Help me do better!

[kilodawg]

Hi guys,



New to the forum but have been detailing cars ever since I got my first one back in 1973.

I'm into Porsches and from the late 90's 'till a couple of years ago I was away from my obsession while raising a family. Finally, the wife relinquished and we now have 2 for me to work on, hers and mine.



Of course the wife's is the nicest ( I learned a lot over the past 16 years).



Any way to my point. I quickly realized that the auto detailing world exploded with advancement just like all of the technology sectors while I was away.



The first products I tried after getting my latest cars were the Zaino line. IMHO It was a large step forward from the paste waxes of the late '80's.



I then found this site and realized how many different products were available, what a PC was and I also read about people who absolutely disliked the look of a Zaino prepped car. Always something like too reflective not deep and warm enough. The dislike was intense in some sectors.



Generally these people preferred a multi-step process finished with a quality carnuba instead.



Well this week the planets finally aligned and I had the opportunity to work on the wife's guards red '96 993 and apply some new tools and the knowledge I picked up from this site.



We got an excellent deal on the wifes car and the only down side was that it spent too much time exposed to the elements here in Florida. The finish was good but a little tired from the sun. The Zaino I applied when we got the car last year stopped the deterioration but I never initially got out a lot of the surface swirls.



So this weekend I first went over it with MIP, and FPII and then back to Zaino with 3XZ5 with Z6 in between and then 2XZ3 with Z8 in between and a final Z8 on the last day. All this spanned over 3 days.



Bottom line is that 90% of the sufrface defects are gone and the depth and reflectivity of the color looks better than new and much better than I'd ever hoped for.



So my quandry is how can people dislike these results and what is it that they think provides a superior final finish? When I factor in the durability this seems like a no-brainer.



My question then becomes what alternatives do you guys suggest I try that I would like better than the Zaino line. If there is something I can do that provides a better result I'll give it a try but I don't want to waste my time if the final result will be indistinguishable.



These are some samples and larger versions are on my gallery page.



Thanks!

 

[Scottwax]

So my quandry is how can people dislike these results and what is it that they think provides a superior final finish? When I factor in the durability this seems like a no-brainer.

:nixweiss Because people are different?



I don't think it is truly a dislike of the appearance but a dislike of some of the more...uh...enthusiastic Zaino users who have the attitude that if you don't use Zaino, you are a stupid fool. While those Zaino users are in the minority, they are pretty vocal. They come across like Amway people.



In all honesty, I like other products more, especially on darker, non metallic colors because I feel there is a depth and richness that you can only get by using products with oils in them and topping with carnaubas for protection. True, I have to reapply the carnauba more than Zaino but since at lot of Zaino users like to layer, the time invested in maintaining is similar.



In the end though, it all comes down to what looks best to you and how often you care to either layer or reapply products to get the best look.



As far as suggestions to what may look better, take a look through my photohost gallery (in my signature) or my Autopia gallery. I always list the products and process used with the pictures. Maybe you will see a look and a product combination you like, maybe you will continue to be the most satisfied with Zaino.

 

[Mikeyc]

To me auto detailing is like reviewing art. Some people will like a certain painting while others will not. It's entirely opinion based when it comes to the best products. Look at tire dressing for example. Some people like a high gloss look on their tires while others prefer a more muted look.



Personally, I count myself among the anti-Zaino crowd. Initially I was put off by the Zaino zealots as Scottwax mentions, but also I am uncomfortable with some of the recommendations Sal makes on his website like the Dawn wash. It may be the best LSP in the world, but I won't touch it because of these reasons.

 

[kilodawg]

Thanks for the replies. Again, I'm new to all of this but it seems to me that the use of a product under consideration should be driven by it's efficacy. I'm glad I wasn't around to read all the controversy associated with the Zaino zealots. The Amway comparison sent shivers down my spine.



I only detail a handful of cars, mine and those of a couple of friends so I don't know that I'll have an opportunity for much experimentation. Durability is important for me but it would be nice to know also if there was a perfect shine for each of the few cars I work on to know what was the ultimate finish for those special occasions.

 

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the replies. Again, I'm new to all of this but it seems to me that the use of a product under consideration should be driven by it's efficacy. I'm glad I wasn't around to read all the controversy associated with the Zaino zealots. The Amway comparison sent shivers down my spine... Durability is important for me but it would be nice to know also if there was a perfect shine for each of the few cars I work on to know what was the ultimate finish for those special occasions.

Welcome to Autopia! Heh heh, you sound so level-headed I can't help but compliment you on it, which might tell you a little something about how some other people come across



Efficacy can be based on differing criteria when it comes to LSPs- e.g., durability, slickness, and/or that oh-so-subjective "look". I have some pretty strong opinions about which LSPs look best on each of our vehicles, and my wife has a few opinions of her own. So I'd say that yeah, *once you get the prep right* the choice of LSP can make a difference- some vehicles just look better (at least to me and my wife) with certain LSPs than they do with others. No way to tell by internet pics (IMO), you just have to try the various pruducts on the vehicles in question and see what you think.

 

[exile]

kilodawg, your wife's Carrera looks great and if you're happy and she's happy, then we're happy for you. Zaino is a great product and has a large following. But I can tell you, if you hang around this forum very long you're going to want to try some other products too. You'll get bitten by the bug . Have fun..........Tom