When I bought my car and found this NAM forum a year and a half ago, I saw that some people were using this Zaino product and using all sorts of layering and detailing processes and I thought boy, a lot of crazy obsesssed people out there!....anyway, I just got off the phone with Zaino and have their Z1 starter kit on order...looking forward to it...question: I know that you can Zaino the windshield glass, but what about the textured wheel arches, and the gutters and the headlight polycarb lenses, and rubber door weatherstripping...is zaino recommended for those parts?


also...everyone talks about the Dawn wash to remove my current wax, NXT, but how much Dawn in a bucket as I know it is harsh

also, when you mix 1 oz of Z2 or Z5 and add the 4? drops of ZFX in the little mixing bottle, will that one ounce do more than one layer on my Cooper? how long can you keep any leftover in that little mixing bottle, or can it not be saved?

 

Zaino really isn't intended for the black plastic bits but it won't dry white all over them like regular wax. Basically, if you get it on there, no problem, but I'd avoid it if possible. Just wastes good Zaino that could go on your paint. :smile:

I've found that one ounce of the Z2 or Z5 will cover the MINI three times, usually with some left over. I don't recall the exact number, but I believe Zaino says you can only store the mixed Z2/ZFX or Z5/ZFX for about 12 hours.

Don't worry about how much Dawn you use. You're only doing it for the initial washing and you want it to take off all traces of old wax, etc.

And I have one tip for you. Griot's Garage makes a great little foam applicator that I have found works much better than the free applicator you get from Zaino. You can find it here: http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog....1005&SKU=10629

It really lets you apply a thin coat of Zaino and the strap makes it a snap to use. When finished, just rinse it out and let it air dry. I have yet to have to replace one of these after several years of use.

Hope that helps and good luck!

 

Well, even though Zaino claims it won't mar the plastic wheel arches, it will. Perhaps not as badly as other products, but it can leave a white residue. In no instances would I apply it directly to black plastic. Headlights, no problems. Use something else (e.g. Vinylex) on the rubber door seals.

In terms of the amount of Dawn, what you want to do is make a fairly strong solution. Dawn (and other dish washing liquids) have a relatively high alkiline level which will cause existing wax to dissolve. Use a couple of good squeezes of the bottle into your pail.

In terms of the amount of Zaino to use, the less the better - to the point where you may think that you're not getting any product onto the car. It takes a little practice to get the right amount applied, but it's not difficult to figure out. Read all the instructions on the Zaino web site. The new Z2Pro seems to go on a little thicker than the previous version (Z2), thus you may use a little more. I once used a syringe to dribble out the Z2 (not Pro) and was able to get 3 coats onto my MCS using a little more than 1/2 oz.

By the way, as others have posted, when adding the ZFX, just invert the bottle and let gravity cause those few drops to fall out. Don't squeeze the bottle.

 

Great explanations above!

1. You want a fairly strong Dawn solution. A Dawn wash once or twice a year is no worry.

2. The thinner, the better with Zaino. I've switched to foam applicators rather than the Zaino cotton one and I like it much more. (thanks BradB)

3. You want to Zaino anything that is SMOOTH. Zaino WILL STAIN textured black plastic, but definately not as much as a carnuba wax.

I had to dig around a bit to find it in the forums, but here are some answers from Sal Zaino on these exact same questions I posed to him over a year ago.

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Question:

My car has two different types of black plastic trim:
1. A smooth, shiny plastic that is not painted
2. A coarse, porous plastic that is not painted

If I used my old Meguiars wax on #1, it would shine it nicely and buff off perfectly. If I used my old Meguiars on #2, I would have a horrible mess of white swirls in the pores. On previous cars, I've gone to the extreme (for me) of masking off the #2 areas with blue painters tape before waxing.

Can / should I apply Zaino to both types of plastic?

Answer from Sal Zaino:

Zaino Show Car polish is to be used on any non-porous, non-textured surfaces. If your plastic parts are non-porous (not textured) use Zaino Z-2, Z-3, Z-5 polish & also Z-6 Gloss Enhancer spray.
If you have porous surfaces(Cladding, front spoilers, grilles, rubber etc.) that need protection use Z-16 Tire Dressing. It's awesome on any textured, porous surfaces.

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Question:

Can / should I apply Zaino to windshield glass?


Answer from Sal Zaino:

Yes...
Z-6 works great on clean exterior glass. It will leave a high polished finish that repels water and makes the wiper blades work better...
Remember Z-6 is extremely concentrated, a little goes a long way.... Another Tip is... You can also use Z-2 on the exterior windows. The combination of Z-2 and Z-6 is awesome on exterior glass... and preferred by many of my customers....

Z-6 is also safe for use on aftermarket window tint.

 

How to care for your Soft Rubber Weatherseals... the BMW approved way:

This is a cut and paste from my big detailing thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=37303
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Process of Caring for Your Soft Rubber Seals

I use a product that BMW recommends, GummiPflege Rubber Protection Stick. Available at BMW auto and motorcycle dealers.

1. If dirty, clean rubber seals around doors, hood, trunk, etc. with a damp microfiber
2. Apply GummiPflege to seal using the foam applicator tip on the bottle
3. Let dry
4. Shake a bit of baby powder (unscented, please) on a microfiber and wipe over the seal to stop it from sticking to the painted surfaces. (BradB: This, by the way, is a factory approved method used by Porsche service techs.)

-----------------------------------------------------

 

btw, dawn slowly breaksdown the exterior rubber trim. Use it sparingly if possible.

 

if you're going to use dawn soap, would it be better to have a diluted solution
in a sprayer and just mist and wipe?

this way you can wash your car with 2x the car shampoo, dry it, clean up
your hoses and such, then pull your car into your garage so now you can
concentrate on polishing and waxing. Remove the old wax using your
sprayer and towel until you can squeak your finger on the wet panel.

i had bad luck using dawn as carwash on my previous white car where the
tar and oils stained into the paint.

maybe im just too organized...

in my case though, i used Griot's PaintPrep to remove my old
NXT that was on there. great stuff. very quick and thorough.

 

I just went through my first extended detailing session this past weekend and I guess I screwed up. Being new to the MINI family and to ZAINO products, I used about an once of Z5 for the first pass and an ounce of Z2 after the intermediate Z6 treatment.

I guess I just threw money down the drain so to speak...

 

Aerospace Protectant on all the plastic trim pieces inside and out. It leaves the exterior plastics with a nice deep shine, and protects them too. i swear by that stuff

 

mmmm.....ok......where do we find this stuff?

....Les

 

Here is 303's on-line store. I've ordered from them with good results.

http://www.303products.com/store/agreement.htm

Chuck