So is Prima the new Zaino?
When I first started lurking here in 2003, the talk was nothing but Zaino. I bought into it and used nothing but. Well, now it's time for a claybar etc. Is Prima that much better/easier to use?
Thanks!
Jim

 

I'm not sure anyone can answer this without having some sort of bias.

I mean if you ask Heather, she'll say Prima.

If you ask Richard, he might say Prima or maybe even Meguiars.

I know guys who will say Menzerna wax.

Personally I use Meguiars.

I found something I liked and something that works for ME, and so I've stuck with it.

In the end, its personal pereference.

 

The best thing about Prima, is that it comes with Heather. She is a powerhouse of information for how to use their products. OG is right in there also with great details and how too's. It's easy to get hooked on great products when you have great folks to help you out, not to forget all the others in the forum that also have loads of great advice.

 

I started out using Zaino and was very happy with the system. Some think it is too complicated but I don't. All their products smell very good, are easy on and off and have great durability. I still use their Z-16 Tire stuff because it lasts and it leaves a matte finish.
That said I have switched to Prima, did so about 10 months ago. I switched mainly because they are local to me so no shipping. I have stayed with Prima because of two reasons; results and service. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone, in any store, selling any product that can meet or exceed the service you will get from Detailers Paradise. Friendly, knowledgeable and not profit driven are three of the main attributes that Heather and Nick bring to their customer service. Frankly, even if they sold crap - which they don't - I would probably continue to buy from them.
As far as results go I actually prefer the look of the Prima line to that of Zaino. I find that with Epic the finish looks wet and glossy with good depth. These are are rather subjective descriptions and are easy for anyone to just throw out since they are detailing buzz words, but I really do find them to be accurate. I can also attest to the line's durability and as far as cost, even if you need to pay shipping, I believe they are very competitive.
So I've switched to Prima, big deal. The real big deal is that I've stayed with Prima and really do plan to remain using them as long as Nick & Heather continue building their product line.
Oh and I didn't even mention Detailers Paradise's excellent support of the our local MINI5280 club and their almost continual presents here on NAM.

 

I think the results from Prima are probably equal to Zaino. For me the major differences are simplicity and customer service. All the mixing and numbers with Zaino for me were confusing, while Prima is very simple. And you can't beat Heather and Nick for service!

 

It might be here but certainly not everyone. There are a lot of Zaino zeolots running around

Everything goes in cycles. Blue Coral is about due to become popular once more

 

or for chows, just another rain storm (his free car wash).

 

I started out using Zaino, but found all those Zs confusing and didn't like the whole accelerator thing and having to commit once I'd mixed it up. I personally feel that on my PW the Prima line gives a lot more depth along with shine, which I just didn't see with Zaino. And of course, as others have said, Heather's relentless support is a breath of fresh air - and to top it off she and Nick are two of the nicest people I've had the pleasure of meeting. And even tho calogero says Heather will say Prima, I've found her to be very subjective, which I also really like.

The only thing I don't like about the Prima line is that Epic will leave white marks on our black trim. But with Richard's Black Wow I don't worry about it that much any more!

 

I just tried out Prima and quite frankly I'm disappointed. Granted I may not have ordered a strong enough abrasive compound/polish but I didn't get the results I was looking for with my new PC. I really like the Zaino products and had overlooked their Z-PC product on their site. However, I ordered a bottle of it tonight. I think it costs less than Swirl (I can't say for sure since I haven't seen an individual price for Swirl, only a "kit" price). Not only that, if it isn't abrasive enough, you can make it harsher by spritzing it with water. But from what I've read it is comparable to Swirl.

The Zaino Z-7 car wash is simply amazing, it removed some tar and grime that I've been struggling to remove via normal car wash products the past 9 months. Personally, I'm going to stick with the Zaino polishes and sealants but I will continue to order my other supplies from Heather and Nick at Detailers Paradise (MF supplies, etc). They do have some great products and some great prices but I don't think Prima is for me.

I don't find the Zaino numbering system confusing at all. I actually think their numbering system is easier than trying to figure out the Prima product line (Swirl, Finish, Amigo, Epic, Slick, Hydro, etc.). For me, numbers are easier to deal with than a variety of different names. I'm actually quite surprised that I think I got the Prima product line in order.

With the ZFX flash cure system the polish dries very quickly and it allows you to apply up to three coats in a 24 hour period. Sure it isn't necessary but the added protection and durability from layering the product goes a long way. You don't have to use ZFX if you don't want to, but it does make the polish/sealant cure much faster.

You'll need to try both product lines for yourselves and see which one you like better. Each company has their pluses and minuses. Each product line will have its supporters and its nay-sayers. So try them both and see which one works the best for you.

Now, back to your regular scheduled programming.

 

^^ lol

go back to your little cave.

 

It better hurry up and rain around here. My car is getting dirty

 

I just got done washing and Hydroing my Legacy. With Clarity, dusting the interior, etc, took me 35min... Too long.

The air is just too humid and taking forever to dry.

 

I'm just waiting for tonight's thunderstorm. I think I'll just throw some soap on top of the roof and let the wind do its thing make the car all sudsy. Then a good downpour will rinse it off nicely.



Then after that I think I'll go read some forum watching the synthetic vs carnuaba zeolots yell at each other.

 

Me likey theee Prima stuff....
jason

 

I was thinking about trying Zaino products when I was doing a lot of reading on the detailing forum here. I checked out their website and all...but I did find it a more confusing than it could have been, and I'm not an idiot. The Prima names actually make more sense to me (however the difference between Finish and Amigo seems to be a bit hazy, no pun intended). I've never tried Zaino, but Prima is working nicely for now!

 

Back in 2003, most of the MINI's were still brand new. Most of the owners were newbies when it came to car care, and Zaino was a great product for a new car. I started with Zaino as well, but went to Meguiar's Professional products after attending one of their local clinics.

Fast forward to 2007, and these aging MINI's don't look so hot using the same car care techniques from 4 years ago.

Trust me, back in 2003, I was telling people (here on NAM) to use the PC, and I got nothing but flak from them telling me everything from: The PC was too dangerous, not necessary for such a small car, had the potential to scratch paint by flying dust particles, and on and on and on. Zaino was everything and didn't need a machine.

Many of those same people today have admitted that their swirled out finishes were now beyond Zaino--yes ZPC did come out later--but it wasn't around in 2003.

Today, most of us owners are a lot more knowledgeable about taking care of our finishes and do whatever is necessary to keep them looking great.

Is Prima the new Zaino? If the question is asking whether Prima is the product of choice for MINI owners, it depends on the owner. Zaino did good things for the car care community. Although it didn't have any abrasive polishes at the time, it emphasized the important of claying the finish, and it emphasized the importance of a system and staying within it for best results.

Today, we have quite a few choices for car care products, but it all boils down to technique. For examples SimpsonGI's post about Prima not being for him, it makes me ask a couple of questions.

1.) He's got a new PC, but is he using it correctly?
2.) Did he use the right techniques for that product?
3.) Transferring knowledge from one product line--i.e. Zaino usage to Prima isn't a guarantee for success. Often times they conflict. For instance, with Epic, you want to make sure it's thoroughly dried to a haze before buffing it off. That's not necessary for Zaino. Not letting the wax dry long enough could result in smeary wax that doesn't look good, nor last long.

I'm not saying that's what he did, but those are questions that come to mind.

I'm all for results, and I want a product to work effectively, and make any paint I work on look it's best without making me struggle to achieve that. Prima does that and more. Having a product like Hydro in the line allows me to recommend to my customers that they can maintain their beautiful finishes simply by washing their own car and finishing with Hydro.


Richard

 

If I wasn't using it correctly I'm blaming it on you Richard, I followed the directions in your DVD . I watched it a couple of times before even looking at the PC. I think my main problem was that I assumed Finish would do more for the paint than what it did. I considered it to have light swirls and surface scratches. I only did a test spot on the hood. I used Finish with an orange pad and then followed it up with Amigo on a white pad. I haven't put a sealant on it yet. I'm sure if I did, it would look better but I wanted to get it cleaned up as much as possible before sealing it all up.

I probably should have used Swirl and the orange pad, but I didn't order Swirl as I was trying to use the least amount of abrasives as possible to get the job done. Perhaps someone more experienced would have looked at the paint and immediately said, you need to use Swirl and an orange pad on that to get it back into great shape. It is better than what it was, but some of the defects are still there.

Personally I like the idea of Z-PC anway. From reading about it, it appears as if it would do the same job that either Swirl or Cut but in one product. I almost ordered Meguires after watching your DVD but I thought I'd stick with a brand that I was already familiar with, Zaino.

I wasn't working on my wife's Mini as I wanted to get used to the PC on the vehicle I'm selling when I pick up my R56. I figured it is safer so just in case I did screw something up it wasn't her Mini . Her Mini has minimal swirls but it does have water spots on the astro black paint.

As I originally said, I believe my problem was that I didn't use a more abrasive compound.

Who knows, I may end up ordering a bottle of Swirl and trying it as well, as a matter of fact I probably will, especially since I already have Finish and Amigo.

 

yah, i think you should probably use some cascade since those are
like spot free rinse.

 

Haha well I guess you didn't watch the DVD enough then because the test spot is what determines your process! If you can't make the test spot perfect with your pad/chemical combo, then you might as well just give up expecting perfect results.

I agree that Finish was not aggressive enough. In my experience, I rarely use Finish, since I can vary the aggressiveness with the pad as well as the tool of choice. So I can get very aggressive with the orange pad and Swirl on a rotary buffer, go lighter with Swirl and a white pad on the same rotary buffer, then use the PC with a white pad and Swirl, then either Amigo or Epic. As a pro, that's the process that I like to use. Finish is great in certain circumstances, but for the most part, I don't really need it.

Richard

 

Exactly that's why I stopped when I wasn't able to get the results I wanted with the test spot. I wasn't happy with it so I didn't do the whole car only to have to do it again when I got a more abrasive compound. I was paying attention I'll probably call to order a bottle of Swirl on Monday and use whichever product arrives first, Swirl or Z-PC.

I haven't completely given up on the Prima product line nor have I given up on Zaino either.

 

Long time Zaino user here... I don't find the Z #'s confusing, and I've had great service from Sal Zaino, so I see no reason to swap. I like the results, and I find it longer lasting than anything else I've used. And.. there's that smell.. nummy-num!

Having said that, I have not tried Prima, so I can't really compare the two.

It's all relative, since I normally polish the car at least once a month.

 

Kenchan, why in the world would you ever give away the Cascade trade secret. Even OG never shared that one with anyone.......

 

I did order a bottle of Swirl a few minutes ago. As I previously mentioned I also have some Z-PC ordered. I don't know if I'll do a side by side test since I don't really have the pads to be using a variety of different products.

I'll be a little pressed for time so I'm going to try whichever compound arrives first. I'll experiment with the other product on one of our Minis later on.

 

Now that I'm thinking back on my purchasing experience with Detailer's Paradise, I'm saddened to say I am slightly underwhelmed based on other reviews I've read here about their great customer service. I've read posts where users indicated they ordered something incorrectly or left items off and Nick/Heather went out of their way to give the customer exceptional service by satisfying the request and on the posts I've read, if a new shipment was required, they covered the cost of shipping even though it wasn't their (DP) mistake.

In my instance, it wasn't their mistake, it was mine. My initial order was delayed in shipping because some of the PC pads weren't available. I inquired about adding more MF products to my order before it was shipped, I talked with Heather and she took care of that for me. I also asked her about cleaning the pads and about MF bonnets for the PC, if they did a better job than removing the products by hand.

Yes, it was my fault that I didn't order a strong enough compound. From my order, it should have been obvious that I was new to this stuff, especially combined with my questions about cleaning the pads. I wasn't asked what type of condition the paint was in on the vehicle that I was going to be working on. I made false assumptions about Finish and what sort of paint imperfections it was capable of removing.

Today, when I called in to order Swirl, Nick (at least I think it was Nick) asked me if I had ordered from them before. I said yes, I placed an order last week during the NAM summer special, that I had ordered Finish and Amigo but unfortunately it wasn't abrasive enough to take care of the job I'm working on and that I needed to order a bottle of Swirl. He took my order for Swirl and charged me for the product and the shipping costs.

Who knows, maybe I caught him on a bad day or he was too busy to put 2 and 2 together. But now that I'm thinking back, I would say I received your average level of service, not the exceptional level that I've heard so much about from others who rave about DP. Or maybe it was all of the raving that set my expectations too high??

 

Sorry I'm just catching up on this thread now. I'll comment on the original thread question in a bit but I'd like to address SimpsonGI's concerns first.

I'm sorry that you feel that you have received less than exceptional customer service from us. Although I'm not sure I see the customer service failture that you see, I do appreciate that everyone is entitled to a different opinion and everyone comes from different perspectives/expectations. And, I do hope we can change your impression in the future! Although we are very small and have limited resources (read: manpower!), we do our best to assist everyone fully with all of their concerns and questions. We do try hard to customize our answers to individual situations whenever possible.

If it ever seems that we are not picking up on the fact that you're new to all this, please just tell us! Believe me, we understand that it can be confusing. Please don't be shy or embarassed and just mention that you're new and need some extra help picking our your polishes. We're happy to help if we know you need it! Also realize that we try to make sure that we don't push too much on someone... we're not all about making you overbuy. (Also, just so you realize, some of our customers do not like to talk on the phone for very long... they like to order quickly and hang up! So we don't force "Q&A" on people unless they specifically ask.)


My main technical question for you is regarding the amont of time you spent allowing Finish to work and also how much pressure you applied to the PC. OG's DVD demonstrates the Meguiar's system, which works a little differently than the Lake Country system (and the Prima polishes). Here are some tips related to this particular topic:

-Make sure you work only on an area of about 2'x2' and work that area for at least 2 minutes. Working the area for less time than this often doesn't allow the diminishing abrasives in any polish to diminish enough. Working an area any larger spreads out the product too much as it diminishes and can cause mixed results throughout the area.

-Make sure you do not add much pressure to the PC when you use the Lake Country pads and the Prima polishes (or the Zaino Z-PC product either, for that matter!). You should use only as much pressure as it takes to not drop the machine plus a "smidge" (I know- not very scientific but it's really the right amount! ). *The best indicator of proper PC pressure is whether or not the plate is getting bogged down: the best way to tell this is to add tick marks on the top of the plate with a black marker. Otherwise, it is very difficult to tell if the PC is vibrating AND oscillating or JUST vibrating. **Without the oscillations, the pads do not work correctly and the polishes do not diminish as well.

Both of these tips are important for anytime you use the Lake Country pads and the Prima polishes. In addition, they are important for the Z-PC to work properly as well.

Although I post these tips over and over again on NAM, I know it's not easy finding information on here. There is so much good info that sometimes it's too much!


Finally, on a black '07 MINI, I would still recommend Finish and a white pad to start with. If this isn't enough, then you can move up to Swirl and a white pad; however, as a rule of thumb you should always start with the least aggressive combination until you know how your particular paint will react. (yes, they can all be a little different )


A little aside: It seems you may not have noticed one of our customer service gestures when you first ordered... although our 15% off special did not start until Saturday, July 21st, when you ordered on Friday, July 20th, we allowed the discount to be applied to your order. According to our stated rules of the sale (and how our order system was setup), the discount should not have been applied. However, we gave it to you anyway. So, I hope you see that we are quite proactive in helping our customers out whenever we can, even when they break the rules.

Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with. I promise we'll do our best to answer any and all of your questions. But please know that we can't read minds. Please speak up if you need more help! Just call back if you don't think of your question while you're on the phone with us. We're happy to help.

-Heather