Hi all! Just got my Z and it's about time I gave it a good wash / wax. I was just curious what products are out there that are good but won't dent wallet too bad. How often do you guys wash / wax anyway? Thanks!

 

Often using Autoglym. See: www.autoglym.com

 

I have been very happy with Meguiar's NXT wash, wax and spray wax system....

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/for...p?s=&forumid=1

 

www.zainostore.com

 

i'm quite partial to P21S products... both the car shampoo and the wax.

 

meguirs gold class wax

 

Ardex Topaz wax is the most amazing was ever, it makes any car look brand new. You can't buy it in any store because it's supposed to be for detailing shops only, but after a lot of searching I found their direct number. 1-800-44ardex, you guys should definately use this stuff

 

Menzerna products from properautocare.com with a Porter Cable 7424 polisher. They work wonders on a Super Black...

 

ZAINO !

 

zaino

 

Which zaino products do you guys recommend? Do you use their car wash and their polish? They don't seem to offer any wax? Or is that the same as polish?

 

The polish is the wax. Get the kit it comes with everything you need to get started.
Z-7-wash
Clay bars
Z-6-spray wax
Z-5-polish for filling in light swirl marks
Z-2-final polish for a brilliant shine
and two application pads

Be sure to get some 100% cotton towels from www.dftowel.com

 

BlackFire. Not to be confused with "BlackMagic".
Previously, I only used carnauba wax (Malm's). Then I tried BlackFire and never went back.

 

Ditto on Blackfire.

www.properautocare.com

 

I use my cats to wash the car.

I dunk them in sudsy water and wash my car with them.

 

just orderd me some blackfire, too...cant wait to see the results. so far i've using nxt...but i think it can be better.

 

Meguiars gold class sucks. IMO

 

Ditto Ditto Ditto. Heck I bought two kits and saved on shipping.

I have used Meguiars Gold Class, Meguiars NXT and many others. Nothing, I mean nothing compares to Zaino. Some people swear by it, me being one of them, Gold Class and NXT just did not last long enough. I was continually waxing every other week.

Towels are by far the most important. I also use a California Duster and a California Wiper Blade. Does wonders.

You will have to invest at first, but it pays off in the end.

Typically you should wash whenever your car is dirty enough to where you can't use the duster. The duster is only for dusting not cleaning, BTW. Zaino Z-6 does wonders for touch up jobs as well. Smells great too.

I just purchased a new Roadster yesterday and spent most of the day detailing the Z. You need to do this at a minumum:

1. Hand wash with Dawn liquid Soap (this gets rid of all previous wax) Wash in a cool dry area.

2. While the car is still wet, mix you a solution of water and any car wash soap in a spray bottle or you can dump the dawn soap and mix a bucket with car wash soap. And use the bucket as a lube for the claybarring process.

3. Next, you claybar the entire car. (this gets all the contaminents off and will make polishing/waxing so much easier)

4. After claybarring, spray entire vehicle off, the paint should be very smooth. Re-wash with a car wash soap. Dry.

5. Then you are ready to polish or wax.

I normally start off by washing the wheels and the bottom of the car, wheel wells first, dump the bucket, and get fresh water and car wash soap for the rest of the vehicle.

There are lots of topics related to detailing, I probably left a bunch out, but I put the main ones in for now.

It takes elbow grease but in the end you are more proud of your car once its all shiny,

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

TIPS & TRICKS TO MAKE YOUR CAR A SHOWCAR!
Apply Zaino Show Car Polish to a clean 100% cotton towel or applicator. We have found the best way of applying Show Car Polish is with our #314 Custom Polish applicator. Just slightly dampen the applicator with water or Z-6 "Gloss Enhancer" spray. Apply Show Car Polish directly to applicator. This technique will help increase flow and spreadability on the paint surface and yield more coats per bottle. Please use Show Car Polish on all wheels, metal, chrome, painted trim and plastic lenses. Remove with a clean 100% (Made in USA) Large Bath size White cotton towel, turning towel frequently until all polish is removed. A large towel is necessary to completely remove polish. You will see a "wet-looking" crystal-clear, ultra deep gloss. Note:

TRICKS:

Want people to envy the look of your vehicle. Want that Show Winning Edge and Custom Paint Look. Want the deepest, wettest, slickest, clearest, richest, and shiniest paint ever. Apply two more coats of Show Car Polish. Show Car Polish will continue to get deeper and wetter with each succeeding coat, up to five coats. You can however, apply as many coats as you want of Show Car Polish. You will not believe the depth and optical clarity of the wet-looking gloss. Follow up with Z-6 "Gloss Enhancer" Spray between every coat of Show Car Polish and see how Incredible your vehicle looks!

Want an even higher level of optical light refraction and reflectivety. Here's how. When applying Show Car Polish do the following; On all Top surfaces of vehicle, use a back and forth motion (from front bumper towards windshield). On all Side surfaces (doors, fenders, etc.) use a vertical motion, up and down. This technique will increase the way light attracts and reflects off of Show Car Polish. The body lines and contours of your vehicle will seem to glow. This trick really works. Remember to use Z-6 "Gloss Enhancer" spray between every coat of Show Car Polish.

TIPS:

Zaino Z-5 is the first non-abrasive polish that will eliminate swirl marks, fine scratches and spidering, without hurting the integrity of the clear coat. It does this in stages, anywhere between 1 to 5 coats, depending on vehicle color. With each application of Z-5 polish, you will see the swirl marks and fine scratches gradually lessen, until the marks are no longer visible and your paint will look flawless. Z-5 can be used initially or at anytime thereafter. You should switch to Z-2 as soon as you are happy with the way the paint finish looks. Example, no more swirls, scratches etc. It's up to you. Z-2 has higher optical properties than Z-5. You can switch from Z-2 to Z-5 and then back to Z-2 as often as you want. All Show Car Polishes are 100% compatible. For the highest optical paint enhancement. You should always end up with Z-2 as the last coat of polish.

Zaino Z-6 Ultra Clean "Gloss Enhancer" Spray is the ultimate maintainence product. It will remove light dust and soil between washes and will make your paint slicker, wetter-looking, deeper and reinforce the polish system and UV protection. Because of its unique optical enhancers, Z-6 "Gloss Enhancer" spray will create a three dimensional, ultra-high, light refracting paint finish. Its super anti-static properties will reduce dust and dirt pickup by up to 60%. The more you use Z-6 "Gloss Enhancer" spray the slicker and more dust-free your paint will be.

NOTE: Z-6 "Gloss Enhancer" spray is really a great product. It really helps give a three dimensional look. Its antistatic formula will reduce dust and dirt pickup by 60%. Use Z-6 very sparingly, less than one ounce will do your whole car. Lightly mist only the center of a 1 foot section on the car. A dime size amount of Z-6 is plenty... Immediately buff with a 100% cotton towel until dry. You will feel the surface get slicker and slicker. Turn towel frequently. Repeat on next section until entire car is finished. Do not let Z6 dry on car. If Z-6 drys by itself just reapply Z-6 to affected area and rebuff until completely dry. Then get the sunglasses out. Less than one ounce will do an average size vehicle. Works great on rims, chrome, trim and plastic.

Zaino Z-7 Show Car Wash will clean heavy soil from your car and deposit a reinforcing layer of polish and UV protection. It will not leave a film or haze like other car washes. Its great for maintaining that Show Car look, all year round.

Zaino Z-10 "Leather in a Bottle"tm will maintain new leather and give old leather, the look, supple feel and smell of brand new leather. It contains the highest quality, leather oil concentrate available. Nothing on the market beats this product! Works great on vinyl interiors and dashboards.

Zaino Z-12 Clear-View Glass Polish is great for restoring old glass to like new, using a low speed machine with a cotton bonnet.

Zaino Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss is a non-oily, non-greasy, rubber protectant and finishing treatment. It leaves an incredibly durable, water repellent, perfect looking satin finish, that's only slightly glossy and dry to the touch. Use on all exterior rubber, tires, moldings, plastic trim, weatherstripping, underhood hoses and more. Just wet a sponge with Z-16 and apply to the surface to be treated and let dry. It will last thru rain and multiple washings. Z-16 is not recommended for interior seats or vinyl tops.

Zaino recommends using only Large Bath size 100% Made in USA White Cotton towels with all of our products. Cotton T-shirts are too small for polish removal and not as absorbent or fluffy as towels and most contain polyester. We have found that certain towels; especially those manufactured abroad, although they say 100% cotton. They are not; they include a blend of polyester and nylon that will definitely scratch and leave swirl marks in your paint finish. The rule of thumb is to use high quality Brand Name large bath towels (Cannon or Fieldcrest) that say 100% cotton and made in the USA. Towels sold in bags in Auto Stores are not 100% cotton. Look carefully on the bag it will probably say made in Pakistan or Bangladesh or other foreign country. Do not use these towels. They will cause swirl marks and scratches on the paint surface. Always, remove the stitching around the towel prior to use. Bargain store polish applicators also contain polyester and nylon fibers and are not to be used. Also, when washing your towels, please do not use any type of fabric softeners. Always use White towels. Do not use Colored Towels they contain dyes.

Whew, Sal you owe me a free bottle of Z-6 for advertising your products,

 

Zaino

Check the detailing forum

Whatever you choose, if you want to protect your car long-term without applying the product every two weeks, look for a polymer (Zaino, Blackfire) unstead of a wax (Meguiars, and many others).

 

Okay, I've been reamed for mentioning this before but here I go again. I actually let the dealer sell me on the 3M interior seal and the 5-year wax whatever they called it. It cost around $800. I bought my car in September and have not washed or waxed it once. After 5,000 miles, the car still has the wax on it and it is the cleanest and shiniest Z I ever see in the Bay Area.

This is not to say I don't maintain the car. I bought a California Duster for the exterior and a California Dash Duster for the interior. Every few days (like this morning) I take polish my car with a 100% cotton made-in-the-good-ol'-USA towel. I can feel that the car is glass-smooth. When there is some grime and waterspots that the Cali Duster can't take off, I use a spray bottle to polish it out. The spray bottle is just two or three drops of the Wash n Wax cleaner and filled with water. Rain water beads off the car like no other cars in the parking lots.

The dealer gave me a kit to maintain the car which includes the wash n wax, glass cleaner, etc.

I believe that what the dealer has nowadays is no con job. And I have a neighbor that has the same dealer job on his ML320. Our cars are the cleanest in our underground parking complex.

Alright, go ahead and call me out now, I have heard it before, but now I recommend the dealer wax to everybody. 5,000 miles and 4 months and counting without a car wash or wax and counting...