I just bought an 05 Coupe and plan to do the Zaino with ZFX, z-2, and z-6. How long will it take to do 3 coats? I want to know so i can have enough time to finish before it gets dark out, and to start after its too hot. I live in southern califronia to give you an idea of what environment Im going to be working in.

 

It really should take the same time, if not less than the about of time that it takes you to wax your car w/ normal wax.

It goes on really easy and comes off really easy, you apply the entire coat at once and let it sit for a total of 30 min or so before taking it off.

 

I'm lucky (I think): I take the bus to work Monday - Friday and don't get to drive. I put on Z1, let it dry 30 mins. then put on Z5, then I leave it on overnight.

After work the next day, I wipe off Z5 and put on Z2, then leave it overnight again. Repeat for the rest of the week (and find a day to squeeze Z6 in there) and come weekend your car will be blindingly bright and deep! And you've have 5 coats of Zaino!

 

I'm sure you'll get some great answers from others.

My wife took delivery of her Red 05 CPE 6MT in June. I spent the better part of the next day doing the full Zaino finish treatment. I started with a Dawn Wash (~30min), then Clay Barred the entire car (~6 hours), then washed with Zaino Z-7 Det (~30min), then Z-5 Coat (~ 1 hr ... incl 30 minute wait), Z-6 Spray Coat(~20min), repeat, repeat.

I found that my wife's brand new car, which we took delivery of just a couple of hours after it was unloaded from the truck, had LOTS of "stuff" or impurities on the paint and the many hours of Clay Barring with the Clay Bar and Z-7 was an absolute necessity!

As we drove to get the Clear Bra installed the next day, my shoulders ached from the Clay Bar effort the day before. (Reminded me of the film Karate Kid with the "Wax on. Wax off." bit.

 

wait... 6 hrs to clay bar the coupe? why did it take so long? i clay a car in 30min... 45-60 min if it's bad. I couldn't imagine spending 6 hrs claying a car. Clay bar should be applied with light pressure w/ lubrication. sorry... just wondering how it can take so long.

 

I was wondering the same thing (re: 6 hours to clay a coupe). I just did mine last week and it took about 45 mins.

 

I just Zaino-ed my car last weekend. Started around 2pm, and finished around 8pm... so total of 6 hours. My car is so nice and clean and shiny, can I love it even more??!!!
Vacuumed and clean inside, then washed it with Dawn, claybar the car, rewash again with Z7, then used Z5+ZFX for about 3 rounds. Could have sprayed it with Z6, but my arms were about to give up by then, so I didn't even do it.. car was still very shiny though.
Give yourself at least 5 hours to complete the entire process. Sunset around Philly is usually around 8pm, so I worked 6 hours back from 8pm, which was why I started at 2pm.

Lynn

 

I really don't have a reference as to how long it should take. I spent six hours, as I said, and would not have been satisfied if I had worked 45-60 minutes.

For the OP, I was only relating my own experience to help answer your question. I certainly defer to others with more experience than I as to how long it should take. I would be interested in finding out how long it takes you to Clay Bar your new car.

 

In my opinion, 6 hours is too long.

I think a good test for determining how long to clay would be the following.

Put a plastic sandwich bag on your hand and run your fingertips over an area of the paint you want to clay. You will feel the impurities that have bonded to your paint. Wet the area with clean soapy water (or whatever you are using for clay lube) and rub the clay back and forth (straight lines) over the area for about 10-15 seconds.

Now rub over the area again with the plastic baggie over your fingertips. It should feel noticably smoother. If you can still feel the impurities, give it another 10-15 seconds.

Once you have determined how long it takes to get it to the level you are happy with, do that same amount of time over the portions of the car you want to clay.

Flat horizontal areas (hood, roof, trunk lid) will probably need it more than vertical areas (doors, quarter panels).

As with anything on car care, you have to spend as much time as you feel comfortable with to get it to the level you want it.

I think we are just trying to save you a little time, and also trying to pass along our experience to those who want it.

Please don't take offense to any suggestions given here.

 

It took me about 1 hour to clay bar the entire car.. that was coz' my car was so badly water stained from the hard water.
I have heard clay bar-ing the car can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, pending on how **** you are

 

Whats the plastic bag for? Is it supposed to snag if your paint is nasty?

 

you'll be able to feel if there are contaminants. not that it snags but you can feel "little pebbles" kind of thing. i use my hands... but maybe i'm just more sensitive to the texture of it all.

 

OK first of all I just zaino-ed the entire car starting at 4PM and finished at 8. Took me 4 hours and I started at the right time because it was getting dark and not too hot. I live in so cali....only thing is I couldn't take any pics because it was dark. I'm not too impressed with Zaino and I honestly think I could have gotten by with Zymol, Meguirs, or Turtle Wax. However the claybar did help. Zaino is a great polish and the car did come out nice but I wouldn't recommend Zaino if you are on a tight budget or pressed for time.

 

As FrizzleFry said, using the plastic baggie will just make it easier to feel the bonded contaminants that are on your paint. You can try it even if you aren't going to clay it. You can do it on dry paint, just don't over do it.

Try it. Rub across your paint with bare fingertips. Then do the same with a plastic baggie over your hand.