Discussion
Anyone ever wondering what wax, window cleaner, wheel and tire products are best? Go to this site.
www.gurureports.org
This site is a wealth of info on how to do it right with the best products. I ordered their 3 pubs and have read 2 of them cover to cover.
Zaino is the best wax and BonAmi Window Cleaner is the best on windows. They tell you how to properly prep your car before application.
For those who don't know about Zaino products it's incredible! Been using it for years and my car still looks better than new.
The www site is incredible. Each forum is stocked full of info just like Fact File. I can't stop reading it!!
louis
www.gurureports.org
This site is a wealth of info on how to do it right with the best products. I ordered their 3 pubs and have read 2 of them cover to cover.
Zaino is the best wax and BonAmi Window Cleaner is the best on windows. They tell you how to properly prep your car before application.
For those who don't know about Zaino products it's incredible! Been using it for years and my car still looks better than new.
The www site is incredible. Each forum is stocked full of info just like Fact File. I can't stop reading it!!
louis
Zaino is a polish, not a wax. Wax "feeds" the paint, polish just makes your paint look brighter. Would you rather put cream on your dry hands or cover them with plactic wrap?
This makes no sense to me and their suggestion that you strip all the wax off your car with dawn is shocking! This is a very poor way to care for your paint if you ask me. In fact, it's literally NO way to care for your paint.
Luke.
>> Edited by karmavore on Tuesday 23 November 04:25
This makes no sense to me and their suggestion that you strip all the wax off your car with dawn is shocking! This is a very poor way to care for your paint if you ask me. In fact, it's literally NO way to care for your paint.
Luke.
>> Edited by karmavore on Tuesday 23 November 04:25
Luke have to disagree with all points here unfortunately.
1. Using dawn to strip old wax is a key element of a proper paint clean. You need to get the old wax off so you can get down to the bare point for contaminent removal with a clay bar, and then, if necessary paint polishing.
2. Wax doesn't "feed" the paint, it simply provides a protective layer on top of it, and fills in minor imperfections.
3. "Zainoing" a car is a multi step process that includes polishing and waxing. Some polishing is necessary. Not every time you wash/wax, not even maybe once a year. But a light polish (I would ONLY use Zaino or Griot's polish on my Esprit) will take care of swirl marks and other small imperfections - for good.
Zaino is a great system. It takes time, but it will make your car look/stay looking new. A close second is Griot's. His polish is probably a tad better, while I think the Zaino finishing products are superior to his Best in Show Wax.
Take a day to Zaino your car. You'll be amazed.
Jeff
1. Using dawn to strip old wax is a key element of a proper paint clean. You need to get the old wax off so you can get down to the bare point for contaminent removal with a clay bar, and then, if necessary paint polishing.
2. Wax doesn't "feed" the paint, it simply provides a protective layer on top of it, and fills in minor imperfections.
3. "Zainoing" a car is a multi step process that includes polishing and waxing. Some polishing is necessary. Not every time you wash/wax, not even maybe once a year. But a light polish (I would ONLY use Zaino or Griot's polish on my Esprit) will take care of swirl marks and other small imperfections - for good.
Zaino is a great system. It takes time, but it will make your car look/stay looking new. A close second is Griot's. His polish is probably a tad better, while I think the Zaino finishing products are superior to his Best in Show Wax.
Take a day to Zaino your car. You'll be amazed.
Jeff
Luke,
You're a pretty knowledgeable guy, but I'm afraid I have to go with Jeff and Louis on this one.
As someone who's a tad older than many on this list, I have to tell you that I have tried them all over the past 35 years... from Johnson's Paste Wax, Blue Coral, Dupont, Wizard's (in the late 60's and 70's) to the current exotic (read expensive) Carnubas, and nothing does a better job, or gives greater protection than Zaino Bros. products. I have used them consistently since acquiring my Esprit 9 years ago and the 20 y.o. paint looks as good as the day it arrived from across the pond. In fact, most cannot believe the paint is original and not a respray. It is a significant reason that the car has captured 1st place in every show I've ever entered it into, including taking 1st in it's class at LOG 22.
As mentioned, preparation is the key and it initially takes quite a bit of work. The use of a high alkaline detergent, such as Dawn, to strip away any old wax/sealer has long been regarded the established method, and if done with no greater frequency than every 3 years or so, and with lots of rinse water, will not harm the paint in the least. If done properly, Zaino provides protection and shine for a couple years, far longer than any wax. And it is silicone free, unlike many products out there, including several high-end carnubas which use the silicones to keep the wax soft. Silicones are what will age the paint rapidly over time and make repair to the paint nearly impossible.
I have known Sal Zaino for many years and he has painstakingly investigated the very best methods of getting optimum results. Zaino has been around many years known only to a small fraternity of show car owners, long before they marketed to the public at large.
Also, the use of Bon Ami to strip wax, sap and other contaminants from auto glass is another time-honored method. Unlike other scrubbing detergents which use Pumice as the abrasive, like Comet or Ajax, Bon Ami uses Baking Soda as the scrubbing agent. This is softer than glass, so it does not scratch, yet scrubs the glass clean. It works well, but is messy. A better method is to use Prepsol. This mineral spirit will remove all the contaminates just as well, without the excessive rinsing necessary with Bon Ami, and will not harm the glass either.
The choices in Auto care products are seemingly endless, and life's too short to make a Federal case out of it, so use the one you feel most comfortable with, but don't rule out Zaino out of hand, give it a try, you may reach the same conclusions we have.
Happy Motoring!... Jim'85TE
You're a pretty knowledgeable guy, but I'm afraid I have to go with Jeff and Louis on this one.
As someone who's a tad older than many on this list, I have to tell you that I have tried them all over the past 35 years... from Johnson's Paste Wax, Blue Coral, Dupont, Wizard's (in the late 60's and 70's) to the current exotic (read expensive) Carnubas, and nothing does a better job, or gives greater protection than Zaino Bros. products. I have used them consistently since acquiring my Esprit 9 years ago and the 20 y.o. paint looks as good as the day it arrived from across the pond. In fact, most cannot believe the paint is original and not a respray. It is a significant reason that the car has captured 1st place in every show I've ever entered it into, including taking 1st in it's class at LOG 22.
As mentioned, preparation is the key and it initially takes quite a bit of work. The use of a high alkaline detergent, such as Dawn, to strip away any old wax/sealer has long been regarded the established method, and if done with no greater frequency than every 3 years or so, and with lots of rinse water, will not harm the paint in the least. If done properly, Zaino provides protection and shine for a couple years, far longer than any wax. And it is silicone free, unlike many products out there, including several high-end carnubas which use the silicones to keep the wax soft. Silicones are what will age the paint rapidly over time and make repair to the paint nearly impossible.
I have known Sal Zaino for many years and he has painstakingly investigated the very best methods of getting optimum results. Zaino has been around many years known only to a small fraternity of show car owners, long before they marketed to the public at large.
Also, the use of Bon Ami to strip wax, sap and other contaminants from auto glass is another time-honored method. Unlike other scrubbing detergents which use Pumice as the abrasive, like Comet or Ajax, Bon Ami uses Baking Soda as the scrubbing agent. This is softer than glass, so it does not scratch, yet scrubs the glass clean. It works well, but is messy. A better method is to use Prepsol. This mineral spirit will remove all the contaminates just as well, without the excessive rinsing necessary with Bon Ami, and will not harm the glass either.
The choices in Auto care products are seemingly endless, and life's too short to make a Federal case out of it, so use the one you feel most comfortable with, but don't rule out Zaino out of hand, give it a try, you may reach the same conclusions we have.
Happy Motoring!... Jim'85TE
lwasson said:
Hey Jim
In the Guru Reports they highly recommend the Porter Cable Random Orbital Buffer. I've never used a buffer when detailing my cars. Have you ever used one to maintain your finish?
louis
83 Turbo
Louis,
Porter-Cable makes nice equipment. I do use a random orbital, in fact I have two, both Craftsman. Good machines, reasonably priced. I have a 10" for large areas and a 5" for the smaller ones. It takes longer than an orbital buffer, but is much safer to use, especially if you don't use it all the time.
Orbitals scare me, you can very easily ruin a painjob if you don't know what you're doing. The only way I'd get an orbital would be to also get an old hood from a junkyard to practice on. It's just too easy to burn through the paint.
There's virtually nothing you can do with an orbital that a Random Orbital won't do either, it just takes more time. The random also has the added advantage of minimizing swirl marks which easily occur with an orbital. Care needs to be taken when selecting the bonnets. For dark cars, stay away from wool bonnets in favor of synthetic ones as the wool will scratch the paint. Hope this helps.
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
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