
I'm sure there are other members who will want to know how Opti-Lens compares to the Spar Urethane method, and that's really interesting to me from a technical standpoint, whether a one-part easy-to-use product like Opti-Lens can outperform the Spar or even the "real" UV-cured headlight coatings, but that doesn't have any real-world value to me like it does to the headlight restoration guys--who I'm sure will be feeding us results on this product.
Sheesh, I think I had too much coffee this morning, time for me to shut up already.
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Super Member
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Originally Posted by Nick@Autogeek
Any time Bob!
Thanks, Nick, for your responses to my inquiries.
I appreciate them.
I've got the perfect test/review-vehicle ('98 P/U)
for when Opti-Lens becomes available to the masses.
Bob
"Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk."
~Joaquin de Setanti
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McKee's 37 Product Support
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy
It doesn't really matter, if Dr. G has formulated this product for lights, then as far as I'm concerned it's the product to use on headlights
That's about as deep as I dig into the subject. I let the expert do all the heavy thinking and I simply take his word for it and use the products. I don't like to spend a whole lot of time thinking, analyzing and dissecting "theories" that I'm not properly educated on.
My headlights were yellowed/oxidized. I polished them. I applied Opti-Lens Headlight Coating and they look great. There's my analysis.
Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy
I'm sure there are other members who will want to know how Opti-Lens compares to the Spar Urethane method, and that's really interesting to me from a technical standpoint, whether a one-part easy-to-use product like Opti-Lens can outperform the Spar or even the "real" UV-cured headlight coatings, but that doesn't have any real-world value to me like it does to the headlight restoration guys--who I'm sure will be feeding us results on this product.
Comparisons are inevitable - that's what makes this hobby (errr obsession) so enjoyable.
Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy
Sheesh, I think I had too much coffee this morning, time for me to shut up already.
Have another cup for me.
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Super Member
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Originally Posted by SonOfOC
Would like the manufactures to perform some kind of comparison.
Originally Posted by Nick@Autogeek
Comparisons are inevitable - that's what makes this hobby (errr obsession) so enjoyable.
Speaking of comparisons:
Due to the money-making potential (for manufacturers and Detailers)...
It appears that many UV-Coatings specific to:
'Correction/Protection' of polycarbonate headlight/taillight lenses...
are now making an appearance on the car-care-products-scene.
As such:
I wonder how AI-ValuGard's: NiteBrite permanent coating technology...
Will stack-up to their competitors...
Bob
"Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk."
~Joaquin de Setanti
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Optimum Guru
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Opti Coat will add all the attributes to lenses that it does to paint. But, polycarbonate needs a little more from a coating than paint to be "Optimized"
Opti-Lens is a hybrid coating based on Opti Coat. We added acrylic for flexibility due to the constant expanding and contracting and increased the UV absorber content to accommodate the absence of protection inherit to polycarbonate.
This combination along with the attributes of silicon carbide (Opti Coat) is the 1-2 punch for headlight protection that makes it the ultimate lens coating. And considering that it doesn't have to be sprayed or lamp cured, it's also the easiest.
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Super Member
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Hi Chris...
-Must any of the existing OEM-polycarbonate-lenses'-"coating(s)" be:
Scuffed/sanded/compounded/polished/etc...
Prior to these lenses having an Opti-Lens Coating application?
-Is Opti-Lens: 'Layerable'?
Thanks.
Bob
"Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk."
~Joaquin de Setanti
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Super Member
Re: Optimum Opti-Lens Headlight Coating - What YOU Should Know
Good question Bob! I am interested in this new coating for my 2012 vehicles but I don't want to sand on lenses in excellent condition.
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