When do you HAVE to strip off sealants?

sillystanger · 08-29-05, 03:01

I started detailing just 5 months ago and have definitely caught the bug thanks to you guys. I've been using the Zaino line of products during this time frame on my 2005 Mustang with great satisfaction. It's garage kept and washed about every 1.5 weeks. Every second washing I apply another layer of Z8/Z2. What I'm wondering is... is there a point where I should strip down to the paint instead of just adding another layer of Z2? if so, how would I go about determining this? If you have a well protected new car surface that probably won't need PC type polishing for a while is it possible to go a couple years without stripping completely down? (I imagine having to spot clay, etc.)

I imagine the answer to my question is just to exam the surface for inconsistentencies and defects, and make a common sense decision, but I thought I'd ask. Thanks!

BTW. What's the best way to completely strip off Z5 and Z2? I don't buy that Dawn will remove it all... PC with ZPC?

sillystanger · 08-31-05, 11:33

just wanted to bump this once to make sure no one has any comments....

atticdog · 08-31-05, 12:07

dawn will remove it
strip it before you winter layers and for your spring detail
how many layers of z2 do you have on it?

sillystanger · 08-31-05, 01:07

I probably have about 5 layers of Z2 on it. I guess my main question is why do I have to strip off the old layers if this finish is still looking good? What's the benefit? or What's the drawback of not regularly striping down completely?

It seems that I'd want to keep as much protection as I can on the paint. I feel as though I'm philiosphically missing a major point here.

atticdog · 08-31-05, 01:14

just before winter to make sure you have full protection by useing their paint cleaner to make sure you get the best surface for the z2 to bond with to be durable all winter

Accumulator · 08-31-05, 04:02

If you still like how it looks/feels/etc. I wouldn't bother redoing it.

Whether you really need to strip it off will just depend on what it's going through. My more pampered cars can go a long, long time between such "start-overs", as in a year or more. I've just been adding more UPP to my S8 for over a year, for instance, and I don't plan to clean it off in the foreseeable future. Even our minivan (think "daily hard use, year round") seldom needs stripped back to bare paint. Maybe once a year at the very most. But again, my situation might be a lot different from yours.

But note that sometimes the degradation of the finish occurs so gradually that you don't really notice how crappy it has become. Then you do a major re-do and it's a real

when you see how much better it looks.

Oh, and I'd be really surprised if Dawn washed off Zaino. It doesn't even strip wax for me, let alone any of the sealants I use. Rubbing alcohol or a paint cleaner would be my choice.