Steve posts final results on wax test at RoadFly...

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GoodnClean said:
Yeah, not impressed. Read the wording of the Zaino review and then read the wording of the others. "Optics are down" for one product turns into "Optics are down, but not enough to notice" for Zaino. Well...if optics are down...you noticed didnt you?



I like Steve and all, but he's definately a Z-head. I'd hate for this to turn into a Z vs the world thread (and please, don't) but saying Zaino is the benchmark throws all the objectivity right out of his writeup. Everyone has a different benchmark, I've used Zaino but have no desire to use it again because its not the product for me. I like the look of the products I use now hands and fists over Zaino, even if I do need to apply them more often.
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You're right about some bias in the posts, even though the tester(s) may not think they are. IMO, all those guys over at Roadfly are "Z-heads". Even their favorite Carnauba, P21S seem to have fallen out of favor because it doesn't last for a thousand years. I have and used Z5 & Z2Pro and, frankly, I definitely notice a big difference in slickness after the first wash. I can't see how they can claim "A" for slickness for all those weeks. Maybe it's a "...slickness is down, but not enough to notice..." type statement.:D

That being said, I do like Zaino for its durability and gloss, but I wax once a month, so durability is not a consideration. I want the slickest product out there, even it only lasts a couple of weeks. I haven't tried UPP yet, but Blackfire gets my vote for slickest. :xyxthumbs
 
Scottwax said:
I don't doubt the durability of Zaino, at more than 4 months it is still beading on my brother's van. What I do wonder is how other than Glanz Wax, pretty much everything else was dead in 2 weeks. I've used NXT and Wolfgang more than enough to know that they both last far longer than that. I don't know what it is about Steve's test panels that few product other than Zaino last very long when on actual vehicles that are driving in all kinds of weather I and other get much better results. :nixweiss
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Actually, NXT didn't last all that long for me either, but it does have a very nice look. It didn't last past three weeks on my mom's garaged E320. It's held up for three weeks so far on my wife's never-garaged 00' Accord though. Go figure. :nixweiss
 
Scottwax said:
........... I've used NXT and Wolfgang more than enough to know that they both last far longer than that. I don't know what it is about Steve's test panels that few product other than Zaino last very long when on actual vehicles that are driving in all kinds of weather I and other get much better results. :nixweiss
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Never used NXT, but I can attest to WG lasting at least

3 months.
 
GoodnClean said:
Yeah, not impressed. Read the wording of the Zaino review and then read the wording of the others. "Optics are down" for one product turns into "Optics are down, but not enough to notice" for Zaino. Well...if optics are down...you noticed didnt you?

I like Steve and all, but he's definately a Z-head. I'd hate for this to turn into a Z vs the world thread (and please, don't) but saying Zaino is the benchmark throws all the objectivity right out of his writeup. Everyone has a different benchmark, I've used Zaino but have no desire to use it again because its not the product for me. I like the look of the products I use now hands and fists over Zaino, even if I do need to apply them more often.
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When Guru tests first came out he wasn't impressed with Zaino because he applied it wrong. Then he tested it pre-ZFX, pre-Z8 and pre-Z2Pro, and still rated it number one. When he first wrote the tests he wasn't a "Z" head at all. I'm sure he came to like Zaino, because you can't deny Zaino has been improving on an already top notch product. I've tried many products and I prefer Zaino hands over fists to all the others so to each is own.

usdm said:
Never used NXT, but I can attest to WG lasting at least

3 months.
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I also got better durabilty with Wolf than they did in the test. I did cure two or three coats and I got months out of it, but then went to something else. Any of those sealants would be a good choice to put on your car. Especially because we detail our cars so often. So I'm sure the tests results would vary no matter what sealant you tested like he said.
 
Intermezzo said:
I couldn't have put it better myself!! :xyxthumbs



What is it about doing a very well set-up test that elicits so much criticism. Whereas, if Steve had had done a more informal test with a much shorter write-up (like what most of us do here on Autopia), people would be responding with their usual, "awesome post!" replies.
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Couldn't say it any better!:xyxthumbs
 
See here's the thing i don't get: I've been using water "clinging" as my indicator to tell me when to reapply an LSP. I've noticed that most sealants/waxes last me about a month (sometimes a month and a half), and then its time to reapply. That's with no rain and weekly washings. How others seem to get 3+ months without significant slickness reduction, an increase in water clinging and a reduction in beading still escapes me....:nixweiss



Maybe its in my prep??:nixweiss
 
Steve changed his mind on Zaino because he discovered he was not applying it correctly in his early tests. Once he got the process down, he loved the results. This tells me that Zaino must be quality in order to change the view of someone who initially was biased against it.



You have to give Steve credit for designing and implementing a complex test that treats each wax fairly. There is still no one out there doing this as well as he does and in an independent fashion.



P.S. I've had low durability with NXT as well.
 
Scottwax said:
I don't doubt the durability of Zaino, at more than 4 months it is still beading on my brother's van. What I do wonder is how other than Glanz Wax, pretty much everything else was dead in 2 weeks. I've used NXT and Wolfgang more than enough to know that they both last far longer than that. I don't know what it is about Steve's test panels that few product other than Zaino last very long when on actual vehicles that are driving in all kinds of weather I and other get much better results. :nixweiss
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Yes, very odd indeed, though not so surprising considering some of the results in the original Wax Test.



And another thing; Glanz got an 8 for application and a 6 for removal?!? What the heck:nixweiss ? Of course Zaino got a 10 for both:rolleyes:
 
percynjpn: glanz isn't that easy to remove, it's certainly easier to apply.



That being said if you had used zaino you'd give app and removal a 10 too.
 
GoodnClean said:


I like Steve and all, but he's definately a Z-head. I'd hate for this to turn into a Z vs the world thread (and please, don't) but saying Zaino is the benchmark throws all the objectivity right out of his writeup. Everyone has a different benchmark, I've used Zaino but have no desire to use it again because its not the product for me. I like the look of the products I use now hands and fists over Zaino, even if I do need to apply them more often.
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:nixweiss



That's EXACTLY what a bench mark is dude, it's something that sets a precidence that all other products are compared to. This isn't like "benchmarking" a CPU or DYNOing a car. There's no REAL way to provide tested results without objectivity. Steve likes Z, A LOT. All that means is the products he's trying are being compared to Z. If he feels that Glanz applies like an 8, that's because it applies like an 8 in comparison to Zaino's 10. That's how benchmarks work!



That being said, I found Steve's test as 'unbiased' as you can get it. You have to compare a product against something else; that IS afterall what he was going for.
 
Mindflux said:
percynjpn: glanz isn't that easy to remove, it's certainly easier to apply.



B]
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Well, thanks for explaining that to me; I've been using it for about two years and am familiar with how very easy it IS to remove - IF IT'S APPLIED PROPERLY (very, very sparingly). I guess Steve hasn't figured that out yet, much like he couldn't understand the same about Zaino (until he tested it in Guru Reports). Maybe he'll have the same epiphany if he tests Glanz in a new Wax Test.:eek:
 
Just out of curiousity.... Who here actually lets a wax or sealent sit on their finish for 4-7 weeks without touching it??? I sure don't! If we did that, we probably wouldn't be on this forum....
 
I have linked that "mini-review" several times ;)

Steve deserves recognition for the effort, even if we don't agree with methods and observations. Remember, as with any product review his results will not match what others see because of environment conditions, surface prep and other factors. Personally, while I enjoy reading what he writes I always take his durability reports skeptically (2 examples from the original guru reports worth mentioning: P21S almost tying the collinites in durability, and P21S outlasting #16...... I am sorry Steve, but I want something of what you smoked for this ones ;))



I also agree that he is biased. Someone has already pointed the "not noticeable comments" and also let's keep in mind that any product that is finicky when you apply it not very thin, has a long flashing (drying) time on the paint and smears / streaks because you removed it too soon IS NOT a 10 for application / removal, period. Feel free to disagree, but make also sure that you have tried a true 10 in application / removal (very fast haze, as easy to remove if applied very thin or thick, no streaks) 10 also in a container for a cheap looking bottle is also bias.



As a final comment, am I the only one to notice that more than one of those "ugly ducky" products outperformed the winner in initial appearance? ;) One of them, made by one of the most bashed companies here NEVER scored lower than 8 in the beauty categories, while the winner got two sevens and one six. If you keep in mind that this same product that scored the highest in initial appearance is also the highest rated in application / removal the product doesn't look like an ugly ducky that bad..... .... it takes 15 minutes to re-wax a car with that product!!! Add that to the fact that the majority of the people here NEVER leave the paint alone for more than a few weeks and durability in not that appaling. I have used quite extensively the 3 of them that can be bought at murray's , and my durability has never been lower than 4 weeks......





Alex
 
Mindflux said:
percynjpn: glanz isn't that easy to remove, it's certainly easier to apply.



That being said if you had used zaino you'd give app and removal a 10 too.
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I disagree. Read my post above this one. Want to see a true 10? Try the new mothers reflections. This will change your perception of what a 10 is. Before you ask, the answer is YES, I have USED your 10 (not in my car btw,) but I have applied it and removed it, and it is not a 10.
 
05Sleeper said:
Just out of curiousity.... Who here actually lets a wax or sealent sit on their finish for 4-7 weeks without touching it??? I sure don't! If we did that, we probably wouldn't be on this forum....
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None other than Autoipia's Guru, Scottwax.



From a recent post, Latest details v. Harley season has arrived!



Scottwax said:
My 626, just a quickie!



I did a similar pic when the leaves were changing in the fall, so I did one for spring as well...
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Leaves starting changing sometime in mid-October in Texas. Scott detailed his car in the Spring. That could mean March or April. I'll give him March... Now how many months is that? November (1)... December (2)... January (3)... February (4)... March (5)... that's 5 months or roughly 22 weeks.



I'm sure Scott's the exception though...
 
AlexRuiz said:
I disagree. Read my post above this one. Want to see a true 10? Try the new mothers reflections. This will change your perception of what a 10 is. Before you ask, the answer is YES, I have USED your 10 (not in my car btw,) but I have applied it and removed it, and it is not a 10.
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Well I'm glad we agree to disagree on Zaino being a 10. Obviously the author and you have different definitions of a 10.
 
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