Hello,
I have had my new E-500 for a week. It was built late 2004 so it was on the dealers lot for quite some time. I want to spend this weekend (wife and kids gone to beach) detailing the car. A few questions:

1. I want to go the Zaino route. For the exterior, what products do I need to bring in to do a good job? Paint color is Brilliant Silver. I do have an auto buffer.

2. The interior is Charcoal (appearance package). The seats feel very dry. What should I use on them if anything at all?

3. The upper door panels and the upper dashboard - what should be applied to protect them from cracking? I really don't like glossy finishes.

4. I am amazed at the amount of brake dust on the front wheels. Is there a good polish/wax that will at least make for easier removal of the dust by rinsing with a hose?

Thanks in advance for your help!

1, sorry i don't know the zaino products, but i do know meguiars so if you would like to go that route, then its fine with me. look straight down into your finish with the sun glaring off, do you see any swirls or scratches? how deep are they???
2. if your leather is clean then just jump into the leather conditioner, you can never condition too much just to let you know. here are two products which i like

http://meguiars.com/estore/product_d...=G-110&store=%
http://meguiars.com/estore/product_d...=G-111&store=%
3. for that , i recommend applying this once every 2 weeks, it leaves no shine and leaves a nice matte original finish whiel offering UV protection
http://meguiars.com/estore/product_d...=G-136&store=%
4. what kind of wheels do you have? no need to polish as that leaves no protection, polishes are removing likea light layer to make it look good, like polishing the paint, you are removing a thin layer of paint to make the scratches disappear


good luck!!

1. If the car has been on the lot for a long period you should first clay the car to remove any surface contaminants, then have at it with the Zaino.
2. If the seats do feel dry I would highly recommend Leatherique. I have been using this for over 10 years on my drivers as well as my show cars. I find this to be the best on the market.
3. The best product out there for UV protection is 303 Aerospace protectant. It will protect and will not leave that shiny oily appearance.
4. There are products on the market for wheels but the cheapest and best thing to do is to keep a good coating of a sealant on the wheels. I have been using Meguiar's NXT on my drivers. Do not use wax because the melting point on wax is low and will melt off on your first drive.

Thanks for the replies! I went ahead and purchased the Zaino Kit #2 that has just about everything. I also added the Z-8 and the Z-12 window polish. If I undestand correctly:

Wash with Z-7
Clay bar Z-7 as lubricant
Apply Z-2 Pro with ZFX
Apply Z-8
Apply Z-8
Apply Z-8
Do the interior with z-9 & z-10
Apply z-16 to tires
Have a beer
Go to bed

Looks like a fun Satuday!

Looks like you got everything prepared. Before you apply the first layer of Z-2, remember to use Dawn to wash the car first. Z-2 really need a squeeky clean surface to bond to correctly, it will last a lot longer if you got a clean surface.

For leather treatment, I actually don't recommand Z-10 but it works well on the dash. The E Class' leather seems to have a clear coat on it, which Z-10 does not get absorbed too well and it will leave a minor white residue on the seats after you sit in it. It is very visible on charcoal leather.

One thing you will find is that the shine looks better (deeper) with additional applications of Z2 (w/ZFX). I normally put about 3 coats to start with a coat of Z6 in between, and then a final coat of Z6. It's pretty easy to get 3 good coats on in a couple of hours. I have yet to try the Z8, but have heard good things about it.

I agree with the other poster; Dawn wash should be step #1.

One word of caution: Zaino will not bond to other products very well, so if you go the Zaino route, stick with this product. Avoid automatic car washes. If you hand wash once a week, and apply a coat of Z2 (w/ZFX) every 5-6 weeks, your car will always look good. Z6 is a good product for between washes (along with a Calf. Duster). I normally repeat the total process, starting with a dawn wash once per year. If it looks like I'm getting some swirl marks, I'll make my first coat Z5.

Don't forget to use Z2 on your wheels as well.

Good luck.

Thanks for the replies. If Atlanta ever gets out of our tropical pattern, I'll take some pictures and post!

Conditioning- recommend a preventative maintenance routine three to four times a year, once prior to the winter season to prevent cold temperatures cracking the leather, and once before the heat of the summer to prevent deterioration and shrinkage by heat, which result in continued cracking of leather. In addition to regular cleaning, leather requires replacement of natural oils; Collagen-based products restore the lost moisture and maintain its natural flexibility. The smell of leather comes from oils evaporating out of the hide.

Schedule: Once every 30-60 days, Arizona, Florida and Texas, especially in summer, for northern climates between 90-120 days, use a leather conditioner to restore these natural oils and keep the leather soft and supple. (Criot's Leather Care, Autoglym Leather Care Cream, or Zymol Treat leather cleaners are all good maintenance products)

Notes:
It is possible to over-condition leather once the hide has absorbed the product it will saturate the foam and the hides stitching and may cause it to fray /disintegrate or over-clean your leather as this may lead to premature cracking and discoloration. Most leathers are treated at the tannery with a protective coating to help protect against staining. Excessive cleaning and conditioning can remove some of the protective properties. Carry a small spray bottle of water and a clean micro fibre cloth so if you ever spill something onto your leather, spray the affected area and wipe it as soon as possible, you should then treat the affected area with leather conditioner.

Conditioning oils will penetrate the fibres more efficiently if they are warmed first; place the plastic container in a microwave before using. For best results warm the leather also before application (vehicle heating system, hairdryer, or the suns heat Allow sufficient permeation time (4-6 hours) or overnight if possible, especially with coated or spray-on dye leathers.)
JonM