I am currently testing the reliability of Zaino Vs. Finish First. I have done four cars with 1/2 Z2 the other Finish First. It has been three months now and both sides bead like crazy. But I have to say I give the nod to finish First because it gives a more Carnuba like shine. Has any one else compared these two products?
I've used them both and like them although I think Z shines a little better and lasts a little longer. But FF is lots cheaper, easy to use, and has a mild polishing ability that removes light surface crud.
I guess it depends on how you define better. Both are good or great products. The one downside to FF is that it can't layer, each coat removes the previous. One of Zaino's benefits is that it can layer for more gloss and protection. Have you tried layering at least 3 to 5 coats of Zaino then comparing shine qualities? Also, I believe FF is a silicone based polymer, so I believe this is what gives it that "carnauba-like" shine, as many carnaubas rely on silicone for shine as well. I can't tell you what kind of shine is for you, but Zaino is certainly not intended to look carnauba-like, if that's what you're after.
I just wanted to chime in and say that Finish First Advertises itself to be silicone free Mike. And their is no abrasive in the polish Bret. There is a pre-cleaner that has some mild cleaners in it. I haven't tested it on trim though.
The product is layerable and in their literature they talk about other products that are not because of strong cleaners. I have to say that on a white or silver car you cannot tell a difference but on a dark colored car the finish First deepens color and gloss much like a good Carnuba.
To me this product seems to produce what Blackfire promises but apparently doesn't deliver.
Because it comes in a bottle similar to liquid glass people think it is the same product, belive me it isn't.
Wipe out and general ease of use are on par with Zaino.
Again it beads for months and months.
A great product that I think deserves a little more credit and recognition.
I beg to differ on the 'doesn't contain abrasives or silicones' claim that Finish First and LG make...
We tested them both for abrasives and silicones and found both products to contain both - don't always believe everything that the manufacturer's tell you.
Don't get me wrong, either, LG & FF are decent products, but I'll never use 'em on my vehicles.
For months now I have heard several of you talk about abrasive free polishes/waxes. As if a mild abrasive or cleaner is bad.
Often times a light cleaner is neccessary to remove dirt or water spots that do get on and in between even the best products. By using a mild cleaning agent you can safely remove light contaminants. On the other hand if you have no cleaners at all you may have to use too much presure on your towel to try and remove these contaminants which may cause scratches.
I am a big fan of Zaino Products myself. On the two white cars I test it on though I find some dirt will not come out of the paint even after washing and using Z6. By having a mild cleaner in a product you can remove this dirt without using much presure. Removing this dirt increses shine. Just because I don't see this light dirt on other colors doesn't mean it's not there. I would much rather remove this light contamination instead of sealing it in with another layer of polymer.
If your car never sees rain or the outdoors you may be fine using a 100% cleaner free product. But for the majority of us, using a product that has a small amount of cleaners is not only easier to use but safer as well.
Just because you proclaim I will never use that product doesn't mean that the products you do use are better. Every product I use I try on a cd first to see if it scratches. Finish First may have cleaners in their polish but it doesn't scratch. Beyond that on the four cars I have done side by side test on, it beads after 3 months exactly as Zaino does. Most importantly it has a Carnuba like shine which I like.
Hey, that's cool - I've always said that people should use the products that they like best...but, in your previous post you said that it contained no cleaners (that's why there's a pre-cleaner); then, you said that it contains 'mild cleaners'...
Just making some clarifications, no flames, just sharing opinions and experiences.
I'm saying that they advertise that there are no cleaners in the polish. This is why they have a separate product called finish prep that contains cleaners.
I can use finish prep to remove contaimanants without removing the layer of polish. Zaino has no cleaner equivalent.
Maybe they have put some cleaners in the polish too, I don't know, but if they have they don't scratch.
This is interesting. If FF and LG both have minor amounts of cleaners/abrasives in them, then they are roughly equivalent to Meguiar's #20 in characteristics.
Actually, yes, both LG and FF are similar to #20 in terms of formula and cleaners. Like Steve, I'm 99% sure FF is a silicone-based polymer. Not saying this is bad, just stating what I know. Unlike Steve though, I wouldn't mind using them on my cars if I had no other alternatives, like Zaino or Klasse. In fact I used the LG variety a while back...
