I finished my first Zaino application today. There is good news and bad news. The good news: very easy to apply and the results can be expressed in one word
D A M N
Looks fantastic. I did find that using microfiber towels works better than 100%cotton. Big package available at Costco.

The bad news: it going to rain for the next couple of days.

Why bad news! You have the Zaino on! It should be water off a ducks' back....so to speak!:D

why is Zaino so popular? I am sure it gives a great shine but if anyone did all the prep work required to put Zaino on with another product I am sure you would get great results too.

I don't know about that, amount of work the is. This is (Zaino) by far the best I have ever used. Now I have not used Liquid Glass though.

I wax a 40' boat several times a year and am a Mequires fan, and have also started to use the Zymoil with good results so I think of myself as very familar with waxes. But these types of polishes though are new to me.

Another wax/polish that I have heard is suppose to be very good is Klause which is available from Harringtons. This is a 2 step product. Anyone try it?

http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html

This link has a good review of various types of wax. They came up with a simple but effective way to test what is the best. As with anything else it could be biased but its put together pretty well. I can't say how well Zaino works for me yet. I just recieve my Zaino a week or so ago. Its been to cold to get outside and detail my car though. Looking forward to some nice weather soon.

Originally posted by flatso
why is Zaino so popular? I am sure it gives a great shine but if anyone did all the prep work required to put Zaino on with another product I am sure you would get great results too.

For one thing, the prep work with Zaino, while time consuming is not a workout on the arms (no heavy buffing). It also lasts much longer than wax, and (this is important on darker colors) you don't get the wax 'smearing', you know sometimes you see cars with smears/streaks on the finish, I've never heard of that happening with Zaino.

One more thing, you doun't get RESIDUE, or have to worry about getting the Zaino on the black plastic like you do with wax. Cost wise Zaino is very economical in the long run, it's just the up-front cost that causes people to step back.

Originally posted by flatso
why is Zaino so popular?

This is why.

Anyone know if Zaino will help or hurt things if applied over the clear bra? The bra material is 3M plastic. Is there any point in coating it with Zaino or is it a waste of time. I got my Zaino shipment in on Tuesday and hope to put on my first coats this weekend.

Originally posted by flatso
why is Zaino so popular?

Here another reason:

Good 'ol soap and water here, folks! :D

Sometimes I even spray some wax on her from the do it yourself car wash down the street! :D

Meguiers 3-Step once its warmer - Cleaner, Polish, Wax

I just spent 5 hours today putting on 3 coats of Zaino and DAMN is it great. I'm tired now, but the car looks wonderful. I took before pictures but didn't finish until after the sun set, so I'll take the after picture tomorrow. I'll post them here. Did the whole process of Dawn wash, Claybar, Z-7 wash, 3 coats of Z-2, and then Z-6. My wife laughed at me for working that hard, but it's all worth it.


I was shinning a fash light on the side of the car to check some things and there a full reflection beside me. It's amazing!:D

Originally posted by Speed-ER doc
This is why.

Did you Zaino your windows too? They look a shiney as the car.

I actually did put Z6 on the front window, but I don't think it did much. Just lots of washes for the rest of the windows. I would say the car is as shiny as the windows instead!

speed how many coats did you put on? Also if you can give me a break down of how many z5 and z2 coats would be swell. I just finished putting some coats on, but its 730 and i did it in the garage.

Reflection in car door:

First dawn wash, then zaino wash, then claybar, then repeat zaino wash, drying, then z5 - z6 - z5 - z6. Then I was tired and it was getting dark, so I quit. Shine looked good. Pic here:

Day or two later, did zaino wash, dry, z2 - z6 - z2 - z6. What a difference! The shine was much deeper and fuller.

Of note, I got two coats from one half of the little bottle of either z2 or z5 + ZFX. The lighting was different, but here is the pic after the z2 waxes:

Hey Speed ER doc, nice color choice :).....

I also put on my first zaino layer this past week.
But, I only did the dawn wash -> zaino wash -> z2 + Zfx -> z6

Didn't use the clay bar since it's still new and clean, and didn't try the z5 since I didn't have any swirls or scratches.

Going to put on at least 2 coats in a couple of months. Stuff comes off really easy compared to others and the shine is amazing.

Here's a few pics of mine.............
-Adrian

http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/1.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/2.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/3.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/4.JPG

Speed and Adrian - Both cars look great!!! Hope you get used to it because those black cars are going to need ALOT of attention to keep them looking that way! :D

"Wax ON - Wax OFF" :)

Yup, black is hard to keep clean. Every little particle shows.

Thank goodness for my garage and clear Texas weather (which should begin any day now!!). Here's my roommates black '03 Mustang GT. Love the torque on that thing but the styling is a little outdated for my tastes.

http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/5.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/6.JPG

Originally posted by Speed-ER doc

Of note, I got two coats from one half of the little bottle of either z2 or z5 + ZFX. The lighting was different, but here is the pic after the z2 waxes:

2 Coats from 1/2 of the little bottles... wow.. how are you applying it? What are you using? I tried using different applicators, and I can barely get 2 coats from the entire little bottle with ZFX as additive.

I use the applicators I got with the "total application kit" - the white spongy square. Just a thin coat seems to do the job.

Cool stang adrian! I'm envious. I wanted the Cobra convertible so bad, but the 8 kept calling me.

All my cars will always be black.

Originally posted by adrian-1
Hey Speed ER doc, nice color choice :).....

I also put on my first zaino layer this past week.
But, I only did the dawn wash -> zaino wash -> z2 + Zfx -> z6

Didn't use the clay bar since it's still new and clean, and didn't try the z5 since I didn't have any swirls or scratches.

Going to put on at least 2 coats in a couple of months. Stuff comes off really easy compared to others and the shine is amazing.

Here's a few pics of mine.............
-Adrian

http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/1.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/2.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/3.JPG
http://www.cox-internet.com/adrian-1/images/RX8/first%20zaino/4.JPG

Has anyone used Zaino on a red RX-8? I have been using Meguiars for 13 years on my miata and now have a red RX-8. Since red is a very volatile color and fades easily, I was wondering what your experience was.

This thread shows my red 8 with Zaino

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8291&highlight=front+splash+guards

[/quote]Didn't use the clay bar since it's still new and clean,[/quote]
I Zainoed my yellow last September when it was just a couple of weeks old. I also considered not claying, but when I tried Zaino's suggested test (run your hand over the finish inside a sandwich baggie) the roughness was easy to feel.

After claying a small area and rewashing with Z7 the finish was far smoother. It's well worth the trouble to claybar IMO, especially since you really only have to do it once. After that your mulitple coats of Zaino will protect the finish.

Putting multiple coats of Zaino, or any high performance wax or finish, on an inadequately prepared surface just didn't make sense to me. YMMV I suppose.

why is Zaino so popular?
That's a reasonable question....until you actually try the Zaino.

I had never even heard of Zaino until joining this forum about a month ago. After reading about their products here, I ordered a bunch of stuff, and spent most of a Saturday doing a full treatment. Washed with Dawn, Claybar'ed, washed with Z-7, applied Z-1, then followed that with 2 coats of Z-2 w/ZFX. To put it bluntly, I've never achieved such an incredible looking finish, and I've used/tried a whole pile of different waxes and surface preps over the years. The Zaino may not be the best available, but it works pretty damn nicely, is easy to apply and remove, and all at a price that is reasonable (to me, anyway).

Went over the interior vinyl last night with the Zaino leather conditioner. Yes, I thought it odd to use a leather treatment for vinyl, but that's what Sal at Zaino recommended that I use when I emailed with the question. Worked great. Plus, it smells good too. :D

Bill