#80 followed by #7, followed by NXT - no wonder your car looks so good; that's a very effective combo. Excellent work.

 

Your car looks great but NXT is not even close to matching Zaino in terms of looks or durability. I have lots of NXT experience and it's hype exceeds its performance.

If you want more wetness you should do Pinnacle Souveran on red: that's a great combo.

 

Durabilty aside, looks are purely subjective. I've personally never liked the look of Zaino (Z2, Z5, even the new Z5) on non-metallic cars. Clearly many people disagree with me, that's because what looks good to one person often looks bad to another.

Souveran is pretty incredible stuff, I use it before shows, but if you're going to throw durabilty into the equation (and it seems you are), then it should be noted that you would be lucky to get 4 weeks of durabilty out of it.

 

Reflection of Zaino

 

Tried that years ago. I have used just about every product you can shake a stick at.. From the old Blue Coral/Simonize years up to the latest Zymol and Klasse. I've been doing this for over 45 years and like to try everything.

I'd suggest to you that it's not the LSP but the prep that makes the major difference. You too will learn that with experience. In fact, I recently did a blind test with some friends and proved to them that they couldn't tell what LSP was used. [//www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201757] The LSP is not as important as the prep to the final appearance. NXT looks as good as any other quality LSP when applied to a well prepped car. It's cheap, easy and readily available so it's what I use for now.

You're right about durability though, NXT does not retain it's look as long as Zaino. I just don't happen to want to wax my car every 6 months. I like to do it more often, say every 3-4 months. For me, NXT lasts that long easily.

More important to the look is the prep stages. For that I have a system that works well for me. It has evolved over the years and I feel comfortable with the products and get the expected results time after time.

This post isn't a sales pitch for NXT nor is it an assault on Zaino. SImply put, the LSP makes only a subtle difference to the final look if you prep well.

 

I agree, Z-5 works best on darker cars. But on silver Z-2 all the way!!!

 

There is another point I wanted to make. Absolutely prep work is important but for most of us we have good technique down as far as polishing and methodology, so the prep level will be high. I've been doing detailing since I was 15 and doing it professionally from then through college and then the past twenty years as I have gotten into cars even more. I'd say prep is 60% of the game.

So I would suggest that another 40% of looks is the characteristics of the chemicals themselves. There is no question that Zaino is very clear optically and has world class durability. I also think that Z-8 was one of the best products released in recent memory. I have tried every combo out there and nothing makes my flake pop more than Z-2 Pro and ZFX.

I just don't think NXT holds up to the same standards and I've used it a lot. Megs just doesn't change products enough to keep up with a perfectionist like Sal who is relentlessly improving his product.

I would suggest you try the new Z-5 Pro with ZFX on darker color cars. I've done two black cars with it recently and it has almost as much depth as Souveran but with more durability of course.

Edison, that is the murkiest post-Zaino pic of silver I have ever seen. There's something else going on there.

 

Like I said above, if paint is in good shape then the LSP is entirely subjective in terms of looks. I've used Z2pro, Z5, and the new Z5 and just find that while they are incredibly wet and reflective, you lose some of the color of the car in the almost blinding wetness. On lighter cars this is ok (and actually desirable in many cases) Some people like that look, I don't. I've always leaned more towards a deep, dark, carnauba type look on dark colors. Like I said, subjective.

As for what percentage of the look is prep, who knows? I know in the pictures I posted in this thread with the G35 with no LSP that none of us would have been able to tell there was no wax/sealant on that car had we not known. I could have put a 10 year old NuFinish wax on there and it would have looked great. At that point it was about protection, not looks.

I approach sealants and waxes more from a practicality standpoint than anything else. If I have a client who I won't see for 6 months, I'll use Zaino or FMJ because I know it'll last. If I do a bi-weekly wash and wax I will use whatever they like the best, because durabilty isn't a factor.

 

Sorry, this is a false statement and should not be spread. It is known that NXT's formula was changed at the end of 2004. It was mainly for VOC compliancy but it also improved the application/removal of the product and appearance. Meguiar's just doesn't have the need to announce every change in the formula. It has also been stated by Mike Phillips that the Meguiar's chemists update all of the product formulas whenever new technology is developed, they just don't always do a good job of announcing the changes.

 

Those are phenomenal results with NXT. Great work jfelbab.

 

Well it's a true statement. Megs rarely changes it formulas. That is the history since I got involved in the late 80s with their product. They are not bad for a mass market product but the quality level is no where near Zaino from clarity, gloss, durability standpoint.

The proof is in the results. Do great prep work on two cars and apply both to different sides (I've done this a number of times). The Zaino will look better and last longer. Face it, their tech is much more advanced.

 

Ok guys, all I ask here is that you agree to disagree. We'd better serve CL with subjective opinions as you're now doing, but keep it respectful towards each other and let's not allow it to get vitriolic from here, we're good right?.

After all...this isn't Iraq...The DaVinci Code or Evolution vs Religion..it's ...car wax! (relatively speaking).

Sometimes perspective is needed. Now...go out to the garage and polish!

 

Nice try but I dispute your opinion. As other posts have mentioned Meg's constantly improves their products. This is a FACT. You seem to think otherwise and made the claim so YOU need to prove your statement. Name one other company that has been successfully making and selling car care products for over 100 years. I doubt there is another company that spends as much on R&D and product development in this entire car care industry. Simply put, if they didn't produce quality products and keep abreast of the technology they would not be here today. So you're claim is clearly flawed and without basis in fact..

I also have pointed out that I have demonstrated to several friends that they could not tell the brand of wax used on their cars. I drink a lot of wine and perform a lot of wine tastings. You see the usual self proclaimed wine snobs there that gush over a Caymus Special Reserve or a Cinq Cepages. But when you put the bottles in a paper bag so they can't see the labels and ask them what they are drinking they can't tell you. Many of them can't tell if they are drinking a Cab or a Merlot. That's what prompted my blind wax test with my friends. You see, they were wax snobs and believed, as you, that their brand made all the difference in how the car looked. I provided a blind test that proved them wrong. They all failed to pick their product in a blind test.

I know, as most here with detailing experience know, that very few can reliably tell the subtle differences an LSP makes to the look of a properly detailed car. Picus even shows us that you can elimimate the LSP and the car still looks like it has been freshly waxed. I have proven this to my friends with a blind test.

Yes, the proof is in the results but only if you remain objective. Put a bag over the bottle and you will come to the same conclusion. Find some friends and have them prep and apply different LSP's and then you go and ID which was used on what panel.

In the mean time, I'd suggest that it is unprofessional to diss a manufacturer with your baseless opinions. It totally destroys your credibility.

 

Fine with me. Time to detail the RX330 anyway.

I couid have had the car washed while I did the last post.

Too bad we all are not in the same city, we could all meet for a beer and put our waxes to the test.

 

Some other posts have referred to the "new" Z5 as being particularly good for black paint. I have been using Z2 on black but also have a 5 month old bottle of Z5. I checked the Zaino website for just a second and it appears that the bottle of Z5 in the picture does in fact say "new" on it. The description of the product also emphasizes its attributes for black and other dark colors.

Anyone know how long the "new" Z5 has been available and whether it is in fact improved in some way over the prior version, particularly for blacks? Sounds like I should be switching from Z2 to Z5 for black and wonder if my current bottle of Z5 is just as good as the new or whether I would be better off getting a new bottle.