Hey Guys, is Klausse really that much easier to apply than Zaino? Also Zaino seems to be promoting this ZFX accelerator, I'm hesitant about anything that speeds up a chemical bond.

 

Just so you know, it is Klasse, not Klausse.

Don't know about Zanio, but Klasse is very easy to use.

 

I've never used Klasse, so I can't really comment on it.

I've used Zaino before, but even with ZFX it still takes a long time - however, I really did like the end result. The primary reason I go with Zaino is because of its longevity, especially to last through the long Canadian winters. The ZFX seems to work OK for me, and even though they say it can dry in as little as an hour, I seem to think I get better results the longer I let it set, especially the first coat. (Plus, Zaino seems to last forever, so until I exhaust my current supply I probably won't be trying anything else in terms of sealant, though I will try topping it with some waxes.)

 

From what I've read, Klasse is definitely easier to apply than Zaino, and has similar longevity, but I've never used. 1Z Glanz Wax is also easier to apply than Zaino, and I've used it and was left overall unimpressed. It's a nice product, but I much prefer the look of Zaino.

 

A few layers of Klasse SG will last for months and months (if you apply it properly, with good surface prep). The durability of that stuff is amazing.

 

i use nxt .. but that's the first synth wax i've ever used .. the tsx is my first brand new baby!

 

easier to apply? this is a loaded question with some people. to me, they are both "easy" to apply. its the removal and time consumption factor that is the real question here. while klasse aio remains a "one step" pruduct, just wipe on and wipe off, zanio can become alot more of a project for some. both zanio and sg deliver fantastic results but zanio is just what it is.....zanio. its 99.8 % optical clarity. paint prep must be right on target or zanio can be very unforgiving. where as klasse aio is a light polish and helps in hiding minor imperfections.

when applying sg and zanio side by side i've noticed that the sg side feels much slicker and enhances the shine much more. and as far as the zfx accelerator, sal should be ashamed of himself for charging that much for a bottle of it. but on the other hand i have no problem paying for it because it cuts down on the application time so much.

when i applied the sg and zanio on the same car (different sides) i noticed that after a few months of washings the sg side was still beading and repeled water during the washings much longer than the zanio side. and the surface area maintained its slickness and gloss or wet look.

take this for what it is....just my two cents. the great klasse/zanio debate will continue for centuries.

 

also as a side note, sal has just announced the release of a new and improved formula of z-2. he is calling it z-2 pro. he is claiming it has higher optical clarity values, longer durability and is much quicker and easier to use. he has kind of been slipstreaming into the market for a few months now and has just recently gone public with the news.

 

Hey TSXtc, This is the first time I've read that Klasse SG actually looks better then Zaino. Most threads say that both are great, Zaino is a little better, but Klasse is a lot easier overall to apply. I'm still debating, figure I have a month or two before the wax runs off on my car.

 

I think there are benefits to both. I'd do some reading at www.autopia.org and see what their experiences have been.

I know that Zaino tends to look more wet, but my experience is that it's a pain in the butt to use.

 

They have a different look, Zaino looks very glassy, almost mirror finished on some colors. It just reflects like crazy. From the products I've seen, that mirror finish look is unique to zaino, but it will at times make your paint look slightly "lighter" as so many objects are being reflected off your car. From what I've seen in pictures, Klasse provides more of a "wet" traditional wax look, it's really personal preference as to which is "better".

edit: Here's a good example of that Zaino look that can make your car look lighter colored: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/photos/blackta.htm

I personally like it, but that's a personal preference.

 

Exactly. I don't really think that one looks "better" than the other. Zanio gives you a bright shine and optical clarity. Klasse brings a warmer more "wet" look.

 

I've only used Zaino.... I'm might switch to something else after I run out of the stuff just to see the difference.

 

I inadvertently posted that Zaino gave the wet shine, when I meant to put "bright." It really does pop when you see a car waxed with Zaino.

 

I've yet to use klasse, but I couldn't imagine ANYTHING easier to use then zaino and NXT, I'm sure klasse is in that category, but all these products are very simple products.

 

I use NXT and am very happy with the results, so far.


lol, BTW its "poll" I initially thought the thread was about dumping these into a pool.

 

they ARE both great. but it is all relative. i've read of people applying up to 50 coats of zaino. and the same for layering sg. so one cant pass judgement in those conditions on durability when the layering never stops. but my initial remark was the test i did on my own car and in my opinion the klasse out lasted the zaino for durability and overall shine and slickness. i too have seen all the photos on sal's site and the funny part is that almost none of the photos are in full sun. they are on cloudy overcast days or at night. you could take just as good of a picture with turtle wax on your car. i love zaino, its a great product, and as far as clarity goes it hard to beat. but for a wet deep look i prefer sg topped with pupp. it almost always comes down to the car for me. if its a light colored car i like zaino but almost always go with the klasse twins and pupp for a dark car.

both are easy to apply, its just that zaino is more time consuming as most folks dont settle for just one layer. (including myself)

like i said earlier, this is a loaded question. people come crawling out of the wood work and take this klasse/zaino debate as seriously as they take religion or politics. i've literally seen people about to come to blows over this topic at concours shows. people tend to forget its just car wax.

 

loved how you touched up on pics are decieving.


I also like how everyone praises longetivity yet throw a new coat on every month. There also comes a point where to many coats and diminishing returns come into play, w/ most products i've found this to be after the 3rd or 4th coat.


I did some testing w/ my girls accord 8 weeks of nxt and 8 weeks of zaino (Now i'm doing Rejex w/ S100 on top). And the NXT definately looked better but didn't bead quit as nice and wasn't as slick. But that said, the zaino definately needed some reapplying also.



People also forget that everything is w/ in the eye of the beholder. Some like a mirror like reflection, some like depth and warmth, etc. It's ALL subjective







now that said, anyone have a gallon of the twins and would be willing to send me an 8 oz sample? I can trade you something or give you some cash straight up. (my girl won't let me buy anymore products, I've had about 6 shipments come in this week alone and still have about 6-8 products collecting dust on my shelf that have never been used )

 

Car wash party over at CLpower's place!!!

 

Therefore it's really an addiction...

The first coat is the most time consuming, but the additional coats go on very quickly and easily. I like it. Haven't done it on the TSX yet, but am looking forward to it in the spring.

 

how are the next coats any less time consuming then the first

 

Most Klasse users have multiple coats as well. I usually do AIO X 2, SG X 4,and then S100.

 

The first coat is like a base coat that needs the most time to dry and bond to the raw paint. In my own experience, subsequent coats don't need to dry as long/bond quicker and can be removed sooner. I've tried removing the first coat sooner and the end result wasn't really as good as when I had let it dry longer.

 

Plus, you have all the extra prep. Stripping the wax off, claying it, etc. I kinda bunched that in also. The first coat definitely takes longer by itself. But the subsequent coats you apply, let dry for a while, and wipe off. They go much quicker (excluding the waiting for it to dry.)

 

TSXtc mentioned pupp, whats that? Oh, my tsx is NBP, i'm leanding towards Klasse, cause I think i would like the warm wet look more, though, my friend whos going to help me the first time only has expereince with zaino.

 

well I wouldn't put claying and striping off the wax as part of the first application. That's normal prep. He answered my question w/ drying times. I've yet to notice 2nd applications drying quicker then the first though.



HOw many of you guys are using Dawn to strip wax? if so, stop it

 

I only used it once before I zainoed... no need for dawn anymore...

 

PUPP is no longer called PUPP. He is talking about Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection.

http://www.premiumautocare.com/fostul.html

This is another polymer protectant that many use as a topper for Klasse. It is supposed to have a real Caruba type of look, but is probably less durable than Klasse.

If you are going to use Klasse, I strongly recommend that you go to Autopia.org first, and do a search on BillNorth method. It is the easiest way to apply SG.

 

for future use, use an alcohol/water mix

 

Or, a good paint cleaner that doesn't leave fillers (like Pinnacle, SONUS etc).

 

yeap, Griots makes a great one also

 

CLPower - I wonder if you and some of the more experienced detailers here might consider starting a thread on "removing swirls." I think a lot of us would like to see that.

 

removing swirls? just throw more toilet paper in there and flush again.

(haha your avatar brought that to my mind)

 

LOL. I tried to add to your rep for that comment, but I've give you some many props in the last few days that the software won't let me.

 

pupp is a polymer paint sealant from a company called Four Star (premiumautocare.com) . ask for dwayne, hes a super nice guy. its in their "premium line" and its called Ultimate Paint Protection or PUPP for short. most people in the detailing community call it pupp because everyone likes to use abbreviations for every product out there. so to avoid confusion with Einszettes UPP (ultra paint polish) alot of people started to call it pupp. pupp is a nice addition to klasse sg as it further enhances the shine and depth and adds a slickness to the finish that is almost "oily" to the touch. though this is just an illusion to your hands as the finish is perfectly dry. the learning curve with pupp is a large one and it needs very little time to set up. maybe 15 to 20 minutes. i apply it with the PC and a black pad on about 4 1/2 - 5. work it until it flashes and then buff off when done. the shine and slickness are hard to put into words, it must simply be seen and felt first hand.

darth had mentioned something about bill north's method of application for sg. his method is a wipe on , wipe off technique that seems to be fairly simple. when i talked with some reps from klasse america near the begining of the year they had informed me that while aio can be applied in that manner because it bonds instantly with your cars clearcoat, the sg needs "set up" time to bond chemically with the aio. and the wipe on wipe off system just wasnt enough time for that chemical reaction to take place. the technique ive come across of applying with the pc until flashing helps speed up the set up time and allows the sg to go on very thinly, which is the key when working with sg.

again, dont shoot the messenger. just conveying information from the people who make the stuff.

 

The Four Star product iscalled PUPP because the brand name used to begin with a "P". I think it was PREMIUM or something like that. The distributor then got in some kind of copyright hassle and had to change the name. But, even thought the brand is now FOUR STAR, some folk still refer to this particular polymer as PUPP.

As for the WOWO method, lots of folks over at Autopia and Detail City use it, and I use it myself. I've gotten very good results with it. I"ve tried it the other way too, and see no difference in results. So, I'm going to have to polite disagree.

 

no worries darth. im not offended in any way. if you dont see a difference than why fix whats not broke? i too use the same method once in awhile when i'm in a rush. i'm not too sure if i can see a difference either but i sleep better at night knowing i applied it the way they wanted me to. lol

 

Either way, I'm glad your took the time to post the details of your method. I have learned a lot from your very informative posts.

 

thank you, and since we're being detailed here i'll tell you what i was told but the nice folks at klasse america. they tell me that while the aio bonds instantly the sg requires time to cure or chemically bond with the aio/paint. cure time "must be" at least 15 minutes and sometimes up to 30 minutes. this time frame is all environmentally relative of course. but without allowing the sg time to cure properly the sg is merely being removed and what is left is aio. they too know of the wipe on wipe off method and say to avoid it due to the above reasons. i've discussed this with them at length and told them of a good friend of mine who first told me of the pc application method. they knew who i was refering to and highly approved of the technique. at this point i figured they have nothing to gain as i've already purchased their product so i took the information as truth and informative.

again, i've applied it both ways many many times. it just depends if im in a rush or not .

 

I'd love to, i'm doing 3 mbz's this weekend. HOpefully one of them will be pretty bad