I know it's 95% prep, but.....

[imported_mobenzowner1]

What combo have you guys had the best luck with on Toyota Blizzard Pearl paint? I have the following:



wgdg 3.0

zaino z2,z5,zcs,z6,z8

fk 1000p, fk425

DG 501,601,105,AW

OS,OCW

pb white diamond

Sig II



Also, an unrelated question. I bought the car brand new yesterday. It is a company car and my company has a full time mechanic/car guy. He thought he would do me a favor and polished/sealed with ZAIO. He did not clay. I would have preferred the vehicle be clayed before being polished. The finish is very smooth however after the ZAIO, therefore is there any benefit to claying at this point?

 

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

What combo have you guys had the best luck with on Toyota Blizzard Pearl paint? I have the following:



wgdg 3.0

zaino z2,z5,zcs,z6,z8

fk 1000p, fk425

DG 501,601,105,AW

OS,OCW

pb white diamond

Sig II



Also, an unrelated question. I bought the car brand new yesterday. It is a company car and my company has a full time mechanic/car guy. He thought he would do me a favor and polished/sealed with ZAIO. He did not clay. I would have preferred the vehicle be clayed before being polished. The finish is very smooth however after the ZAIO, therefore is there any benefit to claying at this point?

I'm assuming "Blizzard pearl" is white with flake.. If so I have yet to find anything that looks as nice as 501/601/105 let sit for 12-24 hours and AW.. *bling bling*:2thumbs:

 

[imported_mobenzowner1]

I'm assuming "Blizzard pearl" is white with flake.. If so I have yet to find anything that looks as nice as 501/601/105 let sit for 12-24 hours and AW.. *bling bling*:2thumbs:

You are correct in your color assumption. Thanks for your input!



Still needing an opinion on claying.

 

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

You are correct in your color assumption. Thanks for your input!



Still needing an opinion on claying.

If you don't feel any bonded contaminants you can skip claying... put your hand in a plastic baggy and gently swipe your hand over the paint after a proper wash. If it feels rough you need to clay, if not you don't.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

It is a company car and my company has a full time mechanic/car guy. He thought he would do me a favor and polished/sealed with ZAIO.

Wait a durned minute...I'm not buying this whole story. Your company has a mechanic that without even asking used ZAIO on your car? When I started reading the sentence I thought it would end "and he swirled it all up". I'm just having a hard time envisioning this magical company where the "dealer" guy uses Zaino...:chuckle:

 

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

Wait a durned minute...I'm not buying this whole story. Your company has a mechanic that without even asking used ZAIO on your car? When I started reading the sentence I thought it would end "and he swirled it all up". I'm just having a hard time envisioning this magical company where the "dealer" guy uses Zaino...:chuckle:

Ha ha.. you have a talent... the keen ability to pick up on the things I always miss in posts... :nana:

 

[corrswitch]

wow, if the car is maintained by someone who uses zaino, it sounds like it was taken care of.



I would have assumed he would offer to use some unknown or cheap wax.



I would wait till the zaino starts to wear off and then clay. Why waste it since claying might remove it.



If it looks bad, then yeah, clay and redo the car.



I just prefer not to waste anything.

 

[imported_mobenzowner1]

Wait a durned minute...I'm not buying this whole story. Your company has a mechanic that without even asking used ZAIO on your car? When I started reading the sentence I thought it would end "and he swirled it all up". I'm just having a hard time envisioning this magical company where the "dealer" guy uses Zaino...:chuckle:

Sorry Setec, but true. I work in the corporate office of a retail grocery chain. My office is next to the presidents and I have badgered him for 2 months for a new car and to shut me up he fnally gave in. The prez himself got a new Denali about 3 months ago and he bought the zaio for the fleet guy to use on his ride. Said fleet guy takes good care of me and thought thats what I would want done to the new Highlander. Check a previous post or 2 of mine where I state "I have access to ZAIO". I know I am a lucky dude...:xyxthumbs

 

[imported_mobenzowner1]

wow, if the car is maintained by someone who uses zaino, it sounds like it was taken care of.



I would have assumed he would offer to use some unknown or cheap wax.



I would wait till the zaino starts to wear off and then clay. Why waste it since claying might remove it.



If it looks bad, then yeah, clay and redo the car.



I just prefer not to waste anything.

Car looks good, but I ordered some FPII to get a bit more gloss out if it, which I plan to do in the next couple weeks . Therefore the zaino will be gone anyway. The paint just feels so smooth after the ZAIO I cant imagine claying getting much more off of it. I do know however that clay can get embedded particles which polishing wont. So, long story short, since I am polishing anyway it probably would be a good idea to clay before I hit it with the Menzerna FPII, since it could still have rail dust etc which the zaio didnt fully remove. I guess best practice would be to clay one horizontal and one vertical surface and see how dirty the clay is, then determine whether the effort is worth it for the whole vehicle.

 

[SuperBee364]

Car looks good, but I ordered some FPII to get a bit more gloss out if it, which I plan to do in the next couple weeks . Therefore the zaino will be gone anyway. The paint just feels so smooth after the ZAIO I cant imagine claying getting much more off of it. I do know however that clay can get embedded particles which polishing wont. So, long story short, since I am polishing anyway it probably would be a good idea to clay before I hit it with the Menzerna FPII, since it could still have rail dust etc which the zaio didnt fully remove. I guess best practice would be to clay one horizontal and one vertical surface and see how dirty the clay is, then determine whether the effort is worth it for the whole vehicle.

Your step away from ZAIO to FPII is, IMO, a good one. While I really like ZAIO as a one step, I don't like the sealant it leaves behind. Looks good, for sure. It lasts a long time, too. But it doesn't provide very good protection. When I use ZAIO, I follow it up with a sealant like UPGP, or FK 1000P. they will give you much better environmental protection, and they both work very well over the top of ZAIO.



FPII will definitely leave a glossier finish, but it takes a long time and a lot of finessing to do it. You will not, IMO, find a better glosser than FPII, but when I say it takes a lot of finessing to get it there, I mean it takes *a lot* of finessing to get it there. Of course, that's one of the most fun parts of detailing for me, so I don't mind the time.



If your paint does have noticeable swirl marks (and I'd be willing to bet that no matter how good your fleet guy is, his washing technique *will* eventually swirl your car), you might want to precede the FPII with Meguiars M205. The 205 will do some pretty decent swirl removal and correction. while leaving a good finish. Then follow that up with the FPII for an eye popping gloss.