By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
However, you know the car gets dusty just sitting in the garage, at least in the garage of my ancient money pit. Maybe there are some great garages that have good door seals, but that sure isn't mine!
Thanks for your comments. The reason I was concerned about the Chevron car wash removing my Zaino was that Zaino says to start with a Liquid Dawn car wash to remove old wax because Liquid Dawn has a high alkaline content. I was wondering if Chevron's detergent is high alkaline.
I'm going to a car store later this week to buy some scratch remover but would I be wasting my time? This is my first time doing any kind of scratch remove job so I'm wondering if I should just get it professionally removed. I'm assuming as soon as it gets buffed out I need to apply more Z correct?
Yes, you should re-apply Z1 to a buffed surface.
Anyway on a scale of 1-10, 10 being best here is the score card. On the black car I did two panels side by side with Zaino and the other Collinite.
Ease of application Zaino 8.5 Collinite 9.5 (Z takes two coats, one z1 other z2)
Ease of removal, Zaino, 9.5 Collinite 8.5 (some wax not quite white can be left in door jams etc and visible with Collinite).
Slipperiness, very, very, very clsoe on this one. Zaino 9.8 Collinite 9.5
Shine, again a tough call, Zaino 9.5 Collinite 9.0
Durability Probably to Zaino as it is not a wax whereas Collinite is and carnuba's do not last as long.
Remember I have yet to try this on a finish with no wax on it, will do that in a few weeks on another car. As to my TOY, it looks so great that I refuse to remove all of the old wax and the Zaino just so I can apply the Zaino again.
Conclusion to date, both extremely great waxes and one could not go wrong with either. Leaning towards the Z but test on car with no wax will be the deciding factor.
the problem is you can't strip zaino easily to get rid of the carnauba underneath it. you have to use an alcohol solution to get rid of zaino.
That's why it's best to strip all wax off the panels you want to test Z on before trying it...
When exactly should Z1 be used? Only before the initial application of Z2/Z5? Or between applications... such as waiting 3 months for winter to pass.
Thanks
When exactly should Z1 be used? Only before the initial application of Z2/Z5? Or between applications... such as waiting 3 months for winter to pass.
Thanks
Wayne
"Now my question is do i have to clay and apply the Z1 & Z2 again this year?"
If the paint is still smooth to the touch and looks visually clean you could skip the clay. I would highly recommend doing at least one (Z1, Z2) coat since it has been a year. Claying is the hardest part--another option is that you could wash the cars first and just do areas that you find need claying.
If you are very short of time the Z6 alone will provide some protection and will improve bead quality.
ARMTDM - Zaino is designed to be completely optically clear. To install it over a wax, which by its nature is not optically clear, and will yellow with age, will defeat much of the purpose. That is why Sal was so adamant about this point. What you have done is like installing clean storm windows over dirty glass - No matter how much you clean the storm windows, you will never get a clear view.
It's too bad that you did this just to avoid the Dawn wash - you had to wash the car before polishing anyway didn't you?
No, didn't have to wash the car, Toy is garaged and never taken out in the rain etc. so I wanted a quick test of Zaino. Again, results look good but I will test on a on waxed car soon. I may just strip the wax on another car and side by side panels with Zaino and Collinite to see the diff. I have not seen anyone do a direct, side by side comparison of this product on these posts. All compare to what they remember the car finish to be like before they Zaino polished the finish. I am the true cynic and I must prove to myself any product is superior.
Regardless, both cars look great and Zaino lasts longer, looks better and applies/wipes off easier than any product I used in the past. I am surprised it isn't even more popular than it is already. The swirl reducer really works without the pain and risk of buffing the clear coat.
I just ordered the leather cleaner and conditioner products. I hope they work as well as the exterior products.
I think if you check the archived Zaino posts, you will see several comments from people that have done side by side comparisons of Zaino with carnuba wax products like zymol. Zaino is typically described as having the "wetter" look. The carnuba waxes as having a shiny, but not as wet of finish.
Regardless, you will be hard pressed to beat Zaino. Frankly, just the ease of Z, its long lasting protection, and its low cost compared to premium waxes is enough to make me use the product.
But your cynical tests will NOT give you proof of one of Zaino's most important advantages, that being its ability to provide superior long-term protection, including UV protection. Your wax just won't hold up as well over the months. I speak from experience!
I agree with mbdriver regarding your tests. Zaino has great endurance. I've now gone all winter without another application of Z2. And my car is now a daily commuter. After a quick wash this last weekend, it is still beading water. Unfortunately, today's rain has recovered my car with wet dirt! Damn, when will this winter end?
By the way, never put Zaino over an existing coat of wax.
this_is_nascar: One of the regular contributors here recently discussed using the Z6 Gloss Enhancer on his television screen and watching cigarette ash be repelled. That leads me to ask, did you use Z6? Can you tell if there is more dust being attracted to your vehicle than before you used Zaino, or can you just see it more clearly against the clean, reflective surface you now have?
will this work as well as Dawn?
bruce
For overall shine and durability, please see this magazine article that tested several waxes including Zaino and measured them with a professional reflectance meter for shine - at first and after 52 washes.
http://smiley.tzo.com/fbody/pics/zaino_art1b.jpg
armtdm - waxing your car without washing it is begging for some single dirt particle to scratch your paint up really well as you rub it in! I hope that you were lucky and this didn't happen.
On my "toy" I never take it out in bad weather and wipe it down after every trip out. So the only thing accumulating on it normally is dust, some brake dust, or pollen now, even in a garage. So a wipe with a Z6 dampened cloth and then maybe a Z6 will do the trick. I agree that if dirt etc. a wash is better.
When my daughter comes home from college in a week her car will have no wax left on it so a good cleaning and the Z product will be a good test for me for shine and durability. I know that I put Z on incorrectly over a carnuba wax on my toy but that was intentional as a comparison test for me to see what the others cars will look like compared to a proper application. Being the true skeptic ( I did this with synthetic oil usage 9 years ago and extended drains) I need to attempt all angles to believe. There is so much marketing hype out there, so much false and misleading advertising that I now believe no one or no one's claims until I have proven it to myself. Granted, I applied the Z on my toy over a wax base but it is very very slippery. However, I agree with the above post that pollen (he claims dust) does not freely flow off of the Z coated finish and may even attract it. Perhaps it will repel if there is no wax base but we shall see. I actually have noticed more static with the Z product but too early to tell definitively.
Joy is better than water but not as good as Dawn. I know, ya got some in the kitchen. Use it and let us know if it works.
http://www.msnbc.com/local/rtco/drmn320482.asp
1. Is it worth the price,
2. Do you use it when ever you clean the windows or only once a month (thus, using another glass cleaner on a more frequent basis),
3. Should I just give up now and order one of everything from Zaino bros'?
I'm not a fanatic about my car. I used Zaino last Aug (clay, Z-1, Z-2) on my 97 Infiniti J-30. This car is outside 24/7 and is still shiny & beading water. Granted, I live in Silicon Valley & we only have had some rain, but I'm extremely happy. The thing I like most is that it is so easy to apply. I did my car in about 5 hours. Last month I Zainoed by wife's new MPV minivan (Z-1, Z-2 only) & it only took 3 hours. I love the protection & ease of use. Though the initial cost is high, the cost per use is very reasonable if you follow the hints of THIN coats as recommended by many gracious posters on this board.
Dennis
Dennis's post is very good and to the point. You should order clay, Z1, Z2, and Z6. Also, reference the Zaino site (www.zainobros.com) for a detailed set of instructions. You should also buy some 100% white cotton towels (made in USA only).
Curry,
It depends. The Zaino Glass Polish is useful for cutting through really hard to remove dirt from windows. Unlike Windex, this stuff is abrasive. Its the only abrasive product in Zaino's line. Its real purpose is to remove the haze on the inside of a car's windshield which is created by curing plastic. All new cars have lots of new plastic parts which give off a chemical haze as they cure. You've seen it in new cars and old cars which were owned by heavy smokers. Windex helps but doesn't get it all. It also is quite good on exterior glass. The simple test is if a normal glass product like Windex does the trick, then you don't need Zaino's Glass Polish. But if you've got some hard to remove haze on your windows, buy it. It works.
And no, it doesn't optically distort images or impair night images (glare) the many times I've done it. Just have to make sure you wipe it off completely.
A note: I purchased 1 bottle of each of z1, z2, z5, z6, z7 in Feb 00. Based on use so far, this should last me at least one more year (ie to end 2002), which would make it approximately 3 or 4 years total. I may need to repurchase z7 at the end of this year. Price may seem steep initially, but it lasts years and is worth every penny.
Thanks to pblevine for answering my many Q's.
Luck11.
Would appreciate comments from other users.
I just polished out some surface defects on my wifes car and am reapplying Z2. Each time I wash the car, I'm aplying one more coat of Z2 until I get the desired effect. I'd like to have gotten it all done in one weekend, but it's just not going to be practical to try with the weather being mostly cool and damp lately.
You can also get the clay bar.
That was hard.