GotChrist?

After all the RaggTop and OptiSeal I was surprised I wasn't dazzled with spectacular results when it rained.
http://s12.photobucket.com/user/sherman1125/library/

Zorlac

Was it good and clean when you applied it? Did you let it dry well between coats? I used RaggTop over two years ago on my 01 and it still repels water pretty well.

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

With Ragtopp I have found you need to let the roof completely and fully dry after cleaning and before using the protectant. Then allow to fully dry between each coat. Remember its not water proof but highly water resistant.

JVM225

I haven't used the RaggTop yet, but I can vouch for the 303 Protectant.
You may want to start over and give it a try.
I use it on my boat canvass every year after putting the separate pieces in to commercial washing machines at a local Laundromat. It's a 30' boat so the canvass won't all fit in one machine.
I put the pieces in the machines, add detergent and bleach, and then let them air dry in the sun. Once dry, I spray two coats of 303 on the side that faces the sun and I never have even a hint of a drop wicking through.
The canvass always looks brand new after I complete the process.
I was real nervous about the whole process. Especially the though of putting bleach in a machine with my navy blue canvass. But after talking to the guy who initially installed it, and doing a little research to confirm his recommendation, I gave it a shot.
I'm going in to this detail because I would imagine that the process in the machine with the detergent and bleach are a lot harsher than most anything you could throw at a convertible top on a car. So there is no doubt that once the canvas pieces come out of the machines there is very little, if any, repellant left in them.
I certainly wouldn't suggest that you do anything near as drastic with your convertible top, or that you use anything as harsh as bleach on it. But it might pay to give it another really good cleaning (it's probably a bit more resilient than you may think), let it completely dry in the sun, and give it another try.

GotChrist?

I have used 303. Same results.
Yes, I allow it to dry between coats in accordance with instructions listed on the can.

Car was clayed, polished with Menzerna polishes, washed, wiped with 50/50 IPA, and then sealed with OptiSeal. One coat applied per day to allow 24 hours between applications. Car was inside neighbors garage for two weeks while I detailed the car.

JVM225

It could be the color itself. While white is classic and almost always looks good, it doesn't have the extreme appearance swings of some other colors. I find the same to be true with silver.
My Le Mans Blue C6 really pops and looks dripping wet with a lot of depth when I get done with it. That's the good part. The bad part is that once I drive the car it shows everything. My DD 2012 Black Honda Pilot is the same way.
Every time I get a black or dark colored daily driver I swear that I'll never do it again, but somehow I wind up making the same mistake.
Dark colored cars are great when just detailed, but they are a real pain in the neck to keep looking good.
While your white car might not pop as much after you finish with it, your efforts will appear to last a lot longer.
Whenever I had white or silver cars I found that the best way to really make them look good was to spend a lot of time on wheels, trim, etc..
The better those things looked, the better the white or silver finish looked.

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

Optimum Car Wax, Reload Spray Sealant, and Duragloss Aquawax are great sprays with no buffing and bead up like crazy. They are so very easy to use after each wash session also. Less than 5 minutes and your done !

GotChrist?

My post is about the product. The OptiSeal does not appear to bead or sheen water well, let alone in comparison to other sealants I've used such as Rejex and Four Star UPP.

White is amazing to see when polished out. The paint looks like it's moving; like some sort of Pink Floyd'ism.

GotChrist?

Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to return to normal non-WOWO sealants. It doesn't look like OptiSeal does anything, let alone anything better given its cost.

Does it seal/protect the paint or is it, dare I say, snake oil?

JVM225

Sometimes I think that I have an addiction to car care products. All too often I'm told that something is "fantastic, or "the best".
Inevitably, I wind up buying things that I probably shouldn't. That's why I have way too much on my garage shelves. I'll bet I have at least a dozen variations/brands of quick detailers alone taking up space. Don't even get me started on polishes, waxes, glazes, sealants, etc.. "Best ever" wheel cleaning brushes are a whole other story.
While I will admit that I do like certain last step products for different colors, I have to confess that I don't think there is all that much difference in the overall quality of most of the products that are out there these days.
Most of what is considered "better" is very subjective. You might like the way product A makes your white finish look, and the next guy might prefer the way that product B makes his exact same make, model, year, and color look.
"Find what you like and stick with it" is probably good advice that would save us all a lot of money. Deviate from it only after seeing for yourself up close and in person how a different product looks "better" to you on the same color car as yours. Ask the owner what it is, and where he got it. Then give it a try.
Sadly, I know that I will again be tempted by the next "greatest" car care product that comes along.
Maybe it's time to build more shelves in the garage.

GotChrist?

I'm still at a loss as to how Opti-Seal has rave reviews. I do not see any sign of protection. Looks is one thing (One of my bikes has a blue metallica paint and it POPS! with S100 wax. Sealants don't give it that same pop.

The motive of this was to discuss Opti-Seal and RaggTop since they are "pushed" on here. If they are what they are, then where did I go wrong?

From looking at these pics, would anyone want to spend the money on Opti-Seal? DP now has a similar product that is supposed to last several years. Is it more hype like OS?

For those that have used OS, did it bead water when washed or when it rained? What about Raggtop? Did it bead water amazingly well when in a downpour or washed?

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

There are several WOWA sealants like Opti-seal. I find they work well over a well cured sealant and as additional layer of protection and gloss. I have used in on wheels alone with nice results. I don't commonly use that type of product alone on paint personally.

The new DP product is not a WOWA sealant, it is a ceramic based coating. These products protect a lot longer than sealants. They don't always bead, a lot sheet water and rinse off differently. I have not tried our newest product, but others exist like Cquartz, Gtechnic and more.

John Ulrich

I tried it on chrome wheels and was underwelmed also.

GotChrist?

That makes it a confirmed kill.

Dave1

I've had the same addiction for years and I end up giving away more products than I use when I discover they aren't as good as advertised.....


When I bought my new daily driver, an 04 silver Marauder, I went straight to my go to stuff, Zaino.....

After a complete Menzerna power massage, I finished it off with Z2pro, Z-CS and a Z-8 wipe down before I took it out of the garage....( A two day deal for me these days..)

That combination has never ever let me down.....

And it's still my favorite for my vehicles......

Dave1

Has anyone used the new Rustoleum Neverwet products yet.......?


This stuff looks awesome and might be exactly what the OP is looking for......

victorf

^^^That stuff has questionable UV protection.

Sooooo....only if the car is a permanent garage queen?

gmblack3

Dave, I saw another video review on youtube and it appears the stuff is garbage:

gmblack3

Here is a little demo of a 427 vert top that I used HD fabric protector on.