Just Ordered Zaino.. questions

[Shirl]

I got the entire "system" (total exterior). Does anyone know how much time this will take me? I hope it gets out the hairline scratches in the black paint.

[The Sandman]

Here we go...

Try to do all of this in the shade, or in a garage. The key to the polish is to apply it VERY VERY thin, it's not like wax. You can get 2-3 layers per ounce, some people get more. If you can barely see it on the car (esp. black), then you're on the right track.

Wash the car with dish detergent first, this way all the wax that was on the car will be stripped off. Make sure to wash it very well.

Take your claybar and put some sort of car soap and water mix in a spray bottle to lube the claybar (you can also use the dish detergent/water mix you washed your car with). I've found that if you only use one side of the claybar, and then fold it over, you will always have a clean bar. Make sure to fold it before it gets dirty, or you can scratch your car. (You can also do your rims).

Wash your car again with the Z7 you got. Make SURE you dry it VERY well (including all the knooks and crannies and cracks). Use an Absorber or a 100% PURE cotton towel, not one of these cheap towels you can get at Wal-Mart. You have to get the best towels from a specialty shop, like Bath and Body Works. I use Royal Velvet brand. (You can also go to www.ls1.com and go into the appearance forum and email KevinSS about purchasing towels, I got mine from him).

Z1:
After the car is washed, clayed, and dried, take your Z1 and apply it to the entire surface of your car (rims too if you're doing them). Whatever you do, do NOT buff this off. You are going to apply the polish directly on top.
You don't need to do this everytime you apply your polish, just every 5-6 times to keep it well layered, or every 6 months (IE 1 coat a month).
ZFX:
If you got ZFX instead of Z1 (you only need one or the other NOT both), then take about one ounce of polish and pour it in one of the bottles (One bottle = 2 ounces, so 1/2 bottle = 1 ounce). Add about 5 drops to it and shake it for a minute or two, then let it sit 5 minutes. Take your Z6 and give your applicator a couple shots, then apply the polish to your pad, and squeeze it around so iot gets distributed. Make sure to rub it in an up and down or left to right motion, never in circles.
The benefit of ZFX is that you can do multiple coats at a time, with Z1 you have to wait until the polish "cures" (about 24 hours). If you are NOT going to put on multiple coats in one day, then you only need to use ZFX/Polish mix once, and just use polish after that. (It works just like Z1 with it only being needed every 5-6 polishes or once every 6 months).

If you used Z1, then take the pad and squeeze Z2/Z5 on it, and begin rubbing in up and down or left to right motions. Do this until the entire car is done. Let it sit about 15-30 minutes or until it is hazed over, and then buff off.
If you used ZFX with the polishes, then apply it to your paint surfaces (and rims if you did them), and the area you started at will be dry by the time you're done with the car, so you can go ahead and buff it off. You won't need to put any kind of pressure into it, it will basically wipe right off. (Make sure to use good towels)!

After you've buffed the polish off, take the spray bottle of Z6 and mist one panel of the car at a time, and buff it. You can use one side of a towel to "buff it in" and use the other side of the towel to make sure it is dry.
If you're using ZFX then you SHOULD do this between each coat. If you're not, you can use this whenever you want, but try not to wait too long after you buff the polish off.

Good luck, if you have anymore questions, post or click the email button.

The Sandman

[Shirl]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[The Sandman]

How did your Zaino'ing go Shirl [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Shirl]

Hey! Used it, but I'm really not sure on the results. I can still see the fine scratches in the clearcoat (my car's black). I used the scratch filler about 5 times now. Followed the directions and applied with a soft cloth and a back and forth motion. It looks better than it did, but the scratches are still there. Is there anything I should be doing??

[The Sandman]

If you used ZFX then you should have no problem, unless the scratches are simply too big to fill.
Make sure you Z6 the car between each coat too [img]smile.gif[/img]
By the way, if the only times you notice your swirls badly is in direct sunlight, then you are fine. That's just the way cars are made now.
If you applied with a "soft cloth" them you may be shooting yourself in the foot and undoing everything that you just did. Make sure you use the applicator that came with your Zaino, you should have gotten one. If not, talk to the person you ordered from. Also, the towel you buff with is KEY

[QuicksilverRS]

Sorry to burst your bubble and I'm sure I'll get a lot of complaints on this, but I've used Zaino before and don't get me wrong it's a good product. I just don't "get it." It's not that fantastic. In fact I'd be willing to say that Meguiers is at least as good at like 1/3 the price.

I recently used their three step wax and it took all my little hairline scratches out and the car looks as if the paint is from the showroom. That's saying alot for a 6 year old car. Sorry your Zaino didn't work well, once you run out of all the products give Meguiers a try. You might like it. Good Luck!

Ryan

[Backfire]

The towels are very important, especially on a black car. I have read numerous posts by people who didn't believe that buying the high dollar towels made a difference. They were dissappointed with Zaino because of it. After being persuaded to try a better towel, many saw a reduction in the swirls they were seeing. The towel was putting in new marks while the Z5 was filling the old ones. As a suggestion, you can get the top of the line Fieldcrest towels, the Charismas, for about $10 from Fieldcrest direct. Those towels normally go for near $30 in stores. They are irregulars, but you should be cutting the seams off anyways so who cares!! The towel advice applies to any polish. A good towel will let the polish do its job without causing additional problems.

But also be realistic about Z5, it can't work miracles. If it's a decent scratch, you will see it regardless, and an abrasive is probably your best solution. I have seen a definite reduction in the spiderweb effect. You can still see some when looking in direct sunlight, but there is atleast a 75% reduction from before I used Zaino.

And I think the cost issue is closer than many think. The cost per bottle is higher with Zaino, but you can get more coats per bottle with Zaino than with waxes. I can get about 4 coats out of an ounce. That is 30 coats a bottle. I never got anywhere near that when I used Mequiars. And if you are using a singel step wax like gold class, you should compare it to a simpler Zaino setup. A bottle of Z2 and Z1 cost $22. Gold Class should cost around $10-12 and you won't get anywhere near 30 coats from it.

[The Sandman]

QuicksilverRS: sorry to bust YOUR bubble, but the problem isn't with the product it's with the user. I'm sure if you followed the steps correctly and used all the proper methods and materials, you'd take back what you said. Everyone who has ever "bashed" Zaino, turned out the problem was with the user.

Anything can give you a short shine. If all you want is a good shine then why don't you get a bottle of pledge and pretend your car is a piece of wood? It'll look good for a day :rolleyes:
Zaino is a long lasting protectant, it just has the best shine by coincidence [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[v6maro]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by The Sandman:
Here we go...

Try to do all of this in the shade, or in a garage. The key to the polish is to apply it VERY VERY thin, it's not like wax. You can get 2-3 layers per ounce, some people get more. If you can barely see it on the car (esp. black), then you're on the right track.

Wash the car with dish detergent first, this way all the wax that was on the car will be stripped off. Make sure to wash it very well.

Take your claybar and put some sort of car soap and water mix in a spray bottle to lube the claybar (you can also use the dish detergent/water mix you washed your car with). I've found that if you only use one side of the claybar, and then fold it over, you will always have a clean bar. Make sure to fold it before it gets dirty, or you can scratch your car. (You can also do your rims).

Wash your car again with the Z7 you got. Make SURE you dry it VERY well (including all the knooks and crannies and cracks). Use an Absorber or a 100% PURE cotton towel, not one of these cheap towels you can get at Wal-Mart. You have to get the best towels from a specialty shop, like Bath and Body Works. I use Royal Velvet brand. (You can also go to www.ls1.com and go into the appearance forum and email KevinSS about purchasing towels, I got mine from him).

Z1:
After the car is washed, clayed, and dried, take your Z1 and apply it to the entire surface of your car (rims too if you're doing them). Whatever you do, do NOT buff this off. You are going to apply the polish directly on top.
You don't need to do this everytime you apply your polish, just every 5-6 times to keep it well layered, or every 6 months (IE 1 coat a month).
ZFX:
If you got ZFX instead of Z1 (you only need one or the other NOT both), then take about one ounce of polish and pour it in one of the bottles (One bottle = 2 ounces, so 1/2 bottle = 1 ounce). Add about 5 drops to it and shake it for a minute or two, then let it sit 5 minutes. Take your Z6 and give your applicator a couple shots, then apply the polish to your pad, and squeeze it around so iot gets distributed. Make sure to rub it in an up and down or left to right motion, never in circles.
The benefit of ZFX is that you can do multiple coats at a time, with Z1 you have to wait until the polish "cures" (about 24 hours). If you are NOT going to put on multiple coats in one day, then you only need to use ZFX/Polish mix once, and just use polish after that. (It works just like Z1 with it only being needed every 5-6 polishes or once every 6 months).

If you used Z1, then take the pad and squeeze Z2/Z5 on it, and begin rubbing in up and down or left to right motions. Do this until the entire car is done. Let it sit about 15-30 minutes or until it is hazed over, and then buff off.
If you used ZFX with the polishes, then apply it to your paint surfaces (and rims if you did them), and the area you started at will be dry by the time you're done with the car, so you can go ahead and buff it off. You won't need to put any kind of pressure into it, it will basically wipe right off. (Make sure to use good towels)!

After you've buffed the polish off, take the spray bottle of Z6 and mist one panel of the car at a time, and buff it. You can use one side of a towel to "buff it in" and use the other side of the towel to make sure it is dry.
If you're using ZFX then you SHOULD do this between each coat. If you're not, you can use this whenever you want, but try not to wait too long after you buff the polish off.

Good luck, if you have anymore questions, post or click the email button.

The Sandman<hr></blockquote>


All I have to say is, wax on, wax off.

:D

I have seen the "correct" process fo zaino compared to the miguires 3 step, no difference, just use some miguires scratch-x and it's the same ****. Zaino just costs more and sounds cooler. Big deal, waste of bling bling.
Personally, i'd rather use the gold class, then some scratch-x, and have the same exact results.
-Steve
*if you flame, your lame, it's an opinion*

[The Sandman]

Nobody is flaming here. This is just an info thread. Zaino is the best, and if you don't know that I can't help you.. all I can do is try to help.

[Backfire]

If you are using multiple Meguiar's products, like the three step system, or Scratch-X with Gold Class, then the cost argument is pretty pointless. Like I said before, Z1+Z2 or Z1+Z5 will give you atleast as good if not better appearance, longer life, and less work. And the cost will only be a little more than Meguiars and the bottles will last longer.

I think the problem with some people's impressions of Zaino is they think it is necessary to apply a zillion coats to get results. That is not true. Nuts like myself put countless coats on since the results keep improving, but the finish looks fantastic after just one or two. And it will last much longer than any wax. As an example, I applied two coats of Z2 to my father's Accord before I left for college last year. I came back six months later. The car is parked outside near an large commercial airport and construction area most days under the Texas sun(i.e. intense sunlight). It had not been washed since I first applied Zaino. Water still beaded up; after the wash the finish was still buttery smooth and glossy. That is not possible with Meguiar's. I was a Mequiars user for a number of years before Zaino, both the 3 Step and Gold Class. My car looks much better now than it ever did with Meguiars. If you used both and still feel Mequiar's is better, more power to you. But if you haven't tried it, I would suggest you do before you attack it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[The Sandman]

Thanks for the support. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Shirl]

I appreciate everyone's input on this topic. Here is the issue: I have a SHOW car. It is not driven daily. The paint is NEAR perfect except for the fact that it is black and there are hairline scratches in the paint. After about 6 coats of the ZFX Scratch filler I am finally seeing some results. It IS working. I have been doing this on and off for about 3 days now. I just hope that I don't have to apply that many coats to fill scratches every time I wash it. I've used Duragloss for the 6 years that I've owned the car and am pleased with that product because it is a cleaner AND polish. Someone mentioned using the correct towel to wipe with. I use a felt-type cloth (don't know what it's called) but it's softer than a towel. They seem to be fine. I will let you know the final results when I take the car out tomorrow. Sunlight tells all.

[The Sandman]

If you want to get the right kind of towels, you can email KevinSS of LS1.com Appearance forum. That is who I bought my towels from and he sells THE best.
Also, Zaino lasts forever. It doesn't wash off like waxes [img]smile.gif[/img]