Looking for assistance for options to replace Zaino's

Stark99

Stark99

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For the last several years I have been using the full suite of Zaino’s on our cars and would like to try a different set of products. I am looking to get some opinions on what I should use. I will also be purchasing a DA that is reasonable in price for a hobbyist (leaning towards the Griots Garage 6 Inch Random Orbital Polisher) to do the polishing and waxing. I will do more research on what DA to purchase and how to use it in the near future.

To keep it “simple” this post is to seek assistance on what products I should use on the following cars:

2011 Metallic Meteor Grey (medium grey) Porsche – few ‘spider-webs’

2014 Non Metallic Black Audi – few ‘spider-webs’ and some water spots

2012 Non Metallic Black Lexus – pretty well covered by spider-webs and few scratches from car washes

I would like to use something that provides a good base and coverage for all vehicles; I would like to try layering on a wax ‘topper’ for the Porsche and the Audi to get a better and deeper shine.

The durability of the products are important as I do like prepping the cars but like driving and tracking more. I am open to all reasonable priced products, right now I am thinking about a polish, a sealant, and a carnauba or hybrid wax - but open to all options.

Note - I am sure that the +$100 ‘estate’ waxes are great but I am not looking to spend that much money on the products as I am a firm believer of the law of “diminishing returns” – e.g. a $150 wax doesn’t look 3x better than a $50 wax. Please do not take this wrong, I am not saying a +$100 or more wax is not worth it, it is just that it is not worth it to me.

Thanks in advance for any and all recommendations.
 
Pinnacle Black Label products are great, but pricey, but a little goes a long way. Try Pinnacle Sovereign Wax and you will judge all other waxes by this one, and you can layer it, though two layers should knock your eyes out, that is if your prep work is done correctly and that is a big IF. Read the many comments on this forum and good luck.
 
The Griots DA is a solid performer.
Wolfgang Uber or Menzerna FG400 (use light-med Polish pads)
Pinnacle black label Paint Coating or Garry Dean Infinite Diamond Shield (either is 2yr protection)
Garry Dean Infinite Use a Detail Juice for Rinseless washing & Quick Detailing
 
The GG 6" DA is a great choice. I like the PC7424XP too, however, the GG6 appears to be more powerful and shares the same Backing Plates and Pads as the PC. Additionally, the GG 6 has a lifetime warranty.

As for Compound: Menzerna FG400 or Wolfgang Uber Compound.

Polishes: Menzerna SF4000 or Wolfgang Polish.

Megs 105/205 is a great combo too.

As for wax at a reasonable price: PS21 100% Carnauba Wax at $60 is a great price. I recently used it and it is INCREDIBLE. IMO about the same depth, gloss and wet look as Pinnacle Souveran (another great product). Souveran is more pricey and probably not as durable as PS21. This is based on where you do not want to spend too much $$.

Duragloss Rinseless Wash or Pinnacle Rinseless Wash.

Collinite Waxes (any of them) are great too and they are very inexpensive.

I hope this gives you some ideas!
 
Could you give us a little insight into your Zaino regimen so we can get an idea of what you have been doing up to now?
 
I used to be a Zaino person too. IMO Zaino has some pretty good product. However, AGO or PBMG itself has changed my way of getting product. There are a PLETHORA of products to choose from that are BETTER than any of Zaino's line.

That IMO and many may disagree. I think by looking at the reviews of the products as well as the threads on AGO site will give you a better grasp on what to choose. Either way, you can't go wrong the majority of the time.
 
I myself thought much of Zaino's stuff was pretty good, albeit maybe a little pricey. Z2 is a good product, and about the only thing I can say I didn't like about it, was dependent upon weather conditions, I found it then more difficult to dry-haze, and to remove.

If you still like something like Zaino, as you liked the look, the type of product, etc, then maybe a product like Duragloss #111 pure sealant might just be right up your sidewalk! Very similar, less money, and available through most CARQUEST Auto Stores.

For polishes, tough to beat products like the Wolfgang Trio, like Uber Compound, Total Swirl Remover, and Finishing Glaze, they are all superb, and can easily restore that perfect show look to paint. No, not cheap products, but sometimes you do get what you pay for, and these will all produce world class results. If only narrowing it down to choosing two, then, I would say Uber Compound and Finishing Glaze. Uber on its own does finish down beautifully, and with just this one product can then go to Last Step Products (LSP) For the very last ounce of ultra high wet look gloss, the WG Finishing Glaze (which is actually an ultra fine polish, and not a Glaze) will get you there.

Waxes, Sealants, lke Wolfgang DGPS 3.0 is excellent, in fact I'd say superb, and so are products like Collinite #845 Insulator Wax, and Collinite #915 Marque de Elegance. Very high quality products they make, and also too, quite reasonable for what you get, how well they work and last, and how little you use per vehicle.

I don't think you could go wrong with the Griots DA, many like this unit, and like the idea of a lifetime warrantee. Pair it with a 5" LC Backing Plate, a good assortment of 4-5 LC 5.5" Flat Pads in each color, and you'll have the basis of mind blowing results.
 
Get your DA first and nail down your polishing steps. Having two black cars will take some time to find out what combinations will work for you. Sealants/waxes is the last step (LSP) and will only add a little to the final gloss. Because you have not polished your paint, you are now looking for something better than Zaino. You won't find it unless you polish (machine buff) first. If you did that, Zaino will look terrific.
 
MarkD51 said:
If you still like something like Zaino, as you liked the look, the type of product, etc, then maybe a product like Duragloss #111 pure sealant might just be right up your sidewalk! Very similar, less money, and available through most CARQUEST Auto Stores.
Click to expand...

Excellent recommendation. #111 is a favorite of mine.
 
Rsurfer said:
Get your DA first and nail down your polishing steps. Having two black cars will take some time to find out what combinations will work for you. Sealants/waxes is the last step (LSP) and will only add a little to the final gloss. Because you have not polished your paint, you are now looking for something better than Zaino. You won't find it unless you polish (machine buff) first. If you did that, Zaino will look terrific.
Click to expand...

I agree, it will be hard to find something better than Zaino, DG 111 with 601 maybe is as close as you may get. The main reason people wander from Zaino is financial but finding the looks and longevity does not come easy.

Dave
 
:iagree:
Ebg18t said:
The Griots DA is a solid performer.
Wolfgang Uber or Menzerna FG400 (use light-med Polish pads)
Pinnacle black label Paint Coating or Garry Dean Infinite Diamond Shield (either is 2yr protection)
Garry Dean Infinite Use a Detail Juice for Rinseless washing & Quick Detailing
Click to expand...
 
Duragloss is the answer📣

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
 
I'm another Duragloss 111 fan. It gets topped with Zymol Carbon or Creame waxes on the "special" cars.

I love Meguiars and Menzerna compounds an polishes. I haven't used the Menzerna enough to really experience it's full potential. As of right now though, I'm VERY impressed
 
Factoring out their price-points...
If you're really wanting to "replace" the Zaino products you currently use; then, Duragloss' products are not the solution: Since their characteristics are said to be so similar---that would defeat the purpose of replacement, IMO.


You state you want a Polish, a Sealant, and (possibly) a
"layering-Wax". Here's my suggestions:
-Meguiar's M205
-Meguiar's M21 2.0
-Another application of M21 2.0 [just to ensure total coverage...no need to layer a Wax...(again: IMO)].


Bob
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Could you give us a little insight into your Zaino regimen so we can get an idea of what you have been doing up to now?
Click to expand...


My routine is to use Dawn to strip the old product, clay the car, wash it again, then use Z5, then Z2 (both with zfx) and top with Z-CS. The finish is good but it is now clear to me I need to use a DA and a polish to get the prep work right.

For the prep work I am leaning to the Wolfgang products, but there are a few and I am not sure of the difference between Uber, Uber all-in-one, total swirl remover, paintwork polish enhancer and finishing glaze. Is there a natural pairing or sequence to these?

I found a long and good link on waxes and I am leaning towards Collinite 915.

Thanks for all the recommendations and info, very much appreciated!
 
OK, so your Zaino regimen hasn't included any polishes (yes, I know they call them polishes, but they aren't), not even ZAIO.

So, what you're looking to do is polish the paint to remove some of the "spider webbing" and clean the paint of any embedded dirt that the clay hasn't removed. In the old days there were, simplistically speaking, a coarse polish (usually referred to as compound), a medium polish, and a fine polish.

Based on the severity of your defects, you would start with the finest ("least aggressive first") polish that would remove your defects, then progress upward to the finest polish, if you didn't start with that one.

Today, with improved abrasives, you generally only have two steps, since the compounds of today finish like the medium or fine polishes of yesterday. To specifically address your Wolfgang question, the Uber Compound would be your "compound", to remove serious defects, then follow that with the Finishing Glaze.

If you only have moderate defects, you could use just the Finishing Glaze , or precede that with Total Swirl Remover.

If you just have minor defects, the Finishing Glaze could be used, or if the defects are really minor or you are mostly trying to clean the paint, the Uber All In One or Paintwork Polish Enhancer would be indicated.

Yes, there is a lot of overlap with these products, so it kind of comes down to personal preference as to how you want to approach it.

Zaino makes a good system, it's just a little retro in that they make no provision for correcting your paint (other than Z-PC which is a very nice light polish). This is perhaps a throwback to the days when most people worked by hand and it wasn't really practical to do any correction on clearcoat by hand.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Zaino makes a good system, it's just a little retro in that they make no provision for correcting your paint (other than Z-PC which is a very nice light polish). This is perhaps a throwback to the days when most people worked by hand and it wasn't really practical to do any correction on clearcoat by hand.
Click to expand...

I hope Sal reads this post. When was the last time Zaino came out with a new or improved product?
 
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