Zaino Z5

baker

baker

New member
Never used Zaino products before and am thinking about placing an order. In reading on their web site it states that Z5 the swirl remover is spread on the car, let dry for an hour or more than buffed off, and that it make take several coats to get rid of all the swirls. My question is, is Z5 a filler, or does it remove the swirls? It does not state to use a PC or rotary, just to wipe it off by hand when dry. If it is not a filler product, haw does it remove the swirls without buffing?
 
From my experience it barely fills swirls, however it does darken the paints apperance. Z-5 is a very good sealant (my choice), but if you want to get rid of the swirls, it's best to polish them out prior to application of Z-5



Some one had a link where a guy put 15+ coats of Z-5 and had pics showing that it does fill "some" of the swirls/scratches... but I'll never go that route. Too much work, and waste of product. IMO, you only need about 2 coats of Zaino to last you a long time.



If you want to fill in the swirls... try a glaze and seal it up.



BTW, Z-5 is non abrasive.
 
BAKER said:
...Z5 the swirl remover...
Click to expand...



Don't be mislead by the quaint terminology used by Zaino and DG that refers to their LSP's as a "polish". They are not polishes as we speak of them here any more than Pledge "furniture polish" is (no, I'm not advocating the use of Pledge on cars, "not that there's anything wrong with that!" :rolleyes: ) The swirl-mark remover products from Zaino are Z-AIO (very mild) and Z-PC (less mild). And as stated above, Z-5 is supposed to fill the swirls...the consensus seems to be that it is not very effective at doing so.
 
Z5 is a filler, completely nonabrasive, i.e. has no "cut" on the surface to physically remove swirls. Multiple coats of Z5 can help with the micro-fine spiderwebbing (for instance that is generated from washing). Z5 was never designed to be used for significant swirl problems, although some expect it to cure everything on the paint.
 
You asked how Z-5 removes swirls without the use of a buffer. That's a real easy one, it doesn't. I love Zaino but this foolishness about hiding swirls is nonsense. If anything, it magnifies them in full sun. Ask me how I know. You better have a near perfect finish (especially on black or dark colors) if your going to use Zaino and expect Autopia looking results in direct sunlight. Z-5 is a sealant, topper or last step product. Call it anything you want, I just wish they would stop calling it a polish because it's confusing a lot of people. Please know that I love Zaino and use it regularly but it's a sealant not a polish. Use a true polish with a buffer to correct your paint. Then, after it's flawless apply the Zaino. :2thumbs:



Patrick
 
Z-5 Pro is a stunningly good product - but it doesn't much hide swirls - it seals and protects.



Try Zaino's ZPC, first, to remove swirls using a machine or by hand. For mild-to-moderate surface issues, I find that ZPC works great with just one or two passes, and it finishes ready to seal.



The combo of Z-5 Pro, Zaino Clear Seal, and Z-8 is a fantastic final protectant on darker colors. It's a bit of work, but the shine, depth, and durability are hard to beat.
 
I completely agree with the prior posts, particularly ptaylor: "I love Zaino but this foolishness about hiding swirls is nonsense." Foolishness and nonsense are arguably redundant, but (I feel my toes burning already from approaching flames), I think Z2 and

Z5 are mostly redundant to each other.



I am a long time Zaino user who switched to Ultima about 6 months ago. Side-by-side on a trunk lid, Menzerna FP-II produced a glossier, more clear shine than Z-PC. Z-PC was quite good, and Menzerna-like in the way it worked with the UDM, but the FP-II was better. In addition, I believe that Ultima produces a brighter, more "wet" shine than Zaino. I've used it on our blue-green and our white cars, and Ultima really pops on both. I also find that Ultima seems to release bug guts and other tough dirt a bit better, but with our drought water restrictions, I've washed the Ultima so rarely that my experience is limited.



Also, Z2 or Z5 without ZFX doesn't last nearly as long. While I don't find adding ZFX to be a terrible thing, I've been resistant to buying a $20 tiny bottle of it, expecially when Ultima sealant is wipe-on, walk away and gives such great results.



If I was starting from scratch, I would go right to Ultima and skip Zaino. There are still some sample-size packs for under $50 from David, I think. If you have a PC, UDM or rotary, I would polish the paint to remove swirls with Menzerna SIP followed by FPII or 106, or use SIP followed by the Ultima PPP.
 
Z5 is a good product, it might hide the slightest of buffer marks or micromarring from imperfect polishing, but it won't hide wash related swirls or anything with any real depth.
 
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