Ok, I did a quick search and it seems that Zaino is pretty popular on this board.

I'm curious as to what color your car is, what products you use, and how you apply them.

Personally, I have an Anthracite Metallic car. I've had it less than a month so have yet to pull it in and do a detail on it. I just installed the OEM body kit today, so I'm thinking of doing the detail in the next week or two.

Here's what I've used for the past couple of years with great success on my previous car which was a black '99 Cougar:

Step 1 - Meguiars Body Scrub paint cleaner
Step 2 - One Grand Omega Glaze polish
Step 3 - One Grand Blitz wax

Steps 1 and 2 are applied to the vehicle using a Porter Cable 7424 dual action polisher equipped with Meguiars Soft Buff foam buffing pads.

Wax is applied by hand.

Everything is buffed off using microfiber towels by hand.

I've been pretty happy with the results. I'd like to see something that "beads" longer than the Blitz wax does. The finish is VERY impressive until two or three washes later.

How happy are you with your process?

 

Im getting a new 2004 TL soon and want to know what products to use.. I heard Zaino takes a lot longer to put on and take off and its very confusing and complicating.. People told me to get Zaino but one person told me that its a waste of time unless u really want to spend all the time and he told me to get some mothers clay and meguiars stuff.. I dont know what to use.. this will be my first time claying, waxing, polishing and etc..

 

I use all Meguiars products! After I got my new paintjob I waited four weeks then put Meguiars Pro series show car glaze on then a coat of Meguiars pro High tech yellow wax. The car looks great and is as smooth as glass. You really don’t need clay on a new car it's just for getting contaminants out of the paint (keep the clay around though) Usually a nice polish and a good coat of wax on a new car does the job.

 

I would say Zaino or Klasse. I have been using Klasse only because I was at first glance confused with all the different Zaino numbers and processes. I just wanted a nice looking car with the least amount of effort.

Zaino will give you better results, especially over any carnauba wax, not to mention lasting much longer. (same goes for klasse for lasting longer)

Klasse I would say is a second choice, for those who don't need the ultimate shine

Here's some shots I have taken which I think speak for themselves... (warning for 56k users, big pics)

These are shots of NSXNEXT's car from the Park Ave meet (major Zaino!):
http://www.acurainspired.com/gallery...album14&id=abd
http://www.acurainspired.com/gallery...album14&id=abe
http://www.acurainspired.com/gallery...album14&id=abs

Here is a shot of my old car with Klasse on the trunk:
http://www.acurainspired.com/gallery...album10&id=aak
http://www.acurainspired.com/gallery...album10&id=aal


Hope that helps

-copland007

 

I've got an '02 WDP TL-S and started using Zaino from the start. It was my first exposure to it. I am, as a rule, wary of forum recommendations, but this stuff works great and lasts better than any other product I've ever used.

One measure I have of this is the staying power it has on my windshield. Yes, I use it on all the glass and chrome as well. My windshield repels water to the point of hardly needing the wipers in even the heaviest of downpours. And this effect lasts for months, even in the wiper swiped areas. It also seems to prevent wiper "chatter", since that has never been a problem despite them being a over a year old now. The car is also a breeze to wash, as even the soapy, dirty wash water beads up. Lastly, my exhaust tips still have a mirror finish as the zaino makes the soot and grime wipe off effortlessly.

The kicker was an article I read attesting to the durability of zaino. In this review (sorry, lost the link), some dude did a test on a weathered old red hood he had sitting in his back yard. He divided the hood into four quadrants and tested 4 different products against one another for shine and durability. After treatment, he let the hood sit in the sun and weather for several weeks. Zaino easily outlasted the other products. I also recall McGuire's was the LEAST durable of the four. It's hard to refute an image showing only one quadrant in four still a glossy red.

Zaino was not hard for me to use at all. I think some peep's application problems come from applying the Z1 too thickly. Don't do that! If you read and follow the directions, you should have no problems. Also look at the tip sheet. A search of this forum will turn up some nice instructions specific for your car and needs.

Good luck,
eCo
________
'02 WDP TL-S
OBX headers
OEM body kit
WW spoiler

 

You have a great process now, excellent choice of products, and should get great results.

I use Zaino mainly because of ease of use and ease of maintainance. It is easier to apply and "buff" off than a wax, lasts a long time, and most importantly in a Minnesota winter... crud does not adhere to the Zaino as firmly as it does to a wax or to the first version of Blackfire (I have not tried the improved BF).

For appearance on my ABP I liked the look of wax (Meguir's #26) or Blackfire better than Z2 - because the wax deepens the color a bit. Several coats of Z5 also deepen the color a bit though, and once again... it is easier to use and easier to maintain.

Applying and removing Zaino is less time and effort than washing and drying the car.

 

I dont know if you know this but most freshly painted cars are not suppose to be waxed or polished or washed with a high pressure washer for 60 to 90 days because the paint is still curing and harndening and needs to breathe

 

when i had my bumpers painted, they said to wait 4 weeks...they said the paint will cure in about 3 weeks, but wait a month to be safe.

as for polish, i just started using zaino after i got my black car, and yes it works great! just wish i had more spare time to put on more coats!

 

bozzchem
sounds like you're routine is right on. I tried Zaino when I first got my car. I liked it and it was very easy to apply and buff, but I like the reslults from waxing better than polishing. I always thought a wax provides better protection than a polish. I read the stuff on Griot's garage and they seem to agree. Polish for shine then wax for protection adn more shine. People here love Zaino, people on the Audi board love the one grand blitz stuff and 3M imperial hand glaze before hand to hide swirl marks.

 

Damn Never Knew that.. So when I buy the new 2004 TL I cant wash the car, wax, polish or anything to it for 2-3 months? YOU KIDDING ME??

Im new to this detailing craze and want to use meguiars as it will be easier and less time consuming.. Any tips from anyone on which products I should use to wax, polish, clay, wash, clean, QD, and etc and any tips on how to avoid scratching the car? THANKS!

 

there are many great products out there. I reccomend checking out griots They have some great info adn great products. All the stuff peple mentioned here are good...Zaino, One grand blitz, Meguiar's, 3M, Griot's. I am lazy, so use Meguiar's since I can get it at autozone...when I ndfeel like mail ordering and speing a few more $$$, I use griot's stuff. Just stay away from produtcs that claim to do too much...i.e. cleaner waxes. I am not a detailing fanatic and I have a silver car. So i don't both with the swirl removing step. But the order in which you would want to do things is wash, dry, clay, polish, wax. Remember with clay you need a lubricant or else the clay will be draggin particles across your paint and scratching it. Griot's spped shine work well with Clay and so does Meguiar's quick detailer. Good luck.

 

You only need to wait 30 days on the factory paint job, 2-3 months on a repainted area.

NBP car and I use Zaino - love it, easy to use, excellent results, outlasts wax (that starts to evaporate at 170-180 degrees, not hard to hit that in the sun)

 

Here's a link for a test comparing Zaino, Zymol, and Meguiar's Gold Class. This isn't the test I saw originally, but the results are the same. Zaino is clearly more durable than the competition.

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

eCo

 

The only people that can't figure out how to use Zaino are morons. Really.

 

I used to use Meguiar's Gold Class. It had a nice shine but only lasted a couple of weeks.

I then switched to Zaino and will never use anything else. It is great and easy to use. I don't know where people read all the crap that it is too difficult to use or takes too long. That's all BS.

 

here is a good piece of literature about detailing. Consider the source, they sell detailing products. Not just one product...many products. link

 

"You really don’t need clay on a new car it's just for getting contaminants out of the paint"

I definitely disagree. My car was nasty when I took delivery, even though it looked clean, the clay bar took off tons of cr@p. Since most cars are transported on trucks or train to get them to the dealer, theres lots of contaminents on them already. Definitely the first thing i'd do to the car.

 

Who has the best price on Zaino products? This year I will switch over from my Meguiar's to Zaino.

 

i don't do any wax coz i am lazy and my car has diamond kote clearcoat protectant...which shines all the time and do not require any waxing...

but i recommend melguiar's....they are pretty gd

 

as far as I know, you buy fomr them direct.

Zaino

 

FYI,

I have a 2002 CLS with about 10 coats of Zaino......I'm not that impressed, doesn't seem any better then Turttle Wax...seems like it doesn't last long either......just my $02 of course.

 

Guys, I became a Zaino convert too. It all started with the Corvette website I go to. I said "oh no, another best wax!", but every site I went to whether American or Japanese or European said much the same over Zaino. I bought some and it is great. If you want more shine do more coats but that is up to you. They now make a new product ZFX used to speed drying and is easier than ever. Claybarring makes your car feel so smooth that you won't believe it and the yellow bar turned black from the junk in my new car, very worthwhile. You can charge your Zaino with a credit card from Eckler's Corvette parts(do search)
making it very convenient. This way you don't have to send out a check or locate a sales rep. Quickrick . p.s Zaino comes off easy and best thing is how it doesn't load up in seems with white powder, neat!

 

that is a nice feature to Zaino...no white powder residue. Waxing will leave this behind unless you are very meticulous about the trim. I always find spots later on down the line where I missed the trim or just couldn't seem to get into a space to buff out the wax. So there is no doubt using Zaino is easier. So if you want the loweestwork detailing solution..it's tough to beat Zaino. I still have gottem better results from waxing though. I don't minf getting a workout.

 

I think Klasse is easier than Zaino IMO

 

Yeah, but it trashes your transmission.

eCo

 

ROTFLMAO :p