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2k2blackWRX

New member
Hey guys, I am new to these boards. I have only been reading them the last few days.



I own a 2002 Midnight Black Pearl WRX (anyone that owns one knows its not TRUE black).



My car was a demo car for the dealership so therefore had about 2.5k miles on it when I got it.



This car would be my first car to take great care of and detail. I have decided to use the Zaino line for my car and will have purchased the whole like by xmas. I have a few questions for you advaced users though.



1. After examening my hood it looks like there are large swirl marks, I belive they are actually marks from the dealer wax that they put on before they sold it to me and they are from an orbital buffer because of how big they are. I don't know if I should use a true polish or if I should just use Z5 and see if they go away initally then buy a swirl mark remover if needed.



2. I have read debates on what to use to wash my car, I figure I should wash my car with dawn first, then clay it, then wash it with Z7(thats the car wash right?), followed up by Z1, Z5 then Z2 the next day.



3. Washing my car: I ordered a chenelle mit from the online store here planning on using it to wash my car, unless there is something else that would make a difference. I also ordered the big blue towl to dry my car, after reading the review on it I belive that will be sufficiant enough correct?



4. Waxing the car, I am going to order the zaino applicator pads to wax the car and I planned on buying a large 100% cotton towl from ames to buff it out.



Is there anything else I am missing or should get, primarily for the outside of the car, the inside is a whole new step.



thanks



Bryan
 
Not a Zaino user yet, but your plan looks in order. Might consider a MF towel for removal vice the terry.



Good luck, your new desire for detailing and this forum will go hand in hand.



LC
 
:) nice car buddy...ok...you got your right mind frame working here with your products...i mean i can tell you know what you have to do.....so...no matter what anyome tells you...use that search button up there alot....there's so much info here thats its overwhelming...but in a good way................so...........Zaino...good choice.....your plan sounds k but...whether Z5 is gonna take out/cover up/fillin(:rolleyes: )..."large swirl marks" is debateable....it might...but the reviews are mixed with that one...my experience hasnt been with large swilrs on the paint....ive had great success with Z5 getting swirls out of the Z2 layer...but even then it ook 2-3 coats of Z5......so i know you in Pa and winters coming but....hold off on the Z2 til you get your paint just the way you want it....with the 3M SMR or Z5 whichever way you decide to go....the Z2 goes on when you say....yeah...i like the way my cars looking...let me cover that look with some Z2(but...as a good autopian youll never be satisfied with the paint and may never get to the Z2 stage..:p )..........so...try 2-3 coats of Z5...then you can work your way up to the SMR if needed....



as for the dawn... clay...you got the order right just more Z5...



most here prefer Viking Chenille mitts(if they like chenille)..the 100% cotton ones...i just got the CMA chenille myself and will use it this w/e for the first time...along with the big blue MF...so we'll see.....i really cant wait to try that biggy man...:)



any order over $25 from zaino and you geta free terry apllicator with it....so 1 for the Z1...1 for Z5....the either wash those or...just spend another $1 an get another 1 to be safe....



you cant go wrong with 100% cotton towels...never heard of ames though..so others will have to chime in...................welcme dood......:bounce............try to post some pics if possible...before and afters would be greatly appreciated........:)
 
ames=department store sort of like walmart, we have walmart too just ames is the closest.



Also, when I say large swirl marks, I mean the diameter of the mark seems large, I can only see the swirl when looking at with with lights directly reflecting off the paint... ok that didn't come out right. Simply, at night when i park under a light, i look at the hood at an angle while moving around so the center of the light moves around the hood with me to get the best reflection. I hope you get the point.



I will try before and after if I can get ahold of the camera.



One last thing, What kind of towel should be used for application of something such as Z6. Should I use just a small MF towel, or should I use a small 100% cotton towel? That part had me a little confused.



I figure whatever I use, Im gonna buy a 10 pack and keep some in my car and suchforth.





Oh, onem ore thing I forgot to mention, if any of you keep a quick detail kit in the trunk of your car, how do you keep it from sliding all over while driving? Do you have a custom net or something of the sort.



Thanks



Bryan
 
Hi 2k2blackWRX and welcome aboard. Well done on wanting to do the right thing with your car.

Unfortunately, you are going to need more towels. I hesitate to tell you how many a lot of us have. Let's just say I have one of those large RubberMaid storage bins, full of towels. I change towels early and often when working on the car. As soon as it shows any dirt, I fold over to a new surface, then when there are no clean surfaces, it goes into the wash pile.

What to use to apply Z6? If you are QDing, you will need something very plush, something dirt bits can go up IN. I use 6x12 towels I make by cutting up a big Charisma bath towel and then serging (stitching) the towel edges to prevent unraveling. I fold this 6x12 towel in half. That gives me four surfaces. I turn the towel every quarter of the car or so. This avoids rubbing the paint with a towel that has built up dirt.

Charisma Selects can be purchased for 11.69 at www.fieldcrestoutlet.com. That's a great price. The regular Charisma's are 8.99. The Selects are actually CHEAPER than the regular Charismas, because they are larger and you can cut more towels out of them. For the $1.70 extra, the Selects are the way to go.

For those who have won the lottery, the $30 Canning Dale from Macy's is the first choice, followed by Platinums from Bloomingdales, according to my experience.

Z5 is a great product, but it is not going to do too much for anything other than very light swirls.
 
good deaal there on charismas...charismaselect terry(100%),,,thats the towels your gonna use to get the Z2/5 off....however...Z6(zaino Quik detailer) should be applied with a good MF...IMHO....i get what ur saying about your swilrs...try the Z5...at least 2 coats..u might be surprised at how well it does...:up .......i just use a small box i got from a local store...nothing fancy....yosteve has sumthin...but i might be thinking of the plastic storage thingy he bouht fpr his house storage....good questions buddy:up
 
Thanks guys for the info.



I figure I will need to buy a few more small MF towels and some regular cotton towels.



I know I am the question man today but,



If Z5 DOESN'T work, and I want to get rid of those light swirls without using anything too harsh, what woul dbe the best thing to use?



Thanks



Bryan
 
Welcome 2k2blackWRX,

Good choice on the Zaino product line. I am also a newbie Zaino user but really love the stuff. :up

You might want to wash the car with Dawn prior to deciding what your state of swirl marking is. I'm sure the dealer waxed the car prior to delivery and used a product that would hide the majority of these imperfections. Nevertheless, try several coats of Z5 first or until you are closed to being satisfied ( total satisfaction is unobtainable... that's why detailing is such an adventure). You will be surprised how well it fills minor swirls and correct bad optics created by these gremlins.

Again welcome to this forum. These guys and gals are great and extremely informed.

P.S. make sure whatever 100% cotton towel you purchase that it is made in USA. I would be skeptical about Ames/Walmart/K-Mart type stores. Everyone here will tell you that one of the most important prevention of future swirl marks is the use of high quality towels. If it is sold as a 10pk :down walk away as quickly as possible. Those 10pks are swirls marks waiting to attack you.:eek:

Good luck with the new car and happy detailing:D
 
Thanks for all the info guys.



I think I have my gameplan down.



1. Wash the car with Dawn and follow up with a good claying.



Should I wash the car again with Z7 after I clay the car?



2. Apply the layer of Z1 followed by a layer of Z5 and multiple layers of Z5 thereafter. Useing the zaino applicator pads to apply the wax and using a 100% cotton made in USA towel to buff it out.



Follow each coat with some Z6, applied using?? A 100% cotton towel? A Small MF towel? or something else.



3. If the swirl marks are visible at all then go to using 3m SMR.



As for detailing the interior, I havn't even looked into that much at all yet. I already have a shopvac to vacuum out the carpet and seats, and sinde its a new car the interior is in pretty damn good condition right now, thats why I am concerned with the exterior so much.





Products I am going to buy: Z1, Z5, Z2(for later use), Z6,Z7,Z18,Z12(possibly), Z14(possibly), 3M SMR, I ordered the big blueMF towel already, and a 100% cotton chenelle wash mit. Last I need a 100% cotton USA towel and some detailing MF towels.



So my last question is, What is a good Mf detailing towel, one used to apply Z6. I was looking at the Blue towel 10 pack (or something like that).



Thanks for all the help so far, You guys have been great .



bryan
 
:up after you dawn...if you clay with Z7 as a lubricant...then u dont have to wash again with Z7...unless your neurotic...like me...seriously...use the Z7 in a spray bottle and use that to clay...............MF towels................Yosteves....nuff said:up ......use that 10 pack of MF's to do the door jams and junk...
 
2k2blackWRX

Welcome to the board. It looks like these guys have put you on the right track.

A word of advise on Microfiber and cotton towels. Don't let any cheap towels touch your paint. They may not look like they are hurthing anything, but you will pay for it down the road. Invest in some good towels. Charisma's are great cotton towels. Be very pickey when it comes to microfiber, you get what you pay for. I only recommend these types of Microfiber towels www.neatitems.com www.yosteve.com or Miracles Towels from www.properautocare.com These are all top notch towels, and you will be happy with any of them.

Again, welcome aboard. :)
 
How does the Kit of 5 Microfiber Towels Sound(from properautocare.com) It Includes:



Our Microfiber Kit includes:





(1) Microfiber Magic Towel, the highest quality, plushest microfiber towel made

(1) Viper Glass Cleaning Cloth, best for cleaning glass and plastic surfaces

(3) Viper Microfiber Detailing Towels for removing wax and polish residues and general detailing.

This kit will give you the proper towel for each detailing and household task. You’ll wonder how you got along without them.



Kit of five (5) 16� by 16� towels.





Or should I just get 2 microfiber magic towels.



Thanks



Bryan
 
I find the Viper Glass towel to be okay, it is nice to have two laying around. As for the others, just go with yosteve.com's. Everybody seems to like them, I'm about to order a bunch.



The regular detailing towels probably don't match up to yosteve.com's, but don't quote me on that, as that's just what I have heard others say. I also like neatitems.com towels, they are very plush.



Josiah
 
im not a huge Viper guy(yellow towel)....i know some people here can get it to work...but i get lotsa lint with it...no matter how many times i wash it...or how much i dampen it when i use it..............go figure......i would rather have 2 kikass Miracles....that were really good for my paint...and ill get sumthin else for the rest (door jams etc...)//....so for me...get the 2 really quality miracles...:rolleyes:...............



BTW..i just went to CMA to check out that package you are talking about....$25 for those 5....plus shipping...so say...$30.....for 1 great towel and a few so-so-good ones.....or....go to yosteve...and get 5 kikass Mf's for about the same $...i think $35.....plus free shipping....i dunno...my .02........................like ive said...i have steves...neatitems..and cma's....
 
LoL, I am already spending abour 90 bucks on JUST Zaino Products, and now MF towels, I already bought the big blue MF towel to dry my car and the chenelle wash mit from properautocare.com to wash my car.



I have yet another question:



What ALL do you use Mf towels for?



Buffing out wax...although im going to use a 100% cotton USA towel as zaino reccomends



Drying out Doorjambs and hinges after a wash....



Applying a QD spray to the car...



What else?



thanks Bryan
 
doing the whole interior....:) you will never say...hey...i got 5 MF's...and i only use 3..the other 2 just sit there and never get used....believe me...they will be used.....also....



if i only had say 5 MF's...i would use some cheap terry's for the door jams,etc....once you get a huge stash of MF's...then you can go with them on those places...but for now....stick to using your Mf's in nice places...(less $$):D
 
Well to tell a secret of mine I use MFs for everything!!



I only use surgical green cotton towels as a final window buff.



I have a bunch of cotton towels but they justsit there all lonely like. Maybe I ought to wash them with my clothes from last night so they can say they had fun?
 
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