Reviewed: Zaino Z5 Pro

[G35stilez]

Yep, no joking around here, this is the stuff...


I was able to rip two ounces from a Zaino tester’s vice grip. It was not easy which is why I cannot give up the tester's name (he will kill me ). Anyways, I set out to try the Z on everything I could, prior to the IPO. To the best of my knowledge, Z5 Pro will be on the market within 3 weeks. For the items marked with a (*), I used the standard Z5 as a basis. Here we go...


Product: Zaino Z5 Pro


Price & Price Per Ounce*: $16.95 & $2.12/ounce


Price per application (paint, windows, wheels)*: $.39


Manufacturer Claims:

Get the wettest-looking, deepest finish possible without harming your car's factory clear coat.

No hard work...just results!

Can be used to fill and hide minor surface scratches, light swirl marks and spider webbing!

It's been said that "black is the detailer's final exam." Well, if you have a black, dark blue, red or green vehicle, with Z-5™ Show Car Polish you'll not only pass that exam, you'll ace it!

We've engineered our Z-5™ Show Car Polish formula with revolutionary, non-abrasive, micro-filler polymer technology to help hide minor surface imperfections. The result is an optically perfect finish that's not only wet, deep and mirror-like, but durable and long-lasting.

Z-5™ Show Car Polish is the only true, polymer protectant that can help fill and hide minor surface scratches, light swirl marks and spider webbing to create a high-gloss, uniform surface without employing harsh abrasives or cheap fillers. And thanks to our non-abrasive formula, successive layers of Z-5™ Show Car Polish will help mask minor imperfections, scratches and swirl marks, creating a surface that's unlike anything you've ever seen before.

Like all of our other polishes, Z-5™ Show Car Polish contains proprietary, state-of-the-art optical enhancers, gloss additives and Ultra-Gard UV(40), our most advanced sunscreen.

Stop fighting your finish. Let Z-5™ Show Car Polish do the work for you, filling minor imperfections until they disappear. We guarantee you will love the results.



Packaging*: Sturdy, easy to grip, easy to squeeze, plastic bottle with water-proof labeling. The flip top keeps product allocation to a minimum.


Color/Scent/Viscosity: Purple; Grape; A very thin lotion-like substance


How I used (as per instructions):

Without ZFX: Polishing predominantly with Menzerna polishes, I added as well as abstained from an IPA wipe down. The product worked equally as well in both applications.

After trying foam, terry, and MF applicators, the MF prevailed. On a dry applicator, I applied a very thin "X" from far corner, to far corner. This insured that when I swiped the applicator, the surface treated would equal the size of the applicator. For each additional panel after the first, I applied a thin "/" (slash) from corner to corner to the applicator. I barely needed this much to do each panel. For a standard sized vehicle, I used a touch under .20 ounces for the paint, windows, and wheels (2 ounces = 11 vehicles for me). I waited a MAXIMUM of 10 minutes and swiped the product away without any streaking, dust, or static. Furthermore, I used Z5 Pro in the RAIN one day (see black A4 below). I did the car outside under a carport. I only allowed 10 minutes dry time. I did a swipe test and was absolutely stunned to see Z5 Pro was ready to come off.


With ZFX: With the final 1/2 ounce, I decided to go at my (sold) Integra. I mixed 3 drops of ZFX in, capped, and shook for 30 seconds. I applied just as above, dry MF, make a thin "X" initially, then a thin "/" (slash) for each panel following. The only main difference I noticed other than ability to apply after one another was the dry time was slightly reduced. With the teg, I could apply to the whole vehicle in about 5-7 minutes, and go right back to where I started to remove. To put this in perspective, I mixed the Z5 Pro, applied/removed x 3 layers on all paint, wheels, and glass in about 30 minutes .


Overall Thoughts:

Without becoming over-zealous, I will note, in a most objective as possible manner, the differences Z5 Pro has over Z5.

--Application: Using about .05-.1 less per application, the product also spread much easier over the surface using a dry MF applicator
--Drying/Removal: Dry times reduced 5-10 minutes per application; there is no dust, static, residue, or streaking whatsoever, even on glass
--Slickness: When ZFX'd x 3 in one sitting, the slickness level rivals none, it's the top dog. The single application surpasses any carnauba out there but I'd stick it closest to one layer of Z2 Pro.
--Appearance: Deeper, wetter, and hides a touch more defects. I found this newest build to rival the "emotional" appearance of a carnauba yet still having the "hard" sealant gloss. It looked pretty damn good on any color I used it on (see below pictures)
--Durability: TBA. I will be in touch with the clients for which I have applied this on their vehicle(s).


Other Notes: Zaino recommends using Z18 Clay and Z-PC polish twice a year or before each full detail. Wait 24 hours between layers, unless using ZFX.


Purchasing: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...ory_Code=Zaino
*Should be for sale within 3 weeks


Pictures:



















Questions, Comments, please feel free.

[-Lebowski-]

Interesting, for some reason though I still have my doubts about the defect hiding ability due to the previous claims on the current Z5.

[Setec Astronomy]

You would say the application/removal is more similar to Z5 than to Z2Pro? How was the cleanup? More like Z5 or Z2Pro?

[Bence]

Sean, do you feel that it will add a true plus-dimension to the finish over the other LSPs we use? I feel that it generally looks good, but as the pictures tell me, there is no pronounced difference in the overall appearance of Z5Pro vs. other hi-tech products - for me. Based on pics, my last *wowitlooxgood* experience was with BF WD.

[G35stilez]

Lebowski - It will not fill like a heavy carnauba or oily glaze, but it does provide synthetic hiding of minor marring. In the end, you should polish all the defects out before sealing. There have been very few vehicle's I've done where I've needed to go to a glaze and heavy wax.

Mike: It's more similar to the previous Z5. It's much thinner than Z2 Pro, but not quite where Klasse SG is. As stated in my review, the cleanup is an absolute breeze.

Bence: Another dimension? Probably not, but this is mainly due to the fact that you are not leaving a physical layer on the surface, like a carnauba. I think Z5 Pro comes very close to the look without using oils, like WG or BF.

I understand your reserves. However, at the end of the day, this is how I see it...

People always complain that they don't care about durability, but you should, and you should care about protection as well. Protection from the elements keeps your finish beautiful. Knowing that a carnauba melts around 120*, it is safe to say that after a hot day or two, the only thing on your recently Souveran'd (for instance) surface is the oils from the wax mix. This, will not protect like a synthetic.

[Setec Astronomy]

I was referring to the bottle cleanup after ZFX...I didn't see any mention of that in your review.

[Scottwax]

Originally Posted by GSRstilez

Knowing that a carnauba melts around 120*, it is safe to say that after a hot day or two, the only thing on your recently Souveran'd (for instance) surface is the oils from the wax mix. This, will not protect like a synthetic.

Maybe but water boils at 212 until you add coolant to it. The other ingredients in carnauba waxes seem to have the same effect. Funny you should mention Souveran since it has been 3+ weeks now since I put Souveran on my own black car and it definitely protected against the 3-4 nasty bird bombs I got the other day that baked in the sun all afternoon before I saw them.

Synthetics like Zaino will definitely bead for a lot longer than most carnaubas though and for customer's cars that aren't garage queens durability is very important. Do you have Z5 on any cars that you will see regularly so you can monitor the beading? How about one where you can apply Z5 Pro on one side and ZFX'ed Z5 Pro on the other to see if durability is affected?

[G35stilez]

Mike: Good question, and I did not test for that, sorry.

Scott: I have contacted the customers who have Z5 Pro on their car and asked for periodic monitoring. The ZFX'd vs. non is an excellent test. I will be doing that on Liz's Saab once this rain stops and keep the folks here posted.

[Bence]

... and a physical barrier of a carnauba layer often protects better from bird bombs or other attacks.

[G35stilez]

Originally Posted by Scottwax

Maybe but water boils at 212 until you add coolant to it. The other ingredients in carnauba waxes seem to have the same effect.

That's only under pressure does it do that.

A flash point is a flash point.

If you add ingredients to gasoline, will it burn at a different temperature?

Originally Posted by Bence

... and a physical barrier of a carnauba layer often protects better from bird bombs or other attacks.

Often? Tests?

I'm not trying to be a product defender here, but that's simply an opinion as far as I'm concerned.

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally Posted by GSRstilez

That's only under pressure does it do that.

Pressure effects the boiling point of water whether or not coolant is mixed with it (hence different cooking instructions for high-altitude locales). Mixing ethylene or propylene glycol with water also raises the boiling point and depresses the freezing point, but this is a separate effect from that of atmospheric pressure (higher pressure increases the boiling point, while lower pressure decreases it).

[Bence]

Sean, empirically, not scientifically.

Yeah the ingredients can greatly vary the boiling or freezing points. I left a bit of 1Z Glanz in a little sprayer on the garden table during the whole winter. Even in -18°C it remained stable in its original water-like state, and works normal as always. I use it on my wheels and bumpers as a QD.

I'd be curious, how synthetics affect the exact boiling point of a carnauba. Otherwise the car would simply sweat off the wax.