I'm sending this to one of the member in a PM thought I might post it here as well. Please disregard if it's a repeat.

You will need these Zaino products;

ZFX - fast curing agent for polish (you can skip this if you want to wait longer in drying/curing times per coat)
Z2 - Car polish
Z5 - Polish for scratches and swirls (you can skip this if you do not have scratches and swirls)
Z6 - Gloss enhancer.
Z7 - Car wash Shampoo
Clay Bar - You can also buy from Walmart or local auto parts store for cheaper

1. Strip previous wax - (15-20 mins)
What you need to do is strip any other wax you have before you begin. To do this, wash with Dawn (Blue) and water twice with one rinse in between. DO NOT dry car as yet.

2. Clay Bar (20-25 mins)
Mix water with Z7 in a spray bottle and then spray on 6" x 6" area to lubricate and move clay bar on it till all the contamination are picked up and the area is as slick as it can be. You will know this when the clay moves smoothly on the surface. Do all the car with this process.

3. Wash Car (10 mins)
Wash car again with water and 4-5 caps full of Z7.

4. Dry Car (10 mins)
Dry with leaf blower to blow water from out of behind mirror, license plates, grill, trunk and doors. Use 100% white cotton towels to dry remaining water left behind. Do not let water evaporate since it will leave water spots.

5. Apply Polish (10-20 mins)
Now you need to prepare polish by adding ZFX if you want to reduce on waiting time for curing. Add 4-5 drops per oz. of Z2. Shake well in the bottle it came with for 3 mins. Keep aside and get your towels, applicator etc. now shake the bottle one more time for 1 min and squirt a dime size on the applicator it came with. Fold applicator to spread polish on it. Put it on the car paint and apply VERY THIN coat. Do not apply more, you do not need it. Apply to whole car and wait for 30 mins for it to cure. More if you have not added the ZFX.

6. Buff off Polish (10-15 mins)
Buff off polish with cotton towel. Keep on folding towel to remove polish off.

7. Enhance Gloss - (10-15 mins)
Spray a squirt of Z6 on 1'x1' area and buff off with cotton towel.

You can do multiple coats by repeating steps 5 to 7 by switching to Z5 in between. This can be done immediately after step 7.

VERY IMPORTANT: While washing, drying, polishing, buffing always use back and forth motions on trunk, hood and top and up and down on sides. NO ROTATIONS AT ALL.

 

There is already a complete Zaino process in the Common Topics & Questions.

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74255

 

Ah! I thought so. I looked for it but could not find it.

 

Awesome... will add your thread into Garage for other TL'rs to view.

 

Added to FAQ's

 

this is nice and simplified, please do put in garage for future uses

 

The "no rotations" part is important. It will reduce the appearance of swirl marks. They will still be there. You just can't really see them.

 

Hello,

This link appears to no longer be working. Are there any updates?

 

It does not matter if you use a rotational motion or a back and forth motion. I'll repeat. It does not matter if you use a rotational motion or a back and forth motion. If you are putting swirls and scratches in your finish then you are using the wrong product or you are using poor technique. Anyways, you should stop what you are doing and reevaluate your process. I use both types of motion and have no issues with swirls or scratches. The right product for your application applied with proper technique will never hurt your paint.

 

I first want to say thanks for taking the time to put together this "Zaino FAQ". I do not use Zaino or really dislike it but I keep reading about certain techniques that I feel are not necessary or may even be harmful to auto paint.

I think it is general knowledge that Dawn dish soap should be only used on soiled dishes. This is a high alkaline soap that is designed to break up grease and oil. Using Dawn is no guarantee that all of the wax will be removed. It will definitely remove important oils from the auto paint. These oils are necessary for a deep wet looking finish. With the oils removed one may see a highly reflective paint surface but it will have little depth and richness. A good paint cleaner used with a random orbital polisher (ROP) will strip the old wax, correct swirls/scratches, and prep the paint for polishing and a last step protectant wax or synthetic.

I'm also curious how someone can wash, polish, etc. a car in 15-20 minutes. I have a very good wash procedure and I will never be able to properly wash or polish a car in that period of time. I also own a small 2Dr Civic. I would be interested in watching this process in action. I would love to save 60-75min off my normal wash time.

It really does not matter what direction you use to wash, clean, polish, or wipe off product. If this happens then Stop what you are doing and reevaluate the product you are using and the application it is being used for. Auto paint is not wood.

Good luck and happy detailing!

 

You are right SweetJazz, however, I was following most of the instructions from Zaino web site, also, you've to wash it with dawn only when you want to strip all polish and redo. Other times you have to wash with Z7 car soap/shampoo. By calculating how long Zaino last (about 6-8 months), I think it will not be more than 15-20 times max during the ownership of the car (10 years), and I think it will not hurt the paint if you are covering it with polish right after.

Each step is 15-20 mins not the whole process. If I'm not doing the all over and doing only washing it takes me about 45 mins to 1 hour from wheels, body washing and drying. But just to rinse or just to wash why would it take more than 15-20 mins?

It sure does, when you touch paint with anything it is going to do marring and micro scratching. If you follow up-down and right-left rule you will get the minimum swirls. I think you have a white or light color car so you have not seen much swirls. Just a guess.

ANyway, this is what I do you have every right to differ and use your own method.

And yes happy detailing!

 

[QUOTE=JoganJani]
It sure does, when you touch paint with anything it is going to do marring and micro scratching. If you follow up-down and right-left rule you will get the minimum swirls. I think you have a white or light color car so you have not seen much swirls. Just a guess.[QUOTE]

Actually, the reason I have very few swirls has nothing to do with the color. I'm super anal when it comes to my car so I treat my light colored car as if it were painted black. If you use proper techniques with the right products you are not going to scratch the paint such that it is easily visible. Eventually, after a period of time, it is inevitable that a few scratches appear. That is the reality of keeping a car looking good all the time. However, using a up/down, left/right, or circular motion will make no difference. I tend to use left/right motions only because it is easier on my shoulders and arms. I have tried them all and I have observed no difference.

 

I have been using this process since my 03 TL, and now with my 06 ASM. Zaino has added some new products may be time to update the process. Thanks for the procedure as it makes the ASM look sweet .

Zaino Show Car Polish Releases Z-CS Clear Seal

NEWS: Zaino Show Car Polish Releases Zaino Z-AIO ALL-IN-ONE Cleaner Polish and Protectant

 

Polish /Wax / Polymer Directional Application:
What makes a scratch visible is the way light reflects from its microscopic peaks and valley’s are two-dimensional and the light reflects from them differently from the rest of the paint surface. The reasoning behind hand polishing in one direction only is that unlike a machine polisher the pressure applied is not consistent, especially if you polish using circular motions. The inconsistent abraded pattern (swirls) causes light to reflect unevenly thereby highlighting the abrasions or scratches

Order of product application- hood- roof-trunk from front to back and, where practical, the quarter panels- door panels- and bumpers from top to bottom. Washing, claying and waxing that way has to do with the way light reflects off the body panels and is also less likely to show the surface marring that you will invariably make.

• Polishes- these products contain abrasives and should be applied in straight-line motions (Forget what Mr. Miyagi was teaching the Karate Kid) circular motions will cause circular directional marks (swirl marks) When an abrasive is applied by hand the pressure applied is uneven and the reflected light highlights the peaks and valleys differently.

• Polymer sealant, Glaze or Wax- these products are all non-abrasive so direction of application won’t cause directional marks to the surface.

•Machine application - when you abrade an area with a machine and a foam pad these abrasions form a uniform pattern (the machine /foam pad applies an even and consistent pressure) and light reflects from its surface evenly without any two-dimensional reflectance.

•Optimising light refraction - apply product in ‘direction of airflow’, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising the surface light refraction and the reflectivity of the bodylines and contours of the vehicle

 

can i use an orbital like a porter cable to buff?

 

If you're referring to product removal, the answer is yes. Use a MF bonnet and set the speed at 3-4. I usually hand buff then follow with the PC. If you're asking about Zaino, here's an excerpt from David Bynum's article or you can read it in its entirety here.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't using Z5 after applying Z2 will strip whatever you just applied? My impression is Z5 is a polish/swirl remover and has cleaning abilities, and Z2 is a sealant.

 

It is a polish, but not in the context you're thinking of. Z-5 is non abrasive and contains fillers to hide imperfections while providing gloss and reflectivity.

 

Aha, thanks for clearing that up Hawhyen.

 

Unfortunately, this link is now a sales pitch for Ultima Paint Gaurd Plus. I haven't been able to find the correct link.

 

Looks like the acura-tl.com domain got

 

At the time of the post (#16), it was still a valid link. I guess the previous article about Zaino was removed and replaced with the new article when the Ultima line was introduced. If I remember correctly, the excerpt was the only mention of applying Z-2 and Z-5 using a PC.

 

Understood, thanks Hawhyen!

 

ReD-BaRoN, I don't know if you read this thread titled Zaino 101: Confessions of A 1st Timer but it's a very detailed review of the entire process. Maybe it'll offer you some info you can use.

 

Nice, thanks!