OK... So I'm wanting the best damn shine, deep, and "wet" look with awesome protection for my car when I move to Houston. I've used Zaino in the past and love it. Below are what kits I came up with for the complete interior/exterior detail. Have some questions though. I found the PC 7424 at AutoGeek.net and was curious what pads and how many I should get? I was considering the "Intro Pad Kit." This will be my first time using the PC 7424 so any tips will be helpful. Also what towels do you recommend for washing & drying? Where, what store(s), can I purchase them? Any other recommendations do you have. THANKS!

Zaino Triplets:
- Zaino Z-AIO All-in-one
- Zaino Z-CS Clear Seal
- Zaino Z-8 Grand Finale Spray Seal
- Zaino 314 Custom Polish Applicator Pad

Zaino Ultimate Protection Show Car Kit:
- ZFX Flash Cure Accelerator Additive
- Z-2 Pro Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Car Finishes
- Z-5 Pro Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches
- Z-6 Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray
- Z-7 Show Car Wash
- Z-9 Leather Soft Spray Cleaner
- Z-10 Leather in a Bottle
- Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss
- Z-18 ClayBar
- Zaino 314 Custom Polish Applicator Pad

 

the pad kit would be good for use the first time. I also use zaino a good bit and love it to, the shine is great. But if you have swirlls and since you like zanio so much you should get there Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover, i bought this last year and it works great for taking out swirlls. Follow that with the z-5. Witch you probley only need one coat of z-5 since there will be no swirlls to fill in. After your happy with the look of the car then follow it up with the z-2 and your good to go. then of couse the more coats the better. Also the z-pc polish is to be used with the porter cable. But for polish you could also look at mezernna witch i like works very very well. But good luck if you have any questions just ask im sure some one will help.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll look more into the Z-PC.

 

Bump for more input from other members.

 

lol at all of the zaino products. I think you need better stuff.

 

+1 There is better stuff out there then Zaino. Look into Optimum, Sonus, or Pinnacle products.

 

they are correct about there being better. but since you done spent all that money just go ahed and use them.

 

I haven't bought anything yet.

 

well, I'll copy and paste what I said yesterday in one of my other posts here..

Being I was a professional detailer for over 10 years, I think I know a little bit about this

First off, Zaino isn't all that great. I've tried it, and was extremely dissapointed. People think that by layering it (or any other wax or polish), it is better. False. Take this scenerio, you have SaranWap, and you lay it flat on a black car.. looks pretty good, right? Now, take about 4-5 layers of Saranwrap, and lay it flat on a black car. It won't look as good. The gloss is gone. The depth is gone. There is such a HUGE misinterpretation that you MUST layer polish or wax to get a great result, and that interpretation is completely FALSE. Two layers should be it. One layer to protect, second layer to get what you missed the first time. Layering your wax or polish does absolutely nothing as far as looks are concerned.

When I had customers come in with fairly bad finishes, first we did a wash with dishwashing soap. Dishwashing soap strips away any left over wax, polishes, etc., on a vehicle. Next step is a good clay job. Next, get a Porter buffer. We used a professional grade of Meguiars, but a consumer can still purchase it. We started off with 2 coats or so of Meguairs Swirl Remover 2.0 set on "5". From there, we applied 2 coats or so of Speed Glaze set on "3". Now your finish is ready for polish and wax. From there, by hand, we used Klasse All-In-One Polish. You only apply ONE COAT. Anything over will actually diminish the depth. You let that dry overnight, and the following morning you apply a wax without cleansers in it. Believe it or not, Turtle Wax ICE is a GREAT, even amongst pros. As far as over the counter, it is THE best wax hands down. But, you could either use Pinnacle, or Klasse Sealant Glaze as well. If there is leftover swirls, Klasse Sealant Glaze does a good job of filling them in.

Obviously some people use their own techniques. Some people swear by some products, and others hate products. The above steps however were done on well over 500 vehicles that I personally did the work on, and it worked.

Whoever started the rumors years ago that layering is actually good, should be shot .. because that can't be further from the truth.

 

This is my secret weapon...

http://crystal-glo.com/usa/auto/

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/carcare.htm

 

I like the Zaino product but as some of the above posts state they strongly encourage you to do so many steps. I also prefer to use products that have more polishing power for more permanent results, instead of relying on heavy filling products or multiple coats. Again there is nothing wrong with the products and they are certainly above average but I do think there are some better options out there.

At www.DetailedImage.com we carry a variety of high quality detailing manufacturers products for you to choose from. If you would like my help setting up a comparable package please let me know, I'd be happy to help.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Greg, Pls give me a complete package. I don't want to go to crazy money wise but willing to spend as you can see from the first post. also note I'm kinda new to the whole detailing gig so I perfer customer friendly products over professional.

EDIT: This seems like a good package; http://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Pack...rfection-P149/

 

interesting...

 

The Polishing and Protection Perfection Kit is a great collection of products that should give you an outstanding results. The clay bar and lube should make the paint look and feel much cleaner. You get three polishes to help remove surface imperfections and restore an optically clear clear coat. The glaze can add surface gloss and hid any remaining imperfections. The sealant will then lock in the glaze and provide durable protection for about 3 - 6 months. The Pinnacle Wax will then take the depth and gloss of the paint to another level. The paint should look extremely deep and wet after this whole process.

To apply these products I would get the Porter Cable 7424 Starter Kit. This buffer is very effective and extremely user friendly. It generates enough heat and pressure to effectively break down and work in the polishes. This is essential to work in polishes and buff out swirls, oxidation, fine imperfections, etc. You can then use on lower speeds to gently spread the glaze and sealant. The wax comes with a hand applicator for the hand application. It also comes with 10 pads of your choice. Just put in the comments section when you're checking out what pads you want. I would suggest getting:

2x Yellow Cutting Pad - Applies Menzerna Power Gloss
2x Orange Light Pad - Applies Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
2x White Polishing Pad - Applies Menzerna PO106FF
2x Black Finishing Pad - Applies Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze
2x Blue Fine Finishing Pad - Applies Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket

The only thing else you would need is some quality microfiber towels. I would suggest getting about 15x All Purpose Microfiber Towels to hand remove the excess product.

This should be everything you need to complete an outstanding detail. If you have any additional questions please let me know. I can help you adjust the package or better tailor it to meet your needs. Thank you for your interest and I look forward to hearing from you!

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Wow, there are so many things wrong with this statement I dont know where to begin! First off the whole saran wrap thing doesnt apply, think varnish on a wood finish or clearcoat on modern day cars, so yes the layering does work for both astetic and protection purposes.
Second, Zaino is neither a polish or a wax, its an optically clear acrylic sealant so it will not diminish the effects after layering, in fact it will provide more depth. Now I do agree you can go overboard and if you dont follow thier reccomendations you may not get the desired effect but overall I think Zaino, Werkstatt, Glare and any other acrylic polymere will give you a great look and some of the best protection you can get!
Of course the proper prep stages are needed, clay, scratch, swirl and oxidation removal come first. It seems for what ever reason you had a bad experience with Zaino but that no reason to tell others its junk.

 

Why would you apply a glaze before polishing?

 

Robert get with George and get the menzerna products with the flex 3401vrg polisher as it is much stronger and will save you a awful lot of time.I have used menzerna fmj(which is really not a menzerna product)and it applies and removes easier then anything i have ever used.It looks awesome at first but dosent last very long.

 

What kind of dishwashing soap do you all use?

 

Actually, nothing I stated was wrong whatsoever. The saran wrap "thing" absolutely does apply. Your comparing clearcoat on modern day cars? Are you aware that when a car is stock painted, only ONE coat of clearcoat is applied, then baked?

Secondly, I know Zaino is neither a wax or polish. It's a sealant, as is Klasse. A sealant doesn't need to be layered. It's a waste. Two coats of sealant should be applied, no more; no less. If you prefer protection over depth, then and only then do you layer it.

Staying on the Zaino subject, I'll have to find the website somewhere in my old autopia.org files, but there was a comparison between Klasse, and Zaino (and a few others, I can't remember off the top of my head). Klasse beat Zaino hands down. It was cheaper, less effort, and better results. MUCH better gloss, depth, and protection. I'm not making this up.

My shop used Zaino years ago. We stopped using it. For one, our customers didn't like the results. For two, Zaino provided protection for a week, after that.. its useless. Layering Zaino will extend your protection, but lessen your depth. You'll never find a reputable professional detailing shop using Zaino. Never. Zaino is a consumer product, not a professional product. Will Zaino give a decent shine?.. absolutely. However, there are better products out there that will provide far superior gloss, depth, and protection over Zaino. For less money, and effort I should add.

I don't want to come across arrogant, because I am not - but being this field is my life, and my profession, I have a slight amount of knowledge about this

 

You wouldn't, I typed that pretty quickly, and should have re-read my statement before posting that. Glazing does not replace polishing. A vehicle should be polished first, a glaze applied and finished with a wax or paint sealant.

Sorry for the confusion.