Maximus350

On all my other cars that I have ever owned, I really disliked the fact that the wax would get into the plastic trim pieces on the car. It's a real pita to take the wax off of the bumper trim, side mouldings, etc. Guess what? The new IS doesn't have that problem. Wanna know why? There are no trim pieces!! Wahoo!!!

DingDingDao

LOL

Yay for slab sides

roadrocket

For that very reason I didn't order my IS350 with the parking assist or the headlamp washers, the little sensors and panels cutouts all detract from the clean lines of the car. and makes for places to get wax and dirt to get into making it more difficult to keep clean. same reason I won't put 3 piece rims on either..btw, I use zanio too, it's great stuff !!

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

You're waxing a brand new car???
I usually wait 2 months for a new car to wait for some oxidation to build. Make sure it adapts to it's new environment. Then make it shine. Is there any benefit to waxing it this soon?

Maximus350

Its perfectly ok to wax a new car. Car paint nowadays are really baked in at the factory. There is no harm waxing a new car, especially with a polymer. It's basically a thin coat that protects the clear coat and paint.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

better yet, the first thing i do after buying a car is to strip down ALL the old wax on the car and put on zaino right the way

Maximus350

Romini, I agree. I used Dawn to take off all the old wax (if wax was applied at the factory) and applied Z2 and used the Z8 spray. Stuff is sweet.

sjgIS350

My IS is on order..the first thing I will do is apply a good quality polish and then a wax. Did the same thin on the last car I bought and the shine and 'feel' difference was dramatic. I doubt the factory does much in terms of initial paint protection. It looks great because its new, better to keep it protected from day one

I'm a big fan of Meguirs products

picus

Zaino isn't a wax, it's a sealant. And it is never too soon to protect your cars paint. Think of it as sunscreen for your paint, except you're protecting it from rain, dust, dirt, mud, and the sun. The last car I bought I didn't even have prepped - I took it home with the plastic still on it then polished, sealed, and waxed it.

The only factory protection you get is a spray which helps keep the metal from rusting as it crosses the Pacific. Sadly, if you car is prepped from the dealer it probably has marring already.

IS350spd

It depends on the paint. Our 2005 Volvo XC90 says specically in the owners manual that the car can not be waxed for 6 months, or the paint may not properly harden. I can tell you from experiance, that the paint was pretty soft in the begining. That is not to say it is the same for Lexus paint.

isdsms

Went to the Zaino site to check out their product. Wow.....pretty extensive treatment. Curious as to the time factor involved as it seems to me that if I were to use Zaino today on my IS, that it would be at least an all-day job. Is this accurate?

Xanadu350

isdsms, just make sure you get the ZFX Flash Cure Accelerator Additive. That way there is no wait time in between coats. That's what I used, I swear by the results with this stuff. I also recomend Z-6 Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray, it works great after you wash your & keeps the gloss longer, excellent stuff. The other product I tried was the Z-10 Leather in a Bottle it's the best leather conditioner I have tried and it smells just like new car leather way better than the Lexus leather conditioner at the dealer. Of course for my car I did the whole routine so it took me a long time from begining to end but it was really worth the time. First I used Dawn to get rid of all the stuff on the car then I used the clay bar, then the Zaino with repeats coats.

picus

Doing zaino the first time is an all day experience (dawn wash, clay, wash, z2/z6/z2/z6 etc...). I don't want to turn this into a Zaino versus the world thread, because I like Zaino's durabilty, but I have never been impressed with the method they force you to use (z1 or zfx) or the fact that it's branded in a way that some might see as "easier for a laymen to understand", but I see as "sneaky" (they are not polishes, they are sealants). I'm not trying ti discourage Zaino - done right it has some of the best durabilty around, but the visual results can be matched with easier to use products.

Just to offer a non-Zaino solution to those of you interested in sealing/waxing your car that might be a little easier. Go down to your local pep-boys and get any Megauirs wax or polymer sealant (gold class is good, nxt is good), or any mothers sealant or wax, and try one. If the paint is in good shape already (no marring), most any wax/sealant will give you a nice wet look and will provide at least 4-6 weeks of protection. If you're truly lazy grab some Eagle Wax As U Dry - it's a spray on wax that you apply after washing. Spray it on, wipe it off - done.

Just remember, prep is the key to a shiny, wet, reflective car. A new car is good to go for sealant/wax, but a car that's been on the road might need a polish first, which is a whole new can of worms. Cheers.

Xanadu350

Well buying a $40K car and spraying on wax from a bottle at your local auto store is something I can't phantom. What you invest....you reap the results. I'm not saying a brand new car needs a clay bar treatment, claying takes alot of time and energy but the result on an older car is mind blowing to run your hand across the paint and feel likesmooth glass. Yes Zaino is some work but for me it's not just the work it's getting to know your car all the curves and fine details that someone created in their mind and you have the end result in front of you to enjoy. We live in a microwave society, we want things too quick, spray on spray off. What happen to the days when you fell in love with your car.

Tropheus

When I get my new IS350, the first thing I plan to do is to clay it, then put on Zaino products. Does any one see a problem with claying first? Zaino website recommends this practice, and I do see their point. I want my paint to be perfectly clean before putting on the sealants.