Protection/beading from Z-8?

M

mattgg11

New member
Quick question about Z-8, but I'll set it up first...



I wanted to clean the wife's car before leaving for a 9 day camping/fishing trip. I got much of it finished (interior, engine bay, wheels, undercarriage) but did NOT have time to clay & apply LSP. There was essentially no protection left on the paint, so in a pinch, I applied a layer of Z-8 to hold it until I got back.



She drove the car every day while I was gone. It was used for a 60 mile daily commute, driven in rain several times, parked outside in downtown Cincy, and through dusty roads in the country.



I was finally able to finish the car this weekend. When I hosed the car down to wash it, I was absolutely amazed at the beading! Thousands of incredibly tight beads from one layer of Z-8 applied over a week ago. It looked like I had just put several layers of sealant on it.



This brings me to my question...How much protection does Z-8 really offer? And, how long does this protection last?



I thought Z-8 was simply an expensive QD and offered minimal protectin at best. Based on the beading I witnessed, it appears Z-8 much more than that. Any thoughts?
 
If you didn't clay it your last lsp was still on there which explains the beading. Just washing a car won't remove an lsp.
 
dan46n2 said:
If you didn't clay it your last lsp was still on there which explains the beading. Just washing a car won't remove an lsp.
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So he said there was no protection on the paint initially, so how is it gonna be his last LSP beading? Just washing a car CAN remove lsp based on what they use as soap and how much they use.



Yes Z-8 does bead amazingly and many consider it more than just a QD. Many claim it to be a near spray sealant that just doesn't last as long. So yes you are getting some protection using it.



I love using Z-8 in between waxes, but unfortunately I can't tell you how long the protection will last.
 
TheMethod said:
So he said there was no protection on the paint initially, so how is it gonna be his last LSP beading? Just washing a car CAN remove lsp based on what they use as soap and how much they use.



Yes Z-8 does bead amazingly and many consider it more than just a QD. Many claim it to be a near spray sealant that just doesn't last as long. So yes you are getting some protection using it.



I love using Z-8 in between waxes, but unfortunately I can't tell you how long the protection will last.
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That's not how I read it, it seems he was cleaning his car but did not clay, so unless he drives around regularly without an lsp assuming there was one on there is reasonable. If your car wash is stripping your lsp it is WAY too strong for regular use, and he did not say he used anything like that, so a normal soap would not remove the lsp.
 
mattgg11 said:
There was essentially no protection left on the paint, so in a pinch, I applied a layer of Z-8 to hold it until I got back.
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I was just saying that washing a car can remove wax depending on how its performed.
 
mattgg11 said:
...I thought Z-8 was simply an expensive QD and offered minimal protectin at best. Based on the beading I witnessed, it appears Z-8 much more than that. Any thoughts?
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I have a feeling that most people here aren't going to know because most Zaino users only apply Z-8 after Z-AIO, Z-2 or Z-5 and usually multiple layers of them... So it's kind of uncharted territory... You could copy and paste your question and e-mail Sal Zaino and ask him. Since he designed and tested it, he probabluy would know. If you do, let us know what he says...
 
dan46n2 said:
That's not how I read it, it seems he was cleaning his car but did not clay, so unless he drives around regularly without an lsp assuming there was one on there is reasonable. If your car wash is stripping your lsp it is WAY too strong for regular use, and he did not say he used anything like that, so a normal soap would not remove the lsp.
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To clear up the confusion...Dan, you are wrong. Method, you are right.



There was no LSP on the car at the time I applied the Z-8. The last time I put any sealant on this car (Z-AIO / Z-2) was last fall. I noticed the protection was nearly gone this spring, so I simply parked the car in the garage and started driving our other car until I had time to detail it.



I washed the car prior to applying the Z-8 and there was virtually no beading whatsoever. However, when I washed the dirty vehicle 10 days later, there was incredible beading from the Z-8 alone.



Fisherman - You're probably right about no one knowing how much protection is offered by Z-8 alone. I'll see what Sal has to say.
 
Years ago when I use to polish out some cars for a friend that buys and sells cars, I use to polish them and Z8 them. I know I seen a few cars that he had for a month and still beaded crazy.



I am not sure of the actual longevity, but Z8 is literally a spray sealant and will provide good durability and great looks whether it is on it's own, on a sealant, or wax.
 
rydawg said:
Years ago when I use to polish out some cars for a friend that buys and sells cars, I use to polish them and Z8 them. I know I seen a few cars that he had for a month and still beaded crazy.



I am not sure of the actual longevity, but Z8 is literally a spray sealant and will provide good durability and great looks whether it is on it's own, on a sealant, or wax.
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Thank you very much for the response. This seems to reinforce my observation that Z-8 is more than just an expensive QD. I'm also glad to hear that you've seen it last for 1+ month by itself.



I hadn't planned on buying more when my current bottle ran out, but I've definitely changed my mind.
 
mattgg11 said:
Thank you very much for the response. This seems to reinforce my observation that Z-8 is more than just an expensive QD. I'm also glad to hear that you've seen it last for 1+ month by itself.



I hadn't planned on buying more when my current bottle ran out, but I've definitely changed my mind.
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It sounds a lot easier to use Z8 than applying coat after coat of Z2 and Z5 with Z6 in between. I'd rather spray on some Z8 once a month than have to use up my whole weekend for the usual Zaino routine... but then again I stopped doing that years ago :dance
 
dan46n2 said:
It sounds a lot easier to use Z8 than applying coat after coat of Z2 and Z5 with Z6 in between. I'd rather spray on some Z8 once a month than have to use up my whole weekend for the usual Zaino routine... but then again I stopped doing that years ago :dance
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You must have been doing something wrong if it took you a whole weekend to apply 2 coats of Zaino. It shouldn't take you any longer than applying two coats of any other sealant (non-WOWO).
 
mattgg11 said:
You must have been doing something wrong if it took you a whole weekend to apply 2 coats of Zaino. It shouldn't take you any longer than applying two coats of any other sealant (non-WOWO).
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The previous poster may have been including cure times in that statement (also may not have used ZFX).



Back to the OP's question. There is no doubt that Z8 beads like crazy and has the ability to last reasonably well. My only concern with Z8 alone would be protection from environmental factors (hard water spots, bird bombs, bugs, etc.).
 
Nothing really seems to "protect" that well, from my observations. Z8 does seem to last a while, but I've never applied it over totally bare paint. It's a spray sealant, and should be compared with other spray sealants, such as AJT, Menzerna HGAS, etc.
 
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