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Comments
I recommend using Dawn before claying; you want to remove as much foreign matter from the surface of the paint as you can and anything less strong than Dawn or some other alkaloid dish soap could leave behind dirt and contaminants. That means the clay might have more dirt and contaminates to pick up and, theoretically, make the claying more tedious and difficult than some already consider it to be, and unnecessarily shortening the useful life of the clay. I may be making a point that is more theory than substance, i. e., how much more difficult and how much shorter? But the point, is use the "dump truck", Dawn, for all it's worth, then go to the "wheel barrow", clay, for only the small stuff that remains. Thoroughly rinse after washing with Dawn; I have found that Dawn causes Zaino Clay to "lump up" and separate.
The Zaino applicators are not particularly durable, but they can be re-used; just wash by hand, using liquid laundry soap, and air dry them. Since Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z5 are compatible, the same side of the same applicator can be used to go from one product to another. I would not mix Z-12 and Z-14 on the same applicator.
Any thoughts on that?
And some diapers may not be 100% cotton either. According to Sal Zaino, you should use 100% cotton "Made in USA" white towels ONLY! Fieldcreast is one such brands which produces these towels and I believe Cannon also makes them.
janmap: Not to worry. As long as the Z1 was applied to the clearcoat surface, your finish will be just fine. Now if the panels start to fall off....only kidding! So, hows the shine?
janmap: there are two uses of Z6, Gloss Enhancer. One is to help spread the polish products more thinly by spraying the polish application medium (Zaino applicator, towel, diaper) directly. The other use is as a treatment of the surface as a shine enhancer immediately after wiping off polish or after drying a vehicle after washing it, or as a light cleaner and shine restorer between washes/polish applications.
This process involves spraying a small area of the surface, NOT the material you are immediately spreading it around and wiping it dry with. This process needs to be done in small areas at a time so that the Enhancer doesn't dry before it is wiped around the surface, otherwise you will end up with spots and streaks.
In ALL uses of the Z6, the nozzle should be barely open so that when you pull the trigger, you get a fine, atomized mist, not a stream.
Hope this helps you two.
First - Will Zaino remove bugs, tar, etc, or do I need to use a bug and tar remover first?
Second - I have been reading that 'you just wipe zaino on, and then wipe it off'. Does it ever get streaky, or look oily?
Finally - What is the minimum number of products I need. I have a car that is less than a year old, and the paint is in good shape. I would like to clean the surface first, then apply a good protectant (similar to a 2 step Meguiar's process). Can someone tell me what I need? I don't want to perform a 15 step process.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Better Z1, Z2, Z6
Even Better Z1, Z2, Z6, Z5
GO TO WWW.ZAINOBROS.COM and read till your heart's content.
Yes remove the bugs and tar if "alot".
If a little you could use the z-16 clay bar which "I" would use anyway.
Expect to spend in the $60 - $90 for a well-rounded Zaino starters kit.
To reiterate...go to www.zainobros.com for all your questions. You can even e-mail Sal Zaino.
Like many of us here, I was dedicated to waxes for nearly 40 years of fanatical car maintenance. AFter reading this forum for a year, I decided to try Zaino products, and will never go back.
Zaino will not remove bugs, etc. The best thing to do to clean prep your paint is to "clay" the car after washing it with blue Dawn to remove any existing waxes. You can read all about clay at www.erazer.com. I personally have used Mother's with good results, but you can also buy it with your Zaino products. If your car has scratches, you may want to use a glaze first to remove them. If they are slight, they may dissappear with the use of the Zaino products.
You will need:
Z1 - to prep the paint for the polishes, done only once every 6-10 polishes.
Z2 - the high gloss polish
Z5 - to hide scratches and swirl marks (If you have any from previous wax jobs)
Z6 - spray to seal the polish and give even a higher shine
Z7 - car wash to keep the car looking great between polising.
The leather and tire and window treatments are also good, but optional.
It may sound like a lot, but it is SOOOOOO easy, it takes only a fraction of the time of waxing the car. Also, after claying, the car is so smooth the polish literally wipes on in minutes. It takes me no more than 20 minutes to wipe on a coat of Z2 and 10-15 minutes to buff it off. Then, about 15-10 more minutes to spray on and wipe off the Z6. I find I can polish the car in the time it takes my girlfriend to get out the door for dinner!
Have fun - it will be worth it!
The Zaino that you buy will last you for a looooong time - so don't look at the cost as a factor. I have done about 6 coats each on 2 cars, and still have about 30-40% left of the polish
A strange puppy ran up and started jumping on my drivers door. Car has been Zainoed, about three coats. Now have light scratches on drivers door. Think it is just in clear coat. What do I do? Can I use the Z-5 to cover it up? Or am I talking detail shop?
Pat
Thanks,
Kevin
Try isopropyl alcohol to cut through the Zaino where you have water spots; try white vinegar to loosen and remove the water spot minerals. If that does not work, you might want to try a light polishing glaze. You may wash those areas with Dawn, if you like, or even the entire car; I do not believe you will remove the remaining Zaino by using the Dawn. Thoroughly rinse, then clay the area the spots were in afterwards. Wash again, with liquid car wash, Z7 being the preferred kind, rinse thoroughly dry and apply your Z1, followed by Z5 and/or Z3 (I have one older vehicle that has lost some of its clearcoat as well as using it on obviously non-clearcoat areas such as the roof rack, the wiper arms, painted motor components), and/or Z2.
Don't know whose puppy it was or what it was attracted to. Even had a hard time getting away from it. Must have been a Mothers' puppy.
Pat
Will probably try it this weekend
It is really easy to apply, just avoid the tendency to use too much. You only need a layer a few molecules thick to do the job. I dampen the pad with Z6, then apply the Z to the pad in a "Z" or sqiggle shape, and squeeze the pad together to distribute the Z. Then I wipe it on quickly in a circular pattern about 1-2 sq. feet, then back and forht in a straight line. Then, more Z and the next 2 sq. feet. It only takes about 20 min. to do an Accord.
Suggest you revisit Zaino's web site and confirm that using a circular motion to apply Z-2, Z-3 or Z-5 is NOT recommended. I believe Sal recommends an "up-and-down" motion when applying on vertical surfaces and a front-rear motion on horizontal surfaces. That, supposedly, will enhance the reflective qualities of the polish. LOL, and please let me know if I'm mistaken.
thor8: I'm no expert but I think I'd try good olde Windex. If that doesn't work, you really should call your 911 dealer before using anything more powerfull. Plastic covers a lot of territory chemical wise and the specific compounds used in your window may not react well to certain cleaners (Fantastic, etc.).
jazzy8: Zaino will NOT become streaky or oily. As for finesse d'application, follow Automophile's excellent advice. Only it takes me 25 minutes for an Accord and I only use a straight back and forth motion. 'Must be getting old. You'll do well!
1. Can I clay and Z1 the chrome and painted plastic molding or should I just put Z2 on it as stated on the web site?
2. Is the Z12 glass cleaner ok for new glass or is it better suited for older glass with scratches? Can it be applied to the interior of my factory tinted windows?
3. Will Z12 bead up water like rainx?
4. If I want to apply a second coat of Z2 the next day should I avoid driving it and keep it garaged to avoid getting it dusty?
5. What is recommended to dry your car after it is washed? I purchased some of the recommended towels today at Sams but I don't have enough to wash & dry and then polish.
Thanks
Larry
I keep my Miata garaged. This keeps the dust down. If you cannot leave the Yukon garaged overnight, you might want to give it a quick wash before applying the second Z2 coat. You don't want to chance scratching the paint. You'll find washing a Z-ed vehicle takes no time at all.
As to the chrome, I haven't any on my car. If you want to clay it, I would test a very small inconspicuous area first. Rinse and dry the area, then check for micro scratches in the sunlight. If you see anything unappealing, don't use the clay on the chrome. Otherwise, just skip the clay on the chrome. Others here have skipped the clay on the paint and still love the result. Personally, I had never heard of clay before this site, and am now a firm believer of it.
Windows - I have no advice here, except to maybe again do a SMALL test area. No need to get disappointed if the stuff would ruin the inside tint.
BTW, you're going to love the end results. A Yukon is big, and you're looking at spending a good portion of today getting more intimate with your vehicle than with your lover.
Jim M.
From what I have seen here, the Zaino glass cleaner is slightly abrasive, so it also may not be a good idea to rub window tint with it. The best I have found so far is Stoner's glass cleaner.
When you say "I used a damp towel", what did you mean? For application of Zaino a damp towel is ok but never use a damp towel to remove the polish.
Took me from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM to do the Yukon and that only got 1 coat of Z2 and a Z6. Used about equal amounts of both Z1 & Z2. Appears to be about 7/8's of a bottle left. Did I use enough for this large SUV?
Larry
Nice Z3 - considered them strongly before buying the Miata.
As to the pics - just goes to show you how good the Zaino products are. The car looks great!
I did my wife's Explorer Sport (ungaraged) 3 weeks ago for comparison tests against the Miata (garaged). Will let all know the results after a few months.
Jim M.
In my experience most garage kept cars hold up very well with just regular washings.
She's shy! ;-))
joebob6-
Yes, the car is garaged and is not driven in snow. However, last winter she drove it more than ever because we hardly had any snow. Still, for almost a year, I was amazed myself considering that she is not the best at exterior care AND she has been through the carwash!
automophile-
The foliage was beautiful this year. Must have been all that rain and cool weather this summer. That reminds me, if anyone wants to see a New Hampshire fall scene, just go to my other albums that aren't locked. There's some great scenes. I think you get to them from the left side of the screen somewhere.
fastdriver
Mark
Not to worry, no harm was done in either case.
Just wipe down with Z6 and you should be able to remove the streaks/oiliness.
Remember, if it isn't dry, you're just moving the Zaino around on the surface, not removing it.
Also remember to shake the Zaino well before use. I know when I have used any of the Zaino waxes, I have inadvertantly forgotten to shake it well before use and ended up with streaks/oiliness.
bat1161--did you clay your hood? Sometimes, if there is a lot of contaminants on the surface, Zaino will take much longer than normal to dry.
I have let Zaino dry overnite before I was able to wipe it off cleanly. This is dependent as much on humidity as it is on temperature.
fastdriver: Great pics and even if it is an 'indoor' car that is still a very good endurance record.
Larryk5: 'Not sure about claying crome but you can apply z1/z2 to it. The Z12 Glass Polish can and should be used on 'new' glass to remove any residual plastic film (normal for new cars as the plastic cures). Z12 is really only a cleaner. You should use Windex after Z12 to really remove all the Z12 residue. It won't 'bead' or protect as such. You may try Z6 afterwards if you desire a 'RainX' type of protection for your glass.
Mark
Larry