Detail Weekend
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
Detail Weekend
With the superb weather in Southern California holding up (Was 100+ all week), I decided to detail the CL this weekend.
Started with a Wash and clay session on Friday afternoon.
This morning I applied 2 coats of Klasse All In One polish with a Porter Cable 7424 using a Lake Country, Mfg. White polishing pad, followed by an application of Zaino Z1 / Z2 by hand.
Yes, I still use Z1 as I find it creates a much stronger and longer lasting bond that using ZFX. Your mileage may vary.
Waiting for the Z2 to haze now. Tomorrow I will follow up with another coast of Z2.
This is the first time I have used Klasse AIO. AlBoston recommended it as a pre-zaino cleaner since my paint was in good condition with no swirls.
The AIO was extremely easy to apply with the PC 7424 and left the finish which was smooth from claying the day before even smoother with a mirror like shine.
Silver is a hard color to make 'pop' but AIO did the trick and left the finish very slick.
I can only imagine what a few coats of Z2 will do to it now.
Off to pull the wheels and detail the wheel liners and brake calipers.
Started with a Wash and clay session on Friday afternoon.
This morning I applied 2 coats of Klasse All In One polish with a Porter Cable 7424 using a Lake Country, Mfg. White polishing pad, followed by an application of Zaino Z1 / Z2 by hand.
Yes, I still use Z1 as I find it creates a much stronger and longer lasting bond that using ZFX. Your mileage may vary.
Waiting for the Z2 to haze now. Tomorrow I will follow up with another coast of Z2.
This is the first time I have used Klasse AIO. AlBoston recommended it as a pre-zaino cleaner since my paint was in good condition with no swirls.
The AIO was extremely easy to apply with the PC 7424 and left the finish which was smooth from claying the day before even smoother with a mirror like shine.
Silver is a hard color to make 'pop' but AIO did the trick and left the finish very slick.
I can only imagine what a few coats of Z2 will do to it now.
Off to pull the wheels and detail the wheel liners and brake calipers.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Hi Adam,
Cool!
I just got my '05 C230 SS last month. After about 2 weeks I washed for the first time, clayed, and applied a coat of Meguiar's Gold Class paste carnuba wax.
It looked really good, but was a pain in the arm to work with, and left a lot of white residue everywhere, especially in hard to reach crevices.
So, no more paste wax for me. I picked up a bottle of Meg's NXT tech wax. So at least it will be easier to apply. But after reading through forums and the web, maybe it doesn't last so long.
I'm interested in trying Z1+Z2, but I have also read that it produces a more "mirror-like shine" vs. the "deep, wet look" of NXT or caranuba. My car has a metallic black (diamond black) paint.
What's your experience with the appearance of Zaino?
Cool!
I just got my '05 C230 SS last month. After about 2 weeks I washed for the first time, clayed, and applied a coat of Meguiar's Gold Class paste carnuba wax.
It looked really good, but was a pain in the arm to work with, and left a lot of white residue everywhere, especially in hard to reach crevices.
So, no more paste wax for me. I picked up a bottle of Meg's NXT tech wax. So at least it will be easier to apply. But after reading through forums and the web, maybe it doesn't last so long.
I'm interested in trying Z1+Z2, but I have also read that it produces a more "mirror-like shine" vs. the "deep, wet look" of NXT or caranuba. My car has a metallic black (diamond black) paint.
What's your experience with the appearance of Zaino?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
I love Zaino. It has always been the most durable and longest lasting system that I have ever used. For light colored cars the shine is great. It is true however that on darker colored cars it may not produce the deep shine as easily that a good carnuba wax would.
However, the durability factor outweighs that for me and on Silver the shine and mirror reflection are outstanding.
I have seen some black cars Zaino'd that look excellent though with as good of a shine and reflection as a carnuba product.
The real key (and most important) to any 'finish' is getting the paint pre-cleaned and swirl free before application. This will lead to great results with any product you choose to use.
However, the durability factor outweighs that for me and on Silver the shine and mirror reflection are outstanding.
I have seen some black cars Zaino'd that look excellent though with as good of a shine and reflection as a carnuba product.
The real key (and most important) to any 'finish' is getting the paint pre-cleaned and swirl free before application. This will lead to great results with any product you choose to use.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Hey thanks for the feedback. I guess as they say, I'm the only one who can judge whether it looks good to me.
I'm going to use NXT next time. Then after that I'll give Zaino a try (why do people say it's so expensive, it's only a little more than NXT), and decide for myself.
The promises of 4-6 months of durability with Zaino are *very* appealing.
You know, if the Zaino doesn't look deep enough, would it hurt to slap a coat of NXT on top of that? Have you ever tried layering another brand of wax (synthetic or carnauba) on top of Z2?
I'm going to use NXT next time. Then after that I'll give Zaino a try (why do people say it's so expensive, it's only a little more than NXT), and decide for myself.
The promises of 4-6 months of durability with Zaino are *very* appealing.
You know, if the Zaino doesn't look deep enough, would it hurt to slap a coat of NXT on top of that? Have you ever tried layering another brand of wax (synthetic or carnauba) on top of Z2?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
I'm not too sure if a synthetic would layer on top of Zaino correctly or not. Some people like to layer a carnuba on top of Zaino however for the final coat to get a deeper wetter look.
I just applied the second coat of Zaino Z-2 ... I'll post some pictures later of the results.
I just applied the second coat of Zaino Z-2 ... I'll post some pictures later of the results.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
Here is a Dark Blue Ferrari Maranello I did with Zaino a couple years ago. You can see the type of finish and refelction I was able to get with 3 coats of Z-2 using ZFX.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Originally Posted by awiner
Here is a Dark Blue Ferrari Maranello I did with Zaino a couple years ago. You can see the type of finish and refelction I was able to get with 3 coats of Z-2 using ZFX.
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
I do use Z-6 between coats, although I always wonder if it really makes any difference. Z-6 works great as a QD and between coats I do notice it makes application of Z-2 a little eaiser as it seems to lubricate the paint. You could always just spritz some Z-6 on your applicator when applying Z-2 as well.
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