hello everyone,

I own an 04 LR coupe whose paint has been ignored for a while. I just bought an arsenal of Zaino products and plan on detailing my car tomorrow. However, I have a few questions on the proper way to apply all the products. the paint on the car has not been well taken care of. It has lots of swirls which have been bothering me a lot lately.

Ok, so here is a list of the products I got:

ZFX™ Flash Cure Accelerator Additive
Z-2 PRO™ Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Car Finishes
Z-5 PRO™ Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches
Z-6™ Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray
Z-7™ Show Car Wash
Z-9™ Leather Soft Spray Cleaner
Z-10™ Leather in a Bottle
Z-16™ Perfect Tire Gloss
Z-18™ ClayBar
and Z-PC Fusion...

It is my understanding to start out by washing car with dawn soap. Then clay bar the car with 50/50 solution of water/Z7 and afterwards wash car again with Z7. Then I proceed to use the Z-PC fusion (most likely 2 or 3 coats)... but then how do I proceed to achieve the deepest, wettest looking shine?

thanks for all the help,

Jorge

 

Are you going to use a machine to polish? If not, you will probably not get a wet, deep look. Putting great product over bad paint will not look good. The look is in the preparation. Claying is a good start. I don't think you need to wash with dawn. I would just wash it, clay, polish (remove swirls) and then proceed.

 

I'm no detailing pro but from what I understand Zaino is not your best choice for removing swirl marks. I'd recommend you head over to DetailedImage.com (they offer 10% off for members!) and look into some Menzerna IP and a Porter Cable 7424 polisher. Keep the Zaino stuff though! Once the swirl marks are gone shine it up with Zaino Then post pics.

 

i dont have a machine to polish, but I could probably get ahold of one...thing is i've never used a machine, so I rather do it by hand than cut into the paint too deep...

 

You will need either a pc or i would get the flex3401 machine cause you will not get the swirls out by hand.Either machine would make it very hard to screw up the paint with.

 

Ditto. However, if you really want to get and keep your car in great shape, check out autopia.org and browse through the forum. If is THE resource on detailing. You will learn alot and avoid the mistakes and lost time that many (of us) have suffered. If you are going to get the PC 7424 (I have one), make sure you research and get 4" pads instead of the larger pads. They are much more efficient and take much less time to remove swirls. The PC is almost completely idiot proof.

 

I concur with this advice... the PC makes it extremely unlikely (if not impossible) to burn into the paint due to its dual action... I would get something with more cut than Zaino (i.e. Menzerna, Poorboy's), but keep it because once you have done the paint correction, Zaino will make your car 'pop' like nothing else... Browse through the autopia.org website, you'll get advice/information/tips from some of the best detailers in the world... Good luck, and show us your work when you're finished...

 

Really, 4" pads? I have the 6" pads with a velcro backing plate. VERY convenient.

 

Yes, 4" pads are what professional detailers normally use for heavy cutting (i.e. compounding) as it allows for your effort/energy to be more concentrated and will work in the compound/polish much MUCH faster... I only use the 4" on a yellow pad, all my other pads are 6" (orange, blue, white, black)...

 

That's good to know! Makes sence now that I think about it. Learn something new every day.