RandW

Guys, I've been searching and reading thru this forum for quite a while now and I still am utterly confused. Got the prep part down i think. It's the final polish and sealant/wax part that got me. I have an Artic White and a Torch Red if colors make a difference. Both are daily drivers and get washed at least once a week, usually twice. I used NXT on both, not pleased on the white but liked it on the red at the beginning. Only lasted about a week, maybe less, and the initial brillance was gone. So I was going to go the Zaino route. Kept reading and now I don't know if this is what I'm looking for. I like a deep, wet 3-D look. Carnuba? Does it last or will I have to wax every 2 weeks? Should I use Klasse AIO? Four Star? Pinnacle? NXT with something over it to make it last longer? But if I use NXT what do I use on the white? I don't mind spending the time doing it right, but I do want to enjoy my effort for more than a week or two. I know most is personal preference, and I'm really not that picky. Just want to feel like I could fall into the paint and swim in it Sorry so long and TIA

rws.1

I use Rejex on my Bright Red '88. I treated in twice last season( It gets tucked away for the Michigan winters.) It did not need the second treatment but I wanted to see if a second coat did anything in terms of depth of color.
So I can say it lasts at least three months with weekly washings. ( I use Meguiars NXT car wash) You can see a couple of photos of my car in my profile. I am very pleased with the deep, wet, look I get and the durability of Rejex.
There are many in this forum that say Zaino is the way to go....
It is confusing because surface preparation is key, the difference in gloss between competitive products is subjective as is the ease of application and removal.
While I am very satisfied with Rejex, there are relatively few of us on the forum using it. Based on the posts, it seems the biggest contingent are Zaino fans.
I'd suggest you try either Rejex or Zaino

RandW

Sure, add another one to my list Your car looks deep, what I'm afraid of with Zaino is that it will be shiny with no depth. Thanks.

TOGWT

An optically perfect shine is the result of a clean prepared paint surface. The contributing factors:
a)Reflectivity – that comes from a clean and level surface
b)Gloss-a surface shine and its ability to reflect light with a minimum of distortion or light diffusion
c)Optical depth-comes from an applied product that is two-dimensional, so that light is reflected from both a high and low source (i.e. a Carnauba waxes ‘egg-grate’ type structure) as opposed to a polymer elongated and flat ‘chain-link’ type mesh
d)Transparency-or clarity of the applied product, which will enable all the above components to be clearly visible
e)Optimising light refraction -apply product in ‘direction of airflow’, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising light refraction and the reflectivity of the bodylines and contours of the vehicle

1. Clean-washed to remove surface dirt and grime, tar and road film
2. Cleaned-by using detailer’s clay to remove ingrained pollution from the paint surface, and/or a paint conditioner to prepare the surface.
3. Polished-removal of minor blemishes, surface scratches, swirl marks and water marks with an abrasive machine polish or compound to provide a level surface
4. Glazed- to obtain a high gloss by providing the necessary oils and burnishing the paint surface to a high gloss
5. Protected- the polymers carrier system (solvents) allows the product to fill and level the paint film surface to produce an ultra-flat surface while proving durable surface protection
6. Waxed-the applications of Carnauba wax to provide a sacrificial and renewable protection that will also provide a transparent surface and a depth by providing a two-dimensional surface.
7.A vehicles finish is judged solely on the way light reflects from its surfaces to the viewer’s eyes The aesthetics of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least; the only thing that really matters is what looks 'best' to you

IMO; The application of a sealant (Zanio) will provide a durable surface protection and a Carnauba wax will provide 'depth of shine' plus provide a sacrificial / renewable protection

JonM

FlyingDog

if you're looking for depth you'll probably have to rely upon a carnauba as your last step product. be sure you're comfortable with the claying & polish steps then I would suggest laying down a layer of klasse aio (literally everywhere but the windshield). after the aio, then lay down a nice carnauba like meguires #16 (very durable), p21s (very easy to work with) or pinnacle paste glaz (recommended for light colors). if you want some extra protection under the carnauba, then a layer or two of klasse sg can be put on after the aio & before the wax.

one final recommendation --- pay close attention to replies from "TOGWT". great detailing insights.

exceldetail

Four Star !! UPP !

Killrwheels

RANDW, Based on your post it sounds like you have misunderstood the final two steps in detailing, and because you named a couple of products, we have all thrown ours into the fray verus answering your question. So First ....

Final Polish --- this step as I know it is the final step in bringing any surface back to pristine gleem prior to sealing and protecting the work you have achieved. Products like Menzerna Final Polish and Einszett Metallic Polish are these types of products with very little abrasive almost similar to jewelers rouge. (making the diamond shine)

Wax/Sealant --- this is usually the final step in most aresonal's for protecting the achieved bliss. A wax is almost always natural in form and contains some degree of carnuba. You will have the depth and wetness youve requested at the expense of a loss of durability (length of protection). That said alot of current QD's add carnuba and thus can greatly increase the time of protection.

A sealant is synthetic in nature, and uses gloss instead of wetness, and reflectivity versus depth but provides longer protection. Thus metallics sometimes look "more metallic" and reds and blacks "reflect" very well.

There is no rule that says you cannot use both to achieve the desired look. Infact, "topping" or adding a carnuba over a sealant has become very popular with detailing nuts.

Now here are a list of some good items for your aersonal.

Sealants --- UPP, Zaino, Klasse
Waxes --- P21S, Pinnacle Sig Series, Pinnacle Souveran
Polishes --- Menzerna, Einszett, Mequires DACP

RandW

Believe me, I probably misunderstand all the steps of detailing. And I know you guys have gone over this countless times. My arsenal of car products for years and years has been car wash, Meguiars #7 and Meg. gold class paste wax. That's it. The cars looked clean and shiny but did not stand out. I didn't get done and said 'wow'. I learned about clay and swirl removal from this forum, and I can't thank you guys enough for all the info. I think what I'm going to do is start with the Zaino and add a quality wax over that if needed.

agentf1

Definetly go with Zaino Z2 Pro, I think it has plenty of depth and looks better than anything else and you cannot beat the longevity. If you are not happy with it/the look (doubtful) you can always top it with a carnuba like pinnacle. I am sure that once you get the Zaino on you won't want/need to go any further.

ZaneO

It's all personal preference after you have the prep done correctly.

Experimenting is part of the fun.

Last step products are most always people's opinions, so take it for what it's worth.

wildman378

I've had the best results with pinnacle sig series this stuff makes the paint look a mile deep! my 95 is dark red metallic II and I tell it it makes this color take on more of a ruby rich color it's just awesome stuff I suggest pinnacle sig series hands down and I have used EVERY main wax/sealant mentioned on the forum lately.

However I did find the nxt made the metallic pop a bit more but thats not to compare to how the pinnacle sig made the paint look wet and glossy.

RandW

Thanks for all the info everybody I've got a great starting point now

LS WON

Artic White with Zaino the other car I use the Klasse AIO and Sealant on Oxford white car.
It is personal but I like the Klasse finish better as it is more slippery than the Zaino and has less steps to complete.
The Zaino is much easier to work but has more repetitive steps to do than the Klasse Sealant.
The Klasse sealant is very difficult to remove but I have heard the longer you leave the sealant on the car before buffing the easier it is to remove. I usually just remove it after an hour or so.
But I know one thing for sure make sure you clay first whatever you use as preparation really makes the difference.
The difference between these two products is the shine.
It is personal call as they are both good products and bring out a different type of shine I can't really describe but I will continue to use both products.

FlyingDog

don't even let the sg haze or dry at all ... use the wipe on, wipe off method & klasse sg will become one of the easiest products you'll use as long as you apply it very thinly.

at the risk of repeating a prior post ... courtesy of bill north:

In order to apply SG using wipe on, wipe off, you should do the following:

1. Take a terry covered foam applicator and spray it with water.

I initially recommended spraying the applicatior with a non-carnuba QD or water. I've changed my mind about this. Just stick to good old tap water. Too many different QD's out there that give different results.

Squeeze the applicator as much as you can so that most of the water is gone. All you should have is a slightly damp applicator. This will make the SG more pliable.

2. Apply a couple of drops of SG to your applicator and apply it to a section of your car (1/3 of the hood, half of the roof, etc) in a front to back motion. Once you have covered the whole section with SG, immediately wipe off the residue with a DRY charisma or MF towel in a front to back motion.

3. Repeat step 2 for every section until the whole car is done.


Notes:

- As mentioned before, wipe the SG off immediately, no dry time is necessary.

- The SG should wipe off very easily leaving behind a slick, smooth, and glossy finish.

- You should use no more than 1oz. of SG per coat on a regular size car (BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class)

- Only perform step 1 one time, before applying SG to the first panel. You do NOT need to spritz your applicator with water before applying SG to each section. Once you apply SG to a couple of sections the applicator will be wet enough with SG, negating the need for more water.

-Do not use any water or QD to aid in removal of SG. This will just cause the klasse SG to develop an oily haze/film down the road. I've also experienced this.

-Wait AT LEAST 24 hours before applying another coat of SG. SG needs time to cure and bond to your paint surface. I would personally wait a week. If you've driven the car ANYWHERE, then wash it before applying the next layer, or else you will just re-swirl your car.

-Put on three coats of SG, and you will be good to go.

-If you desire more warmth and depth in your paint, then apply a pure carnuba wax (no cleaner waxes) a week after you?ve applied the third layer of SG. Make sure you wash before you wax. You may experience some streaking or ghosting of the wax. I did, but it wasn?t enough to bother me. This is because SG and carnuba (any carnuba) don?t entirely get along. Consider yourself warned.

That's it!

LS WON

slippery. I put on 2 coats of AIO and 2 coats of SG. I did end up using Sonus Detailing spray to make it easier to remove.

Bvette

Zaino will give you shine and depth, solid color or metallic. I wouldn,t use any wax after using Zaino. You don't need it and shouldn't use it. One or two coats of Z2 Pro followed with Z6 Gloss Enhancer and your good to go. If this is going to be your first time using Zaino, start by washing your car with Dawn dish detergent, to remove ALL old wax.

Killrwheels

LS Won, wondering if you tried the Menzerna Spritz over Klasse twins ?? Since it is acrylic based, I would suspect it works well. I love Sonus and am out, but need to know if it still measures up against Menzerna. Let me know ....

I will tell you that I love it on Z2Pro. Menzerna Spritz adds a little more gloss, and slippery-ier finish. I really cannot say enough about this QD, it has moved into favorite position currently. (I still like the look of Pinnacles Crystal Mist for carnubas though, although 4 Stars Carnuba Spritz aint 1/2 bad)

Killrwheels

RandW , if you decide to use Zaino, let me suggest an alcohol rub versus Dawn. Dawn MIGHT remove some/all of any carnuba left on the finish, but it will not remove a sealant properly. You can remove with polish (abrasive or chemical), or with a stripper (not the naked ones, but could be fun ) but rubbing alcohol is so cheap and easy to get, and removes sealants quite quickly. Then a quick bath with your fav soap and your in business. Just a hint ....

RandW

Thanks again for all the advice Couple more questions.....can denatured alcohol be used in place of rubbing alkie? Also, if I do all the prep on one day and apply Zaino the next, should I rewash the car? Just go over it with Z-6, or don't worry about any dust and go straight to Z-5? Or would this be a good place to use alcohol? You know, once I do this once the right way, I'll be cool and won't ask so many stupid questions! TIA

Killrwheels

Please dont knock yourself, the stupid question is only the one you fail to ask. We all learned from posts, friends, and trial and error. You are doing the same thing ... learning !

I have never found the need to try denatured alcohol, as the simple and cheap (.98 cent) isopryl alcohol 91% at Walmart does the trick. I put it in a spray bottle, and spritz the panel and wipe, usually twice. Most sealants seem to turn white or hazy immediately but wipes off without issue. I then rewash. In truth, after polishing, I rewash also. Why ?? Because alot of polishes contain light fillers (to hide what you may have missed) and thus sealants do not adhere nor last as long.

As for the Zaino issue, I dont see much of a problem doing all the prep one day/night, and doing the final protection the next day. A quick wipe with a microfiber should remove any surface dust that was attracted to the finish overnight. Z6 has some anti-static properties, I believe, and may also help with dust issue. Good idea .... now if the car is NOT garage kept, then maybe a wash is necessary to remove any dew or other contamination.