did I "Z" correctly? it was a weird experience

L

lovesolderplymouths

New member
Here's my first Zaino experience.



I first washed the car with Palmolive (sub for Dawn). That should've dissolved the previous wax on my car.

After that, I washed the car with Z7.

The picture below reflects the car after Z7, which is pretty good.



<img scr="http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ztian/img/lexus_back2.jpg">



It took a while for me to dry.

Then I Mixed Z5/ZFX. After good shaking and mixture, I applied (thinking THIN THIN THIN coats).

My first mistake was to ONLY use the Z applicator... all dry. Without making it damp, the Z5 was barely going on. And it was weird because I could barely see anything on the car once I applied. How do you really apply? I felt like I was buffering the Z5 on to the car, and having it quickly 'disappear'

I did the whole car and after 20-30 mins didn't really see much hazing. it was VERY slight. At the half hour mark, I just started to wipe everything up w/ a 100% cotton bath towel.

It looked pretty shiny, but it was getting so dark I could barely tell. I did a quick Z6 and brought the car into the garage.

By midnight, I decided to put on Z1 and then Z2. I know the Z1 is no longer necessary, but I was afraid my Z5/ZFX coat was too thin or I didnt do it right.

When I applied the Z1 first (this time with damp applicator), it was INVISIBLE! how can you even tell if you got it on?

well, I believe I was applying pretty thin coats.

Then I added Z2 and that too was hard to see or notice.

I was like, damn, I paid $100 for THIS stuff?

however, b4 I jump to conclusions, I simply believe 1. I'm not doing it entirely correct? or 2. all Z stuff is suppose to be near invisible/hard to see?





<img src=http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ztian/img/lexus_Z5.jpg>
 
Ok, lets try and cover the bases here. First, you did not need to switch back to Z1 if you had mixed up some Z5 ZFX. If you mixed an ounce, you should have had enough for around two coats. Second, I would run a search on this board for Zaino. There are some good posts demonstrating how to apply Zaino thin and even. I use the Viking foam pads, but regardless I think it works best to wet your applicator, wring the snot out of it, and then spritz it with Z6 periodically while appling your Z5 ZFX.



If you are applying really thin coats, you should see the product go on, and then barely be able to see the haze (when I get em real thin, I have to look in the right light to see it). Trust me, it is there. If you are using ZFX, I will assume you are doing multiple coats in a day, and as such, even if you should miss a small spot on one coat, you will hit it the next one. Also, don't forget to use the Z6 between coats.



I was a bit doubtful of my technique the first time I applied Zaino. In the past I had always applied with a PC, and put product on pretty thick. But, using the great posts here as guidence, I mastered it the next day.



PS, I would use Dawn instead of Palmolive IF I could at all find the Dawn. I believe the Dawn is a harsher soap, and that is what makes it so effective at stripping wax.
 
You didn't clay the car? It lets Zaino go on much easier.



Here is the process that I follow:



1.Wash with dawn (blue)



2.Clay Yes even if new car. use capful of Z7 with 12 oz of water as lube for clay



2.Wash w/ Z7, dry car.



3.Mix 1 oz (Half of the mixing bottle) of Z2 with ZFX.



4.Spray cotton applicator with a little Z6. Put small amount of Z2 on CA (cotton applicator) size of a dime and rub it into the CA with you finger.



5.Start applying it to surface. Put it on very thin! by the time you get done putting it on the entire car, the starting point will be dry.



6.Remove with 100% cotton (made in USA) towels. It comes off easy doesn't it.



7.Apply Z6 to car one section at a time and remove with another 100% cotton towel. Use very little of the Z6, it goes a long way.



Do steps 4,5,6 and 7 two more times.



3 coats of Z2 and/or Z5 is the max per 24 hour period.
 
Do NOT use z1 with a damp applicator.....use a DRY one. it will spread very easily with a dry one...



I wouldn't even use Z1 if you had ZFX. Apply it a little thicker till you get the hand of it. It should spread as smooth as butter after dampening the pad and spraying some Z6 on it........
 
Use a dry applicator and spritz with one shot of Z6 each time you put more Z2 or Z5 on your applicator (Z6 first). I use the Viking foam pads. I like them better than the cotton applicators and they clean up easier, IMHO.



You should have good lighting when applying Z, outside in the sun is perfect. You should be able to see where you have Z'ed but it is sometimes a little tough. Don't get all freaky about trying to get it on so thin that you can't even tell you have done anything. It isn't the end of the world to use a little more if you think you need to see it on there. I do, and I get very good results. After you have done a few coats you will get the hang of it.



Also going back to the Z1 was a waste of your time but it didn't hurt anything. Put on another two coats of Z2 or Z5 with Zfx (I would go Z5 personally) with Z6 before each coat, and then wash with Z7 a few days later. You will then get the full effect and you will like it, trust me.
 
well, i dried off my Z2 from last night. all in all, the end result's pretty good. i'll get some pix up shortly, the one below is PRE-Z5/Z2/ZFX but post-Z7. i just need to get the car out of the garage to see it in real light.

the only thing that bothered me was that you can barely tell the stuff was on the car, and i guess i was expecting a white haze... which never happened.

my expectations was also probably too high. and combine w/ the fact that i didnt clay and also my car's black probably made my first time not too impressive.

but then again, i guess more coats = better shine.

also, does Z6 really work? i wipe it and i can BARELY tell ANY difference. also, it says that its concentrated so use less, but if i use it and wipe immediantly w/ a dry towel, then its all gone. how can i use a little for the whole car...

its all so confusing for a newbie like me



p.s. my back is sore. body's aching. dont even feel like doing the interior... the leather in a bottle may have to wait a while :(
 
okay, the results are in. i'm not gettin the 'wet' look though

i really think i need to clay the car. i believe i heard walmart's getting it mother's claybar.. i'm gonna stop by in a bit.

in the meantime, as you can see on the hood,,, not exactly the Z's wet look :nixweiss

if you look at the image above and this, there's hardly any difference between Z7 and Z7/Z5/ZFX/Z1/Z2
 
After applying a coat of Zaino, doing the Z-6 right afterwards isn't going to make a huge difference. What it primarily does for me is just eliminate any static I sometimes get on plastic parts, remove any unbuffed Zaino, and it also seems to shine up my headlamps and chromed areas. The main benefit of Z-6 is that instead of containing oils/silicone like other QD's, it's polymer based and does a great job at rejuvenating a Zaino'd car.



When using Z-6 after a wash or after a coat of Zaino, squeeze the trigger very lightly while moving the bottle quickly across a panel. Buff it with a cotton towel but try to spread it around while buffing it so you get the entire panel. Cotton works better in this situation than MF, because MF absorbs everything too quickly. Makes it hard to spread the Z-6 around the entire panel while buffing.



I'm not sure how old your car is or what condition your paint is in, but if you aren't happy with your FIRST coat of Zaino, then perhaps you didn't prep your car properly or you might be doing something wrong. That's just conjecture on my part though. I could be completely wrong. If so, then I apologize. It's just that I was blown away by the shine and slickness on my car after my first coat of Z-5. But don't expect miracles from Zaino. No single protectant is going to shine up a car that needs claying and swirl removal.
 
Intermezzo330I, thats true. especially cuz even after washing w/ dawn and z7, i still see something like rain mark stains ... i really need the claybar. let's hope THAT does the miracle that i'm hoping for.

one interesting thing about Z thou. is that today it snowed and melted quickly, i looked outside and it was like as if it just rained

i noticed on the roof and the hood, there's beading. the water stays on but the beading's spread out, although not really TINY beads

these are both Z'ed spots, isn't Z suppose 2 repell this? for example, i noticed the trunk area didn't have any water
 
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