My first step into detailing! After purchasing the Complete Show Kit from the Zaino store, I proceeded to detail my MCS following the included instructions. They were fairly straightforward, and it seemed confusing at first (apply Z2, Z6, Z5, then repeat, unless you claybar, then do that, if not use ZFX etc, etc.)

ANYWAY my point is, after claybaring by car and putting Z2, Z6, Z5 in that order just once, it looks beautiful, and the shine is there. It's a mirror finish, and makes the car stand out so much against the background of black and silver SUVs! I'm quite glad with the stuff, and this is only with one layer of Z2 and Z5!

I don't have much experience with other show car waxes (like carnauba or griots garage, etc). But as a detailing newbie, my car looks great! Pictures do not do it justice. And the surface of the car is ooh so silky smooth! Thought I'd share my first successful Zaino application! Anyone else out there having done the same thing and amazed at the results?

 

welcome to the brotherhood! tell us what you think after, say, 15 coats. great looking MCS, BTW.

 

Firstly, very cool MCS. I have a LY/LY Cooper. Power to the Liquid Yellow!

I just ordered my Zaino kit, so I'm glad to hear you're happy with it

 

I'm in the same boat. Just did my first Zainoing on my MC on New Year's day. Took most of the day for that first application process but it does look good. Your looks great too.

Now for more coats, eh? :smile:

 

How much do those kits go for? I've been using Zymol most of my life and love it, but I'd also like to utilize a step-by-step product to protect the Mini.

 

I have used Zaino for the last 4 years and absolutely love it! Very shiny and smooth plus it's relatively easy to use and not too expensive. The shine lasts forever too - it's great.

Last week I did the following over a 2-day span: wash with Z7 (did the claybar a few months ago), Z5 w/ZFX, Z6, Z5 w/ZFX, Z6, Z2 w/ZFX, and a final coat of Z6. Always finish with Z6! I also use the leather cleaner on the interior even though I have the Space Cloth seats and it works well.

Going to pick up my pictures and CD in a few minutes.......hopefully I can post some tonight.

_________________
'03 Cooper S JCW Pure Silver/Black - PP, CWP, Space Cloth, Fogs, 16" R90s, K&N, 35% tint


'02 S2000 Spa Yellow/Black - HKS exhaust, OEM hardtop, Infinity rears

 

>>How much do those kits go for? I've been using Zymol most of my life and love it, but I'd also like to utilize a step-by-step product to protect the Mini.

The kit goes for about $85 + shipping.

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...ory_Code=Zaino

 

I too have joined the Zaino ranks. It is hands down the best product I have ever used. Even when it rains, the water droplets just slide right off the car, very cool.

 

I started with Zaino the first month that I received my EB/W MCS in July 2002. I still get compliments on how new the car looks, "the best paint job I have ever seen," etc.. I am a full Zaino convert from years of other high end waxes. Not only does Zaino give a great shine, but the protection lasts longer than anything else out there! Enjoy!!!

 

Got mine for Christmas. Haven't done it yet. I was confused by the instructions. Then I had to do the winter holiday clean-up. Hopefully tomorrow will be Zaino day!!!

 

you guys obviously have not tried 3M detailing products.

If you like Zaino, you'll LOVE 3M.

-WCC

 

>>you guys obviously have not tried 3M detailing products.
>>
>>If you like Zaino, you'll LOVE 3M.
>>
>>-WCC

Can you post a link where we can checl 3M out?

 

I like Zaino. I always felt, though, that their Z7 car wash soap could be sudsier (is that a word? I don't know). I double the recommended amount, using 5 or 6 capfuls per gallon of water to get a nice liberal amount of suds going. It smells really good too, sorta like bubble gum.

 

After coming back from Phoenix a while ago (when the picture was taken in Nov), I finally ended up applying more layers of Zaino onto my car. It's quite amazing, even now with just four applications (Z5,Z6,Z2,Z6 as one coat). Or would that be eight coats? Does each application of Z5 or Z2 count as one coat? I dunno..

Anyway, I did that above sequence four times. It's sooo shiny, and now in the rain and muck, it just stands out! It's even shinier and more reflective than my friends dark silver MCS! Wow! The water just beads on the surface. Man. Can't wait to add even more this spring and try and get more of that Liquid Yellow look. :smile: I can't take my eyes off this car when I park it in the lot with the other 'normal' cars.

I haven't tried any other detailling products, but the Griot's Garage stuff looks tempting as well. I think I'm sold on Zaino though.

 

Zaino is great stuff.........but man, you should call up the big guy, Sal Zaino himself. That man has one serious Jersey accent!

 

Just orered Zaino. Look forward to detailing my car.

 

I have to say, the whole process is really intimidating so as a result I've gotten the car detailed a couple of times. Anyway, how difficult is it to do this sort of thing, and also what's the time frame. Also, from what I've deduced from this thread it sounds like the first time is the longest process with regular maintenance afterward. Again I don't care about the price of the kit or anything, it's the confidence level I have in doing it. By the way, there's also a smidgen of laziness involved considering that when I wash my MINI myself it usually takes 3 hours w/no waxing.

 

Rune,
Your MCS looks like a trophy winner. I am impressed with the Zaino products after seeing and reading what others have said. Did you do the Dawn dish soap wash as Zaino recommends? That sounds a bit harsh for a factory finish, but if it works . . .

 

I Zaino ed Blossom for the very first time last weekend.
I wasn't looking forward to the claybaring, so was so happy when I found out how
easy it truely is.
I did make a mistake I guess, cause I went from clay bar Z7 wash and then Z5 with the xlerator.
was I to do both z2 and z5 before Z6? What should I do now , start over?

I am going to do the leather treatment this weekend. It will be my valentine present to my MINI

It is so smooth, and the back boot isn't collecting the dust like it did before.

04 MCS she be Blossom, EB/W JCW/ Lapis/ amd some other fun stuff.

 

I first tried Zaino a couple of months after I got my MCS. I did the Dawn wash, claybar, the works. It took me a good six hours to do the whole thing! And my back was sore for a week or so... I really liked the way my car looked with Zaino, but it sure was a lot of effort to get it there.

Now I'm using Meguiar's NXT wax. It's a snythetic/carnauba mix, and the stuff is terrific! It's just as glossy, if not glossier, than Zaino, and it's way easier to apply! Only one application and one coat will do it. The only down side to it is that unlike Zaino, it will put marks on your plastic trim. Even with having to be careful of the plastic, it's MUCH easier and faster to apply/remove than Zaino, with results that are at least as good.

NXT hasn't been released to the public yet, I got mine directly from Meguiar's at a promotional event a few weeks ago. A couple of black MCS's were done at the event, by their owners, not by a pro, and they looked liquid black with a deep dark finish. One of the owners said that her car looked better than when she took delivery! The same results were seen on every color of MINI present, with darker colors naturallly showing the product off to best advantage. I think it's going to be on sale within a few weeks (Feb. 04) at places like Pep Boys. It's not as expensive as Zaino, either - I think they said that a bottle goes for about $14. Now that I've used NXT, I won't be using the rest of my Zaino!

_________________
My MINI makes me want to do the happy dance!

 

>>I Zaino ed Blossom for the very first time last weekend.
>>I wasn't looking forward to the claybaring, so was so happy when I found out how
>>easy it truely is.
>>I did make a mistake I guess, cause I went from clay bar Z7 wash and then Z5 with the xlerator.
>>was I to do both z2 and z5 before Z6? What should I do now , start over?
>>
>>I am going to do the leather treatment this weekend. It will be my valentine present to my MINI
>>
>>It is so smooth, and the back boot isn't collecting the dust like it did before.
>>
>>04 MCS she be Blossom, EB/W JCW/ Lapis/ amd some other fun stuff.


You're fine, in the future you should use z6 after each coat of z5 or z6.

 

I just received a package from Zaino. I'll be zainoing this afternoon. :smile:

 

I just did the entire Zaino treatment yeaterday. I went from the Dawn to the clay step and then to the Z2 , Z6, Z5 (three times) just like the instructions say. It was much simpler than I expected and the result was well worth it!!! I have been detailing cars for many years but I had never seen these kind of results without some heavy duty polishing or buffing. The depth of the shine is really what's amazing. I can't wait to apply more coats of Z2, Z5 and Z6 and see how they turn out. It looks like the kit will lasts for several rounds because you can do a lot with very little. :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

Zaino is amazing and the result is absolutely unbelievable. WOW!!! N

That means no more Zymol for me in the future. Here's comes Zaino!

I have a quation. Can I use Zaino on the invisi-shield (clear guard)?

 

Hey davescumini!

What color is your car? Have you noticed if it is any lighter appearing than it was with Zymol? (I don't think you would notice if its black)...

Did you Dawn wash, claybar, etc? Just wondering, was discussing this on another thread, but no pictures, interested if you;ve noticed this...