Wow, what a plethora of information! A few newb questions..

[dawgdan]

Just wanted to say hi to everyone here. I`ve been browsing the threads for the past two days and I`ve been pretty much overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of helpful information on this site.



I just picked up a 2003 Mazda 6s in October. I`ve been a bad, bad owner so far. In 5,500+ miles, the car still does not have a coat of protection on it. :( I`ve been lazy, and when I`ve felt like waxing it, it`s been too cold outside (like today, 32 degrees). :sosad



Anyway, I had been using Zaino on my previous car with great results. I quickly fell into the hole of "All your car wax are belong to Zaino" that`s frequently stated on other car boards. LOL. I am probably going to put a coat of Zaino on the 6 since I have some unused bottles left, but I after reading the posts here, I kinda want to try something new.



One thing is the general opinion that Zaino works great on dark cars. My old Z28 was a dark blue, and I`d agree with that statement. But my new 6 is a light silver, so I am thinking about trying something like AIO + SG. Is this combo decent on a silver car? And would a carnauba topper help? I`m not out to win a Concours or anything, I just want some good shine. :)



Secondly, is my method alright? A lot of this is established through my usage of Zaino..



1. Dawn wash

2. Claybar with lubricant

3. Polish (AIO)

4. Protect (SG)

5. QD of some sort (recommendations?)



And how does Klasse fare on wheels? My brake pads create a tremendous amount of dust. Is there a wheel cleaner or wheel cleaning method that won`t strip off the Klasse?



Sorry for the newb questions. And thanks for the great info. :)

[armoredsaint]

Klasse AIO and SG is awesome on the wheels, unlike carnuba waxes it will "melt" off with the heat, Audi brakes are notorious for brake dust also. But I use p21s GEPC and wax on the rest of the TT, as for a QD Sonus is perfect for Klasse.

[imported_BretFraz]

:welcome to Autopia



I agree that AIO is excellent on wheels. Plenty tough to hold up against the brake dust and road grime. And since AIO has some cleaning ability it will polish your wheels and remove some light embedded crud too. A good product to have in your inventory.



As for Zaino, it works very well on all colors but most people like it on light colors like silver and white. Colors like this refract light more than reflect it as a dark color would so the added reflectivity of Z2 and Z5 is noticeable. A lot of enthusiasts prefer waxes on dark cars since the oils in the wax provide a richer, deeper look. But its all a matter of personal preference.



There are several good QD`s on the market including Eagle One WET Wipe & Shine which is available at most auto parts store here in the ATL.



Welcome aboard!!

[imported_Greg]

Honestly, if you already have Zaino, I would say stick with it. You aren`t going to notice any big difference in the looks department IMO. Like Bret said, most really like the look of Zaino/Klasse on lighter colored cars, where as some prefer waxes and glazes high in oil content on dark colored cars for that liquid shine.

[dawgdan]

Thanks for the replies guys. The info is duly noted.



That`s interesting that you guys say that Z is better on lighter colored cars. I had heard it the other way around. :) Either way, that`s cool. I find Zaino easy to use, and was wondering if the Klasse twins were easier. I will probably try them down the road, maybe for the next coat of paint protection.

[Accumulator]

Dawgdan- WElcome to Autopia. Yeah, I`d say just stick with the Zaino. I use the Klasse twins on our silver Mazda MPV, but only for the protection and because *I* find it easy to use. I`m not thrilled with the look, though it was better when I used a wax topper. But if you prep right, the Zaino will probably work well for you. I myself *ONLY* like it on light colors, but that`s just me.



A few thoughts- the Dawn probably won`t hurt your Mazda, but it really isn`t the greatest thing for your rubber seals, etc. Maybe use a water/alcohol mix for the post-wash, pre-Zaino work (like after you polish or clay) instead of multiple Dawn washes.



You`ll probably need some kind of mildly abrasive polish to prep for your Zaino, and the Mazda clear is HARD. 3M`s PI-III MG (pn 05937) might work (and it works OK by hand) plus it doesn`t leave a bunch of fillers, etc. that might interfere with the Zaino.



Definitely do the claying. Failure to remove imbedded ferrous deposits will lead to "rust blooms" that look AWFUL on silver. I used AutoInt`s "ABC" and clayed during the "B" step.

[dawgdan]

Accumulator,



Excellent, thanks for that info. I`ve never used a polish before.. well, I have, but that was 8 years ago, and probably improperly done (maroon bottle Meguiars stuff). I don`t have an orbital, either.



I did notice some very light swirls yesterday. Would the 3M stuff take those out when properly used? I`m just wary of polishing my car`s surfaces since I know that`s somewhat of an intermediate-advanced task to do properly. Is there a light-cut polish that works GREAT by hand?



Thanks again for the info.

[dawgdan]

BTW, I just checked into your other posts regarding "moderate swirl removal by hand".. I`ll look into the 1Z products, thanks. :)

[Accumulator]

Heh heh, :xyxthumbs for searching around!



The hard Mazda clear is both a blessing and a curse. It`s good because you don`t need to be too afraid of polishing it and because once you get it all protected it shouldn`t get too many swirls (if you wash/dry carefully). It`s bad because you have to REALLY work to remove the marring that you DO get.



Yeah, the 1Z stuff I`m always raving about (but clean off its oils and fillers before using Zaino) or the 3M PI-III Mg (pn 05937) would both work by hand. If they don`t take it ALL out, they`ll at least make it a lot better and they`re mild enough for a neophyte to use safely.

[BlueDragonZ]

Definately :up :up on the 1Z. It did wonders for a 99 Sentra that had major scratches. If you already have the Z, I would suggest using it first then try another product and compare your results and decide which is better for YOU. :xyxthumbs

[imported_Greg]

Originally posted by BlueDragonZ

Definately :up :up on the 1Z. It did wonders for a 99 Sentra that had major scratches. If you already have the Z, I would suggest using it first then try another product and compare your results and decide which is better for YOU. :xyxthumbs



But you said you put on 2 layers and let it sit overnight? I don`t really see how that process could have achieved any results. :nixweiss

[BlueDragonZ]

Originally posted by Greg

But you said you put on 2 layers and let it sit overnight? I don`t really see how that process could have achieved any results. :nixweiss



I`m assuming you`re referring to my other post on another thread? Sorry, I thought I clarified that.



quote:

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Originally posted by jgv

Menzerna products mentioned are polishes, so is the 1Z Paint Polish. Meaning they must be worked on the paint, either by hand, RO or rotary and then wipe off the remaining residues. They are not something you put coats of and let rest on the surface, in fact, it may cause damage to the paint if letting dry on it.

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Originally posted by BlueDragonZ

I guess I should have just said that I applied two application of 1z in one day then followed it with AIO the next day. I did the second application because I wanted to make sure that I didn`t miss anything. It probably wasn`t needed but it made me feel better.

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