Bluehinder

Hi,

I've decided to try the Edge 2000 pads. Which size do you recommend? Flat or waffle? I'm using it with the PC, new cars only, just keeping good paint uo. All my cars are silver.

Thanks.

Deanski

If using the EDGE Adapter with pads, use 6" flat. No need for waffle pads for a PC. The Edge system does work very well, easy to change pads.

Dr. Shine

wardo

Great thread thanks.
On a side note my car is exposed to UV the majority of the time.
What would you suggest for protection of the paint?
Also I have noticed the rubber seals are showing wear from the sun ( 6months old )what is the best product to protect.

Thanks

Bluehinder

Dr. Shine,

Not to highjack this thread, but would you please give me your opinion?

I just did my new arctic silver 911 with Jeffs twins, Prime and Acrylic Jett Trigger. The car looks great, but I am slightly unhappy. It looks a little two-dimensional, a little flat, and the shine (which is nice) is a little plastic looking. It's a cold, sterile look.

I plan to do Zaino next time, but how can I give it some pop? I thought about topping it with S100, or with Nattys clear. Would this defeat the purpose of the twins? How about FK425? I use that on my Z06 with Optimum Wax.

Thanks,

Blue

allegretto

So, Dr Shine. I have a new C4S Cab and I did three coats of Z-5 with the ZFX. If I do Z-2 with ZFX will I get more depth to the finish? Or have I put myself in the corner here with all the Z-5?

allegretto

A follow up Dr Shine.

My car is Arctic Silver. Should I go over it with P21S? Or just go to Z-2 then Z-8, then Z-2 then Z-8 etc...

wross996tt

First off...Z-2PRO and Z-5Pro are completely compatable and may be applied in any order after appropriate curing (.5 hours with ZFX). It is recommended to use Z-5PRO first as it is for swirl marks and fine scratches. Z-2PRO is optically excellent and should be used last. Of course some Z-8 between coats and as a final detail will really pop the paint. I would not use P21S after Zaino (although you can). P21S is a carnuba where as Zaino is a polymer. Never use P21S under Zaino.

Deanski

Wax will warm it up a bit more. S100 is the same as P21S. Very clear wax. To be quite honest, "Jeff's Twins" is nothing more than a sealant very close to Klasse. The plastic look is similar to Rejex or earlier Zaino years ago.

The S100 will be a big improvement and I'm sure you'll be happy with it. Maintain with a QD designed for waxes.

Let me know how you like it.

Regards,
Deanski

Deanski

Yes, if you add Z2-Pro, it will add more gloss and deepen it. Add Z8 for that last push of gloss and you'll be there!

As for your next question regarding P21S over Zaino? I would not top Zaino as any wax will dull the clarity of Zaino. Just top with Z8 spray, no wax.

Artic Silver does look good with waxes, but if you viewed a picture that I sent of one of my detailers who did his new Infinity all Zaino, the metallic level was out of site! He also did a customers Scion that is a deep blue metallic flake and that too just came alive!

There has been a big improvment of Zaino from the older product years ago. The older product was perfct for indoor car shows. With metal halide lamps or mercury vapor lamps, Zaino reflected the finish in a very unique way that no wax could. Get the car out in the sun and it was a different story. Once the color spectrum from sunshine comes into play, it made it look very bright, plastic-looking and not deep. Most had to top with wax to dull it, but then it looked flat.

Add your Z2 and Z8 between coats. Maintain with Z6 and when you want that deeper gloss Z8.

Enjoy and post some pics when done!

Regards,
Deanski

Deanski

Most newer sealants have some UV protection. Zaino does, FK1 does, as well as a few other sealants.

First off is to clean the finish, prep it prior to sealants then add the sealant. Whichever you choose, you'll be protected.

Always try to park the car away from the sun whenever possible... Like I had to say it...

Rubber seals can be treated by 303 protectant as it has anti-UV additives. There is also 1Z (Einszett) Gummi Pflege which is perfect for seals as it's a stick. Just like glue-sticks. It too protects against UV.

Hope this helps.

Deanski

Deanski

As I said in the previous responce, no wax please. If you use Zaino, you do not need wax of any kind. The first thing you did to apply Zaino was to strip old wax and oils off so it can bond. You cannot get Zaino to bond to a finish that has wax on it. Once the wax wears off, so does Zaino. Besides, Zaino would streak like mad if put on top of a wax.

SOme people have topped Zaino with wax, but you loose the clear nature of Zaino. Waxes will warm up and may even deepen/wet the finish due to the oils in wax, but it takes on the look of say fresh shampooed hair, then you put Vitalis or other "grease" in your hair. It deepens the look, but easy to trap dirt too.

Use some of the Zaino leftover in each time you mix on your wheels. Then see how easy it is to get brake dust off!

Regards,
Deanski

Bluehinder

Dr Shine,

Thanks for the reply.

So, bottom line....cost or time no object, which looks better on arctic silver, triple coat Zaino or P21S?

Thanks.

Deanski

Zaino wins hands down! I wish the pictures I posted previously were a higher resolution to show how clear and bright that silver looks. One day I'll see if we can get one in that is silver and do a side-by-side of Zaino and P21S to show the difference.

Zaino does take more time than wax because of the prep (stripping waxes/oils) and mixing, applying etc.

All depends on what you want. More work now, better protection, brighter gloss, longevity, easy maintained. Or glaze/wax and wash every now and then, repeat again in a few months.

Regards,
Deanski

Bluehinder

What do you recommend to remove Jeffs stuff prior to Zaino?

Is it enough to just wash the car with Dawn?

Should I do a 50/50 wipedown?

While the car is only two months old, and it has already seen P21 paint cleaner, and now Prime, should I use another precleaner?

And finally, how do you feel about clay?

I just want the perfect finish to start the Zaino.

Thanks for your time.

Blue

Deanski

The DAWN will not remove any sealants. Meguiars APC+ will, but they changed the stuff to be VOC compliant. You can do the 50/50 water/alcohol wipedown and that will work.

P21S PWC (Paint Work Cleanser) is very effective and nice and mild for cleaning the finish. Use it all the time as well as other "cleansers". The P21S does a fine job and I would not change from using it as it's very mild. If the finish still will not get corrected by P21S, then it's time to move up to a bit more polish. Once I'm done polishing, I will wash with DAWN or APC mix to make sure any oils are off. Then, as I mix an ounce of Zaino with ZFX and shake well, I mist down the finish with Z6 or Z8 spray to prime it. I then mist the applicator pad and start applying. THIN COATS! I go UP/DOWN on vertical panels and BACK/FORTH on hood, roof etc. It's an old trick to gain as much optical gain by the way polishes are applied and how they reflect off panels. It also trains you as well to see where you applied a sealant AND to track any marring from QD'ing a finish. You'll know then if you start marring a finish this way before it gets worse.

Clay works very well for removing surface debris (sap, tar, rail-dust) but you want a fine clay and LOTS of lube. Any good cawash soap dilluted in a spray bottle works well as a lube. Pretty much like using the soap for wetsanding. I'm used to Claymagic blue as I have cases of it, but I ordered some of the SONUS ULTRA-FINE clay to test to see how much it removes and if it can markup the finish. Some clays can produce marring if too much abrasives are in the clay.

If the finish feels like glass, no need to clay. I had to this past week as I parked at the in-laws house under a pine tree. Found a boatload of small, clear sap dropletts on my finish. Clay removed all of it.

Enjoy the Zaino. It does look really nice and I've changed most of my customers to it. They get a bottle of Z6 and MF towels to take home with hands-on instructions how to use it, when to wash etc.

Sean, who is the owner of the Infinity G35 and is a well respected and very experienced detailer has coated his car all with Zaino and it's silver metallic. Make the silver pop like mad. He too was a P21S wax user (and still uses it for some customers) for silvers, but after doing his was the icing on the cake! He also like the tire shine (Z-16) as well. I still use Stoners as it's quick and easy, but one day I'll treat my tires with some Z-16.

I'm sure you'll be happy with the results!

Regards,
Deanski