Zainos?

[rabeet]

I just finished putting two coats of Zaino's Z2 + ZFX on my white 04.

I clayed the hood a bit, but there wasn't anything to remove. It is only a few weeks since I bought it afterall.

Frankly, I am not impressed. I realize getting a gloss on white paint is harder than darker colors. Any color really. But I expected more.

I reserved one door and did that using good old fashioned carnuba wax (Blitz). There is a visible difference between the two!

Maybe I did something wrong? I let it cure for about 45 minutes, and the temp was about 65-70.

 

[tkr128]

Zaino really isn't for everybody. Some people like it and others hate it. Personally, I love the way Z2 looks on silver, but I'm not too happy with it on my Pacific Blue 4Runner. I've found Z5 to look better on that.

You have to remember that Zaino and a carnauba wax are completely different from one another. Zaino is a polymer sealant that will tend to have a more "plasticky" look whereas carnaubas have a warm deep glow to them. Zaino lasts much longer though, but if you wax at least once a month, you don't really have to worry about that. As a polymer sealant, Zaino also needs a very "clean" surface to "bond" to. If you didn't clean up anything that was on the car with a dawn/alcohol wash, you might have bonding problems.

Like I said, some people aren't impressed with Zaino. I think they expect too much because of all the things everybody says about it. Just use whatever makes you happy.

 

[rabeet]

I put a third coat on and it picked up a bit of depth.

I am trying this stuff because I don't wax my car very often.

I think I'll try again in a month and put a coat or two of the Z5 on and several of the Z2 and see how that looks.

 

[dcampen]

Zaino's results

Last week I gave my wife's dark red Camry the Zaino's treatment - wash with dishsoap, claybar, 2 coats of Z-5, 1 coat of Z-2 and buffed with Z-6.

The drying times for the Z-2 and Z-5 seem much longer than the Zano literature indicates. I used ZFX accelerator, 4 drops per ounce of polish and was working on a warm So. Cal. day - 80F and probably 50% humidity. The first coat of Z-5, 2 ounces, I let sit for about 2 hours before wiping and this was not long enough as I got a lot of streaking. The second coat of Z-5, 3 ounces, sat overnight, 12+ hours, and came off nicely. The final coat of Z-2, 3 ounces, sat for about 5 hours and this seemed just barely long enough; I still got some streaking and ended up using a whole bottle of Z-6 for buffing to get rid of any streaking. I used a large, clean, terry bath towel to buff each coat.

The next time I use Zaino polish I will let each coat sit overnight. This should work for me in warm dry So. Cal. The Zaino literature indicates that drying times are significantly lengthened in cold humid weather so I wonder how satisfactory Zaino products would be in a Place like Seattle in the fall, winter or spring.

The Zaino treatment did put a very nice high gloss on the car but it did not completely remove the light swirl marks from 5 years of hand washing. I quess that next time I feel enthusiastic I will give the Camry a going over with Griot's hand polishing compound before repeating the Zaino's Z-5/Z-2 sequence.

The nice thing about the Zaino's polymer finish (polish) is that it is so easy to apply and buff (if you allow enough drying time). Using a carnuba wax like Griot's is so much work that I may only do it once a year. Zaino's is so easy that I will probably manage an Z-5/Z-2 treatment every few months.

 

[tkr128]

Wow, you're using a lot of it, which is probably what's causing the streaking. Zaino should be applied VERY thinly. You should barely be able to see the coat you applied, if at all. I can usually get 3-4 coats out of an ounce on a midsized car. Try applying it to a window with very little pressure and very little "polish", this is how I guage if I'm putting on a thin enough coat. This saves you some trouble with streaking and also saves you money as well.

The Z5 isn't really a swirl remover, it's a swirl "filler" and a very poor one at that. If you decide to polish it next time, remember to wash it off before applying Zaino or it won't bond correctly.

Hope this was of help to you!

 

[yabedude]

I used Z-16 on tires and (black plastic) running boards today. It's cool stuff!

Also used it on my Bro's 97 Civic. Rubber trims down the sides and around his windows plus he was blown away when I cleaned up the black area below the front windshield (outside). he had just washed it, but this stuff restored it like new.

Haven't had a use for the Z-6 yet.
--
Chris

 

[dcampen]

Wow, you're using a lot of it, which is probably what's causing the streaking. Zaino should be applied VERY thinly. You should barely be able to see the coat you applied, if at all. I can usually get 3-4 coats out of an ounce on a midsized car.

Yeah, that helped, I Zaino'd the 4Runner this weekend. While I still used more than you suggest, about 1.5 ounce on the truck, it was a lot less than I used on the Camry and this time it was much easier to remove without streaking.

 

[pdoel]

I've been using Zaino now for 4 years. Bought it initially due to recommendations from the New Beetle crowd. The New Beetle is my "fun" car, only driven in the summer, and on nice days, so I tend to baby it.

Zaino worked so well, I use it on the 4Runner as well.

I skip the Z5 step, as I really don't have any swirl marks on either vehicle.

I do the standard, wash with Dawn, claybar, wash again, then start the applications.

Do 3 coats of Z2, and use Z6 in between.

I do VERY thin coats, and am able to remove it after an hour of drying. Then a quick use of Z6. Then the next coat.

With the Beetle, since it's only driven in the summer, and on nice winter days, I only need to Zaino once a year. Last spring, I brought it out in May, and someone stopped me to ask when I picked it up. They thought I had just driven it off the lot. Not bad, considering it hadn't been polished in a year.

 

[dcampen]

Last week I gave my wife's dark red Camry the Zaino's treatment - wash with dishsoap, claybar, 2 coats of Z-5, 1 coat of Z-2 and buffed with Z-6.

Well, about 10 weeks later I am still happy with the results. The vehicle still has a nice deep gloss. As someone else noted the results don't seem as great on my lighter (Dorado Gold) colored 4Runner. I did buff the Camry with Zaino Z-6 Gloss Enhancer but not the 4Runner so perhaps that makes a difference too. I need to place another Zaino order and get more Z-6 et al.

 

[Vortec4800]

You need at least 3 coats to really see the shine the best, I usually put on around (at least) 5 coats of Zaino polish and then a good coat or two of carnauba wax on top of it for the ultimate shine. Sounds weird, but looks great!

 

[toybox]

You need at least 3 coats to really see the shine the best, I usually put on around (at least) 5 coats of Zaino polish and then a good coat or two of carnauba wax on top of it for the ultimate shine. Sounds weird, but looks great!

Wow! You must have alot of time on your hands. Zaino's says not to apply more than two coats in a 24 hour period so there is three days of just Zaino's. I like my truck...... but not that much.

 

[dcampen]

Zaino's says not to apply more than two coats in a 24 hour

Perhaps somewhere they said that but if you are using ZFX accelerator they allow 3 coats in a 24 hour period. See the next to the last note at the bottom of this page:
http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=Z&Category_Code=APPLICATION

But yes, 5 coats of Zaino's plus carnuba, Vortec4800 has a lot more time than I am willing to spend on waxing a car. I am using Zaino's in part because it requires less effort than a carnuba wax. If I had time to apply 5 coats of Zaino's plus a couple of coats of carnuba then I would skip the Zaino's and just apply a couple of coats of Griot's carnuba wax.

 

[partsrep]

Zaino Z2

Just finished a Zaino Z2/ZFX detail job.
Take a look.

 

[partsrep]

Zaino Z2

Another shot.

 

[tkr128]

Very nice! Zaino is awesome on metallic silver, it really makes the metallic flakes sparkle.

 

[partsrep]

Very nice! Zaino is awesome on metallic silver, it really makes the metallic flakes sparkle.

:iagree: That's the same comment my wife made.

 

[t4r808]

I have been using Zaino since I had my black 96 Impala SS about 4 years ago. I heard that Zaino works a little better on darker colors...as far as the "wet" look is concerned. I like it for the easy factor. Easy to put on and take off, and I LOVE it for the wet shine it puts on my black 04 sport 4runner!

 

[boston_kevin]

zaino fan

There are a couple of key things to remember when working with Zaino.

1) Follow the instructions to the letter!
2) Get new, white cotton towels (specified in the instructions) and remove the hemming/seams on the ends.
3) Apply each coat thinly

I have been using Zaino on a gold colored Yukon for 4 years now. I still get asked how I got the old wheels on a new car. Yukon has 80k+ miles on it, 4 New England winters, and shines like new. I Zaino this car twice a year. When I am finished Zaino'ing the car, it feels as smooth as glass and the water flies off the car when I am driving.

If you don't follow the instructions, or put it on too thick, you get sub-par results everytime. It's a little less forgiving than carnuba...