Zaino Car Care Experiences

bretfraz

We've discussed this before in here but by far the best method I've found to clean glass is to use a top-quality cleaner like Sprayway or Stoner's Invisible Glass. Use with a dedicated microfiber towel and they will be perfect everytime. Took me many years to find this process so if you can find one better, please let us know.

For glass polish I use a product made by Autoglym. It's a creamy product that goes on and off like fine liquid polish or wax. Drys quickly, very little rubbing or buffing. I use it on the car and around the house with fantastic results.

Hope this helps.

jona57

I tried Zaino a few months ago & it's clearly shining longer than my previous experiences with Mother's and Meguiar's waxes. It is true that Zaino will not remove scratches, but anything that will must be abrasive to smooth the surrounding areas down to the level of the scratch. A few layers of properly applied Z5 to the affected areas will fill most minor scratches WITHOUT removing any of your clearcoat layer. In any case, if you want you can always have a detailer sand-down, -er I mean "buff" your clearcoat later. That is why I tried Z5 & it has done very well for all but a few deep scratches (which I will live with rather than buff-down). As far as all the prep work, it is not absolutely required for Zaino any more than it is for any other wax/polish. A good prep will just make any shine look better. On the other hand, you can simply wash with Dawn (to remove old wax) then use Z1/Z2 or ZFX/Z2 and be done. You will likely still have a much longer-lasting shine than conventional wax. Finally, polymer protection is not new and its market is expanding. Meguiar's & Mother's both now offer polymer-based polishes.
I'm not a Zaino salesman & I do not use all of their products, but I think Z5/Z2 are great polishes, Z7 is a great car wash, & Z6 is a wonderfully shining detailer. You spend a bit more on the initial purchase, but these Zaino products are cost-effective because a little goes a LONG way. And good tech support is only an e-mail or phone call away.

Jon

jimmyj1945

Thanks to all for your great responses. I am ordering Zaino tonight and will mail in the morning. One last question since you have all been so great. I just bought my wife a new Honda Accord. Can I use Zaino on it right away or does the car need to be so many months old?

Thanks again,

JimmyJ

hammen2

You can use it right away. Unlike the old days, paint does not have to wait x amount of time to "cure" - it's set when it leaves the factory.

This right from Sal's mouth (my wife made me ask him before she allowed me to Z her new white Grand Prix GTP last fall :-)

Hope this helps,

--Robert
who still has a garage of old Meguiars and Mothers stuff he'll never use again.

squidd99

Yes to what he said, and also you should figure that the dealer probably gave the car a complimentary wax job, so be sure to wash that off with Dawn first.

But paint don't cure no more, so have at it.

fickle

I've asked this before but I can't remember...or it didn't work well.

I have scratches that z5 will not "fill" in. So I used a rubbing compound but, of course, the clear coat is now gone:( Is there anyway to get rid of the scratches without having to fill in with touch up paint? (I did that too and it looks terrible.) Someone mentioned a 3M product but I can't remember which one it was.

Help!

automophile

fickle:

If your scratches are through the clear coat (it is thinner than a piece of paper), there is little way to hide or remove them. The 3M products you saw described are some of the best rubbing compounds, but they cannot work miracles. If you removed your clear coat, you may have pressed too hard. They have to be used very carefully.

All scratch "removers" work by grinding down your paint to the level of the scratch. If your scratch is through the clear coat, you must therefore remove the clearcoat to do this.If it is through the color coat down to the primer or metal, it may be un-fixable. If it is a short, deep scratch, you may be able to "fill" the scratch with touch-up paint, and then use "Paint Leveler" to smooth it down to the paint surface. With some work, this can look acceptable. If your scratches are long, you have to live with it until you can get a re-paint job.

Good Luck!

mbdriver

I took bret's advice last year and ordered a CASE or Sprayway -- now I fight with my wife because she uses it all over the house, on mirrors, windows, etc. It's great stuff.

I also tried the micro fiber cloth bret recommended -- it's ok, but gets wet quickly when used with the Sprayway foam. I now use old cotton towels, not even 100% cotton. Works well.

Hope this helps.

fastdriver

jimmyj1945-

Yeah, what automophile and squidd99 said! I've been away for a while AND I got a new eMAC computer, so I've been learning my way around with OS 9 and OS X and neglecting TH!

With this new computer, I can make you a QuickTime movie of my Zaino shine! I just have to figure out how to store it for free at Apple's site and then have people link to it. I already did one of my 4th of July trip to New Hampshire, but it just took a LONG time to send it to a friend via e-mail. Maybe I need to Stuffit it and then send it OR use less pics! ;-)) At any rate, it is cool. For now, you can just click on my name above and take a look at my pics. I've been using Zaino since the summer of 1998!! NO problems! It's all I ever use now!

Good luck. You know that we'll want to see pics! ;-))

fastdriver

jimmyj1945

Thanks for your response. I ordered the Zaino products and am patiently (NOT) waiting for them to arrive. I'm ready to start-now. This should be really neat. My Infiniti is Silver and I just bought my wife a new (Gold) Honda Accord. Should like nice side-by-side.

Jim

fastdriver

jimmyj1945-

Get the sunglasses ready! ;-)))

fastdriver

jona57

fastdriver-

How about putting some Z2 on that new eMac and posting pix.
No,wait....
A Zaino'ed TiBook is what I really want to see (if I could ever afford one!!!!!)

Jon
-still running my 1995 Performa 6400 w/Sonnet G3 processor card

pblevine

I'd like to try Sprayway, but don't know where I can buy it. Please give me a glue.

Regarding the Zaino Glass Polish "haze" problem, I too get the haze after removing the bulk of the polish residue. To continue to remove the residue, I spay some Z7 (car wash) and water on the glass, and then re-wash with Windex. Windex by itself is useless. The Z7/water combination seems to loosen the residue layer.

sddlw

We buy it at Costco.

fastdriver

jona57-

LOL... Will do that ASAP!!! Love this eMac!

fastdriver

erinx5

Hello Everyone!
I have an '04 BMW X5 (Sterling Gray) and would like some recommendations on cleanding the windows (Inside and Out). Does the Zaino glass polish work good, or what about Windex, and what do I use for rags. Some people tell me to use microfiber rags and some say just plain old cotton rags. Also, for the leather, what should I do. BMW recommends using their leather foam cleaner, but how does the Zaino leather cleaner and the conditioner stack up (Also, how often do I appily if I go with the Zaino leather care products?). I am looking at getting a new vacuum for cleaning the inside, anybody know of a good one to get? What should I use for cleaning the wheels? What about cleaning the wood trim? Finally, Zaino recommends using a leaf blower for drying the exterior, I am looking at getting a nice lightweight one, possibly electric, any recommends?

Thanks for all you help, as I have never had a car that I cared so much about!

~Erin

jona57

I've started using Z6 on my computer screens & it works great for me. I spray it on my cotton towel first then wipe for a nice clean smudge-free screen. (As with any glass cleaner, I do NOT spray directly on the screen as the liquid could run down into the unit).
Also- Z2 makes the newer iBook & TiBook look sweet (just keep it out of the inner electronics!)
One dot of Z2 on a rag does an entire iBook for someone. The shine is so impressive it makes 'em want to try it on their car.

BTW fastdriver-
My moded Performa reminds a friend of Hans Solo's ship in Star Wars- An old machine rigged together with modern parts for surprising performance. MultiGig hard drive, more RAM, ATI video accelerator, G3 card, USB card, and 10/100 Ethernet. It now outperforms an original iMac- Heck that old 1995 Performa must be 250 in "computer years" and is still goin' strong.

Jon

atoews

I have been using Z6 on my vehicle windows as part of my bi-weekly exterior care routine. When I use Windex, I have that old problem of there always seeming to be streaks on the side of the glass you are NOT currently cleaning.

Since Z6 does not seem to streak like Windex does, I tried washing some windows on my house with Z6. However, the windows were very dirty, so next time I will do a once over with Z7 and follow with Z6. I figure this works so well on my car windows, it ought to do OK for the windows on my house, too. :-)

I finally have a satisfactory number of coats of Z2/Z5 on my car (about 6-8). Until I "winterize" my car with more Z2/Z5 in October, I will use Z7 followed by Z6 as a regular exterior maintenance approach.

I also use Z6 on the beautiful interior wood trim on my new ES300.

I LOVE Z6.

kathyva2

I am waiting on my first order of Zaino products to use on my new dark blue Accord.

The car is getting covered with dust, etc. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and wash it now or wait for the Zaino cleaner and waxes to arrive. Any suggestions on a cleaner to use now?

Thanks!

daverose

Sure, do your Dawn wash, thorough rinse, and dry now. If you're going to use Zaino clay, I've found that Dawn temporarily causes it to get bumps, making it harder to handle. So get that over with, and when you get your products, then you can, perhaps, just dust only, or, if necessary, dust and rinse, or, dust, wash somewhat more quickly with Z7, and dry, or, if you're going to clay, dust, wash with Z7 without drying, then clay, rinse, and then dry. If you're using Z1, rather than a ZFX-accelerated polish only, don't forget that it IS a pre-cleaner as well as the "set-up" chemistry for the polishes, so a dusting may be all the prep work you have to do before, 1) a "good" application of Z-1 and polishing or 2) ZFX-acclerated polishing(s).

Have fun!

atoews

I would never consider dusting only prior to applying protectant. In my experience, if there is any dirt or dust left on the vehicle at all, your polish applicator will pick it up during the course of polishing. Then, you have to change applicators to avoid scratching as you polish. Once dirt is on the applicator, it is virtually impossible to get out. And applicators aren't exactly cheap.

The most dangerous area is around the bottom of the doors and around the wheel wells. It is hard enough to get all the dirt off when you wash, rinse, dry, wash, rinse, dry. If you only dust, I think your polish applicator will be dirty almost immediately.

The best possible situation is to not drive anywhere between the wash and polish processes.

I would wash, rinse, and dry my car now using only a diluted Dawn/water mixture for the wash cycle and 100% white, US, cotton towels for the dry cycle. Then, when I received my products, I would begin over again with the entire Z process.

squidd99

I don't think it makes much difference.

First of all, your Zaino products should arrive in a matter of a few days. So you can wash it now if you want, but you will want to wash it again just before applying Zaino for the first time.

I agree with the above post about being sure that absolutely everything is off the car prior to applying Zaino (by the way, it's not "wax," so if you're waiting for Zaino wax to arrive, you will have a long wait ahead of you).

Anyway, I suggest you wash it with any kind of soap you have on hand, or use Dawn now. If you can't wait to get started, you can clay the car now while you wait for the Zaino, unless, of course, you ordered the Zaino Clay Bar, and are waiting for that, too. Claying is something you might do once a year, so you can get that out of the way a day or two before you apply Zaino, it will make no difference.

In any event, Wash the car very carefully and very fully IMMEDIATELY before applying Zaino for the first time (Z1 or either Z2 or Z5 with ZFX), even if you just washed it the day before. The first time, the Z will bond with the paint, and will seal anything not removed, like swirls or water spots. And you don't want grit on the car, as it will scratch.

By the way, I have found that Viking foam applicator pads are far better than Sal's cotton covered sponge for applying a VERY THIN coat of Zaino. They only cost a dollar or so at AutoZone, and they make the Zaino go a long way, and so pay for themselves.

Think of applying Z for the first time the way you think of doing anything worthwhile (or fun) for the first time, and you will have the attitude necessary to motivate you to the careful attention to detail and an unhurried approach that will repay you many times in the future with the joy of a job well done and a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

I was just kidding about the warm fuzzy feeling.

mazadi

I'm getting ready to put in a refill order for some more Z2 and Z7. I still have 75% of a bottle of Z1. Would you guys recommend I ditch that and go for the ZFX? Does it make that big of a difference?

Thanks

mbdriver

I haven't yet tried ZFX, but I definitely would keep the Z-1 and use it every six months or so, or after 8 or 10 coats of Z-2/Z-5. The primary advantage of ZFX is the rapid curing time that allows three successive coats of Z-2 or Z-5 to be applied in one day.

Assuming you already have several coats of Z-2 or Z-5 on your car, use the Z-1 per the above. I'm in the same situation and have about 10 or 12 coats on my brilliant silver MB and many coats of Z-3 (no clearcoat) on my wife's MB 300D.

squidd99

I'm in the same position.

Since ZFX eliminates the need for Z1, I have a lot left. I cannot imagine a situation where I can use it, since I'd just have to go over the car twice to get the same result as with ZFX.

And I can put on up to 3 coats in one day. Since my car is kind of small, this is easy. And, if you are going to do 3 coats in one day, which is the limit per Sal, you can stretch your ZFX by using it for only the first 2 coats, and using plain old z2 for the 3d coat, since you have to let it cure for a day at least anyway.

Therefore, my Z1 is obsolete.

And for sale, cheap.

pblevine

I too have some Z1 left over. There is no way I'm going back to the pre-ZFX days. ZFX is wonderful. But I just can't seem to throw the old Z1 out. I think its "bonded" to my shelf.

joebob6

Z1 has some cleaning ability. I had some "spots or stains" that neither a Z7 wash nor Z6 could remove. Before resorting to an abrasive product I tried Z1 and it worked great at removing the "stuff".

I still use Z1 occasionally on the entire car to clean it even though I now use ZFX too.

jimmyj1945

At 56, I don't often get to say that! Anyway, to be sure I don't mess this up, would someone answer these questions please:
These are not exact quotes...

-The instructions say pour one to two ounces of Z2 into a 2 ounce ZFX mixing bottle, mix the ZFX drops etc. I assume the 2 ounces of Z2 will fill the bottle, correct?

-Says, apply polish enabled with ZFX, use sparingly, a small amount goes a long way, and you will be applying multiple coats. Does this mean I apply two or more coats of polish, or by rubbing it into the paint you will automatically apply more than a coat?

-Will one bottle normally do one car?

Thanks in advance for your help,

Jim

joebob6

2 ounces will fill the whole bottle and half that is one ounce. Depending on the size of the car and how proficient you become applying the Zaino polish 2 ounces could be enough to do an entire car 3-4 times. I would recommend using one ounce of polish for the very first time and then after that you could gauge how much you need...As long as you don't put it on too thick I think 1 ounce will cover most cars 1-3 times(unless you are driving a boat).

Multiple coats means:
Apply a coat of polish with an applicator. By the time you are finished applying to the whole car you can start removing the coat where you first applied it. At the point it is completely removed you are done with One coat. You have the option of spritzing and wiping on and off Z6 gloss enhancer if you like.

You can then repeat the process (the above paragraph) twice more if you like. It is optional. Remember that whatever is left over in the mixing bottle and not used within the 8 hour period will have to be disposed of.
It can be very tiring to do three coats.

As an aside I have used rubbing alcohol shaken vigorously to get as much of the residue as possible out of the ZFX mixing bottle when cleaning it.

jimmyj1945

Thanks. That helps a lot.

Jim

pblevine

Now that we're using ZFX, what will become of that spare bottle of Z1? One possible use I've found is my new plates. New York State is issuing new plates this year. 'Just got mine. My old plates look rather bad not having had any Z.

lex430

I have heard good things about both Z leather care and lexol, and I have used both. I don't see and feel the benefit of lexol, I think Z leather treatment leaves the surface alot more soft, shininer, and smells better.

I am not sure if I am using lexol correctly, but anyone else have opinions on which is better? I hope I am not starting a leather care war

robr2

I switched to ZFX and have been very happy with it. I have done my Accord twice with ZFX/Z5 with 3 coats each time. I'm able to get 1 oz to cover the Accord with the 3 coats.

I had just run out of Z1 last fall so I guess I got lucky.

Tomorrow I get to do the Ody for the first time this year - tough to find the time. I'm not sure I want to do 3 coats!!

joe166

Half the little bottle (one ounce) was enough to do my Lincoln LS three times, which is pretty much my limit. Of course, I cheated and only did the whole car twice and then the top surfaces, the sides to the crease line and the front and back bumpers for the third coat. Looks pretty nice.

automophile

I have been using Lexol for many years, and still feel that it is the best, even having tried the Z leather care.

To use the Lexol - Clean the leather with a leather cleaner if it is dirty. Then, pour a bit of Lexol into the palms of your hands, and rub it well into the leather with your hands. This is really inportant. Let it dry for a while, and then buff off with a soft towel. It's fabulous.

I use it twice a year and touch up with Lemon Pledge in between. The Pledge is also great for all the rest of your interior - wood, leather, plastic, chrome and vinyl.

lex430

automophile,
thanks for the tip, now that's the same directions I read and applied to my car, however, after I applied the lexol, it dries up in about 1/2 hour, doesn't matter how much lexol i use.., there is really no excess, or anything to buff out! My car is new, and I started with zaino leather product before, so it's in very good condition to start with.

This is where my confusions come, when people say lexol's fabulous, does that mean the leather is soft? shiny? softens the wear line on the leather..etc? cause i don't get any of that with lexol????

pblevine

I too was amazed when I found that about 1/3 oz was all I needed to do my Accord Coupe. That's 1 oz for three coats. The first time I used ZFX I mixed up about 1.5 ozs and had about .4 oz left. 'Couldn't just waste it! So I continued with the inside of the Trunk lid, the painted surfaces inside the engine compartment, the inside of the doors, and the bottom of the lower rocker panels. I still had some left. Sal had said it (Z5) was safe for windows, and so, I did them.

Z5 on my front windshield has several advantages. First, it sort of acts like RainX. Water just flows away. Second, it seems to hide some of the tiny pit marks that you see when driving directly into Sun glare. And Third, it makes it much easier to clean the window. Water and a cotton towel do the trick. Only one word of caution. I "thought" I had cleaned the windshield window completely prior to applying the Z5. I had washed it (Z7 + water) and cleaned it again using Windex. It looked absolutely clean. But now when I'm going into strong direct sunlight, I see a very slight haze on the extreme right side of the windshield in the area not covered by my wipers (actually the right side wiper). And now that area is covered with Z5. If you do this, please clean your entire windshield with an abrasive cleaner and then re-clean completely with a product like Sprayway. And then inspect through direct sunlight prior to application of Z5 or Z2.

jimmyj1945

I received my Zaino, minus the clay bar I ordered. So, I bought a brand-X clay bar so I could get started on the Zaino. Of course I used my wife's car for the first test. Anyway, I just finished claying the car and noticed several chips in the paint. Brand new car, only a month old. Not big chips, but chips none the less. So, before I zaino, should I try to fill the chips with touch-up paint? Of course this would take time to dry. Can I Zaino now, and put touch-up paint on later? I know some of you have already experienced this, so please let me know what you have found to work best.

By the way, I e-mailed Zaino and told them I received my package without the clay bar. They replied the next day, and said that they sent it that day. I almost felt guilty for asking for something I really did not receive. I am glad they did respond quickly.

Thanks for your help,

Jim

joe166

You can "wax" your car and later come back and touch it up. The only thing you would have to do is clean the area where you are going to put the paint with a good solvent. Alcohol works. There are lots of other products that work too. Later, after the touch up has cured, you can redo the small areas with the Zaino. Go to a web site called Carcareonline.com and you will find great detailed tips on how to touch up paint chips. Lots of nice suggestions that should answer all your questions. Just requires lots of patience.

jimmyj1945

I'll look into the web site also.

Jim

automophile

Lex 430 - I don't let it get quite dry before buffing - I am not sure that it is good to let something build up on (in?) the leather. Anyway, the end result should be very soft, naural feeling leather. Lexol will NOT make it shiny, just healthy. Since yours is in obviously good shape, it will keep it that way. If you do NOT treat the leather, it can get stiff and dull and lose the "healthy" feel.

pblevine

Jimmyj1945: Please follow the recommendations from Joe166. Unfortunately paint chips will always appear due to: inconsistant paint application at the factory, and all sorts of flying paint "destruction objects" such as sand, rocks, road salt, and junk left on the road. But this should not stop you from using Zaino. Z offers some light protection to the rest of your paint. And then you can go back and touch up those scratches and paint chip areas.

I tried to find Sprayway at Costco and could not. They don't seem to carry it. Does anyone know where else I should look for this glass cleaning product?

jimmyj1945

I just bought some at a local place called The Cleaning House. They sell industrial supplies, janitorial supplies etc. Was less than $3 for a large 19 ounce can.

Jim

joebob6

My local Supermarket carries Sprayway. Worth a shot or there are plenty of places online you can order it from.

hammen2

Tried to clean up my mom's black car this weekend. The front bumper/fascia (plastic) was absolutely covered in dead, baked-on bugs. Try as hard as I could (both Dawn wash and Z-7 wash, holding my soaking lambswool mitt on there, then trying to rub/scrape it off), I couldn't get the crud off. Anyone have any suggestions about a decent bug/tar remover?

robr2

Use a clay bar - works for me on the deceased arthropods that pile on the bumper of my Ody during our trips to Maine.

squidd99

I asked Sal that question once, and he suggested using WD-40 on the bugs.

It works well.

We don't know why.

pblevine

First apply the WD40 and give it a few minutes to soak in. Then wash with a heavy concentration of Z7 and water. And then rinse with plain water.

bretfraz

I use a product designed to remove bug residue. Works great as long as the bug goo is fresh.

You can get it at http://www.topoftheline.com . It's made by Hi Temp Products. Porsche also markets a bug remover. Check it out at http://www.properautocare.com

kcwolfpack59

I use a dissolved baking soda and water solution which I put into a spray bottle for a soaking mix. Then I use an old lambswool mit soaked with the same stuff for removal. I wash the car first, allowing the bugs to soak, so the the baking soda solution is easy work.