Compare Zaino with NXT or #21 ?

mpmiller37

New member
Has anyone used Meguiars products NXT or their new product #21 (fully synthetic) and compared to Zaino products, specifically on dark colored cars ?
 
I have compared Zaino and NXT side by side and there is very little difference in shine and reflectivity. The difference is in application time and longevity.



NXT is a little quicker because you just apply it and wipe it off. No cure time required. But Zaino lasts MUCH longer than NXT.



To me the Zaino is worth a little extra effort. :xyxthumbs
 
But I have a black car and have been getting the impression that Zaino is not as good at covering up imperfections in the paint. I thought the Meguiars products mentioned may do better at hiding some light scratches etc.
 
most will agree that NXT looses its initial look fairly quickly but my experience is that the actual polymer film stays around even after beading stops(Mike Phillips claims this as well) and Forrest from Mothers claims that Reflections lasts longer than it beads water for(I prefer Reflections to NXT). Most say Zaino beads the longest. My experience was that NXT was not beading well on the vehicle but had a deep look. After spraying with Tarminator and washing the vehicle I could visibly see that the NXT was stripped off the vehicle.
 
mpmiller37 said:
But I have a black car and have been getting the impression that Zaino is not as good at covering up imperfections in the paint.



This car has seen nothing but Zaino. It's 5 years old and is driven every day, including winter snow, ice, sand and salt.



It would be nearly impossible to get me to switch to another product.



Everywhere I go, people ask me if I just had the car custom painted.



hianglerear.jpg
 
IMO the #21 is a product that performs way beyond expectations. It looks great and lasts a long time.



If I had the Z, I wouldn't stop using it and switch to #21, and vice versa. But I have the NXT and I did switch to #21.



As far as Meg's products hiding flaws, I use them almost exclusively and I haven't really noticed. Even if they do the effect is fleeting, like "first wash".



For ease of use, I found both the Zaino and the Meguiar's products easy to use. There wasn't anything particularly hard to figure out about the Z, and it goes on and comes off easily. Same for NXT and #21. As far as the multiple parts, If you use a paint cleaner before the Megs stuff you'd be doing effectively the same amount of work as Z.



IMO whichever you choose you will be happy.



EDIT: Luster, that car looks fantastic! I can see why you wouldn't want to use anything else! Great photo, too, capturing what makes it special.





Tom
 
Luster, you use a 3M swirl remover product on that black car and then top with Zaino ? I was wondering if you could put say Zaino Z5 over polishes and/or swirl removers, or would you be defeating the look by mixing products ??
 
Luster said:
...It would be nearly impossible to get me to switch to another product.



Everywhere I go, people ask me if I just had the car custom painted.



hianglerear.jpg



Excellent pic! :up



LOL. I get the same thing with my 15 year old MR2. Everyone also asks me if it is custom painted.



I have used mostly #16 or #26 over the years but for the last year and a half it's been NXT. I also use NXT Booster after every wash.



As Mike Phillips of Meguiar's states in his sig. "Find something you like and use it often."



Image-CC520FCF251911D9.jpg
:up
 
mpmiller37 said:
Luster, you use a 3M swirl remover product on that black car and then top with Zaino ? I was wondering if you could put say Zaino Z5 over polishes and/or swirl removers, or would you be defeating the look by mixing products ??

My normal routine is.....



1. 3M Swirl Mark Remover

2. Z5

3. Z2

4. Z6 Gloss Enhancer



The Z5 bonds very well to the 3M, no problems.



I do this 2-3 times a year. Cal dust every day, QD 2-3 times a week.
 
I do this 2-3 times a year. Cal dust every day, QD 2-3 times a week.



Good grief !! If I gave my car that much attention my wife would start having problems :lol



You said this was a daily driver, so what if it rains or accumulates a thick layer of dust. Do you just QD over it, and this doesn't scratch the paint ?
 
The "look" is perhaps only 5% of what "wax" you put on.



When choosing what i use, i look for something that makes the whole process more enjoyable for me. Something that doesnt stain trim, easy on easy off, slick, repels dust to a degree, alot of dirt rinses off and bugs dont get stuck on, and has good looks<----last



There is so much more for choosing a product for me besides how it looks. You can get good looks from anything.
 
I too switched from NXT to #21. It was that good. #21 is great for protection and durability. But Zaino should be on a whole new level. #21 sets in the presence of air, which means a solvent (in this case, I think it could be water) evaporates and leaves behind a solid film. Zaino on the other hand polymerises, especially with the use of ZFX. So I would expect Zaino to last longer. From photos I've seen of cars detailed with Zaino, the reflection is amazing! I think #21 for deepness and shine, while Zaino for wetness and reflections.
 
JBM is right. Also, I fear perhaps some of this "Zaino doesn't look good on black" thing might be as a result of some of my posts. I've said in the past that I didn't particularly like how Zaino looked on my black car, and I stand by that - however keep in mind that my car, as good as it looks to most folks, is a black daily driver that was abused by its first owner and will never have a concours finish. There is marring that I will never be able to remove without a re-paint, and I found that Zaino made that marring even more apparant. Don't get me wrong, the paint looks good - but there are some areas on my rear fender and near door handles that are just impossible to get perfect.



I've been able to achieve better results with products that contain fillers and carnauba because they help "cover" the marring I have that I can't get rid of, whereas Zaino seems to magnify it. One of those products is NXT. NXT contains fillers, and in my experience it does a better job of hiding marring than most glazes. It needs to be re-applied a lot when compared to Zaino (once a month at most if you want to continue hiding the marring), and its durabilty isn't nearly as good as Zaino, so that's the trade-off. I feel that with a combination of sealants and waxes I'm able to acheive results that look as good as Zaino and last nearly as long, however it requires more products and more application time.



If you have a good paint finish I think Zaino looks fantastic, and its durabilty is second to none. I've used it on new black cars and it looks good. I still prefer carnuabas, but that's personal preference.
 
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