cariesfree

Just want to say "thank you" to those who have guided me to car detailing. I never detailed a car before but listened to you and did it on my new RX. Here is how she looks after two layers of clear coat. I washed, clay-barred and applied the clear coat. Thank you!

Booyah

Nice-Looks like mine to the T

mandyfig

Great looking car! Sweat....the greatest investment!

tfischer

Zaino is the best stuff out there for both protection and for high gloss.

I have it on both my cars, but I must say the reflectivity on the black car (6 years old - SC430) is striking.

Highly recommended.

Lexmex

Nice shot...zaino is a great product, I love those mirror-like finishes.

salimshah

No question Zaino is great product, but you have to have darker color car to really see the full impact.

Effort to return becomes questionable for silvers/whites.

Salim

Seize

Nice and shiny

Tom H

I agree, the full impact of Zaino is more visible on dark colors but it makes my silver and beige colors shine extremely well. The real value is that Zaino has some of the highest levels of UV protection available which is essential on silver paint. I think the effort vs return ratio is excellent. It also outlasts any brand on the market. I usually do 2 to 3 coats in a setting and I'm good for 6 to 9 months. Basically I clay and polish twice a year and maybe add an additional coat of Z2 sometime in between if I get the urge. I still LOVE these products after 6 years of using them.

Tom H

I can relate to the addiction to detailing. I am somewhat of a fanatic about it. When I just traded my 2004 Volvo on the RX the dealership put my car on the lot the next day without even having the paper work in hand. They couldn't stop talking about how pristine my car was. I had just clayed and waxed it and of coarse the Zaino treatment makes the finish much smoother to the touch than a new RX finish fresh from the factory. The sales rep asked me a lot of questions about the Zaino system. The high KKB value on the Volvo was $21,900 and they gave me $23,000. They were very impressed. I clay and polish my new cars during the first week after I take possession to get rid of the air born contaminates and rail dust.

Dinomon

WoW.. Never seen anything like that.. It looks brand new. Can I polish Zaino by myself or I have to take it to a shop? If so, where can I buy the products and which one is the best for RX Bamboo color? Any instructions also would be greatly apprecaited.

dhamaka127

Where did you guys buy your Zaino products and which ones did you get?

Thanks in advance

tfischer

For the most part, Zaino products are sold only through the on-line store:

www.zainostore.com

Read everything there; allow for some time as it will take you a while.

You start by taking off the wax (eg: wash with Dawn) because Zaino is a polymer that bonds to the paint. It will not bond to wax. Then you apply Z2. You will want to apply several coats; read about curing times and about bonding on the Zaino pages. Also, the new CS provides for easier application because you do not need to remove it.

The advantage of Zaino, besides the deep shine, is that once applied, it will stay on the car and protect it for six to nines months, unlike wax which is gone in 4 weeks or so. Once you get the initial application on the car, you need only to add a coat or two about twice a year. I do my cars in the spring and in the fall when the weather is nice.

Highly recommended.

salimshah

I have tried various polymer based waxes (if you can call it a wax !).
Low cost are Nu-finish. 1 application gives you 90% (estimate, not measured) to Zaino outcome and 2nd application takes you almost there [for light color cars].

Zaino takes a minimum of 3 coats [4 to 5 coats preferred .. the initial coats are of different product but final coats are typically the same product]. So the cost outlay is much more ... but you get to use it over time].

The real plus with zaino products is that if it gets into black plastic or rubber, it does not bond with it. [It is a no no with Nu-finish].

There are other alternatives like McGuire [sp?] .. they have come up with a new formulation. Again it gives close to Zaino finish {on metallics and light colors}

By the way we have a dedicated forum on finishing/detailing under special interest groups.

I have one car which is deep in color and I only put Zaino on that one. Great product.

Salim

Dinomon

I use Turtle Wax -Super Hard Shell. How is it compared to Zaino?

tfischer

Wax is fairly soft and sits on top of the paint. It is reflective for a while, but heat melts it off the car. Generally, wax will yellow over time.

A polymer sealant such as Zaino bonds to the paint itself (that's why it is important to get any wax off first; a polymer put on top of wax will come off with the wax) and does not yellow over time. It will remain on the car and offer protection for 6 to 9 months, depending on the conditions of storage.

So, it lasts longer, is optically almost perfect, and is easier to apply (wipe on; let dry, and wipe off; no need to "buff" like wax - and Zaino has a new product that does not even have to be wiped off. A coat of this product (called CS, I think) takes me about 10 minutes.)

On the other hand, it costs more, and the initial application, including the removal of the wax, can take a fair amount of time. This is a one time investment, however, and pays for itself over the years since subsequent applications of a polymer and quick and easy and need to be done infrequently.

Finally, wax is not expensive, and is easy to get, and everybody knows how to do it. It takes some time to read up on and learn how to apply and keep up a polymer finish.

It's not for everyone, but it's worth looking into if you are serious about maintaining the appearance of your car.