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Comments
If I plan a longer drive or a drive at night take off the hood guard and put on the bra for extra protection. I will NEVER leave the bra on for more than a couple of days without taking it off and cleaning underneath. With this approach I can't imagine there will be any negative impact to the Zaino finish.
I know this is a pretty anal approach, but I don't care - my car looks great .
Brad
Ok, this time it works I think! Here you can see my beautiful Monterey Maroon Camaro after Zaino...that was a month ago and it still looks this good!
God bless You, Sal!
Joebob: To clarify my streaking, it doesn't look like water. Its "multi-colored" like windex would be when you clean a window. The streaking is only there for maybe a second and then it dissappears. After I Z6, the car looks perfect.
I use 'ALL' as my detergent, wash my towels separately, and usually run the extra rinse. I don't use fabric softeners at all. I do have another theory though, I store all my Z products in a Rubbermaid container. All Z, applicators, and towels are in there. It is in my garage. It gets hots sometimes and I am wondering if the humidity gets trapped in there and affecting my towels.
What do you use to wash your car with? Towel? Sponge? something else?
Thanks
Lots of loft to the hair - - super soft so it is very simple to tell if something is trapped in it.
It also holds a great deal of water.
Then I run the towels (100% USA cotton, etc) through the washer/dryer and they are ready for something else (z2, z6, etc.)
I think that I will pick up one or two 100% etc washrags to use on the wheels and bottom sections of the car, since that is where all the dirt is collected. Then none of that grit will ever get into the hand or bath towels, which should make them last longer.
I will also probably try the wash rag as an applicator for the z2.
five'er
Yes, I did clay it, even though it was a brand new car. In fact, I didn't even let the dealer touch it before I took delivery. I got to remove all the plastic shipping stuff and everything!
I strongly recommend following the entire Z process, including claying. You won't be disappointed!
Brad
Z on White - A lot of people have asked about the results of Z on white paint. I think that this photo (if it works) can show the difference between the glow on a white car, and the mirror shine on a dark one:
If there's no picture, go to: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1016688&a=9788935&p=51275969
Now that I have had Z on for a while, and know more now than I did then, I feel little points of "grit?" in the paint, although I cannot see them.
I feel the need for clay.
I think I read in Sal's comments on his own page that clay does not remove the Z finish. I will have to go over there to check.
Thanks for the warning about mirrors, although I don't think I would have tried that.
Two questions: what to do after claying?
First, do I wash with Dawn or with z7? (I know Dawn will not take off the z, but do I need to use it? Will a good wash with z7 be enough to remove the clay residue?)
Second, do I then use z1, or do I just add coats of z2 and z5 as before? It has only been about two months since the base coat of z1.
Thanks for your help.
I will hang up now and listen to your response.
The need for Z1 after clay and then onto more coats is up to you - but unless you live in harsh conditions - or have the spare time and or desire, it wont likely be needed for another couple of months. I think it is also dependant on the number of coats of either Z2/5 you have. My memory says that about evry 10 coats its a good idea to slap on more Z1. I have about 30 Z2/5's this year, and have put on 3 Z1 so far. I have also clayed just once this year- but will certainly do it again before the fall weather makes it a chore.
I do spot clay - -damned bugs - -and since it wont remove Z, I dont worry about that specific spot.
Now the worst part - -Im likely going to use the 3M swirl remover soon - and that will remove ALL Zaino from the car. man, all that work - gone because I didnt want to do it in the spring (i still cant explain why)
Thanks for your call
Maybe by the time you use the swirl remover Sal will have released the new stuff so you won't have to wait 24 hrs between coats. To me that's a good enough reason to wait ;-)
Brad
I emailed Sal with some of these questions, and he indicated a z7 wash is OK, and also indicated that a "simple claying" will not remove the Zaino, because it is so durable; therefore there is no need to z1 again.
He did caution, however, that "Repeated Claying of the paint surface will eventually remove Zaino." But I can't imagine using clay more frequently than once a year, and I would add a layer of z1/z2 at least that often.
So we now know that, unlike wax, Z1 is stronger than clay.
How do you clean the washing mitt when you are done? Just rinse off, or run it through the washer?
Homer, I had many, many fine swirls on my new Lexus LS 430 (I think that a couple "detailing" by the dealer and a few trips through a car wash by a salesman was enough to do the damage).
I did three coats of Z5. Little effect. The dealer agreed to buff it out. But, before doing that, I did two more coats of Z5 (I was very apprehensive about allowing anyone to touch the paint, Sal told me he never would allow a dealer to buff it out, and he recommended 3M Swirl Remover, applied by hand with light pressure, if the Z5 did not do the job).
The two additional coats of Z5 have dramatically reduced the swirls. I can still see them, but they are much finer and "shorter." At this point, the truth is, no one notices them but me and I can only see them when looking at the correct angle, with the sun in front of me, bouncing at the correct angle off the paint. I think it would be obsessive/compulsive for me to have the paint buffed out, at this point, since no one else will ever notice the swirls. I am going to do one or two more coats of Z5 and I suspect that will do the trick.
Also, how does 3M Swirl Remover remove Zaino?
When you're going to clay, I strongly recommend that you avoid having Dawn residue on your vehicle. I've found that it makes the clay separate, become bumpy, and hard to handle; the clay eventually lost those poor characteristics, but it was no fun while it still had them.
3M Swirl remover is an abrasive, that's hope swirl removers work. If it can "cut" paint, what makes you think it can't remove Zaino?
I also will occasionally use a leaf blower to remove excess water. But I've never had a problem with water spots on the brilliant silver paint job (it has multiple coats of Z-2), even when it's raining. I pull into the garage with the car absolutely wet, and the next morning the finish is usually completely dry. Almost like a free wash job!
Reading the previous few posts have confused me regarding applying multiple coats of Z2.
I thought Z1 & Z2 must always be applied together (one after the other) . MBDRIVER's (and previous posts) imply that after the initial first coat of Z1, Z2/Z5, etc., one only needs to apply multiple coats of Z2 (or Z5) to acheive the desired shine (and ignore using Z1 for a while).
Simply stated, does that mean I can apply multiple (8 - 10) coats of Z2 (and then Z6) before applying the next coat of Z1?
.
1. When you wash off the old wax and start with Zaino on the bare paint. Then you do z2 or z5 right on top of it, let that double coat dry, then wipe them off together. After that, you can do coats of z2 or z5 by themselves.
2. When you get about 10 coats of z2 and/or z5 built up, or at the 6 month (if you park outside) or 12 month (if you garage the car) mark, you apply a coat of z1 with z2 as before, only this time you are putting it on top of the multiple coats of z, not on the bare paint.
I'm not sure why you need the z1 again, but that seems to be the story. I guess time and trouble take their toll.
It is also my understanding, and I'm no expert, that you never really have to strip off the old z and go back to the paint to start up again. It's something about the polymer thing.
Anyway, the message is that it seems you have been using way too much z1. You should only need to use z1 once or twice a year. you have not done your car any harm, but you can start ordering less of the z1 from here on out.
The swirl removers must remove the polish first before it can get to the paint, so YES - it will remove Z and anything else on the paint as well.
I did the clay before the Z1 & Z2, and the paint was baby-smooth. but now, i notice a little roughness on the top surface of the rear bumper. So I think I should clay just that part again, right?
I asked Sal if it was OK to Dawn wash every once in a while, to remove road film, bug residue film, etc. Sal said 1. it was unnecessary and 2. the Dawn would leave a detergent film. He said just to use the Z7.
I also asked about removing swirls. He gave me the rundown on using 3M swirl remover. And, yes, after you use it you have to do the whole routine (Dawn, clay, Z7, Z1, Z2/5) etc. It stands to reason. As an earlier poster said, the 3M MUST be penetrating the Z, to get down to the swirls.
The subsequent two coats of Z5 have greatly reduced the swirls. I anticipate another couple coats of Z5 will be all that is needed, then a couple coats of Z2. (Z6 in between and as a detailer, of course).
I would recommend to anyone with swirl problems that you give it a really good try with many coats of Z5 before you resort to any abrasive. Sometimes it is necessary, but it is a last resort.
Thanks for the clarification of when to use Z1 & Z2.
.
HEY! You're going to put me in the Car Fanatic topic area! I don't have 50 coats of Zaino- YET! I only have 10 coats of Z2/Z5/Z6 since 3/28/01! ;-)) Does that red Acura shine! Have some pics to post from the 4th when I was in Keene, NH. No time- between wakes, funerals and weddings, I'm running ragged! Also way behind on e-mail too as I'm sure you know!
fastdriver
OK, enough raving, I came to ask a question: Before I Z'ed the car I touched up a few gravel nicks. Now I see a few more that I missed and would like to fix them. I plan to clean the area around each nick with alcohol (is denatured OK?), do the touch-up, smooth it out, etc., then Z1 those spots. Then Z2 the spots, then a coat or two over the whole car. The car has three coats each of Z5 and Z2. Can I be sure the alcohol will cut through all this? Since the touch up paint will need a little light sanding and rubbing compound, would it be better to sand a little first to be sure the Z is all gone? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
"To remove any residue on plastic parts. Use some
lighter fluid or isopropyl alcohol on a soft rag or with a tooth brush. Rub lightly on the spot to be cleaned. Repeat if neccessary. Then rinse the
area with water. The lighter fluid will not hurt the plastic. Do not use gasoline. It will soften and damage the plastic. It must be lighter fluid or you can try isopropyl alcohol..."
Good luck.
On the carnuba car the Z seems to smear when touched by a finger or hand but this wipes right off to a shine again. Not sure if the car polished using instructions has this issue. However, both versions of application work great IMHO. Slowly becoming a convert, especially as it is easier to put on and remove then carnuba especially in sunlight.
I think you should mention to the dealer that his kindness will cost you hours of work. He should not wash or especially wax a car without notice to the owner.
Let this be a warning to owners of high end cars where this might happen: always tell the service manager when you check in "Don't wash." I used to let the Lexus dealer wash my old SC400, but I have a SC430 now, black, with 5 coats of z2, and I hope to keep it out of the automatic car washes. Even the "soft touch" no brush automatic washers like my dealer has.
When I brought it out for the 1,000 check up (which is not much more than that), I said not to wash it, but I was waiting for it, the sun was shining, and the car was spotless, so it was not going to get washed anyway. However, I know that they have a policy of washing all cars, so for more serious service stops, especially in the winter when the car might be dirty, so I plan to be very clear that I don't want it washed, thank you very much.
Sorry to hear about your wax job, but I think the dealer and the boys in the shop, especially a good shop, should know that some cars out there, especially good cars with good paint, have finishes on them that DON'T NEED WAX!!!
I guess I got off on a rant there; sorry.
-Larry
In any event, I am interested in seeing the result of the experiment. Maybe you should modify the experiment in this way. As the wax is on the car, anyway, maybe you should try to emulate the above approach -- keep on waxing one half the hood (I presume Z is underneath) -- and you can see how it works. This would duplicate the approach of the detailing site, where they apply wax over multiple polymer coats. Just an idea.
Great movie. Since I can't post in the Lexus group without signing up, please tell Lexus GS 400 that his car looks GREAT and if he wants to see it on Red, he can come here and click on my name.
fastdriver
I hope I've added this link correctly. If not, my apologies to all and go for the ol' copy and paste.
<http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1750090&a=13480151&p=51638327>
Thanks. GREAT pics!! Who said that Zaino doesn't shine as nice on silver cars? I want to see MORE! You're a great photographer! Remember, taking pics at around sunset will show up better then pics taken in direct sunlight. I have some pics to post of my car from the 4th of July in NH. Not sure how they even came out because I have not had time to look at them yet! They were taken in direct sun because the "beach" area where I took them was empty then. We'll see. I love to show off that Zaino shine! It's incredible. I just wish Sal would hurry up and get this new stuff on the market so that I can do the multiple coat thing in one day to make the car even shinier!
fastdriver
Over what period of time did you apply the two coats of Z1? Normally, depending on circumstances, it only needs to be done every 6 months to a year, or, if you're an enthusiastic polisher, every 10th coat of polish. I think of Z1 as the chemical net applied to the paint and that the polish clings to that net; the elements wear that net and polish down, the more exposure, the more wear which needs to be renewed; repeated coats of polish applied over short periods of time "saturate" that net and it needs to be renewed. Did you feel you were supposed to apply it, or did you just want to?
Fastdriver: I'll throw a few more pictures up (sometime this weekend). Footnote: Anyone recognize the building in the far right in picture 3? Hint: Los Angeles and a $200 million+ movie
Daverose: I applied Z1/Z2/Z6 (twice) back in January - a few days after buying the car; which sat in the hot L.A. sun for 3 months. For the following 6 months I'd wipe down the car w/ a clean cotton towel and then apply Z6. I wash the car every 7-14 days using a typical neighborhood brushless car wash (I see no scratches or swirls). Over the last 3 weeks, I applied 2 coats of Z1/Z2/Z6. After the last round, I've applied an additional coat of Z2 after washing the car (15 minutes to apply, 15 minutes to take off). I had thought the Z1/Z2 go hand-in-hand, which is why I didn't Z my car for six months (other then Z6). Over the course of the next three car washes, I plan on applying Z2 afterwards now that I understand its simplicity.
FWIW, what works for me in keeping the shine is wiping the car down every other day (or daily) with a cotton towel. Then apply Z6. *I* think Z6 is the 'sleeper' in regards to how it maintains the cars shine. I am not as passionate of the appearance of my car as many Zaino-heads are (no disrespect meant). But using Zaino is just too damn easy for me to neglect the car's appearance and the results are great.
Here in L.A., I have received many compliments on my car's shine while waiting for the next car chase to pass
.
As was just explained to me somewhere in the previous 15 posts, Z2 can be applied on average 10 times (waiting 24 hrs between applications) between coats of Z1. I think additional Z1 coats would just be a waste (better word might be unneccessary) unless spread apart every 10 Z2 coats or every 6 months. Of course, climate is an issue.
Initially, I thought I had to apply Z1 & Z2 together...which is why I waiting 6 months before Z1/Z2-ing again. Now that I understand I can just Z2/Z6, as I stated previously, I'll Z2 after the next three car washes and continue my regime of "wipe and swipe" (Wipe off the dust, Swipe on the Z6 on a semi-daily basis).
.
A car wash solution reduces the chemical bond between the paint and the dirt. Rail dust and similar contaminants are often physically embedded in the paint. So, soap, detergent, etc. will not necessarily free the contaminant.
The idea behind claying is to physically "wipe up" the contaminants.
I just read a Ford technical bulletin at: "http://www.autoint.com/Ford Bulletin 99-12-10.htm" The article, clearly written by engineers, says that studies show that claying will not handle the rail dust problem.
This technical bulletin says that clay will not completely handle the problem and "removes only the top of the particle." It goes on to say, emphatically, that pieces of rail dust are left in the paint, creating "corrosive chemical compounds."
The bulletin states, in bold print, that the procedure specified in the bulletin (acid wash, etc.) MUST be used prior to any buffing or polishing. This is a bit disturbing because many of us have come to believe that clay WILL handle the rail dust problem and other embedded contaminants. Yet, the bulletin says this belief is incorrect.
This seems to be an important issue. We put in a good amount of work creating multiple layers of Z. One of the reasons we do this work is to protect the paint. And, a premise in doing that is to start with clean paint. The bulletin says that we are not starting with clean paint. If the bulletin is correct, and I have no reason to doubt it, we are trapping rail dust and corrosive chemical compounds under our Z, when we thought we were protecting clean paint.
If anyone has addition data on this subject, I think the data would be very useful. I would really like to hear your comments and observations.