Z2pro vs. UPGP: Heavy Weight battle (comparison with results)

[Todd@RUPES]

Queue the Rocky Theme…



For a long time Zaino has stood as one of the best in the sealant world. Brash and with a strong (some would say obnoxious) following amongst the fans, “The New Jersey Kid� brings a reputation for having the endurance to last all 12 rounds. A young, up and comer from Southern California by way of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Ultima has been loud in his claim as the new, Undisputed Champion of the World. With a quick gained reputation for good looks and ease of use, Ultima demands the respect it feels it deserves. What we hear ladies and gentle men in a Title Unification Bout between Ultima and Zaino, a battle for the ages. Let’s get ready to rumble!



In the time leading up to the fight there has been a long battle between fans of both warriors, sometimes turning ugly. Both sides have suffered insults and both look to their product of choice to defend them.



Tale of Tape:



Ultima Paint Guard Plus-



Weighing in at 16 oz., UPGP is the latest development in modern paint care according to its managers. Designed for ease of use, UPGP is known for its speed. However, unlike most speed warrior’s, Ultima and its managers are confident that it has the endurance to compete for the full twelve rounds.



Zaino Z2pro-



Weighing in at trim and in shape 8 oz, Z2pro is regarded as the people’s champion. Like wine, Zaino improves with age, constantly upgrading its formulation. Although not as fast as UPGP in the application phase, Zaino claim’s it has the endurance to grind out the fight in the later rounds. Zaino looks in great shape for this bout.



Let’s look at the rules for this championship fight…



The contestants are to be judged on several factors. To ensure an even playing field, the ring (2003 Pearl White Hyundia Sonata ) as been polished with Zaino Fusion, wiped with Du Pont Prep-Sol, and washed with Dawn to ensure it is completely clean. Each was applied to half of the hood in a manner constant with the directions of their respective managers.



Because sealant’s main advantage over the other classes’ is the long durability, the winner of this bout will be determined by who looks the best the longest while maintaining adequate protection.



The ring entrance-



Coming to the ring, there is no doubt that Ultima is the flashiest. Packaged in a great looking, classy bottle with nice graphics, Ultima looks ready for the title. Zaino is a little slower to the ring, wearing warehouse packaging and looking defeated.



Round 1- Application.



Ultima comes out, gun’s blazing and scoring shots left and right. Designed as a true wipe on and walk away product, Ultima requires a light mist on the applicator and a couple swipes. Zaino is off to a very slow start, requiring to be mixed with an accelerator, then requiring a little Z-6 to get it going on the applicator. Towards the end of the round, Ultima lands a quick hook, and knocks Zaino down. Ultima does not need to be wiped off, as Zaino requires removal before moving to the next application. (Both products received two coats for maximum coverage).



Ultima wins the round 10-8 on the judge’s cards by way of ease of use and the knockdown)



Round 2- 0 to 2 weeks.



Initial application over, the contestant circle each other, firing the occasional jab. Both products have enhanced the flake on the hood of the Sonata, and make the Pearl White Dance. In term’s of water beading, both products are dead even, and look great. It is honestly impossible to distinguish a difference, and the judge’s shake their head in frustration. A close round.



The round is scored 10-10, giving Ultima a 20-18 advantage after the second round.



Round 3- weeks 3 and 4



As the vehicle is washed every two weeks (using Regulars’ Hyperwash diluted 80 to 1), round three is off to another even start. Both warriors’s rinsed easily, and there is still no difference in the outright appearance of the vehicle. Heavy rainstorms battered the contestants in the latter part of the round, but both pressed forward, showing determination.



Another even round on the card, 10-10. 30-28 Ultima



Round 4- weeks 5 and 6.



Round four is out to a quick start following the wash at the end of week four. Both sides are still beading greatly, with tight uniform beads. However, if the beads are wiped into pools by hand, Zaino seems to regain its composure a little quicker (the water quickly re-beads). Could the tides be turning? As the round nears an end, it seams Ultima might be breathing a little heavier.





While one judge at ringside wanted to score the round for Zaino, the other two agreed that it was the third straight 10-10 rounds. Ultima is in the lead 40-38 on the cards.



Round 5- weeks 7 and 8.



After the third wash, it appears Zaino has turned the corner. He is picking his shots and starting to land more frequently. While the water beading is still strong for both sides, Zaino is noticeably tighter. Both fighters still look great, and have held up equally to water spotting and the occasional attack from bird bombs.



The judges all give the round to Zaino on the account of his ring action and water beading. This brings the scorecards to 49-48. We have a battle folks!



Round 6- weeks 9 and 10.



Ultima really seems to be running out of steam ladies and gentleman. Zaino looks as fresh as round one, where as UPGP is really starting to slow down. Maybe the quick start took a lot of him, or maybe the adreline of the big stage. Also, Zaino remains clear and sharp, Ultima has appeared to “yellow� and no longer looks completely sharp. As the combatants return to their corner’s there is some swelling under the eyes of Ultima.



The judges once again score for Zaino, 10-9. 58-58 after six!



Round 7- weeks 11 and 12.



Round 7 is off. Both warriors circle, but Zaino is noticeably lighter on its feet. The beading advantage is starting to swing heavily towards the side of Zaino, and it continues to score at will. By the end of round 7, Ultima is starting fade noticeably in the looks department, no longer near as crisp or as sharp as the Zaino. His eyes are swollen and a little bit of blood are apparent in mouth.



The judges easily score the round 10-9 for Zaino. 67-68 for the new leader.



Round 8- weeks 13 and 14.



Once again following the wash, Zaino looks as fresh as round one. A huge right hand on the jaw sends the UPGP to ground as the round closes. This has been an ugly one folks, as Ultima now looks very bruised and yellow compared to the crystal white side of Zaino. Also the water beading has slowed and become very lazy.



Given the knock down, the judges score the round 10-8 for Zaino. 75-78.



Round 9- weeks 15…



Zaino takes a breather between rounds, and has slowed slightly in terms of beading after the heavy rains and storms that battered the fighters during the previous rounds. Zaino still looks great though and has water beading stronger then UPGP did in the seventh. UPGP looking rough and being hit at will. With ten seconds left, Z2 pushes UPGP into the corner and lands a barrage of punches that forces the ref to call a halt to the bout, as UPGP can no longer defend himself and the paint.



Fight recap:



Both warriors started out strong, with Ultima out to a quick lead. As the rounds worn on, it became apparent that Zaino Z2pro just had the better endurance of the two. As round 3 (week 6) ended, Zaino appeared to turn the corner as Ultima lost some of the water beading. Again, it was barely noticeable, after wiping the wet paint, Zaino re-beaded much quicker. This was followed by a steady degradation in the water beading that really accelerated as the rounds wore on.



By the time the fight was called, Zaino was still beading greatly, and just starting to exhibit some of the lazy re-beading (after wiping the surface) that Ultima experienced much earlier in the fight. As the rain poured this morning, I went out to check on the car, and for all intensive purposes, the Ultima side was done (except in random spots near the windshield.



Also, as the fight progressed, the Ultima side seemed to “yellow� slightly. This could on be seen when looking at the car in artificial light and sharp angles, but it was almost a yellowish haze on the paint. Outside and in direct light, it could not be seen. However, the clarity of the paint faded greatly after the third month (which was noticeable compared to the Zaino side).





Here are some pictures after the doctor stoppage.



(Zaino vs. Ultima during week 15)









Ultima side





Zaino side

[derekbmw]

queue the rocky theme



very nice comparison, the 2nd picture says it all...



EDIT : forgot to say thank you. Just a simple question...seems like you used ZFX for Z2P...was UPGP properly cured between applications?

[awahl63]

Very nice comparison Todd. You can`t really argue these results!

[imported_rydawg]

Great write up!

[GlossyTundra]

Ha, I cant get Zaino to bead more than 4 weeks without washing, much less 15.

[Alfisti]

Interesting.



So beading equals _ ?



Unusual that `yellowing`. Seen it before with UPGP?



Did you prep the UPGP with UPPP? It will make a difference to the result...just like not using accelerator with Zaino.



If not, it`s not apples with apples comparison.

[Gemini13]

Do you have any pics of the hood untreated (IE before application) and at the other stages you describe in your review?? Because just showing photos of week 15 and no others hardly tells the story IMO. For all I know that hood could be freshly treated on one half and have nothing on the other. Not doubting your honesty but IMO showing pictures at the different stages that you described would go a long way at supporting your claim as to the superior product. Also you stated you used ZFX with the Z2pro and to me that makes the comparison a little one sided as now you`re comparing two products to one. Just my .02 on the matter.

[detaildoc]

Great write up. I have never seen any yellowing on my cars with Ultima under any angle or lighting. Also, UPGP is so easy to apply that I always apply end up applying one fresh layer every month or two just for the fun of it and it takes me about 4 minutes. Also when it comes to the look, I like UPGP much better (less plastic, more depth, and more reflective). I also have to add, that with UPGP, 2-3 layers makes a huge difference (this should be recommended on the bottle). My wife`s SUV has 3 layers of UPGP and still beading nicely 4 months later.

[Todd@RUPES]

queue the rocky theme



very nice comparison, the 2nd picture says it all...



EDIT : forgot to say thank you. Just a simple question...seems like you used ZFX for Z2P...was UPGP properly cured between applications?

Thank you. Both Z2pro and Ultima where given about 15 hours between coats.

Very nice comparison Todd. You can`t really argue these results!

Thanks Andrew!

Great write up!

Interesting.



So beading equals _ ?



Unusual that `yellowing`. Seen it before with UPGP?



Did you prep the UPGP with UPPP? It will make a difference to the result...just like not using accelerator with Zaino.



If not, it`s not apples with apples comparison.

I`m not sure what "so beading equals_?" means.... Beading is a function (and result) of surface tension. If a product creates a certain amount of surface tension, it will bead water. As the surface tension decreases (from dirt or product degredation) the beading will degrade. So what the beading shows is that Zaino maintains the orginal surface tension longer (less product degredation).



The yellowing was wierd and unexpected. It was only noticable in certain light when compared to the pure white on the Zaino side.



UPPP was not used because I didn`t have any. I don`t think comparing a machine (or hand?) applied paint prep is the same as adding a couple drops of ZFX. Further more the paint was throughly clean on the both sides (Prep-sol wipedown and dawn wash) and each product was applied directly to clean paint. If I where to use an appication step inbetween, it would completely erase the benefits of Ultima`s quicker application and lack of complexity.

Ha, I cant get Zaino to bead more than 4 weeks without washing, much less 15.

You are correct. If you don`t wash paint, dirt will settle on the surface which reduces the effective surface tension of the paint. Nothing will bead when it is dirty.

Do you have any pics of the hood untreated (IE before application) and at the other stages you describe in your review?? Because just showing photos of week 15 and no others hardly tells the story IMO. For all I know that hood could be freshly treated on one half and have nothing on the other. Not doubting your honesty but IMO showing pictures at the different stages that you described would go a long way at supporting your claim as to the superior product. Also you stated you used ZFX with the Z2pro and to me that makes the comparison a little one sided as now you`re comparing two products to one. Just my .02 on the matter.

I probably do have some photos on my hard drive. I have been so busy that I haven`t even been doing write-ups. I feel like I did a good job (and tried to be creative) in telling the story, but the pics show the end result, which to me is the most important.



As far as the ZFX thing, I applied both products according to manufacter directions. Since Ultima`s claim is that it is significantly easier to use, I feel the comparsion was fair. If Ultima recommended or demeed it necessary to add and additive (which I believe one is already pre mixed) I would have done so. However, if the UPPP is necessary for maximum results on perfectly clean paint, then I will retest (with more pictures and a biweekly update). Of couse, Ultima will be much more difficult and time consuming to apply and loose in the ease of use and ease of application department.

Great write up. I have never seen any yellowing on my cars with Ultima under any angle or lighting. Also, UPGP is so easy to apply that I always apply end up applying one fresh layer every month or two just for the fun of it and it takes me about 4 minutes. Also when it comes to the look, I like UPGP much better (less plastic, more depth, and more reflective). I also have to add, that with UPGP, 2-3 layers makes a huge difference (this should be recommended on the bottle). My wife`s SUV has 3 layers of UPGP and still beading nicely 4 months later.

I had two layers off UPGP on it. I would disagree with the appearace aspect. I found UPGP and Z2pro to be very close on all aspects of appearance including wetness, clarity, and depth. However, after several weeks, Zaino started to look better directly next to the UPGP (because the UPGP started to fall off).

[Setec Astronomy]

Very entertaining. I don`t think this was really an apples-to-apples comparison, the Zaino product analagous to Ultima would be Clear Seal (which IMO wouldn`t have lasted as long as ZFX`d Z2-Pro). Obvoiusly, that doesn`t invalidate the Z2 being the winner in either case.

[pt91]

I have switched from ZAIO/Z5pro to the Ultima combo mainly because of the ease of application (maybe CS over Zaio vs the Ultima combo would be a good test too).

I also got very frustrated with Zaino`s inability of protecting from water spotting. UPGP has performed much better on our black cars in this area.

I may hv to do a side by side test on my black hood to compare.

Tks for the write up.

[Alfisti]

I`m not sure what "so beading equals_?" means.... Beading is a function (and result) of surface tension. If a product creates a certain amount of surface tension, it will bead water. As the surface tension decreases (from dirt or product degredation) the beading will degrade. So what the beading shows is that Zaino maintains the orginal surface tension longer (less product degredation).



The yellowing was wierd and unexpected. It was only noticable in certain light when compared to the pure white on the Zaino side.



UPPP was not used because I didn`t have any. I don`t think comparing a machine (or hand?) applied paint prep is the same as adding a couple drops of ZFX. Further more the paint was throughly clean on the both sides (Prep-sol wipedown and dawn wash) and each product was applied directly to clean paint. If I where to use an appication step inbetween, it would completely erase the benefits of Ultima`s quicker application and lack of complexity.

Thanks for responding to my questions.



I guess what I`m implying is the age old wax question of beading = protection, which I don`t buy. More will be needed to establish the protection properties of each sealent.



What you`ve proved is Zaino beads longer than Ultima...not protect longer. Small but important point. Not a criticism - just an observation.



My point about UPPP is significant. While the introduction method method differs, the effect is the same. UPPP contains a catalyst, like ZFX, which effects the performance of UGPG. Please note:



"As it cleans and polishes, Ultima Paint Prep Plus leaves behind a special primer designed to promote proper bonding of Ultima Paint Guard Plus paint protection. Using Ultima Paint Polish Plus greatly enhances and extends the life of Ultima Paint Guard Plus." Found here: Ultima Paint Prep Plus Pre-wax Polish



Hence my statement of "it`s not an apples vs apples" statement.



Again, not criticizing, just an important observation.

[Alfisti]

Obvoiusly, that doesn`t invalidate the Z2 being the winner in either case.

At this point, only in beading.

[Pats300zx]

Nice comparison Todd. I would be more interested in see a comparo between UPGP and Zaino CS as they are more of a similar product and are applied in the same manner.



I have never had any instance of "yellowing" that you mentioned.

[Todd@RUPES]

At this point, only in beading.

And in appearance after two months, fwiw, even though this is much more objective.