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Zaino Car Care Experiences

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Comments

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    I don't show cars, but Sal Zaino does and has a lot of experience. Call him and he will provide a wealth of knowledge for you. You can find him at www.zainobros.com

    Interesting story going around a few months ago at a different site.

    Apparently, show car competition is so cut throat, there were people that were actually showing what they were using for wax. They were showing bottles of a particular wax, but the bottles were actually filled with Zaino as they didn't want the competition know what they really used.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • SergeichSergeich Member Posts: 54
    Why would they want to fill bottles with Zaino? Do show car enthusiasts actually apply wax at the shows?
  • jwilson1jwilson1 Member Posts: 956
    It's a way to keep the fingerprints, for one example, at bay. Part of the fun is having one more chance to "putter," too. At the big shows, just about everything is a secret (since there's only one 'prize'). Locally, one guy who has the engine awards for the last several years claims to have discovered a new kind of dental floss.

    Thanks for the recommendation to contact Sal Zaino, and I'll do that, but I was looking for some user descriptions first. Locally, most people claim to use Zymol products with, of course, a number of exceptions. People have talked about Zaino but I don't know anyone who admits to having switched.

    Take care.
    Joe W.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    I've attended quite a few muscle car events. They all show off what they use to keep their cars in the condition that they are in (which is always pristine). They usually have some sort of display in etiher the turnk or in fornt of the car.

    I love going to see all of those 'cudas, vettes, SSs, Mustangs, GTOs, Chargers, etc. Most of those folks are more than willing to tell you what they use on their finish. It's all over the map. Mainly, they come up with their own concoctions of wax/polish (or so they say). Most seem to have custom paint jobs, too.

    I also attend Concours events where I love to see the XKEs, MB Gullwings, Rolls, MGs, etc. They seem to use more of the high buck (not off the shelf) type waxes. The Zymol ,Blitz, etc.

    That said, most of the Concours people that I've talked to have shown an iterest in Zaino after we talk about it.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • sleepymwsleepymw Member Posts: 65
    i've done my dawn, clay, z1, z5, z6, z2, z6, z2, z6 again.. all in one weekend... LOL .. anyhow..

    it's time to wash the car again (neighbors are gonna think i'm nuts) and so, my question is this:

    i have one of them left over bottles of carwash in a bottle with attachment that you hook up to a hose and it'll spray the soap and the water out at the same time. i wonder if i can dump some diluted z7 in there and use that to "pressure wash" the car rather than "hand wash" the car. anyone tried this?
  • kstang2kstang2 Member Posts: 15
    Hi everybody
    Just got my Zaino in the mail!! Now all I Need is MY car!! Got the basics and the leather care.
    I remember a mention of the addiction to the aroma in past posts! It does smell good... a cross between the tropics and the garage! What a combo!
    I've been reading this site for a while now and I agree that the tone of the last 20 or so posts have been a bit... shall we say... a bit much.
    I like the information provided by everyone.. pro or con. The friendliness here is something I look forward to. I agree... let's keep it friendly.
    Can't wait to give my 2cents worth!!
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    hmmmm....pressure wash with Z7. Never tried it.

    Why don't you give it a whirl and let us know how it turns out.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • bohica10bohica10 Member Posts: 2
    I just got done reading this entire forum over the last couple of days as well as other forums for the "other products" and I have a few questions and observations that I would like to share with you folks if you would permit and please bear with me here. First off, I need to tell you that I have a bright red 2000 Alero that I got last Oct. I have put two different applications of Eagle One Wet on it since then and hand wash almost every week which is tough to do when the Wisconsin weather is well below freezing in January. I pull it in my garage(insulated, with a drain and hose spicket), fire up a torpedo heater and warm it up to at least above freezing. A quick wash with any number of concentrated wash products and towel off with an "Absorber" artificial chamois. I can do all of this in about 30-45 minutes. I know that the Eagle One doesn't last nearly as long as some other products, but I gotta tell ya, this car looks awesome. The finish is smooth as a babys bottom and the shine is pretty impressive. I still look in the garage before I go to bed and marvel at the looks(this has to be guy thing). As long as it keeps beading, the water runs off of it in sheets and as long as I spend this amount of time on it a week or every other week, the upkeep is effortless. I just added another coat of Eagle One two weeks ago that took an hour above the wash. I don't consider this a lot of time. I am very much considering the use of Zaino. My dilema is this. I have what I consider a great finish/shine/protection now that I consider very little effort to upkeep. It was posted in here before that once the initial stages are complete for Zaino, the rest is easy. I can say the same about the product that I use now that costs a fraction of the price of Zaino, and doesn't take me 5-6 hours to get started at. I can also say that if there is anything that would last longer than most other over the counter products, I'm definitely interested. What I can't possibly imagine is how anything could give a better finish than what I have achieved now. There isn't a swirl mark to be found anywhere on my car and it has a deep mirror-like finish. I'm not sure if this warrants the initial efforts and cash outlay for the Zaino. Help me out here guys(and/or girls). What am I missing? Also, has anyone used diapers for their "Z" applications instead of towels? They work wonderfully. They are 100% cotton/made in the good old U. S. of A. and they are 2'x2' square. I keep two dozen of them around just for the cars and the more you wash 'em the softer they get. Also not any speck of lint to be found from them. Another thing, after a dawn/clay/dawn/Z1/Z2 application and however many subsequent Z2/Z6/Z5/Z6...etc. applications, is there any need to start the whole process completely over again? It seems as though from the great press that I have heard, this would not be neccessary. If that is the case, this would be wonderful. Can you re-clay over the top of the Zaino without starting over from scratch? This would also be a bonus. If not, that initial process seems to be a pain in the butt to have to redo every year or so just so you can clay your car. I can do 5 or 6 Eagle One applications in the time it takes for an initial process of Zaino and that would easily cover me for a years time frame. I know it will cost me a little elbow grease, but I'm certianly not afraid of that. Also what are your thoughts as to how Zaino would work on a boat? I'm a waterskier and my boat is due for another waxing and would be curious about how this would work out. Last thing, and I'll get out of here. I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you. You are helpful, curtious, and sound genuinely interested in helping to get information to and from others, and I find that very refreshing after going through a number of other forums and seeing alot of people get very defensive very quickly and start bashing anybody that dared to speak against the appropriate topic of the forum. Even RED appoligized here. Lets help keep the friendly atmoshere. Thanks for the help, and sorry for the long-winded post here.
  • lexsarlexsar Member Posts: 14
    I received my very first Zaino order late last week. I was thrilled to get it and to get started. I knew that I would have to wait a little while as I has rained quite a bit where I am, but I was looking forward to getting started when the weather broke.

    I opened my package and looked at everything that was there and discovered that I was missing a bottle of Z7 carwash. I emailed Sal and let him know that it was missing. He email me back (within only a couple of hours, I might add) and said that they would send some Z7 right out to me. I got it in two days. If the Zaino products are only a fraction as good as their customer service, I'm going to love it! I'll post my results later.
  • pblevinepblevine Member Posts: 858
    sleepymw: As graphicguy said: Give it a shot. And let us know how it worked.

    bohica10: As a UW grad, I know about your winters. And I'll bet your car looks great. From my little experience, the amount of work, care, and dedication that the owner is willing to put into the finish matters more than the actual products. I know I'll get it for that one, but I've seen so much variation with the same product that I'm amazed. All I can tell you is that Zaino is the best stuff I've ever tried. Never tried Eagle One, however. But your question really comes down to: Given that Zaino is a better product, Is it worth changing brands? The most honest answer I can give you is: Test and Verify. (Always good when you're not sure). Really! Given your level of care and dedication, you'll be comparing the best each product can do under harsh (Wisconsin) conditions. If you can use just one section of the car (ie: a bumper or a lower side panel), test it with Zaino and compare it to your existing product and methods. Or find another car that you can run a test on.

    In general, Zaino will not produce a 'better' shine than a very high grade wax. But it will be clearer and after multiple coats, it will be 'wetter' looking. And as you've seen from prior postings, it will have much greater endurance. Unfortunately, as you noted, the first time work does involve more effort. I think it is well worth it. And yes, you can clay the car (gently) without removing existing Zaino Z2 layers.
  • sdgrantsdgrant Member Posts: 12
    I'm new to this product and have a couple concerns I hope the Zaino veterans can help me with.

    1. Most users seem to be those fortunate enough to have a newer car. My '91 Accord (dark blue-green) and girlfriend's '92 black Explorer have various problems that I haven't seen covered here. How does Zaino deal with mildly oxidized non-clear coat (single stage) paint (black)? The black Explorer was re-painted on a few panels and they did a single stage job. What about deep etching from water spots?

    2. I would expect to use at least 3 coats of the Z5 product to deal with 8-9 years of swirl marks. Does this product just cover them up by filling in the scratches, or does it actually correct the problem by smoothing the finish to eliminate the swirls, the way it should be done?
  • davesl99davesl99 Member Posts: 5
    I've read some posts regarding towel quality. The difference between the cheaper towels and the Charisma towels to which they were compared is that the Charisma towel is PIMA cotton, which is a superior grade USA grown cotton crop.I have both quality levels of towels and the Charisma towels are much softer. They are also quite hard on the wallet! Dave
  • daverosedaverose Member Posts: 233
    bohica: the initial recommended Dawn, clay, Dawn should only be a one-time effort. Does your Eagle One contain ultra-violet light protection as Zaino does? I know of folks who apply their Zaino with diapers. I would continue to wash with towels so the loops can "float" the dirt into the fabric rather than hold it near the paint. Don't know about Zaino on boats. A product called ProtectAll may be what you want. They have a web site.

    sdgrant: It is my recollection (I believe from the old Zaino site, since I have not read the new one as thoroughly, and which may only differ from the old one by its graphics and the addition of the pictures) that Z5 was the last best hope for the "appearance" of the paint before a physical remedy of machine "buffing"/ rubbing out, or repainting was taken. So, I would say it fills them in.

    I recall Chris Parrish writing that he recommended a 3M product with "Pad" in its name to remedy light oxidation, but that he would try claying and Zaino first. The claying should take care of water spots, but etching sounds like acid rain? You may be able to reduce the appearance of acid rain etching, but not remove it.

    Zaino has a non-clear coat polish, Z-3, that would seem to be what the single-step paint the Explorer has calls for. So my recommendation is Dawn, Clay, Dawn, Z1, Z5, Z3 with Z6 Gloss Enhancer for day(s)-to-day(s) light dust maintenance and with Z7 Wash Concentrate for week(s)-to-week(s). You may want to alternate the Z5 and Z3, since the Z5 concentrates on only one aspect of the paint's appearanc; the Zaino site/literature speaks about possibly needing five coats of Z5 to get as much of the scratches and swirls reduction as possible, but that may be only necessary for light colors.

    Since you're talking about two vehicles and one is large, don't fail to buy enough product to get you through your initial efforts, you don't want to have to spend $6.95 shipping more times than you need to. Also, beside the recommendation to use Z1 once (for show cars) or twice a year (for everyday cars), in my mind it more depends on the vehicle's exposure to the elements, Sal also recommends that Z1 be used between every ten coats of polish for those who want to put multiple layers on; it renews the molecular bonding the product line is based on. Your initial effort with the Explorer would seem to need to consider this.

    Your situation would seem to call for 2 Z1s, Z2 for the Accord, 2-3 Z3s for the Explorer, 2-3 Z5s, 2-3 Z6s, 1-2 Z7s and probably only one Z18, if you're careful with it. In mixing the Z7 and water into a spray bottle for the Z18 lubricant, consider distilled water.

    Also keep in mind the recommendation to dampen your applicator with water and put Z6 on the surface of your applicator before putting on the polish. The water is to keep your applicator from absorbing product; the Z6 is to help the spreadability of the product. You can use the same applicator for the Z1 and Z5/Z2/Z3, whichever polish you use right after the Z1.

    And last, apply everything as thinly/sparingly as you can. It's easier to work with and works better that way, using as little product as is necessary. The Z6 nozzle should be barely open; you want a fine mist, not a stream.
  • scottayscottay Member Posts: 91
    Just came here from the Silverado forum to see RED-JUMBOBALLS antics.
    On another site they got together and did a group purchase and received a discount. You all mite consider that, if you havent allready.
    Anybody else have info on what to use on a ski boat?
    Thanks, scott.
  • DonbahDonbah Member Posts: 1
    I haven't been on this topic for a few months and I am looking for the "thread" with step by step instruction for clay magic through the complete zaino process. Can someone point me in the right direction of post it once again?

    Thank you,

    Don
  • racer_x_9racer_x_9 Member Posts: 91
    http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/6021/zainofaq.html

    It will help with step by step instructions
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    ...a number of deleted posts. They were removed because they do not conform to the User Agreement everyone signed in order to join our discussions.
    I also deleted or hid several that only referenced the goings-on, rather than the intended topic.

    Obviously things have gotten way out of hand here lately, and I apologize for that. As your host, I let you down. It won't happen again.

    Regards, Bruce
  • sallygeeesallygeee Member Posts: 7
    Bruce, you're doing a great job, you didn't let me down. This is the best behaved newsgroups I've seen Thank you everyone.

    I've just finished washing with z7 and polishing with z2 and I notice some trouble spots of bugs and some paint on the edge of the door, can I clay these spots at any time, or do I have to wait until after I'm ready to dawn again to use clay. Do I have to clay the whole car, or just spots that need it. If I have to wait, what other products should I use for these trouble spots. Thanks, Sally
  • edwardh1edwardh1 Member Posts: 88
    I did not see Zaino in the May test of auto polishes that Consumer Reports did - there is a Zymol - is that made by Zaino? It rated #1 followed by prestone and nu finish.
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    sallygeee, you can spot-clay any time you need to do so. I sometimes have to use clay to remove especially stubborn bird droppings. You may wish to reapply a little Z2 to the spot afterwards.

    edwardh1, I believe that CR was only testing off- the-shelf products, maybe someone else can clarify. Zymol and Zaino are two different products.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • newwestdnewwestd Member Posts: 157
    ZYMOL
    NO! Only the first letter of the name is the same. A number of folks have been a little confused by that.

    ZAINO VS. WAX
    As you regulars know, I am a confirmed skeptic with about 30 years of fanatacal care car experience.

    I had read your posts for a year, but felt that what I was doing with Eagle One and Meguiar's was great. After seeing fastdriver's car a few times, I felt it was time for a trial. So far, I have done our '97 Accord and '99 Solara.

    The results are without par. The cars looked great after my full detail job with Dawn, Clay, Glaze, Wax and Gloss Enhancer. However, the cars look BETTER with the Z treatment.

    1. The Gloss is sharper - it is more like a mirror. Details are sharper and the color of the car is richer. Even non-car oriented folks have noticed.

    2. Durability - The jury is still out at this point, but after 1 month, they last 2 weeks sitting outside 24/7, the Accord looks just waxed after a Z7 wash. The water beads amazingly. My best waxes would have started to decline a little by now.

    3. Ease - Of course the first time is a bit of work, but after that, it is nothing. It takes me about 20 mins to do a Z coat. And - I don't need to use the noisy orbital buffer any longer!

    I'm still convinced.

    Also - I wonder if the person that did the side-by-side test (and started the conflagration) applied more than one coat of Z? I find that this is critical to getting the "show car finish".
  • newwestdnewwestd Member Posts: 157
    Here's the Accord at 1 Month - outdoors 24/7

    image
  • newwestdnewwestd Member Posts: 157
    For some shots of a gorgeous red Solara with a Zaino shine go to:
    http://www.geocities.com/newwestd/CarPage3.html
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    Hi everybody. Things always seem to get a little "wacky" every time I'm gone from this forum. After the lousy weather here in CT, I decided at the last minute that it was time for some sun and fun. All last week I was in FL. As a result, I was not here to answer all the e-mail about the Zaino group purchase. I have GOOD news- the Zaino offer has been extended until May 3 because of my absence. There is still time to order. I have okayed this with Sal. If you need the info, just click on my name above.

    I have some pics of my car to show you what it looked like after 22 hours of just about non-stop driving through every kind of weather except snow! As soon as I catch up with the e-mail and my topics here AND a flooded cellar this morning from a 10 year old hot water heater, I'll post the pics.

    newwestd-

    WOW!!!! The Honda looks GREAT!

    Thanks for posting those Solara pics. I told him that I would post them ASAP, but you beat me to it. Thanks. I have to deal with this hot water heater first thing in the morning and the Zaino e-mails! I do have some info to add to go with the Solara pics-

    "2000 Flame Red SLE V6, 1 coat of Z-1, and 2 coats of Z-2 with Z-6 used between each coat. I put on a third coat of Z-2 after these pics. I did not use the claybar, and I don't know if that would have made any difference, or not. Wife would trust me with the Polish, but not with a bar
    of clay. She envisioned a pink Solara after the claybar! Sorry, Sal.

    Light dust easily can be removed with the Z-6 and the shine jumps right back. Z-7 Car Wash just does a wonderful job of bringing the shine back if
    the car is really dirty. I don't know when I'm going to have to polish again, but I am going to place a new order from Zaino this weekend. I've
    had at least five friends and neighbors ask for the order form and one has already placed a $75 order. She hasn't used the Zaino yet.

    I've tried them all, but this product is the best that I have used."

    fastdriver
  • davesl99davesl99 Member Posts: 5
    I used Zaino this past weekend. I did 2 layers of Z-5 and plan on doing 2 or 3 more. The car is outside 24/7, but is kept covered. Before Zaino I used a California car duster and Meguiars Quick Detailer between washes. The question is can I continue using Quick Detailer? If I do continue will it affect my future applications of Z-2 and Z-5?
    Thanks,
    Dave
  • onlyonceonlyonce Member Posts: 10
    how do you post a picture to the forum like that? i have a picture of my saab but I don't know how to include it in the post.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    daves199-

    I don't think that using the Meguiars Quik Detailer with the Zaino is a good idea. IF I remember correctly, the Quik Detailer has silicone in it. The Z-6 does NOT. ALL the Z products work in conjunction with one another.

    Last night, in reading all the posts that I missed last week when I was in sunny FL, I noticed one about spotting! I know that people are from all over the country and that results seem to vary, but spotting was ONE thing that did NOT happen to my 300M after I applied the Zaino products. As soon as I have a chance, I'll post a few pics of what my car looked like after the 22 hour drive to FL in every kind of weather except snow! NO spots even after the downpour last Sat. night. The sun dried the car on Sunday morning with no spots. I can't remember if the writer said that the spots appeared after a rain storm or after washing. If it was after washing, then it must be the "hard" water. If it was after a rain storm, then I don't get it. I will say that if my car is dusty and it just sprinkles out, then I will get spots, but they come right off if I wash the car. If it's a heavy rain and the sun dries the car, there are no spots.

    fastdriver
  • newwestdnewwestd Member Posts: 157
    Onlyonce -

    There are 3 ways to post pictures - All require that you have the picture uploaded to a site where it can be stored and viewed. An example is a personal website on Geocities or Yahoo.

    1) Link - After uploading the photo, you simply type the complete link address in your post - the Edmunds software makes it into a link. This is the easiest way.

    2) Insert Photo - You use HTML commands to insert the URL into the page code. Then, when you open the page, the Edmunds site goes out and retrieves your photo and sticks it in. If you "View Page Source" in the browser, it will give you some idea of the typical HTML codes.

    3) email your photo to me or fastdriver and we will post it for you - why not?
  • daverosedaverose Member Posts: 233
    Chris Parrish recommended Dawn, clay, Dawn, and Zaino to see how much oxidation you could remove before resorting to another product. (I'm not sure if he meant only Z1, or Z1 plus whatever polish you would use otherwise. But since Z1's full name includes the descriptive words Pre-cleaner and Gloss Conditioner, I presume that he would not suggest you go so far as polishing/sealing with Z2, Z3, or Z5 before you knew that oxidation was removed) The product I referred to in my Post 287 in this topic recommended by Chris Parrish to restore lightly oxidized paint was 3M Foam Pad Polishing Glaze. Also, isn't there a product called polishing compound which is not as abrasive as rubbing compound? I would use that before I would go to rubbing compound if the 3M didn't remove enough.
  • SergeichSergeich Member Posts: 54
    I do not want to participate in the forum where my messages got deleted. I tried to cancel my account with Town Hall, but I couldn't find how.
    Please send me the instruction on how to do it.
  • len_alen_a Member Posts: 44
    I've been away for a while. What does this refer to? I just mailed an order for Zaino products just a few days ago for my new 2000 Odyssey. Did I miss something?
  • SergeichSergeich Member Posts: 54
    I am due for an order of Zaino products. I posted a question about other Zaino group purchases, since I have no use for Z7 that was a part of this forum group purchase. Maybe I am mistaken but it looks like here they do not want posts about other groups of auto enthusiasts, fear of competition or something. Basically, I do not agree with practice of removing messages at someone wish, I want out. There are plenty of discussion groups on the Internet where one can post without fear to be moderated.
  • len_alen_a Member Posts: 44
    As I said I've been away for a while so I don't know what your complaint is but I think I can answer your question ... If you want 'out' simply stop posting and edit your user profile to be sure your email address isn't there. No need to actually have your Edmunds account deleted but if its really important to you there might be something about that in the 'User Agreement'.
  • gnippergnipper Member Posts: 120
    The deleted posts were nothing to do with Zaino or car waxes. The posts should have been deleted, one of them was even mine. They were off topic and concerning off topic problems going on here.

    The moderator was doing his job.
  • SergeichSergeich Member Posts: 54
    How do I get my name out of the user profile?
  • gemsgems Member Posts: 15
    Fastdriver, where can I find information about the group purchase?
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    gems-

    Just click on my name and e-mail me for details!

    fastdriver
  • len_alen_a Member Posts: 44
    When in Town Hall just click 'Edit My Profile'. You can then make each individual item about you either public or private. If private no one sees it but you.
  • wstangwstang Member Posts: 35
    Sigh, both the front and rear left panels of my car are bumped into by some careless driver. My car was with 10 coats of Zaino.

    What should I do once I got my car back? Should I just Zaino the portion affected? I want the whole car to be in sync with the amount of protection offered by Zaino, and yet I shudder when I think of the effort to do 10 coats all over again.

    What's the simplest and most effective way? What are the steps? Z1 needed? Thanks for any input...
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    All this talk about oxidation...does this apply to clear coat finishes? I just bought a 15 year old car that has been garaged it's whole life. I don't see any oxidation, and I thought that was one of the reasons FOR clear coat finishes.

    Bruce
  • daverosedaverose Member Posts: 233
    I would ask the body shop what they did to your vehicle. I presume they repaired/replaced the damaged panels and that they no longer have Zaino on them. How did they cure the paint on those panels? The essence of that question is to find out if you can apply the Zaino now or wait. What did they do to the adjoining body panels to achieve a color match? Their answer to that would tell you what you need to do to the affected panels.

    The damage panels would certainly require a coat of Z1. If the 10 coats you had on already had never had a coat of Z1 applied between them, it's time for Z1 on those panels, too. Your eye is the judge of how well-balanced your Zaino applications on different panels are and which ones need more.
  • len_alen_a Member Posts: 44
    Also verify if they put a clear coat on the replaced panel. I don't even know if this is routine procedure but I do know that my 90 red Civic was in a front end collision 5 years ago and the replaced parts do NOT seem to have clear coat on them. The replaced parts oxidized quite badly and waxing those parts results in a lot of red on the cloth. There is never any red on the original panels that were never painted.
  • pblevinepblevine Member Posts: 858
    It seems that my Post #305 was deleted. Well, sometimes humor is not appreciated.

    daverose: I'd use the "Pad" as recommended by Chris Parrish and rub test those areas to insure you got all the oxidized stuff off prior to using Z1/Z5/Z2. Again, I don't really know, but I'd think that Z1 (despite the label) would not remove oxidation residue. That's why I recommended a rubbing compound and claying. Maybe a direct call to Sal would be in order on this subject. Let us know how you do.

    Sergeich: Ah, don't go man. Bruce was just doing his job. We'll all train him, and in my case, myself, to act in a civil manner. In any case, let's not get bent out of shape over a minor point.

    Bruce: Yep, the whole point of clear coats is to preserve the paint. But clear coats ARE paint too. And they too can oxidize. When clear coats oxidize, the residue would be clearer than the underlying paint. Brake and rail dust can pit those surfaces too. That's why Zaino is such a good protection tool. With a 15 year old car, I'd wash, clay, wash again, and then test (rub with newspaper) to determine if any oxidaztion residue remains. Provided you got it all, then start the Z1/Z5/Z2 process. Hopefully, your garaged car will still be undamaged. Trust your eyes, but verify.

    wstang: The first question should be what did your body shop do? Did they apply a clear coat? I'm not an expert on this subject, and maybe you should email Sal. I did have a large scratch repair on one door. The body shop took that area down to the metal, applied a primer, applied color matched paint, and then applied a clear coat. Each coat was heat dried. Make sure they don't put any of that "hand glaze" junk on your car. If they did, wash it off with Dawn. Provided a clean surface, apply the Z1 to just that area. Then follow up with multiple coats of Z5/Z2 until that area matches the rest of your car. Anyway, it seemed to work for me.
  • newwestdnewwestd Member Posts: 157
    Well - some inconsiderate jerk opened a door into our freshly Z'd Accord. It left a small white paint mark from their door.

    Ok experts, How do I get the idiot's paint off? Rubbing compound, then start the Z process again?

    Thanks.
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    but that GS27 "scratch remover" stuff takes paint "scratches" out pretty well. My White 300M was 3 weeks old when somebody opened their door hard enough to gouge the side moulding and leave their red paint mark on my door and moulding. The GS27 took it right off, and unless you are right up on the molding, you can't even tell it's been gouged. It's a shame...from the picture you posted your Accord is a gem.
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    newwestd, have you thought about trying clay? If you have some non-abrasive clay, that would be the safest thing to try first, IMHO, and with some elbow grease (and proper clay lubricant) might very well work for you.

    There's a topic around here on GS27 that you can probably find with the Topic Search feature on the left. As I recall, the majority of the (small number of) experiences reported were not positive.

    Maybe it depends on if you are removing someone else's paint from your painted surface, or are trying to fix a scratch where your paint has actually been removed by the object which did the scratching. Hmmm...

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    I used the GS27. It will take others paint off your car pretty well, and believe it or not, it will get rid of small (and I do mean small) surface scratches. I would never advise anyone to key their hood to check how well GS27 works. For taking off paint from another car, though, it works pretty well. We now return you to our regularly scheduled topic...
  • lambchoplambchop Member Posts: 24
    I just tried Zaino on my brand new 2001 Explorer Sport Trac in Island Blue about 2 weeks ago. I did not clay it. Well, I did the hood but there was not a vast amount of difference so I decided not to use it at this time. I am really impressed with how it looks. When I washed it a week later I could tell the difference in how the dirt rubbed off. I am definitely staying with the "Z" products. Thanks for all the postings on how to apply it.
  • wstangwstang Member Posts: 35
    Thanks for all the tips.. but how do I know if they applied any clearcoat? I can questioned them, but how do I know that they really did so when they claimed at the time when I get back my vehicle? Thanks...
  • newwestdnewwestd Member Posts: 157
    Thanks for all the tips about removing the other's paint. I will try the clay first as I have some. Normally I would use a light rubbing compund or cleaner-wax, but can't use this over Zaino!

    An easy test for clear coat - use a little rubbing comppound or cleaner-wax with a white cloth. If you see color - NO clear coat!
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