I compared Zaino to Klasse

eShine

New member
Ok, so I went ahead and got the following,



-Zaino Z2

-Zaino ZFX

-Zaino Z6



I have been wanting to compare Zaino to Klasse side by side for some time now just for more knowledge on both products.



The vehicle was my White 96 Cobra. At first I was skeptical if white was a good color to choose because its usually hard to tell different products on white. I tried taking pics afterwards but its impossible to get good photos on white when comparing different products! Believe me, I tried!



Both the hood (Zaino) and Fender (Klasse) were both prepped with Klasse AIO via Porter Cable. This gave a great base to test the Klasse Sealant against the Zaino Sealant



First the Zaino. After being disappointed about how little you get for your money, This pain soon disappeared. I used only 1/2ounce for two complete layers on a hood. I do like the smell of Zaino, reminds me of Poorboy's products!



-Mixing the Zaino was different, I am not used to mixing products in order to use them!

-I applied the Z2 on the hood with a yellow foam applicator, Zaino spread real thin and easy. I let it sit for 1/2 hour and wiped it off with a Microfiber Cloth.

-Zaino Removed very easy, especially because it's been about 5 years since I used it so I am not so familuar with the proper application. Although Klasse was equally as easy to remove, I use it all the time and do remember my first few times using it and it wasnâ€â„¢t sooo easy.

-I then waited 15 min and sprayed it with Z6 and wiped it down. I applied another layer 15 min after words and waited another 1/2 hour. The 2 layers was mainly to make sure I covered all areas (Its White dammit!) more than trying to get the products to layer effectively.

-After I removed the last layer and went over the hood with the Z6.

-At this point I was very surprised. I did notice a big difference from Klasse. I will get to that later, Total time for the Zaino to do two layers with Z6 in between was about 1.5 hours, mainly due to recommended curing time.





Now for the Klasse

-I applied the Klasse sealant Glaze to the fender by hand and immediately wiped it off. It has been proven that Klasse needs almost no curing time to be removed.

-Because I have been using Klasse for 5+ years, It was a simple and quick application. Klasse also applied very thin and less than 1/4-1/2oz were used for a fender.

-I used a different Microfiber to remove the Klasse to avoid product mixing.

-Total time to do 2 layers of Klasse was less than 5 min.



Results.



I noticed right away that Zaino produced a more reflective surface. It was extremely shiny but lacked depth. I also noticed that it amplified my orange peel on my car which till now I never even noticed I had any! I had to stare at it for a while to figure out if I liked that look or not. I soon decided that it did not meet my personal preference.



The Klasse was not as reflective but looked wetter and deeper, It also did not amplify the orange peel. Also, for many people who do not have so much time to detail.... I can personally do an entire layer on a vehicle using Klasse in under 30 min. The waiting for the Zaino was a bit of a pain but I tidied up the Garage a bit while I was waiting LOL. I wont factor in price at all because face it, If we wanted cheap products we wouldnâ€â„¢t be on Autopia!



To sum it up, although I personally prefer the Wetter Deeper look of Klasse over the Highly reflective shallow look of Zaino, I can see where each would have its audience! Both are great products and do stand up to their name. I cant attest to Zaino's durability but I'm sure we all know there are no issues in that department! I hope you enjoyed my first review and ignored all my grammatical errors!
 
If you used ZFX with Z2, there really isn't much need for 1.5 hous. I can do 2 coats on a whole car in 1 hour or less. Depeding on weather, Zaino is usually dry by the time I work my way around the car.



Zaino will not hide any defect or alter (ie. mute or deepen) the appearance. It provides a clear layer of protection.
 
armoredsaintt said:
:showpics



I can say I detailed the space shuttle too with my PC7424 :D



I tried taking more pics again! You still cant see the difference as you can by eye :( Sorry...
 
ZaneO said:
If you used ZFX with Z2, there really isn't much need for 1.5 hous. I can do 2 coats on a whole car in 1 hour or less. Depeding on weather, Zaino is usually dry by the time I work my way around the car.



Zaino will not hide any defect or alter (ie. mute or deepen) the appearance. It provides a clear layer of protection.



I could have used that info a few hours ago! LOL
 
eShine said:
-The 2 layers was mainly to make sure I covered all areas (Its White dammit!) more than trying to get the products to layer effectively.




For some reason i just found that to be funnny as hell! :D



Anyway, I have used Zaino and feel its a great sealant. I might just have to get SG since I already have AIO.
 
01bluecls said:
For some reason i just found that to be funnny as hell! :D



Anyway, I have used Zaino and feel its a great sealant. I might just have to get SG since I already have AIO.



It isnâ€â„¢t so funny when your the guy staring 1 inch away from the surface thinking "Did I get this spot!" LOL
 
I have quite a bit of experience with both products. I'm using Klasse exclusively now because it's much cheaper than z2/zfx if purchased in bulk. I hope the folks at Zaino are listening. Zaino is too expensive compared to your competitor.



Zaino DOES smell much better than Klasse. Why can't they put some sort of fragrance into Klasse?
 
It's a "rough and touch", no nonsense German product ;) none of that "touchy feely" smells good stuff ;) (jk)
 
I agree, Price can be a factor for some just getting into this high end stuff. The Z2, ZFX and Z6 cost me $78 Canadian. Thats for a single 8oz bottle. For the Same price one can get this! Either way, If Klasse cost twice as much I would still use it. Therefore Zaino guys/gals will have no problem paying for what they like also.



UltimateKitST.jpg
 
Based on what you observed, you may have liked Zaino more if you had a silver car with little or no orange peel. :nixweiss
 
Well, I'm a bit of a Zaino zealot ("ZZ" for short). I love the stuff and don't particularly care about the cost. (I'm not a pro, so my profit doesn't depend on it.) That said...



Regarding photos, I think we need to cut eShine some slack. Any differences in depth and wetness would be very difficult to capture photograhically even if you were a pro and had a professional quality lighting setup.



I appreciate his detailed analysis and clear descriptions. He gave us the details of his test and his testing conditions. He described his detailing history and positive opinion Klasse. Overall, it is an excellent, very balanced review.



eShine, many thanks for a great review.



Regards,



Dan.
 
AlanP said:
I hope the folks at Zaino are listening. Zaino is too expensive compared to your competitor.



Sal Zaino sells his product for what it costs him plus some profit. He sells plenty of it at its current price.



When I can apply 3 coats of Zaino for ~$2, I don't think I am going to complain about price. $4 a year isn't too expensive, IMO.
 
ZaneO said:
Sal Zaino sells his product for what it costs him plus some profit. He sells plenty of it at its current price.



When I can apply 3 coats of Zaino for ~$2, I don't think I am going to complain about price. $4 a year isn't too expensive, IMO.



Agreed. If he is selling his product at a brisk pace, he has priced it right. The marketplace will determine if it is too expensive. Since he seems to be doing well, the price is correct for the intended market.
 
Scottwax said:
Based on what you observed, you may have liked Zaino more if you had a silver car with little or no orange peel. :nixweiss





Actually I prefer deep and wet, especially on white where its very difficult to acheive depth. Just personal preference though ;)
 
This is about the best I can do. The picture is orange due to lighting (Nighttime) but it clearly shows that the Zaino (Right hand side of the crease) amplifies orange peel visually. Look at the bulb and the left (Klasse) no orange peel at all!



orangepeel.jpg




The thing is though that the car has almost no orange peel at all! I have a real picky eye for it. Heres some pics I took of it the other day the car is wearing 9 month old Klasse (Its a garage queen!)



Nov_07_2004_001.jpg




Nov_07_2004_003.jpg




Nov_07_2004_005.jpg
 
ZaneO said:
Sal Zaino sells his product for what it costs him plus some profit. He sells plenty of it at its current price.



When I can apply 3 coats of Zaino for ~$2, I don't think I am going to complain about price. $4 a year isn't too expensive, IMO.



I certainly respect your opinion, and I do in fact think Zaino is a remarkable product. However, your numbers seem twisted to fit your argument.



From the Zaino website, Z2 + ZFX is $2.87 US per oz. Now some Autopians use as little as 1/4 oz per application -- but the Zaino website says that 8 oz represents 8 to 10 applications on a midsize car. Thus, a single application translates to $2.30 -- again using numbers on the Zaino website.



To an enthusiast who enjoy putting multiple layers and who has more than one car (we have three), we are talking about more like $40 to $60/year than $4/year.



Most business owners appreciate honest feedback. My honest feedback is that Klasse offers nearly the same result for less than half the price (if purchased in larger quantities). I would swtich back to Zaino if the price were reduced.
 
BookemDano said:
Well, I'm a bit of a Zaino zealot ("ZZ" for short). I love the stuff and don't particularly care about the cost. (I'm not a pro, so my profit doesn't depend on it.) That said...



Regarding photos, I think we need to cut eShine some slack. Any differences in depth and wetness would be very difficult to capture photograhically even if you were a pro and had a professional quality lighting setup.



I appreciate his detailed analysis and clear descriptions. He gave us the details of his test and his testing conditions. He described his detailing history and positive opinion Klasse. Overall, it is an excellent, very balanced review.



eShine, many thanks for a great review.



Regards,



Dan.



Could not have stated it better. :bow

Excellent and fair review, eShine. :xyxthumbs



eShine. You might want to try the Z2/ZFX over your already Klasse SG'd fender. You might like this combo's results. :wavey
 
AlanP said:
I certainly respect your opinion, and I do in fact think Zaino is a remarkable product. However, your numbers seem twisted to fit your argument.



From the Zaino website, Z2 + ZFX is $2.87 US per oz. Now some Autopians use as little as 1/4 oz per application -- but the Zaino website says that 8 oz represents 8 to 10 applications on a midsize car. Thus, a single application translates to $2.30 -- again using numbers on the Zaino website.



To an enthusiast who enjoy putting multiple layers and who has more than one car (we have three), we are talking about more like $40 to $60/year than $4/year.



Most business owners appreciate honest feedback. My honest feedback is that Klasse offers nearly the same result for less than half the price (if purchased in larger quantities). I would swtich back to Zaino if the price were reduced.



"Your numbers seem twisted to fit your argument."



Z2 costs $1.61 an ounce. I'll be liberal and add $2 for 4 ZFX drops. That is $3.61 per ounce, which I can do 2-3 coats with. Twice a year times 3 cars (2 x 3.61 x 3 = 21.66).
 
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