costar51

Hi, I will get my new E 320 CDI SW in a few days. I have read about Zaino, but despite having visited Zaino web site still it is not clear to me which product to order and how to apply it. Is this a long/difficult process ? Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks

KOMPRESSORnSC

First of all, congrats on the new car!

Let's see...

First of all, a lot of people don't like to let the dealer detail / touch their car when it is delivered. Dealers tend to use poor technique / products on cars.

As far as Zaino, you will need: ZFX, Z2 (light color) or Z5 (dark color) sealant, Z7 (wash), Z6 (quick detail), and some either 100% cotton or high quality micro fiber towels.

The process is really pretty simple, the main thing being that you start with a perfectly clean (wax-free) surface. If you have DAWN dishwashing detergent there, it is a good way to strip any wax that might be on the car. Any high-quality, grease stripping detergent should work though, if you don't have DAWN. After your car is perfectly clean, just follow the insturctions (ZFX + either Z2 or Z5, Z6 between coats, etc.). The ZFX insturctions can be a little confusing, but just remember that you use it (a) on the first coat, (b) if you are doing more than one coat at a time, or (c) after about every 6 coats.

I find Zaino easier to work with, apply, remove than a traditional wax. It's so easy, I tend to do a coat about ever 3 or 4 times I wash my car just to keep it looking especailly good! The one tip I have is to put it on as thin as possible-you should barely be able to see it on the car. I've found that yellow foam applicators work about best for application (or Viking brand if you have them).

Good luck, and post some pictures when you're done!

costar51

To KOMPRESSORnSC

Thank you for replying to my previous post.
I think I now have clearer ideas about which Zaino products to purchase ( Z-18, ZFX, Z2, Z5, Z6, Z7) . But still I have some doubts:
•I do not have facilities in my garage to wash my car (I can do this elsewhere)
•Once I have washed my car do I need to use the clay Z-18 even if the car is brand new?
•Once the car has been clayed do I need to wash it again with Z7 ?
Once the car is clean can I move it to my garage (short distance) ? Then start to:
•apply Z2 with ZFX (should I let it dry x 1 hr?)
•then apply Z6
•then apply Z5
and from there on I will alternate layers of Z2, Z6, Z5

is this correct?
Thanks again for your time, and I send you the greetings of the season.

P.S. I should get my car on the 2nd of january, I can't wait

ElDiabloJoe

Congrats on your new sled!
(PS-To AlBoston, maybe the next sticky should be "How to Zaino")

Let me try to answer your follow up questions but first, here's a quick synopsis for a brand new car:

Primarily, tell your salesman, delivery person, etc.j, everyone you can, that you don't want them to touch your car! Have them deliver it dirty, or if you can with the white protectant plastic still affixed! Far easier to start fresh than to fix the "detailer's" mistakes.

OK, first things first, wash your car with Dawn brand dishwashing detergent. For the reasons mentioned above, it strips all previous waxes, adhesives, misc. crap off your car so you are dealing with a purely clear-coated surface, a fresh canvas sotospeak. You don't need to let it dry at all if you are moving directly on to the next step(s).

Then clay bar your car (Zaino's product Z-18). Read previous tips on how to best use this...I cut my bar in 1/4s and use only 1/4 at a time. Do the car systematically, yet quickly and thoroughly. Front to back motions for the flat surfaces, up and down for the vertical surfaces (doors, etc.) Use Z-6 QD (Quick Detail) as lubricant. The bar should remove all industrial pollution, brake dust (from rail transport), paint overspray, etc..

Then wash your car immediately with a high quality made-for-car-washing soap like Meguiar's Gold or Zaino's Z-7. This will rid your car of all residue from the claying. These high quality soaps will also not strip your carefully applied Zaino during future washes, as will cheap soaps! Very important!! That's why many of us don't let the dealership, commercial carwashes, do-it-yourself carwash booths, etc. wash our cars. We KNOW they use cheap soap that strips away our hours and hours of carefully applied layers of Zaino and other protections!

Dry your car thoroughly. (Use only 100% cotton or high quality MF (microfiber) towels.) You can let your car sit in the garage overnight if you must, but be sure to Z-6 the next morning before continuing.

Using the ZFX and Z-2 (I believe Z-2 is for clear coated cars, Z-5 for the older non-clear coated cars...not sure about what someone said earlier about Z-2 for light colored cars, and Z-5 for darker colored cars--first I've heard that), apply a VERY thin coat. I mean so thin you can't see it! So thin you don't think you're putting any Zaino on the car at all (you'll see it when it dries and you go to remove it, plus you'll "feel" its resistance when you go to buff it off with your towels.

Let the ZFX/Z-2 dry. Buff with towels (type described above) and fold towel so you use a fresh section frequently!

Repeat as many times as you like (for a brand new car, I would recommend a "base-coat" of 3-5 coats!!!). Don't forget to apply to your chrome wheels too if you have em! Don't forget the plastic bumper covers, etc.

Use Z-6 (the QD) between coats for extra shine!

When you apply the Z-2, and even when you clay, move in front to back or back to front motions on the hood, trunk lid, and roof. For the side panels, use top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top motions. Remember, you're trying to create an optically perfect surface! See some of Vraa's photos of his SL-500 for how awesome his have turned out! Practially mirrors!!

As always, corrections and additions to my posts are always welcome from those more experienced and knowledgable than I!

HTH!!

EDJ

oggle

Correction for EDJ: Wash the car before you clay it. After that wash it again.

Very nice writeup.

jbcritch

I agree....Zaino is the best....

My $.02 is to also clay the glass....it gets all the crud off the glass, and then use Stoner's Invisible Glass - available at any auto supply store (AutoZone, etc.) to make your glass match the Zaino clean finish. I personally dont like the Zaiono glass cleaner.

My other $.02 is not to waste your money on the Zaino wash or the lubricant. A spray bottle with dawn and water mixed will lubricate the clay bar just fine and the Zaino website will also tell you that.

I think they sell Z-2 and Z-5 for both clear coat and non-clear cotated cars. I have both for my C240. Z-2 is the basic product and Z-5 hides those nasty swirl marks and spider webbing. Read the site and call Zaino if you need to....they will tell you what you need.

Good luck and happy washing.

ElDiabloJoe

Thanks. BTW, I thought I mentioned wash before and wash after:
I hadn't thought of using cheap ol' Dawn as lube, I usually use AlBoston's tip of mixing water with Meguire's Gold to save on the Z-6 QD. I guess since you are going to re-wash the car after claying, it would be more prudent to use the cheaper Dawn. Good tip, thanks!

EDJ

revstriker

Even if you have the stock wheels, you should still do the entire procedure on them as well: Dawn, Clay, Wash, zaino. This will make the rims look nice and will make the cleaning of brake dust a little bit easier.

Also, read the directions on the zaino. Make sure you wait the minimum amount of time between coats.

Lov2xlr8

can someone tell me what zaino is?

Lynn

Please go to www.zainobros.com

Lov2xlr8

thanx