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Polymers/ waxes

StevenA

Jedi Trainee
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I was looking at the posts about Zaino and the conversation on wax over Zaino etc. AND my thought/ question is: What are you trying to accomplish ?
I think if you want a wax type finish that will last for more than a summer in hot weather...you should go with polymers like Zaino.
If you want to re-wax every four to six weeks and have to remove wax residue from rubber with a toothbrush for hours then you should go with wax.
There are various uses for both and using Mothers or Meguires over Zaino would be for a show car that never sees the sun except from the garage to the trailer then to the show.
I have no problem with all of the above...some of my cars stay garaged and some are driven; thus the difference. I don't wax the driven cars unless I have a day off when I am bored and have NO HONEYDOS ( in other words almost never).
Zaino ( or other polymers) will last and still "bead up" in the rain for two years. Wax (the very best out there ) will last 6 weeks before it stops "beading up".
So the question is: What do you want to do with your car...Store it or drive it ?
Combinations of waxes over polymers will work and accomplish "wet look" and "deep look" but unless the competition is on finish/shine alone the car still must be worked throughout.

PS I need "stuff" that works on leather...two of my MGs have leather and my Jag has leather. I do not know what is best for finished leathers (died and surfaced). I do leather tooling and have been a user of Lexol for 20+ years...but there might be better "stuff" out there. Even Zaino Brothers have a leather care product. Has any one done a test ?
 

William

Darth Vader
Offline
Wax vs. Polymer? A Pandora's Box of Canned Worms sort of question. If you want to see truly lively debate about this, go to the Corvette forum or Miatanet. Personally, on my daily driven, lives outside in all weathers Miata, I use Meguiars wax. Lasts several months in a Chicago winter, which is invaluable. Tried Zaino, once. Waste of a perfectly good Saturday. Looks nice when its on, but it rained, and since I can't be running outside at work every time it rains to dry the car off and spritz it with Z-98 or whatever, water spots formed, and they would not come off. When I mentioned it to the person who talked me into using it, he said "you did What? You let it dry???" like I was a five year old. Water spots wash right off with soapy water with Meg's. Which makes me ask-do I want the ease of re-washing the car whenever I want, or do I want an ultimate shine that's really really high maint.? (also begs the question, do all polymers act like Zaino did?)
-William
(just charge that two cents, landlord!
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A

aerog

Guest
Guest
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My only reason for trying any new (read that as "different to me") product like Zaino, etc, is to see what gives me the best deepest and highest quality shine/surface.

Listening to the Corvette people you'd think Zaino makes a brand new paint job look three miles deep (and thus indicating that normal waxes are completely inferior). Remember, I'm just looking for the "shine" quality.

I purposely did only half my MG (show car) with Zaino - I had a reason, but I won't go into it now. The rear is done purely with "traditional" products. Comparing the dividing line (door/rear wing) you'll be hardpressed to see any difference at all between the two products.

Sit the car in the sun and weather for awhile and you probably will see things change a little.

Point is - your point about what you're doing with your car, and how you store it, is absolutely correct.

Just to add a little more fuel to the fire: I bought some Eagle-One "wet" polish last year and went over my MGTD Replica last fall with it. I've gone over it a few times with their detailing spray, but thats it. Well, I washed the car yesterday and the water didn't just bead - it ran away in fear. Interesting anyway.
 

Basil

Administrator
Staff member
Boss
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I think what sort of polish or wax you use is basically just a personal choice and whatever you personally like. I'm not knocking any of the other products. I think there are a lot of great products on the market, including many that have been mentioned here.

That being said, for me, Zaino is the only polish I will ever use. It is a bit of a chore on the first application, but very easy on subsequent applications. No residue ever, and it takes very little to apply a coat. Once you have a few coats on, it beads rain like nobody's business. Then, Just a mild wiping with Z6 (Gloss Enhancer) when the car is dry and it shines like a new penny again. I have been using Zaino on one of my non-British cars for about a year now - plenty of time to make a good, long-term comparison and I am convinced that, for me at least, Zaino is the way to go. Maybe it just likes the paint on my car and it might not work as well on other types of paint, I don't know.

For those who decide to try Zaino, the trick is to make sure you prepare the car well before the first application. I did the whole 9-yards...first used the wet clay bar, then Z1 (ultra-thin coat, let it dry and don't buff off), then applied Z5. Subsequent coats have been Z2 and Z5 interspersed (Z5 is for very light scratches). I have found that Zaino really starts to show its stuff when you use it for a while (i.e., several applications). It seems to get better and better with every application. Is it the best shine in the world? I can't say, I can only say it is what works best for me.

Topics like this are always a little controversial and everyone thinks what they use is the best...I'm no different. I can only tell you that I have used Zaino for a while now and am convinced that it is what I personally like.

That is not to say that everyone who uses it will be as enamored with it as I am. The bottom line is, it never hurts to try new and different products and then make a personal decision as to what you want to stick with.

Basil
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William

Darth Vader
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Some of the results also depend on where you live, I suppose. I posted my above results with Zaino over at Miatanet and recieved similar responses-either "you did what?" or "you did it wrong, try again". Now, I'm reasonably sure I did everything correctly (the friend who talked me into using Zaino walked me through it), but I could certainly have done it wrong, as well. Eventually someone mentioned that, living where I do (St. Charles, Ill, near Chicago), there's constant air activity. The takeoff and/or landing patterns for O'hare go literally right over my house, not to mention business jets from DuPage airport fifteen minutes from the house. I'd probably be horrified if I knew what sort of crud builds up on the car just sitting in the driveway, much less what's in a typical summertime rainfall. Perhaps this sort of pollution was too much for a "fresh" coat of Zaino to handle? Who knows, but like I said, this never happened with "normal" waxes. I'm certainly not knocking the shine, the car looked fantastic, much better than anything else I've used, it's just that, after spending an awful lot of time on the car, not to mention the cost (I'd gone halvsies with my buddy on his supply), well.....was a bit of a turn-off. Kind of like waiting for an expensive gourmet meal to be prepared and served, and it's fantastic, only to get scorched coffee afterwards.
And like Basil said, it's more about what you're comfortable with (paraphrasing that!)
-William
 
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