New Car Exterior/Interior Care Confusion

I'm sold on Zaino! Was easy to order, it's super easy to use and the results are magnificent!!! It seems like it costs more than most but it takes sooooo little to cover your car that one bottle of whatever item you use will last for a very long time. I have a black Prius and it's doing a great job of hiding my swirl marks. Don't believe I've EVER heard anyone say they tried Zaino but didn't like it...

 

Zaino is a very good product, but the main difference between it and several other good products is that it seems to last a little longer than most. On the other hand, it costs more than many others. The ridiculous high end products I don't even count. I have tried some of them and felt that anyone dumb enough to spend that much money on that sort of thing deserves to get ripped off.

My only objections to Zaino is the cult like rhetoric that SOME of it's proponents espouse. It just gets annoying. I also can do without the ritualistic requirements to use this pre wax, then this stabilizer, then this conditioner, etc etc. The other objection is that it requires pre planning. I usually decide that I have enough time to "wax" my car whenever I get a free half hour on a weekend and then I go look in my garage for the product. If I have run out, I go to the auto parts store and get some more.

Zaino is a very good product. I like some of the Meguiars products just as much and it is cheaper and more convenient for me.

But the important thing is to use something and keep your car clean. Leaving a car dirty with pollen, bug splatter, leaf stains and tree sap is an invitation to ruining your finish.

 

Blame that on the Zaino followers. fulltank actually was going to order the full boat until he spoke with a Zaino rep who said all he needed was Z-AIO before Z5 (along with Z6 and Z7). If you don't do Z-AIO or ZFX it's just not going to bond well so you might as well select a different product.

 

There you go! I have applied all the Zaino products with and without the preparation and it looked, felt and lasted the same. This mumbo jumbo, which makes it like a religious experience is what turned me off a couple of years ago. I even did half my hood one way and the other half with just the Z5 (I think, I don't remember exactly which Z product I used). No difference to my untrained and somewhat cynical eye. I later tried half my roof with Zaino and half with Meguiars NXT 2.0 and didn't see much of a difference.

If you do, great! The key is to keep the outside of the car fairly clean and IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT, apply your favorite "wax" once in a while. Do whatever feels good for you. I have had a couple of cars that I just washed and never polished or waxed them. When I finally got around to doing it, the result was still excellent. Most modern paints are incredibly tough and easy to maintain.

 

This made me laugh, since I feel the same way.

And what's even more...interesting...is that after going through 14 steps with half a dozen products over 18 hours (supposedly worth the effort because it "lasts a long time" and "looks great") many then apply a coat of their favorite conventional wax to address the plasticy look of a synthetic. Huh?

 

I've tried applying only Z5 and it just doesn't last as long in my experience. Cars accumulate a thin hazy film over time if you just do regular washing (which is why lots of them that go through automatic car washes lose shine over time), so I don't know how you can just apply a coat of wax and have it go back to looking great unless you use some abrasive polish to remove that film first.

You're sounding old school. ZFX has cut down on that time considerably and the newer Z2 and Z5 Pro have eliminated most of the plasticy look. Some like to put a coat of wax to give it more depth and has nothing to do with it looking plasticy. I've never topped off with a wax, as I find that Z5 gives a nice depth on black car if you skip Z2 (which makes it more reflective and takes away this depth).

 

Just to confuse things further, I'll drop a recommendation for Griot's Garage products. They have virtually everything you might ever want for car care (inside and out) plus tools. I've got both their 6" and 3" random orbital buffers and a whole host of their "potions". Their "Best of Show Wax" is great, and they provide a DVD with user instructions for waxing and clay-bar work.

 

I haven't seen anything that carries the Griot name that isn't over priced. Good stuff, great catalog, but thanks anyway.

 

Have to agree with you. If you've ever seen his car collection, you'll understand how profitable that stuff is. They do, however, sell a great sheepskin wash mitt. I had one wear out after a few years and they replaced it gratis.

 

I think I've learned (maybe) or decided over the years to be very, very conservative and cautious giving people car care exterior recommendations. Why?

Because everyone has such different, personal objectives and goals. Along with varying amounts of dedication and desire.

If someone wants to order Zaino? Clay? Take a weekend or longer to apply Z-1, Z-2, Z-1.3, The stabilizer coat. Wait until the next full moon and apply the Z-9.0 semi-final plasticizer? (I'm just kidding...sorta)....

But my point being? Everyone has their rituals. What level of finish care and protection someone likes, or desires? Is impossible to know. And to be honest? It can change with age and time.

So basically...I can, and have told people what I do, and what products and level of commitment I'm happy with...but that almost means nothing.

If you are a total Newbie? You kinda have to decide for yourself what level of effort you want to devote.

The good news? There are a lot of different products, and IMO most of them are pretty good.

I've been sarcastic, but Zaino is beloved by those that use it. But also, I think you can get good products at your local Wally World.

Outside of looking up some tips about how to avoid swirl marks or scratches, which are mostly common sense, I've come to the conclusion that most people just have to discover for themselves what products they want to embrace and use. What finish "ritual" they apply to their vehicle.

The only thing I'd really recommend out of the gate is good clean washing mitts, clean buckets with grit guards, using a high quality car wash soap.

Then welcome to the world of experimentation.

I've been happy with Turtle Wax Ice..paste. And inbetween the spray wax. However to the hard core crowd? That isn't going to be good enough.

And I think I've learned? That's okay...for everyone.

 

Amen, brother! You can spend $1,000 for a bottle of space age nuclear wax and then scratch the living chit out of your car with a 50 cent sponge that has little rocks and grime all embedded in it.

 

I too, found Ice has its virtues. The best thing is that you can put it all over your black trim and it doesn't turn white as it dries. The worst thing is that since it doesn't turn white, sometimes on light colored cars it is hard to see to take it off, but it is also very forgiving. Good for some things and quick to apply and easy to remove. I prefer other stuff, but I still have a liquid and a paste Ice in my garage. Sometime I am sure I will turn to it and apply it.

There ARE a lot of good products. There is no reason to take out a second mortgage to buy a good product, but if that is what turns some of you on, go for it.

I don't let my cars get dirty enough to feel that I need a grit guard or two buckets. But I am also careful to rinse the wash mitt if I use it on the lower part of my car and see it take off some mud or dirt.

I have also used some really good detaillers. Meguiar makes some good ones and the Ice one is also good. But I usually only use them to touch up a clean car that has gotten rain spots on it. All of them work pretty well, in my opinion.

 

Speaking of expensive:
ZYMOL ROYALE GLAZE 44 oz

 

I had a pretty long coversation with a service advisor at Piercey in Milpitas, CA. He's known to be quite the detailing buff.

He had lots of recommendations for Griot's Garage products - the sealants, waxes, detailing clay, on and on. Says he orders stuff by the gallon.

He recommended using a Griot's sealant about once a year, then applying a carnauba over top maybe 3 times / year. He did say one would need to strip other waxes off before applying sealant. He recommended a Griot's stripper stuff, not Dawn, said it's too harsh.

I asked his opinion about Zaino stuff, and he wasn't into it, saying you have to apply one layer before applying another, saying it would take 12 hrs to do his big truck.

Also, he recommended against sheepskin mitts which I've been using for 'bout 2 years now. Says the dirt doesn't come up into the material the best. He recommends microfiber for washing. I'll be looking for quality microfiber mitts, probably Griot's.

He wasn't to keen on Meguiar's tech 2.0 wax, saying it has too much silicone in it. Ok.

First thing I need to swithc out is the sheepskin mitt as I did notice a little bit of marring on the roof that surprised me.

 

With ZFX and warm enough weather, that's an exaggeration.

 

I took your advice and got Zaino; Z2, Z5, Z6, and the wash Z7. Very nice products. I tried to use cotton towels as they recommend but ran out and used micro-fabric towels. Still looked great. Thanks for the help.