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Zaino On The Way!!!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Wynder, Jan 10, 2006.

  1. Wynder

    Wynder New Member

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    I sincerely hope that the 50F degree weather we've been having keeps it up so I can take some time this weekend and do my (then) two-week old car.. I'm really looking forward to getting it all nice and shiny... it's been a while since I've had a car I could baby like that. Here's what I got:

    Z-1 Z-1 Show Car Polish Lok $9.95
    Z-2 Z-2 PRO Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Car Finishes $14.95
    Z-6 Z-6 Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray $9.95
    Z-7 Z-7 Show Car Wash $8.95
    Z-18 Z-18 ClayBar $16.95
    314 Zaino Custom Polish Applicator

    Subtotal: $65.75
    Shipping: $8.95
    TOTAL: $74.70

    Outside of doing the dawn liquid pre-wash, any tips?
     
  2. slortz

    slortz New Member

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    Cha-ching! Wow, that's a lot to spend but I totally understand. Go nuts!--although, I thought using the Dawn dishwashing liquid wasn't a good thing since it's not specifically made to deal with the finish on cars? Isn't one of the things you listed good for doing the pre-wash?
     
  3. Wynder

    Wynder New Member

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    Actually, Zaino reccomends an original dawn dishwashing liquid as a pre-wash... It's high alkaline content will strip off any waxes or compounds that are still on the paint. Then, you go through the normal stuff.
     
  4. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

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    ZFX. Order some ASAP. See if they can throw in your box before it ships. You will not regret it.
     
  5. slortz

    slortz New Member

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    They are the experts. Thanks for the info, Wynder. Have fun getting getting down and dirty with your new Prius!

    I was thinking about trying that claybar stuff myself.
     
  6. Wynder

    Wynder New Member

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    Already shipped... That's the flash cure? Makes it dry faster? Mmmm.. do not know, I can watch the kid or pawn her off on the wife and go baby my car a little longer.

    Tough choice. ;p

    God, I need help.
     
  7. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

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    Smell the stuff when it arrives. It is all good. Very good. Z-6 and Z-8 are worth the price just for the smell as you apply it.
     
  8. tunabreath

    tunabreath New Member

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    You'll also want a bazillion white cotton towels. And a digital camera.
     
  9. Tom_06

    Tom_06 Active Member

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    Prime Advanced
    You definitely want the ZFX. I'm up in Newark Delaware and put two coats of Zaino on my new 2006 by squeezing around the car in my one-car garage on January 2nd and 3rd. With the garage door closed and the one to the house open, I was working at about 55 degrees.

    At 50 degrees it takes many hours for the Zaino to dry before you can polish it off and put the next coat on. With ZFX, an hour or so is enough. I have been using Zaino for 5 years, mostly before ZFX was invented, and it used to be a real pain in the butt to wait for the Z-1/Z-5 or Z-1/Z-2 coat to dry in cool and or damp weather. Absolutely *wonderful* results it either case though. And the paint surface will feel like a baby's bottom for months (and bugs don't stick in the summer!)

    Good luck,

    - Tom
     
  10. Wynder

    Wynder New Member

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    Woot! You're about 5 minutes from me. :)
     
  11. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    CLAYBAR!!!!! If you thought your car will be silky smooth after you Zaino, its even MORE SILKY if you claybar before you apply your first coat.

    I also recommend ZFX. If you are planning on multiple coats, then the ZFX is a MUST.
     
  12. moolman

    moolman Member

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    Cancel the Z1 and just get the ZFX, it's just more hassle with the Z1 with no benefit. Also you could alternate coats of Z2 and Z5. The Z5 will help with very light swirls. All cars have swirls especially if the dealer preped and washed it.

    I don't particularly like the zaino clay, it's not as good as other and it's expensive. The best clay I tried can be bought at autozone, pepboys, called magic clay.

    Alex
     
  13. Wynder

    Wynder New Member

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    Zaino doesn't cancel orders. ;p I'm screwed there, heh!
     
  14. Tom_06

    Tom_06 Active Member

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    For the effort involved, I'm not sure that clay does much on new paint. I know that the true believers and claybar sellers insist that it is important to remove contaminants picked up during shipping (brake dust from railroad cars during rail shipment, etc.), but your Prius was shipped with Rapguard covering the paint. I skipped the clay on my new Prius and the surface is as smooth as I have ever felt on a car.

    I do highly recommend using the clay the next time you Zaino the car in a few months. Then it makes a big difference in getting the surface clean and smooth. I have been using clay before the springtime Zaino job the last several years and the result has been way smoother than before I started doing that.

    So unless you have infinite time or are a real perfectionist, I'd skip the half day it takes me to claybar the whole car and rewash and dry it. Just concentrat on getting those first one or two (better) coats of Zaino and Gloss Enhancer onto your car before the weather goes rotten.

    - Tom
     
  15. RBW111

    RBW111 New Member

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    You will love what Zaino does for you car!!!! Use a claybar, it's easy. Put the Z on thin, one ounce will give you 2-3 layers. Z1 is fine, ZFX is better. Have fun and post results.
     
  16. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    I clayed my wife's new, back in 04, RX330 and I can tell you that the finish was SMOOTHER after claying than before. I did this 2 days after we took delivery.
     
  17. Rabid1

    Rabid1 New Member

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    We've all been waxing our cars for years. I will never "wax" again after Zaino. The stuff is amazing!

    With mine I went balz-out and clayed it, then put 1 coat of Z5, & 3 coats of Z2, with Z8 between each coat.

    Do yourself and your new ride a favor. Go all the way the first time. Subsequent "waxings" will be that much easier.
     
  18. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    Amen Brother! I spent the ENTIRE day Zaino'ng my wife's RX330, and plan to do the same with my soon to be purchased(still on wait list) Black 06 Prius. The steps above were exactly the same process I followed. Its gets much easier with subsequent coats since there is so much joy, at least for me, in feeling the smoothness of the finish.
     
  19. moolman

    moolman Member

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    Claying doesn't take that long if you know how to do it right.

    Cut the clay into strips. You can experiment how big the strips should be but when you ball up the strip and flatten it, it should be the size of a silver dollar or so.

    You use each side of the silver dollar size clay and then you throw it away.

    Using the full bar and kneading it in is a bad method because you ruin the clay and there's gunk and dirt that gets into the bar and finding a fresh spot on the clay is so hard.

    The silver dollar method is quicker and cleaner, just like Zaino needs the thiniest layer, clay requires only a think layer to take off gunk.

    You don't need to use Z8 or the Z Wash to glide the clay. The easiest time to do it is when you are washing the car.

    Wash the car with DAWN, rinse, don't dry, then get a bucket of water and put some Z Wash in there and make some suds, with your sheepskin mitt, (only sheepskin because it doesn't scratch) apply some soap to a section of the car. Clay that part, repeat for the whole car, one or two swipes is all it takes to clay. With a new car, one is more than enough swipes. This shouldn't take long. It takes me about a hour to do a Ford Explorer.

    Alex
     
  20. EricGo

    EricGo New Member

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    How do you folks protect the rubber/plastic parts from the chemicals used on the metal ?