Has anyone noticed that the Zaino shine gets better for a while after it is first applied? I have noticed this. How long can I expect it to improve?
Going out to the mailbox one day a week plus after applying a couple coats of z2 on my white, '94 Buick Regal and thought to myself that the shine is even better than immediately after I polished it...
Its been almost four (4) months since just those two (2) coats of z2 and I've seen very little loss in its shine and its a daily driver, surviving the winter and isn't garaged kept.
I've been using Zaino on our '01 Yukon XL Denail since we bought it last Spring. The truck looks better now than it did on the showroom floor (even though it's not garaged here in So. CT).
I need some advice on how to get rid of some white marks that the polish left on some of the black plastic parts of the truck. They're probably from the first time I used Sal's products and maybe I used too much.
Any thoughts on how to get rid of them or how I might have done this would be greatly appreciated.
I received an email a few days ago suggesting that using Z6 on eyeglasses may NOT be a good thing. I'll check it out, but there may be an adverse reaction to the eye. I haven't experienced anything like that, but untill I find out about it, I'll not recommend that application.
Its still too cold to wash my car, and the road salts and other terrible stuff are building up on my car. But I can still see the Zaino shine underneath.
I've always used a plastic/vinyl treatment product to remove wax or polish from plastic trim. Spray some on the corner of a towel and rub. Takes a good bit of rubbing if the plastic has a grainy surface texture, but it works, and I believe it's pretty safe.
Sal says to use peanut butter to remove that polish from the textured plastic surfaces. I have never tried it because I was always careful on my other car not to get it on the textured plastic. I am sure that others here can help you better.
pblevine-
Thanks. Glad I was busy and didn't have time to Z6 my glasses. Maybe I'll just stick with the old soap and water method for now. ;-))
I got a supremely bad stone chip in my hood yesterday. Not only did it take the paint down to sheet metal, it put a dent in the hood. I definitely won't be able to fix this one myself.
Anyone have suggestions on what to look for in a good shop to fix this? I'm thinking of taking it to the dealer, but I don't want them to mess up my nicely zaino'd car. Reply to my e-mail address in my profile if this seems too "off-topic". Thanks! Brad
I had a pretty bad ding in the hood of my new, black, Zainoed car, which looked like a golf ball hit it. (Go figure.) I've also had some stone chips from my road trips.
Here's what I did and what I learned.
If the "dent" did not break or crack the paint, then it can be repaired by some relatively new process that I don't know the name of, but it works great. Don't call a body shop, they will charge you like crazy, and you don't need one unless the dent broke or cracked the paint surface.
At my Lexus dealer, the dent guy usually comes out once a week and does several jobs there, on site; he can also come to your place with his truck. It takes about an hour or less. Your dealer will probably know someone in this business that he can suggest, or look in the phone book. Much to my surprise, it only cost about $50 or $60 to take the fairly big (size of a golf ball) dent out of the hood. I was very pleased.
As for the paint chips from road stones, etc., I use a toothpick to apply the dealer's touch up paint, then use a product called Langka, which removes the part of the touch up paint "bubble" that is above the level of the rest of the paint. See their web page for details. It works better than any other method I have tried for stone dings, and it does not require you to sand anything, as that always makes matters worse for me.
You did not say what kind of a car you have, but I have used these solutions on my swell new Lexus SC430, which I like to take good care of, so they should work for you.
Good luck.
PS: This is not too far off topic, as anyone who puts Zaino on a car is a person who wants the car to look great all the time. For details on paint dings, etc, there is an Edmunds forum dealing with this, which contains useful information. I think that's where I found out about the Langka stuff.
Thanks for the tips. The stone that hit me did both types of damage. There's a gouge out of the paint about 1/2" long and 1/4" wide, as well as the dent that's about 1/4" deep. I suppose I could do the two step approach (get the dent pulled up, then use touch up paint), but with that much sheet metal showing I'd need much more than a toothpick to apply the paint!
BTW, it's on a 2001 Navy Blue Chevy Impala LS. Brad
While on the subject, I also have a stone chip that went straight down to the metal (about 1/4" long, 1/8" wide). I can get touch up paint in both spray and liquid form from GM (for a 2000 Regal GS, Sterling Silver). Is it best to go the 'toothpick' method or should I mask around the chip and use paint spray?
I would suggest that with anything larger than what you would normally touch up with the little brush (or toothpick) and the tube of touch-up paint, you have 2 choices. If the car is worth it and the spot is in a highly visible spot, maybe professional help is the best way to go. I've never dealt with anything larger than, say, the tip of a ball point pen. The bigger the ding, the more expertise you will need to repair it so that the fix is invisible.
Or you can try it yourself. I would never try to spray an area of my car myself, as I don't think I have the tools, materials or experience to blend in the new spray with the old, especially as I suspect the spray paint is not the same kind of paint applied in the factory, even if the color is the same.
Of course, if the damage is on the back bumper of an 87 Jeep Wrangler that's one thing, but if it's the hood of a new Lexus, that's something else.
My first winter with a Zed car, and I've developed a habit. The weather is dry & cold, and the car gets some road dust on it, also some bird poop. I loosen up the bird do with some water from a spray bottle and very carefully remove it, then Z6 the whole car. It looks so good it's become a daily addiction. I keep the Z6 in the house so it doesn't freeze, and there seems to be no problem applying it when the temperature is in the mid 20s in the garage. It takes two towels because of the dirt accumulating on them, and also because the Z6 evaporates so slowly in the cold, the towel stays damp. On the plus side, it doesn't dry on the paint nearly as fast, so a larger area can be worked at one time.
Questions for the Experts here: Am I prematurely wearing out my coats of Z2 by using Z6 every day? And, has anyone ever experienced any adverse effects from using Z6 in cold weather?
Another unexpected benefit of Zaino. I have NEVER been able to keep a car looking so good during the winter. Unless it gets so cold that the Z6 freezes when it hits the paint, I'm hooked on this. Wish they sold Z6 in gallon jugs.:)
There are various names for the "paintless dent removal" process - Dent Masters, etc. These guys are really great and use a variety of special tools to "roll" out dents and dings. If the paint survived the ding, they can dissapear entirely!
Do check with your local new or used dealer about this, and also look in the Yellow Pages.
I'd be careful about putting Z6 on a car that has not been washed. I don't think it's designed to wash off the grit and dirt. Rather than wearing out your zaino finish, you may me asking for an opportunity to wipe grit across the finish, causing small scratches.
I understand that z6 works chemically with z2 and z5 to smooth it out and increase the optical properties. It is also my understanding that it is designed to be used on a basically clean car. Maybe a dusty car, but not one that has been driven on the road in the winter.
If the car is genuinly dirty, I would suggest you wash it with z7, then use the z6. Since you have a garage, that should not be too much of a problem.
"Am I prematurely wearing out my coats of Z2 by using Z6 every day?" No "And, has anyone ever experienced any adverse effects from using Z6 in cold weather?" I once tried doing it when it was too cold--it froze up before I could wipe it dry. It gave me a good excuse to go back in my warm house.
Since you are Z6ing every day it[dirt accumulation] will probably not pose a problem but I would be careful judging the amount of dirt and grime is on the car. In one day's time you are probably not going to get much dirt on it unless the roads are salted and/or you drive through mud puddles.
Use "good" judgement.(whatever that means) Sometimes it is better to wash.
If I even had the time to Z6 every day I don't think I could afford to buy that much Z6.
Never fear, I'm only doing this when the car is visibly clean to start with. And, with dark metallic green paint, it is never "dirtier than it looks". I only get a little dirt on the towel when I go over the lower body panels. I would never clean a dirty car with anything but a lot of water. Even the label on Z6 that mentions "removes dust and soil between washes" doesn't tempt me to use it on visible dirt. I don't even own a California Duster, even thought many people love it and consider it perfectly safe.
I hand wash in weather down to mid-30 degrees, and I've learned that the lines at the wand car washes are really short when it's down around zero Cold weather washing isn't the problem so much as drying before things start to freeze. Unfortunately, I have no choice at work but to park under trees and birds are a daily problem. This got started as a way to even out the areas where I remove bird poop from an otherwise clean car.
I appreciate the words of caution. And the cost has indeed occurred to me, and will probably diminish my enthusiasm after a while.
Sal indicates that it is important to get bird doo off the car as soon as possible because it is acid and eats right through to the paint.
Based on other ideas expressed over the years, in the summer I will keep a small spray bottle of z7/water (at about 50/50) and a cotton wash cloth in the car, especially when I am on a trip out of town.
The important thing with bird droppings is to remember that they also contain grit and gravel, so use lots of water and DON'T wipe it around, as that can scratch.
I need some help...I managed to create havoc on my Mac this weekend and am not sure how to fix it. (I also messed up the PC, but that's another story).
Here are some specs, if you would care to go through it. Any input would be appreciated (and offerings sent to the Zaino pantheon for fair spring weather in your neck of the woods).
MAC...G3, tons of RAM, 1GB free space, OS 8.6 Problem: Crashes if you look at it funny...I mean even trying to close a very small Illustrator 9 file sets it off. Heres what I did: Ran Disk Doctor, found 5 minor errors. Disabled misc Extensions Changed scratch disks for Illustrator and Photoshop from startup disk to hard drive Ran Speed Disk from Norton CD to optimize. Final view looked beautiful...all colors together...not fragmented Rebooted... Here is what I remember of what came up on the screen: Default catch = 900 .... It also asked me to type "mac-boot" to continue booting or "shut-down"
On typing "mac-boot" I got a screen with the Mac OS logo and some script...it just stopped right there.
My data is all there, restarting with the Norton CD works fine...I just can't boot up my system...
...... I don't know if you are technically inclined but thought I'd ask anyway. (After all, you did give me those GREAT detailed tips on using newprint and vinegar for my car windows)
I have found that Pinnacle Sovereign works much better, easier to apply, lasts longer, protects better against acid etching, looks better than Zaino. Might give it a try.
I have no idea what that means, but I did notice a section called just that in the Norton bible I was flipping through feverishly this afternoon. So at least I'll have Peter Norton's words of wisdom (!) to guide me through this process.
The white screen you're getting is Open Firmware. Type "reset-nvram" followed by "reset-all" should get the machine bootable again. If you're still crashing, disable any non-Apple extensions and try again. I'd also consider upgrading to Mac OS 9.2.2 (not X as, IMHO, it still ain't ready for Prime Time), as it is VERY stable on the 150+ Macs I administer...
Still too cold to wash my car or Zaino it. We had our first snowfall of the winter on Saturday night- 4 inches! My car is so dirty that the wand wash or the high pressure wash won't do it. Temp supposed to be 50 degrees on Wednesday, so I might have to wash it myself and put on a quick coat of Z5/Z6-maybe.
As for the MAC problems, try this. When starting up, hold down the APPLE key AND the OPTION key. You will get a message asking you if you want to REBUILD the desktop. Click OK.
Next, I would ZAP the PRAM. This is a tiny piece of memory that stores your mouse speed, monitor settings, keyboard settings, desktop patterns etc. To zap the PRAM, hold down the APPLE, OPTION, letter P and letter R keys. Keep them pressed until the MAC chimes TWICE. Then, go into your control panel to reset your settings.
A good program for monitoring extension conflicts when you add new programs to your computer is Conflict Catcher at http://www.casadyg.com/. It prevents freezes and crashes and is worth the money.
Also, a FREE program for rebuilding the desktop and zapping the PRAM is a program from Tech Tool- http://www.micromat.com/. This program lets you SAVE the files BEFORE you rebuild them or zap them.
Don't forget that little battery that holds certain settings also. If your date and time are off, you need a new battery from Radio Shack.
Maybe you need to Z6 your monitor to prevent these freezes? ;-))
Here are some 'basics' to try and boot up: 1. Trash your Finder and System preference files.
To ZAP your PRAM, upon start-up, hold down the two keys to the left of the space bar and the keys P and R. Keep them down until you hear three chimes (should take less then a minute). Release and hope for the best.
Another idea.. you might have a RAM issue. I suggest to remove ALL RAM except the module that came with your G3. With only the OEM RAM in your Mac, boot up.
Not to start an argument w/graphic guy, but I wash in sub-freezing temps often and haven't had the doors freeze. Could be because I put silicone on the seals every now & then to keep the rubber soft. The fuzzy fabric seals on the windows DO freeze, and nothing but time and sunshine seems to thaw & dry them out.
As you say, when the choice is leaving all that crap on the car for days, or freezing my butt at the coin-op car wash for a few minutes, I go for the wash.
Took "Hooloo" to the dealer to get an estimate on fixing the dent/chip. $400 to $500!!!!!! Said they need to re-paint the entire hood and blend it into the front fenders. Not bloody likely! They also cringed when I told them I had about 8 coats of a polymer finish on it, but they did comment that it looks pretty good even covered in winter crud ;-)
I'm going to find a place to fix the dent, then I'll try the paint stick/langka(?) approach. Unfortunately I'll have to wait for spring for the weather to be good enough to do this. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to protect this area through the rest of winter? Thanks! Brad
I got some claybar and am about to attempt to clay my car this coming weekend. On the instruction, it says to pull and fold for a clean side when it's dirty. I am wondering how long does one piece of clay last? is one piece enough to do my whole car, a regular sized sedan? or should i get more just incase i drop some..etc,
The box came with 2 pieces of clay, is that right?
I will clay 3'x3' area at a time, do you need to rinse off the area right after claying, then wash the whole car with Z7 later? or can you just clay the whole car, then wash the car later?
one last question, how long (average) would it take to clay a car?
You're right....a spray of silicon would help. I actually use dialectic grease on all my door/trunk seals every fall.
Many years ago (on a '93 camry), even after using dialectic grease on the seals, I got "frozen" out of my car after a "spray wash". Couldn't figure out why. found out the moisture from the wash had actually introduced moisture into the internals of the door latch/locking mechanism. This moisture froze the doors on the inside of the door panels. It was so cold that I had to have the car towed to my driveway. It went into my garage (internal temp about 40 degress, outside temp in single digits). It took about a 10 hour stay before the doors "unfroze". Good thing I didn't have the emrgency brake on, otherwise the camry would have had to sit at the car wash until Spring thaw.
I have clayed three cars this year, and it takes about 10 or 15 minutes each. Maybe more if you are talking big cars, but not much. You just spray some soap on an area of the car and wipe the clay across it. You don't have to rub hard, so it's not hard work at all. Do the whole car, then rinse it off when you are done. That rinse will be very soapy, of course, so rinse it again, then wash with z7. Then run your bare hand across the car - it will feel like glass. Way cool.
As for dings in the hood, I'd put at least a little touch of touch up paint on the chip to cover the bare metal. Use a toothpick so as not to build up a bubble over the spot and don't use the brush as that will just leave a big smear. When the weather gets warmer, use the Langka stuff as discussed above. You may have to do this a few times to get the hang of it, but you can't hurt the original paint job with that Langka cream, so it's fine to try it a few times to get it as smooth as possible.
I find it works very well, and better than anything else I have used.
Yikes! An experience like that would scare anyone off of cold weather washing. Looks like my lack of problems may come down to good old-fashioned luck. I used to have an old Subaru wagon that froze up as you describe, not from washing, but anytime there was cold damp weather. Had to leave the hatch unlocked as an emergency entrance.:)
thanks for the reply, follow up question: you said to wipe the clay across? do you just wipe it across one time or multiple times depending on surface?
how often do you refold the clay during the process? whenever it's dirty? or after each area to avoid scratches?
how long can each clay piece last? do you need to throw away the clay after use, or can you retain it for next time?
There are 2 things that were holding me back from trying Z..One was the cure time and that has been solved with the ZFX. The other is the "shine". It has been described by some Zaino users as "sterile" or a "candy" shine. I have seen pictures on the web but you cant really tell unless you are seeing it in real life. I love the wet deep look of carnuba. Some have said that in bright sunlight the paint does not look deep but "shiney". I have a flame red truck so how will the Z look on it?? Im not trying to start any wars...im actually looking for an excuse to try some!! But if the shine is as described ..Im not really sure..
thanks for the reply, follow up question: you said to wipe the clay across? do you just wipe it across one time or multiple times depending on surface?
how often do you refold the clay during the process? whenever it's dirty? or after each area to avoid scratches?
how long can each clay piece last? do you need to throw away the clay after use, or can you retain it for next time?
After reading through about 2,000 previous posts I was convinced enough to order the whole Zaino kit - Z1,2,5,6,7,9,10, and the tire stuff and clay bars. We just recently purchase a 2001 4Runner Limited - millenium silver and I want to really baby it (something I've never done to any previous cars). Well, I received my package in the mail last week and this past weekend my husband and I decided to try it out on his red '98 Nissan pickup. Now, I have to say that this truck recently received a new paint job (about 4 months ago) because my husband was in a collision. We wanted to practice on his truck to get the hang of claying and applying the Z. We did the Dawn wash, clay bar, Z7 wash and dried it with 100% cotton towels. The truck felt smooth and squeeky clean. Then I started applying the Z1. As I applied I did not see ANY water spots or defects in the paint AT ALL other than a few swirls or spiderwebbing. Then on to Z2. I applied in a back and forth and up and down motion. We pulled the truck in the garage and waited probably 4 hours. As I began wiping the Z off I started noticing horrible spots on the hood and some small water spots on the door panels. The spots on the hood looked different from the spots on the doors. The hood spots are bigger and more irregular shaped. Needless to say, my husband was furious and I felt like a fool for spending all this money only to end up with spots! I certainly don't think the Zaino caused the spots, but we truly were not able to see them before we put the Z on. The shine is great and the truck feels smooth, but those spots look absolutely horrible! We emailed Sal and he instructed us to use either Meguires Clear Coat Body Scrub or 3m Swirl Mark Remover and then apply another coat of Z2 - and if it doesn't work to call him back. My husband came home with the wrong stuff this afternoon - he bought Meguires Cleaner Wax - but he said he could not find the other stuff.
So I'm turning to you guys for help. I'm afraid we have "locked in" these spots with the Zaino. And now I'm even more afraid to try Zaino on my 4Runner. What did we do wrong?! I've read so many glorious posts about Zaino. Am I the only one who can't apply it right? I was in tears the night we did it because I felt like I've ruined my husband's truck. Do you know where we can find the products Sal suggested? Has anyone ever had this type of problem? Does anyone know what might have caused the water spots on the doors and the irregular spots on the hood? I swear we did not see ANY spots when we applied the Z. And lastly, do you think this might happen to my 4Runner? Please help! I don't want to be the only person who doesn't have good results with Zaino. I want that Zaino shine! Thanks so much and sorry for such a long post. - Candi
As you start the clay process, the answers to your questions will become obvious.
Just get a flat spot on the clay, get a good grip on it because it will get slippery and you don't want to drop it, then just rub it across the surface of the car. Rub as much as you want. It will slide without any friction, and you will think that you are not accomplishing anything, until you rub your hand across it later. If the clay gets dirty, fold it around and get a clean surface. My cars are small, so this does not happen much. It's like using a towel, if it starts to get dirty, find a clean spot.
I think that a small Zaino clay bar is probably good for 2 small cars, if you don't wait too long in between. I'm not sure. If the clay is not too dirty from the first car, wrap it up in something to keep it from drying out and see if it's too hard to use when you have another car to do. I think I used the same bar twice, so I'm not sure.
Once you get started, you will see how easy it is. The surprise is that you get such a good result from so little effort.
Sorry to hear of your results. Certainly, Sal is the man who knows more than all of us put together, but lets give it a shot.
Since you said you bought Z6, try a "wipe down" with Z6 to see if that takes care of the problem.
Water spots may be something that was etched in the paint. They may not be water spots at all, but places where "bird droppings" or industrial fall out was left on the finish previous to your ownership. The result is an "etching" into your clear coat. The only resolution is to use the 3M swirl remover (or 3M foam pad). If the etching is deep enough, you may have to have a professional "buff" out the spots.
With claying the car, you actually got the finish "naked" removing previous wax and gunk. This accentuated the spots you are refering to.
Since you pulled your truck into a different light (your garage) these were probably there before, you just didn't notice them in the outside light when you were "Z-ing" it. The irregular spots certainly sound like etching from bird droppings. The other spots on your doors could be either water spots (hard water will also "etch" your clear coat) or bird droppings. But since you said that they looked more round like water spots, they probably are. Although, it's unusual to find water spots on vertical surfaces.
First time users also tend to apply Z1/Z1/Z5 too thick. This results in some streaking/spotting. Z6 will take car of that.
Try the Z6 first. Let us know the results, then we can go from there.
I totally agree with graphicguy's approach. First, the spots may be left over depressions in the paint due to many causes. Second, I too have had a few water spots which I didn't see prior to applying "Z". And in that case, Sal's approach will be the method of choice. We're all sorry that you had such problems. Please keep us informed, and if possible, we'll try to help. Good Luck.
First - I have to say there are some great posts here as well as the non-Zaino detailing threads - thanks to all for the enjoyable reading!
In checking out Zaino's site I see some broad statements about the Z-12 Glass Cleaner - I certainly hope they're right - the Wife's Sienna has some spotting on the passenger window I just can't seem to remove.
Does this stuff work, how well and is it applicable for fine to medium scratches as claimed?
I have used the Z-12 on both my new car and some older cars, as well as some other glass surfaces around the house. It's great.
It was the only thing that removed the ink that had affixed itself to the window from the window sticker; these faint images, along with some images of the glued edges of the sticker, were visible in certain lighting conditions at certain angles. The Z12 took that all off.
It also takes off all the haze that forms on the inside of the windshield. Cars with plastic seats get more of this than cars with leather seats, but most cars get it over time.
I've never had any scratches in glass to remove, but I have used it to remove all kinds of "spots" on the windows.
The deal with Z-12 is that, unlike a Windex type of cleaner, the Z-12, as Sal explains, is a light abrasive. It's like a fine steel wool for your glass. So don't use it every day, or even every week. I find that I need to use it every 6 weeks or so; in between, the usual glass cleaners work very well (I like Stoner's Invisible Glass).
Do yourself a favor and go ahead and use the whole Z treatment on your new silver 4Runner. You may want to skip the clay since the car is new and it's light colored, but it won't do any harm. Nor will any of the other Z products. I have a brilliant silver paint job on my 21 month old car, and I've used Zaino on it since it was new.
Someone asked whether Zaino produces the deep wet look -- it really does. I've used many different polishes and waxes over more years than I care to admit to, and Zaino produces the deepest, wettest look of anything I've ever used.
Good luck on getting the spots off of your husband's truck. We had a similar experience with my wife's '77 light ivory colored Mercedes. Over time we've had numerous door dings which I've hidden with dealer touch-up paint. When I first used Z-5 and Z-3 on the car almost two years ago, the touch-up places on the doors really became noticeable and looked horrible. But the rest of the car looks so great that we've learned to live with the minor door discolorations.
Hi everyone. Thanks so much for your suggestions. We've tried the Z6 but it didn't help. Do you know where we can purchase the 3M swirl remover. My husband tried the local auto parts store but they didn't have it. The funny thing is - those spots can't be seen in the daylight - only in artificial light. Now if you could only see them in the garage then I'd just tell my husband not to park in there LOL! but unfortunately you can see them at night under the street lights and it looks really bad. So maybe he just shouldn't drive at night! LOL! Anyway, we'll probably try the 3M stuff if we can find it. I'm still a little worried about doing my 4Runner. It actually wasn't a brand new car - it had 9700 miles on it when we bought it so I'm worried that there could be some spots under the wax job that's on it now - although I can't see anything on it in my garage. If I do Z it then I'm going to wait until late in the afternoon to start the Dawn/clay process so there will be less chance of the water drying before I get to it and causing spots. And then I'm going to pull it into the garage and inspect the heck out of it before I apply the Z. Wish me luck! And I'll keep you updated on my husband's truck. Once again, thanks for your help. Candi
Sorry to hear of the appearance of your spots! It is surely something that was not visible before. I will assume that your garage lights are flourescent, yes? The odd color spectrum shows up a lot of faults. I use mine to check the finish after polishing.
The 3M products should be available at auto paint supply stores - check your Yellow Pages. Good luck with this.
By the way - claying is ALWAYS worth the effort - even on a brand new car. The paint will be just THAT MUCH slicker and smoother.
4 runner--sounds like the clear coat is etched if you can only see it in artificial light. Try the above URLs to get the 3M products. Alternately, try NAPA or Pep Boys. They usually carry the 3M line.
Comments
ANOTHER new use for Z- MY glasses! I never thought of that! Thanks! Should I try the Z5 first to get rid of the scratches on the plastic lenses? ;-))
fastdriver
Going out to the mailbox one day a week plus after applying a couple coats of z2 on my white, '94 Buick Regal and thought to myself that the shine is even better than immediately after I polished it...
Its been almost four (4) months since just those two (2) coats of z2 and I've seen very little loss in its shine and its a daily driver, surviving the winter and isn't garaged kept.
I need some advice on how to get rid of some white marks that the polish left on some of the black plastic parts of the truck. They're probably from the first time I used Sal's products and maybe I used too much.
Any thoughts on how to get rid of them or how I might have done this would be greatly appreciated.
Its still too cold to wash my car, and the road salts and other terrible stuff are building up on my car. But I can still see the Zaino shine underneath.
Sal says to use peanut butter to remove that polish from the textured plastic surfaces. I have never tried it because I was always careful on my other car not to get it on the textured plastic. I am sure that others here can help you better.
pblevine-
Thanks. Glad I was busy and didn't have time to Z6 my glasses. Maybe I'll just stick with the old soap and water method for now. ;-))
fastdriver
Anyone have suggestions on what to look for in a good shop to fix this? I'm thinking of taking it to the dealer, but I don't want them to mess up my nicely zaino'd car. Reply to my e-mail address in my profile if this seems too "off-topic".
Thanks!
Brad
Here's what I did and what I learned.
If the "dent" did not break or crack the paint, then it can be repaired by some relatively new process that I don't know the name of, but it works great. Don't call a body shop, they will charge you like crazy, and you don't need one unless the dent broke or cracked the paint surface.
At my Lexus dealer, the dent guy usually comes out once a week and does several jobs there, on site; he can also come to your place with his truck. It takes about an hour or less. Your dealer will probably know someone in this business that he can suggest, or look in the phone book. Much to my surprise, it only cost about $50 or $60 to take the fairly big (size of a golf ball) dent out of the hood. I was very pleased.
As for the paint chips from road stones, etc., I use a toothpick to apply the dealer's touch up paint, then use a product called Langka, which removes the part of the touch up paint "bubble" that is above the level of the rest of the paint. See their web page for details. It works better than any other method I have tried for stone dings, and it does not require you to sand anything, as that always makes matters worse for me.
You did not say what kind of a car you have, but I have used these solutions on my swell new Lexus SC430, which I like to take good care of, so they should work for you.
Good luck.
PS: This is not too far off topic, as anyone who puts Zaino on a car is a person who wants the car to look great all the time. For details on paint dings, etc, there is an Edmunds forum dealing with this, which contains useful information. I think that's where I found out about the Langka stuff.
Good luck, and happy motoring.
BTW, it's on a 2001 Navy Blue Chevy Impala LS.
Brad
I would suggest that with anything larger than what you would normally touch up with the little brush (or toothpick) and the tube of touch-up paint, you have 2 choices. If the car is worth it and the spot is in a highly visible spot, maybe professional help is the best way to go. I've never dealt with anything larger than, say, the tip of a ball point pen. The bigger the ding, the more expertise you will need to repair it so that the fix is invisible.
Or you can try it yourself. I would never try to spray an area of my car myself, as I don't think I have the tools, materials or experience to blend in the new spray with the old, especially as I suspect the spray paint is not the same kind of paint applied in the factory, even if the color is the same.
Of course, if the damage is on the back bumper of an 87 Jeep Wrangler that's one thing, but if it's the hood of a new Lexus, that's something else.
Questions for the Experts here: Am I prematurely wearing out my coats of Z2 by using Z6 every day? And, has anyone ever experienced any adverse effects from using Z6 in cold weather?
Another unexpected benefit of Zaino. I have NEVER been able to keep a car looking so good during the winter. Unless it gets so cold that the Z6 freezes when it hits the paint, I'm hooked on this. Wish they sold Z6 in gallon jugs.:)
Do check with your local new or used dealer about this, and also look in the Yellow Pages.
I'd be careful about putting Z6 on a car that has not been washed. I don't think it's designed to wash off the grit and dirt. Rather than wearing out your zaino finish, you may me asking for an opportunity to wipe grit across the finish, causing small scratches.
I understand that z6 works chemically with z2 and z5 to smooth it out and increase the optical properties. It is also my understanding that it is designed to be used on a basically clean car. Maybe a dusty car, but not one that has been driven on the road in the winter.
If the car is genuinly dirty, I would suggest you wash it with z7, then use the z6. Since you have a garage, that should not be too much of a problem.
That's what I do; I may be wrong.
"And, has anyone ever experienced any adverse effects from using Z6 in cold weather?" I once tried doing it when it was too cold--it froze up before I could wipe it dry. It gave me a good excuse to go back in my warm house.
Since you are Z6ing every day it[dirt accumulation] will probably not pose a problem but I would be careful judging the amount of dirt and grime is on the car. In one day's time you are probably not going to get much dirt on it unless the roads are salted and/or you drive through mud puddles.
Use "good" judgement.(whatever that means) Sometimes it is better to wash.
If I even had the time to Z6 every day I don't think I could afford to buy that much Z6.
I hand wash in weather down to mid-30 degrees, and I've learned that the lines at the wand car washes are really short when it's down around zero
I appreciate the words of caution. And the cost has indeed occurred to me, and will probably diminish my enthusiasm after a while.
Based on other ideas expressed over the years, in the summer I will keep a small spray bottle of z7/water (at about 50/50) and a cotton wash cloth in the car, especially when I am on a trip out of town.
The important thing with bird droppings is to remember that they also contain grit and gravel, so use lots of water and DON'T wipe it around, as that can scratch.
Heads up, out there.
Here are some specs, if you would care to go through it. Any input would be appreciated (and offerings sent to the Zaino pantheon for fair spring weather in your neck of the woods).
MAC...G3, tons of RAM, 1GB free space, OS 8.6
Problem: Crashes if you look at it funny...I mean even trying to close a very small Illustrator 9 file sets it off.
Heres what I did:
Ran Disk Doctor, found 5 minor errors.
Disabled misc Extensions
Changed scratch disks for Illustrator and Photoshop from startup disk to hard drive
Ran Speed Disk from Norton CD to optimize. Final view looked beautiful...all colors together...not fragmented
Rebooted...
Here is what I remember of what came up on the screen:
Default catch = 900 ....
It also asked me to type "mac-boot" to continue booting or "shut-down"
On typing "mac-boot" I got a screen with the Mac OS logo and some script...it just stopped right there.
My data is all there, restarting with the Norton CD works fine...I just can't boot up my system...
......
I don't know if you are technically inclined but thought I'd ask anyway. (After all, you did give me those GREAT detailed tips on using newprint and vinegar for my car windows)
Thanks in advance.
2. Upgrade to OS X
hope that helps
http://langka.com/
Works for me.
I have no idea what that means, but I did notice a section called just that in the Norton bible I was flipping through feverishly this afternoon. So at least I'll have Peter Norton's words of wisdom (!) to guide me through this process.
Hope this helps,
--Robert
Still too cold to wash my car or Zaino it. We had our first snowfall of the winter on Saturday night- 4 inches! My car is so dirty that the wand wash or the high pressure wash won't do it. Temp supposed to be 50 degrees on Wednesday, so I might have to wash it myself and put on a quick coat of Z5/Z6-maybe.
As for the MAC problems, try this. When starting up, hold down the APPLE key AND the OPTION key. You will get a message asking you if you want to REBUILD the desktop. Click OK.
Next, I would ZAP the PRAM. This is a tiny piece of memory that stores your mouse speed, monitor settings, keyboard settings, desktop patterns etc. To zap the PRAM, hold down the APPLE, OPTION, letter P and letter R keys. Keep them pressed until the MAC chimes TWICE. Then, go into your control panel to reset your settings.
A good program for monitoring extension conflicts when you add new programs to your computer is Conflict Catcher at http://www.casadyg.com/. It prevents freezes and crashes and is worth the money.
Also, a FREE program for rebuilding the desktop and zapping the PRAM is a program from Tech Tool- http://www.micromat.com/. This program lets you SAVE the files BEFORE you rebuild them or zap them.
Don't forget that little battery that holds certain settings also. If your date and time are off, you need a new battery from Radio Shack.
Maybe you need to Z6 your monitor to prevent these freezes? ;-))
fastdriver
default catch! code = 900 at &SRRO: ff818d70 &SRRI: 000b030
ApplePowerMac 1, 1 1.1f4
BootROM built on 04/09/99 at 13:57:32
Copyright 1994-1999 Apple Co.
Open firmware 3.1.1
Type mac-boot to continue booting or shut-down to shut down and enter ok
>
Shut-down command works
mac-boot gives me a Mac OS logo and the text:
/pci@80000000/pci-bridge@d/pci-ata@1/ata-4@0/@0:5,\\:tbxi
(nothing happens at this point)
I tried the reset-nvram and reset-all
Gave me the same white screen as before.
I zapped the PRAM but got the same white screen again. Did mac-boot to no effect.
Any other ideas before I find a Mac tech?
Can you e-mail me so we can take this off-line before we get yelled at for being off topic.
fastdriver
I've also added my e-mail to my profile if anyone else wants to add their comments off-line.
Thanks
1. Trash your Finder and System preference files.
To ZAP your PRAM, upon start-up, hold down the two keys to the left of the space bar and the keys P and R. Keep them down until you hear three chimes (should take less then a minute). Release and hope for the best.
Another idea.. you might have a RAM issue. I suggest to remove ALL RAM except the module that came with your G3. With only the OEM RAM in your Mac, boot up.
End result: We called in a tech who knows both Macs and PCs. He found it to be a open firmware problem. Installed OX 9. Works well now.
As you say, when the choice is leaving all that crap on the car for days, or freezing my butt at the coin-op car wash for a few minutes, I go for the wash.
I'm going to find a place to fix the dent, then I'll try the paint stick/langka(?) approach. Unfortunately I'll have to wait for spring for the weather to be good enough to do this. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to protect this area through the rest of winter?
Thanks!
Brad
The box came with 2 pieces of clay, is that right?
I will clay 3'x3' area at a time, do you need to rinse off the area right after claying, then wash the whole car with Z7 later? or can you just clay the whole car, then wash the car later?
one last question, how long (average) would it take to clay a car?
thanks for any recommendations,
Many years ago (on a '93 camry), even after using dialectic grease on the seals, I got "frozen" out of my car after a "spray wash". Couldn't figure out why. found out the moisture from the wash had actually introduced moisture into the internals of the door latch/locking mechanism. This moisture froze the doors on the inside of the door panels. It was so cold that I had to have the car towed to my driveway. It went into my garage (internal temp about 40 degress, outside temp in single digits). It took about a 10 hour stay before the doors "unfroze". Good thing I didn't have the emrgency brake on, otherwise the camry would have had to sit at the car wash until Spring thaw.
As for dings in the hood, I'd put at least a little touch of touch up paint on the chip to cover the bare metal. Use a toothpick so as not to build up a bubble over the spot and don't use the brush as that will just leave a big smear. When the weather gets warmer, use the Langka stuff as discussed above. You may have to do this a few times to get the hang of it, but you can't hurt the original paint job with that Langka cream, so it's fine to try it a few times to get it as smooth as possible.
I find it works very well, and better than anything else I have used.
how often do you refold the clay during the process? whenever it's dirty? or after each area to avoid scratches?
how long can each clay piece last? do you need to throw away the clay after use, or can you retain it for next time?
But if the shine is as described ..Im not really sure..
Thanks
how often do you refold the clay during the process? whenever it's dirty? or after each area to avoid scratches?
how long can each clay piece last? do you need to throw away the clay after use, or can you retain it for next time?
After reading through about 2,000 previous posts I was convinced enough to order the whole Zaino kit - Z1,2,5,6,7,9,10, and the tire stuff and clay bars.
We just recently purchase a 2001 4Runner Limited - millenium silver and I want to really baby it (something I've never done to any previous cars).
Well, I received my package in the mail last week and this past weekend my husband and I decided to try it out on his red '98 Nissan pickup. Now, I have to say that this truck recently received a new paint job (about 4 months ago) because my husband was in a collision. We wanted to practice on his truck to get the hang of claying and applying the Z.
We did the Dawn wash, clay bar, Z7 wash and dried it with 100% cotton towels. The truck felt smooth and squeeky clean. Then I started applying the Z1. As I applied I did not see ANY water spots or defects in the paint AT ALL other than a few swirls or spiderwebbing.
Then on to Z2. I applied in a back and forth and up and down motion.
We pulled the truck in the garage and waited probably 4 hours. As I began wiping the Z off I started noticing horrible spots on the hood and some small water spots on the door panels. The spots on the hood looked different from the spots on the doors. The hood spots are bigger and more irregular shaped.
Needless to say, my husband was furious and I felt like a fool for spending all this money only to end up with spots! I certainly don't think the Zaino caused the spots, but we truly were not able to see them before we put the Z on.
The shine is great and the truck feels smooth, but those spots look absolutely horrible!
We emailed Sal and he instructed us to use either Meguires Clear Coat Body Scrub or 3m Swirl Mark Remover and then apply another coat of Z2 - and if it doesn't work to call him back.
My husband came home with the wrong stuff this afternoon - he bought Meguires Cleaner Wax - but he said he could not find the other stuff.
So I'm turning to you guys for help. I'm afraid we have "locked in" these spots with the Zaino.
And now I'm even more afraid to try Zaino on my 4Runner. What did we do wrong?! I've read so many glorious posts about Zaino. Am I the only one who can't apply it right? I was in tears the night we did it because I felt like I've ruined my husband's truck.
Do you know where we can find the products Sal suggested? Has anyone ever had this type of problem? Does anyone know what might have caused the water spots on the doors and the irregular spots on the hood? I swear we did not see ANY spots when we applied the Z. And lastly, do you think this might happen to my 4Runner?
Please help! I don't want to be the only person who doesn't have good results with Zaino. I want that Zaino shine!
Thanks so much and sorry for such a long post.
- Candi
As you start the clay process, the answers to your questions will become obvious.
Just get a flat spot on the clay, get a good grip on it because it will get slippery and you don't want to drop it, then just rub it across the surface of the car. Rub as much as you want. It will slide without any friction, and you will think that you are not accomplishing anything, until you rub your hand across it later. If the clay gets dirty, fold it around and get a clean surface. My cars are small, so this does not happen much. It's like using a towel, if it starts to get dirty, find a clean spot.
I think that a small Zaino clay bar is probably good for 2 small cars, if you don't wait too long in between. I'm not sure. If the clay is not too dirty from the first car, wrap it up in something to keep it from drying out and see if it's too hard to use when you have another car to do. I think I used the same bar twice, so I'm not sure.
Once you get started, you will see how easy it is. The surprise is that you get such a good result from so little effort.
Since you said you bought Z6, try a "wipe down" with Z6 to see if that takes care of the problem.
Water spots may be something that was etched in the paint. They may not be water spots at all, but places where "bird droppings" or industrial fall out was left on the finish previous to your ownership. The result is an "etching" into your clear coat. The only resolution is to use the 3M swirl remover (or 3M foam pad). If the etching is deep enough, you may have to have a professional "buff" out the spots.
With claying the car, you actually got the finish "naked" removing previous wax and gunk. This accentuated the spots you are refering to.
Since you pulled your truck into a different light (your garage) these were probably there before, you just didn't notice them in the outside light when you were "Z-ing" it. The irregular spots certainly sound like etching from bird droppings. The other spots on your doors could be either water spots (hard water will also "etch" your clear coat) or bird droppings. But since you said that they looked more round like water spots, they probably are. Although, it's unusual to find water spots on vertical surfaces.
First time users also tend to apply Z1/Z1/Z5 too thick. This results in some streaking/spotting. Z6 will take car of that.
Try the Z6 first. Let us know the results, then we can go from there.
Good Luck....we're here to help!
In checking out Zaino's site I see some broad statements about the Z-12 Glass Cleaner - I certainly hope they're right - the Wife's Sienna has some spotting on the passenger window I just can't seem to remove.
Does this stuff work, how well and is it applicable for fine to medium scratches as claimed?
It was the only thing that removed the ink that had affixed itself to the window from the window sticker; these faint images, along with some images of the glued edges of the sticker, were visible in certain lighting conditions at certain angles. The Z12 took that all off.
It also takes off all the haze that forms on the inside of the windshield. Cars with plastic seats get more of this than cars with leather seats, but most cars get it over time.
I've never had any scratches in glass to remove, but I have used it to remove all kinds of "spots" on the windows.
The deal with Z-12 is that, unlike a Windex type of cleaner, the Z-12, as Sal explains, is a light abrasive. It's like a fine steel wool for your glass. So don't use it every day, or even every week. I find that I need to use it every 6 weeks or so; in between, the usual glass cleaners work very well (I like Stoner's Invisible Glass).
Try it on the TV, too.
Someone asked whether Zaino produces the deep wet look -- it really does. I've used many different polishes and waxes over more years than I care to admit to, and Zaino produces the deepest, wettest look of anything I've ever used.
Good luck on getting the spots off of your husband's truck. We had a similar experience with my wife's '77 light ivory colored Mercedes. Over time we've had numerous door dings which I've hidden with dealer touch-up paint. When I first used Z-5 and Z-3 on the car almost two years ago, the touch-up places on the doors really became noticeable and looked horrible. But the rest of the car looks so great that we've learned to live with the minor door discolorations.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
The funny thing is - those spots can't be seen in the daylight - only in artificial light. Now if you could only see them in the garage then I'd just tell my husband not to park in there LOL! but unfortunately you can see them at night under the street lights and it looks really bad. So maybe he just shouldn't drive at night! LOL!
Anyway, we'll probably try the 3M stuff if we can find it.
I'm still a little worried about doing my 4Runner. It actually wasn't a brand new car - it had 9700 miles on it when we bought it so I'm worried that there could be some spots under the wax job that's on it now - although I can't see anything on it in my garage.
If I do Z it then I'm going to wait until late in the afternoon to start the Dawn/clay process so there will be less chance of the water drying before I get to it and causing spots. And then I'm going to pull it into the garage and inspect the heck out of it before I apply the Z.
Wish me luck! And I'll keep you updated on my husband's truck. Once again, thanks for your help.
Candi
The 3M products should be available at auto paint supply stores - check your Yellow Pages. Good luck with this.
By the way - claying is ALWAYS worth the effort - even on a brand new car. The paint will be just THAT MUCH slicker and smoother.
Thanks for the feedback.
www.goodspeedmotoring.com
4 runner--sounds like the clear coat is etched if you can only see it in artificial light. Try the above URLs to get the 3M products. Alternately, try NAPA or Pep Boys. They usually carry the 3M line.
Good Luck!