Zaino Car Care Experiences

automophile

Hi Chris:

The idea is NOT to have direct sunlight on the car. Film cannot handle the large difference in brightness between the sunlit parts and the shawdows, so the shadows go black and you lose detail, and also, as you mentioned, you get glare off the shiny car.

"Open Shade" means in the shadow of some large object - a building, or tree, but still open sky above for light. There should be very little shadows visible from the car, showing very soft lighting. Again, the best time is just at dawn or sunset. It may look dark to you, but the camera will compensate with a longer exposure. Put it on a tripod for best results.

Look at commercial car pics for ideas. Note that they usually shoot the car from a lower view point, and also at an angle to the car, not flat to the side or front.

Good Luck!

lexsar

I made the mistake of forgetting to request that the dealership NOT wash my '00 Honda Odyssey when I had it in to the dealership for a 15K checkup. Even though they do not use an automatic wash, they do appear to use very stiff brushes. Now I'll be applying two or three coats of Z-5 to get rid of all of the scratch & swirl marks. Oh well, their intentions were good. I blame myself for not remembering to specifically request that they NOT wash it.

cdnpinhead

Yours is another example of what happens if you trust your vehicle to the dealer. Change you own oil, learn where the air filter is, know freedom. The $ you "save" letting these morons touch your car are illusory.

pinecrestjim

.... of Z, courtesy of Sis, I was able to properly wash and Z the Miata tonight. South Florida has pretty much lost most of the usual humidity, and the Z5 was ready to remove in less than 2 hours.

WHAT A SHINE!!!!! "4 ONLY 2" looks awsome again!

Jim M.

mike_542

Does the Polish for Swirl Marks remove the swirls, or hide it? I do not want to wet sand my thin clear coat.

chris168

Does anyone have a recommended way to clean tires effectively? I haven't scrubbed them for about two months now and the tire gel I have put on them seems to be stuck on there. I recently purchased Meguiar's Endurance Formula and I was hoping to use it on some nice clean tires. Also, I was wondering how often should I be cleaning the tires?

Thanks a lot,

-Chris

joe166

Try Bleche-White (or maybe Bleche-Wite). It is a product that used to have bleach in it to clean white wall tires, but it now has some very strong detergent and it really goes to work on the brake dust or other crud on the tires. Not the wheel cleaner they make, that is just barely adequate, but the tire cleaner. You spray it on and it starts working on the brake dust or tire dressing and turns kind of brown and then rinses off. It is very strong and I would be careful around painted wheels, but it works better than any other commercial cleaner that I have used on my tires and although sometimes it might have to be repeated, when it stops turning brown, you have a clean tire side to work with. If you feel like scrubbing with a brush, one application will do it, but that is very similar to hard work, which I avoid whenever possible. A couple of applications and some strong water spray and they are clean. You can get it at Pep Boys or Discount Auto Parts for about $3 and it lasts a long time. I only use it on the rubber as I think it is too strong for the wheels, but I could be wrong.

I have given up on tire dressings. They all seem to exacerbate the brake dust problem on the wheels and I am not sure tires are supposed to look shiny. Clean will do just fine.

bnormann

Chris168,

We have a topic in this conference called "Tire Cleaners". Have a look there. You can use the search button on the left, just use "Tire" as the keyword

Bruce

pblevine

All I do is wash my tires in a normal fashion as I wash the car. Then, every month or so, I apply Zaino's Tire Gloss. This Zaino product does an absolutely great job of protecting the rubber and producing a flat black (ie: "semi-gloss") type of shine. This product also does a great job of protecting and keeping 'black' and other exterior rubber parts such as window weather striping and hoses.

automophile

As Joe said - Westley's "Bleche-White" is the best rubber cleaner. I use it about twice a year to get tire dressing and road grime build-up off the tires and start fresh. I use a stiff floor brush to scrub all the gunk out of the little cracks with lots of cleaner spray. Watch your eyes!!! It is really strong.

After, I have been using Turtle Wax 2001 tire gel. It gives a nice finish and dries hard and dry so it doesn't collect more dirt, and you can wash it while washing the car. It doesn't "spin off", as I have heard the the Meguiar's does. I only apply it about every 3 car washes. I apply it and rub it in, and when it is almost dry, buff it again with the damp rag. This gives a nicer finish, and keeps it from getting on too thick. I also use the damp rag to go over the outside rubber to keep it nice and black as well. Next Z order, I will try the Zaino product.

Have fun!

gladichecked

Meguiars spinning off. That is why I use it, because it doesn't seem to do that. I only use a moderate amount though. I too prefer the semi-gloss look. I want to see my reflection in my paint, not my tires ;^). Meguiars seems to dry hard (overnight) and last 2-3 washes (about 3-4 weeks).

silvercoupe

Don't guess I will order my Zaino for a while. We have a water shortage here and are not allowed to wash our cars. $200 fine if you are caught using water outside. Really stinks!!!!

automophile

Where are you - Texas? So sorry to hear about this. It was like that here in L.A a few years ago, but they just keep on building more houses! Maybe we are not supposed to have clean cars and green lawn in the future?

fsuufmom

Hi. I am new to this site. Getting ready to fill out my first Zaino order form. Has anyone tried the Zaino product car wash? I was curious since I see several posts that include Dawn as the first
step. I thought you were not suppose to se detergent on a car.

Thanks!

tlm1

Well, after reading all the posts here, I got my Zaino this week and started the process on my 2.5 week old Mesa Beige Odyssey. Ya know, that's a big vehicle! Did the Dawn, dry, clay, Dawn, dry, Z1, Z5 tonight. Well, actually, I didn't clay the whole roof - the van's kinda tall, and I'm kinda short and I couldn't reach the middle with a step stool. So, OK, I'll get out the 6 ft. ladder for the Z1-6, but the roof's just gonna have to live without the clay! I must admit, however, that the clay did make a difference - I could not only see some stuff accumulate on the clay, but could actually feel the slight roughness as I glided the clay over the surface. You all weren't kidding - it definitely felt smoother afterward.

And the Z5 worked too! When I got on the step stool to wash the roof (did I mention this is a rather large vehicle?), I could see a scratch that ran horizontally all the way from one side to the other. Z5 filled it right in - I watched it disappear as I applied the Z5 - cool!

But, on to the point of my post...What, if anything, did those of you who Zaino'd an Odyssey use on the black parts - the spoiler thingee over the rear window, black window border of the driver/passenger doors, roof rack, etc.? I didn't put anything on them yet, since they are matte and don't appear to be painted. Should I Z1,Z2,Z6 them?

Thanks in advance for the info.

And thanks, too, to all of you who post the tips, answer questions, etc. I look forward to getting the same stellar, long-lasting results. ('Cause frankly, I'll spend the time now, when the vehicle's new (and it did take a good bit of time, with the Odyssey being kinda big - you may have heard that before...), but I'm not real good at keeping it up as time goes by. I'd never heard of Zaino until I read someone mention it in the Odyssey forum, but if the ongoing maintenance really is as easy as it sounds, I should be able to handle keeping my shiny new van looking shiny and new as the years go by!

Ready to wipe, Z6, Z2 in the a.m...
Terri

tlm1

I meant wipe, Z6 in the a.m. - I do remember the instructions to wait 24 hrs for the next coat.
Terri

pjyoung

The Z7 car wash is excellent. The reason you see so many posts about Dawn is because Dawn will remove any old wax. So, the FIRST wash should be with Dawn, the the Z treatments, and subsequent washes with a car wash solution. But try the Z7, I think you'll be very pleased.

jeepgc

I have a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and used the z2 on all of the black molding, mirrors, etc per Sal's instructions and it has worked great. Now it's very easy to remove all those bugs that seem to get smashed on the back sides of my side mirrors. An btw...I can relate to the "BIG" aspect of your post...

fastdriver

tlm1-

IF the black surfaces that you are talking about are SMOOTH and not textured, you can use all the Z products there. IF they are textured, then just use Z-6.

fastdriver

robr2

I did it a few months ago myself. Yes it is huuuuuuggggge!!!. I did clay the roof but since the car was only a month old, it wasn't bad. I have yet to Z the black parts, need to check and see if they are Z'able before winter.

I recommend cleaning that roof as often as you can. I am amazed at how much dirtier the roof is than the rest of the car. I wash just about every week.

I also had the scratch that went across the roof between the front doors. I figured it out it was from the plastic wrap they put on the vehicle at the factory. It really wasn't a scratch on mine, rather more like a shadow line where the plastic ended. I used a cleaner wax (Zaino had not been ordered yet) to blend it in. Basically, it was dirty. Although my dealer "prepped" the van before delivery, they didn't bother to get out a ladder to clean the roof. It was filthy and really needed cleaning.

One neat thing with the Z on the Ody roof. During a rain and the van has been parked, the first time you step on the brakes, you will get about 100 gallons of waters coming off the roof - scared me the first time!!.

Good luck with it.

fsuufmom

Thanks for the info on Dawn. Question, why would you want the original factory wax off of the car. My 2001 PF is new. We have been having quite a bit of rain. Yet, I just drive and watch the rain bead right up and roll off the car. Thanks!

fsuufmom

What do you use for the black rubber molding around the windows? The PF door handles are also black. But since they are fairly smooth, I guess you use regular z products. Thanks.

automophile

Besides the optical reason as stated by joe166, it's like building a house - you want the best possible foundation. Since wax deteriorates much faster than the Zaino polymer, you don't want it underneath!

Since your car is new, the water should be beading. But this will stop soon enough as the wax starts to break down. With the polymer, this will continue for many more months.

joe166

With reference to your post concerning removing the old wax: Although I used Dawn, unless you did one side of your car without Dawn and the other side with Dawn, you are just guessing! I used Dawn, because I would have had to wash the car anyway, but that is one of the things that some of the critics of this product and this topic cite as evidence of "brainwashing". There seem to be some aspects of the fairly simple matter of keeping your car clean and shiny that are elevated to rituals. Then the "disciples" just repeat as gospel the same type of information over and over again with this type of support--anecdotal as opposed to scientific.

It was the only reason I hesitated to try Zaino for some time. I have tried it and I use it, but I am not able to cite any independent study or experiments that show it is clearly superior or that every step as written on stone by Sal is actually needed. I prefer to say it is obviously a good product with a tremendous ease of application, a good shine, long lasting and totally satisfactory to me so I can recommend it to a friend or relative. More than that I am not prepared to say. I was satisfied with NuFinish and a couple of other products, but I like the way you can use a series of products that are designed to complement each other. I like the car wash, it works nicely. I love the ez gloss--it is the best I have ever used. Why do we have to talk about it as though it were a way of life? Why complicate things?

joe166

Somehow, I think I erased my post when all I intended to do was correct a grammatical or tense problem. I am reposting it in case you had not seen it. It was a real pain in the neck, so I am not likely to try to fix a spelling or grammatical error again. I would rather be considered undereducated than go to that trouble.

Even though you have bad taste in where to send your kids (I am a Cane), I will try to answer your question. The reason given by the Zaino brothers is that different finishes have different optical qualities and so they are not always compatible and it will optimize the results if you get the old wax off. Obviously you need a clean surface to put your wax, polish or polymer on in any case, but I only did the Dawn wash because I needed to wash the car anyway and there is no extra effort involved in using Dawn as opposed to any other kind of car washing liquid.
After I was finished with the entire procedure, I use the Zaino car wash precisely because I don't want to wash off the protection and shine, which frankly do seem to get better and deeper each time you touch it up. The Zaino car wash concentrate is a high quality car wash which claims to contain some Zaino polymer in it so it won't remove, but actually claims to enhance the finish on the car.
I thought it was easy enough to comply with this
instruction whether I thought the "optical qualities" was bogus or not. I am not an engineer, but it does seem kind of esoteric.

(P.S. My wife and one of my daughters are graduates of the Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee, and so I have SOME affection for them and their doddering old coach, (just kidding) but I would be hard pressed to send any child of mine to hogtown voluntarily.)

automophile

Even when still using Carnuba, I always stripped the old wax off with Dawn before re-waxing. It's the same thing as doing floors - you gotta strip the old, yellowed wax off first if you want the floor to look it's best! In addition, perhaps the polymers don't stick as well to a waxed finish.

joe166

I hope you understand that I have no problem with a post like yours where you post some common sense reasons to do it. As I said, why not? It is not any harder to do than any other type of car wash liquid and it MIGHT be really helpful for all the reasons you state. I just have a problem with posts that seem to me not to be based on any logic or objective reasons. No big deal.

fastdriver

joe166-

I knew LONG before Zaino that dishwashing liquid would remove wax/polish on a car and was not meant to be used on a weekly basis. I've only used Dawn once. I guess I have been waxing/polishing my cars a lot longer than you and have used a multitude of products that have appeared on store shelves. I have never used anything that was as easy to apply and wipe off as Zaino. Also, the appearance, look, shine and durability surpass anything that I have used in the past.

If someone is coming to this topic, it seems obvious that they are looking for a way to keep their car looking new and at its best. If I can help them, then I will continue to do so. Sorry if I don't have a scientific/legal mind to explain how or why certain things are necessary. All I know is the end result.

fastdriver

ruking1

#657

And to think that Zaino users pay more for their products (than the majority of same function products) and get all this free written grief!!??

joe166

Where did I say not to use Dawn? Where did I say that Zaino is not a good product, applied easily and long lasting? My only comment directed to you was that if you make an authoritative statement that implies or says that ONLY by using Dawn can you get a certain result, perhaps it should be based on some objective facts rather than supposition or "faith". I guess the next step is to go to affidavits about how long I have been washing and waxing cars so we can truly resolve this dispute, but I am afraid that any continuing argument by you will be one sided. I am finished discussing this, it is not in any way productive, nor is it really responsive to what I said.

pjyoung

Sal only suggests Dawn because of it's high alkalinity. I don't see on his web site to use only "Blue" dawn, but I've seen posts saying blue Dawn only. FWIW, I used green dawn on my car and it seemed to do the trick.

Any dishwashing liquid with high alkaline content will strip the wax. Indeed, on the Zaino FAQ page he says "The first thing you should do is wash your vehicle thoroughly with Dawn (or comparable) dish soap to remove any wax, grease, and oil from your paint. "

pblevine

I'm with pjyoung on this one. I've only used Dawn once, that is, the first time I prep'ed the car prior to my first Z1 application. Let's not bend out of shape on this one, its only a tip on how to prep your car before applying Z1.

pat455

Excellent advice!

;->

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

kstang2

This is such an enjoyable and helpful place that it makes me uneasy when posters try to stir things up. Those of us loyal readers know who's who. I hope all you new comers don't get the wrong feeling about the overall tone of this site. But for newbee's I hope you keep reading and posting because 99% of us just want to help each other get that Fabulous Shine!! I hope I haven't stepped on any toes. Part of the fun here is that it is sort of addicting and you just want to save everyone from all that unnecessary expenditure of elbow grease! :-) I always seem to get a chuckle from you guys! Thanks

bretfraz

Don't step on any toes in here!! Keep it clean and nice.

I totally agree with "kstang2"; this room is good for a chuckle.

pat455

kstang2 makes many other good points as well.

Let's stay on topic, folks.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

automophile

I had my car in the service department at Toyota today to pick up another snap for the nose mask. Parked in the driveway, it looked shinier and better than any of the new ones sitting nearby, and several people when out of their way to walk over and look at the car. Made me proud of my Zaino shine! AND - it's been 3 months since my last application! I guess I'll need to spend another 30 minutes and re-polish it soon!

fastdriver

automophile-

Don't use any DAWN on it or you might have to explain how, why, when, how much etc. and then write to the company for some scientific report on how their product interacts with metals and plastics! ;-))

Oh boy! Is there a FULL moon? I rest my case.

fastdriver

daverose

Having been guilty of "getting into it" once in the recent past either here or a related topic, (keeping track is too much like keeping count) it is my feeling of foolishness after that incident that says, perhaps we would all be better off if we resisted the temptation to make "case"s or try to get in the last word. Please.

lep3554

I am considering purchasing a hood bra for my 2000 Jeep Grnad Cherokee because I really hate those acrylic bug deflectors. I know that unless you keep the "bra" clean and dry, you will have probs with your paint. Any Zaino users here also have a hood bra installed??? Did Zaino protect your paint finish?? Comments, suggestions, advice????

joe166

I have always wondered how you could keep the inside of the "bra" dry when it rains. In Southern Florida it seems you would mildew and rot before the rainy season ended. I also bought a car for my daughter which had a "factory bra" on it (Honda, heavy duty and high quality) and when I took it off to shine her up, the paint was worn off in a couple of places, apparently from rubbing due to vibration at highway speeds. It certainly did not protect THAT paint at all, in fact, it damaged it. I have found that keeping a good coat of polymer on the front end (and doing an extra bit before hitting the road) made the bugs wash right off with a stream of water. Besides, doesn't the appearance suffer from the "bra"? I guess it is a matter of taste and choice. If you are asking for opinions, I vote NO. I would bet that after a while you will "wax" around the bra to avoid the trouble of taking it on and off and you will not get the benefit of the protection from the polymer. Although I am sure that if you took it off every time you put another coat of Z on it, and avoided keeping it on when it was raining every day for a couple of weeks it would probably do fine.

theresa11

I recently had a clear plastic nose mask installed. Made by 3M with a number of different distributors. It blends in with the car hood, front bumper and side mirrors. It is guaranteed to prevent paint chips etc. After I had it professionally installed, people could not see it unless they were standing on top of it. You wash it and Zaino it just like you would your car. The good thing about the clear nose mask is that you never have to remove it and it does not hurt the car paint or yellow. So far I am very happy with it. I've had regular car bras and this is definitely an improvement - at least it is to me.

automophile

I have had a bra for each of my last 4 or 5 cars to use on trips, with no problems. There are 3 important things to remember if you use one:

1. Remove it frequently (weekly)wash the car and and vacuum the inside to remove dust and grit.

2. Take it off if it's raining.

3. Keep a good coat of wax or polymer underneath.

I don't use them around town, only on the road, and have never had any visible marks, etc. By the way, this is a good thing to ask the dealer to "Throw In" to close the purchase, along with the floor mats, gold trim and other low dealer cost, high-profit options you may want.

The only bummer was that while driving my fully protected Lexus, a stone took a chunk out of the passenger's mirror! What can you do!

pblevine

'Never liked 'em!
() ()

hot2hdl

JIM, I READ WITH INTEREST YOUR PLACEMARK ON SELLING YOUR SISTER ON THE PRODUCTS..NOTHING LIKE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE...YOU ARE A SWELL BROTHER TO LET HER BORROW ALL THE PRODUCTS TO USE SINCE SHE LIVES HALF-WAY UP THE EAST COAST FROM YOU!!! AND THEN TO ORDER YOU A NEW SUPPLY OF THE PRODUCTS...WHAT A GRRREAT SISTER!!!! TOO BAD THERE AREN'T MORE LIKE HER OUT THERE!..THE RESULTS OF THOSE PRODUCTS WERE AWESOME SHE SAID ON HER RED 00' COUGAR..EVEN A CO-WORKER WHO DRIVES A TOYOTA SPIDER WANTS TO KNOW WHAT MADE THE CAR SHINE SO MUCH AND REFLECT LIKE A MIRROR..HOW DO I KNOW THIS FOR FACT??? CAUSE IT'S ME....YOUR SISTER!!!! THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HELP AND INFO....LOVE SIS

jgriff

Go with a 3M clear type, you won't regret it.

I know I didn't, mine works great!!!

lmc18

I've never seen one of these "clear bras", but I am assuming they are NOT like the usual LeBra or Covercraft ones. Where would you purchase one of these? Does it have to be professionally installed? Do you have a picture of your car with it on?

vernlew

I too, have been considering this type of bra...am interested in input from owners...
Check out: www.stongard.com
www.xpel.com
www.clearmask.com
thanx,
Vern

theresa11

See post #671. I'm sold on it! Smartest purchase I ever made - sure beats the custom made black one that I originally ordered for my new white car. I had mine installed professionally - for the xtra cost, it was worth their work and their warranty!

fastdriver

theresa11-

Just curious- did you apply the Zaino? Are you satisfied with the results? I may have read that you did apply it, but I have been so busy at work that my head is spinning. I may have just forgotten what you said about it. Was it as easy as we all told you it was?

fastdriver