Help the new guy!

[ptirmal]

Hey guys I just joined the forum after searching here and there for some new products to use for up keep of my car. I like to wash my car (2002 silver impreza wrx) whenever it gets dirty but I usually end up doing it every 2-3 weeks. I plan on starting to do it more often especially once my cam spray foam cannon arrives!



Last time I did a full on detail was last fall I believe. I washed, clayed, washed and applied some mothers carnuba wax. I always use 2 buckets and a natural sea sponge to wash my car. Drying is done with one of my WW MF towels. I usually use some QD/Spray wax etc after the car is dry.



I recently received some zaino products, z5, zfx and z6. I was planning on re-claying the car before I apply any z5 but I wanted to know if there was a step in between the final clay/wash step and applying z5? I have a new quart of NXT car wash as well as some EO left that I plan on using.



I haven't noticed any swirls or scratches that I can really fix (the color is deceptive). I have a few (mainly the front end) from rock chips that I don't believe I can fix with just some compound. Is there something I should use that will get rid of light scratches in between the wash and z5 application? If there is let me know what exactly (polish, glaze?), I looked through the acronym sticky but am still overwhelmed by it. Is z5 just a sealant?



Also I checked this thread about zaino: http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-detailing/19414-nick-s-unsolicited-zaino-tips-tricks-3.html

They mention IHG, can I use any hand glaze in between? I would of course wash the area down after applying the glaze to allow the z5 to bond properly.



Finally, I try to stick to OTC stuff since shipping is usually a good but. I have a napa parts store that should sell duragloss and then I have the usual stores around with the limited wax/polish/glaze selection.

 

[ptirmal]

any help guys?

 

[abbeysdad]

It's all about the clean and a polishing step between clay and LSP is missing. Even after a good wash/clay/wash, there can be a layer of grime that comes off with a good polish or AIO chemical cleaner w/LSP.

Just something to consider.

 

[Accumulator]

ptirmal- Welcome to Autopia!



I had a silver WRX of that vintage.



Yeah, you need to do a polishing. Marring that might be hard to see will make the light refract instead of reflect and that'll make it look less-than-swell, especially with a sealant like Zaino on it (I used a sealant on my WRX).



Even just the ZPC or even the ZAIO would be beneficial. The Subie clear isn't all that hard so it shouldn't be too difficult to correct.



If you have to go OTC look in the yellow pages for an autobody/paint supply place, which oughta have lots of good choices. I used the old 3M PI-III Rubbing Compound 05933 and Machine Glaze 05937 on mine, but those have been discontinued (some places still have 'em on the shelf though). Good substitutes might be something from Presta. Try to avoid products with lots of oils (e.g., Meguiar's) as you'll just have to clean those oils off before applying the Zaino.



Also, I can't imagine why anybody would use 3M IHG and then wash it off before applying Zaino There's nothing in IHG except for oils and solvents (check the ingredients, this is a product I've been around for ages and I'm quite familiar with it) and so you'd simply be washing off what you'd just put on.



Eh...just order the ZPC/ZAIO. The ZAIO would be really handy to have on hand anyhow (oughta work great on your wheels). It has a bit of cut to it, so it might be enough to make all the difference on the marring.



Try to get the lighting in your work area to show the marring (that I can guarantee you *is* there). I prefer incandescent lights in an otherwise dark shop, they're utterly unforgiving, much more so than halogens/etc.



BTW, I also used my sealant on the black exterior plastic trim (instead of a dressing), worked great and didn't need to be reapplied nearly as often. I bet the Zaino would be great for that, but don't use the ZAIO on it first, too abrasive IME. See if claying cleans it up enough for the Z5 to work (try a small area). I used Klasse AIO to prep mine.