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Waxes And Polishes

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  • mover1mover1 Member Posts: 9
    I have had the Zaino products mentioned on this thread for a month on my '99 Accord, & have been very pleased with the results. The only problem I
    have is on the black plastic door sills (running between the wheel wells, below the doos) - these appear whitish & dried up, despite repeated cleaning & re-application. Also, I somehow got a narrow nick(like a razor-cut) 1/8" long on the Zainoed surface. I applied the Gloss Enhancer (Z7, I think it is) followed by Z2 on the spot as a temporary fix. Any suggestions to solve the white stuff & this nick. Thx.
  • DarknessDarkness Member Posts: 24
    I've never hear dof Zaino leaving white stuff on a car, and I've applied it to about 5 or so cars..

    As for Applying it, I've basically put it on the applicator making a X inside a box formation, the most important thing I realized when applying it was the edge of the pad would suck of some of it but not the rest, so you have to have the edge of the pad with the heaviest amounts. And as I said, I let it sit for a LONG time, so that there's no smearing, it should come off easy with no residue, if not, just let it sit longer... Overnight drying is by far the best for me, because I won't use the car late on a worknight, I've even waxed the car starting at 11 and 12 at night, because if I am stripping the car, I don't want a lot of sunlight to affect my job or it drying too quickly.. then when I wake up, I simply wipe it off while I'm smoking my morning cigarette... easy enough.
    -The Darkness
  • jxyoungjxyoung Member Posts: 156
    You were right I was putting it on too thick and not waiting long enough to remove. I am getting much better on my wife's car. Can't wait to get back to my new truck. This stuff is slick! Super easy to remove. The most difficult thing was the claying and that is not all that bad. The hardest part is keeping the car clean between coats.

    I have another question I used the tire stuff on my truck and went down a dirt road and the dust stuck to the tires pretty good? I didn't think I could screw that one up but I will ask anyway?
  • DarknessDarkness Member Posts: 24
    Was the stuff still wet? If it was then hose it down and reapply, If it wasn't I've been doing my tires lately comparing with the armor all Super shine. I've put about 4 coats of Z-16 on my tires and they've stayed shiney for about 3 weeks now, with at least 7 rains in between then an now.
    What I did was applied Z-5 to my hood (I previously had to strip it b/c of a misapplication) and while that was drying washed and z'd my tired, which came out fantastic, but you have to clean them pretty good before you Z-16 them, if you do there should be no problems, I let both set overnight, and didn't have to remove the Z-16 it just dries itself, and the Z-5 was set... to clean the dirt off, say it's wet out and you go down a dirt road, just wipe em down with an old rag and some room temp water... it won't remove the Z-16, and you'll keep the shiny look, best yet it takes only 3-5 minutes at most to regain that perfect shine... God I sound like a salesman... ugh, shoot me if I continue to talk like this...
    -The Darkness
  • tomcat1tomcat1 Member Posts: 8
    Hi all,

    Has anyone found a good source for 100% cotton made in USA wash mitt with a good long nap?

    Thanks
    Tomcat
  • mdbaker1mdbaker1 Member Posts: 17
    I could go for a good long nap right now! Actually, I'm looking for the same thing. I'd also like to find an online source where I could buy some 100% cotton towels that are made in the USA. The search continues. Now about that nap...
  • DarknessDarkness Member Posts: 24
    I found one at the local Pep Bopys on 22, I forget who makes em but they were 100% made in the usa and works like a ncharm... be REALLY careful, I found the exact same mit made in korea or some far off land, and it's in the EXACT same package... I just look for the Made in the usa thingie usually near the UPC....
    -The darkness
  • blumsdenblumsden Member Posts: 15
    Does Meguairs Gold contain Carnauba? It does not mention it anywhere on the label. I thought it did, but wanted to make sure.


    Thanks!
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    #615
    Yes it does, but less than #26.
  • autokinitoautokinito Member Posts: 1
    I am detailing my car this weekend and would greatly appreciate recommendations for items I should use. I will be needing products to:

    (a) safely remove/hide the heavy swirl marks and minor scratches on (96) Dodge Spruce Green (I think Metallic) Paint
    (b) wax/polish the finish. (No "Z" brand please, no time to wait for delivery)
    (c) effectively & safely clean the abundantly plastic interior (soap & water have not done the trick)
    (d) restore richness to the faded and discolored interior black and grey trim, (ArmorAll has not worked for me)
    (e) clean mildly soiled carpets and seats

    I thank you in advance.
  • chanfochanfo Member Posts: 1
    Try www.autosupermart.com. They advertise 100% combed cotton towels even to bind the edges. Didn't say where they were made though.
  • shomanshoman Member Posts: 97
    Sorry about the URL not working, I think it has to have the http: in front, try this:

    http://www.dccarcare.com/wurth.html

    for "Detailing this weekend",
    I like Meguiars Gold Class in the paste version. Seems to go on with almost no powder, easy on and off, and lasts about as long as most products. No special prep needed, and only one step. For those swirls and scratches try to find Meguiars #7 polish it is used on some of the most expensive cars in the world (the first Million Dollar Duesey for example) and has worked on all of my cars. This is VERY mild polish and won't take out heavy marks, but for the light stuff, it's great, You can wax right on top of it.
    Lexol Vinylex is great for vinyl, or if you can't find that, Meguiars makes a good vinyl cleaner and conditioner that I like.

    For the faded grey and black trim, I still have to recommend Wurth Rubber Care.

    You can find most of this locally if you check out painters supply stores, they usually have a better selection of meguiars products than some of the auto parts stores. Wurth is kind of hard to find, but a lot of body shops use it, so call around (and again, try the body/paint shop supply places, you can buy retail there too)

    To clean cloth seats and carpets, I like Blue Coral Dri Clean. it is a pinkish liquid in a trigger spray bottle that I often find in K-Mart or Wal-Mart. It works VERY well. One caution.....DO NOT soak your carpets with buckets of water and soap. You will just invite mold and mildew along with rust. You can work in the Dri-Clean with your fingertips and then buff lightly with a towel (doesn't even need to be 100% cotton!) ;) Your carpets will dry in less than an hour easily on most days. Don't use a stiff brush on carpet or seats, it tears the fabric and you will make it older before it's time.

    Don M>
  • tomcat1tomcat1 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the tip on the wash mitt...

    Tomcat
  • StillwaterStillwater Member Posts: 44
    Tomcat:
    You don't want a cotton wash mitt--you want lambswool, real or synthetic. Cotton is good for a clean (i.e., well-washed) surface, so you can use it to dry or polish (though I prefer chamois or the Absorber for drying). However, when you are DOING the washing, the wool will pull the dirt away from the surface; with cotton, the towel/mitt will rub the dirt into the finish. Most auto stores (e.g., Pep boys) will have the wool mitts.
  • jemattjematt Member Posts: 6
    Well, despite some being a skeptic, I decided to try the Zaino process on my new, Royal Green 1999 Passat. I did a few things differently than instructed, however. After washing, I did not clay the car, but I used a pre-wax cleaner that I really love (I will not mention the brand, but it is non-abrasive and works REALLY well). I then did the Z1, followed by Z2. I must say that I am very impressed by the shine! The temp here in Indy today is in the mid-sixties, so it did not require an inordinate amount of time for drying. I plan on giving the car one last buff (with a 100% cotton towel). I was originally hesitant to try Zaino because I have heard that German paints are prone to clouding when using a polymer "wax". No clouding here, at all (except for the sky!). I have noticed that most of the posts here for Zaino are by people who own American cars. Well, Zaino now has at least one foreign car endorser! :)

    - Bolo
  • shawnmaloneshawnmalone Member Posts: 71
    Thousands of them -- insects who died on the windshield and front end sheet metal. Yes, I know, true believers will give their credit card numbers to the Zaino brothers, who eventually will send miraculous products. But in the meantime, I've spent three hours of my precious weekend applying an Armour All brand product called "Bug and Tar Remover" without complete success. In the meantime, is there any suggestion you can offer for removing dead bugs?
  • shawnmaloneshawnmalone Member Posts: 71
    I want to buy it today, not mail order. Whaddya think?
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Clay removes bugs easily.
  • billgiffbillgiff Member Posts: 16
    I went and Z'd my 99 Concorde this weekend. After I had dawned and clayed I found a 2' scratch on my roof that the dealer tryed to orbit out and looks like he went through the clearcoat. I made the mistake of proceeding and almost made it disappear. Now I want to show the dealer what it looks like without the Z, whats the best way to remove the Z in that area for demo to the dealer.
    By the way (stillwater) I found a large sponge covered in 100% cotton made by Simoniz, it has 1" long twisted cotton fibres and does an excellent job of washing, found it up here in Canada.
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Use that sponge and wash several times with Dawn. You might want to search this topic for "remove zaino". The pros here may have mentioned it.
  • dian2dian2 Member Posts: 11
    I have a friend that waxed their car and ended up with wax on the black plastic moldings. I have tried to remove this residue and can not. Anyone know of a way to remove this wax? Thanks
  • pblevinepblevine Member Posts: 858
    Bugs...You might try a little engine oil to soften the remains and then wash a few times with Dawn. Follow this by claying. Claying should really do the job. Then wash again with Dawn before applying Z1 followed by Z2. It should be a whole easier to remove bugs from a Zaino'ed finish in the future.

    dian2,
    I also had (have) the same problem. I repeated the use of Dawn on those spots (mostly hard to get to lines), and it seems to do the job "slowly". Translated: I get rid of some of it each time, but not all of it has been removed.
    At least no one but me seems to see it!
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    billgiff - clay will also help remove Zaino. Just rub it on that spot.
  • shawnmaloneshawnmalone Member Posts: 71
    Tried Clay Magic for the first time this evening, with good results. Bugs gone. Got to watch it around decals though.
  • shcst12shcst12 Member Posts: 34
    Beside Zaino, are there other products that will not leave white residue on non-painted surface like plastic and rubber? Thank you
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    clay will remove wax as well.
  • suzieq3suzieq3 Member Posts: 10
    Well, I just did the Dawn, Clay Magic, Z1, Z2 on my beater. (I didn't want to waste my Z6) I am awaiting the arrival of my '99 Cougar and thought I would try it out on my beater, just in case I pushed to hard with the clay or something and ended up scratching it or whatever, it wouldn't matter. Well the claying process was a lot easier than I thought it would be. And rubbing off the Z2 was a cinch. Not to mention, it smelled good too (like bubble gum). My father just shook his head everytime he walked by me on Sunday taking the time to do this process to an almost condemned car. Anyway, once again Zaino has out done itself. The results were outstanding. I am a bit of a neat freak, so I have used several different brands of wax, and have never seen such a great result.
  • milanobmilanob Member Posts: 5
    Since it is getting that time of year here in NY I decided to go to my local car care store and find a wax. What a shcok I got. I was literally bombarded by about 25 different waxes, polishes, washes, etc. that all swore they were the best for my car.

    what about thoose informercials with the spray on type of wax that sets up easily and wipes off just as quickly? Are they any good? I am specifically talking about HydroWax?

    I own a 1995 Chevy Blazer LS. Two tone paint, Teal and Silver. Pretty car in great shape.

    any suggestions on what to get and how to apply it?

    Thanks,

    Ben
    coldslide2netscape.net
  • josephkjosephk Member Posts: 7
    Dear Ben,
    Following the advice of the friends on this Topic List, I ordered Zaino products and applied it on my new car. WOW... The results were simply unbelievable. You don't know how much I thank everyone for recommending Zaino to me. The people on this list really know what is best for our cars!! :) I sincerely urge you to order Zaino products instead of on-the-shelf products. Zaino is a snap to apply, leaves your vehicle with a showcar glitter, keeps dust off quite well, and lasts longer than others. You'll love it, too.
    -Joseph.
  • milanobmilanob Member Posts: 5
    I have been reading thru many, many of the posts on this topic and I must say it is quite detailed (no pun intended).

    But what about us poor slobs who just want to have a nice looking car,in my case SUV, without spending these high prices for products such as Zaino, etc.?

    I am just a working guy who wants to wash his car weekly and wax/polish his car a few times per year. I don't want this whole car cleaning system with clay and stuff.

    What would you suggest for a guy like myslef? And please, no wise [non-permissible content removed], sarcastic, smart [non-permissible content removed] remarks.

    Thanks,


    Slider
  • milanobmilanob Member Posts: 5
    Does anyone know of any websites where I can find unbiased, honest reviews of waxes, pastes, polishes, etc.?

    Don't tell me about Consumers Reports or Consumer Digests. I looked, they have nothing of use.

    Any would be of help.


    Thanks,

    Slider
  • pblevinepblevine Member Posts: 858
    Slider,
    I hear ya. Look at the other waxes & finishes topic in this same forum (Maintainance & Repair). I still say that Zaino is the best product out there. But you too can be the judge of that. There are many "normal" wax products on the market, and the other topic does contain many comparisons of them.
  • tonewheeltonewheel Member Posts: 47
    OK... got the Zaino last Friday, clayed the car (3 month old I30) and Zaino'd it. My thoughts: The finish on my I30 was so phenominally smooth as delivered that I really questioned claying it. But took your guys advice anyway. It was pretty easy, actually. But, there was no noticeable difference in the feel of the paint afterwards, and the clay didn't really remove much. The Z1 was a bit tougher to do than I thought, but the Z2 went on and off like butter. 3 coats over 2 days. I had been using Meguiars Gold Class paste prior to this process (and yes, I did remove all of it prior to the Zaino applications.) In my opinion, on my car, the Zaino shine/gloss/depth is no better than the Meguiars shine/gloss/depth. So I am not personally impressed. However, the benefit I am looking for is how long this will last. Based upon previous postings, I am expecting much longer staying power compareed to the Gold Class, so I won't have to do this as often.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    #639

    Even if you do/don't the math, Zaino is still the best(z-1,z-2). Given your post, don't do the claying. But in all fairness, whether you use a conventional wax or Zaino, claying does make the finish more smooth.

    For whatever reason/s, people have made out Zaino to be harder/longer to apply than conventional wax/polish. NOTHING could be further from the truth!!
  • mortifymortify Member Posts: 9
    I used to use Meguiars Cleaner Wax about twice a year, and it kept my cars looking nice. I've been a bit more fanatical since then, but I still use the Meguiars to get STUFF off of my car.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    #644
    If you use #7 Meguairs and finish with #26 you will know what I mean about Zaino being less work by far. This combination (by their own web site) lasts at most 1- 1.5 months. The cleaner wax although one step in nature, lasts considerably less than the #7,#26. If you like to do TYBO waxing, then more sweat to you, for sweat you will!!
  • wc3georgewc3george Member Posts: 23
    Try Duragloss. I tried it side-by-side with Zaino on a new van and couldn't tell any difference in shine. I'm still in the durability phase, although it's lasted well on my other car.

    It's about half the cost of Zaino.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    #646
    I tried duragloss....
  • shomanshoman Member Posts: 97
    Most of the stuff you can find on the various waxes will by definition be biased. There are lots of good products out there, I sell some, and so I am biased towards those, but at least I get to choose what I sell since I don't manufacture it! ;)

    There is so much mis-information about this topic because there have been so many bad products and scam artists over the years.

    One topic that I would like to address is the one that clay removes wax. A couple of points. If you expect to remove all of your wax by one clay session (for example, to then apply Zaino) you should take more steps. Clay glides on a layer of liquid and only really touches the paint where things stick out of if (if you use the clay correctly) thus it can't really effect the main surface layer that much. If you use a detergent as lubricant, that detergent will remove much more wax than the clay itself. On the other side of the coin, if you want to clay between waxings, you can be assured that you won't remove all of your wax in one clay session!

    Don
  • milanobmilanob Member Posts: 5
    I went out today and I bought Meguiar's.

    I bought:

    Deep Crystal System Polish
    " " " Carnauba Wax
    Gold Class Clear Coat Prep and Swirl Reducer

    I paid $23 for everything.

    I have a bad back so I went a bought a 9 5/8" Bufer/Polisher from Sears. Lifetime guarantee! ($57.00)

    So now I am waiting for Saturday (70 degrees, early morning) and I'm gonna make my car shine like a mother******!

    I can't wait!

    Thanks guys,


    Slider
  • HWeb2HWeb2 Member Posts: 1
    Hi all,

    I recently got a new car and the dealer gave me a bottle of sealant and told me I could have as much as I wanted. Can someone tell me the advantages/disadvantages of a sealant versus a wax or polish. After reading through all the posts here, I was thinking about getting some Zaino (money is not really an issue, but of course the sealant is free). Can I use both? I also saw a commercial tonight for a sealant called Prolong that is supposed to better than any wax. Has anyone used this Prolong stuff? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    HWeb2
  • drscopemdrscopem Member Posts: 83
    Hi:
    There are 2 basic ways to protect your finish: one is with a wax and the other is with a sealant. Waxes are products like carnauba, montan, paraffin, etc. These products are designed to be sacrificial, i.e. to wear off gradually while still protecting your finish.
    Sealants are synthetic products, i.e. polymers. These include Finish First, Klasse, Nu-Finish, Zaino, etc. They are similar to the clearcoat of paint on your car. Some products contain both, i.e. Meguiar's Medallion,etc. Only if a product truly seals your paint and prevents it from "breathing", i.e. passing solvent gases into the atmosphere will you have problems.
  • wc3georgewc3george Member Posts: 23
    Very cryptic post (#647).

    What was your experience w/ Duragloss?
  • DropTop90DropTop90 Member Posts: 22
    my 2 cents here: the Collinite 476 wax is holding up very nicely although I've only got one coat on so far. I just began using Meguiar's Qwik Detailer and I'm very happy with the results. These products work well together, are easy to apply and remove, and don't require multiple steps to get the job done. I also started using Meguiar's new Endurance tire gel (called for the free sample) so bye bye Armor All.
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    why was applying Z-1 tough? You just wipe it on and leave it.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    Hi Everyone-

    The ONLY reason anyone would have trouble removing Z-1 or Z-2 is because they applied too much or they didn't let it dry thoroughly!

    Just my 2 cents.

    fastdriver
  • avs007avs007 Member Posts: 100
    Will clay get rid of those butt-ugly white splotches where I have wax in my stone chips on my hood?

    The hood on my BLACK GTP has dozens of these white splotches... Its driving me crazy... Which leads to my second question... Where do I get clay? There is no Pepboys anywhere near me, no Autozone, Summit doesn't carry it anymore, etc etc...

    Right now, I'm using Meguiars Crystal Polish System, as I feel stupid buying Zaino right now since I already spent like $25 on the Meguiars stuff... I'm already impressed with the shine, but someone told be, I'm in for a shocker when I do buy zaino later on... But if Zaino/Clay will get rid of those white splotches, I'm buying the stuff tomorrow ;p

    After reading some of the posts, I felt like a stake was shoved in my heart, as when I took delivery of my GTP, it was delivered to me via TRAIN.... That's why, I've been lookin' for clay.... The Paint Cleaner I have (Crystal Polish System), makes the paint smooth as silk, but man does it require "elbow grease"....
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    avs007-

    No elbow grease with Zaino! Try it, you'll LOVE it! BTW, I don't think that's wax in those chips on your hood. I have a Candy Apple Red 300M and I have those white spots too. I think it's the base coat under the paint. Only touch-up paint will cover those up. What a mess that would be- at least on my car!

    Good luck.

    fastdriver
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    WWW.SUMMITRACING.COM has Clay Magic. You can get the plain bar and use Dawn+water, or get the package with lubricant which is a polish also, and stays on the car.

    Don't know if it will remove those white spots, but I would guess it would absorb the wax. You didn't say: Is the paint chipped off of those spots? If so, I guess you'll touch them up afterwards? Are you sure that is wax, and not the color underneath the paint?
  • milanobmilanob Member Posts: 5
    I think you guys go a little overboard with this car wax/clay bar stuff
This discussion has been closed.

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