Engine clean with Optimum Opti Clean

R

rsunnafrank

New member
Hi guys,



Just stumbled upon this forum today and have been looking over the threads this afternoon. Thought I'd sign up and say hello from the wet and cold UK! :)



Managed to order some Zaino today from a place in the US that accept credit cards and international shipping. Currently own a Mazda MX-5/Miata (10th Anniversary) which has had the Zymol treatment, but fancied seeing what all the fuss is about with Zaino. I remember finding it when I was researching the Zymol brand, but as it was difficult to get over here in the UK I went for the easy option and bought from the UK Zymol distributor.



Will definately be trying Zaino out on the MX-5 (and my new ride that arrives in 7 weeks or so!) and posting pics once I'm finished. Probably won't be for a couple of months though since the weather over here at the moment is terrible, and I've no garage to put the car in either. :(





Anyway, plenty of info on this site to trawl through for the moment, so I'll get back to reading the archives. Hope to speak to some of you on here soon though!





-andy-
 
I'm sure you will enjoy Autopia Carport. It's a fascinating place for the Obsessive Detailer.



I do have a question for ya - I'm an avid reader of Practical Classics and the other UK car magazines (Car, Top Gear, Classic & Sports Car, a few others) but rarely see any advertising or talk about the brands of car care products in Old Blighty. I know Autoglym is big there and I see stuff from Mer, T-Cut, Turtle Wax but not many others.



If one went to Halfords looking for car polish, what would they find on the shelves? Are there any stockists (British for "retailers") that cater to the more serious enthusiast?



Anyway, just thought I'd ask. One day I'll cross the pond and pay a visit.



Cheers, mate.
 
I'll try!



I've just been trying to find a pic of my MX-5 but can't find any amazing ones. This one is probably my best - however, I've no idea whether this was before or after I'd tried Zymol! I think it was, and it certainly looks quite shiny... ;)



Car looks a bit of a state at the moment - salt on the roads, and temperatures around 5degC (about 40degF) mean its getting a bit neglected. The Zymol is holding out fairly well though, and each time I wash it the salt etc seems to come off fairly easily, but the panels aren't smooth-as-glass anymore, and the beading/sheeting is somewhat less...



That actually gives me an idea for my first question actually! :)

Most people I know that use Zymol say they only HD-Cleanse once a year, and I know that is the recommendation from Zymol themselves. But, maybe due to the climate over here, I find that after three months or so, the paint has picked up lots of contaminants and feels rough to the finish, despite constant cleaning with the 'Clear' car wash. Surely this means that the car needs to be HD-Cleansed again, or clay'd before reapplying the wax?





-andy-
 
Weclome aboard sixspeed. You have found the most knowledgable detailing forum on the net, you're gonna love it here. :up
 
Wow! So many replies all ready... no work for me tomorrow by the looks of things! :D Lol...



As for what you'd find in Halfords - as far as your average guy on the street is concerned, Autoglym is the "high-end" product. You'll also find the usual Turtle Wax, Halford's own brand, and other generic miracle-all-in-one-does-everything polishes.



You can get hold of Meguiars, and Zymol (and also Wax Wizard which is VERY similar to Zymol - even some of the names of the waxes are the same!) but not without knowing what you are looking for and doing some searching around. I certainly have never seen any of them in any stores. Only mail/web order...



Zaino has been difficult for me to get hold of until I found a US web retailer that stocks it, and that offers international shipping AND accepts Credit Cards. Sal cannot accept these and I'm just too lazy to arrange money transfers etc.. :o As Zymol has UK offices, I just went for that as it was straight forward for me obtain.





I will let you know how I get on with Zaino though. Oh, and found another pic of the car ... :p





-andy-
 
Thanks! It's the parents' driveway though, so can't take any credit for it! ;)



As to whether I clayed the car before the original application, the answer to that is yes. Which is why I asked really - since I seem to end up claying the car each time I put Zymol on (about every 3 months or so). Maybe I'm not doing something right. However, the roads near where I live can get quite dirty, and it rains here enough. That and doing about 2000 miles a month probably could account for part of it...



Plus I only really get a chance to clean the car twice a week max, so at this time of the year the car can be pretty caked in crap before its cleaned.





-andy-
 
Are there a lot of industrial plants where you drive with smokestacks sending plumes of crap in the air that land on your car? These are another possible source of contaminates.
 
Hmmm, not really... not where I live anyway.



But I work either in London, which is polluted enough (!), or in Hemel Hempstead, which is about a 45 mile motorway drive...



I'm not really sure where it comes from. Just feels like dirt and grit etc (plus a few tar marks) which just won't come off with plain washing. HD Cleanse cleans it off, but it never feels as good unless its clay'd as well...





-andy-
 
Hi Sixspeed allow me to join the chorus of welcomes! :) Nice car dude, I dig that color too.



Regarding your earlier question about the rough paint that is the normal sign that the barier of protection provided by your wax has broken down. I'm confident that you will find that Zaino will increase the endurance of your paint protection. I haven't used Zaino specifically however I have had positive longer lasting results using Maguiar's #20 polymer sealant and Klasse AIO and SG which are also polymer based products like Zaino.



Hope that you enjoy your stay here and come back to visit often!
 
Hello again,



I've just thought that maybe I should be applying coats of wax more often? How long, in the real world, on a daily driver, do the Zymol guys out there re-apply a coat of wax?



Finding this board and reading and looking at all the pictures inspired me to go out and wax the bonnet (hood! ;)) of my car earlier. I wasn't going to bother detailing the car much anymore because of the weather and the fact that it is going in a few months, but I'd forgotten how good a shine it brings up again. Didn't have time to do the rest of the car as it got dark and the raindrops started to fall... (meant I couldn't get a pic either).



Might have another go at the weekend if it stays dry long enough.





-andy-
 
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