Orient Express

Rejex

RockSS

Hi All,
I have had good luck and results with the Zaino products. I have used them on my previous car, Camaro, and have just this weekend started using them on my 2004 Targa. I like the results and they seem to be pretty easy to apply. The prep. can be time consuming but applies to all products if you want to do a top job. I like Zaino because they are not abrasive. The Zaino does not do a great job of taking out minor scratches since it is not abrasive.
I have never used any mechanical/electric polish machines. I am scared to use them since I don't know what I am doing with them. Others may know what they are doing and that is good, but I don't trust myself so I do everything by hand.
I only use 100% cotton towels and they must be really clean. Otherwise you get swirls.
Just my .02. Bottomline is, as others have said, most of time it is not so much the products, but the amount of prep and time you put into it.
Tony

htny

I can say that when it comes to compounding and polishing, a random orbital machine is much safer than hand application, mostly because you can actually generate far more heat with your hands than with a dinky random orbit. I HAVE burned paint by hand, but never with a random orbital.

As far as wax/sealant application, by hand is perfectly fine, but you should try by random orbital at least once (not rotary if you're new). Lays down thinner, more even layers, which buff off more easily, assures even coverage, and prevents streaking.

RockSS

Wow, I did not know that. But I have not used much polishing or rubbing compounds. I have always seen the rotary ones that look kinda scary to me. I may check out a random orbital type but I have had good results with hand application so far.
Thanks,
T

gota911

Once you use a R/O polisher, you will ask yourself "Self, why didn't you get one of these sooner, you ___________ (insert your favorite self denigrating word(s) here)."

ivangene

+1
bought one from Griot's Garage, love that thing !! I also am a lot less tired after I do it and my shoulder doens't hurt, or my hands, or my back. Since it's quicker, I have time to drive the car on the same day as I clean it up.... really worth the money

(though in all fairness I have to confess - because Tim loves to hear these stories - I bought (2) of them from a guy on craigslist and sold one on ebay for what I paid for the both of them.... HA, Take that mister 10% FEE !!! ) HAHAHAHA

gawd I am sick!!! HELP ME ---------->

911_993_997

Yup, I've decided I need a polisher now as my local "detailers" just won't cut it anymore. I'm too much of a perfectionest... I'm trying to choose between a Flex, Meg's G110, PC, UDM, or Griots RO. What machines do you all have & why?

htny

flex is a cut above, otherwise all the rest are pretty much the same

gr8330

Zaino. Tim, I added one for you

gota911

Nice Mike!

perfectlap

I've been skipping the sealant part for a long while now. For an enthusiast owned car it's not necessary unless you never maintain your paint. A solid synth "base" wax with numerous top coats of more wax and quick detail sprayings applied every couple of months will keep your car more than protected. Save the $$ money and invest in some quality towels instead that will have a much bigger impact on your paint than that sealant.

sometimes I think these wax companies want enthusiasts to buy 12 different products whose goals are really met with only two.

gota911

Mike,

I still can't believe you let that schweeet Turbo S go!

gr8330

There are times when I could kick myself, like right now! Nothing drives or sounds like an air cooled car but there is a lot to say about a water cooled car when the outside temp gets above 100 and you want cold A/C. So I guess I put it to bed for the summer.

htny

wax is also a paint sealant, especially synthetic wax. If you use synthetic wax there really is no need for an additional sealant, however some people do place wax on top of other sealants for extra depth.

I agree about using the fewest things you possibly can, which is one thing that is nice about the ultima product (you really only need paint guard plus, single wipe on, walk away product, and you can use whatever you want as a quick detailer). But if you like waxing the car more frequently and enjoy putting it on and taking it off etc, then I think it's definitely better to go with synthetic wax. For what it's worth, most of this stuff is pretty cheap, and half an ounce will do a whole car with most of them.

Optimum actually has a great wipe on walk away product called opti-seal which is very cheap, and there's rejex (which has to be buffed out), also very cheap. Even ultima is much less expensive than it used to be.

The primary reason I like these wipe on walk away products is because they are so easy to apply. You can apply a little top up coat in the course of a quick detail without adding any time at all, which means you only really have to allocate one day a year to paint prep and initial sealing coat (if that, I still haven't polished mine this year). Additional coats are so easy I can't even describe it, so your car always looks waxed because you can always add a little product without spending any time or energy or effort. Depending on your perspective, it's either the thinking man's or the lazy man's (me) way of keeping his car really shiny year round without working too hard at it.

TCR

ZAINO