What wax or polish to use?

[Basil]

I have tried just about every product under the sun at one time or another. However, lately I have been using a product called Zaino! This stuff beats anything I have used hands down. I ran across this unbiased comparison on another forum (Corvette Forum). Just click the link to read the article. Basil

https://www.corvetteforum.cc/ubb/Forum10/HTML/003356.html

 

[aerog]

I got the word about Zaino from the 'vette forum also. I've been working on "detailing" (ahem) an MGB since the end of June. I used to use all Meguires and occasionally a few other brands. Actually the car looked excellent but I thought I'd give Zaino a try. It looks good - looks real good. I'm not 100% convinced it's actually BETTER than Meguires, but I can say with all honesty it's 100% easier to use. Meguires seemed to be very sensitive to humidity/moisture and would streak unpredictably (deep red metalic/clear coat paint).

The only thing I haven't been able to master is getting the little scratches out. The paint is coming up on 10 years old and the inevitable micro swirls are there. I'm on my 3rd coat of Zaino now and it's getting better.



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-- Scott
https://www.aerog.com/mgpage

 

[Basil]

Originally posted by aerog:
I got the word about Zaino from the 'vette forum also. I've been working on "detailing" (ahem) an MGB since the end of June. I used to use all Meguires and occasionally a few other brands. Actually the car looked excellent but I thought I'd give Zaino a try. It looks good - looks real good. I'm not 100% convinced it's actually BETTER than Meguires, but I can say with all honesty it's 100% easier to use. Meguires seemed to be very sensitive to humidity/moisture and would streak unpredictably (deep red metalic/clear coat paint).

The only thing I haven't been able to master is getting the little scratches out. The paint is coming up on 10 years old and the inevitable micro swirls are there. I'm on my 3rd coat of Zaino now and it's getting better.

There are two main Zaino polishes: Z2 and Z5. Z5 is used to help reduce the small scratches and Z2 is only a polish (A darned good one, but it doesn't help with scratches. Z5 will not remove all scratches the first time, you must just keep applying it and it gets better and better. Also, always be sure to do Z6 inbetween each coat and be sure to use 100 percent cotton towels (a good quality bath towl with the edging removed is best. make certain it is 100 percent cotton). If you are still fighting with scratches, you might try 3M swirl and scratch remover for dark colored cars. You can get it at Pep Boys and it can be applied by hand or machine (be careful with the buffer method though). So, do you have any pics you can share of your MG? If so, please do post them in our MG forum and welcome aboard!

Basil

 

[aerog]

Yeah I've read all the notes about the towels, etc etc

The scratches are minor, but they're there. I'm now on my 4th coat of Z5 on the trunk... ahem sorry "BOOT" lid without really any difference.

I will admit that the overall quality of the shine, and the depth of the shine is excellent. I did the hood and front fenders on my Saturn (which has paint I'm constantly amazed at anyway), and it looks absolutely incredible.

Better than using Meguires Crystal cleaner, #7, and Gold Class?? I'm not sure. But I do agree with the propaganda about Gold Class evaporating and washing off easily, so the longevity of Zaino might be the big selling point for that car.

The MG is a garage-queen, Sunday driver, occasional incredible-day driver, and that's about it.

Got pictures sure... Will post.



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-- Scott
https://www.aerog.com/mgpage

 

[aerog]

Shall we start the typical Zaino/Meguires/Mothers/Zymol flame war here?

Anyone not familiar with the typical conversations about Zaino and the other products should spend a few hours wading through the messages on the Corvette forum - it's an interesting read.

So here's a little rambling update... a few weeks after getting my Zaino shipment I've decided to partially switch back to Meguires - for now anyway.

After going through ALL the steps carefully, searching for the right towels, and measuring my patience whilest waiting for drying, I decided it just wasn't doing what I expected.

The trunk-lid was my main problem with this "trial". I noticed light scratches popping up all over the place. The more layers of Zaino I put on, the worse they got. No, I didn't get more scratches, just more noticable ones. The same was noticed on my fenders. I went back and used 3M Swirl Remover and redid the Zaino process, without a lot of luck.

Ok. Natural reaction to this is - I picked up dirt, didn't use the right towels, or didn't put enough Z5 on to do the trick. For that I can say, I have the right towels, and after 5 layers of Z5 using the usual method it just didn't work.

The kicker was today when I got fed up and went over the whole trunk lid with Meguires Deep Crystal Paint-Cleaner (step 1), followed by 3M Hand Glaze, followed by a thin later of Meguires Gold-Class liquid. The results were far better than Zaino in all respects. The "scratches" were noticable when looking REAL close, but not nearly as noticable as with Zaino.

I redid the fenders (oops, um, "wings") with the same results.

Some additional notes: I did the front fenders, bumper, and hood of my Saturn ('99) with Zaino using the same methods and it looks good - really good - even with just one Z5 layer and one Z2 layer - followed with Z6 as usual, of course. After going through some pretty horrid rain this week the water ran off like it was a scared rabbit. After air drying it looked like I just waxed it. A quick going over with Z6 made it look like a newly "Zainoed" car again.

So - I'm not convinced Zaino is worth the trouble for me with the MG, but I'm going to stick with it on the Saturn for awhile and see how it goes.

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-- Scott
https://www.aerog.com/mgpage

 

[aerog]

update to my update...

I forgot to mention that while "Gold Class" looks great, I have to agree with the comments about it's lack of longevity. I think of it more as a show prep product and not daily-driver wax/protectant.

I also had a can of Mothers pure Carnauba (no cleaners). That product has always been somewhat hard to apply and remove, but after misting some Z6 on an applicator and applying it (fenders this time), it went smoothly, and came off just as smoothly. Final results looked just about as good as the Gold Class.



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-- Scott
https://www.aerog.com/mgpage

 

[Basil]

I will admit that Zaino doesn't do as much as I'd hoped on scratches, which is why I used 3M with a buffer (a couple of times) then clay bared it and did the whole Zaino process (Z1, Z5, Z2, with Z6 in between). Part of the problem with Zaino is it's almost TOO shiny (if that's possible) so that if your finish does have scratches, you can see them. But boy howdy, if you get the scratches out then Zaino is awesome. I credit Zaino with winning "Best Detailed" at a recent car show with lots of fabulous cars. Also, with Zaino, the shine just gets better and better and better with each application. I do a couple coats of Z5 inbetween every Z2. Just prior to a show I use Z2 and of course finish it off with Z6. But Zaino isn't gonna work for everyone, or every car I guess. But I highly recommend anyone who has a really nice finish give it a fair chance. The other products you mentioned are great as well.

Basil

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1967 Jaguar E-Type OTS
1E13333, Silver Blue

 

[aerog]

Well frankly my finish is fabulous on the MG, I just don't think it's going to work out with that car. For whatever reason it seems to like the regular old polish and wax rather than Zaino.

I haven't given up completely on Zaino, mind you, I just don't see enough difference (did I mention I'm a picky SOB?) to keep adding layer upon layer upon layer without seeing much difference.

I can't wait for the time and weather to do a few more layers on the Saturn and see how it comes out.

I think this falls into the "whatever works for you" catagory.



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-- Scott
https://www.aerog.com/mgpage