narnia

I don't have the time to do the Zaino thing, but I would like to apply a coat of wax when I get my car (Anthracite).

Can anyone recommend something that can go on in hopefully one coat (or two if I can bribe my son to help)?

How soon after I take delivery should I wax? Is showroom clean good enough or should I wash it first?

copter

http://www.meguiars.com/




enough said!

automophile

Don't be foolish. It takes less time to do Zaino than any wax.

The difference is if you want to do it RIGHT or want to do it QUICK.

If you want to do it RIGHT, the pre-wash, the clay, etc. should be done the SAME for wax as for Zaino. The difference here is that people that do Zaino seem to care more to get the BEST results.

However, if you are only interested in QUICK protection, you can put on a coat of Zaino Z2 +ZFX MUCH FASTER than a coat of wax. It is a LOT easier, and you don't need a machine to do it. It is litteraly wipe on, wipe off. NO RUBBING.

When you have the time, you can do it the GOOD way.

There is NO REASON not to Zaino. Even with the quickie job, you will get better protection and a better shine. The cost per polishing is also lower, since you will use only an ounce or so.

Sparky

Regardless of what you've read on this board, you *don't* need to do a ninety step process.

Zaino is the easiest stuff to apply and take off. And it looks the best. Period.

rets

automophile,

Thanks for your info. I may try this way to quickly shine my 04TL since it's hard to have this luxury time to zaino completely and enjoy its shining exterior more than a day in where I live.




To copter, in another thread, you ever said 04TL should have hand wash instead of any other ways. I agree, but I won't be able to do it weekly unless moving back to LA.

TheNip73

What is this Zaino stuff I keep reading about on the forum? It is everywhere. Is it THAT good? I curerently use 3M products, as I was an intern there and got stuff for damn near free... but those days are over now.

mrtech

Can you just use the Z2 (after the dawn wash) and get it over with? Do you still need the ZFX if it is going to be a single coat application (say next app is in a month or so)? I know it will not be the showroom shine but just trying to see if the Zaino will be better than meguire in this type of application.

SK2003TypeS

narnia,
if you don't want to try the Zaino line, I'd go with the Meguiars line. They're releasing their new NXT line in the beginning of February which looks interesting.
I'm a Zaino user and love it. It is very durable, not an over involved process as everyone makes it out to be. It's a sealant as opposed to a wax. If you compare it to a carnuba wax, Zaino will out last it in durabilty provided the car goes through the same environment, weather, variables, etc. I did about 5 or 6 coats of Zaino in early September and it's still holding strong.

mrtech, I would do the first coat with ZFX or Z1. I've only used straight Z2 and Z5 after an initial coat with ZFX. After you do a coat of Z2 or Z5 with ZFX, you can go like 8 or 10 coats after that with just Z2 or Z5 if you want to. I've used straight Z2 on glass with great success. It's kinda kool to watch the water flow off of the windshield when it rains.

Also, no matter how new your car is, I'd still do a clay process.
Good luck guyz

Yaaro Dhana

I used the Einszett Glanz wax on my Anthracite TL when the temperature was around 50 rather than the -15 crap we had late last week. Quite pleased with the results. It goes on and off quite easily.

Another option instead of Zaino is Klasse All-In-One (AIO) and Klasse Sealant Glaze (SG). They are polymer based and supposedly offer long-lasting protection.

If you look at www.autopia.org, you can find a whole lot of information, including a free "e-book" about car detailing.

technogeek

I used Meguiar's Gold liquid on my TL. The dealer did some wax on it during prep, but I still waxed it again about 2 weeks after delivery on the first HAND wash.

I checked out the Zaino web site, and may try it. From the comments here it must really be terrific stuff. However, I didn't want to wait for the Internet order. I checked local stores, no one carried the stuff. It seems the only way to get the stuff is on-line. Zaino's distribution really SUCKs. Can they say convenience of retail?

I went to Discount Auto Parts and got what seemed the best wax they had, and what the clerk suggested.

I'm pretty pleased with the results. It's hard to tell without seeing the Zaino thing, but the car definitely shines like a mirror, and it was pretty easy to use. While on with the sponge applicator provided, let dry, and wipe off with terry cloth towel. No hard buffing or rubbing needed.

As suggested on some other posts here I also waxed the clear coated wheels as well. I'll see if it helps with brake crud. The car had about 300 miles and the front wheels already had a lot of sticky black brake crud. Hopefully this diminishes some as the brakes wear as was suggested in other posts.

You can check out a picture of the car in my Gallery. I've yet to figure out how to post an image in a post. It seems simple enough, only my pix never show up.

mattlana

I guess it is my time to get flamed. I use the same stuff I use on my boat called Nautical Ease Ultimate Polish (or soething like that) www.nauticalease.com/. I have been using it on my last 4 cars with great success. It is easy to apply and lasts about a year. The shine is deep and smooth and if the stuff can bead up salt water on my boat, road salt and grime doesn't stand a chance. Check out the site and try it on an older car or boat before you scream at me.

I know this is gonna hurt!

vandy786

I've been using Klasse All In One for the last 31 months on this car. I wax it around every two months and spend about 30 minutes each time. I always wash the car before putting it on. THis stuff is also pretty good on the windshield, so I never need my wipers in the rain. It's expensive initially ($25) but I'm still on my first bottle (which is over 2.5 years old). LOL. Pics here:

godfreyl

I have also tried Klasse All-In-One and it seems to work real well. Very easy to apply and remove and is supposed to last very well. I used Zaino on my previous car. It looked great but was not very easy to apply and did not last very long.

shingles

Zaino does not take a lot of time... infact it is much easy to apply and remove than most wax products... on top of that it lasts much longer than most wax products. So in a span of a year, you actually would have spent less time...

vandy786

I wax every two months to make my car look like above ALL THE TIME. Sure I've gone 4 months before and the wax is still good on the car. Also, washing takes no more than 30 minutes ever since I started using Klasse. A lot of times I don't even need the soap and the dust and grime just washes clean with water. This is due to the layers of wax I have accumulated over the years. I have nothing bad to say about Klasse. This forum and many others all over the internet are very big on Zaino. Although I want to try it out some day, I have found no reason to switch from Klasse. Also, the fact that the same medium sized bottle has lasted me ~2.5 years and I still have about half left hasn't allowed me to experiment. So I said, if it ain't broke why fix it?

Monte TLS,MAX

I use Zymbol and it has been giving my cars a nice shine for years and its easy to use.

Z Factor

For non Zaino users who like wax instead, here is a current poll from a Vette enthusiast site as to what they prefer to use.

Select a link to place your vote or, add a new choice.

Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax (45%, 25 votes)

Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Paste (23%, 13 votes)

Liquid Glass (7%, 4 votes)

"IBIZ World Class Car Wax" and "IBIZ Waterless Wash & Wax Protectant" (5%, 3 votes)

Zymol (3%, 2 votes)

Perfect-It Show Car Paste Wax (1%, 1 votes)

Turtle Wax (1%, 1 votes)

Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wax (1%, 1 votes)

Formula 113 (1%, 1 votes)

Armor All Paste Wax (1%, 1 votes)

Final Detail (1%, 1 votes)

P21S Carnauba Wax (0%, 0 votes)

Blitz Wax (0%, 0 votes)

Zymol Atlantique Glaze (0%, 0 votes)

Eagle One Wax (0%, 0 votes)

(53 total votes)

There are of course other synthetics as well.

Hope this helps you to decide

vtechbrain

The easiest wax to use is New Finish. Cheap orange stuff. It is also the longest lasting. Megiars is also good but doesn't last as long. Zymol is a piece of crap and is very expensive.

vtechbrain

Sorry got interrupted, I've used just about everything but always return to the cheap orange bottle. I wouldn't use a multi step product they are a pain in the *ss and non has proven to be superior. All these zaino guys live in california where it hardly rains anyway. The real test is up here in the boonies where rain, snow, salt and grime are a way of life and you have to wash your car whether it is snowing or not just to reduce it's salt content! I use it in spring and fall and it beads strongly the whole year. It gives a fine shine also , although not as deep as some other products like meguiars it is much longer lasting. If you want it to look very deep you have to do 2 coats.

manteuffel

I've been told that I should wait for a month before I start using polishes and other stuff on your car. The paint needs to cure under sunlight.
Is this correct?
I just wash mine, but no polishing yet.

G.

vtechbrain

Use wax whenever you want. There is no need to wait for paint curing anymore.

manteuffel

good to know then. I will polish it after I wash it this Saturday.

G.

automophile

1. NO CURE IS NEEDED - Our paints are laquers and are fully cured before they hit the dealer.

2. ZAINO QUESTION 1 - Zaino needs a "primer" to properly stick to the paint. The Old way was to use Z-1 primer twice a year before the polish.

Now Zaino has ZFX, a primer and accelerator. You mix a few drops with 1-2 oz. polish and it allows you to Zaino in one fast step (15-20 minutes) and it also cures the polymer instantly so that you can apply up to 3 coats in one day if you want.

3. ZAINO QUESTION 2 - YES - it is that good. Zaino is a polymer, not a wax. It doesn't crack and biodegrade like wax, it does not dissolve like wax, it is slipperier, it lasts longer and it is shinier. It was designed for show cars, and has been around for years.

Here's our TSX - about 4 months after I Zaino'd it in July. It is outside 24/7, and still looks like I just polished it.

Yaaro Dhana

automophile,

The TSX looks unbelievably sharp! Dare I say, even better than your TL !

vtechbrain

Um the first polymer in the market was new finish. Doesnt need any primer. And my TL is just as shiny as that TSX and cost me 5bucks for the bottle!

automophile

It's OK, you can use nufinish if you want. The polish tests show what is best.

zeicht

try ZYMOL! check out the review at: http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html

bezztl

Folks,
I've been reading the posts on waxing, very informative. I am kinda new to car waxing. Do not really know all the steps involved and I need your help. Although it seems to be a pretty simple process, could someone please list the steps involved for waxing, starting with a car wash. I am pretty convinced Zaino is the best stuff around and I plan to use it. I havent actually waxed my until now. Got one at a car war wash once. I usually spend about 2 hours every fornight taking care of my car.
03 TL type S Nighthawk Black Pearl 5 months old

Z Factor

No offense Vtechbrain, but there is a reason it cost $5.00 a bottle. Although rated highly by non enthusiasts like Consumer Magazines, it is not the best for good finishes. It does work pretty well for cars that have lost or have a degraded clear coat (or ones that never had it to begin with).

Without getting to technical, old paint that has lost it's luster due to years of sun, neglect, etc., and needs to be have the emollients restored. Nu Finish does this the cheap and easy way with petroleum distillates (PD's) which is not the best thing for good conditioned or new paint/clearcoats. The PD's also provide the long lasting water beading which Nu Finish touts as proof of it's superior staying power. Naturally oil based products will repel/not mix with water, hence the water beading. All good synthetic polishes and natural waxes achieve this so called barometer of visual protection, but they typically do not use PD's to achieve it. Therefore, especially with waxes, they tend to lose this ability much sooner, and therefore need to be applied more often.

So in conclusion, Nu Finish is not the best thing to use for modern/good finishes, but ok if the paint is already damaged, at least in the sense that it is quick, long lasting, and cheap. If you need to repaint someday anyway, you can use it as a bridge to that goal, but otherwise I would steer clear of using it.

Hope this helps clear up any confusion.

zipflint

I'm one of those believers in Zaino. I've been using it on my Corvette for the past year and it really *does* live up to the hype. Before Zaino, I'd used Meguiar's, Mothers, and Zymol. All are good products.
The big thing about Zaino is what you learn when you do your first application. Every Zaino user (myself included) will tell you that you should clay-bar the car before your first application. This is quite a time consuming and labor intensive process, but it's definately worth it. If you've *just* washed your car, and you go out and look at it, and you think it's "clean" you're only 1/2 right. Feel the finish. A truly "clean" car should feel like glass, or satin. Even a brand new, just-off-the-delivery-truck car has already had contaminants embedded in the finish, and you can feel that stuff. A clay bar will get rid of all that.
Now, in all honesty, I bet that once you clay bar your car, it doesn't really matter a whole helluvalot what kind of wax/sealant you use. If you're just waxing, and you want to keep it looking fantastic, you're going to need to reapply that wax about every three months, regardless of temperatures, in order to keep that shine.
Zaino is for fanatics that don't mind spending time with their car. If you just want a good wax, then Zymol or Mothers or Meguiars is probably 100% fine for you. I'm actually thinking of clay-baring my TL (once I get it, that is) and hitting it with Pinnacle or Liquid Glass this time, just to see how they are. I Zaino'd my parents huge black Dodge quad-cab a few weeks ago, and it is hands down the slickest looking ride in our little 'burg.
dang that turned into a long post!
zipflint
p.s.
another thing that I hope everyone is clear on.
Layers. You cannot layer a regular carnauba wax.
It just doesn't work. You apply the stuff, you wash
the car several times, and when it starts to look bad,
you wax it again. With a synthetic like Zaino, you can
keep adding layers, and it really *does* look better
with every layer. Of course, the law of diminishing returns
applys. My vette has about 8 layers of Zaino, and no, I can't
tell the difference between the 7th and 8th layers.
But it's added protection....at least that's what I tell
myself.

Z Factor

I also wanted to include this poll regarding strictly synthetics that fellow car enthusiasts use.

------------------------------------

Online Poll » Results

Select a link to place your vote or, add a new choice.


Zaino Car Polish (71%, 52 votes)

Klasse All-In-One (6%, 5 votes)

Blackfire Gloss Polish (4%, 3 votes)

Liquid Glass Polish (4%, 3 votes)

3M Perfect-It II Polish (2%, 2 votes)

Autoglym Super Resin Polish (1%, 1 votes)

MeguiarÂ’s Polymer Sealant (1%, 1 votes)

Mothers Reflections Premium Polish (1%, 1 votes)

ZYPRO (1%, 1 votes)

Finish First Polish (1%, 1 votes)

klass all-in-one (1%, 1 votes)

The Wax Shop Super Glaze (1%, 1 votes)

Meg's New N X T (1%, 1 votes)

(73 total votes)

dafunda

www.collinite.com ; 476S (right below the marquis which is imho, just a marketing gimmick that cost twice as much). i've yet to try zaino but this is the best i've used in the past 6 years. one can will last you quite a while. Requires some elbow grease as with all hardwaxes but is nevertheless very easy to wipe off.

zipflint

Hey Z Factor,
You a mod over at http://www.corvetteforum.com
too? Or just a user?
I don't post much over there and mostly just lurk in the C5 and C6 sections.
now....where's my wave smiley?


zipflint

Steven

When I got my 01 CLS I ordered and used the zaino products and found they required too much time. Then I tried zymol which made the car pretty but didn't last very long. Finally, I ended up trying TS Clearcoat and was happiest with that...great shine and long lasting in one step. Apparently its used mostly by detailing shops and not a commercial product. You can find more info here:
http://www.tsservices.com/cc.htm

mrtech

Trying out Nu-finish. It is a not wax based (synthetic/polymer). It is easy to apply and buff. Shine is good.

Swat Dude

Okay, all these guys are talking about cost for Zaino but now my curiousity is peaked. What is the minimum number of products from Zaino I need to polish my TL?

Will just the Z-2 for $12.95 work or do I need, clay, hardener, softener, visco elasto polymer booster, etc., etc. ?????

Z Factor

For your first application, you should follow all the recommended steps for best results. That would include a Dawn wash, then the clay (it doesn't have to be Zaino Clay), and another wash (can be standard car wash not Zaino). However, after that you will need the Zaino products to achieve the best results.

Good Luck


PS For those thinking of using Nu Finish, please read my post above regarding not using it on your new TL.




Please post topics like this into Wash & Wax forum in the future, thanks.

Edit by MOD rets