[Lansing]

Ordered by 02 330ci, and can't wait. Thinking about protecting it ASAP, but somewhere heard that paint needs to fully "cure" first. Is this true? If so, how long?

I am taking ED, and a friend did the same. He applied Zaino there, and his car is immaculate as they come!

BTW, I am still trying to figure out which Zaino products are appropriate for a new car. The Zaino site is truly detailed...I am still trying to interpret.

Any comments/thoughts would be appreciated.

Lansing

 

[Jetfire]

Congrats on the new car! You can Zaino whenever you want. The car's finish is as cured as it's going to get when it leaves the factory. This is not true for aftermarket paint jobs, since the car can't be "baked" to cure it quickly.

The very basic set of Zaino should consist of:

Z1 or ZFX
Z2 or Z5
Z7

Z1 or ZFX: They both do pretty much the same thing, but ZFX allows you to save some time. You can also apply multiple Zaino coats in a day, as opposed to Z1's once per 24 hours. Either product is used in conjunction with the actual polish.

Z2 or Z5: I would go for Z5 if you only want to buy one. It will help to cover swirl marks, which are inevitable. Z2 provides a shinier finish. You can put either one on top of the other, so you can always buy Z2 later if you only want Z5 now.

Z7: Car wash. Don't wash your car with anything else once you put on Zaino.

I would also consider some Z6. Feel free to ask me any questions; I'm rather familiar with Zaino.

 

[johnlew]

Right away.

 

[eboller]

I would just get the Z2 over the Z5. Swirl marks may be inevitable but you shouldn't be getting them within the first year imo. I've gone 6 months and no swirls.

I say go with ZFX, Z2, Z6 and Z7 car wash. If you want to really get the best surface get teh Z-18. I didn't bother though with my new car although some have shown there to be quite a bit of gunk on even a new car. If the paint feels smooth though it is probably ok.

You can also email Sal at his website--he responds quickly to any questions people have.

Eric

 

[Jetfire]

Lighter cars definitely hide swirls better than darker ones. And by swirls, I don't mean the circular marks you see on poorly maintained finishes. Even if you just go back and forth/up and down, you should be able to see swirls on the paint. The act of washing your car involves moving dirt off of the paint, and even if you use the best towels available, some of that dirt is going to be pushed along the surface of the car. They're hard to see unless you're looking for them, but they're there. But you're right - swirls usually don't show for a while if you're careful about detailing. That includes washing regularly, polishing carefully, and using the RIGHT towels for the job.

So let me amend my recommendation - if you have a light-color car (like silver), Z2 is probably fine. If you have something more like Orient Blue or black, then I strongly suggest Z5. And don't forget to buy the right towels - don't skimp on them!

 

[Lansing]

Good info

Wow, excellent info. More than I ever expected!

And the Z6...what the heck is that? My car will be silver so maybe going with the Z2?

Thanks again,
Lansing

 

[Jetfire]

I think Z6 is officially called "Gloss Enhancer." It comes in a spray bottle, and I typically use it after washing or putting on a coat of Zaino. The Zaino website does a good job of describing it.

 

[Nat Brown]

I would just get the Z2 over the Z5. Swirl marks may be inevitable but you shouldn't be getting them within the first year imo. I've gone 6 months and no swirls.

I would say go with Z5 over Z2. As often discussed, Z5 has almost the same "optical clarity" as Z2, plus it works better as a filler. As a minor note, Z5 can also work on non-clear coated cars, meaning you might be able to Zaino your older vehicles (more than 5 years old) with it.

After 6-months, you would be extremely lucky not to have swirls (or you've got a light colored car and can't see them very well). Jet Black owners know what I mean. Even with a California Water Blade, microfiber towels and wash mits and never taking the car to a car wash or having the dealer prep it, I've still got some areas that have light swirls, although they're hidden pretty well under Z5. I think the CWB helps the most. Swirls are all about drying the car, I've found, not washing it. Just my experience.

--gary

 

[Jetfire]

When it comes to drying, I've also had some success with an electric leaf blower as well. Sounds crazy? Yeah, but it works. You're right about drying the car - basically, anything that contacts the paint has the potential to leave marks. Dragging the towel across the surface - "drying," if you will - can definitely cause swirls.

 

[eboller]

After 6-months, you would be extremely lucky not to have swirls (or you've got a light colored car and can't see them very well). Jet Black owners know what I mean. Even with a California Water Blade, microfiber towels and wash mits and never taking the car to a car wash or having the dealer prep it, I've still got some areas that have light swirls, although they're hidden pretty well under Z5. I think the CWB helps the most. Swirls are all about drying the car, I've found, not washing it. Just my experience.

--gary

Mine is steel grey metallic. Maybe the metallic has helped with the lack of swirls, but really under any light I can't see anything that comes close to being called a swirl mark. I have gotten a couple of minor "scratches" (hardly anything) but nothing that I would think of as a swirl mark. Maybe I've just been lucky--not to mention, being in Dallas I don't tend to get much more than dust on my car. Maybe after a rainy winter I'll see more problems.

Eric

 

[Nat Brown]

Mine is steel grey metallic. Maybe the metallic has helped with the lack of swirls, but really under any light I can't see anything that comes close to being called a swirl mark. I have gotten a couple of minor "scratches" (hardly anything) but nothing that I would think of as a swirl mark. Maybe I've just been lucky--not to mention, being in Dallas I don't tend to get much more than dust on my car. Maybe after a rainy winter I'll see more problems.

If you want to be a masochist, use a halogen light.

Under the halogen I could see all my microscratches, as well as areas that I didn't clean properly.

Be glad you don't have Jet Black. It's unforgiving.

--gary