Full Zaino detail on Midnight Blue Lotus (polished and Zainoed to perfection)

[yeahiknowiam]

Originally Posted by raggedy1

Is the Porter Cable the most recommended random orbital polisher? What's the best price one can find on these???

Doesn't the Zaino site recommend doing everything by hand?

[raggedy1]

Thanks for the buying advice. I would only use it to polish away the spider-webbing that has been in the finish since new. I've never had anyone criticize the finish; in fact, I get plenty of compliments on the shine thanks to Zaino, but I know it's not perfect (factory finish).

[Rob T]

Originally Posted by yeahiknowiam

Doesn't the Zaino site recommend doing everything by hand?

Zaino pretty much doesn't even address "polishing".

Like Todd said, if the paint is already in good shape (no swirls) just claying the car and using Zaino is sufficient.

If you have swirls, you must polish. To polish correctly, you should use the Porter Cable random orbit buffer.

[yeahiknowiam]

Originally Posted by Rob T

Zaino pretty much doesn't even address "polishing".

Like Todd said, if the paint is already in good shape (no swirls) just claying the car and using Zaino is sufficient.

If you have swirls, you must polish. To polish correctly, you should use the Porter Cable random orbit buffer.

Yeah it does... I'm not saying using an orbital is bad or anything. I just noticed it on their site the other day. Here's the excerpt...

Q: Can I use an orbital polisher to apply/remove Zaino polish?

A: Yes, you can use an orbital to apply Zaino Z-2, Z-3, or Z-5. I don't recommend it because you waste too much polish that way. The pad on an eleven inch polisher can absorb almost enough polish to coat your entire vehicle. Each time you use an orbital to apply Zaino polish, you are probably wasting as much polish, if not more than you actually applied to the car.

Zaino polish applies easily by hand, especially if you dampen the applicator pad with water and spritz it with Z-6 before applying it.

If you use an orbital to remove the residue, you should place a white, 100% cotton towel between the pad and the paint, and keep it turned and refolded often so that you are removing the residue with a clean section of towel all the time.

Note: A single orbital pad WILL NOT remove the polish residue from an entire vehicle. You will have smears if you don't use a towel and turn and refold it frequently.

[Rob T]

Originally Posted by yeahiknowiam

Yeah it does... I'm not saying using an orbital is bad or anything. I just noticed it on their site the other day. Here's the excerpt...

Q: Can I use an orbital polisher to apply/remove Zaino polish?

A: Yes, you can use an orbital to apply Zaino Z-2, Z-3, or Z-5. I don't recommend it because you waste too much polish that way. The pad on an eleven inch polisher can absorb almost enough polish to coat your entire vehicle. Each time you use an orbital to apply Zaino polish, you are probably wasting as much polish, if not more than you actually applied to the car.

Zaino polish applies easily by hand, especially if you dampen the applicator pad with water and spritz it with Z-6 before applying it.

If you use an orbital to remove the residue, you should place a white, 100% cotton towel between the pad and the paint, and keep it turned and refolded often so that you are removing the residue with a clean section of towel all the time.

Note: A single orbital pad WILL NOT remove the polish residue from an entire vehicle. You will have smears if you don't use a towel and turn and refold it frequently.

What you need to understand is that they are NOT discussing "polishing" here!

The confusion arises from the fact that Zaino calls their SEALANT a "polish", which it is not. Polish (also called compounds or polishing compounds) has differing degrees of abrasives in them. Zaino has NO abrasives.

And I agree 100% with the idea that the Zaino SEALANTS should be applied by hand!

[yeahiknowiam]

Originally Posted by Rob T

What you need to understand is that they are NOT discussing "polishing" here!

The confusion arises from the fact that Zaino calls their SEALANT a "polish", which it is not. Polish (also called compounds or polishing compounds) has differing degrees of abrasives in them. Zaino has NO abrasives.

And I agree 100% with the idea that the Zaino SEALANTS should be applied by hand!

[Rob T]

^


LOL. I've been there myself!

It is confusing, no doubt about it. And like I said, it doesn't help when Zaino calls their sealants "polish".

[mikester]

Yeah this is a common issue. People - even professionals - mix up the terms "polish" and "wax", when they're very different animals. And then there's "glaze", another term that seems to be used somewhat interchangeably for "wax".

I've got a question for some of the pros or semi-pros out there: any recommendations to make the Arctic Silver on my Elise "pop" ? There are very few swirl-marks or other problems with the paint, I keep it clean and covered pretty religiously. Right now, I'm still using the products that I started with when I got the car new in '05 - Klasse AIO topped off with a coat or two of P21S pure carnauba paste wax. I haven't yet gotten into the Zaino products...but I wouldn't mind giving it a shot if it sounds like there'd be a noticeable improvement.

Thanks in advance for any rec's.

Also, one of the very few times that I let someone else wash my Elise (at a dealership after an extensive stay), and they screw it up by letting water droplets stand on the Starshield on the front of the car, on a very hot day Yes, I knew right away what they'd done but by then I just wanted my car back. It's not readily apparent to a "nonfanatic", but I sure see it, esp. at the right angle etc.

Anyway, has anyone had any luck polishing this kind of thing out of there clear bra material ?

[Todd Helme]

Originally Posted by mikester

Yeah this is a common issue, people - even professionals - mix up the terms "polish" and "wax", when they're very different animals. And then there's "glaze", another term that seems to be used somewhat interchangeably for "wax".

Glaze is also called a polish by Meguiars, to make things more complicated.

A compound or polish is really an abbrasive material used to remove small amounts of paint and burnish it to a high gloss...

A glaze is an oil or arylic based layer designed to "fill" in imperfections and add gloss

A sealant is the LSP (last step product) designed to seal in or protect the finish. A wax is natural/while a sealant is synthetic.

Zaino Z5pro and Zaino Z2pro "polishes" are actually sealants. Zaino does make a real polish, called Z-PC fusion, for paint correction.

Meguiars calls is step two a "Polish" but it is really a glaze. Meguiars orginally came from the furniture industry, where polish has a different meaning, like wood polish or shoe polish. Oils to make the object look better.

Meguiars calls its polishes "cleaners".

The confunsion is among the different companies using mixed terminology.

[Rob T]

Originally Posted by mikester

I've got a question for some of the pros or semi-pros out there: any recommendations to make the Arctic Silver on my Elise "pop" ? There are very few swirl-marks or other problems with the paint, I keep it clean and covered pretty religiously. Right now, I'm still using the products that I started with when I got the car new in '05 - Klasse AIO topped off with a coat or two of P21S pure carnauba paste wax. I haven't yet gotten into the Zaino products...but I wouldn't mind giving it a shot if it sounds like there'd be a noticeable improvement.

I will say this: Silver would be one of the colors that Zaino does very well with. The clarity of the paint will really come through with Zaino . It may have a bit more "reflectivity" to it than with your P21S and AIO (both great products btw).

The P21S will probably give a bit of a deeper look and wetness to the paint though.

What you could do is try Zaino next time you detail your car. If you decide you still prefer the look of the P21S, you can just apply that over the Zaino (once it cures). This will give you the Carnauba wax look, with the Zaino protection underneath.

Also, one of the very few times that I let someone else wash my Elise (at a dealership after an extensive stay), and they screw it up by letting water droplets stand on the Starshield on the front of the car, on a very hot day Yes, I knew right away what they'd done but by then I just wanted my car back. It's not readily apparent to a "nonfanatic", but I sure see it, esp. at the right angle etc.

Anyway, has anyone had any luck polishing this kind of thing out of there clear bra material ?

First thing I would try is a clay bar.

[Hotmetal]

Can we use Zaino Z-2 Pro and Z-5 pro on 3M tranparent bra?

[SweetDaddyD]

Originally Posted by Hotmetal

Can we use Zaino Z-2 Pro and Z-5 pro on 3M tranparent bra?

Yes.