Sal Zaino on Carnauba wax

I called Sal once and he completely turned me off with his self-serving rhetoric.



We all have differing opinions and preferences, personally I don't like the plastic look that Zaino gives off and I prefer the warmer shine that carnauba's give off (even IF optically imperfect as SZ says).



I have many different Carnaubas and they all have their own characteristics. Part of the enjoyment I get , as an amateur, is trying the different waxes and see their subtle differences. Almost evey time I wash my cars, I put a coat of wax on so durability is not much of a problem for me.



I respect Meguiars for not "bashing" others. I find them substantially more professional as an organization than companies that HAVE to bash. (I use just a few meguiars products, none of their "waxes" with the exception of #16 sometimes for nostalgia's sake)
 
Not having used Zaino I can't say anything about that but I also can't say anything about a "hazy" finish on my nuba'd cars. I can't say anything about it because I haven't seen any.



I use 885 aka, 476S, which I heard was more polyethylene than anything else. However, whenever I use Pete's 53 then I get very clear wet look on my paint. I don't want to make a conclusion, however, because I haven't seen side-by-side my car with nuba or Zaino. But I figure, my stuff works for me and I'm not going to buy Zaino stuff 'just' to see.
 
z06meister said:
I don't care if it is a $2000 wax, 4 to 6 weeks is all you will get from any carnuaba product, it is just the nature of the beast. Not saying that it is bad just that it is not known for its durability.



Zaino has come a LONG way from when that test was done. It now mimics and even surpasses some of the best carnuaba's on the market and is very durable to boot. Of course looks are subjective but I have a hard time telling the difference.



I have to respectfully disagree. I get more than 4-6 weeks out of many carnauba products, with no QD or booster.



To be honest, I was a bit underwelmed by Zaino, in my admittedly (very) limited experience. I have found *carnauba* products that bead and retain slickness better than it. For me, the best thing about Zaino is how after a wash it looks freshly sealed and how the paint *seems* to have less wash-induced marring vs. other products.
 
wannafbody said:
56-20=36 approximately 4 weeks of durability for a carnauba. Was this summer, fall or winter?



Quote...This can be dabated into the ground all day long. As much as I love Zaino and love its durability, it's much easier for me to slap on a layer of Lusso Oro when I'm done washing.(end Quote)



As opposed to using CS or Z8?



I do not own those products so cannot speak for them. But I do have AW which is apparently right on par with Z8. I guess that would be faster than applying the Lusso, haha!
 
D&D Auto Detail said:
No, thats not what the thread is about. Im interested about what others think about what Sal said about Carnauba. How it leaves the finish hazy, isnt optically perfect like Zaino, etc. Im interested in the finish the two leave behind, not which one lasts longer.



Keep in mind that Sal does not sell wax so I am not surprised at all by his attitudes towards it. I have nothing against Sal or Zaino, fact is I use his products as well as a variety of others on a regular basis.



As much as people try and convince you otherwise there is no be all, end all product out there. People have different needs and preferences and there is room in the market for Carnaubas and Sealants, I am always puzzled why some act as if there isn't.
 
I rather like Z5pro and Z8 as a combo but still nowhere near the look of a quality carnuaba as its missing something maybe depth. the one question nobody answers is how can and how do you measure Zaino as being optically clear. it is colored liqud and thus some must transfer upon application as he suggest with carnuaba.
 
I read Sal's response and it was an informative reply to the conclusion of the original letter. Here was the statement given that got a response in the first place:



Quote:...... My conclusion was that there was nothing "special" about Zaino. It is





certainly as good as other premium products, but I couldn't see if it was





any better.





....Ok, after that point Sal explained why Zaino is different . And he was spot on as usual with his product. I couldn't imagine the number of times he has had to explain the difference between a wax and his sealants to folks year after year....



No biggie here......
 
The "tester" that Sal was responding to had a basic premise that was fatally flawed. He was looking for a product that would hide flaws in the vehicle's painted surface. And he conducted his "test" without doing the Zaino specified surface prep. My thought when reading his article was that he simply didn't understand the nature of the product line. I am not certain whether that was the result of either unwillingness or intellectual inability on his part. Frankly, I couldn't get past that part and found his entire article to be nonsense and a waste of time.
 
Anybody who's used Collinite, #16, 3M Showcar Paste Wax, or Malm's Liquid, just to name some that I know about first-hand from use over extended periods, knows that (at least some) carnaubas work a lot better than some people might like us to think.
 
Accumulator said:
Anybody who's used Collinite, #16, 3M Showcar Paste Wax, or Malm's Liquid, just to name some that I know about first-hand from use over extended periods, knows that (at least some) carnaubas work a lot better than some people might like us to think.



true and I would prefer #16 over Zaino against Bird bombs any day
 
BigJimZ28 said:
true and I would prefer #16 over Zaino against Bird bombs any day

:werd:



BigJim,



I am definitely of the belief that carnauba while not as long lasting as a sealant protects paint better from the environment and it's hazards like bird bombs, bug guts, sap, etc.
 
Accumulator said:
Anybody who's used Collinite, #16, 3M Showcar Paste Wax, or Malm's Liquid, just to name some that I know about first-hand from use over extended periods, knows that (at least some) carnaubas work a lot better than some people might like us to think.



But is that due to carnauba content or in spite of carnauba content? I contend that Collinites performance is from something other than carnauba.
 
Acid rain. That's what I want protection from.



The etching is so hard to correct on my Honda's soft paint. And when the car is in the parking lot at work and it rains, it just beads up and sits there, doing its bad thing.
 
A few years back, I almost believed the claims made by zaino, along with the raves. Soon after I tried this product, I learned that there is a lot of value with doing comparisons and observing various finishes before reaching a conclusion about any product.



Needless to say, I have found several carnauba products that have met and exceeded my expectations in terms of appearance and durability that, unfortunately, was not met by zaino. It is fair to say, however, that zaino is a competitive product in terms of durability and appearance; However I personally would stop short of using it to replace any of my past carnaubas IMBO.
 
Accumulator said:
Anybody who's used Collinite, #16, 3M Showcar Paste Wax, or Malm's Liquid, just to name some that I know about first-hand from use over extended periods, knows that (at least some) carnaubas work a lot better than some people might like us to think.



I applied two coats of 476, one in October and then one again in late November and it's still beading nicely. Washed once every week or two weeks with Poorboys wash followed by Poorboys S&G.
 
D&D Auto Detail said:
Just trying to get peoples opinions on the subject, thats all. Sal makes it seem like you're insane if you use Carnauba.



Well duh, he doesn't sell one.



I have Zaino and several other sealants like Werkstatt, Opti-Seal, Wolfgang, NXT2 and carnaubas will ALWAYS have a place in my arsenal. On solid black or red paint, a good carnauba will always look better, IMO, than any sealant.
 
D&D Auto Detail said:
No, thats not what the thread is about. Im interested about what others think about what Sal said about Carnauba. How it leaves the finish hazy, isnt optically perfect like Zaino, etc. Im interested in the finish the two leave behind, not which one lasts longer.



Clearkote's Carnauba Moose in the first picture, Pinnacle Souveran in the second. Look hazy or unclear?



2002_GMC_2500HD_flake1.jpg




my_2002_Nissan_Maxima_souveranx2_flake2.jpg
 
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