Sparky,
Even as a Zaino Zealot, your selected combo sounds great. And your having experience with it adds a lot to that choice.
And I'd strongly suggest your not trying any product new to you on a new black MB; if there's a flaw anywhere, it will show up on a black car. And you can flat screw up a black finish really easily as many of us, including your's truly, have done.
I've never been strong on carnuba or any other wax because most waxes (including carnuba) don't last very long, particularly in the hot weather and particularly on a black car. I did use it on my LS430 and applied it heavily for a trip to Florida during love-bug season. Previously, while living there for a year, I even used Vaseline on the front painted surfaces before driving faster than 35 during LB season.
And don't forget you will regularily score points with a good carwash followed by a qd. I would suggest that whatever line you go with, you read Sal Zaino's "Tips and Tricks" at his website (
Zaino Store) Those will apply to almost all quality lines of sealants, etc. And remember, if there's a flaw anywhere, it will show up on a black car (I've got a black Excalibur with lots of nooks and crevices). At least you've got a lot of flat surfaces with the MB.
Sal recommends applying sealants with lateral and vertical strokes rather than circular ones (like I did from age 14 to 55) to prevent "swirls". Lateral from front to back on hoods, roofs, and trunk lids, and vertical on the sides. And use the sealants on the wheels. Makes washing them go so much faster in the future.
One more lengthy comment: Plan to clean the interior glass frequently as the organic materials used in treating leather and plastic do evaporate and leave an interior haze. I prefer Stoner's Invisible Glass in the pressurized can and use Scott Towels. shop towels (the blue ones) or MF's. Other paper towels have stuff in them which can smear instead of clean. My wife prefers Bounty for her household use, but it smears on my car's glass; so it's Bounty for the house and Scott and/or MF's for the car. Have a good friend in Charlottesville who, 2 months ago, purchased 2 new identical LS460's He was here in Greensboro a couple of weeks ago complaing about the haze on his interior glass and had tried bottles of Windex, etc. So at 10:30 pm we were out in the parking lot of a restaurant using my Stoner's and Scott Towels which I keep in my trunks. He tried Stoner's and some Bounty's he had in his trunk. I did the passenger side of his interior windshield and then after smearing the driver's side with his Bounty and my Stoner's, he switched to my Scott towels and saw the light! Emailed me a week later that he now has Scott towels and Stoners in the trunks of both his cars.
Good luck.
Hope your M-I-L is a good cook &/or your wife really appreciates and rewards you bodaciously for your detailing her mama's car.
