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Comments
Are you referring to the high pressure rinse wands that they have at do it yourself car washes?
If so, well, I use that all the time and have done so every week for the past 1 1/2 years!! My paint look great. In fact, I think it is superior to other ways for avoiding scratches. I don't risk rubbing sandy soil into the paint.
Of course, I never use the soapy application - I only use the high pressure rinse?
Could awful things happen to me in the future that I am not aware of?
My biggest Z challenge is to apply the Z quickly enough that I can distribute it over a large enough areas before little particles of dried Z form on the applicator and on the lid opening. Also, in my climate, if I don't dampen the applicator, the Z hardens quickly, and I get a thick coat of Z because I can't distribute it before it dries.
Not only do I have to dampen the applicator with water, but I have to close the Z lid between every Z "swipe".
Yes, it is a challenge to get just the right amount of water/Z6 on the applicator. And Yes, you can easily get too much water on the applicator, where you end up with some dampness on the vehicle. However, in a hot, dry, climate the excess water evaporates very quickly, leaving only the Z. The worst that may happen in my opinion is that you won't get enough Z on the car, and you may have to do more applications to get the same result as in more humid or cool situations.
The upside is that you CAN do more Z applications because of the fast drying time.
Also, as you get practice, you will learn how to get just the right amount of dampness. I suggest using a spray bottle of water to dampen your applicator.
I use some Z6 as a dampener, but it is expensive, dries as fast as water, and you will end up using a lot of Z6 if you don't augment it with just plain water.
Note also that the sun does not have much to do with it, except that when you are in the sun, it raises the temperature, which expedites the drying. I always apply my Z in the garage, and I have the exact same condition you describe.
By the way, do you still have a gold colored car?
>Sometimes when washing my car with Z7, there are unrinsed dry water
>> spots. Is is safe to buff them off with the 100% cotton towel, or
>> should one wait until the next wash to get rid of them?
Sal's Response:
Most 'fresh' mineral deposits (water spotting, acid rain, etc.) can be
removed with Z-7 Show Car Wash or Z-6 Gloss Enhancer spray. If they have
been on the car for a while and Z-6 or Z-7 will not remove them. Use
household white vinegar full strength. This is acetic acid and will
loosen and remove the mineral deposits and not harm the paint surface.
Most of
the time,
the water spot etching you see is simply the hardened mineral deposit,
giving the illusion of etching into the paint. Believe me, when these
mineral deposits harden. They become really tough and hard to remove.
The trick is to not give them a chance to harden.
If the above fails, then use the Z-18 ClayBar to remove them....
If those water spots on your car have been there for a while. They might
be already etched into the clear coat. If Z-18 ClayBar will not remove
them. Then what you are seeing is an etched spot in the paint surface.
First off, claying does really work, just look at my 10 year old car. I couldn't believe the shine on the hood. Other parts well thats another story. But the hood was amazing. Now I am starting to think maybe I should start using Zaino on this car as well and that there might be still some life in the paint.
So was it the Z6 alone that got this sparkling shine?
I'd hate to start Zing this car since this is our everyday car, sits under the sun 24x7. If this baby starts to shine like new, I may end up Zing her too.
I'll try the Z18 claybar again and then try the white vinegar. Will finish up with a couple of coats of Z2 or Z5.
Thanks lapvn for your input. Been using Meguiar's wax for some time and was okay with results, though it only last for 3 month. Usually start at 8-9am, wash, clay, wash, dry, rest and have lunch and then wax. Will report my experience with Zaino.
If so, do you use water or Z-6 or a mixture (if so, what ratio). Thanks, Jeff
When the climate is more humid/cool, then what Tmart says is probably true. Even small amounts of moisture will do the trick. In my climate, a damp applicator is crucial and I find myself having to redampen the applicator several times. A couple of trigger pulls of Z6 would definitely not work for me.
AND - as most here can tell you - once you start breathing the fumes, you can't stop! Maybe we should change the name of the forum to the "Just one more coat" club!
Just a quick trigger pull/mist will do about 2 square feet or more.
Make sure you completely wipe off the Z6 immediately before it dries.
Also, you don't really buff Z5. As soon as it hazes you just wipe it off. Ditto for Z6; you apply then dry very quickly.
Note that your result will vary depending upon the color of your car. For gold or silver or my medium grey, the results are much more subtle than on black and red cars.
If you live in a humid and or cool climate, 30 minutes dry time might not be long enough.
I agree with automophile that right around coat 4 is when things get spectacular.
The next in-between, you can do the wheels and tires, the trunk and do the windows really well inside and out. I also use this time to wipe down visible engine compartment parts to keep them clean and shiny. A really FUN afternoon!
jauto - be SURE that the Z is really dry before removing. If it isn't, you can get those streaks. Wipe it with your finger - it should come off as a white dust and leave NO residue. If not, it isn't ready. Go back to work on the inside for a while.
I can't advise on humid areas, since 30% is extremely high for my area. I normally am operating in 5-10% humidity, with temperatures in the low to mid 80s. When the humidity is 25% +, it changes the experience for me significantly.
I do Saturday household chores like laundry while waiting for the Z to dry. Unlike automophile, I don't do a Z and the interior on the same day.
I agree with automophile. Even in my high temp/low humidity, I wait at least an hour before removing the Z.
Usually, the day before I do a detail job, I do the interior the night before; vacuuming, cleaning the inside windows and wiping down the dash. May have to rearrange the order. May decide to wash and dry the night before. Let the car dry up during the night and bright and early in the morning apply the polish. During the 30 minute wait, clean the interior. What do you guys use to clean the engine, Simple Green? Any precautions I should consider before doing it. Thanks.
I looked up Atlanta and Jekyll Island. The humidity for both those areas is at least 70%.
Per Sal's application recommendations on the Zaino bros. web site, you need to wait at least an hour for your Z2/5 to dry. I suspect that if you Z in the morning, you need to wait more than an hour, because optimal temperature for Z is 70+ degrees. You can Z at lower than 60, but Sal warns that dry time is much, much longer below 60.
1/2 hour dry time is probably not long enough for your area.
I have been known to Z at night and wipe off in the morning.
=======================
My Question:
>> 1) It is difficult to see the Z-2 polish haze on vehicles in some colors.
>> How does one tell if their application of Z2/Z5 is too light? For
>> example, how does one tell if they miss some areas?
Sal's Response:
You will be fine... Don't worry...
When in doubt apply a second coat...
========================
I still sometimes miss spots when I wipe off.
The way I tell that Z is helping my car is to compare my paint with that of brand new vehicle of the same color. My car, now 1 1/2 years old, looks shinier than the new ones.
tmart is in the same situation with his gold car, which is why I asked in a recent post if he still owned his gold car.
Zaino rules!
Brad (card-carrying member of Zainoholics Anonymous)
"JUST ONE MORE COAT" (I love that one!)
I have to admit that a dark colored car -- when clean and especially when freshly Zainoed -- is more striking and shiny. But I'll sacrifice that look and be content with my almost always shiny light colored car, content knowing that a dark colored car will quickly show every speck of dirt.
No offense intended -- as they say, to each his own, and different strokes . . .!
I'm a Zainoholic too, but I'm often forced to go weeks without a wash -- and a commercial wash is out of the question.
But as I said, different strokes for different folks!
Someone here had mentioned another type of applicator. I imagine a soft foam pad would work well. When I was still laboring with a polisher and wax, I was using foam polishing pads instead of terry cloth, and satisfied with the results.
Also - Guess what I did today - Just One More Coat!
Alternate pads, well I used those for applying the leather treatment. They look like crap. So far from my test, the pads Zaino has is much much better than what you can get at the stores. Same goes for the wash mits. Bought a three pack once and returned it right away. Felt like I was just applying water. The Zaino wash mits are much much better.
Get out cars dirty. Heavens to Betsy. Would anyone really want that if they could help it. NO WAY FOR US ZAINOHOLICS. Winter is another story, after all I would have to wait for weather to be around 60 to even think of doing a wash.
I would like to thank Mr. Spell for his 1 MORE COAT speech at last weeks ZA meeting.
I'm definetly a Zainoholic:
The wife comes out yesterday, sees all my Z stuff out, the vinegar I robbed from the kitchen and all the towels I used in a pile on the side of the driveway, asks WHAT ARE YOU DOING? After explaining the above process, she says, what marks? I tell her if you look at this certain angle you can just make them out, she looks at me and says "your crazy". She says you clean this car when its clean(That's the Z), and she jokingly says she wants as much attention as I give to the car finish.
After reading for some time, and using Z for a year or so, I noticed some posting that they don't wash in the winter, and just let the grime and salt stay on the car. Should we wash? I live in NE where it can get pretty nasty, and it seems wrong to leave the car covered in dirt and stuff to be brushed up against and leave scratches.
Best product I've ever used....one neighbor finally caved and came over to inquire what I use...Another convert coming soon.
sysadmin - I'm south of you in MA and I've used a touchless only once in the past 3 years. I just had to get the grime off my Accord this past winter. I haven't noticed any scratches from the dirt. YMMV.
Other ideas: If you're pressed for the time of day or amount of time you have; consider doing only part of the vehicle at a time. Also do the side of the vehicle in shadow, but try to insure that it has been in shadow/shade for a while. Yes, the products can be used in sun, but on a cool surface. There's no harm in doing it in hot conditions, you'll just have to work harder and over a longer period of time to get visually satisfactory results.
The "no brushes, slappers or 'cloth' of any kind" washes seem to do OK, they will eventually take off the wax/Zaino but hey isn't that what a heated garage is for? You can reapply the good stuff on otherwise boring Saturaday or Sunday weekend...
Ontario roads also have severe hypertension caused by excessive salt use in the winter. I simply cannot endure looking at my salt-caked car for the entire winter, so I take her to a 100% touch-free wash place every couple of weeks. It does an acceptable job of removing the worst crap, and it doesn't harm the Zaino layer. Last year I Z'd in mid-September and by my first hand-wash in April the water was still beading and the shine was still there.
Zaino is truly remarkable!
Brad
OMMMMMMMM! (While Zainoing)