I've used Zaino for several years now. Every spring (right about now) I start fresh—washing the car with Dawn, doing the clay bar, and applying several coats of Z-5/Z-2. This year I wondered if all that's really necessary. So I emailed Sal at Zaino and he said no—you don't have to start over. After that first Dawn wash and clay bar—whenever it was—you never have to do that again. Just wash and add as many layers of Zaino as you want.

Who knew?

 

yeah, but you might want to do dawn soap if you're going to claybar.

 

If i get zaino and I get the claybar, what else do I need. SHould I jsut do a few coats of z2, or do I need other kinds for a good shine? Theres so many I dont know what to use

 

yeah ive used zaino for about a year -- tried experimenting with going 100% meguiar's top shelf stuff... was a mistake.

Zaino is more expensive -- and might be a little more confusing but nothing can touch it in my book

 

can you give me some advice as to what exactly I should use?

 

You don't end up with embedded particles in a year? The surface starts to pick up particles more and more starting 2 months after a fresh claying, for my vehicle.

 

Uh, anyone that read the FAQ on the Zaino site?
But who has time to read instructions these days, anyway?

You can use clay over anything. It will only remove the particles - not the wax.

I use some Zaino products and have been experimenting with some of the new stuff from them.

However, 3M is still far superior.

 

I've read every word on the Zaino website, several times. Nowhere does it say you only need to claybar the first time—and then never again.

 

It doesn't say that and that isn't the question.
Its the stripping of the wax with Dawn that you only do once.
You can claybar as often as you like - it won't strip the wax.

 

If the clay is strong enough to remove particles it's hard for me to believe the wax is still left over.

If it's true I just learned something.

 

The claybar acts like a shearing surface - it only abrades the high points, which is the dirt. That is why you use a lubricant. The claybar "floats" over the surface. If your lubricant is wax-safe, so is the claybar. That is why its best to use quick-detailer as the lubricant.
Clay does not act like a polish or compound.

 

Check out this thread

http://autopia.org/forum/detailing-p...987-zaino.html

They talk about procedures with the recent products from Zaino.

I don't think specificity with Zaino is a necessity.

 

The thing with Zaino is the ZFX activator. It makes the "cured" coatings more durable.
The new CS is interesting, but I'm not sold that it actually works.

I use 3M products. If you have a really marred surface, you step through the Finesse-It 3000 series until you get to the Ultrafina SE. At that point, the paint is absolutely perfect.
What you do with it after that is up to you, but the real trick (especially with black) is to find application and removal techniques for your finishing protectants that don't scratch.
Everything scratches - even foam - so you need to find the right combinations to avoid visible scratching.
That said, I usually finish up with 3M finishing Glaze and then a wax - either Zaino or Meguiar's NXT.
I've tried the Zaino CS, but it seems to just make it look oily, no matter how little I use.
Once that is all on the car for a few days, nearly nothing can remove it without the enzyme action of an anti-oil soap like Dawn.
The claybar will just glide over it.

 

he wouldn't need to--if there's no natural wax on top, then the claybar will simply take off some wax, but not introduce any non-synthetic wax. That is, as long as you use Zaino Z7 or some other diluted shampoo for clay lube, instead of a carnauba quick detailer.

 

You should skip the Dawn, but you should clay once a year. You get surface contaminants no matter what driving around, and you don't want to rub that stuff into your paint as you apply another coat of wax (or end up sealing dirt/contaminants into the paint).

 

I'm the OP. Just to clarify, I was wondering if one should do the "whole process" (Dawn, clay bar, Zaino) every spring, so I emailed Mr. Zaino and he said no, you only need to use Dawn the very first time and then never again. I just emailed him again, and apparently you can clay bar again, though not too often…

"A light or simple claying will not remove Zaino. Repeated claying of the paint surface will eventually remove Zaino… Zaino is very durable… I always apply a quick coat of Zaino after claying just to be safe."

 

Yeah, only makes sense. I never bothered with Dawn anyway, clay on a naked paint surface is enough for the first time.

 

I'm gearing up to re-zaino my car in the next week. I was going to do it over the weekend, but apparently it's monsoon season. For waxing/detailing of my BB, I generally use microfiber stuff with very little elbow grease. So far, so good. A lot of the scratching you get when washing the car is particles you free from your paint and then drag around on the surface while you wash. I do wish that I could toss the car on a lift to wax/detail the lower extremities.