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Comments
I am not sure how effective Z1 would be at removing etched(waterspots) or waterspots that have been left on for a long time.
As I said I try to use no abrasives first and work my way up to an abrasive if needed. It is a lot easier than using a product like 3M Swirl remover that strips off not only the waterspots but the zaino coating.
And Yes, I could actually see the spots disappear as the Z1 was applied. If applied correctly Z1 flash dries and leaves little or no residue. I was running short on time that day and did not even apply a coat of polish afterwards. I just Z6ed right after and left it that way. I have a light colored vehicle and did not notice any streaking or residue from the Z1.
That was the first and only time I ever had any "spotting" issues.
Wood trim. I have fake wood in my 2000 and would not use any harsh cleaners on it. It is essentially a paint effect on plastic so you risk taking it off over time, especially with something as harsh as Windex. I use two very soft cotton cloths....one damp, one too dry. It works great to take of spots smudges or dust. In fact that is how I clean all my interior surfaces (i do not like the shiny look on my dash), expect for some occassional spot cleaning when necessary. Use Fantasic or Spray Nine for spot cleaning but am sure to rinse it all off with a wet towel afterwards.
2. i get water spots after it rains-should i be removing these every time it rains or are y'all talking about those immediately after a wash.
3.can i clay over a car thats been z'd times 10-what's the routine-i get the impression that clay is to be used on a "bare" surface- thanks so much!
Sounds unlikely, but this is a tip from Sal, and it works for me (on a black Lexus). And the sooner the better, as the bug juice is acid and will eat through the Zaino to the paint eventually.
You find bug solvent in the strangest places.
Hope this helps.
I buy mine at Ross Dress for Less. Full sized white 100% cotton made in USA, 30"x52" for $5 a piece.
I have a Lexus w/ chrome emblems and door handles. If you have same, what have you used on the "L" and "Lexus" and also door handles? Thanks.
How do you get around doing so? I'm sure not going to tape it off.
And is there harm being done, or is it just that there is no benefit? So if maybe the Z will not bond to the plastic emblem like it does to the paint, does it harm the little silver L?
Maybe if you have some of that tacky gold stuff on your emblems, he might just be saying to be careful that you don't rub it off, but I have never found any harm being done to the silver (chrome) emblems.
Ask him again. And when you call, ask Sam if you can talk to Sal and get a second opinion.
We need to clarify this, as I'll be real pissed if my "L In A Circle" falls off the back of my swell new car.
Can any of the vets help a couple of newbies on this?
I might add, my car is silver. So I don't know if that has anything to do with it.
I have my initial coats of Zaino on my car from last June and July, and the finish is like new. I am going to apply a few more coats (with ZFX) as soon as I get some time on a nice weekend, not because the car needs it, but because I can.
After 4 or 5 coats, you should see quite a difference even on a silver car, depending on the quality of the underlying paint. (And assuming that you removed the wax with Dawn; if not, you just put zaino over the wax, which would not look much different, and certainly won't last very long, as the Z will not bond to the paint if wax is in the way.) I don't know what a RSX-S is, but I'm sure it has a good paint job or you would not be putting Zaino on top of it.
Keep at it, you are most of the way there. And if you got ZFX, you can apply 3 coats back to back, which will take no time, even in Canada.
I too would like to know if clay takes off the Zaino. I have used clay on 3 cars, but always at the beginning of the cycle, right after the Dawn wash. I'm not sure if clay takes off the Zaino, and I would like to know how to proceed after claying a car with Zaino already on it.
I do know that you should NOT use Z6 as a lube for the clay. Use Z7 wash, mixed with water in a spray bottle.
Regarding clay, info from this forum is that clay will not affect Zaino. The clay will merely pick up the contaminants from the finish and leave the surface super smooth. However, squid99's caution about using a mixture of Z-7 and water as a clay lubricant is right on -- don't use Z-6. I understand that using a sufficient amount of lubricant is the secret of using clay efficiently -- the clay should not "drag" on the paint. So -- there you have it from someone who hasn't used clay but who has paid close attention to the info on this board!
BTW, the main advantages of using Zaino, besides the fantastic shine, are (1) ease of use/application, and (2) durability (it protects better and longer than carnauba wax or, for that matter, better and longer than any product I've ever used).
I hope this helps.
At night, the finish really glows on both.
Parked beside a silver civic today. Now I notice the difference (between a zaino'd and non zaino'd). Now I gotta park it next to a waxed silver car and see if I can tell the difference.
And Squid, thanks for the info, but I'm not that big of a car nut to spend more than 3 hours on my car (2 hours to wash and zaino is enough for me). One coat at a time is fine by me. Just put the Z1 on and then Z2 right after. I know it's not necessary, but it doesn't hurt right?
If, however, you use ZFX, then you do not need z1 at all, and you can apply up to 3 coats in a row without waiting a day for the previous coat to cure. No z1 is necessary if you use the zfx.
Read the application tips at zainobros.com for details. I should not take 3 hours to wash and apply one or two coats of zaino, but even if it does, that's only the first time. For every application after that, you only need to apply a quick coat of zaino, wait for it to dry (unless you use zfx, which, I hear, dries instantly,) and then wipe it off. Nothing like wax.
I like that new Integra. (Although if you have one now, it's not the next generation Integra, but the present generation Integra, I would guess.)
Thanks to Squid and Mbdriver for the excellent info. I know what I'll be doing in the garage Sunday afternoon.
Enjoy!
When it comes to application, that's where I have a problem. I'm so used to applying thick gobs where it's clearly visible. Sometimes I swear I'm not putting any zaino on whatsoever.
Overall, I'm satisfied.
And to squid: just saying "next gen" so you'd know.
1. As with any polish/wax job- PREP IS KEY!!!! The optical clarity of Z2 (or Z5) will be very revealing of any surface imperfection, inc. water spots.
2. Claying requires a wet surface and a light touch. The lubricity of diluted Z7 is outstanding, but keep the surface wet. If you rub any clay over a too dry paint surface it may smudge, which is best removed with a solvent (e.g. WD40). A properly clayed surface feels completely smooth- like wet glass. Claying may or may not be worth it depending upon your paint's condition (and your preferences & time contraints). It took us about 10 min to clay the 300M, but the paint was not in bad condition.
3. Scratch X by hand is pretty mild- esp. with light hand pressure. It really seemed to remove most of my light swirls nicely, but I still had a few light scratches remaining. I did not want to be too aggressive with the clearcoat, and I was curious as to what Z5 could do.
4. Z7 is a wash with incredible lubricity and rinses more easily than anything I've ever used. Great stuff!
5. Z1/2/5 are easy to apply- no rubbing required. Z2 was easier to wipe off when dry than Z5, although both were clearly easier to remove than buffing traditional waxes.
6. Z5 eliminated most (but not all) of the light scratches remaining after the Scratch X treatment. I may hit those spots again with another couple Z5 layers.
7. Z5 alone looked nice enough (nearly as glossy as a good Carnuba), but the added shine with the Z2 was obvious.
8. Z6 enhances the shine nicely, & I will continue to use it for that purpose. In my use on bird & insect stains, however, it is not as good at pure "cleaning" as Meguiar's QuickDetailer or Turtle Wax's QuickWash (which I used on this car before applying the Z, & I still use both on my Dodge minivan).
At this point, I think the surface "shine" with 3 coats Z5 & one coat of Z2 is equal to the excellent shine I had with Meguiar's Gold Class liquid (and WAY better than Meguiar's or Mother's Cleaner-Waxes which I wasted my time experimenting with in the past). I think the "depth" of the gloss is better than the Gold Class, and Gold Class did little to hide swirl marks or surface scratches. I'll be doing another coat or two of Z2 with the next warm spell to try to further enhance the "depth" of the shine (& hopefully the duration as well).
Clearly, I cannot evaluate the full durability of the shine yet. This is where Gold Class disappointed me- a few weeks outdoors and the shine was fading fast.
The Better Half still thinks I'm a bit nuts for doing the above 13-step process, but was a good sport to help with the "experiment". She thinks the car now looks better than ever, and her golfing buddies lavishly praised the shine (before she said anything about the work involved!). She now admits this will have been worth the effort if the shine lasts as reported on this board. Personally, I'm satisfied at this point. If the Z lasts 6 months (like some report here) I will be euphoric! It will have been way LESS work than 4 or 5 traditional wax jobs. For those considering the cost, I think all the Z products (with the possible exception of Z6) are very cost-effective because a little goes a LONG way. Traditional liquid waxes would require 2-3 oz to do my car and I was lucky to get 2-3 mo. of a reasonable shine on any of my vehicles. Less than 1 oz of Z2 did a coat on my large sedan nicely. I've not seen any shine that surpasses Z2. I view Z5 as a light scratch/swirl filler & it works well in that role -and Z5 is nonabrasive. For deep scratches, on the other hand, Z5 is not a substitute for a buff-out by a professional detailer. To me Z7 is the 'sleeper' product of the bunch, & I am very glad I decided to get it. It's a wonderful cleaner, & by far the best car wash of the multitude I've tried over the years. I will be carrying a spray bottle with dilute Z7 & an H2O rinse bottle as my touch-up for removing bird droppings between washes.
In short, I am glad I decided to try the Zaino process. Maybe I could have gotten by with just Z1 & Z2, but I wanted to give the whole "system" a try. If this shine really lasts an honest 4-6 mo (or more) like some have posted, I'll never go back to anything else.
Jon
I looks to me like you did exactly what experiences users have been suggesting.
I have done that same process with the same products (except I used the Zaino Clay) on two older cars with excellent results. I did a modified version (without ScratchX) on my new black Lexus, and all of these shines have lasted for 6 months and through the winter without any work on my part other than a washing or two and (on the Lexus) Z6.
You will find that several coats of z2 on top of the coats of z5 will give great results, especially on the dark color. My two cars are black and dark green, and the results are great, and more noticable than on the lighter, silver-blue, car I did for a friend.
When you need to do very little work on the car over the next year or two, then you will realize how well spent that time was over those original three days.
You will believe, and you will rejoice.
NOW, if you do as most do and "renew" it by just using the z2 on the car every couple of weeks (just doing that after washing the car MIGHT take 10 minutes), then of course it will still bead water after 6 months. The real question is whether that is fair to compare to something that is put on once and forgotten.
IMHO, the real value of Zaino products is that the ease of application lets you "renew" the polish so easily and so quickly that it is more likely to be done AND that there is instant gratification as the shine seems to get deeper each time you put another coat on. I just don't buy the argument that it "lasts" for several months because in my experience one application doesn't and that means we are comparing apples and oranges since I bet the other products would last indefinitely if reapplied every couple of weeks too.
But as you point out, that's where Zaino has a distinct advantage. Once a car is properly "Zainoed," you can "refresh" and enhance the shine and protection with additional applications of Z. More and more coats of Z equate to deeper shine and continued, long-lasting protection!
Not so with wax or any other product I've used over many years of car care. After several months, even with a garage, the car usually has to have the yellowed previous wax layer stripped off and the shine renewed with a polish before a new protective wax application is possible. On the other hand, as you note, using Z-2 after a wash takes almost no time at all -- and there isn't any buffing required or messy residue left over. Just a great shine that can be maintained in perpetuity! So, I don't think you can use other products successfully every few weeks the way Zaino can be used.
I plan to add new coats of Z2 to reinforce the shine. I know Zaino says to reapply Z1 every 6 mo on a daily driver, but do you all do that? Do you ever reapply Z1 again if you keep the Z shine going with periodic Z2?
Jon
On Z1: I've had Z on my car for about a year, averaged another coat every 3-4 weeks. It's always repelled water, looked great, and has been easy to wash. I just re-Z1ed for the first time recently and it made a noticeable difference, both in the shine and the water repellency. So I'll be following the 6 month recommendation from now on.
On durability: Nothing can beat this stuff. Last summer I went almost 3 months without re-Zing due to work, weather, etc. The shine lost some depth, but the water kept beading up, even with twice-weekly thorough washing. I have never used a wax or polish that could last like this.
You admit to being sold on Zaino. I'm trying to understand why can't you bring yourself to acknowledge that it does, indeed, outlast any other product on the market (at least the ones I've tried)? Maybe the answer is to get yourself a big axe and get rid of that big oak tree and maybe get a car cover! Good luck, and keep applying the Z regularly!
On the other hand, with Zaino, I CAN renew it! Merely wipe it on, let dry, and wipe it off. No "work" and no rubbing to apply, no buffing to remove, and no residue! And I, too, have used NuFinish, Zymol and a few Meguiars products and strongly disagree that a single coat of any lasts as long as a single coat of Zaino -- never more than a month or two at the most! Maybe you should move north!
Oh, I quit also (if you do!). But seriously, I understand what you've been saying all along, and I just can't agree. But it has been fun disagreeing! Glad you're also a Zainoite and appreciate the advantages of using Z!
Same with Blackfire. You literally wipe it on, wait maybe 30 seconds, and wipe it off.
Wityh most Zymol waxes you have to wipe it off immediately. If you let it dry it hardens and becomes very difficult to remove.