Zaino Car Care Experiences

mpyne · May 2002

anyone hear of this??
its a waterless carwash/polymer/sealant

seems to good to be true

9rfan · May 2002

Can anyone tell me what is recommended or what you all use for drying your car immediately after washing????

Towels, Chamois, Silicone Squeegee????

Thanks!!

thewolverine · May 2002

Chamois (always clean - don't mind buying new ones).

squidd99 · May 2002

Calif Water Blade, then one cotton bath towel.

Very fast, very dry, very easy.

No streaks or spots.

No sweat.

jwinky · May 2002

My concern would be that it would put fine scratches in the clearcoat/paint. Have you run across this??

JAW

PS: Getting ready to order my first batch of Zaino. Just got a Onyx Black Envoy that looks beautifult when clean, but is going to be hard to keep that way. Hopefully the Zaino will assist with that.

pblevine · May 2002

I've been using a chamois cloth and then a (100% cotton made in USA) bath towel. Works well for me and its quick. 'Heard good thing about the California Water Blade, but have not yet tried it.

Graphicguy: I've driven those old MGB's. Great fun. 'Also liked the old TR3's and if you remember them, the Alpines. A friend is presently restoring a '74 Lotus which he bought for $200! Thus far, he's put over $2100 into the project.

lotech1 · May 2002

I bought one and have used it several times. I really had to psych myself up the first time I touched it to the paint, but so far I have not noticed any scratches, fine or otherwise, so I'll keep using it. I take no chances when washing the car... the blade doesn't touch paint till I'm very sure there is no grit left after washing.

obyone · May 2002

Been using it for years on my black Silverado and haven't noticed any scratches resulting on quite a bit of square footage.

squidd99 · May 2002

I have been using the Calif Water Blade on my black Lexus SC430 for a year now, ever since I got the car last May. I have quite a few coats of Z5 and Z2 on this car, and there are no scratches, swirl marks or other imperfections. I did not start using the blade until after some investigation, as I sure did not want to screw up the paint on this swell car. All reports were that the blade was as advertised.

I would not use anything that marked the paint job in any way. The black Lexus paint job, with Zaino, is a sight to behold.

Trust the blade; it does not mar the paint, and it speeds the drying process considerably. I am a big fan.

mbdriver · May 2002

squid99 got it right -- the "blade" takes off almost all the standing water, and then it takes only one 100% cotton-made-in-the-USA white towel to finish the job. I retired my chamois after the first time I used the Waterblade, about a year ago. No scratches whatsoever.

BTW, a great hint I learned right on this forum many months ago -- for the final rinse after washing the car, remove the hose nozzle; the stream of water results in "sheets" of water (rather than "beads") to form on the paint, and most slides right off the car! There's appreciably less water to remove.

jona57 · May 2002

I did my 1st application of Z earlier this spring on my garnet (burgundy) Chrysler 300M & it still looks great!!! After all the recent rains here in the Midwest, I am a real believer in Zaino repeling dirt. While there is a bit of road dirt on it, my Chrysler looks MUCH cleaner than my Dodge minivan- which has Mother's Cleaner-wax on it & was last washed at the same time as my 300M.

I have always come back to using good-quality USA-made pure white 100% cotton towels for drying. I have a waterblade to take off most of the rinse water, then use those soft towels to finish drying. Avoid any towels with designs- whatever made those designs will scratch!!!! I used to use chamois, but found it difficult to keep them clean. Also- dirt can embed itself in the chamois & make scratches. I use chamois for shining chrome, but find 100% cotton terry better for drying my paint.

Jon

automophile · May 2002

3M polish -
Sorry to take so long to respond, I have been away for a few days. I think it will be very hard to do by hand, unless you do only a part at a time - say, the hood one day, and a side the next, etc. The problem is that you have to rub and rub and rub and rub, etc. You will get exhausted unless you are in REALLY good shape, and will start to cut corners. If you don't have an orbital power buffer with a foam pad, you might try to rent or borrow one. I washed with Dawn because the car just had some minor body repair, and they waxed the repair area. Then I washed off all the polish residue with Z-7 before the Z-1 and Z-2. Did the second coat of Z-2 Sunday - WOW!!!!!

Langka process -
At the Pep Boys store, in the rack with the little bottles of touch-up paint I found a bottle of "Paint Leveler". This seems to be the same thing. You can use it multiple times, and you will need to, as it takes a long time to get the hang of getting it just right.

Good Luck!

9rfan · May 2002

Sounds like the water blade is the way to go then finishing up with the cotton terrycloth towels...I've got a '02 Black Denali & it sure picks up all the pollen & dust like a magnet, even after about 6 apps of Zaino & a daily touch up with Z-6, whew!!! Looks outstanding but there's a lot of real estate to maintain!!!

thewolverine · May 2002

Thanks for the tips on this - I'll have it get one - could cut down on my Chamois bill!

Just Z'd the wife's 98 Sienna - looks outstanding. So I went to take pix but it was so shiny I kept getting glare - have to change the camera settings to manual and make some adjustments.

Anyone have suggestions on photo settings for a digital camera to best capture the Zaino look.

sgrd0q · May 2002

We have two cars but we live in NYC and keep our cars in a public parking garage. So there is no way I can wash/clay/apply polish to the cars myself.

I was wondering if I could order the Zaino products and give them to a detail shop to polish my cars. Do you guys think it they will be able to handle this, or should I not bother?

Also, can anyone recommend a good shop in NYC, Long Island or NJ?

Thanks.

fastdriver · May 2002

thewolverine-

As automophile has suggested, the best time to take digital pics of a ZAINO shine is at dusk! Leave the camera settings on auto.

fastdriver

joe166 · May 2002

You can use it several times but it is really hard to store because once you open the bottle it seems to evaporate even when you think you really closed the top tightly. It works, though. The best part is that if you screwed up (as I seem to do 9 out of 10 times) it lets you get back to where you started easily. Practice makes perfect (or at least acceptable). It is not a substitute for wet sanding or whatever the proper final touch is, but it is a lot less skill intensive.

9rfan · May 2002

Has anyone ever tried some of the other Zaino products, such as the Z-9,10 (Leather Treatment/ Cleaner); Z-12 (Glass Polish); Z-14 (Plastic Polish) ; or the Z-16 (Tire Treatment)???

Any comments? If you've tried any of these items, would you re-purchase again??Are any of these products a "must have" item?

Thanks for any info!!!

mbdriver · May 2002

49ers, huh? They may be past their glory days.

Regarding the Z-16 tire gloss, it's great and a "must have" Zaino product. The shine is less glossy than most, but two applications after a wash seem to last forever! For my leather and vinyl interior I've been using Lexol products and continue to be very satisfied. I've heard, though, that the Zaino leather treatment products are excellent and that they smell wonderful.

killakella123 · May 2002

Did you use the recommended 3M foam polishing pad? Did you need only one? How long did it take you to do the whole car with the orbital buffer? Why did you wash with z7 if you had already dawn washed? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I am a little weary on using this stuff, even though I really want to get out some swirl marks. Thanks for your help!

squidd99 · May 2002

I have use the Zaino Leather products on my Lexus convertible for a year now (white leather) and I think both are great. The conditioner is very rich and not as greasy as Lexol. I put in on my leather couch and it made an impmrovement there in the feel of the leather.

I have also use the glass cleaner, which is very good, but designed to be used infrequently, as it is a light abrasive. You have to wipe it on, let it haze, then take it off. It's more work than windex, but takes off the film that finds its way onto the inside of your windshield (you see all that stuff when you drive into the sun). In between uses, use any good glass cleaner like Invisible Glass. I use the Zaino about twice a year.

The plastic cleaner is also very good. My car has a small plastic wind buffer between the rear seat headrests, and this was the only thing I found that cleaned it without streaking. After a use, it's practically invisible. Again, I use this about twice a year, because this part does not get fingerprints.

Both of these products are also very good on other glass and plastic products around the house, like TV screens, etc.

pblevine · May 2002

I've also found the Z-9,10 (Leather Treatment/ Cleaner) products to be very good. The cleaner does a great job - even with stains. And yes, the enhance the "leather smell" too.

The Tire Gloss produces a "semi-gloss" finish and seems to last a long time. I also use it on my rubber hoses and rubber strips/seals.

The glass polish does a good job inside and out.
On the inside, its good for removing the residue of plaster part curring. You do have to "rub" it into the glass. Old newsprint is recommended as the application tool. It seems the printer's ink
is also a slight abrasive. But you'll also need to use windex afterwareds to remove the residue.

scottc8 · May 2002

I had the same reservations about the blade possibly scratching the paint. But think about the physics involved: The more contact area between the paint and the drying "tool", the greater the chance of grit being dragged across the paint. The surface contact area of the water blade is a tiny fraction of a chamois. There's also much less pressure and friction.

I have a problem with water spots. Combination of a dark car, Colorado sun & low humidity, and probably my local water supply. There's just no way I can get my car dry fast enough on a warm, sunny day. Not a big deal; Z6 takes them right off. But, I ran out of Z7 last week and needed something right away so I bought a bottle of Armor All car wash, which is what I was using before becoming a Zainiac. Much, much less water spotting then I got with Z7. My one & only criticism of Zaino products so, please, guys, keep the flamethrowers on "warm".

fastdriver · May 2002

scottc8-

LOL... I think you're "safe" in this topic. The flamethrowers are out of gas! ;-))

fastdriver

thewolverine · May 2002

Thanks - I'll title the pix "Sunset over Zaino".

fastdriver · May 2002

thewolverine-

Sounds good to me. Can't wait to see them.

fastdriver

graphicguy · May 2002

I use the CA water blade sporadically. I find it works best on horizontal, flat surfaces. If you have a lot of complex curves on your body (I should stipulate your car body), I find the CA water blade to be less effective. I would think it would work well on "slab sided" SUVs or pickups that have a lot of real estate. I DO use it on my windows as it gets the water off quick before any spots can develop from drying. I used a natural chamois for many years. I've since reverted to the "synthetic chamois" (love "The Absorber") as they remove the water quickly, too.

pblevine--The Alpines were at the top of the heap when it came to "sports cars" in their day. Some of the Sunbeam "Bug Eyes" are worth quite a bit of money today. Parts are getting tough to come by on those, however. The TR3s were a blast as were the TR4s and the Spitfires (to this day, one of the best looking sports cars I've ever come across, IMHO). Moving into the mid '70s, emisions clogged the already torque/horsepower challenged british cars and the safety bumper regulations in the U.S. made the later models look pretty bad. A '74 Lotus...wow! Your friend must have a lot of time and patience on his hands. If he follows through to completion, he'll have a very nice ride. For $200, it must have been pretty rough, though.

I got the chance to drive a couple of the "new" Mini Coopers over the weekend...one standard and one supercharged. Another one of my car-guy friends is the President of the local Mini Cooper sports car club. The only dealer witin 100 miles of us let him show the cars during a Brit car rally locally. These things are the "real deal". Handled very well!!! BMW did a nice job with the details and the build quality (worlds better than the original). Materials in the car equal that of BMW's "regular" cars, which is to say "top-notch".

Not very official nor scientific, but it seems that each subsequent release of a new model, regardless of brand or where it came from, is making leaps and bounds improvements in reliability and quality. My local newspaper just did a couple of write ups about how well thier PT Cruiser tester was built and how well it held up over the long haul...they paid less than $16K for it to boot. My wife is about at the "end" with her Toyota Avalon (getting ready to hit 100K miles in the next few months). Wish I could talk her into the Mini-Cooper (like that'll ever happen). She's got her eye on the Infiniti G35 (I can live with that). Funny, the Infiniti will cost less than her Avalon did about 5 years ago, and it's a much better car.

fastdriver · May 2002

graphicguy-

Go to http://www.motortrend.com and look for their video section. They have some pics of the G35 COUPE coming out soon. Looks REAL nice! Looks like the Lexus convertible!

A few coats of Zaino in the right color and you'll really have heads turning. Maybe you'll give your car to your wife and take the new one? ;-))

fastdriver

scottc8 · May 2002

Some people have been showing up at the local SCCA Solo2 events with a brand new one. That little car is fabulous on an autocross course.

graphicguy · May 2002

fastdriver...the wife is looking at a platinum G35. She's not much of a "coupe" person, although I think the coupe will look better than the sedan. Don't know what Zaino will look like on such a "silvery" color, but I'm sure it will be brilliant. I actually drug her to the Acura dealership a couple of weeks ago to look at the TL-S/CL-S (based mainly on your recommendations). Both drove great and I would have liked either, but it's her decision. She liked the G35 more. In addition, our local Acura dealership wasn't in much of a mood to "deal" and not very pleasurable to work with (they had about 10 of each, TL-S and CL-S on the lot). The Infiniti folks, on the other hand, were very amenable to "dealing" and a joy to talk to. They actually tossed my wife the keys to the one she was looking at and told her to take it with her for the day while "mall" shopping. Probably because they had about 30 G35s on the lot. There was about a $1,500-$2,000 swing (the G35 cost less like for like equipment levels) on the MSRP. Considering that she can probably get $750-$1,000 off MSRP on the G35 and pay sticker on the Acura, the price delta is even greater. I have to admit, the G35 drove "sportier" than the Acuras. Her call...I want her happy.

scottc8--I was very impressed with the Mini. I suppose that if I was only going to use one to drive around town, I could live with it and be very happy. For about the price of a Corola or a Civic, you can get a real sports car with the Mini. Fact is, I've gotten "soft" in my advancing age and like a lot of "car" around me. It's pretty dramatic going from my current 300M into the Mini. I have to admit, even the 20 minute drive I took in each iteration of the Minis was quite a thrill and took me back to my why I enjoy driving in the first place. I can't imagine trying to fit a weeks worth of groceries or my golf clubs in one of those, however.

fastdriver · May 2002

graphicguy-

It's quiet here anyway with the lousy weather in most places, so we can be off topic a little- I think.

I always heard that about the Acura dealers too. I just happened to go to one with a friend(former) who wanted to look at used Acuras. That was the first time I saw a CL-S up close and personal. After a test drive and talking for a while, I was very interested. Shortly after that visit, I was at my brother's in RI. I knew that he knew someone at the Acura dealer up there who used to work for him, so I had him give the guy a call. The rest is history. Both Acura dealers were very nice.

I haven't been to the Infiniti dealer since I had my 94 J-30. When that lease was coming to an end, they were just like the Acura dealer you spoke about. That's how I ended up with the 96 Buick Riv. I didn't need Infiniti. It was their loss, not mine. I liked that Riv with the supercharged engine. Funny how their initial reaction can turn you right off!

The Zaino will look fine on the platinum. Is she at least willing to wait to SEE a G35 coupe in person? ;-)) I haven't driven one, but the Infiniti is a nice car. It looks bigger than the TL??

fastdriver

bretfraz · May 2002

Same as Nissan 350Z but a little restyling and a more luxurious interior.
http://www.freshalloy.com

fastdriver · May 2002

bretfraz-

Thanks for the site! It's great.

fastdriver

scottc8 · May 2002

Yeah, me too, getting older & spoiled. I look at that Mini on the track and start thinking, hmm, small looks good. Then I start thinking about commuting 90 miles a day in it, and my Lincoln LS suits me just fine. Besides, there's a TR7 roadster in my garage for those days I feel like roughing it.:)

jljackson1 · May 2002

Just wondering where can you purchase Zaino products? Thanks JJ

thewolverine · May 2002

Mail order via http://www.zainobros.com/.

There also are some local distributors depending on where you live - a call to the number listed at the site may provide you with the name/location.

donl68 · May 2002

I was wondering, what should I use to apply the leather cleaner and conditioner? The literature says use a soft brush but what sort of brush? I don't know what kind of brush is soft enough, and I don't want to ruin the leather with a brush thats too stiff. Can I just use a towel to apply these products? Thanks.

graphicguy · May 2002

Fastdriver--wife did most of the driving in the "trial" of the G35. She let me "tool" around with it when we took it back to the dealership. Only put about 50 miles on it. Again, if it were my car, I'd get the coupe-manual tranny. The wife's an "automatic gal" though. I must admit, the auto in the G35 is a very good one. The car is fast, too. Comfy, solid ride, great handler...all the things you look for in a car. Room seems to be similar to the Acuras, but I didn't measure. It comes well equiped (we drove the leather version with upgrade stereo and sunroof). MSRP was right around $31K. Dealership called last night and asked my wife if she would be interested to buy it at $30K even. She's not ready yet, but she told him the G35 was at the top of her list. No pressure from the sales guy, but he said with the "end of month" approaching, he may be able to do a bit better on the price. I don't want her to buy it until we sell her car. Infiniti said they'd give her $10K for it, but I think we could probably get $11-$11.5K on our own. Of course, I'd have to Zaino it first.

ScottC8--OOOOHHHHH!!! A TR7..."THE WEDGE". I'll bet it's Brit Green? Nice car!

On to Zaino...I've used Zaino clay. I like it. Truth is, I don't see a difference between the Zaino clay and Clay Magic...both are good. I've used Z16 on my plastic bits and tires...best stuff I've used and lasts a long time. Leather cleaner and treatment...same thing...best I've used and the leather smell is great (although I've been known to use Lexol on occasion, too).

pblevine · May 2002

don,
Its lunch time here at ConEd and I'm going out to "treat" my leather seats. I've found that using just good old paper towels works just fine for both the Zaino cleaner and their conditioner too. I've heard that using an old (ie: soft) tooth brush on isolated problem areas with the cleaner has yielded good results.

graphicguy,
Yep, the Sunbean. Ah, that was fun - well, the times were fun and the car followed. I've seen the mini-cooper but haven't driven one yet. Do you remember the old Morgan with its wooden frame?
And talking about BMW, my brother-in-law used to have (years ago) a BMW 1600. Now that was a car! Not luxury minded in those days, BMW produced a real performance sedan. Looked like a "Lark" which produced some interesting situations at street lights when up against a 'Vet.

This is going to be a good long weekend and I'm going up to the Berkshires. And provided my wife leaves me alone, I'm going to clay my Honda Accord Coupe. Its gone through some rough conditions during this past winter.

pjyoung · May 2002

The best thing I've found is to use your bare hands(recommended by automophile - I give credit where credit is due). I feel I get complete coverage (even the nooks and crannies), and you can either leave it, or gently wipe it with a cotton towel. I just did my seats last weekend...the car's almost three years old, but the Z10 has it smelling showroom new.

graphicguy · May 2002

Can't help it...as soon as I saw your post, the first thing that ran through my head was an old James Taylor tune...Sweet Baby James "...the Berkshires seem dream like..."

Dating myself!

Have a grand time!

scottc8 · May 2002

Off: graphicguy, nope, kinda wish it was BRG but it's silver.

On: And it's so faded that I don't even Z it.:)

Bushwack · May 2002

Not a bad shine considering... it is only one coat of Z2/Z6 just applied after a 7 month Zaino "hiatus". Also, I took the picture 30 minutes after sunrise in too much shade. I hope the picture posts correctly.

img src="http://url-location-of-photo"

Bushwack · May 2002

I better read the "posting an image" instructions again.

pblevine · May 2002

I just (lunch time fun) cleaned my windshield with the Zaino Glass Polish. Good stuff inside and out. But now when I closely examine the outside of my windshield, I can see some tiny little (itty bitty) scratch spots. No doubt these are the result of small stones, sand, and all sorts of flying junk hitting my car at speed.

So where's the question? 'Just coming to that. I'd like to protect the windshield a little better. Sal has said that we shouldn't use Z6 for this purpose as it will wash out, is soft, and will screak. But how about Z5?

Would not Z5 be optically perfect, hard, hide some of the lesser little spots, and last for some time? Has anyone tried this?

scottc8 · May 2002

In Colo. a windshield gets badly pitted the first month of winter because they use so much sand on the roads, so I've never tried it. But my Dad always waxed his windshield with the rest of the car. Claimed it made the wipers work better & last longer.

jona57 · May 2002

Anyone know if Z2 or Z5 stand up well for polishing chrome exhaust tips? (i.e. will Z stand up to the heat?)

Jon

graphicguy · May 2002

I use Z2/Z5 on my chrome exhaust tips all the time. Works great.

hawks1 · May 2002

I'm sure this has been asked many times before, but when would one start applying Zaino to a new car? Just purchased a new Camry a few weeks ago. Is there a certain period of time to allow for the paint to "age", etc? Also, if used now, would one still go through the entire process including the Dawn wash and clay bar process? Thanks in advance.

daverose · May 2002

You can begin using Zaino right away. Nowadays paints are baked on by the manufacturer, so there is no curing of the paint to worry about.

Yes, use clay with a new car; it has been exposed to atmospheric contaminants from the moment it came out the factory door: while stored on the factory lot, during transport, while on the dealer lot, and any number of other sources. You appear to hesitate to clay; are you letting the caution about being careful using clay become a warning about a "danger?"

Clay is very "sticky." If you slid it on paint without lubricant (soapy water), the adhesion could pull it right out of your fingers. If this occurred on a vertical panel, it would probably fall to the ground and possibly have grains of sand adhere to it, turning it into sandpaper. I was a casual car caretaker when I first read about clay. I bought a package of Mother's, the brand of wax I was using. I followed the simple directions. I started on horizontal surfaces quite slowly until I got the feel of how to use it in conjunction with the lubricant, then went to the vertical surfaces. I had no problems. My first uses I had an old, rinsed-off shower curtain under the work area until I became confident enough with how to correctly use clay. I think it's a great "tool" and I recommend you use it.

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