Dustin4u

I understand for the sides of the car...i make one line..top to bottom of the car.....vertically.

So top of the car under the window....one motion down to the bottom?


Now for the hood, top, trunk....i go left to right? Or i go in the motion of hood to trunk?
Again using one like at a time and going the full distance?

Sorry for my terrible sentances...just hard to put together what i'm trying to say.

SungNamZ

Dustin4u, I think you might be getting it! You have the sides right. For the hodd, top and hatch...left to right or right to left. What is most important...get Zaino on you "Z'!

Dustin4u

so hood, trunk you go passenger door to driver door? All in one clean motion?

SungNamZ

Unless you have extremely long arms and tall, might find doing the hood with "one clean motion" difficult. I usually divide the hood and top in half, working from center out. Hatch, above the spoiler, center out. Just get it on the car! Avoid circular application.

Dustin4u

ok, last "stupid" question.

on hood, roof, trunk.....its applied bumper to bumber, or door to door?

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

Right to left. Side to side. Door to door. Left to right. WHATEVER. Like SungNamZ said, Just Do It!

Dustin4u

Going to do it in the morning.
Just a little timid

I washed, clayed then washed again tonight.....put in garage then going to zaino in the morning.

I just wasn't sure if your suppose to door to door or bumper to bumper motion

Was a little confused.


Essentially on the sides your going up and down (vertical) so all lines are running in the same direction.....since you go door to door on the hood, trunk etc.

desiZ

iTrader: (2)

i feel pretty stupid after reading this thread... wish I had read it earlier ... i just got done washing/waxing my car... i totally forgot (don't ask how) to clay my car this morning... before i put on the first coat of Z2... what should i do ppl ? should i wash tomorrow morning and use the claybar ? or no ? or wait till the next wash ?

car is 3 weeks old and i hadn't waxed it yet ...

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

You said you "waxed" your car but you haven't put on any Z-2 yet? What did you use? Was it Z-5?

If your car is only 3 weeks old, it probably won't be the end of the world if you don't clay it but you can still do it anytime, then apply the Z-5/Z-2 afterward.

desiZ

iTrader: (2)

i washed it after 2 weeks, only carwash, no wax, then this morning (3rd week), i washed, then put on Z2 and buffed, without the clay part ... whats my best plan of action ?
should i go get some Z1 or Z5 ? (i only have claybar and Z2)... from what i read (problem is so many people with so many different views), is it ok to put just Z2 ? am i doing damage in any way ? do i need the other Z's ? i'm trying to control my expenditure and not go all crazy with tons of zaino stuff...

(thank you by the way drbonz)

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

You definately do not need Z-1. I would get some Z-5. It works just like your Z-2 but it helps to fill in swirl marks. You may not have them now but trust me, you will.

You may also want to get the ZFX. This is a blue liquid in a tiny bottle that you add to your Z-2 and your Z-5 (by the drop) so that it cures on your paint a lot faster. Without it, you'll have to wait 8-12 hours per layer on Z-2 or Z-5 before you take it off. It takes that long to "cure" on the paint. With the ZFX additive, you can take it off in under an hour.

You should also get the Z-6 detailing mist. You can use it between each layer of Z-2 or Z-5 or just as a between polishing detail spray. It really makes a difference and looks great all by itself!

As far as the clay, at this point you can still do it if you want but it isn't absolutely necessary. The clay really won't remove your one layer of Zaino (Z-2) but it will remove any debris you have embedded in the layer. Odds are, you shouldn't have much debris after this short time.

mikejofgb

I thought it was best to go front-to-back on the hood and top rather than side-to-side?? Then I read this string... any comments?

SungNamZ

Go left to right, right to left or side to side on hood, top and above the spoiler. Whats most import is "just get Zaino on your Z".

bhobson333

right, left, bumper, door, that was very confusing.

Here it is, visually (below). These are the lines you should use on your final swipe over the car.





I find it easiest to divide the car into sections, do a body panel at a time. Large panels like the hood, top, etc. I divide in half. My first swipe is a diagonal, using pad angle and pressure to try to get the product evenly distributed along the line:



Then I wipe across the diagonal in the opposite direction (90 degrees) from my intended finish:



Then I finish in the proper direction. Perfectly even application!



Hope this helps!

mikejofgb

God, how confusing! My first four coats I put on "front to back" on the top panels (like your pictures), then the last two coats I put on "side to side" as described in this string. So now, at last, I must go back to the "front to back" method... ugh! :-)

bhobson333

Oh, don't worry about it! It's really not THAT big a deal. It's just what Sal recommends, he says it looks better. I bet if you put two otherwise-identical cars side-by-side, one having had it done the "right" way and one having had it done the "wrong" way it would be difficult-to-impossible to tell the difference.

Hmmmmmmm Might be an interesting experiment!

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

I have always gone side to side on the hood and roof (not front to back as is shown above). I thought that the point was to make it all flow together with the up and down lines you put on the sides for better reflectivity.

Trust me though: IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER!! Just get it on your car any way you can. It'll look great.

bhobson333

Here's a quote from the zainobros.com tips & tricks:
That must be why you have such a dull and lifeless finish, Bonz!

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

DAMMMM! I knew there was a problem somewhere. What a NEWB I am!

bhobson333

Happy to set you straight. I'm sure you'll do better from here on out.