So I finally gave in and bought a PC 7424 with all the fixins and took 6 hours to make my car look right again.

Step 1: Wash and dry car.
Step 2: Bug and Tar remover.
Step 3: Zaino Clay
Step 4: 3M Perfect-It Fine Cut Rubbing Compound.
Step 5: Zaino Z-6 (to make sure I got all the compound off)
Step 6: 3M Finesse-It Machine Polish
Step 7: Zaino Z-6 (i love this stuff)
Step 8: P21s (would have used Zaino, but thunderstorms were coming through)
Step 9: Zaino Z-6 on the paint, wheels, windows.

All in all, the car looks great. After the compound and all the alcohol/water i sprayed on it, it looked pretty dull, but there were no swirls and it was extremely smooth to the touch. The Finesse It brought the car to a good shine and the P21s is just a great product to use in the absence of the time needed to apply Zaino. The car actually looks better than when I picked it up from the dealer. (except for all the god damned rock chips).

 

Good to know...I've got a porter cable on order right now, and I'm going to be killing all the swirl marks on my black Z once and for all when it gets here. The weapon of choice will be Griot's Machine Polish #3, followed by Griot's Best of Show Wax. As much as I'd love to try Zaino, I just don't have the time to go through the whole process.

 

Only think I would say is that you should make sure that you have a compound with enough cutting power to get the job done. Swirls on a black Z go DEEP.

On some parts of my car i had to work the Perfect-It in twice at a speed of 5 with a yellow pad. It would probably have been easier if I had the orange cutting power pad.

 

how much did u guys buy the PC for and where? i wanna conquer swirls also. Is it easy to use for a beginner? i've never used one b4 and i don't want to make things worse. I was thinking of using Menzerma Polish, i heard that stuff is great. Do you still buff off w/ the PC or by hand? what about waxing, do you use the PC also?

cheapest i found was $121
http://www.right-tool.com/6varspeedran.html

 

I bought my PC at Lowes for 109.00 every day price, my model number is 7336 which comes factory equipped with the 6 inch counter weight while the model number 7424 is exactly like the 7336 except it comes from the factory with the 5 inch counter weight. I buy my Lake Country VC curved edged pads and velcro backer plate from Topoftheline.com

 

Not a whole process with Zaino since ZFX activator has come out, one step product now, put on either Z-2 or Z-5, let dry, and wipe off just like any other wax or polish product.

Z-6 is optional but all major wax makers make detailer sprays and they all including Zaino recommend using a detailer spray from time to time.

Z-18 is the clay bar and also optional and once again all wax makers now sell clay bars and encourage their customers to use them.

 

wow! i gotta go check out Lowes!!

 

Got my Zaino two days after ordering, not bad from NJ. Did the whole enchilada, clay bar, Z 5 (two coats), Z 2 Z6, glass cleaner. Took some time but man are the results worth it. Been reading about Zaino for the last month since I bought the ZR and didn't really know if it was for me. Not into car shows, use the ZR for daily driving and fun but I am so glad I bought the Zaino. Will have to order more since hubby is using on his 10 year old truck and Harley. Results there are incredible too.

Good Advice!

 

I got my 7424 from Toolmart on eBay for $112.00. My Lowes or Home Depot doesn't carry the 7336.

I also got my concaved pads and velcro backing from www.properautocare.com They are excellent.

 

coastal tool...$119 and comes with two counter weights (5" & 6" counter weights - lets you choose backing and polishing pads from diff manufactuers)..also comes with screw in polishing pad and a 5 in velcro backing plate...

 

can you do this procedure often?? or is this something you do only every 6 months or something? Is it filling the swirls or cutting out a bit of the clearcoat?

 

YOu can't do this often on NISSAN paint, its very thin and soft.3M fine cut is filler free and it cuts real good.

 

After all of the Zaino posts I still can't believe people don't fully understand that the Zaino "process" as it has been called IS NO HARDER and TAKES NO LONGER than any other product out there.

I guess I have just not done my job well enough

Kevin, maybe you can say it better so they will understand.

 

I understand perfectly, Bonz. It IS easier to put P21s on and take it off and you get a deeper shine with just one application. To get the results I want with Zaino, I'd need to put on 5 or so coats. Even If I just did a coat of Z-5 then one of Z-2, that would take LONGER than P21s.

Obviously, there is a tradeoff in protection and durability, but I just didn't have the TIME to do what I wanted to do with the Zaino.

Everyone's process is different, and I don't see the point in what you brought up. I have a good knowledge of the Zaino product and I own ZFX. I know how to use it and I know how to get my desired results. AND IT TAKES ME LONGER TO DO IT WITH ZAINO THAN WITH P21S.

 

Well, what I am saying is that it isn't harder to apply ONE LAYER of Zaino (be it Z-2 or Z-5) than it is to apply ONE LAYER of P21S.

It also doesn't take longer to do so if you use ZFX.

>>>"Step 8: P21s (would have used Zaino, but thunderstorms were coming through)"

What you seem to be saying is that at THIS step (taken by itself) it would have been easier/quicker to apply P21S than Zaino.

I simply disagree with this.

For those who aren't familiar with either product (I realize that you ARE Danny), notice that he did ALL THE OTHER STEPS in addition to the P21S. The entire process he went through took just as long as (or longer) than the entire Zaino process.

My point is, no matter what product you use, if you want to do it right and get the best possible results, you have to do all of the steps and these are by no means, exclusive to Zaino.

 

Yea I think it was easier to apply P21s than Zaino, because if I used Zaino, that step would be "Z-5, Z-6, Z-5, Z-6, Z-2, Z-6" and I probably would have gotten equal or better results with the Zaino process, but I didn't have the 2 hours.

Layer vs. layer, you may be right. It may be a wash between products. I still might argue that P21s is a little easier but that's not fair sincie it's a carnuba. And I might argue that NXT is a bit easier, but that's not fair because it sucks.

 

You're absolutely right-on with your purchases, Kevin......only I buy the 7.5" pads to prevent the backing plate from accidently hitting a mirror, fender curve, etc. Just a little more piece of mind for a neophyte like myself.