I'm trying to keep my black G35 clean, but I'm having a heck of a time trying. I've heard good things about Zaino and Crystalguard. I was thinking about getting the Zaino Protection Kit, but I wanted to know what others thought.

Also, if I want to avoid swirl marks - what method is better - Driving around after wash or Blowdry with a leaf blower?

Thanks!

 

First off- Electric leafblower. No gas and oil in the exhaust.

Second- To avoid swirlmarks, CG. To hide them, Zaino.

I used CG from the day I bought my car til, well, when I ran out. Never a swirl, never a chip, and always a shine. Bugs slid right off, brake dust came off with a light spray from a hose, and life was beautiful.

Then I moved to Vegas. I've been using Zaino here... hm. Not so happy. I mean, it's great compared to other waxes I've used, but it's time consuming as all hell to do it correctly, and it isn't even has hard as CG. The shine's deep and amazing with Zaino, but I'm not entirely convinced that it's worth the time I've put into it.

I'm switching back to CG. Zaino has't protected my car, but it's made it look nice. I'll go get my car buffed out and go back to CG. Those were happy days.

G

 

Thanks G,

I don't think I have swirls yet but I do have light scratches already. How would I remove these before I applied CG?

The main thing drawing me towards zaino was the Z-5 Show Car Polish (for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches). Do you suggest using zaino first then CG, or is there a better solution. My car is pretty new and the scratches are very light...

 

for scratches and swirls, people have used that scratch X stuff from meguiar's or taken the car to a professional. i'm also a CG user and i wouldn't suggest using zaino first then CG because from what i've learned, the CG has to go directly onto your paint so that it can bond. you can check out www.crystalguard.com for the details of how CG works. good luck!

 

Thanks g35girl,

Do you recommend the CG wash as well or will dishwashing soap do? Also, should I use a claybar prior to using CG Quick?

Sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate the help!

 

when i first got my G, i claybarred because of all the raves about it on this board (i used the mother's claybar kit). for my first wash prior to my first CG application, i use dawn dishwashing soap, the blue kind. for subsequent washes (once the CG is on the car for longer than a week), i use this soap that states "does not strip wax" (i can't remember but i think it's meguiar's) and add another coat of CG. basically, i use dawn when i want to re-apply a new coat of CG and then use that meguiar's soap once the CG is on and i want to add more CG or just wash the car.

i put 2-3 coats of CG and that lasts months for me. but one autumn, i only had enough time for 1 coat (weather quickly got terribly cold) and that kept my car protected for an entire midwestern winter complete with snow, ice, etc. i posted pics of it on this forum a while back and i'm sure they're still up (maybe search for "g35girl and CG").

i don't think the brand of dishwashing soap or claybar matters, but be sure to NOT use circular motions or else your scratches will be accompanied by new swirl marks. and CG won't cover those up, i'm afraid. just ask geobau. happy cleaning!

 

i would suggest giving tropi-care a try. Once you polish the car a few times it amazing how water spots dont even form. I personally love it.
Dawn+ Clay Bar+ Tropicare polish+Tropicare finishing spray is beautiful. Then just follow that up with tropicare wash and polish in the future..

 

I am also a pretty big fan of CG. Never tried Zano, but some of the results I've seen are impressive. Zaino is just too time consuming for me compared to CG though.

 

what crystalguard products/kit do you guys use? i'm interested in getting it for my coupe.

 

http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html

You should only need to use Zaino's Z2 twice a year max, with upkeep with the detailing spray from time to time. Not too onerous in my mind. I can't say enough about how great the stuff is. Geo, as for protection, check out the link. Not my test, not a sponsored link. When the author's own stuff gets second last in the test, I'm thinking that's pretty unbiased. Ironically, in a post from today, another member is expressing grief with CG. I cannot comment on CG, not having used it, but Zaino is way less work that conventional waxes, and if what one reads is true, it appears to provide protection superior to almost anything else available. (note the careful language there, no flames please, not dissin any product, just stating my complete satisfaction for all the products Zaino sells, having used them all with great results).

Cheers,
Derek

 

Zaino Zaino Zaino !!!!

Where are you Drew?

lol

 

I am using CG since day 1. This product is doing well for me. Here is what I did.

1. Apply dishwashing soap to clean the car
2. Claybar entire car (use small amount of claybar for one section, throw it away after you use it. Then move to another section with new claybar (use small amount of course). One whole claybar should be enough for the entire car
3. Rinse your car and then apply CG Quick (Make sure to keep your car wet when applying CG)
4. Rinse you car again and then dry it with good microfiber towl.
Then, you’re done!

Next time when you wash your car:
1. Use any soap (does not strip wax) such as meguiar's soap to clean your car
2. If you get CG Maintenance Kit: use CG wash  rinse it; apply CG Quick  rinse it
3. Dry it with microfiber towl

When you apply CG, it will add another coat to your car.

I am pleased with the result of CG. Highly recommend this product.

Hope this simple instruction can help you get start.

 

z2g... i use CG quick (large bottle) and it lasts a really, really long time - especially if you use the application methods described in detail on this forum. let us know when you are ready to buy because sometimes we are given discount codes that could give you 10% - 15% off.

fobinator... both CG and zaino are excellent products. i've seen cars looking great after the use of either and both seem to last longer than the traditional wax products. i think the determing factor is how much time you're willing to spend for the application process. zaino seems to be multi-step (z1, z2, or whatever the individual steps are called) if you use it according to the manufacturer's instructions. however, a lot of zaino members seem to cut out what they feel are "unnecessary" steps, which lightens the workload. with CG, there is essentially one step.

if you still can't decide, then try both. either way, your G is so much better off than if you didn't use zaino or CG.

 

I have invested more than $1,000 on detailing products since I purchased my black G. IMO, the klasse twins (all-in-one and sealant glaze) have CG and Zaino beat.

CG: nice shine but almost amplifies swirls/scratches. But then again, sealants are supposed to hide them. Durability: good. Application: pretty easy. Don't use this unless you have very bad vision or you get rid of all of the scratches before you apply it.

Zaino: good shine and the z-5 actually does pretty well on the swirls. Durability: lasts too long. Application: much more work involved than the others.

Rejex: nice shine but doesn't help with the swirls. Durability: disappointing when compared to their claims. Application: pretty easy. As with the CG, get rid of the swirls before you use this.

Klasse: nice shine and the deepest, richest finish I've ever seen on a black car. It looked better than it did new. If you've ever seen an older black Ferrari (in pristine shape, of course) with 12 coats of lacquer, you'll know what I'm talking about. It actually hides the swirls as well as the z-5 without the extra step. Durability: good. Application: pretty easy.

Hope this helps.

 

al503... good breakdown! and you have further emphasized for me one of the main reasons i picked CG - one bottle. zaino, multiple bottles. klasse twins, looks like 2. in addition to washing, drying, and CG, i also apply rain-x to my glass (all that buffing is a killer for me). so i needed to find a protectant that utilized the least amount of arm work.