Zaino Car Care Experiences

fastdriver · April 2004

kudron-

Your best bet is to call/e-mail Sal Zaino! Better to call- he always answers! :-))

NO Zaino yet on my red beauty. I think it's still Winter here in CT!!!! So much to do, so little time and NO nice weather to speak of!

fastdriver

bretfraz · April 2004

I wouldn't bother Sal with this question. It has nothing to do with his products.

There are a few things to try:

1. A solvent like mineral spirits or naptha
2. Goof Off
3. 3M Adhesive, Tar, and Wax Remover
4. Give WD40 a spin, it won't hurt anything

Don't forget to rewash the area and get some Z on it ASAP. And for goodness sake, be careful with those Brillo pads!! They're awfully aggressive for automotive glass. The coarsest steel wool I'd recommend being used on glass is #000 fine.

Good luck!

mdhauke · April 2004

Hopefully somebody will be reading this within the next half hour.

I am done dawning and claybaring the car and washing with Z7. I am about to put on the first coat of wax.

The question is, should I Z-6 gloss the car before I put on the first coat of wax? I plan on doing it between the coats but am wondering if it's really necessary to do it in betweeen coats.

fickle · April 2004

Why are you waxing? Are you not doing the entire Zaino procedure? I'm definitely not the expert on this site but from what I've gleaned, using z6 won't help you at all. It's a shine enhancer for your ZFX/Z2 polish, not for wax.

If,in fact, you meant the Z2 step rather than "wax", I think the board is split on whether the z6 is a necessary step. You can go either way. I personally only do it as my last step since my arms are about to fall off by the time I do the "whole Zaino process."

Hope this helps.
Linda

mdhauke · April 2004

by wax I meant zaino, I am not sure what the differenece is. Thanks any way but I decided not to Z6 before I put on my first coat of Z5. I will do it inbetween coats.

mdhauke · April 2004

When you spray Z6 after applying Z2 are the improvements subtle? I am not noticing much of a difference after I spray and whip. Am I doing something wrong.

Also those of you that already have applied wax do you Z6 your car every time you wash your car after that?

tmart · April 2004

Mdhauke, I doubt you're doing anything wrong. It's really hard to screw it up. Just use a light spray and wipe off before it drys. One pull on the trigger will do half the hood. A lot has to do with the color of your car. On my car, gold, I don't really see a difference, it just feels slicker to the touch. Also, I don't Z6 between coats, just after the last one. It's really your call. Some spray between coats and some don't. Both are right. For me, if I can't see the difference, why waste the Z6.

pblevine · April 2004

fastdriver: I too am waiting for some warmer (and dry) days. Maybe in a week or so...

Bret & Kudron: Its very hard to remove paint from a car finish. You've got some good ideas, but you might end up having to buff and re-paint. Be careful. You might also add good olde gasoline to the list of solvents. But please test it first on a small isolated spot to make sure it doesn't ruin the clear coat. Personally, I like the "Goof Off" option, only I'd call it "art".

And yes, bret, I've been eyeing a certain marble table as my next little experiment with Z2.

atoews · April 2004

.. almost every day, and I often wonder what it would be like to Z it.

I am afraid if I do, I'll have trouble with it slipping off my lap. :-)

hammen2 · April 2004

...and every day when I bring it into the office, under the fluorescent lights, I notice the fingerprints on the case.

Maybe a little Z-2/ZFX followed with some Z-6 :-)

--Robert

mdhauke · April 2004

Just got finished with the two week process of applying Zaino to my 04 TL, anthracite. Wow, am I impressed. This is the first time I ever waxed or polished a car in my life so I was a little worried when I started out. That I would be doing it wrong or something. But for your first time users out there don't worry, it's hard to mess up. I did 3 coats of Z2 with the ZFX last weekend and did 3 more coats today. One disappointment though, I noticed absolutely no improvement with the gloss enhancer. What is it supposed to do? I did it in between each coat last weekend and one after I was done and didn't notice any difference so this weekend I just waited till after the 3rd coat and then Z6'd it and still didn't notice an improvement from pre Z6ing and afterwords. Otherwise I have a good shine and a strong coat that will hopefully protect my car through the summer.

mdhauke · April 2004

Last week I was asking a question on here about Zaino and I mistakenly called it a "wax." Well that pissed someone off on this board and I got yelled at for calling it a "wax." My mistake, I just thought everything was a wax, this is the first time I ever did anything like this so I guess you could call me ignorant in this field. My question is what is the difference between a polish and a wax? What if I did the leading market Turtle Wax on my car instead of Zaino, what would be the difference?

tmart · April 2004

Matthew, a polish actually cleans the surface. Kinda like a silver polish, it cleans the tarnish off the piece. A wax just covers the surface whether it's clean or not. A car wax "yellows" with age and does not stay completely clear. Some put a wax on top of the Zaino, but you would not want to put Zaino over the wax, due to the yellowing with age, plus the Zaino couldn't bond with the clearcoat/paint. That's why you Dawn first, to remove any wax previously applied. To add to the confusion, some waxes have a polish/cleaner mixed with the wax. I'm sure Bret can add more info, but I believe the above are the main points.
Concerning the Z6, with my color, gold, I don't see any difference either. The surface just feels slicker/smoother to the touch. It supposedly has some anti-static properties to keep dust from staying on the car. Since I can't see the difference, I just use it after the final coat. It's also good as a "quick detailer" between washes, although it doesn't have any cleaners, so remove bird bombs, etc, before spraying.

bretfraz · April 2004

If you're new to this level of paint care, have a look at these articles about detailing. They'll help you greatly in understanding what the various processes are to get your car looking its best.

http://www.bettercarcare.com/topics.php?topicId=17

graphicguy · April 2004

Bought my annual "spring" zaino kit (Z2, Z5, Z6, Z7).

Finally, this past weekend was decent enough to do my spring detail (wash, clay, clean carpets, clean windows, dust, leather clean/conditioner, etc.

This is the first time I've used the new formula Sal has come up with.

Observations.....

--Z5 now gives a Z2 "like" finish, plus the swirl "fill-in" capabilities have been imporved dramatically
--If it's possible, Z2/Z5/ZFX are even easier to apply and remove
--gloss "depth" seems to be improved

All-in-all, Sal's done a wonderful job with the new formulas.

lapvn · April 2004

Hi All, it's been a while and I'm glad to see the pros are still at it. I just wanted to update everyone.

Last 7 (SEVEN) coats were laid out in October. I REFUSED to bring the van to any car wash, even though everyone was surprise that I could keep myself sane for having such a dirty car. Anyway, I finally made my first wash of the year last week, and she is fine. The shine came right back like everyone says. What I would have done different is to take an extra pale of water to rinse the mit out. This step was just just 2 washes of Z7 because it was DIRTY, Z6, Z5 and then Z6. Next weekend I intend to do something similar and add claying to the round.

Lastly, here is a link to an article that a friend of mine found. Makes you want to smile.

http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html

lapvn · April 2004

I had to leave the van at a tire dealership, and the attendant came out to see the conditions of the tires. We ended up talking more about the shine on the van than the tires. He asked and I told him. He said he has never seen anything so bright and couldn't believe the van was one year old.

So maybe, I may had brought in another new comer to our cult.

billyperks · April 2004

Finally I got to use the microfiber products and frankly, I am impressed.
The drying towel does a better job than the cotton towels.
Overall good products.

What do you use to shampoo your carpets?

As for Sal leather cleaner/conditioner, how often should we use them?

Is it a weekly use or maybe twice monthly?

bottgers · April 2004

Since the use of Zaino is generally considered synonomus with finaticsism, I figured there's got to be quite a few folks in here who can answer these questions.

I frequently visit a site called mpvclub.com. As you may have guessed, I own a Mazda MPV. Many folks in that forum say they prefer Klasse AIO over Zaino. My main gripe about Zaino is that it's very time consuming to apply. I love the way it looks, and I only apply it twice a year and it seems to hold up very well. It's been said the Klasse is much easier to apply and remove and supposedly looks just as good as Zaino. The only thing I haven't been able to find out is if it lasts as long as Zaino. Have any of you used it, and if so, what do you think of it?

Next question. I recently purchased Mr. Clean Auto Dry for washing my van. Prior to the purchase of this washing system, it took me just as long to dry my van as it did to wash it. This washing system works very well and leaves no water spots. However, I like the Zaino Z-7 car wash. I'm wondering if this wash solution can be used in the Mr. Clean system in place of the Mr. Clean wash and still obtain favorable results? Have any of you tried this?

tmart · April 2004

Have a question for you. How is Zaino very time consuming to apply? The application should be pretty much the same for all products, and after drying, what could be easier to remove?
Good question on the Mr. Clean. I've been tempted to buy it for the no drying aspect. If the wash is a liquid, I'd think the Z7 could be substituted, but don't know for sure.

lapvn · April 2004

I really do not think that Zaino's application method is anymore time consuming than the others. I actually think it is less because it comes off much easier. The only thing that is time consuming in my part is the actual first stage of using Dawn and Claying.

Right now our Ody looks great, and probably doesn't need a clay, but when the next beatiful weekend comes around, my second round for this year will consist a round of claying, and another round of Z5.

The third round will be a 2 rounds of Z5 and end with Z2.

The point here is that it is only time consuming because I made it time consuming. That's because as noted before, the shine is never enough. Who can resist not going out washing the car on a beautiful day.

Anyway, like I said the only part I think that is time consuming is the very first initial process. After that, you really only need to wash and Z6. And if you desire add in your Z5 and Z2 when you want.

On a "NORMAL" weekend, I can wash and Z6 the van in less than an hour.

lapvn · April 2004

I just looked on weather.com and saw that it will be raining here (Northeast) Wed - Fri. This would mean that when I wash the van on Sat. the weather will be very humid, which means it will take longer for the Z5 and/or Z2 to cure. Is this what you meant by time consuming? I know at times I would wait over an hour to make sure that it did cure before taking it off, but I would just do other items like the windows, the tires, the leather seats, etc...

fastdriver · April 2004

lapvn-

AND... if it's humid/damp out it wouldn't matter what product you were using because you'd still have to wait for it to dry.

fastdriver

bottgers · April 2004

What I mean by time consuming is applying the Z1 over the entire vehicle, then applying the Z2 over the top of the Z1. I've also read that Klasse AIO isn't required to be dry before you wipe it off. You basically wipe it on, then wipe it off. My only leariness about Klasse is I haven't been able to find anyone who's used both it and Zaino to give me a comparison on how long they last.

fastdriver · April 2004

bottgers-

If you get the ZFX additive, then you just mix it with the Z2/Z5 and you don't need Z1.

fastdriver

bretfraz · April 2004

It's hard to say how long they last comparitively. Zaino always beads water while Klasse sheets it. I think its safe to say if both Klasse AIO and SG are used and compared to a couple coats of Z2, durability is similar.

The nice thing about AIO is it's a one-step type product so for those who don't want to polish or preclean their paint. It has pretty strong chemical cleaning ability and light abrasive cleaning. It's prolly the best one-step product on the market.

SG has a reputation of being difficult to work with but if you wipe it on and off real quick, its less fussy.

The only thing I don't like about the Klasse twins is the look - its silvery. Not the optically clear of Zaino. A lot of people like the Klasse look but I'm not one of them. Just a personal preference.

Either way you're looking at prolly the two best sealant products on the market. Both have their fans, strengths, and weaknesses. Personally I don't think Zaino users are missing much but give it a spin if you're interested in comparing them.

tmart · April 2004

Assuming you don't use ZFX and use Z1, you only need to apply it at the most every 6 months or so. The rest of the time you'd just use Z2/5 by itself so there'd be no extra time consumed, still a ONE step process.

lapvn · April 2004

Good point. I forgot that you really only need to apply ZXF 2x a year or when you want to apply more than one coat of Z2 and/or Z5. Last year I probably did a (2x) Z5+ZFX and (1x) Z2 routine about 3 or 4 times. All the other times it was either one coat of Z5 or Z2.

Does anyone know a story that compares Zaino to other products like the link I had posted above. It would be interesting to see how Zaino does with others mentioned.

graphicguy · April 2004

Klasse is one of the few waxes I've never tried. At one time, my garage looked like the wax aisle at Pep Boys with all the products I had.

Just a for instance, I washed (Z7), detailed the interior, and waxed (ZFX/Z5) my car this weekend. I did it in about an hour. The waxing portion took maybe 20 minutes (including the wheels and the chrome dual exhaust)....wipe on the entire car and wipe off. I don't know how much easier it can get than that.

bottgers · April 2004

I've never used the ZFX so I haven't experienced how easy that process is. All I've ever used is the Z1 and Z2.

lapvn · April 2004

With ZFX around is there a reason for Z1 to exist? I've never had to work with Z1

tmart · April 2004

Not everyone who uses the Z is the fanatic some of us are. So, using Z1 twice a year, the bottle lasts several years, very cost effective compared to ZFX. I started with Z1, so it was a jolt to pay $20 for the ZFX. It's main benefit is a much quicker curing time and enabling multiple coats without waiting 24 hours between coats. If one doesn't mind waiting the 24 hours for the next coat, I don't see the need to get the ZFX. It just dawned on me, no pun intended, that Bottgers is right about Zaino being time consuming. IF you don't do multi-coats, each application twice a year is a two step process versus one with another product.

lapvn · April 2004

I'm fresh off my rookie year of Zaino, and I still have lots to learn. Thank you for the info.

I still have my Integra, maybe I will do a comparison of the two bottgers is asking about.

I am willing to part with some of my Z2 if someone can spare some of their Klasse. Or a link where I can request for a some for testing. Lets do something like the link above just do the hood, and let is stand for 30 days.
With the entire hood, lets do a dawn wash and clay. On the Zaino side lets wash with Z7, then follow up with Z6, Z2 and finally a Z6.
For the Klasse side, you guys can tell me what steps to take to make it comparable at least.

daverose · April 2004

Two things about your "timeconsuming" observations. One, since you mention going over the vehicle twice a year using Z-1, I hope that means that you are applying Z-2 right on top of the Z-1, as you should; no wipeoff of Z-1! Two, are you applying both products thinly? A dime to nickle-sized dollop for each of most of your side panels and a quarter-sized dollop for the hood, the roof, and the trunk lid should be enough. Also, using the Z-7 wash and Z-6 gloss enhancer frequently go a long way to keeping the "just-polished" look AND keeping the surface slick, which will make the Z-1/Z-2 routines go quicker. Since you mention doing your car twice a year, you might consider doing a polish-only application between the two "full blown" routines. That, too, should make the Z-1/Z-2 process go easier. Drying consuming too much time; use a leaf blower or blowing function of a (empty) shop vac or shoulder vacuum to speed the process.

bottgers · April 2004

There's no need to dry the vehicle anymore since I've started using the Mr. Clean Auto Dry system.

Since I'm probably done using the the Z1 because of the ZFX, I'll ask my question differently. I assume if I use the ZFX instead of the Z1, I'm also assuming applying the Z2 mixed with the ZFX is the same as applying the Z1 + the Z2. If this is the case, how often should I apply the ZFX/Z2 mix, and what should I do in between these applications?

tmart · April 2004

Using Z1, you apply it and then apply Z2 or Z5 on top of the Z1. You DON'T remove the Z1 before applying the Z2/5. With ZFX you get 5 two oz. bottles. You transfer one or two ozs. of Z2 or Z5 from their 16 oz bottle to the smaller bottle. Then you add the ZFX to the small bottle, 5 DROPS for one oz. or 10 DROPS for two oz. Shake the bottle for 90 seconds and apply to the car. It usually cures/drys in about 30 minutes, then wipe off. At this point you have a decision to make. Admire your completed job and have a beer while you Z6, apply another coat of your combo ZFX/Z2/5, or apply a coat of Z2 or Z5 without the ZFX. The main benefit of using ZFX is the faster drying/curing time and being able to apply additional coats without waiting the recommended 24 hours. IF drying times are not a problem where you live, and/or you don't want to apply multi coats immediately, ZFX is probably not cost effective, so continue with Z1. After all you're only doing it twice a year, or you could add a coat or two of Z2/Z5 in between. ZFX is very expensive if used every time Z2 of Z5 is applied, but it's your call. Personally, with my gold color, after two or three coats of Z2 (haven't used Z5), I don't see any difference in shine, and it doesn't matter to me if it takes several weeks to get to the three coats so I may go back to Z1 when the ZFX is finished. As the saying goes, you won't go wrong with either one. Just depends on what is wanted by YOU.

daverose · April 2004

Use ZFX/Z-2, or Z-3, or Z-5 at least once a year for a garaged car, twice a year for an outdoor car. You can use the polish by itself to apply one coat a day when rain stops beading, or when the mood strikes you. If the mood strikes you often, you should use Z-1, or ZFX-acclereated polish every 10th coat. My recommendation to folks is to apply about 10 coats (9 to 12 if your thinking in terms of 3 ZFX-enabled coats a day), the point at which no visual improvement is generally considered to be reached, as quickly as possible. Then do "normal" maintenance, wash, gloss enhance, and an occasional coat of polish. And while around 10 coats may be the visual limit of Zaino polish, it will continue to "stack" physically; I know an owner who can no longer feel the edge of his racing stripe tape because of the build-up of Zaino on his car.

doitmyself · April 2004

Hope someone can answer this soon. Any experience with what might be better between these two. Scotchgard has it's history behind it, 303 makes some excellent products.

The Scotchgard line has changed somewhat. Will the red "Auto" product work for carpet also, or should I get the house type carpet for that application?

Thank you all.

jauto98 · April 2004

Hello all. I am about to do a full clean and detail job once the pollen ends. With that, I plan on doing the full Z treatment as usual but am thinking of spending more time with the interior of my GMC Sonoma. My question is, what do you guys use to clean cloth seats and carpet and any particular procedures you do that a novice can follow. Thanks for your help.

Jeff

graphicguy · April 2004

Cleaning cloth seats depends on the amount of "crud" you have on them to begin with.

IF there are any types of dried foodstuff, mud, etc...brush off as much of it as possible with a stiff brush (no metal brushes, as that could cause a tear). After that, a good warm water/light detergent mixture used on a damp terry cloth rag should get the majority of the soil off. If you have some stubborn stains, you may have to use a solvent specifically designed for upholstery.

Past that, mild soal and water will work for vinyl. After cleaning, a "dressing" on vinyl areas isn't a bad idea. Stay away from "high shine" stuff like Armorall. Something low gloss with no alcohol additives is the way to go.

If you shampoo your carpets, use a "teflon treatment" (most popular is Scotchgard, if you can find it) sprayed on carpets (not on vinyl or leather) after they dry to keep dirt from getting imbedded.

kheintz1 · April 2004

When using Dawn Blue as a first washing, about how much of this soap should I add to a gallon of water in the bucket?

jauto98 · April 2004

Thanks for the tips. Basically, my interior is pretty clean as I hate a dirty car. Ive seen heard people use a soapy solution and a brush to clean the seats and carpets and use a shop vac to suck up the moisture and dirt, but am a little concern about mildew and the such. Not to sure what ratio soap/water I should use and the stiffness of the brush I should use. What do you guys use to make the interior smell fresh and all? Thanks,

Jeff

automophile · April 2004

Maybe Zaino can be TOO shiny? See:

http://www.z06vette.com/forums/show...59&page=1&pp=15

tmart · April 2004

graphicguy · April 2004

Since it doesn't sound like your upholstery is really dirty, I would use about a small capful of liquid laundry detergent (think "shotglass" size) into a bucket of water. If you don't have any dried on "crud", forget the stiff brush. Use a terry cloth wash rag. Wring it out after dipping it into your bucket so that you don't actually "soak" the upholstery.

After washing, fill the bucket with clean water only and another wash rag to rinse any soapy residue from your upholstery. Again, don't soak the seats.

I would just leave all my doors open for 3-4 hours to let the interior dry. If you can leave the doors open while your car sits in the garage overnight, that would be even better.

If you develop any mildew (I doubt you will if you let it dry thoroughly), there are plenty of spray products that will do away with it.

ztorin · April 2004

I used the Mr.Clean Auto-Dry yesterday. Very good results, and suprisingly fun to use. The final "auto dry rinse" comes out as a very fine mist, almost feels like you're airbrushing your vehicle. It works as long as you make sure you use that filtered/final rinse and remove all traces of the original "rinse water" off of every section of the car. My car was dry and spot free in about 30-45 minutes after washing. As far as using "other" soaps in the unit, they don't recommend it, and it void's the auto-dry/spot-free guarantee. Something about they polymers in the soap combined with the PuR/filtered/de-ionized water. They also claim that "other" soaps may clog the unit. Also, the Mr.Clean soap is pretty good. My brand new sponge was completely black after washing 1/3 of the vehicle. And my brand new truck is only 2 weeks old and didn't even look that dirty. I highly recommend the product. And if you don't like it for whatever reason, you can get a full refund.

jauto98 · April 2004

thanks, graphicguy, will give it a try soon.

Jeff

doitmyself · April 2004

Hi everyone,

Are the Viper MF towels at properautocare.com of good, consistant quality compared to those at autofiber.com, pakshak, etc.? (mostly concerned about scratching).

In particular, when I asked them which of their MANY MF towels would be best for "wax" removal and buffing, they recommended their brand new "scrubber" cloth (new fiber and new weave).

They also said there was not much difference between 70/30 and 80/20 blends.

Any comments? Thanks

graphicguy · April 2004

I use the viper MF. I was a "hard nosed" 100% cotton towel user before. Now, I won't go back to cotton towels.

The Viper MFs are very good and of very high quality....no scratches and extremely absorbant.

I use nothing but their products for washing (MF wash mit), drying (Viper large and small MF towels) and the MF "pads" for applying Zaino.

I also use the small Viper for wiping Zaino off. Zaino doesn't require any buffing...just apply, let dry, wipe off.

doitmyself · April 2004

Thank you. They have so many products on their site, it is hard to determine what to use.

1. Their "standard" green detailing cloth (3/$14.95) - is this the one you use for taking off the Zaino?

2. They have a white "perfect shine" cloth they said was extra good for quick detailing and a final "buff". Is this necesarry?

3. Their "Magic" cloth seems to be similar to the "perfect shine". Any need for this.

4 The "scrubber" - modified waffle weave that they said was best removing coatings. Is Zaino so easy I don't need this. Autopia hawks a waffle weave detail towel as best also. What do you think.

Thanks for clearing up the confusion.

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