Hey all. Got lookin at the finish on my wifes POS. Had alot of marks that needed alot of elbow grease to get off. Some are still there.
Lookin at doin a cleanin and waxin on both vehicles. I used to use The Wax Shop stuff, but it is unavailable. People seem to talk about Zaino.
What do people recommend? Cleaner and wax.

I would suggest that you read the zaino (http://www.zainobros.com) site, if you haven't already. They have tons of good info !

you dont need to wax new stuff they clear coated. My 93 dodge never was waxed ever and still shiny when i wash it.

Don't need to wax it, but I highly recommend POLISHING it with Zaino...it is the stuff.Edited by: motovet

No need to wax a clear coated finish huh?


I didn't know that.....been waxing mine for 3 years......maybe you don't need to wax but it looks one hellofa lot better when you do..... the paint on these trucks is super thin.....it needs all the help it can get.

I would suggest that you hit the entire vehicle with a clay bar and get all the stuff off and out of the paint. Then wash it real good several times and dry it very well. Then wax with Meguiars wax and you will be set....

Try this link for info and products. www.griotsgarage.com I have used many of these products and generally am very happy. One thing you might try, if the finish is contaminated with what ever, is to clay it. I do so once a year and you would not believe what comes off the paint, even when you are anal about keeping the thing clean like I am.

Clear coating is a great thing...but it needs every bit as much care to keep it at its best.

www.griotsgarage.com (http://www.griotsgaarage.com)

Meguires will also have a great deal of finish care information on their site. I like and use several of their products.

I never thought you could polish a turd til I got some Zaino and used it on the wife's car....


Ox

Clear coat is a great thing and has been around for awhile and still the pros polish there vehicles that have clear coat.


It does make look that much better and it also protects it from the sun. Kind of like suntan lotion potects you from getting burnt.


Clay bars a great for cleaning the surface. Boy I kinda sound like a sells rep for this stuff. If I could I would. The stuff is that good.


After you clay bar it it will feel so clean that you would think you don't need to do anything else, but I would protect it after the bar.

I didn't think my truck had a clear coat on it. A thread went by a few months ago about paint chips.
Is this stuff available in Canada? I ordered some stuff awhile back and the brokerage fees made it more expensive, than if I had bought it here.

If you are looking for the clay bar you should be able to pick it up at just about any NAPA store or auto store. Mothers sells a kit with it and some other stuff in the box.


If you want the Zaino you will have to order it online or maybe a detail shop might have it.


All of these newer vehicles come with a clear coat, but it is thin.

Thanx Akdiesel.

Medallion makes a good paint cleaner. There are stains that a cleaner will pull out that the bar won't. There are also things the cleaner won't touch that the bar will. Some stains from bird dropping on the wife's maroon truck came out after a year with the cleaner. The bar didn't touch them. I could get off some paint from a door ding with the bar that the cleaner wouldn't touch. Not all clay bars are the same either. The Zaino bar would take off some gunk on my truck that the Mother's wouldn't. It was amazing as they looked identical. You need all of the components from Zaino to polish (includes the bar) plus the paint cleaner. It also depends on how detailed your detail will be. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

It also depends on how detailed your detail will be. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif[/QUOTE]

Boy, isn't that the truth with Zaino. I like Zaino, have posted about this before, but you've got to decide how much time you want to devote to waxing and cleaning. If you only want a few minutes, get meguiar's cleaner waxes. If you want a good shine, but long time to get it, get Zaino.

I used zaino on wife's van and my truck and it does produce good results. But it was time to do the wife's van again and I clayed and used Race Glaze. The results were every bit as good if not better than Zaino, but in way less time. I'm happy with both, but if time is a factor go with the Race Glaze. Only time will tell it the "Glaze" lasts as long as the Zaino(been 4mo. - thing still looks and feels like I just did it)

Max Owner,


I have a bunch of the Wax Shop stuff at my shop. I used to be a dealer and still have bottles and bulk stuff. I don't know what shipping would be to where you live, but if you are interested, let me know.

May have to think about it. If I have to order Zaino..... Then again all the time I have on my hands may be gone pretty quick. Might be startin a new job.

Best results for the effort and money. Here's my vote. Wash well and dry. Clay bar the whole vehicle. Polish with Meguiars Deep Crystal System Polish or Meguiars Show Car Glaze #7. Wax/protect with Meguiars NXT Tech. Wax. Best stuff I've used to date.

What of the Zaino stuff, do you guys use? Looked at their web site again. Sales hype is good, but what works?

Looking to clean up the finish, and protect paint for as long as possible (my truck a total of about 10 years) Wifes about 5-7ish)

Zaino is the best I have used so far.

What specific products have ya used? They have a few different polishes.

Max Owner,


Not sure of the color of your vehicle but for my black truck--I found the Z5 works best.


I have tried the Z2--but do not see much improvement. Zaino says it should give more shine--but I do not see it.


I also have tried ZFX--but I think it is overpriced. I usually just use the Z1--put it on and then the Z5 and leave it on overnight--take it off in the morning--looks great.


Z6--does help maintain the shine after you wash.


Z7--car wash--is good stuff--you can also mix it with water and use it as a quick detail to get dust off or to clay the car.


IMHO--this stuff is the best(Z5)--because you can layer it--but for some medium size scratches(everything shows in a black car) I had to use Menzerna polish to buff it down. For fine swirls--the Z5 will fill it in after several layers.


AFter that just wash with Z7 and spritz up with Z6.

Cool Ron. Thanks for the info. Looking for real world results. Not ad hype.

Mine is Pewter. The wife's is a lighter gray colour.Edited by: Max Owner

Max,


I should say that Z2 might be worth it on your car--since it is pewter.


Z2 and Z5 can be layered. But--I would say try the Z5 polish with the Z1 lock first--if you like it--good.


If you think you want more--then try Z2.


Key thing I found--put several layers on early--3 to 5. Then just maintain with the Z6 and wash with Z7.

Thanks Ron. Will look into it. Do some more reading.

Max Owner,


I also have a black truck that just gets blasted every weekend with dirt race track dust on Friday and Saturday nights (some days I think I should have bought a dirt brown truck because that is what I have on Sunday mornings). I have pretty much followed the same thing that Ron is doing with many mutiple coats of Z-5 and wash every Sunday morning with Z-7; I am using the ZFX because of the time factor but the truck looks showroom new on Sunday morning. Absolutely don't know what I would do without the Zaino!

I have used Mellaion, Meguir's (sp) and some 3M stuff in the last couple of years. I find the waxes dull or yellow a white paint, but not the Zaino. My truck is pewter and I did just 2 coats of the Z5 and it looked awesome. I also really like the car wash.

Did some nosing around. Zaino is out of the question for the moment. Cost too much to get it in. Will go with a Meguiar's Deep Crystal System. 3 step.... Paint cleaner, skipping the polish, and then doing the wax.

Money is getting tight at the moment. Factor in exhange, the Zaino is about the same. Where it hurts is on the brokerage fees for the boarder.

Thanx for all the replies. When I get back to work, I will do the Zaino thing.

P.S. if you have pictures of a freshly done truck, please feel free to go ahead and post em.

I found Zaino in Canada!



Apparantly this place carries it: www.Car-Fanatic.com (http://www.Car-Fanatic.com)


I guess this is the Canadian distributor:


Zaino Bros' Canada • 325 Eramosa Road, Guelph, Ontario N1E 2N1
519-763-8473, As for Mike.

Ahhhhhh! Guelph is about 50 minutes north of me. AND I have already done both vehicles with Meguiar's.




SOB!


Thanx Max Power. Will look into, before I forget.

You said there was a thread on paint chips, that is a problem I am having. do you think you could link me up?

Try "Paint Recall Possible" on your search function of 2500 and 3500 trucks. Don't know how to do a link.

I recommend Meguiars # 6 cleaner/wax. I have been using it for years and keeps my truck looking excellent. Takes out light scatches, removes bug guts and bird marks and the water beads up and sheets off as to not leave water stains. I can do my entire Dually with my orbital polisher in about 2 hrs. I do this once a year.


Zaino is an excellent product but the cleaner process followed by the show car wax take to long to apply and remove. it also is a bit pricey...Zaino interior products are absolutely awesome and I highly recommend them.

One thing about Zaino is that this stuff really does layer well. You do not lose the benefit of work you already put into protecting the paint.


A cleaner/wax is just that--it cleans--ie stripping off what was there before.


The concept behind Zaino is to do that once--and then apply layer upon layer of protection. There is no buffing--just spread the stuff on--very little time involved.


If I had a blower--I could dry the truck w/o touching it.