Zaino Car Care Experiences

fastdriver

pblevine-

LOL.... You KNOW I use Z6 on my monitor. It keeps my cigarette ashes from sticking to the screen. Same with the TV!

fastdriver

[Deleted User]

If you stop flicking your cigarette butts at the TV, you won't need to waste polish.

pblevine

We should let garypen in on a little secret, Z6 on a TV or computer monitor screen fills in the tiny scratches and makes for a clearer picture. And the anti-static properties of Z6 help to keep the dust from settling on the monitor surface. 'Can't help if pj like to flik his ashes.

I see Mr. dhanley is back with a stock collection of negative vibes. Ok Dave, PJ's math shows that Zaino may cost more per bottle but each such bottle lasts much longer. And much more manual effort is required to produce an equal shine from most wax products. Conclusion: Zaino users have a slightly higher "startup" cost, but in the long run, Zaino users will be more economical and will produce a superior shine with much less effort.

Dave, your advantage will be that after a few years, you will be in slightly better phyical condition than me due to all that extra work you will have done to maintain your shine.

bretfraz

Hasn't the point been made over and over and over and over and...........?

The same 3 or 4 people yappin' about the same thing, like it makes a difference.

Seems to me that there's is nothing left to discuss, debate, uncover, or clarify.

pjyoung

Who posts about the 3 or 4 of us posting the same thing, but I did notice him over on some other threads discussing running zaino thru his buick....

bretfraz

Who gets his Edmunds sent to him wireless so he can post a (worthless) response immediately. God forbid he's left out of any possible discussion of something he's been talking about forever and ever. You'd think someone would move on with life.

pjyoung

eom

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the tip. When I finally get around to ordering some Zaino, I'll try Z6 on the passenger window of my Honda. It has a few scratches.

mbdriver

Rhiannon1207, Pblevine gave you good advice. Sal's the expert, so start with him. But I doubt that you'll have much of a problem if you've cared for the car as well as you have, used only NuFinish over the years, and the paint is still shiny.

One solution if you can't determine whether you still have clearcoat: Do the blue Dawn wash, clay, Z-7 wash, Z-1 -- and then use Z-5. The Z-5 is for use on either clearcoat or nonclearcoat paint. Some posters here even believe the reflective properties of Z-5 are superior to Z-2 or Z-3 (Sal doesn't, BTW). That way, you'll be able to get a head start with Zaino and can continue with multiple coats of Z-5 -- which will probably enhance the finish by "attacking" the swirls and minor scratches.

Eventually, when you're certain whether or not you have clearcoat, you can switch to either Z-2 or Z-3. And FWIW, I also used NuFinish exclusively over the years on my wife's 1977 Mercedes 300D and always kept the car clean and garaged. Almost two years ago I switched to Zaino. The Z-5 didn't completely remove all of the swirls. But the shine and "wet look finish" on the 24-year-old car, with multiple coats of Z-5 and then Z-3, is fantastic! So you can't go wrong!

fastdriver

mbdriver-

WOW!!! I remember the day you first started asking about Zaino! It's been that long already? Time flies when you're "Zainoing"! ;-))

fastdriver

graphicguy

Although New Finish does have some abrasives in it, you would have to be fairly agressive with it to entirely remove the clearcoat. My guess is there is clearcoat left on the Celica.

All the above is good advice. You can either do the "newspaper" routine as pblevine points out, or do you remember seeing any pigment (black in this case) on your buffing towel the last time you waxed the Celica with Nu Finish? If so, the clearcoat is worn and the finish will look dull as only the black pigment will show through on the finish. The finish will also feel a bit rough if the clearcoat is worn. That's the "magic" with clearcoat. It will look shiny when the clearcoat is "painted" over the colored pigment.

If you really want the Celica finish to shine, try using some 3M Perfect-IT Foam Polishing Pad Glaze before doing the Zaino routine on it. This is perfect stuff for a 10 year old Celica. I've used it on my sister's used (abused) black '92 Blazer before Zaino. She thought she was going to have to have it repainted. Not anymore. Your Celica should be a ton easier to shine than the abundance of real estate on a '92 Blazer.

BTW--pblevine, I would have disagreed that I had "good eyes" before. I had LASIK done on my eyes last week. Best thing I ever did. First time in 25 years I didn't have to wear glasses or contacts. Vision is now 20/15 (used to be 20/800).

MB DRIVER--you are officially an "old timer" here.

rhiannon1207

Thanks for all of the advice on using Zaino on my
92 black Celica. I sent my check yesterday with
my order for Zaino products and can't wait to get
the stuff. I just wish it were here before the
weekend (doubt that will happen), so that I have
plenty of time to use it.

I have one more question about the Nu Finish. Is
the Dawn going to be sufficient to remove the
Nu Finish? I think I read earlier in the postings
that someone recommended using vinegar and water
for removing water spots... Would that also work
for removing the Nu Finish?

By the way, I'm going to take some pics of the
car before and after. I'll try to post them
here after I do this.

Thanks again for all of the advice.

armtdm

If the dawn does not do it I would not worry about it. Contrary to Sal's advise and those on this board I have used Zaino directly over carnuba based waxes and to date I see no difference between the cars I have done this to and the one I went according to instructions on. All shine great and seems to be as durable. Since Nu Finish is not a wax but a polymer as well it may be even less of an issue.

Zaino is great stuff but one does have to be reasonable in approaching the subject!

pblevine

armtdm: I'm not sure about leaving Nu Finish (ie: rhainnon should email Sal), but I disagree on using Zaino on top of wax. Sure, the Zaino will "bond" to the wax. But wax in not "bonded" to the clear coat. It will look good to start with, but it will not have the endurance of a normal Zaino application. When the sheet metal expands and contracts do to engine heat or sunlight, the wax will not have the same coeffiecent as the metal, paint, or Zaino. And that means it will loosen with time and fall off as if it were wax (which it is). If you want the Zaino shine to last, wax removal is highly recommended.

graphicguy: Glad you're seeing better. I too am considering zapping my eyes. How's your night vision? Any glare spots?

squidd99

Putting a polymer on top of wax just does not make sense for at least 3 reasons.

One, it's easy to take off the wax by just washing with Dawn, and you are going to wash the car before putting on Zaino anyway.

Two, wax will yellow over time, and so eventually you will have a foggy layer between the polish and the paint.

Three, a polymer bonds to the paint; it won't bond to the wax, so it won't stay on the car as long if it's trying to cling to wax.

Also, Sal does not say to take off the wax first just to hear himself talk. I'd listen to his advice.

Finally, I may be wrong about this, but I think NuFinish is mostly wax with some polymer stuff in there. I've never used it, but I think I have read that here, and it sure looks like a pink liquid wax to me. Since it does not go on like Zaino, I doubt it's pure polymer.

Email Sal; he'll tell you how to take off the NuFinish. If you are going to go through the process of applying Zaino, you may as well wash the car first with the right stuff and start correctly.

bat1161

I had asked the same question of Sal a couple of weeks ago, regarding Z-ing an older car(88 Caddy).
According to Sal, there is no difference between Z-ing a new car or an older one. He said to do the basic steps of dawn,clay,Z-7,Z-1,Z-2 or 5,
Z-6. I am finally going to do it this weekend, as we are suposed to have nice weather in the NY area. I'll let you know how it comes out.
Mark

armtdm

But, Zaino over wax, in my experince, makes no diff! Perhaps you are correct but experince and testing are the true indicators and so far no difference!

namfflow

Whether Zaino or Zymol is the best is an argument that can continue till the end of time. Both are good products. It all depends on your budget, how much work you are willing to put into it and your personal "feel good" factor.

Prices can get outragous, Zymol has a hard wax that sells for over 1400 bucks!!!! Check it out on their website.

I am a person that used to use Nu-Finish. For most of my purpose it was okay. Fairly inexpensive, easy to use and provided good protection for the finish. However, now that I bought a brand new bright red truck I thought I would try something different. One that may have a better shine. You know how it is when you have a new baby. In addition I finally convinved my wife that her 97 truck has no protection as the "permanent" polish job the dealer sold her was a scam. It took me and the body shop experts to convince her.

Being a cheapskate I picked up the Zymol Cleaner Wax 2 pack they have at Costco for 15 bucks. Used it on my new truck, excellent shine. Visibly better than Nu-Finish. Also smells a lot better. Smells so good it almost made me want to eat it.

Tried it on the 97. Retored the OEM shine quite well. Luckily the paint and clear coat are still in good shape. I am happy with the finish the Zymol Cleaner Wax gave me.

In my opinion, the Zymol Cleaner Wax is a good product. One that I can feel I can use without feeling like I have been ripped off nor is it a product that takes all day to use. I want a fairly easy to use wax. I am not interested in claying and using multi stage products.

Zaino because it is a polymer instead of a wax will probably last longer if you subject the finish to a continuous spray test. That is an area polymers excel in. If I lived in rain country this might be a better option. But here in the cereal state (California, land of the fruits, nuts and flakes) the weather does not justify the longevity difference.

Either way, Zaino, Zymol or anything else, in the end what matters is that you use something to protect the paint finish. That is the key to keeping it looking good.

pjyoung

At the risk of being flamed by someone who has it in for Zaino - Let me just say that if you think Zymol smells good, you should try Zaino just once for the smell...right fastdriver??

[Deleted User]

You know...it is better to smell good than to look good, dahling.

automophile

Perhaps there was no wax left at the time you Z'd? That would surely minimize any differences.

pblevine

As you say, experience and testing are the true indicators. Good point. Lets see what happens. Please keep us informed.

pblevine

LOL, CA the "cereal state". I gotta remember that one. Again, if you are happy with Zymol, fine. Its a good product and tests show it does work well. I'm happy with Zaino, the tests confirm my experiences, and I'll stick with it.

bretfraz

I don't know anyone that "has it in" for the product. Who are you referring to, PJ?

fastdriver

Ah, the smell! It not ONLY smells good, but LOOKS fantastic!!

fastdriver

hammen2

OK, after devouring this board, and the tips and FAQ on the Zaino web site, I picked up my Zaino from a local distributor. I'm going to Z my black '98 Aurora this weekend, but I have some questions (and didn't have time to call Sal during working hours this week).

My main one is HOW to wash my car. Sure, use Dawn (my wife picked up Dawn Ultra from the grocery store - not sure if that's the right stuff, it's blue and "original scent", but I'm going to go to the grocery store and double-check just to be sure).

She says I should use a hose and a sponge to wash the car. Our outside water is VERY hard = bad mineral spots (I tried once), so I'm leery of that. OTOH, softened water from the inside faucet (put in a bucket) has salt in it. What to do, what to do? Bottled water? (he says half-jokingly)

Also: sponge or towel? I would think the sponge would be more abrasive...

Otherwise, I think I get the sequence:

wash w/Dawn, clay bar (lubricate w/Z-7 and water), Z-7, Z-1, Z-5, 2-3 hours to dry, then remove it, and apply Z-6. Wait a day, then repeat with either Z-2 or Z-5, depending if the swirls are gone...

I have my Fieldcrest white 100% cotton Made in USA towels (thank goodness for the white sale at Kohls), with the edging cut off...

Please let me know, and thanks, in advance, for any advice,

--Robert

protegextwo

Rhiannon 1207, there is ZERO wax in NuFinish. It is a polymer polish. However, if I was going to apply a high end, multi-step polymer product(Zaino/Klasse), to one of my vehicles, I would REMOVE as much of the old glaze, polish and/or wax as possible. Just common sense to follow the manufacture's suggested application instructions. Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure a good wash with a liquid dish soap and warm water will get the job done. BTW, if the rinse water still forms high tight beads on the hood of your car after the 1st wash with dish soap, give the car a 2nd warm soapy wash.

-Larry

protegextwo

NEVER use a sponge to wash your car. I sponge will grab any grit left on your car after rinsing and drag the grit around the paint and create tiny swirl marks. The very best thing to wash your car with, is the very soft plush white towels you have already purchased! Nevertheless, I hate washing cars with towels, I prefer lambs wool wash mitts, very soft and (for me) much easer to use. Just as important, Robert; start washing from the top of your car to the bottom. I change my wash water, when I start the lower parts of my vehicle. The lower parts of your car is where the grit really hangs out. I have a 2nd wash mitt dedicated to washing these areas of my cars. The choice is yours, 100% USA white towels for purest or high quality wash mitts for realists, lol! Good luck!

-Larry

dhanley

I spent $7 on my bottle of Z2. It will last me just under 2 years,

Yeah, if you don't use enough of it to really protect your car. I can spend $3 on wax and do that.

As for your assertion that you will recoup all the extra expense with time savings--bs. I did the 'Z' process. I still have the bottles in my garage. I haven't used 'em up because the zymol is, if anything, easier. There's one layer, you take it off damp, and it doesn't stain the black plastic trim.

dave

pjyoung

more isn't better...a little bit beads water like nothing I've ever seen, and it does it for almost six months. I suppose if I wanted to use so little that the bottle would last me 3 years, I could just do my car twice a year instead of 4 times a year. BTW, my car isn't an econobox, it's a 300M (kind of large).

As for my assertation about my time savings bs - It is apparent that the Zymol must have affected the portion of your brain that recognizes farcical humor.

plumbstar

I did the whole Zaino thing this weekend. Boy are my arms tired. Everything worked great. The only thing I found lacking was the clay bar. Somewhat difficult to use. I had a Clay Magic bar that I found much easier to use. It is larger & easier to grip. I also found that it kept its clay properties much longer. The Zaino bar felt like it was coming apart after a while. Is the Zaino bar the same as the Erazer bar? It looks as if they come in the same size container. My car looks great, though.

[Deleted User]

I just wanted to remind everybody that IT'S ONLY CAR WAX.

Just wanted to add some perspective.

daverose

I suggest you wash with a hand towel of the recommended material wrapped around a sponge.

Clay: I have found that using the Dawn wash water as the lubricant with Zaino clay to affect the clay; it seems to separate and develop "bumps" and become harder to manager. Even just the residual Dawn wash water can do this; I would thoroughly rinse the car, perhaps even wash it after the Dawn wash with Zaino. If you can, use distilled water mixed with Zaino in a spray bottle as your clay lubricant; you will have less worry about mineral water spots occurring. Then, use the remainder as a spot cleaner for bird droppings and the like.

If you have used Zaino clay with Dawn wash water as your clay lubricant, it will return to its normal more easily handleable state once you change to the recommended lubricant mixture.

protegextwo

Actually, the folks at this discussion are having a civil discussion, comparing a cheap, over the counter carnauba wax vs. a high end, multi-step polymer polish. They are, in reality, debating paint protection ideology. The ying and yang of paint protection detailing. In one corner the Zainoites, insular neurotics in search of the ultimate long lasting shine. In the other corner the Zymolites, mischievous fuss-budgets claiming, Turtle wax is a "good thing". Gary, please don't throw the proverbial "wet blanket" on this discussion, it is all too funny and provides needed comic relief for many lurkers here at Town Hall.

Respectfully,
Larry

fastdriver

garypen-

Yea, garypen. What he said! No wet blankets! Even with wet blankets, we Zainoists/Zainoholics still will have a great, long-lasting, spot-free shine! ;-)))))

fastdriver

[Deleted User]

OK This blanket has dried off overnight.

I think the Zaino folks are idiots because they spend so much time and money on car "polymerizing" products.

No. Wait. I think the Zymol users are backwards morons that don't understand the basic principles of today's car finish technology.

I'm so confused. It's tough trying to come up with pasionate opinions about car wax. It really is.

pjyoung

I've read with doubt all the posts about the 100% made in the USA white cotton towels. I couldn't imagine how they could make a difference - until today. I was in the Wal-mart this morning, picking up some other stuff, and I decided "What the heck" and looked at the towels. Low and behold, there were some 100% cotton made in the USA white towels. So, I bought them. It being a glorious 84 degree day with low humidities, I got out the Z7 and washed my car, dried it with the aforementioned towels and...it just felt different...better actually, like it was gliding over the finish and not digging in. I put on a coat of Z2, pulled my car in the garage, and got out my wifes dark blue Taurus. I washed it up and dried it off with the towels and it really does seem to make a difference. Put some Z5 on it (she belongs to a "car wash club" so it sees a lot of machines - ugh - but hey, it's her car). I'm writing this as I am doing the most difficult part of Z'ing - waiting for it to dry thoroughly. Then, I'll take the 100% cotton, made in the USA towel and wipe them down. I can hardly wait.

I thought you guys were a little over the edge. I realize now that I was lost, but now I am found. Today, I join you. Salut.

protegextwo

You will not gain much respect here at Edmunds Town Hall, with either the Hosts or the discussion regulars by calling regular town hall members, "idiots" and "morons". Perhaps, your jestful post was just poking fun, nevertheless; I sense an edge to your tone. Yes, we are passionate, a little neurotic and perhaps excitable fuss-budgets in our search for a long lasting "wet look" shine, however we are NOT "idiots" or "morons". Please, refrain from calling us insulting names. Gary, I remind you of the Edmund Town Hall Users Agreement.

Respectfully,
Larry

protegextwo

Say it ain't so, P J!!!

[Deleted User]

Dude. It was painfully obvious that I was kidding. Did you not read the previous posts regarding wet blankets, or my previous posts in this forum? I apologize if it came across differently.
No edge intended. I'm also a moron that uses Zymol, and an idiot because I plan to try Zaino at the suggestion of others on this and other Forums.
I like my car to shine, too. But, it's still only car wax.

kupper25

After doing the initial dawn/claybar/Z1/Z2 on my new 300M about 8 mos ago, with 2-3 Z2 treatments since then and many more Z6 treatments after Z7 washes, I am looking to do another Z1 layer. After reading many of these posts, I assume that I can just lay down another Z1 layer on top of everything I have already done. That is, do a Z7 wash, followed by Z1, Z2 and Z6.

Just looking for a quick confirmation that this is correct. Can someone in the know confirm for me so I don't make a mistake?

Also, I am getting ready to Z my daughter's new car. I notice you folks talking about "blue" Dawn. I seem to recall that the last time I used Dawn it was a light amber color. I there more than one version of Dawn, and does it make a difference which one you use? Thanks.

pat5000

I have heard that the z1 is recommended after a few coats of z2 to help the future coats adhere better. Not real sure though, you might want to try the corvetteforum.com board. Also I did see a blue dawn bottle the other day at Wal-mart, but this one said powerplus or something like that on it. Maybe this is the one they are talking about???

Bushwack

Since you've only applied 2 - 3 coats of Z2, I think you can easily go another three coats of Z2 before re-applying Z1. I read somewhere that Sal suggests up to 10 coats of Z2 before needing to re-apply Z1. And on a related note, its difficult to see any difference in shine after the first 5 coats of Z2 (are you confused yet??).
.
So...yes, you can apply Z1 after multiple coats of Z2 (or Z5). Do you need to??? I'd say after you applied 5-7 coats of Z2, go back and re-apply Z1.
.
IMO..the key to keeping that Zaino shine looking fresh is Z6. Using a separate 100% cotton towel (and sometimes a California Duster), I wipe off the dust nearly every morning as the car warms up. I then use a different towel to apply Z6.
.

joebob6

Yes, do what you said with Z1...and make sure the car is dry and free of water spots after the Z7 wash.

When you do Z1 again, be prepared for longer drying time.

In answer to other question:
Best thing to do is use the original "blue" Dawn.

namfflow

Does Zaino have a single step polish product. The Zymol single step (cheap) product did better than the expensive NSK cream wax at 144 bucks.

Now if Zaino has a single stage cleaner polish or whatever, I might be tempted to try it. What I won't do is have my wife spend a whole say using multiple products to polish my trucks. Before anyone gets in an uproar that I am making my wife a slave, I am temporarilly handicapped and cannot be on my feet so someone has to do the work around here.

Anyway, is there a single stage Zaino product and what is it?

pjyoung

the first application is the only "two step" part. For the next year or so, Zaino is "one step". There is talk of an additive that will be coming out soon that will make Z more of a one step process. FWIW - even with the 2 steps, the Z goes on easy...wipe it on, let it dry, wipe it off. No hard rubbing or buffing is required. You might want to e-mail Sal Zaino about this additive.

protegextwo

Raymond, quite frankly, Zymol doesn't last very long and Zaino has too many complicated steps for your wife, to do quickly. Here is what I use and like very much, Klasse All-In-One Car Polish and Sealent.

http://www.properautocare.com/kla-16.html

It exceeds all of your requirements. Klasse All-In-One polishes away oxidation and leaves a deep acrylic shine that can last for 6 months or more. All-In-One is not a wax, silicone or polymer but an acrylic formula. It matches the depth and clarity of a high quality carnauba wax or Zaino, but lasts much longer. It's a one-step product! It cleans, polishes and protects in one easy step. It cost $22.95 for 16 oz. bottle and I get about 8 waxes per bottle. Is very easy to use! Simply wipe on and wipe off. No drying time is needed.

http://properautocare.com/kla-16.htl

I have order it from Autopia Car Care on line and received great service. The stuff, I order comes in 3 or 4 days and they take credit cards(unlike Mr.Zany)! Check out this link.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/

Respectfully,

Larry

seattlekidd

OPINIONS PLEASE
i did the whole process a few months ago and it was great. a few months went by and
the other day i used z5 and let it dry and it came off great. the next day i used z2 and i am sure i put it on too heavy as it took forever to dry and did not come off as well. i then z6 the car and it is still not even and a little smeary in some areas. should i just z6 again as i sure as hell aint gonna dawn and start all over.

dhanley

No. The Z process is many steps. Dawn, clay, dawn, surface loc, and at least one layer each of #2 and #5, though according to the Z topic, you won't get any real benefit until you do several layers of 2 and 5. That seems to indicate 7-9 steps for initial application ( discounting the first dawn step; you've got to wash your car anyways ). The claying and all that polishing is bound to smooth the paint out somewhat, but i still think you should use a wax for protection.

Zymol doesn't seem ti last that long, it's true. However, it's pretty easy, so i don't mind doing it once a month; i did my car last night in about 20 minutes, and i'll spend maybe 10 minutes this afternoon getting wax out of the seams.

I do want to try klasse. I think i'll order some after my zymol is used up.

dave

bretfraz

The trick to most polymers is to allow for extended setup times which lets the product cure onto your paint. The setup times differ from car to car and even with the weather. This has to be taken into consideration when deciding on a product.

I've been using Finish First recently and while it works great, it takes a minimum of 90 minutes to cure betwen coats. Each application is super easy but it does take several applications before any benefit is noticed. So far I've got 6 applications on my car. Each took about 15 minutes to apply, but the curing time is 90 minutes per coat. That's 105 minutes per application or 630 minutes total. Not everyone wants to spend 10.5 hours to polish their car.

None of those considerations have to made with a carnauba-based product. If anything, it's the opposite. A product like Zymol or Pinnacle needs to be removed almost immediately after application. Letting them set up will only make it harder to remove. I can glaze and wax my car in the 90 minutes it takes to wait for the polymer to cure.

And the results are noticeable immediately. There is no significant benefit in applying multiple coats. By comparison, polymers absolutely require multiple coats to derive their maximum benefits.

Don't believe the posts from the hypersters of polymer products. The results are good but it takes a major effort to get them and I think most folks do not want to go to that extreme.