Waxes and Polishes, Part II

pblevine · October 1999

Nothing wrong with Zhat verb structure. Fastdriver, again those pictures are great! They overcome the pop up ads. Don't worry about them.

lmvine: Finish First is also a good product. But it won't last as long as Zaino and Zaino's Z2 also contains a UV filter which will help preserve your clearcoat by trapping unwanted ultraviolet rays. And the Z6 Gloss Enhancer spray is the best in the business by far. I believe there was a review of both products a while ago (ie: last year) but I cannot remember which mag reprinted it. Could have been Road and Track. But the original review was done on a website. It may have been VTEC.com but I'm just not sure. Check with www.zainobros.com.

mlsuli · October 1999

You're starting to scare me.... :-O

Z-no?

-mlsuli

abkhan · October 1999

If zaino makes the car look well polished how well does it perform against salt, mud and heavy rains.

abkhan · October 1999

If zaino makes the car look well polished how well does it perform against salt, mud and heavy rains.

fastdriver · October 1999

abkhan-

Did you look at my pics? My car was just 16 months old. Does it look like the salt, mud or heavy rains have affected my car? I drive it everyday in all kinds of weather.

fastdriver
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/7501/oct991.html

pblevine · October 1999

Sooner or later the dust, dirt, rail dust, bugs, gravel, and salt common on our roads will wear down any protection. Both waxes and polymers have to be re-applied on a periodic basis. Polymers like Zaino, however, will last much longer than any wax. My single coat of Z2 almost lasted the entire winter last year. And that's in a combination of NY, CT, and western MA driving. With two coats of Zaino's Z2, any car will be protected for a number of months.

Why? Again, the molecular structure of polymers creates long strings of plyable material. The resulting polymer layer on your car's clearcoat will: 1. Expand and contract easily with outside conditions, 2. Can absorb some of the impact shock of small particles hitting the surface, 3. Maintains a smoother surface longer which resists mud, 4. Will resist road salts longer than most waxes because Z1/Z2 is bonded to the clearcoat and will develop less microscopic cracks (which permit salts to pentetrate).

mic2000 · October 1999

Hello all!
Well, this is a bit off topic, but I didn't know where else to post, so thought i'd ask here

I've got a problem with my 92 Camry. It has had a funny odor since I've bought it back in 94 (you couldn't smell it when i bought it, due to the strong deodorizer the dealer used). It's not really offensive, but unpleasant,and comes off on your clothes if the interior of the car gets hot. The funny thing is, you can't smell it on your clothes when it's cold outside. It only seems to happen when the cars interior gets hot, especially after sitting in the sun. You can even smell it in the trunk of the car, and it seems to be even stronger in the trunk. I have tried steam cleaning all fabric and carpet 2-3 times, and have even used Febreeze twice. Still, the smell comes back. Any ideas, please help. I'm really starting to hate my car!
(and can't afford an new one, as we just bought a brand new "2000 Honda Odyssey")

Thanks!

pblevine · October 1999

You're right, this is NOT the correct topic. You should start a new one. Having said that, it might be due to the new plastic aging process. You should really contact Toyota's field reps. They'll know more than your local dealer. Have them trace it down now as the car is under warranty.

kfogel · October 1999

has anyone tryed Meguiars endurance????? Is it any good?????

newwestd · October 1999

I have been away for a couple of weeks, it been fun catching up on all the posts at once!

fastdriver - Thanks for the great pics (you must be tired of hearing this!) Your car looks like a show car on a magazine.

Residual Water - Many cars have little crevices that hold water that drips out while you are trying to wax it - very frustrating! My girlfriend's Accord is especially bad. So- after the Dawn treatment, I take the car on the freeway for 2 or 3 exits, then circle back. The 60+mph wind really helps blow off all the remaining water from the cracks.

graphicguy · October 1999

I use Meguiars Endurance and like it quite a bit. It doesn't "spin" off your tires and onto your car when driving either. It lasts through washings and rain. Expect it to make your tires look clean for about 2-3 weeks.

It will not give you that "shiny" look as others I've used. It's more of a "matte" finish, which I prefer.

fastdriver · October 1999

newwestd-

Thanks for the compliments. I have to tell you that I am NOT a fanatic! I do NOT spend HOURS waxing and washing. The ZAINO makes it a cinch to keep it looking like this.

Despite ALL the troubles that I had early on with this car, I STILL love it. I like looking at it as much as I do driving it! We had some rain earlier in the week so the car did get dirty. I went to the hand car wash today, used plain water, and rinsed off the car with the high pressure spray. Drove a few miles to get the water off and out of all the nooks and crannies, pulled into a shopping center parking lot, got the white 100% cotton towel out of the trunk and within minutes, the car looked like it does on my webpages. Took me maybe 20 minutes to wash and wipe down!

fastdriver

jbauer · October 1999

Saw this on a cable station...use your leaf blower to blow the water out of those tight places. This way your not introducing dirt into the water you're trying to blow off. If you don't have a leaf blower here's an idea. Let your wife know that your birthday, anniversary, the anniversary of the first day you started to shave, whatever, is coming up and a leaf blower sure would help make the yard look a lot nicer, and you know it is fall here in the midwest. With this in mind she may be more than willing to help you keep your property looking nice. Is it your fault that you ACCIDENTLY found another use for you gift ??? Now don't get me wrong...I really don't want you to be dishonest with your wife but you are allowed to be creative.

newwestd · October 1999

They say great minds think alike!

I tried the leaf blower. It does work, but also blew a lot of oil from the 2-stroke exhaust onto the car - had to wash it again! I am sure that this may vary from blower to blower, but be advised!

jbauer · October 1999

You may want to think about an electric blower, no oil problem but may not be as powerful. Or.... convince your wife you need an air compressor..you know..for keeping the tires inflated to the proper air pressure which will save all those trips to the local gas station and all those quarters for the few minutes of their air. Shouldn't take long to pay for your compressor with all those quarters your saving! Then you could buy the impact wrench so you could rotate your tires yourself, which will save money, that is right after your convince her you need a floor jack to get the car up so you can rotate the tires. Gee I could go on and on but I won't. If my wife reads this posting I'll have to come up with some other angles. :-)

chiromp · October 1999

dont tell your wife that you can get free air in calif now, a new law was just passed so you get free air! no more quarters. I have an air compressor from costco ($129) and use it for everything including blowing off my odyssey. I too go to the quarter car wash, no soap, just rinse off with high pressure rinse drive home use two 100% white cotton towels, blow the cracks wipe again and whalaa. I do this every 3-4 weeks.
mitch

fastdriver · October 1999

If you have one of those large shop vacs, you can take the motor off the top of the can and use that as a blower also. Like I've said, I just drive a few blocks or so after washing to get the water out of the nooks and crannies that way.

fastdriver

RichIITF · October 1999

Has anyone tried the following tire dressings: Turtlewax Tirewax, No-Touch Wet&Protect, or Duragloss(251)Tire&Mat Dressing? I am seeking to try to something that is easy to apply, long lasting, UV protection and reasonable priced.

BTW, I have been trying out several different types of tire dressings. Below are the brands I have tried and/or still using. I believe some results will vary depending upon tire brand and the molded patterns on the front of the tire.

Meguriar's Endurance-This product made my Michelins look greasy and tacky. However, made the tires on my wife's car look great. This could have been due to the smooth(no patterns)pattern on her tires.

Griot's Garage Vinyl and Rubber Dressing-Dries to a nice satin finish, repels rain, and last up to 2 washings. Unfortunately, I feel it is overpriced. 8oz for 8.95. plus S&H

Zaino Z16 Tire Gloss-Results where pretty much the same as Griots but I do believe it lasted a little longer. I also feel that this product is overpriced. 16oz for 12.95 plus s&h.

One Grand's ERV Dressing-Gives a nice shine that is not too glossy. It, however, does not last very long or repel rain very well. Priced @ 10.95 for 16oz plus s&h. One Grand sells this product in larger quanities that would make it a great buy if it only lasted longer or if it had some rain repelant.

These are my results and my opinions which can vary from user to user. Currently, Duragloss's 251 Tire&Mat Dressing sounds like a great buy at64oz for 17.95 but I can not verify if it contains some type of UV protectant. This can be found at Duragloss.com.

pblevine · October 1999

I've tried driving about a mile to eliminate the extra water. But I also collected some dust in the process. The blower sounds like a good idea - just don't try a hair drier!
Fastdriver: a question about these "hand wash" places. Would they allow me to use a litte Zaino Car Wash liquid? And what do they use rather than those big bad brushes?

fastdriver · October 1999

pblevine-

NO brushes here! IF you brought your own bucket and stuff AND if they weren't busy, I guess you could do it yourself. I've done that before too.

These wash places just have a high pressure wand. You can set it for wash(soap) or just rinse(water). I usually just use water.

fastdriver

onlyonce · October 1999

When waxing I have to be very careful to keep the wax off of black mouldings around the windshield, windows, etc. b/c it will stain the moulding white. If using Zaino - do I have to be just as careful?

ware · October 1999

I just starting using 3M's Tire Dressing. It darkens the tires without being. So far, it's holding up fine after 2 weeks. I used a tire dressing sponge shaped like the sidewall to expedite the application. It's $12 for 16oz.

I put Zaino all over black trim, headlights covers, wheels, etc. on my two vehicles the past month. No problem with it turning white (so far). I consider that a big advantage over regular wax. It goes on and off very easily. I really liked the results - great shine and slick as black ice. The hardest part was cleaning the paint really well before applying the Zaino.

dhaxton · October 1999

Somebody posted a link somewhere to a really nice car detailing site. Had about 15 pages, one topic per page, on everything from claying to interior finishing. High quality site with photos and nice formatting. I can't find it now. Anyone know where it is?

tom3k · October 1999

I had no problem buffing the Zaino off the smooth flat black surfaces, but it got caught on the textured black trim. I used Meguiar's tire gel to get it off. More of a matte finish than Armorall, and it doesn't promote cracking or dryrot.

deanjoh · October 1999

Alright... after reading all these wonderful reviews about Zaino I think I have finally decided to take the plunge. A couple of questions... I just bought a 2000 Dodge Ram Quad Cab... how *much* Zaino do I need to purchase? It's quite large and I'm not sure how much it will take to do the entire truck... 8oz. doesn't seem all that much... I spent 4 hours washing, polishing, and waxing (using Meguire's) and am looking for something a little better. Question #2. Is Zaino *REALLY* good at repelling dust? After spending 4 hours "detailing" I hate to see the truck covered with the fine dust (that it seems to attract) less than 24 hours afterword. Thanks for any input you can provide!

John

tom3k · October 1999

I have managed to cover my Honda Odyssey 4 times with an 8 oz bottle of Z2, and there's enough left for at least a 5th coat, maybe more. This is after using too much the first time. Several thin coats works the best as it dries quicker and comes off easier. Since Zaino does not dissolve the layer below it, like other waxes/polishes, subsequent layers can be very thin. It is very slippery when it's fresh, it washes very well, and supposedly Z6 is good at repelling dust between washes (I'll try it next order).

johnsandiego · October 1999

I have a question concerning the best thing to use to wash my car. I have read that the best thing to use is a sheepskin mitt. I have been looking for this at auto parts stores and have only been able to find a synthetic version of this. Will synthetic fibers scratch the finish? Does anyone know where I can find the real thing?

irinaz · October 1999

Dhaxton, maybe this link is what you need: http://www.dccarcare.com/tipowk2.html

mlsuli · October 1999

I have a black 1999 Honda Accord. I've used Zaino on it and it look great! However, I only used one coat of Z1, a coat of Z5 (for swirl marks) and only one coat of Z2 as the finisher. I finalized the detail with the spray (Z6) to polish the car to a shine.

To answer you question directly, I don't think that Zaino is any better at repelling dust than anything else. My car shows the dust after 36-48 hours. Where the Zaino helps - like tom3k said - is its smoothness. You can easily was your car weekly and the water just beads off. Easy dry and a little Z6 and your done in 20 minutes (maybe longer with the Quad Cab!). Then again, maybe the dust is the price for owning a black car

-mlsuli

tthomas2 · October 1999

DeanJoh,

I have 2 coats on my 300M, actually 3 on the hood and trunk....1 coat on our Suburban, actually 2 on the hood and barn doors....and 2 coats on my daughters Accord...all with a single 8 oz bottle of Z2. I think I can get at least another hood or trunk with what remains ;-)

Spread this stuff "THIN". The applicators from zaino really help economize.

I second mlsuli's comments on dust repelling properties. My Cranberry (read dark Plum) 300M is ready for washing after only 2 nights of Seattle dew. But it washes very easily and looks good anyway!

Terry

drscopem · October 1999

Hi:
-#444 car wash mitt
I know of 3 sources for a real wool wash mitt. The synthetic mitts will scratch the finish no matter how soft they feel.
I got my wool mitt from Griot's Garage at www.griotsgarage.com for about 15 dollars. You can also check out what Larry Reynolds has to offer at www.carcareonline.com. Some Wal-Marts also have wool mitts for 5 bucks but I don't know their quality.
Another option is to use a 100% cotton Made In The USA terry cloth towel.
Good luck.

tee1 · October 1999

I just purchased a 1996 white lexus LS400. I believe it was a lease vehicle. I like to know should I use dawn to strip the wax and then applied z1,z2 and z6 or should I clay the vehicle then used z1,z2, &z6.

Tee1

tom3k · October 1999

It certainly wouldn't hurt to clay it. I got nothing on the clay bar from my brand new car, but got quite a lot of stuff off my (supposedly cleaned to the paint) old car.

chiromp · October 1999

ok

pblevine · October 1999

With a used car, you should really apply Z5. I would use Dawn first to insure that all the old wax is gone. And yes, "Claying" a used car, even a very good one, is the recommended way to go. Then wash the car again to remove any clay related residue. Once that is done and the car's surface has been properly prepared, you can start the Zaino sequence: Z1, Z5, and then Z2.

posiedon · October 1999

Can somebody tell me how to remove those annoying stains caused by tar splashes ? I have some on the underside of my new car and do not want to risk damaging the paint by using string cleaners. Thank you.

drscopem · October 1999

Hi:
Some people use WD-40. I like 3M General Purpose Adhesive Remover from NAPA stores, auto paint stores, etc. Whatever you use you will need to reapply wax or sealer when you are finished.
Good luck.

pblevine · October 1999

I too like WD-40. Also, I've now applied Zaino (see drscopem's recommendation above) to those lower areas. Once a good layer of Z2 has been applied, you can then use Z6 Gloss Enhancer as a cleaner whenever those nasty tar spots appear.

hagar · October 1999

I just tried the langka paint repair remover from
http://autosupermart.com/
it works pretty good to making your ship area smooth and flat, but you have to vary the time you wait for your chip paint to dry, it can take different times sometimes, but if you have a clear coat chip bottle also, it will come out really well, i suggest it for all your paint chips.

wc3george · October 1999

Rich --

I've used Turtle Tirewax -- not bad. It lasted 2-3 weeks and was easy to apply. You can leave it on for a glossier shine, or wipe it off after a few minutes for a flatter finish.

Smells nifty, too.

One drawback: On patterned sidewalls (like the piece-of-junk Firestone tires on my Honda Ody), the applicator -- a cheap, lightweight sponge -- can get abraded. No problem on my smoooooth Michelin X-One's.

devontie · October 1999

Try Zymol wax on your car. Someone told me about it and it's the best wax I have ever used.

newwestd · October 1999

I see a few posts that Zaino users just pressure wash their cars to remove the dirt then towel dry. I have always avoided pressure washing - logically it seems that a pressure washer spray will grind all the sharp dirt particles into and along the paint as it is removing it - essentially sandblasting your car! My neighbors have always used a pressure washer and have already re-painted one car only 5 years old!

Comments? Any long-term experience out there?

Gischpel · October 1999

I have always pressure washed my vehicles in the winter. I usually start by wetting down the vehicle without squeezing the trigger for the extra pressure. Once it is all wet (which takes a few minutes), the stuff is usually soft enough that when I spray it from an angle, rather than straight on (or into) the painted surface, the dirt seems to glide off. I did this with my white Honda for twelve years and it looked just like new when I sold it.

As for the Zaino helping stuff to slide off, I Zaino'd my truck when it was new and didn't have time to do much with it for a year. Washing it like this over the winter worked great and the shine was still there when I finally got around to doing it again this spring.

Hope this helps,

Terry

newwestd · October 1999

Terry - Thanx for the response. Do you see any little micro-scratches developing in the paint after this treatment? Maybe your pre-wetting treatment allows you to use less pressure to remove the dirt?

fastdriver · October 1999

newwestd-

I have been using those pressure washes for years and have not had a problem. Then again, maybe I don't keep my cars long enough to see any damage?

Using the ZAINO has made it easier for me to keep my car clean. Pressure washes are my only resource in the winter months here in CT if you want a clean car. Yes, there are hand wash places, but since I have learned so much about the kind of towels to use and the soap etc. I have stayed away from these places. So far, in almost 17 months, I don't think the high pressure washes have hurt my car. Take a look. http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/7501/oct991.html I think my car looks great. Just my experience.

fastdriver

devontie · October 1999

I've never tried Zaino on my car is itsold in stores or do you have to order it direct.

indycamaro · October 1999

Zaino can be purchased directly from Sal Zaino directly or by one of his 30+ distributors across the country. Although the Zaino site does not currently list the distributors you can ask Sal who the closest one is. Some times it depends on how fast you need to get it.

www.zainobros.com

Happy Zainoing!
Doug Aldridge
Central Indiana Camaro Club
www.indycamaro.com

Gischpel · October 1999

No, I haven't noticed any scratches from this, but I'll be honest -- I am not in the league with most of the folks here in terms of their devotion to car care. I do what I have to to keep the clean and looking nice, but don't have time to extend it much beyond that. I have been very impressed with the results from claying and the Zaino products an will continue with them.

Terry

newwestd · November 1999

Thanks for the input. I am still a little nervous about considering this. I think I will stick to lamb's wool and car wash solution for now, but will consider the power wash for extreme circumstances. Here in L.A mud and snow are pretty unlikely!

Thanks again -

tomgar · November 1999

In anticipating the delivery of my new Honda Ody, (optimistic at the least since it's been on order since April 10, 1999) I've ordered and received the Z1, Z2, and Z6 from Zaino. I understand from these posts, and everything else I've read while waiting, that a little goes a long way, and the thinner-the better. However, I have a hard time imagining how to use and stretch out the product for the Z6. It's packaged in a spray bottle, and the directions call for applying one square foot at a time. Seems like a lot of squares on a mini van to cover (without drying) and still get multiple applications from one 16 ounce bottle. Also, wouldn't there be a lot of overspray, making it difficult to contain your work area to 1 sq. ft.? Maybe its packaged wrong, and it would be more efficient to work from the bottle, pouring directly on the applicator. Comments welcome.!!

Waxes and Polishes, Part II

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