My leaf blower kicks up all kinds of dust and since it is a gas model, oily exhaust as well. It is the last thing I would use to dry a car. If you need speed and don't want to soak your towels, try a water blade, then finish up with a towel.
I think the pressure needed varies. I wouldn't use a lot because of my terminal laziness, but it works faster if you pressure it more within reason. It is not sandpaper, it is supposed to glide over the surface and you will get the knack of it pretty quickly. As to turning the surface, of course it will start up lumpy, but within a couple of seconds it gets partly flat and soon gets quite flat. Doesn't take long if you smooth it out as much as you can and then rub sideways (wide side back and forth).
If you have one of those wet and dry vacs, you can use that too to dry the car. The motor part on mine twists off the tank to use as a blower. Great for getting the water out of all the nooks and crannies like the mirrors!
I tried the leaf blower trick yesterday, which worked great for getting the water out of all the nooks and crannies as fastdriver stated. Fortunatley, I have a Black & Decker electric one, don't have to worry about fumes, etc. Neighbors must have thought I was strange.
maemark, one other thing, work in the cool shade. If you're out in the sun and the water dries on your car before you can get it off, you're sure to have streaks.
leaf blower - mine's electric too, and I always blow my driveway clean before I start to wash.
I just went out to the olde company parking lot (lunch break) and found my car coated in pollen. I didn't even park near the trees, but I guess the wind doth blow. Anyway, I took a cotton towel and dusted the car. The pollen "seemed" to brush away easily enough. But now I've got some (admitted) minor swirl marks! Watch out for that pollen, some of it is harder than you think. Its time for some Z5.
Does anyone have experience w/ what it takes to remove a door ding? We parked our brand new Pewter YXL in the last parking space at the end of a parking lot and some lowlife in a brand new Pewter Tahoe whacked our side door. The clearcoat and paint were not scratched too bad but there is a very good "ding" in the metal. A crease about 1" long. The moron in the Tahoe did not even bother to move to a different spot. You could see the paint chip on the edge of the door.
the "moron"'s insurance should cover your repair which definitely should be body work, including: sand-down, working the metal with epoxy tabs/metal shaping tools, prep/primer...(manufacturer's protocol).../paint-match/blending/clearcoat. make sure you shop carefully for a good body shop. expect it to cost a few hundred dollars to be done right.
If the paint was not "cracked" this ding is a perfect candidate for the new paintless dent removal. They usually come to your home or office, takes about an hour, and costs $100 or less.
before you go spending a few hundred dollars (and getting overspray all over your car) try one of those dent removing companies that advertise that they are paint free. They are amazing and if you can avoid patching paint, you are way ahead of the game. First try to remove the "scratch" or minimize it's appearance. If you can then live with the result, you can PROBABLY find someone who will knock it out IF they can get to the back of it by removing interior body panels. I was amazed at the result from a dent in my wife's door, but there was another one that required the full body shop treatment because it was in a closed in area with no access to the back. Look in your local phone book or ask your body shop who they use or ask your dealer who they use. It is worth a try.
My ten year old son decided to "help" me by using a paper towel to wipe my vehicle. It was covered with a light coat of road dust and pollen. I had just given it a second coat of Z2 over the weekend. Now, looking at it in direct sunlight, I can see swirl marks and light scratching everywhere he did it. I am so furious I had to send him away so I didn't hit him. Any suggestions? Any hope? I am in shock right now. HELP.
OK, whew, calmed down now. I love my son a heck of a lot more than my new vehicle. I told him that he and I woudl work on it together and make it better. So, would you guys suggest a few coats of Z5???
I've been out of town and been catching up, but deuce56's question about whether to do his mini van roof got to me, so I read the next posts hoping to see an answer, but skipped the next group of 20 posts, even at the risk of repeating some else's response to him in that group.
I absolutely WOULD NOT skip doing your roof, the horizontal surfaces of a vehicle are the one's most susceptible to sun damage. I sympathize with the effort involved; I'm 5'6" and have TWO mini vans and I KNOW what a pain doing the roof is, especially with roof racks. Now, perhaps you don't want to spend a lot of time perfecting the look and shine on the roof, but I think it's foolish economics to save a few cents in product to allow the roof of a mufti-thousand dollar vehicle to be at risk of sun damage; kind of like brushing just your front teeth because few see the others.
Dave, since you have two mini vans, maybe you can give me some tips. First, please approximate how much of each product you use per coat. As I mentioned, I used 1/2 bottle of Z1 to do my entire Silo. Someone (Worm?) thought this was too much, but I wanted to make sure I had a good bond. How much Z2 do you go through each coat? Do you think 2 coats on the roof is enough protection? The finish is smoooooth!
Side note: I talked to a guy who worked for PPG (the owner of N. American patent rights to the clearcoat process) and he was skeptical about all the high dollar polishes on the market today. He said they may make the car shinier and easier to clean bugs/dirt off, but the claims about sun screen, etc... are hype/unnecessary. He said the clearcoat already has this built in and no one ever really touches the actual paint on a clearcoat finish.
My friends small son once put pepples in my radiator space "'cause thats what you do with pepples". So I explained how the ratiator cools the engine and why little rocks, etc. were not a good thing. He then (without me asking) removed every last little stone. Anyway, I've got the same problem (re: my last posting). And Yep, its Z5 time. Actually, a little wash and some Z6 will eliminate most of those pollen swirls. But in the end, I'll be using my Z5 too.
I have been really amazed at what Dent Pro has done for me, and some friends of mine over the last few years. Not only minor dings, they took a large dent (Size of a basketball) out of a colleague's car. They just popped the metal back into place. Amazing. That had to have been a $1,000 job at the body shop.
I went and did my Pontiac Montana and used less than a 1/2 inch each of the Z-1 and the Z-2. I made sure that I misted the pad with the Z-6 first so that it glided on easier. Looked great on the deep red color. Thanks to all the tips here, it really did go on easier, and even better came off easy! And yes, I did do the roof, and it really was a pain. A step ladder and opening the doors and standing on the threshold was how I did it.
I have an 2000 Acura RL which was purcahsed new laset September. I recently applied the Zaino system (Dawn, Clay, Z-7, Z-1, Z-5, Z-2, Z-6). Car looks as good as new and I suspect that it will continue to look like new for many years to come. Thanks Sal for your time answering my questions.
Regarding Dent Wizard, I have a few dings on the passenger doors from stones flying up while driving on the highway. Local body shop quoted $300 per ding. I know this is way out of line, but my question is that is it necessary to remove the interior door panels to "push" out the dent/ding. I have always thought that small dings were removed by dent wizards without interior panel removal.
You are correct, as long as they can get their tools to squeeze down into the door ding area through the window slit, they don't have to remove any interior panels.
I agree that half a bottle is way too much, even if you have the extended wheelbase.
We have a 1987 dark red two-tone regular wheelbase Caravan and a 1999 metallic blue regular wheelbase Silo. My guesstimate is that I use a little more than an eighth of the bottle per application. I'm sort of a poor person to gauge use because I became a Zaino distributor after trying the products and am constantly lending my "personal stock" to folks to try, so I haven't really kept any bottles from opening to the last drop. Using the Z6 in conjunction with applying the polish really cuts back on the amount of polish used and the time to do the vehicle. I use one squirt of Z6 on the applicator before I put the polish on the applicator; it really thins and evens out what you apply.
Depending on your weather/climate and how much the vehicle is garaged/parked under cover, versus being exposed to the elements would dictate how often to apply polish. Two coats at the outset, as you indicate you have done, with an occasional Z7 wash and Z6 rundown, followed by a single application every three months to as long as a year seems like it would do.
Thanks for the advice and comments, but I am still at a loss. I do have hard well water, but it runs through a softener and is generally "soft" in that it lathers really well with shower soap etc. I noticed that my cars did not really rinse clean before I tried the Zaino.
I wash/dry in the shade so direct sun is not the problem. I tried again with two capfuls of Z-7 in a gallon of water. It was raining outside, so I rinsed with a hose and left it in a natural good rain for 1/2 hour and pulled it into the garage to dry. It still looks streaky. I did not strip off any old wax prior to using z-1 and z-4. It looked great when I was finished, but the two times I have washed it, it looks streaky. The streaks will buff out using a dry towel, or some z-6 and a towel.
I remember a "deionizer" car was system on late night TV a few years back that promised a clear rinse even in hard water. It was a car wash wand with a chamber in the handle filled with some granular chemical to "deionize" the water. Anybody ever use one of these? Any advice?
I agree with tonychrys above. I have found over the years that the people having trouble with Zaino are those who use too much Zaino OR don't follow the directions per Sal.
If I were you, I'd DAWN, clay and start all over. WAX and Zaino don't mix as you have found out.
For anyone needing a Z fix there is an auction on ebay for 1,3,5,6,7,12,16,18 clay and 5 applicator pads. item #58740463. The ad says all bottles are 75-100% full. Bidding is up to 50 bucks or so. Seems like a good starter kit. I have nothing to do with the auction so please don't censor me!! Just tryin' to help out.
Maybe try another final Z7/water rinse and an immediate drying with a chamois cloth and then a clean cotton towel. Works for me. And at least some of those streaks may be do to junk in the air forming water spots during drying. The towel will help there.
Mine works fine, and I'm REAL particular. Don't jam it into the paint, just gently use it to remove the water built up after washing. Also, rinse it before and after use.
Sal recommended that I use a leaf blower for fast water removal after washing. Sure enough, worked like a charm. Electric ones are best, less chance of oil dropping on vehicle. Blast your clean baby with a leaf blower, the water really flies off. I used only one towel (100% American made, white) and "completely" dry car. Saved a ton of time. Try it, you'll like it. Your neighbors will think you are nuts, but who cares. : )
Just clayed my new Solara. I thought I followed directions correctly, but found lots of clay residue that was very hard to wipe off. Did anyone else have this problem or did I mess the process up?
Did you wash the car again AFTER claying? I think that may be the step you missed. Also, did you use a sufficient amount of the lubricant while claying?
I was just wondering if I needed to "Zaino" my new 2001 Camry Solara. It came with the ToyoGuard on it which is supposed to have a paint sealant. Do I need to wait a while before I do anything or should I go ahead and apply the Zaino to it now? If so, would I need to do anything to it to prepare it for the Zaino? The color is silver and somebody told me that I really needed to make sure it was protected in order to maintain the shine. I'm already seeing little black spots of tar or something on the hood. Please help. Thanks.
Usually these things are a way for the dealers to make money. But since you already paid for it(Toyoguard), you should find out what it covers. And after washing your vehicle if you should still see black spots that are not coming off, you should go to the dealer and complain about it. Explain that you paid extra for this "paint sealant" and you don't expect paint problems so soon. Have them fix the problems or try to get your money back.
If you do go the Zaino route, there are steps to follow, all directions are on the www.zainobros.com website and/or you can scroll through the previous posts here as Zaino prep has been explained many times before.
Agree with JoeBob. Find out exactly what ToyoGuard is. It is probably some other type of Polymer sealant, etc.
Nearly ALL the dealer offered things are total ripoff money-makers - Paint sealer, undercoating (can actually CAUSE rusting) etc.
In general, it is probably not BAD for the paint, but I would figure out how to strip it off, clay and Zaino the car in the next few months. The Solara paint is not bad. I have a Diamond White Pearl SLE, and after clay and 2-3 layers of Z-2 is it just god-awful shiny and slick! bug spots just flick off and nothing else seems to stick.
I feel that most of these dealer things are offered with the hope that you will sell the car or not come back when the problems DO occur down the road.
When I clayed, I made sure I lubricated properly, still had residue. It was a lot of work, but rounding into shape now. And I washed the car after claying. I agree with automophile. After only one coat of Z-1 and Z-2 plus a spritz with Z-6 I had to drive on the highway today and the bugs just wiped right off!
Well, I have now tried the Z product on all 5 of my cars, 4 of which I did NOT remove the previous Carnuba wax product as Sal (in no pleasent terms) told me to do or not use his product. This past week I did the Z treatment using Dawn etc. On previous 4 cars they look great actually the Carnuba products are slipprier but shine about the same maybe a plus to Z. Long term, no question the Z will hold up better. The pure Z car may have a slight shine reflection edge but it is close to others that have the wax base with Z over it. I do like the Z and will continue with it primarily due to the longer lasting qualities. Endurance tests to come
The reason you are supposed to remove the previous carnuba product is so the fresh Zaino layer will bond to the paint surface. Don't expect much endurance from the Zaino applied over the waxed surfaces. It will probably still do better than wax though. It is sort of like painting over a slight film of oil. Sure the paint will dry but over time it won't look good or last because it was unable to bond properly.
"Can/should Z-6 be used between weekly washing of my cars?" Can you?...yes, but be careful about too much dust and dirt. If your car is garaged at night generally this is no problem. I don't right now because of so much damn pollen that will scratch. Should you?...that is your call, there is no one right answer.
"The past couple weeks, I've been applying Z6 every morning as the car warms up. Is this advisable or should I just Z6 after a wash?"
Answered above, but remember too you will run out of Z6 very fast at the rate you are using it. However, you can dilute the Z6 up to 50:50 with distilled water to make it last longer.
Here is what I do: I keep one Z6 bottle at full strength to be used before applying a fresh coat of Z5 or Z2. I use my diluted bottle for times I am interested in Z6ing after washing(without applying an additional coat) or at times between washings as a quick detailer.
Nope, but I regularly use my DA buffer and on my larger vehicle (Expedition) it works great. Then again, Z2 isn't all that thick and a good soft towel does a fine job with minimal rubbing.
I'm pretty against buffers in general, a DA Buffer is fine (only shakes side to side) Swirls are a [non-permissible content removed] and orbitals seem to have a knack at creating them. Foam wheel or not..
hud116222, Listen to fastdriver. I found it a little tricky to learn how to clay without leaving a residue. Lots of lub and just the right amount of pressure. Sometimes just a but of pressure when going over a scratch or low point will still leave some residue. But I've found that on a given panel section, I do best by first using almost no pressure and then (if necessary), going over the same area with just a little more pressure. Wow, a run-on sentence. I rinse each section as I'm doing it and I also use a final wash after I'm all done. Its a bit of an art, but you'll catch on quickly.
armtdm, Z over wax is like walking on an ice covered pond in Spring. Beware. As joebob6 says, it won't last. Endurance? Is that what you want? Just a simple coat of Z2 (OK, Claying, Z1, Z2, Z6) lasted me all winter in the Northeast. That includes ice, snow, acid rain, sand, and road salt. I'd just let the Z wear off (you'll know when) and then start over with a good session of Dawn and claying prior to applying Z1/Z2.
Bushwack, As a rule, I'd never apply Z6 on a dirty or dusty car. I use it before Z2/Z5 and after each washing. If the car is clean, however, and has been dusted, then using Z6 is alright. You can tell when the car is clean simply by running your finger over a section and seeing if there is any difference. And if your Z6 towel starts picking up dirt/dust, you've got too much residual dust.
Well, as I seem to be the only one that has posted that has actually applied Z over a Carnuba wax it is pure speculation on your part that it will not last longer then pure Z over paint. I understand your theory but science dictates that this be tested on a car which is what I have done. In theory it should not last as long but will the actual trial prove this correct?
Ha, ya got me! Yes, you are correct,,,or shall I say "scientific" about your test. My "theory" is that Z over wax will not last long. Let's say 2 months max. But the only way to "prove" it is to test the theory. Go for it! The results should prove interesting.
Sheesh, just common sense. The whole idea behind any polymer/protectant is to bond to the surface you are protecting. All Zaino is doing is bonding to the wax, which in turn is bonding to the paint.
You are not the first person who has applied Zaino over wax. There are other forums on the web and probably someone who has done it here...but I haven't the time to wade through all the Zaino posts here. One person who did it this way complained that the Zaino did not last long. Another complained that after the first washing it looked streaky. These may not be scientific testimonials but there is a reason products come with directions and a reason Sal is so adamant about the way his product is used. Most polymer products have high solvent cleaners and abrasives that will remove the wax layer. Since Zaino does not have these it is necessary to remove the wax with Dawn prior to applying the Zaino polish. You must be a Fan of Frank Sinatra, "I did it My Way".
I'm not sure I understand what one proves about a product by not following the directions the manufacturer provides for its proper use. I guess that's why the government now forces manufacturers to put "Do not try this at home." type messages on commercials and packaging.
I suppose armtdm can say that has learned how to get the least results out of applying protectant to four vehicles. ("armtdm" hmmm? Does that somehow become "Arm tedium?")
Wax "bond"ing to paint sounds too strong; I would say it adheres or attaches to paint.
Comments
fastdriver
leaf blower - mine's electric too, and I always blow my driveway clean before I start to wash.
Thanks
Check you local yellow pages under auto body repair. This link explains the process: http://www.dentwiz.com/pdr.htm
Blood pressure dropping to normal,
: )
I absolutely WOULD NOT skip doing your roof, the horizontal surfaces of a vehicle are the one's most susceptible to sun damage. I sympathize with the effort involved; I'm 5'6" and have TWO mini vans and I KNOW what a pain doing the roof is, especially with roof racks. Now, perhaps you don't want to spend a lot of time perfecting the look and shine on the roof, but I think it's foolish economics to save a few cents in product to allow the roof of a mufti-thousand dollar vehicle to be at risk of sun damage; kind of like brushing just your front teeth because few see the others.
Side note: I talked to a guy who worked for PPG (the owner of N. American patent rights to the clearcoat process) and he was skeptical about all the high dollar polishes on the market today. He said they may make the car shinier and easier to clean bugs/dirt off, but the claims about sun screen, etc... are hype/unnecessary. He said the clearcoat already has this built in and no one ever really touches the actual paint on a clearcoat finish.
Thanks for the info. There is a Dent Wizard located about a mile from my house. I will check that out first.
Regarding Dent Wizard, I have a few dings on the passenger doors from stones flying up while driving on the highway. Local body shop quoted $300 per ding. I know this is way out of line, but my question is that is it necessary to remove the interior door panels to "push" out the dent/ding. I have always thought that small dings were removed by dent wizards without interior panel removal.
We have a 1987 dark red two-tone regular wheelbase Caravan and a 1999 metallic blue regular wheelbase Silo. My guesstimate is that I use a little more than an eighth of the bottle per application. I'm sort of a poor person to gauge use because I became a Zaino distributor after trying the products and am constantly lending my "personal stock" to folks to try, so I haven't really kept any bottles from opening to the last drop. Using the Z6 in conjunction with applying the polish really cuts back on the amount of polish used and the time to do the vehicle. I use one squirt of Z6 on the applicator before I put the polish on the applicator; it really thins and evens out what you apply.
Depending on your weather/climate and how much the vehicle is garaged/parked under cover, versus being exposed to the elements would dictate how often to apply polish. Two coats at the outset, as you indicate you have done, with an occasional Z7 wash and Z6 rundown, followed by a single application every three months to as long as a year seems like it would do.
I wash/dry in the shade so direct sun is not the problem. I tried again with two capfuls of Z-7 in a gallon of water. It was raining outside, so I rinsed with a hose and left it in a natural good rain for 1/2 hour and pulled it into the garage to dry. It still looks streaky. I did not strip off any old wax prior to using z-1 and z-4. It looked great when I was finished, but the two times I have washed it, it looks streaky. The streaks will buff out using a dry towel, or some z-6 and a towel.
I remember a "deionizer" car was system on late night TV a few years back that promised a clear rinse even in hard water. It was a car wash wand with a chamber in the handle filled with some granular chemical to "deionize" the water. Anybody ever use one of these? Any advice?
I'm no expert, but that may be your problem right there. Ever put hairspray on top of hair gel already in your hair? Things tend to get murky...
Just a thought.
I agree with tonychrys above. I have found over the years that the people having trouble with Zaino are those who use too much Zaino OR don't follow the directions per Sal.
If I were you, I'd DAWN, clay and start all over. WAX and Zaino don't mix as you have found out.
fastdriver
Gene
Did you wash the car again AFTER claying? I think that may be the step you missed. Also, did you use a sufficient amount of the lubricant while claying?
fastdriver
If you do go the Zaino route, there are steps to follow, all directions are on the www.zainobros.com website and/or you can scroll through the previous posts here as Zaino prep has been explained many times before.
Nearly ALL the dealer offered things are total ripoff money-makers - Paint sealer, undercoating (can actually CAUSE rusting) etc.
In general, it is probably not BAD for the paint, but I would figure out how to strip it off, clay and Zaino the car in the next few months. The Solara paint is not bad. I have a Diamond White Pearl SLE, and after clay and 2-3 layers of Z-2 is it just god-awful shiny and slick! bug spots just flick off and nothing else seems to stick.
I feel that most of these dealer things are offered with the hope that you will sell the car or not come back when the problems DO occur down the road.
Good Luck!
The past couple weeks, I've been applying Z6 every morning as the car warms up. Is this advisable or should I just Z6 after a wash?
Thanks.
It is sort of like painting over a slight film of oil. Sure the paint will dry but over time it won't look good or last because it was unable to bond properly.
Can you?...yes, but be careful about too much dust and dirt. If your car is garaged at night generally this is no problem. I don't right now because of so much damn pollen that will scratch. Should you?...that is your call, there is no one right answer.
"The past couple weeks, I've been applying Z6 every morning as the car warms up. Is this advisable or should I just Z6 after a wash?"
Answered above, but remember too you will run out of Z6 very fast at the rate you are using it.
However, you can dilute the Z6 up to 50:50 with distilled water to make it last longer.
Here is what I do: I keep one Z6 bottle at full strength to be used before applying a fresh coat of Z5 or Z2. I use my diluted bottle for times I am interested in Z6ing after washing(without applying an additional coat) or at times between washings as a quick detailer.
I'm pretty against buffers in general, a DA Buffer is fine (only shakes side to side) Swirls are a [non-permissible content removed] and orbitals seem to have a knack at creating them. Foam wheel or not..
Gene
Listen to fastdriver. I found it a little tricky to learn how to clay without leaving a residue. Lots of lub and just the right amount of pressure. Sometimes just a but of pressure when going over a scratch or low point will still leave some residue. But I've found that on a given panel section, I do best by first using almost no pressure and then (if necessary), going over the same area with just a little more pressure. Wow, a run-on sentence. I rinse each section as I'm doing it and I also use a final wash after I'm all done. Its a bit of an art, but you'll catch on quickly.
armtdm,
Z over wax is like walking on an ice covered pond in Spring. Beware. As joebob6 says, it won't last. Endurance? Is that what you want? Just a simple coat of Z2 (OK, Claying, Z1, Z2, Z6) lasted me all winter in the Northeast. That includes ice, snow, acid rain, sand, and road salt. I'd just let the Z wear off (you'll know when) and then start over with a good session of Dawn and claying prior to applying Z1/Z2.
Bushwack,
As a rule, I'd never apply Z6 on a dirty or dusty car. I use it before Z2/Z5 and after each washing. If the car is clean, however, and has been dusted, then using Z6 is alright. You can tell when the car is clean simply by running your finger over a section and seeing if there is any difference. And if your Z6 towel starts picking up dirt/dust, you've got too much residual dust.
These may not be scientific testimonials but there is a reason products come with directions and a reason Sal is so adamant about the way his product is used.
Most polymer products have high solvent cleaners and abrasives that will remove the wax layer. Since Zaino does not have these it is necessary to remove the wax with Dawn prior to applying the Zaino polish.
You must be a Fan of Frank Sinatra, "I did it My Way".
I suppose armtdm can say that has learned how to get the least results out of applying protectant to four vehicles. ("armtdm" hmmm? Does that somehow become "Arm tedium?")
Wax "bond"ing to paint sounds too strong; I would say it adheres or attaches to paint.