I'm in Colorado. Not quite the desert, but pretty dry, especially when it gets hot.
You are so right about dark colors. Look great when perfectly clean but never stay that way for long. My car is a Lincoln LS, & I've been exchanging posts on our owner's club site with a guy who just Zed his silver LS for the first time. (I've spread the word in our club; hope Sal remembers that when it's bonus time ). He admires the depth of shine you can get on a dark color. I told him the real advantage to a dark car is that the paint attracts all the dust so the A/C filter stays clean longer.:)
I've been following the discussion on this board and I Zainoed my car on Saturday. Can't say I notice that much of a difference (my car is only 2 months old)except after the rain. My car still looked pretty good! I'll probably put more Z2 on to get a wetter look.
Anyway, my question is, while I was cleaning my car, I noticed a gouge on my front hood from a flying rock. What do you all do to fix that? Is there a Zaino product or should I "touch up paint" it? (I live in Hawaii and it will soon rust.) I know I can use Z5 for fine scratches (which I also noticed) but will that work for the gouge?
Fickle, I'm not aware of a Zaino product that would fix your gouge. Sorry. What color is your car? With my gold Volvo C70, I, too, don't see a vast difference either except for the smooth feel and rain beads like crazy. I believe the darker colors "show off" best. Tmart
I've been lurking here for a little bit - ever since someone over on the GM 360 Platform (2002 Envoy, Trailblazer, Bravada) mentioned Zaino. I recently purchased a new Trailblazer LTZ in Black and Pewter and wanted to get a coat of something on it before winter set in. After reading all of the posts here I decided to jump in - I placed my order a few weeks ago and my box o' Z arrived on my doorstep last Thursday, not a day too soon since November in Cleveland can get cold fast! As luck would have it, this past weekend was warm enough (low 50's) with little humidity so I decided to give it a shot.
However, since the TB LTZ is a bit of a large vehicle, I decided to do my wife's 2000 Grand Prix first. Besides - it's gotta be worth a few points! Here's what I did and my opinions on each step of the process:
Wash with Dawn: First I had to get the Dawn, I'm guessing Antibacterial Liquid Palmolive wouldn't have worked as well! Anyway, went as well as a "normal" car wash, just a LOT of suds. I also tried to make sure I got every spot twice, just to make sure I was removing any old wax on the car. Dried with "The Absorber" - recommended by someone here a while back. Thanks! It works great - better than any chamois, real hide or synthetic, I've ever used.
Claying: I couldn't believe how easy it was. I was expecting a tedious process with lots of elbow grease with the clay flying out of my hand every 10 seconds. Not so - the clay stayed in my hand easily enough and it removed bugs and tar with almost no effort. No streaking either. I used a liberal amount of my Z7/water spray to lubricate, but I also worked in small areas and buffed the area dry immediately with a clean, white towel.
Z-7 wash: Gee - I get to wash the car again in the same day! Not too bad of a job - the low temps made it easier since it didn't water spot quite so rapidly. Again, I was careful to wash every spot twice to remove any "leftover" clay and Dawn.
Z6: I took the advice of a few members here and Z6'ed the car before Z1-ing it to remove any water spots. A little elbow grease required, but that may just be because my arm was tired after washing and drying the car twice! But the nice smell and clean white towel kept me going (one point - I did wash my white towels before Z-ing - they were new - but I still got quite a bit of lint on the car, it wipes off easily enough, but I'd recommend 2 or 3 washings of the towels before first use).
Z1: Used Sal's applicator pads. Easy to hold on to - but a lot of loose threads that had to be pulled off. Z1 went on easily enough, but as people here have said, it's hard to see what you've already done! Especially with such a thin coat. The car is dark metallic green, so I guess it could be worse! At least it's not a white car...
Z5: Was able to apply the Z5 almost as soon as I was done Z1-ing. Same story as with the Z1 - went on easy and smelled great! I even Z1/Z5'ed the insides of the doors and under the trunk and hood. Didn't really notice any swirl marks, but I figured I'd be on the safe side and Z5 first anyway as opposed to Z2.
Waiting... with the lower temps, the Z1/Z5 took a little while to dry, but that gave me a chance to wash the Trailblazer! Did the Dawn/Dry/Clay/Z7/Dry routine again. Needless to say, my arm was a bit tired. By the time I was done Z6-ing the TB, the Z1/Z5 was ready to come off the Grand Prix. I'd say it took about 4 hours to dry.
Removing Z1/Z5: Couldn't be easier! Talk about minimal effort! It seems like just the weight of the towel took it right off. The shine was incredible too.
By now it was getting dark (blasted short days!), so I called it a night.
The next morning, I was able to get Z1 and Z2 on my Trailblazer - a bit more work because of it's size, but still fairly easy. Took longer to dry in Sunday because of the slightly lower temps, but I was still able to remove it with almost no effort. The shine on the black is great!
In all, it took a LOT of time, but most of that was in the washing and drying. The actual application and removal of the Zaino was as fast or faster than any wax I've used - and the removal was a heck of a lot easier. Without having to do the double wash again, I can see how I could easily get both cars washes and Z'ed in a few hours.
My wife was very impressed with the results and couldn't believe how smooth and shiny her car was. Now I just need to remind her who did all the work!
Thanks to everyone here who has offered tips/tricks/hints. I think I used most if not all of them and the results are well worth it.
But now I have a problem - I'm sitting here at work wishing I was at home so I could put a second coat of Z2 on my TB! Not to mention breaking out the leather cleaner and conditioner for both vehicles...
For your next coats, you might try applying when you get home, let dry overnight, and remove before going to work. They will go on and off faster now. Tmart
Mbdriver/Fastdriver- I am actually in Tampa, but we have had been blessed as of late with low humidity and 75-80 degree temperatures-perfect Zing weather.
I did apply z1 to the vehicle and that seem to have removed all but the most faintest trace of the clay streaks in one area. Hopefully they will completely disappear with more Zing.
As for results, all I can say is that my forest green pathfinder is now glowing. This stuff is amazing. I know people have raved about it all over this and every other board I have read, but it so true. You cannot believe it till you see it. Case in point: after one application of the Z5, I was wiping the hood down after it dried and I was staring at the surface to really inspect it. The "depth" of the paint was deep that I got disorientated looking into it. That is seriously no lie and no I was not smoking crack or doing any other mind altering substance. That said I am now truly addicted already.
I have a weeks vacation coming up and I am already planning on when I can apply more Z5 and then Z2. Man I feel like I just opened pandora's box. Fortunately my fiancee was just as impressed as I was and she now will cut me some slack when I NEED to go apply another coat.
tmart: I'd love to apply Z when I get home from work and wipe it off in the morning - but I already get up at 5:30 to get to work at 7. And I don't have much room in my schedule - granted, Z comes off fast, but not THAT fast! Good news is that I'm home by 4:30, so on a nice day I can get a coat of Z on and off in an evening. But for now, it looks like weekend Z-ing for me. Current forcast is for upper 50's to lower 60's this weekend. Can you say, "second coat"?
Man, you were ambitious!!! So glad you have now discovered what we long time users have been saying right along. Just remember, the more coats of Z2/Z6, the better the shine! It's a SNAP to keep it looking like that! Welcome to the club! Just wait until Sal comes out with that additive for the Z2/Z5. You can do multiple coats in ONE day with NO drying time! I can't wait.
culater9-
It gets better from here on in, if you can believe it! With the weather in Tampa it will be nothing to keep it like this. Your SUV will be the envy of the neighborhood!
I stole this off of Autopia Forums (thanks David, and sorry) and thought y'all would want to read it, if you haven't done so already. Just trying to show that I'm not a bad guy. It's from Sal hisself:
ZFX is a revolutionary new polish enhancement additive that's exclusive to the Zaino Show Car Polish system. There's never been anything quite like ZFX, and here's why:
All polish, sealant and wax protection systems must "cure" before they can effectively protect your paint. Once cured, all paint protection systems begin to deteriorate. The rate of deterioration depends on many factors, including the chemicals used, bonding qualities, weather, washing, and use of the car.
A very few specialty paint protection systems can be layered to increase protection and paint appearance. Layer-able systems must cure prior to application of subsequent coats. Depending on the product, cure time may take a few hours or a few days.
For lasting protection, most synthetic sealants are formulated to be hard. If not properly designed, synthetic sealants may crack, yellow or distort the optics of the paint surface.
ZFX is a Zaino Show Car Polish acceleration and appearance additive. It offers near-instant cure time, reduced surface distortion, enhanced polish flexibility, and improved bonding to both paint and additional layers of Show Car Polish. In simple terms, ZFX vastly improves paint surface appearance and increases polish durability.
ZFX is the product of more than 30 years experience painting show cars. Professional painters add chemicals and compounds to their paint mix prior to painting to improve paint flexibility, reduce paint imperfections, increase hardness, and improve gloss. We applied this same line of thinking in the development of ZFX. The result is a stunning professional show car finish with less effort, no waiting and longer-lasting results.
ZFX can be used with any of our Show Car Polish products, including Z-2, Z-3 and Z-5. Plus, ZFX makes using Z-1 PreLok unnecessary on cars that have been clayed and thoroughly cleaned with Dawn dishwashing liquid.
When we say "acceleration," we mean it! Adding ZFX to any one of our Show Car Polishes prior to use is like kicking an F-14 Tomcat into afterburner. The competition just can't compete... we'll shoot them down every time. Perfect shine, less time -- guaranteed! ***
Okay, cutting through the hype, ZFX is a product you add to your Z polish before applying. It removes the need for Z-1, makes ZSCP (that's Zaino Show Car Polish) easier to apply, and improves the shine. I'm trying to verify the latter. The first two items are true, as far as my testing can determine. Durability? I don't know yet. Ease-of-use? Yes, seems pretty easy to apply and remove.
Well I was so impressed with Zaino on my new Envoy that yesterday when I brought home my new snowmobile I had to give it the Zaino treatment.It was about 40 degree's here in MA. when I washed it in dawn then put on Z1,Z2 then sit overnite in it's trailer.Put on a couple more coats today followed by Z6.It's black and boy does it shine,very impressed.
Thanks. Take a look here and you'll see what ZFX did for my car last June when I pleaded with Sal to send me a trial size vial. Worked great! I can't wait for him to get this out to us before the snow starts falling here!
c2h6o - Congratulations on all your hard work! Just how much bigger is that arm by now? Ya gotta be sure to rotate evenly for even development. Shirts with one big arm are HARD to come by!
culater9 - Just keep sniffin' the Z2, and the shine will get deeper and deeper and deeper - yeah - groovy! LOL! Welcome to the steadily growing group of 'Z' afficiandos.
Thanks for the email. This system was expensive so it had better work. I'll be using it on my new SUV. Probably won't have quite the hot look it would if the ZAINO was applied on a sports car like the pics on the website but it's going to have to do.
In general, how much usuage can I expect from the Zaino products i.e. applications per bottle?
I could get a good shine with any of the name brands on the market, BUT the question is- how LONG will that shine last AND will it have that WET-LOOK shine AND CLARITY that I love so much?
On an SUV, I'm not sure. I have been using Zaino since the summer of 1998. I THINK I'm only on my 2nd or 3rd bottle of Z2. I really have lost track. I've done my previous 300M, the new Acura CL-S, my cousin's black BMW 2-seater convertible and my 94 Toyota Corolla.
If you follow the directions and take your time, you will NOT be disappointed!
My first car was a 74 Road Runner. I used to wax the thing with regular old turtle wax once a week or once every other week. I never knew how long it lasted - but I do know that the thing shined like a jewel and it looked better the day I sold it than it did when I bought it. Now that I'm older, and can't or won't wax that often, I really like the combination of shine and durability I get from the Z stuff. But if you wax something often enough, no matter what, it will look good.
Tomorrow I'm gonna pour lighter fluid on my car and throw a match to it to test it's protection, like they do in those infomercials. I may practice on my neighbors car first, though.
fastdriver: Thanks. I want my ZFX! Its already getting cold, and soon it will be too late.
Bret: Thanks too for that link. An interesting set of tests. I think they are really trying to do a good job, and I'll go back to see their results.
Claying: Joebob6 has some good suggestions. I've always applied a LOT of Z7/water lubricant. And I've always washed down the car first, and made sure it was not in direct sunlight prior to using the clay. Ya gots da watch out, it'll melt on ya.
fickle: a deep gouge will require repainting or touch up painting. Since I frequently travel on dirt roads and alway manage to find flying rocks and pepples, I'm starting to get good at touch up painting. First clean the scratch or gouge with a tiny file such as an emory board to eliminate dirt and oxidized matter. You can get the correct color matched touch up paint from your dealer by providing them with the color code from the driver's side door well. Apply the paint with a tooth pick. Yep, paint the tooth pick and then dap the tooth pick in the gouge to create an even layer of paint just over the scratch. It will form a curved surface above the scratch via surface tension. That's OK. As the paint drys, it will shrink. When it's dry, you can sand it down to the level of your normal paint surface. One way to do this is by cutting small circles of emory cloth/sand paper (very very fine grade). Then paste the emory cloth to the eraser end of a pencil. You can use the resulting tool to just sand the desired paint spot by turning the pencil. Then clean again, and apply some Z to protect it.
pj: Turtle Wax? Ya know, I think I may still have a can of that stuff in the back of some closet. Maybe we can have a contest to find a good use for such surplus wax. My entry is to use it to protect air conditioner cabinets during the cold winter. Or how about waxing the garage floor to protect against oil spills. Or we could sell it to the Taliban to wax their beards. Or their heads after we shave them. Any othe ideas?
RoadRunner.! My first "muscle car" was a Road Runner....383 4-barrel with the "slap shifter". BadAss car.
It was replaced with a '67 GTO convertible with a "High Output" 400 big block. Wish I had both (or either of them) back.
Great cars.
Of course, today I doubt that you could keep either of them on the road. I couldn't even fathom what the "handling" would be like compared to even the most mundane econo car today. I'm not even certain that they would beat my dearly beloved, departed Grand Prix GTP in a stop light war.
But, once you blipped the throttle in either of those beasts, you either scared away all comers or woke the dead (maybe both). There's nothing like the sound of a V8 thumping under the hood with the "go peddle" mashed to the floor. You could hear massive amounts of air being sucked in by the carbs (and the gas guage literally moving lower while you watched and ran).
I used Simonize on both....Zaino, of course, on the Grand Prix.
I had a '73 RR, 1st new car, with the 340; good car, but a "smog-dog" pretender compared to the Real Road Runner graphicguy had.
Simoniz? The blue paste? Ah, the good old days, when Men were Men, and Wax was Wax. My first car waxing experience was helping Dad do his new '64 Malibu with that stuff. Had to lean all my weight on the towel to get that cement off the paint! Trying to do four coats of that stuff in a weekend like I did with Z would put a guy my age in traction.:)
I remember the old Simoniz as being sort of a yellow/beige color. It came in a yellow can ......think I still have some around. My first memories of car "clean-up" was when my father would strip and re-varnisn the wood side trim of his 1949 Ford station wagon. The trim was still real wood back then. After that, a couple coats of Simoniz. Talk about hard work.... My first new car was a 1971 Chevelle SS. Sort of wish that I still had it.
The simonize I used was indeed blue (paste that came in a can that rusted). You would definitely get a bicep workout putting the stuff on and taking it off. It did dry almost to a "concrete" type of consistency. Of course, you took plenty of paint off while removing the Simonize, too.
scottc8 and leadfoot4...the 340 in later year RoadRunners was really a decent engine. As you pointed out, the polution controls really strangled it, though. '71 Chevelle SS was a good one, too. I can't remember if they put the 350 in that year or not? Were they still using "big blocks" in the early '70s Chevelles? The late '60s (around '68-'69) brought about one of my favorite muscle cars, the Chevelle SS 396 with the cowl induction...I'll take mine "candy-apple red", please.
Can you imagine what those cars would have looked like with a few coats of Z3 on them?
It's been a long time, but if I remember correctly, you could get a small block Chevelle SS in 1971-72, as the SS had become an option package rather that a seperate model. I do know for certain that you could get a big block, either the 396(402) or the 454. In the case of the one I had, it was a 454. I really should have kept the car, but I bought it as a dealer "left-over" at the end of the 1971 model year. As such, I was stuck with the equipment it had, and one thing it didn't have was power steering. The car was just a bear to steer at anything under 30-35 MPH. Yea, I know that you don't buy a car like that to drive slowly, but we're all stuck in city traffic at times. Between the lack of power steering, and a clutch that took two men and a boy to push in, the car lost it's luster after a couple of years and I sold it....live and learn!!
I just received my first shipment of Zaino products. Looking forward to the weekend to see how well the products work. Supposed to be sunny and around 70 in the Virginia. I do have one question. Do I need to wash my vehicle twice?Once with Dawn and then with the Z-7 car wash. I thought about buying the clay but decided against it.
My '69 Road Runner was the same. I bought it used in '76. It had 40K+ miles and was driven by an older gentleman (in his 40s, which at the time seemed pretty damned old). It was bone stock. No PS either. Had to "lock'em up" to get it to stop. Brake pedal felt like you were stepping on a brick. Vinyl bench seat. You had to wrestle it to get it where you wanted it to go, but as bretfraz said, those cars were mainly stoplight to stoplight and 1/4 runners.
My '67 GTO was luxurious by comparison. Bought it used with about 30K miles from a dealer/friend (used to detail cars on his lot) in '77. It was his personal car from the day it showed up new at his dealership. It had PS, PB, 4-speed, Traction Lock, AM AND FM radio, real wood dash, raised white letter "Tiger Paws" on optional Ralye wheels and a 4-barrel "quadra-jet" carb. Clutch was still heavy by today's standards.
Both the Road Runner and the GTO ran the 1/4 in the low 14s (depending on your launch). GTO was a little faster because of the traction lock. They would pull all the way to redline (which was around 5K rpm).
The 454 was a true "big block" torque monster. I can't remember a bigger engine in any car street car (well, maybe in a Caddy or Lincoln of the same vintage). That must have been a sweet, sweet ride.
A few new Zaino ZFX pics from today. Only had time to put on one coat and no Z6 because it was getting dark. Maybe in the morning I'll do the Z6 and ZFX if I get up early enough. ;-))
I agree that someone at the dealership might have had the 1/4 mile in mind when they ordered the car. However, they got a little confused, because the car was the heavier hardtop instead of the usually lighter sedan. On second thought, GM might not have been producing sedans in the 70-72 models. I don't remember seeing any, but 30 years is a long time ago. They also threw in the bucket seats and console, instead of the lighter bench seat, and also added the cowl induction hood. The hood looked cool, but it too, added a few pounds to the mix. I guess they thought the 2-3 HP that the power steering might consume was really an issue. Obviously, they never drove the car after they had ordered a couple of them. It did have disc brakes though, so it least it would stop fairly well. I didn't have a lot of money back then, so having a second car wasn't possible. Therefore, driving this beast through the snow was a real treat......
Ah man, those big engine screemers used to make my mouth water. Back then (late '60's) when I was 16 and really wanted a car, my dad had a little deal for me. He had a friend of his sell me a '52 Chevy (3 speed on the column) piece of junk (literally) that he had abandoned and was due for the junk yard. $50 and it didn't run. That, according to my dad, was the idea. Another friend of his owned a commercial garage. Yep, pulled the engine (in-line block 6) and took out the old hardened oil with a garden trowl. Carbon Tet and plently of it. 'Had to rebuild the whole engine, suspension, etc. But now that I look back, I learned a lot. The first time I got the engine to run, the water pump blew up. Learned how to use a strobe for timing, etc. I finally got it to run, and then the "thing" lasted about 8 more years. When I went off to college and later overseas, my dad used it to commute to the LIRR station. It was a great experience. But now, my Honda doesn't even have a carb. Fuel injection, computer timing, and auto-trannies. No one even knows what 'heel and toe' is anymore. No wonder we all go nuts over Zaino!
I bet your Accord starts in the winter time, though. I bet you don't have to let it "warm-up" before you drive it either. I bet you get more than 5K miles out of your spark plugs. I definitely know that you get 2X or maybe 3X the MPG with your car. It handles way better, is infinitely safer and more comfortable.
That said, I bet there was more metal in the '52 chevy than in any 4 cars that have been produced recently.
The only modern car that is really set up for "heal and toeing" that I've come across are BMWs.
LOL....I thought I fell fast for Zaino, but you fell at WARP speed! ;-))
fastdriver
PS Have you seen the pics I took yesterday? They are in my profile above. Last one on the bottom I think. I was going to put on another coat of the sample ZFX I have, but work was NUTS today and I'm exhausted! It was 72 here in So. CT today. Tomorrow it will probably be 30! ;-((
I hear you, Julie. I didn't care what my car looked like before. But now that I have a brand new car that I Zaino, I carry a rag in my car to wipe off any dirt I see! My sister says I'm obsessed---and I am! What's happened to me?!
leadfoot4: Yep, its the old 'keep the revs up while braking into a turn as you downshift' routine. I also learned to double clutch on that old Chevy.
pj: It died a 'natural' death. Lack of compression. My dad finally junked it.
graphicguy: Ah, you too are correct. I have very little to complain about with this Accord Coupe. As you said, it starts like crazy, performs very well for a front wheel drive auto-tranny. And its a 'near' luxury car, very comfortable. I was thinking of a BMW 328i, but my wife talked me out of it. Too expensive, she only drives auto, and cramped compared to the Accord. But I do miss using a manual stick as this is my first auto tranny. My only steady complaint is the paint. Man, all these car companies have cheaped out. Every little stone manages to scratch the paint. Maybe its just in my head. Like our friend Julie, I've become hypper sensitive about the finish now that I use Zaino.
I used to slam my car into a parking spot, jump out, and run to the office. Now I gently back into a spot selected for its size and the surrounding cars. Then I check out the finish, and slowly back over to the office entrance. And I'm checking the weather reports to see if I can get another coat of Z2 on the car when I drive down to MD (sister-in-law's house) for Thanksgiving. See what you started, Julie !!
Blame it on Julie: I applied two coats of Z2/Z6 on my car during the last six days and plan on applying one more coat before my 80 mile drive for my Turkey dinner and all the fixins. Its been a few months since I last Z-ed my car. Fortunately, here in L.A. its easier to find good weather to 'Z' vs you lucky dogs who get to see the seasons change
See what happened. After hearing about you "Z"-ing your Suburban, we all felt guilty and lazy. You started a whole round of people putting additional coats on. I'm ready for winter, now. We're all gonna turn out like fastdriver (Bob, I mean that in a complimentary way).
PB...my sister has an Accord. She loves it, but complains about the "thiness" of the paint, too. I have to admit, she has an EX V6, I can't imagine anything else you could ask for in a car. Of course, when you're a certifiable "gear head" like most of us, we always want bigger, faster, more luxurious, etc. I had (2) 325i(s) before the GTP and the 300M. They are great cars. Maintenance is costly and they are a bit small. There is no other driving experience like them, though. They do so many things so well. 328s are supposed to be a bit less sporting than the older 3 series, but I would jump on a 3 or 5 series again in a heartbeat if I could swing a "deal" on one.
Come on! Give Julie a break. You were Zainoholics LONG before Julie showed up here! Don't blame her for your addiction! ;-))))
graphicguy-
Don't start mentioning BMW in front of that red beauty of yours! She MIGHT turn into a "Christine"!! Be careful. LOL............
Julie-
Don't listen to them. People are always looking for a scapegoat! They've been to many ZA meetings long before you arrived here. Just like an addict to blame someone else for their "problem"!! LOL....
However, you did push me to put on a few more coats myself! I did one last week and two coats yesterday! I now have 15 coats on since 3/28/01. Not bad- about 2 a month in no time at all.
For myself, the greatest frustration in using Z is the "I'm-never-satisfied" feeling of the lack of shine I get after applying (on my silver 2000 Regal GS). Yes, I know I get outrageous results and compliments galore, yet silver (and possibly white) must be the hardest colors for an 'owner' to feel he/she has done a worthy job applying Z. As I said, the compliments attest to how terrific Z makes my car look. But I never feel satisfied (visually) as if I've done all I can do in applying Z to get to that pefect shine.
I assume that Fastdriver and others with darker, metallic paints derive a greater benefit then myself, MBDriver and others with lighter metallic paints after Z-ing their cars. The results with darker paints are more evident to a point that I assume you know when you can go no further with the cars shine (I guess Fastdriver is the exception to this rule). But as for the rest of us (though I can truly only speak for myself), yes, we know we've done a helluva job on Z-ing and the results are superb. But no matter how many coats I apply, I'll never get the same visual results if my car was dark red or black. But...I do know that I have the best shine on a silver metallic car in Los Angeles (even a Beverly Hills cop complimented me on the shine while getting a 'Frap" at Starbucks).
So...this is why I know Sal will never go hungry - I keep replenishing Z1, Z2 & Z6 for that never ending wet look I think I'll never achieve.
Nothing like the smell of Z on a warm day! Also nothing thinner than the paint on new Hondas. Everytime the wind changes direction another flick of paint flys off!
on the right track...it's just cause mine is bigger! (is that what he meant? ;D)
Fastdriver; I can't believe those pictures in your album. I bet it's even more dramatic in person! How many coats do you have?
I'm sure that people that read these posts think we are having some kind of 'love fest' here, gushing about the Zaino. But I really think that unless you apply the Zaino yourself, you don't "get" the effect it produces.
It's 32degrees and I can't wash my car...
Julie
p.s. Happy Thanksgiving to all you guys! What are you thankful for this year?
Comments
You are so right about dark colors. Look great when perfectly clean but never stay that way for long. My car is a Lincoln LS, & I've been exchanging posts on our owner's club site with a guy who just Zed his silver LS for the first time. (I've spread the word in our club; hope Sal remembers that when it's bonus time
You'll see that it's EVERYTHING that we've said and more!! You won't be disappointed.
Sal's e-mail is: sal@zainobros.com
fastdriver
Anyway, my question is, while I was cleaning my car, I noticed a gouge on my front hood from a flying rock. What do you all do to fix that? Is there a Zaino product or should I "touch up paint" it? (I live in Hawaii and it will soon rust.) I know I can use Z5 for fine scratches (which I also noticed) but will that work for the gouge?
Thanks for your suggestions.
I've been lurking here for a little bit - ever since someone over on the GM 360 Platform (2002 Envoy, Trailblazer, Bravada) mentioned Zaino. I recently purchased a new Trailblazer LTZ in Black and Pewter and wanted to get a coat of something on it before winter set in. After reading all of the posts here I decided to jump in - I placed my order a few weeks ago and my box o' Z arrived on my doorstep last Thursday, not a day too soon since November in Cleveland can get cold fast! As luck would have it, this past weekend was warm enough (low 50's) with little humidity so I decided to give it a shot.
However, since the TB LTZ is a bit of a large vehicle, I decided to do my wife's 2000 Grand Prix first. Besides - it's gotta be worth a few points! Here's what I did and my opinions on each step of the process:
Wash with Dawn: First I had to get the Dawn, I'm guessing Antibacterial Liquid Palmolive wouldn't have worked as well! Anyway, went as well as a "normal" car wash, just a LOT of suds. I also tried to make sure I got every spot twice, just to make sure I was removing any old wax on the car. Dried with "The Absorber" - recommended by someone here a while back. Thanks! It works great - better than any chamois, real hide or synthetic, I've ever used.
Claying: I couldn't believe how easy it was. I was expecting a tedious process with lots of elbow grease with the clay flying out of my hand every 10 seconds. Not so - the clay stayed in my hand easily enough and it removed bugs and tar with almost no effort. No streaking either. I used a liberal amount of my Z7/water spray to lubricate, but I also worked in small areas and buffed the area dry immediately with a clean, white towel.
Z-7 wash: Gee - I get to wash the car again in the same day! Not too bad of a job - the low temps made it easier since it didn't water spot quite so rapidly. Again, I was careful to wash every spot twice to remove any "leftover" clay and Dawn.
Z6: I took the advice of a few members here and Z6'ed the car before Z1-ing it to remove any water spots. A little elbow grease required, but that may just be because my arm was tired after washing and drying the car twice! But the nice smell and clean white towel kept me going (one point - I did wash my white towels before Z-ing - they were new - but I still got quite a bit of lint on the car, it wipes off easily enough, but I'd recommend 2 or 3 washings of the towels before first use).
Z1: Used Sal's applicator pads. Easy to hold on to - but a lot of loose threads that had to be pulled off. Z1 went on easily enough, but as people here have said, it's hard to see what you've already done! Especially with such a thin coat. The car is dark metallic green, so I guess it could be worse! At least it's not a white car...
Z5: Was able to apply the Z5 almost as soon as I was done Z1-ing. Same story as with the Z1 - went on easy and smelled great! I even Z1/Z5'ed the insides of the doors and under the trunk and hood. Didn't really notice any swirl marks, but I figured I'd be on the safe side and Z5 first anyway as opposed to Z2.
Waiting... with the lower temps, the Z1/Z5 took a little while to dry, but that gave me a chance to wash the Trailblazer! Did the Dawn/Dry/Clay/Z7/Dry routine again. Needless to say, my arm was a bit tired. By the time I was done Z6-ing the TB, the Z1/Z5 was ready to come off the Grand Prix. I'd say it took about 4 hours to dry.
Removing Z1/Z5: Couldn't be easier! Talk about minimal effort! It seems like just the weight of the towel took it right off. The shine was incredible too.
By now it was getting dark (blasted short days!), so I called it a night.
The next morning, I was able to get Z1 and Z2 on my Trailblazer - a bit more work because of it's size, but still fairly easy. Took longer to dry in Sunday because of the slightly lower temps, but I was still able to remove it with almost no effort. The shine on the black is great!
In all, it took a LOT of time, but most of that was in the washing and drying. The actual application and removal of the Zaino was as fast or faster than any wax I've used - and the removal was a heck of a lot easier. Without having to do the double wash again, I can see how I could easily get both cars washes and Z'ed in a few hours.
My wife was very impressed with the results and couldn't believe how smooth and shiny her car was. Now I just need to remind her who did all the work!
Thanks to everyone here who has offered tips/tricks/hints. I think I used most if not all of them and the results are well worth it.
But now I have a problem - I'm sitting here at work wishing I was at home so I could put a second coat of Z2 on my TB! Not to mention breaking out the leather cleaner and conditioner for both vehicles...
-Jason, new Zaino addict
I am actually in Tampa, but we have had been blessed as of late with low humidity and 75-80 degree temperatures-perfect Zing weather.
I did apply z1 to the vehicle and that seem to have removed all but the most faintest trace of the clay streaks in one area. Hopefully they will completely disappear with more Zing.
As for results, all I can say is that my forest green pathfinder is now glowing. This stuff is amazing. I know people have raved about it all over this and every other board I have read, but it so true. You cannot believe it till you see it. Case in point: after one application of the Z5, I was wiping the hood down after it dried and I was staring at the surface to really inspect it. The "depth" of the paint was deep that I got disorientated looking into it. That is seriously no lie and no I was not smoking crack or doing any other mind altering substance. That said I am now truly addicted already.
I have a weeks vacation coming up and I am already planning on when I can apply more Z5 and then Z2. Man I feel like I just opened pandora's box. Fortunately my fiancee was just as impressed as I was and she now will cut me some slack when I NEED to go apply another coat.
Seriously addicted to Zaino-
Justin
Good news is that I'm home by 4:30, so on a nice day I can get a coat of Z on and off in an evening. But for now, it looks like weekend Z-ing for me. Current forcast is for upper 50's to lower 60's this weekend. Can you say, "second coat"?
-Jason
Man, you were ambitious!!! So glad you have now discovered what we long time users have been saying right along. Just remember, the more coats of Z2/Z6, the better the shine! It's a SNAP to keep it looking like that! Welcome to the club! Just wait until Sal comes out with that additive for the Z2/Z5. You can do multiple coats in ONE day with NO drying time! I can't wait.
culater9-
It gets better from here on in, if you can believe it! With the weather in Tampa it will be nothing to keep it like this. Your SUV will be the envy of the neighborhood!
fastdriver
ZFX is a revolutionary new polish enhancement additive that's exclusive to the Zaino Show Car Polish system. There's never been anything quite like ZFX, and here's why:
All polish, sealant and wax protection systems must "cure" before they can effectively protect your paint. Once cured, all paint protection systems begin to deteriorate. The rate of deterioration depends on many factors, including the chemicals used, bonding qualities, weather, washing, and use of the car.
A very few specialty paint protection systems can be layered to increase protection and paint appearance. Layer-able systems must cure prior to application of subsequent coats. Depending on the product, cure time may take a few hours or a few days.
For lasting protection, most synthetic sealants are formulated to be hard. If not properly designed, synthetic sealants may crack, yellow or distort the optics of the paint surface.
ZFX is a Zaino Show Car Polish acceleration and appearance additive. It offers near-instant cure time, reduced surface distortion, enhanced polish flexibility, and improved bonding to both paint and additional layers of Show Car Polish. In simple terms, ZFX vastly improves paint surface appearance and increases polish durability.
ZFX is the product of more than 30 years experience painting show cars. Professional painters add chemicals and compounds to their paint mix prior to painting to improve paint flexibility, reduce paint imperfections, increase hardness, and improve gloss. We applied this same line of thinking in the development of ZFX. The result is a stunning professional show car finish with less effort, no waiting and longer-lasting results.
ZFX can be used with any of our Show Car Polish products, including Z-2, Z-3 and Z-5. Plus, ZFX makes using Z-1 PreLok unnecessary on cars that have been clayed and thoroughly cleaned with Dawn dishwashing liquid.
When we say "acceleration," we mean it! Adding ZFX to any one of our Show Car Polishes prior to use is like kicking an F-14 Tomcat into afterburner. The competition just can't compete... we'll shoot them down every time. Perfect shine, less time -- guaranteed!
***
Okay, cutting through the hype, ZFX is a product you add to your Z polish before applying. It removes the need for Z-1, makes ZSCP (that's Zaino Show Car Polish) easier to apply, and improves the shine. I'm trying to verify the latter. The first two items are true, as far as my testing can determine. Durability? I don't know yet. Ease-of-use? Yes, seems pretty easy to apply and remove.
Rick
Thanks. Take a look here and you'll see what ZFX did for my car last June when I pleaded with Sal to send me a trial size vial. Worked great! I can't wait for him to get this out to us before the snow starts falling here!
ZFX TEST
fastdriver
culater9 - Just keep sniffin' the Z2, and the shine will get deeper and deeper and deeper - yeah - groovy! LOL! Welcome to the steadily growing group of 'Z' afficiandos.
In general, how much usuage can I expect from the Zaino products i.e. applications per bottle?
I could get a good shine with any of the name brands on the market, BUT the question is- how LONG will that shine last AND will it have that WET-LOOK shine AND CLARITY that I love so much?
fastdriver
On an SUV, I'm not sure. I have been using Zaino since the summer of 1998. I THINK I'm only on my 2nd or 3rd bottle of Z2. I really have lost track. I've done my previous 300M, the new Acura CL-S, my cousin's black BMW 2-seater convertible and my 94 Toyota Corolla.
If you follow the directions and take your time, you will NOT be disappointed!
fastdriver
Tomorrow I'm gonna pour lighter fluid on my car and throw a match to it to test it's protection, like they do in those infomercials. I may practice on my neighbors car first, though.
Bret: Thanks too for that link. An interesting set of tests. I think they are really trying to do a good job, and I'll go back to see their results.
Claying: Joebob6 has some good suggestions. I've always applied a LOT of Z7/water lubricant. And I've always washed down the car first, and made sure it was not in direct sunlight prior to using the clay. Ya gots da watch out, it'll melt on ya.
fickle: a deep gouge will require repainting or touch up painting. Since I frequently travel on dirt roads and alway manage to find flying rocks and pepples, I'm starting to get good at touch up painting. First clean the scratch or gouge with a tiny file such as an emory board to eliminate dirt and oxidized matter. You can get the correct color matched touch up paint from your dealer by providing them with the color code from the driver's side door well. Apply the paint with a tooth pick. Yep, paint the tooth pick and then dap the tooth pick in the gouge to create an even layer of paint just over the scratch. It will form a curved surface above the scratch via surface tension. That's OK. As the paint drys, it will shrink. When it's dry, you can sand it down to the level of your normal paint surface. One way to do this is by cutting small circles of emory cloth/sand paper (very very fine grade). Then paste the emory cloth to the eraser end of a pencil. You can use the resulting tool to just sand the desired paint spot by turning the pencil. Then clean again, and apply some Z to protect it.
pj: Turtle Wax? Ya know, I think I may still have a can of that stuff in the back of some closet. Maybe we can have a contest to find a good use for such surplus wax. My entry is to use it to protect air conditioner cabinets during the cold winter. Or how about waxing the garage floor to protect against oil spills. Or we could sell it to the Taliban to wax their beards. Or their heads after we shave them. Any othe ideas?
RoadRunner.! My first "muscle car" was a Road Runner....383 4-barrel with the "slap shifter". BadAss car.
It was replaced with a '67 GTO convertible with a "High Output" 400 big block. Wish I had both (or either of them) back.
Great cars.
Of course, today I doubt that you could keep either of them on the road. I couldn't even fathom what the "handling" would be like compared to even the most mundane econo car today. I'm not even certain that they would beat my dearly beloved, departed Grand Prix GTP in a stop light war.
But, once you blipped the throttle in either of those beasts, you either scared away all comers or woke the dead (maybe both). There's nothing like the sound of a V8 thumping under the hood with the "go peddle" mashed to the floor. You could hear massive amounts of air being sucked in by the carbs (and the gas guage literally moving lower while you watched and ran).
I used Simonize on both....Zaino, of course, on the Grand Prix.
Simoniz? The blue paste? Ah, the good old days, when Men were Men, and Wax was Wax. My first car waxing experience was helping Dad do his new '64 Malibu with that stuff. Had to lean all my weight on the towel to get that cement off the paint! Trying to do four coats of that stuff in a weekend like I did with Z would put a guy my age in traction.:)
My first memories of car "clean-up" was when my father would strip and re-varnisn the wood side trim of his 1949 Ford station wagon. The trim was still real wood back then. After that, a couple coats of Simoniz. Talk about hard work....
My first new car was a 1971 Chevelle SS. Sort of wish that I still had it.
scottc8 and leadfoot4...the 340 in later year RoadRunners was really a decent engine. As you pointed out, the polution controls really strangled it, though. '71 Chevelle SS was a good one, too. I can't remember if they put the 350 in that year or not? Were they still using "big blocks" in the early '70s Chevelles? The late '60s (around '68-'69) brought about one of my favorite muscle cars, the Chevelle SS 396 with the cowl induction...I'll take mine "candy-apple red", please.
Can you imagine what those cars would have looked like with a few coats of Z3 on them?
In the case of the one I had, it was a 454. I really should have kept the car, but I bought it as a dealer "left-over" at the end of the 1971 model year. As such, I was stuck with the equipment it had, and one thing it didn't have was power steering. The car was just a bear to steer at anything under 30-35 MPH.
Yea, I know that you don't buy a car like that to drive slowly, but we're all stuck in city traffic at times. Between the lack of power steering, and a clutch that took two men and a boy to push in, the car lost it's luster after a couple of years and I sold it....live and learn!!
Man, that thing was made to be driven a 1/4 mile at a time.
My '67 GTO was luxurious by comparison. Bought it used with about 30K miles from a dealer/friend (used to detail cars on his lot) in '77. It was his personal car from the day it showed up new at his dealership. It had PS, PB, 4-speed, Traction Lock, AM AND FM radio, real wood dash, raised white letter "Tiger Paws" on optional Ralye wheels and a 4-barrel "quadra-jet" carb. Clutch was still heavy by today's standards.
Both the Road Runner and the GTO ran the 1/4 in the low 14s (depending on your launch). GTO was a little faster because of the traction lock. They would pull all the way to redline (which was around 5K rpm).
The 454 was a true "big block" torque monster. I can't remember a bigger engine in any car street car (well, maybe in a Caddy or Lincoln of the same vintage). That must have been a sweet, sweet ride.
ZFX 11/15/01
fastdriver
Coming soon! This was just a trial. Multiple coats in one day and instant drying.
fastdriver
They also threw in the bucket seats and console, instead of the lighter bench seat, and also added the cowl induction hood. The hood looked cool, but it too, added a few pounds to the mix.
I guess they thought the 2-3 HP that the power steering might consume was really an issue. Obviously, they never drove the car after they had ordered a couple of them. It did have disc brakes though, so it least it would stop fairly well.
I didn't have a lot of money back then, so having a second car wasn't possible. Therefore, driving this beast through the snow was a real treat......
That said, I bet there was more metal in the '52 chevy than in any 4 cars that have been produced recently.
The only modern car that is really set up for "heal and toeing" that I've come across are BMWs.
Also, I don't remember people parking sooooo close to my car before...
Julie
(Who can't clean the leather on the inside 'cause when she gets the time she's washing the outside.)
I'm getting a coupe...convertible...or maybe a Jag XJ6...
just as soon as my oldest can take over carpooling duties.
Zaino...wasted on a Suburban.
Julie
LOL....I thought I fell fast for Zaino, but you fell at WARP speed! ;-))
fastdriver
PS Have you seen the pics I took yesterday? They are in my profile above. Last one on the bottom I think. I was going to put on another coat of the sample ZFX I have, but work was NUTS today and I'm exhausted! It was 72 here in So. CT today. Tomorrow it will probably be 30! ;-((
pj: It died a 'natural' death. Lack of compression. My dad finally junked it.
graphicguy: Ah, you too are correct. I have very little to complain about with this Accord Coupe. As you said, it starts like crazy, performs very well for a front wheel drive auto-tranny. And its a 'near' luxury car, very comfortable. I was thinking of a BMW 328i, but my wife talked me out of it. Too expensive, she only drives auto, and cramped compared to the Accord. But I do miss using a manual stick as this is my first auto tranny. My only steady complaint is the paint. Man, all these car companies have cheaped out. Every little stone manages to scratch the paint. Maybe its just in my head. Like our friend Julie, I've become hypper sensitive about the finish now that I use Zaino.
I used to slam my car into a parking spot, jump out, and run to the office. Now I gently back into a spot selected for its size and the surrounding cars. Then I check out the finish, and slowly back over to the office entrance. And I'm checking the weather reports to see if I can get another coat of Z2 on the car when I drive down to MD (sister-in-law's house) for Thanksgiving. See what you started, Julie !!
See what happened. After hearing about you "Z"-ing your Suburban, we all felt guilty and lazy. You started a whole round of people putting additional coats on. I'm ready for winter, now. We're all gonna turn out like fastdriver (Bob, I mean that in a complimentary way).
PB...my sister has an Accord. She loves it, but complains about the "thiness" of the paint, too. I have to admit, she has an EX V6, I can't imagine anything else you could ask for in a car. Of course, when you're a certifiable "gear head" like most of us, we always want bigger, faster, more luxurious, etc. I had (2) 325i(s) before the GTP and the 300M. They are great cars. Maintenance is costly and they are a bit small. There is no other driving experience like them, though. They do so many things so well. 328s are supposed to be a bit less sporting than the older 3 series, but I would jump on a 3 or 5 series again in a heartbeat if I could swing a "deal" on one.
Come on! Give Julie a break. You were Zainoholics LONG before Julie showed up here! Don't blame her for your addiction! ;-))))
graphicguy-
Don't start mentioning BMW in front of that red beauty of yours! She MIGHT turn into a "Christine"!! Be careful. LOL............
Julie-
Don't listen to them. People are always looking for a scapegoat! They've been to many ZA meetings long before you arrived here. Just like an addict to blame someone else for their "problem"!! LOL....
However, you did push me to put on a few more coats myself! I did one last week and two coats yesterday! I now have 15 coats on since 3/28/01. Not bad- about 2 a month in no time at all.
fastdriver
For myself, the greatest frustration in using Z is the "I'm-never-satisfied" feeling of the lack of shine I get after applying (on my silver 2000 Regal GS). Yes, I know I get outrageous results and compliments galore, yet silver (and possibly white) must be the hardest colors for an 'owner' to feel he/she has done a worthy job applying Z. As I said, the compliments attest to how terrific Z makes my car look. But I never feel satisfied (visually) as if I've done all I can do in applying Z to get to that pefect shine.
I assume that Fastdriver and others with darker, metallic paints derive a greater benefit then myself, MBDriver and others with lighter metallic paints after Z-ing their cars. The results with darker paints are more evident to a point that I assume you know when you can go no further with the cars shine (I guess Fastdriver is the exception to this rule). But as for the rest of us (though I can truly only speak for myself), yes, we know we've done a helluva job on Z-ing and the results are superb. But no matter how many coats I apply, I'll never get the same visual results if my car was dark red or black. But...I do know that I have the best shine on a silver metallic car in Los Angeles (even a Beverly Hills cop complimented me on the shine while getting a 'Frap" at Starbucks).
So...this is why I know Sal will never go hungry - I keep replenishing Z1, Z2 & Z6 for that never ending wet look I think I'll never achieve.
My name is Bushwack and I am a Z-holic.
Also nothing thinner than the paint on new Hondas. Everytime the wind changes direction another flick of paint flys off!
Fastdriver; I can't believe those pictures in your album. I bet it's even more dramatic in person! How many coats do you have?
I'm sure that people that read these posts think we are having some kind of 'love fest' here, gushing about the Zaino. But I really think that unless you apply the Zaino yourself, you don't "get" the effect it produces.
It's 32degrees and I can't wash my car...
Julie
p.s. Happy Thanksgiving to all you guys!
What are you thankful for this year?