Wax on wax off

Hello all, Could you recommend an exterior wax/polish to complement my regular washing. Ease of use is a key. Also for the interior, what have you been using on the dash, instruments etc,...... and for the leather seats. Do you use anything on the Cab top? Thanks for your assisitance. Gary C2 CAB

if you want a water based spray on wax that just wipes off after every wash, try "wax as you dry". There are other brands too. Key is to wipe off most water first and then spray and dry off completely. They work okay but you should still use a normal wax/polish underneath imo. For real wax/polish, i use zaino as it lasts longer than anything else and provide excellent protection against water and sun damage. the wax as you dry spray goes on top after every wash to provide additional sealing and shine. i recommend lexal (sp?) for leather. for dash etc, i just wipe with damp towel bc i don't like the shiny stuff and it's bad to get reflection of your dash on windshield on sunny days w the shine. cab top, rinse every other wash with stiff water. wash with "raggtop" or porsche's top detergent 1-2x a yr. spray on "raggtop" or porsche top protectant afterwards to protect it from sun and water. use lint roller to pick up fabric and dirt as needed. i cover the car when parked out to protect my top from sun damage also.

RejeX and the Porsche stuff for the top.

Zaino.....no contest. So easy to use, I actually enjoy waxing the car. Not to mention great results, I always get lots of comments on the finish.

Lexol for leather, Vinylex for plastic, 3M Rubber for tires, P21S bodywork conditioning shampoo, P21S Concours Look Carnauba Wax, Meguiars Final finish #34, P21S Gel Special Perf. Wheel Cleaner, simichrome for wheels, Renovo Fabric Soft Top Cleaner(or Porsche soft top cleaner), oh yeah the kitchen sink. I love the P21S wax...rub it in with your fingers and wipe it off before it dries!

McGuire's NXT Comes in wax, liquid and detail spray. Hands down better than Zaino, P21S, and Rejex, IMHO.

Rejex and detail spray is all I use. Only been washed with water twice in two plus years.

Is Zaino carried in any stores or just on their website?

I just bought a tin of NXT. Hope it smells as nice as Porsche Hartwax. Love that smell.

I think you can only buy Zaino on the web. I've been using there stuff for years and I do get the best results. I also have a few bottles of Rejex and that works well too. I also really like the Zaino leather cleaner and conditioner... has a great leather smell and doesn't change the patina. Rob

Kirb... With just detail and no water to lift off dirt? For sure? It would seem to me that when you dry you would be moving dirt around somewhat causing some scratching on the clear layer because coatings by waxes and sealers are only microns thick...can you tell me more how you 'wash' the car without H20... Thx... Jim

God Lee who'd ever use NXT? (Just joking. I think you'll be impressed).

I try to wipe it down at least once a week. I also use a CA Duster first. For people who've seen my car it works...stays clean and no scratches.

I have been using Zaino's products for years and I highly recommend it. They came out with a product last year that significantly reduces the "cure" time. I must warn you that the first time you use it (if you do it right) you will spend a couple of hours washing, claying, re-washing and applying Zaino. Also, the first coat will be a little tougher to wipe/buff off. But subsequent applications will be easier -- I can do it in about 30-40 minutes on my cab. And with Zaino you want to apply multiple coats. I found about 3 coats of the Z-5 (swirl remover) followed by the Z-2 does the trick.

I was thinking of getting the starter kit from Zaino. At $116 it seems to be the biggest bang for the buck for a high end car care system. It seems to have everything I need. http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...ory_Code=Zaino

Zaino also has local distributors. Putting it on is easy and quick for each coat, most of the time is drying time since you want to put multiple coats the first time. You don't need to clay it the first time if your paint is smooth. The pre-cleaner (Z1 I think) will remove minor bumps(dirt) embedded in paint. The website has all the instructions. What they don't mention is that after all the zaino is put on, the car will shine more if you apply some wax on top of polish.

RUSSCPA my business sells RejeX and is a Rennlist sponsoring vendor. plus, we offer a discount to Rennlist members which pays for your shipping. it's only $17.95 delivered to your door. you can place an online order here.... http://www.x-autoproducts.com/pages/forumpurchase.htm please feel free to call if you have any questions. thanks, barry X-Auto Products [phone removed] www.x-autoproducts.com

If anyone is considering Zaino they may want to wait a couple of weeks because the chat on the detailing forums is a new product is to be released at the end of the month. It is a polish with dimishing abrasives that contains no fillers and is completely compatible with the Zaino system. Also if you get any Zaino products you have to get the new Z-8. An absolutely incredible product. The slickness and gloss that it adds is unbelievable. For you Zaino users, if you like Z-6 (gloss enhancer), the Z-8 is Z-6 on steroids.

Zanio.... I tried Rejex and it's OK but I like Zanio better just as easy to put on lasts longer.

Go with Zaino. I've used Zymol, Rejex, Meguiar's, Griot's, Porsche hardwax and Klasse - Zaino holds up as well or better than any of them and after the initial application (where you have to strip off the old wax by washing the car with Dawn dish soap) goes on/off as easy as any with the possible exception of the Porsche wax. I found the Zaino much more durable than the Porsche wax. I haven't used Meguiar's new stuff because I concluded way back that Meguiar's wasn't as good as Zaino, Zymol, Klasse or Rejex. Rejex's 12 hour cure period is a negative since I almost always drive the car after a wash/wax. For leather seats try Effax leather balsam. You get it at tack (saddlery) stores. If you've got a leather dash be careful around the windshield - it takes a couple of wipes to get it off glass. Lexol is a good leather product also..............

What about Zaino leather prods.?

Hey Gary I'm also in Central Jersey, in general when it comes to detailing products I try to stick with German products for this German car. This weekend I got out the porter cable orbital polisher for my three times a year thorough polishing/waxing. Spent about 6 hours washing, claying, swirl removing, cleaning, sealing and glazing. Also did the wheels top and interior. I do this in May, October and in an underground parking garage in the middle of winter. THis was the first time I used the new Meguiars versa angle brushes. One brush each for the wheels,tires and lower body work. The price is low for these well made product so I recommend them. Saw them at Pepboys. I'll be trying Zaino as some point but other than Zaino I have tried EVERYTHING at least once. For me this car is a daily driver so I'm looking for quick detailing and ease of use. WIth that in mind here are my habits/addiction. Soft Top: No soap on the convertible top ever. Raggtopp cleanser with an OXO feather tip brush. A coating of Raggtopp protectant every few months. I spray it down once a week. These are the only products recomended by the maker of the Porsche tops. Paint Cleaning: Klasse All In One every four months. Sealing: Klasse Sealant Glaze layered during a two week period, one coat per 24 hours. Waxing: Once the layering is done I use S100 monthly. Sonus Carnauba Spritz weekly. Interior: Cleaning: 1Z Einzett Cockpit Premium on dash weekly Protecting 1Z Rubber/vinly Care on dash and Tires (UV protection) bi-weekly carpets: Einman Fabrik (amazing results this weekend on my red mats) Leather Cleaning: 1Z Leather Care, AMAZING product. monthly during summer, bi-monthly during top up months. Conditioning: Lexol, every two months. Wheels: Weely cleaning and waxing with Klasse All in One. Pep Boys has a Black Magic Spoke brush that get the insde of the wheel that most people never clean. Tip: Don't use auto store microfiber towels on the paint, use those Chinese made towel for the interior. I higly recommend against using split fibers on your paint it will cause swirling. Stick with a tufted loop end like on waffle weave. I use the waffle weave Sonus towels for removing Wax and cleaning. For final buffing I use a Concourse buffing towel from Autotopia Car Care. I wash both with Sonus Wunderwash since I wash them often. Regular detergents will be too harsh.

Let's see, then you must sleep in June, November, and early Spring??? When do you eat?

My God man! I got tired just reading this! Now i feel guilty as hell there are bugs on the front from Sunday!

Thank you perfectlap for making me feel that there is someone more obsessed then me in detailing my car. For what it is worth I do the following 2x a year on top of weekly washing and vacuuming. wash, clay, spot compound with 3m fine cut, polish with P21S paint cleaner, seal with two coats of blackfire similar to Klasse. If doing a concours might top it with some p21s wax also wheels are removed cleaned back and front and blackfire applied, wheel wells cleaned and treated with 303 aerospace and exhaust tips polished. 303 Aerospace on all plastic, rubber, and window moldings weekly. Leather 2x a year lexol leather cleaner with a brush designed for use on leather followed with 1z leather care, for a nice factory matte look.

you want to hear the crazy part? The next day after spending 3 hours of cleaning I'll go to an autocross and dirty her up but good. I find if i do allot frequent quick detailing the car stays cleaner longer and always looks good. Eventually someone will want to buy this car and detailing is protecting the investment. I sold my last car for very nearly what I bought it for after five years of ownership. The photos were enough to convince a guy to fly up from Florida to NJ and give me cash on the spot. the old car

This is a very interesting interior. Is the red Boxster red? do you have other photos?

yep. and I hope there is a well detailed Black and Boxster Red 996/GT2/GT3 out there in Porsche world because I have no interest in the Cayenne or 997/987. As long as I owns Sportcars this will be the color of my interior.

Where do you get your cleaning supplies at? I dont recognize some of those?

This site carries the 1Z Einzett line. http://www.pakshak.com/1z-vinyl-rubber-care-500ml.html Their Cockpit premium, Vinly and Rubber care, leather care(cleaner) are must haves for me. Klasse and S100 you can get at all the big pro detail site like autogeek.net and these are the towels I swear by. I never use split threading on paint. http://www.autopia-carcare.com/mf-201.html

Tried the NXT paste on my wheels yesterday. Smells good (I know I'm weird but that matters). Looks shiny. Brake dust retention test now underway (I thought Rejex made it worse).

What about Zymol... I hear this is good stuff... anybody use this before... apparently it gets rid of swirl marks and leaves a great deep shine...

Zymol is a good carnauba based wax (some types better than others), however, the durability is rather weak and cost is quite high. None of the zymol waxes will get rid of swirl marks. All carnauba based waxes have a some ability to hide swirls. The use of a polish prior to "waxing" is the only way to remove swirl marks. Proper preparation of the paint is more important than the final product used. A properly prepped car with cheapest turtle wax will look better than a nonprepped car with the most expensive Zymol wax.

The zymol wax which removes swirls is the baby blue stuff which is marketed as "cleaner wax" this does a great job of filling in scratches and getting rid of swirl marks.... we put 3 coats on a friend's car... it was black in color... toughest color to work with and when we were done it looked like it was brand new... no swirl marks or anything... 2 coats usually does the trick but we did 3 thin coats on his car just for the heck of it and boy what a deep shine it produced.!!!

Each coat of cleaner wax probably removed the former layer of wax, the enhanced result you saw was probably the result of the polish in the cleaner wax, removing more of the swirls every time you reapplied it. Now that it looks good I would stay with a wax with no cleaning agents like p21s

My experience with Zymol is that it leaves an ample amount of dust to deal with, much more than other products I've tried. Other wise competitave results.

P21S - does this last a long time..... can I apply P21S on a car that has been Zymoled?

P21s is pretty durable probable 4-6 weeks as good as any wax. It will work fine over zymol. If you want something more durable you need to use a sealent like klasse, zaino, blackfire, etc. However, for most sealents you need to remove any wax before applying. Sealants can last up to 6 months or more depending if the car is garaged, how often washed and so on.

right... but removing the wax will also remove the benefits the wax provides no? I thought the whole point of using the wax is to remove the swirls... will sealant have the same effect as wax? does it provide as deep a shine as wax? thx Peter

Technically wax does not remove swirls but hides them. Polish is what you use to remove or reduce swirls. Sealants do not hide swirls as well as wax but the protection of a sealant lasts longer than that of wax. As far as shine the consensus seems to be that a good wax will out perform a good sealant in giving depth and a wet look. I use sealant only and will top with a wax P21S or a glaze only when doing a car show which is about 2x a year. I a very happy with how two coats of the blackfire sealant I use looks. If you have the time there is nothing wrong with waxing every 6 weeks or so.

Tried the NXT paste today on the company barge (damn those big american cars have a lot of surface area). Looks good. dries pretty hard, was a reasonable amount of work to remove. On a related topic, I noticed on that car that the windshield washer solvent that drippled on the hood ate away the clear coat. I tried scratch-x, and Meguiar's number 7 and a clay bar all to no avail. I'm thinking that maybe for my car I should buy the Porsche w-w solvent. Is there such a thing?

Hey Lee... Most windshield washer solution is hydro-carbon based--a solvent...at least the stuff you get at GI Joesephine's for two bucks a bottle. It's methyl alcohol and water...but not sure about the concentration. I never heard that it could eat clear coat but then I don't have a Yank Tank maybe clear coat is different on American iron...interesting... I use about 20% car wash soap like (what else) McGuires and the rest H2O in my cars and it works just fine...super mild with just enough lifting power to get some of the grime off. Doesn't work real well on dried bird and bug squat though but then what does.

Thank you all for your interest and great information. Seems like there are a lot of Zaino fans out there. I could not get a hold of Zaino at the store. So I bought Zymol cleaner wax, and Meguiar's Quik Wax. My son opened the Zymol and we went to work. The inconsistent swirls were a real problem, so we moved on to the Quik Wax. Easy to use and worked out great. The swirls were gone and the treatment was quite easy. I suppose I should give the finish the old fashioned rub and wipe, and I will try another product and let you know the results. I also bought Lexol leather cleaner and leather conditioner. I have not done the inside and will let you know how effective this product is. Thanks Gary 2004 C2 CAB

that's hard to believe Gary, I've been using Zymol for years and it always takes away the swirls and leaves an awesome deep shine... where you waxing outside? how were you applying it and taking it off? regards, Peter

Peter What kind of applicator do you use?

Bump. I have had the new Meguiar's NXT paste wax on the test car (co. car) for a couple weeks now. It is really shiny. I got inspired by Fast40th and attempted to enhance it by refreshing it and adding a layer of carnauba over it after seeing what he did was a layer of synthetic followed by a wax. I did one side of the hood with the carnauba, and I couldn't tell any difference, which is a good sign for the NXT, but that led me to thinking about surface preparation. I started looking more closely at the clear coat on both cars. The cars are both new in Q3 of last year. The P-car's last treatment was hand rub with Meguiar's number 7 and a coat of Porsche Hartwax. The Detroit clear coat (or maybe the paint underneath) is thick and quite lumpy. The Stuttgart paint is also a little lumpy. I was wondering how this lumpiness affects the shine and what, if anything, anyone does about it. Lumpy Detroit Paint: Less Lumpy Stuttgart Paint:

The "lumpiness" is called orangepeal. It occurs when paint jobs are not wetsanded and can be worse depending on the type of paint and how well the paint job was done. Supposedly alot of the new low VOC paint jobs coming out of the factories have higher amounts of orange peal. Porsche paint jobs seem to be pretty good with minor orange peal but checkout a bently or lamborghini or a good custom paint job for what no orange peal looks like. A good custom painter will wet sand the primer and the color coat before putting on a clear and then wetsand the clear. Actually Lexus seems to be pretty good too.

Hmmm. Wonder if the new Porter-Cable will smooth that out with some compound...much more likely to try it on the barge though.

Lee: Absolutely try the barge first!... go easy with the compounds and power tools. And from a previous post you had a question on the Porsche windshield washer solution. I suggest you try P21S winshield washer booster, same product as the one offered by Porsche but at a fraction of the cost.

Thanks. I bought a couple of the solvent from Sunset. They said I could just stop by and they'd fill it up. :-)

I am a big fan of Griots Garage. I probably have every over priced thing in their catalog. But I have to agree about prepping the car. Before any wax, sealer or protectant hits the car finish the paint must be cleaned and polished. Clay has probably been the best invention for car care in a long time. Also, front windshields can be polished with the right products. My best tip was from my father who said " only wash your car in a straight motion turning the cloth and rinsing often and not in circles." This will help keep you from introducing any scratches into the surface. I don't care what sheep your wash mitt came from or what boar�s *** the brush came from. My advice is always take your time.

Do not use compound to try to reduce orange peal. If you compound that hard you will burn right through your clear coat. If your paints in good shape. I would clay the horizontal surfaces, then use the porter cable and the white polishing pad with a good polish p21s, menzerma, etc. Then top with your preferred wax or sealant. The car will look great.

That's My Treatment, And Trust Me It Works.

In that order?

RJMDAD not sure what products you are talking about. P21S makes the wax you stated but their polish is called "gloss enhancing paintwork cleanser" which is a great polish to use before waxing. Meguiars #34 final inspection is a quick detailer, which IMHO really adds nothing to a P21S wax finish although it is a great quick detailer after a wash or a pre-show wipe down. If those are the products you were mentioning the order of use would be P21S paintwork cleanser, followed by the P21S wax, usuing the #34 quick detailer when necessary.

My bad. I see where you got the quote from. You cut off the part that the P21S that was mentioned last is their wheel cleaner.

Can anyone provide a recommendation for keeping the exhaust tips looking new and shiny? Thanks

I use blue magic for the exhaust tips. get the tube, not the bottle.

There is only one product to use on your top. Raggtopp. No masking required, superior waterproofing. Been using it for years. http://www.wolfsteins.com/main.htm

What about going over the clear bra with wax?? I have not done anything since it was installed 6 months ago??

perfectly fine

Back to the test car... It has some etching in the paint on the hood from the washer fluid. If I owned this car I'd be very torqued. It's a 2005 and washer fluid drying once on the hood between the squirt head and the windshield have damaged the paint. My PC 7424 has not arrived as expected (on back order) but I hit it today by hand with Meguiar's fine cut, then scratch-x, then #3, then #7 (the last 2 to remove the haziness from the first 2) to no avail. It seems that the edges of the drops have etched the clear coat quite deeply. any thoughts?

Look skyward and be thankful it's not yours.......... I can't think of anything I would have done any differently. There is a guy on the concour board; Anthony Orosco who is a detailing guru. I have read a number of his posts and I think he knows what he is talking about. He revived a Corvette's paint with his magic and the pictures are in a post.

Lee, how about a good Oregon Pinot; $30-$50, to be paired with salmon. Got any good picks ?

If you go Oregon, Willa-Kenzie or Thomas (2001's). Wife says French Burgundy, and how is he going to prep the salmon? We just had a 2003 rose Cotes du Ventoux Le Vielle Ferme. It was very nice and would be good with salmon.

The fish will be grilled. I will prep the salmon with a drizzle of olive oil, a touch of salt and fresh ground pepper. My final secret is a coating of garlic Pam on top of the filet. The Pam as it cooks leaves a thin crispy "skin" on the filet and helps to seal in some moisture. I leave the skin on the filet as it helps to keep he filet together on the grill and prevents over cooking. I turn the fish only once starting real skin side down. Also a couple lengths of fresh Rosemary from the yard soaked in water for an hour or so add a nice smoky flavor. Fresh grilled asparagus and tomatoes over angel hair.

Sounds great. An Oregon Pinot would be good. My wife would choose a Savigny-les-Beaune or a Volnay. Hmmm... Maybe a NW regional BBQ needs to happen this summer...

Great minds think a like. The wine and the BBQ. Sometime after July %, thats when it supposedly quits raining. I'm all in.

I just bought a 2001 C4. The dealer detailed it before delivery, but it had a lot of swirl marks and generally didn't look very good so I had to start from scratch. I just went through the car this weekend with the following: Clay bar, P21S cleanser, 3M antii-swirl, 3M Imperial Hand Glaze, P21S, and Meguires NSX topcoat. It's a night and day difference, though it's hard to tell from this photo.

Lokks like day to me. Did you use a buffer? I think I am going to bite the bullet and buy one. Your car looks awesome. A lot of work, but worth it.

I'm in about week three of the NXT trial on the bluesmobile. Took the bikes out over the weekend and got the car (and ourselves) good and muddy, and the car with lots of bugs. Went through the car wash (no scratches or swirls) and shot it with the NXT booster spray wax and (for a Detroit barge) it is looking pretty good. I'm very impressed with this product and thinking of applying it to my Porsche. I was wondering about the clay bar. I have one, and the few things I've attempted with it haven't worked..each thing I tried turned out to be something that wanted a little more abrasive. One was a slight stain that came out with Scratch-X and the other was the etched clearcoat from the wiper solvent. Anyway, to the point... what was the consensus on whether all wax had to be removed before clay bar, and whether a synthetic (such as Rejex or NXT) would be removed by a washing with dish soap?

Lee, if you like NXT then I highly recommend you try Zaino. I tried NXT after I ran out of Zaino (since NXT was available at the AutoZone) but I was disappointed by how short it lasts. After 2 car washes it stops beading. Zaino lasts a lot longer. Needless to say I went and re-ordered Zaino online. Every spring I strip everything and start from scratch. I first wash the car with Dawn and then use a clay bar lubricated with some car wash detergent and water mixed in a spray bottle. Then wash the car again with car was detergent. It really gets the car squeaky clean and ready for the swirl remover and polish. Here's another picture:

I have to agree with the comments on zaino. I used rejex on mine four or five times, looked great for a week and then you could definately tell it was wearing down. I just did a dawn wash and zaino z5 for two coats, and all of the swirl marks and fine scratches are gone. I am waiting for my kit to arrive in the mail to finish the final wax. Had it out in the driveway after the Z5 and it was so brillant it was hard to look at in the sun! Love it so far.... Ill post before and after pics when i finish it up..

Wow! Programmatore that looks great. Guess I'll get some Zaino for the P-Car.

I don't think he really drives the car. Too clean and shiny. It looks awesome. I can vouch for the Zaino; did my black Landcruiser with it and it shined like a new baby.

On the contrary, the car is a daily driver. That's why I make sure it is protected with Zaino. Lee, you won't be disappointed with Zaino. It is just as easy to apply as NXT but it lasts longer and the shine is great.

So I want the z5? Do I need the accelerator stuff?

You dont have to have the accelerator, but it goes quicker with it. I used without, and started with the Z5 since i had swirls and small scratches (due to improper training, i am sorry, i used a mit on the car). Two coats of Z5 and it is scratch/swirl free. I order the kit to finish the job

I used a porter cable dual action with orange pads for cleaner/anti-swirl, black pad for glaze, white pad for wax, and red pad for top-coat NXT. I'm pretty conservative and always felt that a power buffer would be too abrasive on the paint. I also thought that it would be only useful on large panels and not for detail work. None of this turned out to be true when I finally bought the PC. The first advantage is that it guarantees that consistent pressure is applied throughout -- when you polish by hand, some areas get too much pressure and others don't get enough. Also, with a dual action device, it is pretty much impossible to do any harm because it basically does what you would do by hand, but it does it a hundred times better (there are circular buffers that require significant skill to use, but DA devices are pretty foolproof). Also, on detail areas like around window frames the DA is much better because it spreads out the polish so thinly that it doesn't get stuck in the seams. Literally within about 30 seconds of using the PC for the first time I was kicking myself for not getting it sooner. I wouldn't say it makes the job much faster -- but it works much, much better than what is possible by hand. If you want to get one, you need the DA device, a velcro pad, and various pads for the polish types. I bought mine from Classic Motoring Accessories because they also sold a pad kit with detailed info about which pads to use.

The clay bar isn't abrasive at all, so it won't reallly rub through any problem areas like a compound will and isn't useful for that. What it is useful for is pulling contaminants and dirt from the paint. Run your fingers over the paint and you will feel surface imperfections -- after claying, it will feel perfectly smooth -- it won't look much different, but polishing works much better with clay as the first step because there are no imperfections to affect the polishing process. After you're done polishing with clay as a first step, you won't believe how smooth the paint surface feels. If you don't remove the imperfections, then the polish only gets the top part of the small raised bump, so you can't duplicate what clay does using an abrsasive instead. Claying should be done as the first step prior to removing the wax because the wax-removing polishing step and all subsequent steps will be more effective if you clay first. The clay does pull the dirt out of wax effectively. I recommend using detailer spray rather than Dawn as lubricant though. Claying is a very easy -- it only takes a few minutes to go over the paint and there is no buffing afterwards because the detail spray requires a simple wipedown.

Peterp agree with everything you said. Get a PC and a goot pad set and you will wonder how you did without. However, clay contains abrasives in the silly putty like material, it basically shaves slight inperfections off the paint while slidding over it on the lubricant. Clay, polish, then coat with wax or a sealant. Zaino and other sealants like klasse will give you longer lasting protection then wax, but some people prefer the look of wax like p21s. To each his own.

Thanks -- I didn't realize the clay was abrasive, I just thought it pulled the dirt out because of the stickiness. However it works, I'm always amazed at the before and after with clay. Zainos is probably the way to go -- for some reaon I have always prefered the traditional waxes, but I haven't tried Zainos. I did try Finish First, which somebody I trust had compared to Zainos, and I wasn't too impressed. I have found P21S to be fairly durable -- still beading after 4 months for a car that's always garaged, but it won't compare to the durability of a synthetic. The NXT stuff is temporary at best, so I only use it as a top coat. Normally I would never bother with something temporary, but the NXT gives amazing enough results that I now use it even though I know it's fleeting.

Finally, after all your (thanks) advice, research, product selection, and ordering stuff... Paulina is now shiny(er)! My selected method: Meguiar's No. 7 Show Car Glaze Applied with the PC Two Coats Zaino Z2 One coat Mother's Gold Pure Carnauba Wax

Lee, All good products. Beaware that the the Z2 may not offer you the ultimate durability that Zaino is so famous for, because of the use of the glaze prior to the Z2 application.

So what's your forecast on a re-wax? My car is parked inside at home and at work and survives a 10 minute commute each way...

i've been using zymol..(the cheapy kind from Target) Maybe I should get my hands on some Zaino.. Lee, how come you used so many waxes, and in what order did you apply them?

It is hard to say. The oils and fillers in glazes interfere with bonding process of the Zaino. This is why Zaino recommends a �Dawn� wash prior to the application of Zaino (which would remove any and all effects the glaze provided). However, this is only for maximum durability, the use of the glaze should not effect the look but it will more than likely let the Zaino protection break down more quickly. The rate of break down will depend on a lot of environmental variables, such as heat, exposure, frequency of washes, wash soap used, the type of dirt on the car, etc. You also throw in another variable with the application of a carnauba topper. The carnauba based wax will last at best 4-6 weeks depending on the environment but I have no idea what type of effect it will have on the Zaino (in theory none). I usually get Zaino to last anywhere from 6-9 months (with no glaze use) on a daily driven car that is outside during the day. I would think you would get protection somewhere in between 6 weeks and 6 months. Redduck996, the glaze is suppose to help hide paint imperfections (but offer no protection to the finish) and the Zaino will add protection (but not hide any imperfections). Some use a carnauba �topper� to add �depth� to the finish. Zaino has very �crisp� and reflective finish. Some really like this look and some think it makes the finish look too shiny. Carnauba based waxes in general have a more �muted� look or glow that some think has depth. Personally for me all the toppers and such are way too much work and I don�t think I have the eye to tell any difference or the patience and/or time to prep the finish to maximize the effects.

thanks brian.. I think I will do away with the zymol and try the zaino, even though I too dont have the eye for the shines/depth. The zymol seems to be working ok for me plus it's extremely easy for me to wax on and wax off..

My intention with the glaze was to use the lightest abrasive that would take off a few stubborn rainwater spots. next time I won't use a glaze but a pure light polish. I didn't use the clay bar because it didn't take the water spots off but the glaze did...My idea with the carnauba was a "sacrificial layer" to come off with bugs etc that get removed with bug and tar remover. Anyway, I enjoy the process, so I don't mind trying again in a few months.

Silly question but should I use the z2 or z5? I realize the z5 is for swirls and fine scratches but what if my car does not have very little swirls? Would it be ok to use on non swirl areas?

Hey Red, I usually start with a coat or two of Z5 to fill in minor swirl marks and then move on to Z2. You can put a coat of Z5 on the entire car without any worries. They just recommend to make the final coat Z2 since Z2 gives you a better shine and depth.

Thanks you got any big plans for the long weekend? I'm staying local.. maybe head to dc on monday Just ordered the zkit2

No plans for the 4th yet. Thinking of just having a barbecue with friends. Low key. There is a fun drive on July 24th. Ferrari of Washington has invited the Porsche Driving Club (new NoVA/DC/MD club) to their track day at Summit Point. The plan is to meet at Intersport in the morning then take the backroads of VA and WV to the track. There is a catered BBQ lunch and you get to drive in the track (novice run, no passing, etc.). For $35 per person (you must drive your Porsche -- requirement set by Ferrari of Washington) it is a good deal. PM or email me for more info. I think I am going -- it should be a fund drive and a good opportunity to meet other Porsche enthusiasts as well as the highrolling Ferrari folks.

Awesome.. We get to rub shoulders with the rich folks. I'm in!!!

Q: I'm using Zaino for the first time. I was thinking of 1 layer z5 and two layers of z2. Should I put on a coat of wax as well? Or is it not needed. I'm a daily driver...

Just used that today for the first time...WOW! Great Stuff!

Best results are obtained by following the directions on the container and tips given on their web site.

The website has a ton of tips but what i did and i LOVE THE RESULTS is dawn wash, there coats Z5, three coats of Z2 with the Z6 spray inbetween each coat. The car is so brillant it looks wet in the sun, bugs dont stick as bad as with rejex and with almost 300 miles on it since wax/wash, it still looks clean and shiny. Actually quite amazed.

I was using Meguire's NXT b/c ease of use, but today tried 1/2 the hood with NXT and 1/2 with rejex and found a definite deeper shine with the rejex. Has anyone done a similar test with rejex and zaino? and how long does it take to put so many zaino coats on?

The first coat of Zaino is the hardest to apply -- that is because they recommend that you wash the car with Liquid Dawn (to strip off other waxes) and then use a claybar to get the surface really clean before applying the Z2 (or Z5 if you have paint swirls). The first coat of Z2 or Z5 is also a little harder to buff off. Subsequent coats are much easier to take off. Plus with their new "accelerator" the cure time is reduced too. Now I just apply Z2 (after I wash and dry the car first of course), wait about an hour to cure, then buff off. The whole process takes about an hour and a half. I use 100% cotton big bath towels which helps. (Note: Rejex needs 12 hours or so to cure? Sorry, but that's a lot of down time.)

Two things, i had 4 coats of rejex on, and they wore off real quick. One wash and the slick sensation on the paint was almost gone. Also had no sucess with the bugs washing off. They took just as much work to remove as before, i wont use it agian. Second, the Zaino was a breeze to put on. Lke said before this post, the first coat of z5 is the toughest (which isnt). By the time you hit three coats, it goes on in 10-20 minutes at most. Comes right off with the towels. Easy is an understatement. I did my coats over a couple of nights, using the flash accelerator.

uh oh.. I made a boo boo.. Just got the zaino in.. Mixed the zfx accelerator with the z2 and started to wax in a back and forth motion.. I waited 30 - 45mins to dry (which I thought it did) and began to wax off.. After that I sprayed on the z6 polish and wiped off.. Question is, what happens if the z2 hadn't fully dried yet before spraying on the z6? SHould I do as the instruction states and re-wash the car (PITA) or just reapply another coat of z2 and let it sit for 2 hours? C4bliss, you are absolutely right, the zaino is a breeze to put on and take off. Unless i'm doing it wrong.. Would it be ok if I waxed on and off in a circular motion? It applies so easily, not sure if it's really doing anything.. guess i'll just have to wait and see..

The application of Z6 will not effect the ability to reapply the Z2 again. The products are completely compatible, there is no reason to wash again.

great thanks!! just out of curiosity, what would happen if you dont thoroughly remove the first coat of z2 prior to applying the second coat and or, what if you applied the first coat, let it dry for an hour then applied another coat without waxing off? Would that do anything?

Hello, I was just roaming the board and noticed this thread. I figured I would slip in a few pictures of some P-cars I have recently detailed. This C4S is a hurricane Katirna victim...it was vandalized from what I was told, rear window broken and then milk thrown in it. It had a real rancid sour milk smell to the carpets as I steamed them This Porsche has alot fo miles on it and is driven hard. Interior is banged up, with lots of abrasions and scuff marks on the seats and panels. Milk was also inside the vents. Exterior paint needed to be clayed, 2 step polishing process and then sealed. Wheels were really nasty, had to clean them twice and they still didn't look the way I wanted them to. Conv. top had lost its water repellency so I cleaned and re-treated that and the detailed the engine area. Lots of wax imbedded in the nooks and crannies also. Here are a few BEFORE and AFTER pics. This is how the whole car looked. A few AFTERs. A GT3. This is a badly swirled hood from a Black Olive Cayenne. Same hood after some polishing. This color is simple beautiful but a pain to keep that way! Thanks for allowing me to share Anthony

Anthony, you are a machine. Out of curiousity, what do you charge to fully detail a car?

Hey....well thank you very much for the compliment My detailing usually starts around $300.00 although I also do work for under that amount. If a car is in need of an extreme makeover and it's going to take me a full day plus my fee will be around $500.00. This may include some paint chip work and also ding removal. If it's a new car and they just want a wash and wax type of service (no int. cleaning only a vacuum-no ext. polishing) I do that also for around $85.00. My regular washes for my weekly clients (hand wash, vacuum, wheels, wheel wells, tires, windows) goes for $45-$55 depending on the vehicle size. Detailing is very labor intensive, after 18 years of doing it my knees ache, back gets sore and my wrists hurt like a bugger after a full day of buffing....but I love every minute of it Take care, Anthony

Pity your not in the tri-state area. Fair prices for a great job. Good on you.

Update on mine... I did the Zaino after Meguiar's glaze and finished with a coat of mother's carnauba. Contrary to advice I was given ... anyway, it has lasted since July 4th weekend with no sign of reduced beading of water. When spring comes I'll probably strip and re-do just for fun.

Great to see the conversations still rolling. Gary C2 04 CAB