Okay Zaino pro's, help me out here......

I got suckered into paying $400 for some Simoniz teflon coating on the car when I first bought it. It's a black car, so I thought "what the hell...." anything to help maintain the blackness, ya know.....
Anyway, that stuff didn't do crap, didn't help it at all, and it was all just a waste of money
Well, I have seen alot of posting about how good Zaino system was, so I just got the total protection kit from Zaino. Was gonna apply it two weekends from now but I have some my questions:

1) Do I really need to use Blue Dawn to wash down the car first or can I just use the Zaino carwash? If I do use a dishwashing liquid, can I just use whatever dishwashing liquid that I have in the house (if I remembered, it' some aromatheraphy liquid dish soap or something....it was purple! )
2) Am I gonna destroy whateva teflon wax I have on my car now if I just use the Zaino system without using Dawn?
3) Can Dawn really remove the teflon wax?

I'm just afraid of destroying the paint job or the glossiness on my car if I use Dawn on a teflon coated surface. Somebody please assure me if it's okay!

Lynn

 

1) I was told to use Dawn because it has a higher acidity level than other soaps. The idea behind using the Dawn is to remove everything down to the paint. The Zaino needs to be applied directly to the paint. Zaino is great stuff but it is not compatible with any other detailing products from what I have been told.
2) Yes you will need to take the teflon off. I am not sure how tuff it is but Dawn should do it.
3) I am not sure but I think it should.

The stuff the dealer trys to sell you is a bunch of crap and a waste of money.

 

Dawn will not destroy your paintjob. It should remove the teflon wax, if it is a wax. What are the characteristics of the wax you used? Does it make water bead? Wash the car with dawn and see if you still get beading. I don't know about other dishwashing liquids. I'd stick with dawn since that's what they recommend. The only downside with dawn is that you aren't supposed to use it regularly since it will eat away at the weather stripping with repeated use.

BTW, dawn doesn't remove zaino or other polymer sealants, so the teflon may not go away.

 

Ready?

Yes you need to use a dishwashing detrgeant to remove any old wax and dirt so that the Zaino can BOND to the paint. Any dishwashing detergeant should work, but I went out n bought the Blue Dawn since it's so cheap. You only need a lil bit to get a good lather. The alkaline (I believe) content in dishwashing soap breaksdown and strips the wax. You can also search on Autopia.com i think on how to use white vineagar to strip wax. My reco is to use the Dawn.

Wash the car completely with dawn soap solution and rinse thoroughly! Do this in a shaded area, especiall with black cars and the next step. After you washed and rinsed the car, before drying, clay the car. For this you will need a 12oz empty spray bottle. I believe you use 1 cap of zaino soap to 12oz or 16 ozs of water for the solution (full detail on Clay Bar container).

Zaino/water solution in spray bottle is now your lubricant for clay! Keep spraying the entire car with water so it doesn't dry up. Start with a small section and continue to spray solution on area then clay then hose off soapy solution. DO this to the entire car. My suggestion is that just like washing, you start at the roof, then hood, trunk, sides, front bumper, then rear, then lower sides. Save the dirtiest areas for last.

Once car is clayed, rewash using Zaino soap or Dawn. DO NOT REUSE SAME WATER YOU USED FOR FIRST WASH. Now that the car is clayed, the surface will be perfectly clean. (I know clay removes wax, but using the Dawn first is still a good idea)

After second wash, completely dry the car to a spot free squeeky clean surface. Now is the time to address any problem areas (swirls, scratches, etc). If you need to use swirl remover or any other chemicals, simply reclay after you use it in that specific area. This removes any residue and chemical that may interfere with Zaino bonding.

Zaino Application:

Weather or not you have scratches/swirls, it is good to piut a few coats of Z5 on. I prefer a sponge applicator as opposed to the terry app they provide. Sponge allows you to put it on extremely thin and doesn't waste any product. Make sure you have enough time for 3 coats (figure for first timer 4hrs with dry time figured in). Take a 2oz mixing bottle provided with the ZFX kit, fill it halfway with Z5 and put 4-5 drops of ZFX in. SHake it up for a minute then let sit for 5 minutes (smoke break?)

Ahhh, now your ready to apply. you now have 1oz of Z5 and the zfx in 1 bottle. This should be enough for 3 coats. you may want to fill it 3/4 way up and use 6-7 drops of ZFX if you think you may go over. If you need more then half, you are using too much.

Apply first coat - Apply so thin you can barely see it on the car. You do not need to see it to know its there, do not go over spots you know you covered. Use bumper to bumper strokes on horizontal surfaces (trunk,hood,roof) and ground to roof strokes on vertical (doors etc). (TIP - spray a very lil amount of Z6 on applicator. This will help you spread th eZ5 thinner!)

Do the whole car (glass if you wish). Allow 30 minutes or so to dry. Smear a section with your finger, if it streaks, give it a lil more time.

Removal - DO NOT USE COTTON TERRY!!! YOU WILL GET SWIRLS!!! I used a high quality MF towel from Griots. You may want to try a few different types to see what works best. MF makes it more difficult to remove and will not remove 100%, but you wont get swirls.

After removal - spray with Z6 using high quality FLUFFY MF towel. May need 2 towels. Use very lil Z6. Use sparingly. You will now see the streaks disappear and a nice shine! Repeat with Z5 for up to 3 coats in one day. Use Z6 between each coat! I would reco 3 coats minumum of Z5 before moving on to Z2.

ZFX - should only be used 1x a year on show cars and 2x yr on everday drivers. Do not use everytime.

Now ur car looks good after 3 coats of Z5 but if you are not THRILLED, don't worry. The following day or week, wash her with Zaino soap, dry her and start applying Z2. Now the shine will appear. By the 3rd coat of Z2 you will amazed! Z2 and Z5 can be used interchangeably, but i prefer to use the Z5 as a base then use just Z2 until Z5 is absolutely needed. Z2 shines way more the Z5!

TIP #2 - Once Zaino is applied on you car, the next time youwash you will see how easy it is. After you ar edone washing, take the nozzle off the hose and let the free flowing water go over the car. You will see all the water just sheet off and you will have very little to dry!

Hope this helps!

 

Diesel1,
Thank you so much for all that info!!! I'm definitely excited now. Can't wait to see my new toy shine!!!!!

Lynn

 

No sweat! The first day def. sux ****. Be prepared to spend the netire day on it! from 9am to 6pm easy! Plenty of break in between, but still a long day! The result will be well worth it.

Remember, just like painting anything, the final outcome in detailing is based 90% on preperation! Once you have a straight, clean surface, the results will be incredible!

 

Ok, I attempted to use the zfx w/z2 today. The zaino website recomends to use a very thin coats, in a circular motion and then back and forth or up and down depending the part your wroking on. When I did this i had issues with the applicator pad removing the zaino from the car.

So how do you exactly put this stuff on? How much area should a nickel size drop of the polish cover?

They also said to wait about 30 mins, but it all seemed to be dry when I finished applying it to the whole car. It took me about 30 mins to finish applying the stuff. Does this sound right or am i doing something wrong?

 

I don't know what you mean when you say there are issues with the applicator pad removing the Zaino. It is a very, very light coat that you are applying. Don't feel that you have to build it on in one application. Remember, you are going to end up doing multiple coats.

Even with the ZFX, it can take a while to dry out in high humidity. Here in Central Florida, I commonly wait 60 to 90 minutes before I attempt to remove.

 

In the words of Chris Tucker....NEVER, EVA, EVA EVA EVA EVA EVA.....go in circular motions!!

Let me repeat - NEVER GO IN CIRCULAR MOTIONS!

On flat panels such as the hood/roof etc - you use front to back motions.
On vertical surfaces - you use up and down motions

Application - I found a foam applicator works much better and allows you to put the zaino on thinner then the terry applicator.

I doubt the applicator was removing the zaino, that stuff take a while to dry even with ZFX. It will smear, but it shouldn't come off that easy.

 

I just received my complete Zaino kit. What else should I pick up before I start the first application? How many towels, bottles, buckets, sponges...

I really don't want to start this and run out of supplies half-way through.

 

When I was applying the zaino to say the hood. A section would look as like the polish was on it when applying with a foward motion, but then on the back motion, I could see the shiny paint, like the applicator was picking up what was just put on. Thats what I meant by the applicator was picking up the polish.

When this happens should i just assume its on there, and havent quite dried yet?

How much of an area should a nickel size drop of zaino cover? 1 foot section? more?

 

haha love it

 

About 1 square foot. On my G35's hood I use about 4 nickel sized drops as a reference, sometimes 5. Less is better, seriously. As for removing it when you wipe back, remember, wipe *very* lightly, and it will disappear, that's ok. It's still on there drying.

RE: 30 minutes. I do the same thing. Start in the front, move to the back. By the time I'm done applying the front is usually dry so I start to buff. When you buff make sure to use a really nice clean mf/terry towel and only go with the paint (no circular motions, ever) and buff very lightly. You'll micromarr otherwise and it doesn't take much pressure to buff Zaino off. I usually wait 30 minutes between coats with ZFX.

When I polish this is what I do.

1) two buckets, one for soap one for rinsing. Assuming this is your first go and you're using Dawn rinse the car really, really well, wash with dawn and a good mitt or towel. Start with your tires (use an sponge or tire brush, not your mitt), then go from top to bottom on the car, dirtiest parts last. Rinse in the rinse bucket a lot. So for this you need two buckets, a good mitt for washing, a good solid sponge and brush for the rims/tires.

3) Dry. Everyone likes to dry differently. I use two large (36x36) nice mfibre waffle weave towels. They were expensive but worth it. The cheap ones have exposed thread and tags and tend to scratch.

2) Clay with lubricant. Some people like Z6, some like diluted Z7. I use Z7 in a spray bottle. I clay one section by spraying Z7 on a 2x2 or so area then making 4 or 5 passes with the clay. That's all you should need. Re-mold the clay a lot. So for this step you need clay and a spray bottle.

3) Re-wash with Z7. I re-use the buckets, just clean them out really well. Same as with dawn otherwise. Dry again.

4) This is when I polish with my PC. If you don't polish move to the Zaino.

5) Zaino time. I normally use foam applicators. I have like 20, but I would say I normally use 2 per application. A lot of folks buy cheap ones (I used to), it makes a huge difference buying good ones. No exposed thread, I like foam. I don't like the one Zaino sends with his kit, it causes marring for me. Remember you can Zaino every exterior surface including rims, glass, vinly or plastic, aluminium, chrome, whatever.

6) Buffing. This is the most important part for me. For this I use mf buffing towels I got from autopia. They cost a bit but are totally worth it. I have 9, I use 2-3 per coat. Always try to use a clean side. I need more, but you could probably use one per coat. As you get to the end it starts to get a lot of product on it and it's harder to buff, though.

So I guess if I had to estimate what I use when I polish it would be:

2 buckets
a good wash mitt
a good tire brush
3 mf drying towels
a solid, but kind of gross sponge
6-8 foam applicators
6 or so buffing mf towels.
a horsehair (nice and soft) brush for crevices around the hood/trunk when washing.

Products I use are Z7 to wash and lubricate for clay, any good clay, Megs DACP or poorboys SSR2.5, Zaino Z5/Z2 then finish with Z6. I put Z6 on the tires and wax the wheels with Z2. Inside I use Z9 and Z10 with a good mf towel.

I think that's it. It sounds like a lot and the first time is a ton of work but it's worth it. Remember, prep is everything.

 

1) I use blue Dawn and Zaino (TIPS section) tell you you can use alternative to DAWN as long as they are the pure version (not ones with lemon smell and stuff).
2) Dawn will remove previous wax. You MUST do this so that Zaino sticks well. Wash water + hand first (since dirt does not stick to your hand as it does to towels) and then Zaino shampoo and then DAWN (dont just hose your car up, use your hand to remove dawn until you feel it squeeky clean). Dry it all up and apply ZFX + Z5 for the swirl-covering, deep-looking finish. THEN you put Z2 PRO for the shine.
3) Not sure about this, but I would think so. Apparently ZPC is even more abbrasive than DAWN so if you have an orbital or a lot of time in your hands, then start with ZPC (after DAWN and befor Z5).

 

Ya, if you have ZPC or any other abrasive compound polish definitely use that before your LSPs (Z5/Z2). If you have a PC or rotary those + polish should come after dawn/Clay/Z7 and before Z5/Z2 or whatever wax you use to seal.