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  1. #1

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    This is a slightly-abridged version of a post I made over on the Acura MDX board.



    I`ve been using Zaino for the past few years (and more recently with an S100 topper) and figured I`d give NXT a shot based on the earlier posts here and elsewhere about it.



    Since I did a cut-n-paste, here are some abbreviations/references that make sense in the context of the other board but might not here: When I talk about the "X", I`m referring to the MDX, which is Nighthawk Black Pearl (a very very very dark dark blue metallic that pretty much always looks black except in bright and direct sunlight). When I talk about the "G", I`m referring to a G35 coupe, which is Diamond Graphite (a dark silver metallic), and my reference to "the old GS" is a Lexus GS300, black no metallic and no clear.



    There may also be an occassional reference to another user that won`t make sense over here, so just ignore it



    I actually had a couple of posts on the subject: a wash & first-coat application commentary and a second-coat follow-up.



    For ease of reading (since they`re a bit long) I`ll break `em up here, too.

  2. #2

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    I just rec`d my shipment of NXT and decided to do a same-panel comparison of it with my usual Zaino regimen. Keep in mind this is on the black X and I`ll be doing the same on the diamond graphite G, too. The G has a LOAD of metallic in the paint so it should be interesting to note any differences based on the different paint.



    Unfortunately, the sun went down as I finished so no "look" comments til tomorrow. Just as well, since Z and apparently NXT often look better a day later. 75 degrees and sunny during this process, but done in the shade. Here`s some background, routine and application commentary...



    The panel I`m using for this comparo is the hood. The hood is in decent shape. There are some minor scratches (visible only in direct sunlight) that could be removed by hand with 3M SMR, which is what I`d normally do since Z doesn`t fill well. I left the scratches to see if NXT might fill them to some extent (or completely). The hood isn`t totally smooth and if I were starting from scratch, I`d normally clay it. It`s not quite to the point where I`d normally do a total stripdown, 3M SMR and clay, so I left it. In my normal routine I`d say claying is a couple of months out.



    The X hasn`t been washed in a couple of months and has the associated amount of winter road grime, dried rain and dirt. It`s the type of grime that if you miss a spot when washing the suds and rinse dribble aren`t gonna take it off. Onto the products...



    I divided the hood into 3 sections to use the following products:



    - NXT wash and NXT. Applied w/Meg`s foam applicator and washed/buffed/removed with 100% USA cotton towel.



    - Z7 wash, Z6, Z5/ZFX, Z6. Applied w/Z`s cotton applicator and washed/buffed/removed w/100% USA cotton towel.



    - Z7 wash, Z6, Z5/ZFX, Z6, + S100 as a topper. Z cotton applicator for Z, S100 foam pad for S100, wash/buff/remove w/100% USA cotton towel.



    I also did half of the front quarter panel w/NXT as it had some spiderwebbing that I`d normally remove w/a random orbital and 3M SMR, but wanted to see what NXT alone could do.





    NXT wash and NXT

    The NXT wash suds well, and the suds held up through the wash (actually did half the X with it). The suds actually seem a bit "thicker" than the Z`s "light and fluffy" suds. Smells good. Slippery when wet, but a couple of areas required 2 passes as the wash lacked the "strength" to get through some of the grime/dirt. When drying, I noticed some "squeak" as opposed to Zaino`s typical slickness. No waterspots; plenty of time to get it off.



    NXT application is easy enough. Smells good. The foam pad and NXT are OK but a bit "grabby" on a clean, dry surface -- making it difficult to apply the "straight line" Zaino way. Keep in mind there`s no QD like Z6 to premoisten the pad. I found it easier to apply in circular motions (like a wax). Goes on easy and reasonably thin. Had to wait 10 or 15 mins for it to haze before removal. Comes off reasonably easy, but not as easy as Zaino...definitely requires more elbow grease, but not as much as for a "hard" carnauba wax. If I were doing the whole car, I`d probably remove/buff with the Porter Cable and a buffing pad. No residue, no stains on trim, no streaks. Seems about as slippery as Z at this point post-buffing.





    Zaino Z7 wash, Z6/ZFX/Z5/Z6

    Won`t comment much on this combo since many of us are aware of the Z products and process. Compared to the similar NXT products, Z wash is a bit more slippery, only required 1 pass for the grime, and was slippery when drying. Not as much time to dry w/o water spotting, though. Removal easy as always with the weight of the towel pretty much enough to take it off w/o residue or staining. No streaks, slippery as usual, even moreso after the final Z6 squirt.





    Zaino w/S100 Topper

    I really like this combo, but have only used it on the G (been happy w/Z`s look standalone on the X). The S100 (it`s a paste) has a slight chemical smell. This stuff is sooooooo soft it goes on like melted butter. Honest. I`m really "wowed" by how easy this stuff goes on. You don`t have to wait for hazing to buff, and although you can`t just use the weight of the towel to remove it (since it`s still a bit "wet") it requires very little effort to do so. No residue, no staining, no streaks. Slippery as the others. It can`t get any easier.



    Here`s my ranking of ease-of-use/etc thus far:



    Wash Suds: tie

    Wash Strength: Zaino

    Wash Smell: tie

    Wash Waterspotting: NXT

    Wash Slickness (Drying): Zaino

    Wash Value: NXT (about half the cost)





    "Wax" Application: 1. S100 2. Zaino 3. NXT

    Removal: 1. Zaino 2. S100 3. NXT

    Smell: tie betw Z and NXT

    Streaking: all good (tie)

    Residue: all good (tie)

    Staining: all good (tie)

    Value: can`t tell (unk # of applications per oz. from S100 or NXT)





    I`ll report back on the initial "look" of the 3 areas tomorrow when the sun is right

  3. #3

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    OK, second coat is on, along with the dust/pollen test. The latter was unintentional, but the pollen is coming off the pine trees in CLOUDS, and a freshly washed car is pollen/dust free for about an hour. I actually rinsed (water only) the hood before doing 2nd coats as there was a fair amount of pollen on there.



    I also did the hood on the G35 for kicks.



    Onto the content:



    NXT Second Coat

    Applied with the Porter Cable (aka PC) and a yellow pad, and removed with a cotton terry bonnet. On and off easy. This is the way to do it. I think one4gatr had it right -- it went on thinner and more uniformly than when I did it by hand. No residue, no smearing, no staining.



    Did a single coat on half the G35`s hood using the same method. All the comments below are for the X (but I`ll let you know that on the G, NXT did nothing for me...it looked clean & shiny but Z5 alone was better than NXT, and Z+S100 was far superior to both on that paint).



    Zaino Z5 Second Coat

    As usual, on and off by hand with ease. No residue, streaking or staining. Followed with Z6 spritz.



    Z5+S100 area

    No second coat or quick detailer here. Just a single Z5+S100 as before.



    Single coat on half the G35`s hood, same method as on the X before.



    Comparison and Comments

    Interesting differences between the three sections, sometimes subtle, sometimes not. With two different types and colors of paint, it became clear that the color/type of paint makes a difference (at least to me for my preferred look) for how the products look/turn out.



    On the X:

    One thing I noticed during the rinse was that with the `full flow` method, the NXT area sheeted more effectively than the Z or Z+S100 areas (which really wanted to bead). The sheeting action would be helpful during the summer when waterspots become an issue due to heat and the time required to get all the way around the car. All three areas beaded about the same with a "spray".



    The three sections look different. I suppose defining the "type" of look would be helpful for the sake of comparison.



    Reflectiveness = how much of the *external* environment shows off the finish. I know with Zaino on my old non-metallic, non-cleared GS300, it was like a mirror on top of the paint. Sometimes, you`d actually ask yourself "what color is that car?" and it imparted a sort of "glow" that looked like a "clear armor" had been applied to it. I really liked that look on that car.



    Gloss/Depth = how "wet" does the paint look, and how shiny is it? Is it a true representation of the color of the paint, and does it look "deep" and clean? It would still be "reflective" but moreso reflecting itself and its properties rather than the surroundings.





    Just looking at the hood, it`s difficult to tell the difference between the NXT and Z5 sections at first glance. There`s no real clear line of demarkation and the difference is pretty subtle (but there is a difference. Both are slick to the touch and a towel slides right off both. The Z is very slick, but in a dry/hard sort of way. The NXT seems equally slick but feels just a bit "softer". The Z+S100 area is as slick as the other two, but it has a warm "satin" feel to it.



    The Z is more reflective of the surroundings, like the mirror finish. You have to get pretty close and "re-focus" your gaze to determine the color/nuance of the paint color, because the reflection of the surroundings is so strong. Keep in mind this is the black, which on close inspection is a very very very dark dark dark blue metallic. Difficult to see that it`s very very very dark blue metallic with the Z, since what you tend to focus on is the sky, trees, etc that the Z is reflecting. I think this is actually the reason for my dissatisfaction w/Z2 on the X -- it was tooreflective and made it too hard to see the true metallic nature and color of the paint. The minor swirls and spiderwebbing are still evident and have not been reduced. Certainly not enough to not have to use some SMR on em. It needs the buffer



    The NXT is also quite reflective of the surroundings, but not as mirror-like as the Z. I`d say it`s reflective but without imparting the sort of "silvery mirror/clear armor" finish the Z has. You can see a bit more of the metallic flake, and from farther away, but you still need to re-focus to see it. The color looks the same (i.e., it isn`t altered) but it`s a bit deeper than the Z. The swirls and spiderwebbing are still evident, and *may* have been *slightly* reduced, but it still needs the SMR and buffer.



    The Z+S100 is a different thing altogether. I can clearly see where it starts and stops abutting the Z and NXT areas, with the circular hand application I did. There`s a nice combination of reflectiveness and depth to it. IMO it has the "cleanest" look of the three, along with the most depth. The "true" color of the paint along with the metallic comes through pretty easily -- with a nice warm gloss/depth, but there`s also a subtle-but-clear mirror glow thing going on here. IMO this is the best look. The swirls and spiderwebbing have been reduced somewhat (the spiderwebbing moreso). Enough that I could live with it rather than hit it with the SMR and buffer.



    In all fairness, I guess now I have to top NXT with S100 to see how it looks.





    Summaries



    Ease of Application -- Z and Z+S100 is easier since doing it by hand is an effortless wipe on/wipe off affair. NXT, although a "single step" product and not requiring Z1 or ZFX, is best applied (it seems) with the PC. That`s extra work for setup and washing pads. I`d try NXT again by hand, though, to try and get it on thinner.



    Slickness -- All three are excellent @ this point.



    The Look -- With the Z, the tendency is to see the surroundings/reflection rather than the paint itself. You can re-focus on the paint, but you have to try. With the Z+S100, there`s a natural balance between the two. Little effort is needed to "shift" your gaze from one to the other. You notice a reflectiveness and depth simultaneously. The NXT is somewhere in between. You definitely see the reflectivity first, but it isn`t as "difficult" to re-focus on the paint itself as with the Z. But you do still have to try.



    Dust/Dirt Attraction -- all three were pretty much the same.



    Durability -- TBD



    Water Spot Resistance -- Z+S100 and NXT appear better than Z alone.



    What I`d use -- I like the Z+S100 combo the best, but if I were going to use just a single product without regard to durability, I`d use NXT rather than Z on the black. This is assuming the review about ~ 6 weeks durability for NXT is accurate. Waxing every 6 weeks or so in the summer isn`t a difficult thing to do. I think I`d still use Zaino in the winter, when I might go 6 weeks just between washes! I get *months* from Zaino and that`s always a good thing.



    Bottom line -- NXT seems to be a worthwhile off-the-shelf (and readily available, and affordable) product. It`s a good combo of depth and reflectiveness. I think you can do better for either by selecting a different product (a carnauba for depth or Z for reflectiveness) or better for both by combining different products (i.e. a long-lasting polymer for protection & reflectivity with a quality carnauba topper for depth & gloss).



    Part of the challenge is that NXT was *so hyped* pre-release that it was made to sound like the end-all/be-all that would blow away everything else w/r/t depth, reflection, and durability. And it doesn`t. Still, an excellent product for peeps looking for ready availability and an affordable cost-of-entry. I think I`d characterize it as an outstanding "consumer level" product but for an "enthusiast level" product it`s not without its compromises.

  4. #4

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    This is after some brief conversation in the same thread on the X board with a summary thought:



    ...one4gatr`s last "car show shine" comment is a good one. The NXT does give an appearance that would cause people to see that it`s a well-taken-care-of, shiny car. And it`s easy enough to get that result...But it lacks the "pop" or "wow" factor that Zaino (or other products, either alone or in combination) can provide with the mirror or combined mirror/depth finish, where people say "something special is happening there".

  5. #5

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    AcMDX, hey, thanks for the terrific review! I found myself really immersed in your experimentation and found your comments insightful and very well thought out.



    I hope you can keep us posted on durability.



    BTW, your characterization of Zaino in your last post is spot on. It truly does have a special, distinct look that I haven`t seen with other products.

  6. #6

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    Excellent review AcMDX

    I too was immersed in the reading. Very insightedful and unbiased.

    Welcome to Autopia!! :wavey

  7. #7

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    Cool test! :up I can only think of two things:



    1.) It`d be easier to test for durability and appearance if you had a control portion with no wax at all.

    2.) Do you think the Zaino/S100-look can be achieved with only S100? IMO, it`s not because the Z and S100 blended together to form that desired look, but rather that`s what S100 looks like naturally. If so, are you using Zaino for the durability?

  8. #8

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    Originally posted by blkZ28Conv

    Excellent review AcMDX

    I too was immersed in the reading. Very insightedful and unbiased.

    Welcome to Autopia!! :wavey


    Edwin, AcMDX is an as old member as you are, and much older than me



    This said, it`s great to read something diferent on Autopia, like a fresh flush of air. Close to my feelings about the products used. The diference *to me* is that I haven`t yet topped Zaino with anything. The rest confirms my opinion about those products....



    Again, great post, great test

  9. #9

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    Oh sure AcMDX, you didn`t do that. TheWorm did it , you just copy and pasted it. How do I know?? Because I`m in that board too!! Ask me who I am if you want to know.



    http://www.acuramdx.org/forums/showt...&highlight=nxt



    Here`s a NXT before and after thread......



    http://www.acuramdx.org/forums/showt...&highlight=nxt
    2004 black Acura MDX



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  10. #10

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    Originally posted by C-MDX

    Oh sure AcMDX, you didn`t do that. TheWorm did it , you just copy and pasted it. How do I know?? Because I`m in that board too!! Ask me who I am if you want to know.





    :shocked :nixweiss

  11. #11

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    LOL! I think this is one of two boards on which I`m not TheWorm. I can`t remember why I signed up w/a different username over here way back when. I don`t even think we have an "AcMDX" user over there I assume C-MDX is good ol` Cappy (Captain)?



    Anyway, thanks for the comments, belated welcomes, etc. I`ve been a longtime lurker tho infrequent poster, but have learned pretty much everything I know about detailing over here.



    I`ll definitely update re: durability over the next several weeks (or when something starts to wear, anyhow). And I`ll even post it over here first, then TheWorm can "cut n paste" over on the X board so Cappy doesn`t get into a big panic



    BW - good comments. I don`t want to leave part of the car "unprotected", but yea -- the untreated area would be the acid test I suppose. My testing will have to be limited to differences betw the way the products look on the paint compared to one another rather than compared to bare paint.



    I dunno if the Z+S100 look can be achieved with S100 only -- I`ve never tried S100 all by itself! I got the topper idea from here, so just went with it since I had multiple coats of Z on there already.



    I need more than 4-6 weeks durability, so the Z and S100 together provide a great measure of durability and look...and if I end up with an extended period between applications, the Z is there taking care of the paint and is still a "looker".

  12. #12

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    Welcome back and thanks for posting review.

  13. #13

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    Originally posted by AcMDX

    LOL! I think this is one of two boards on which I`m not TheWorm. I can`t remember why I signed up w/a different username over here way back when. I don`t even think we have an "AcMDX" user over there I assume C-MDX is good ol` Cappy (Captain)?



    Anyway, thanks for the comments, belated welcomes, etc. I`ve been a longtime lurker tho infrequent poster, but have learned pretty much everything I know about detailing over here.



    I`ll definitely update re: durability over the next several weeks (or when something starts to wear, anyhow). And I`ll even post it over here first, then TheWorm can "cut n paste" over on the X board so Cappy doesn`t get into a big panic



    BW - good comments. I don`t want to leave part of the car "unprotected", but yea -- the untreated area would be the acid test I suppose. My testing will have to be limited to differences betw the way the products look on the paint compared to one another rather than compared to bare paint.



    I dunno if the Z+S100 look can be achieved with S100 only -- I`ve never tried S100 all by itself! I got the topper idea from here, so just went with it since I had multiple coats of Z on there already.



    I need more than 4-6 weeks durability, so the Z and S100 together provide a great measure of durability and look...and if I end up with an extended period between applications, the Z is there taking care of the paint and is still a "looker".


    Opps, sorry
    2004 black Acura MDX



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  14. #14

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    Very thorough and interesting review! Keep us posted about the durability.
    www.scottwax.com

    Certified Opti-Coat Pro/Pro 3 installer

  15. #15

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    Great write-up, AcMDX! Thanks for taking the time and effort to share your experience with us!



    The one part I found interesting was your comment regarding dust/dirt attraction and that you felt all three were the same. That did surprise me given what I have read from others about the radical difference between Z (very bad attraction) and S100 (little attraction). I`ll have to do some looking to see what the overall consensus is regarding NXT dus/dirt attraction.



    Thanks again!
    Happy drivin`,

    Rich



    `04 Acura TSX SatinSilverMetallic/Ebony 6MT #1681

 

 
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