Interior Exterior
Q:
I'm glad vantage chimed in about the zfx accelerant. I couldn't figure out where the guy in the article got his 6 hours between coats thing. As vantage says with the zfx (I use the #2 show car polish), you let it dry 30 minutes, buff it out and can immediatly apply another coat.. Up to 3 coats but they suggest cure time after that.
And I easily get six months before another application is needed.
Chris
A:
I recently used Zaino on my car for the first time. In the past, I had used either Meguiar's Gold Class or their NXT (which I liked better). A guy at work has a red C5 Vette that is always super-shiny and I once I found out it was Zaino, I ordered some. Yes, the prep time is a slight pain but I wanted to see what it was truly capable of so I did as recommended. I found the Zaino MUCH easier to apply and remove than NXT. With the ZFX curing accelerator, the Z-2 polish was dry in 20 minutes. I finished with the Z-6 gloss enhancer/anti-static spray. Car looked better than it ever has either in sunlight or under the garage lights. It became a wet-looking red mirror and this was only one coat of polish which took less than 1 ounce. Anyway, I'm a Zaino believer now.
Also, used Rejex on my wheels. I didn't notice any less brake dust accumulation but it was easier to get it off. Most came off with just the hose; took a light wiping to get the rest. So, it definitely had an effect.
My 2-cents on both products...
A:
I'm kinda sold on Rejex. Easy to wipe on, easy to wipe off, no need to tape off all the plastic and rubber. Waxing is just burdensome to me, and if I'm doing it myself..
A:
Best results I've obtained are:
- clay (I use Griot's with Speed Shine)
- machine polish as/if necessary (depending on level of scratches, etc) - I use Griot's Machine Polish 1 -->2 for heavily damaged paint (just did my 9 year old black car)
- switch to Menzerna system, starting with Final Polish
- Menzerna Glaze (pure/non-abraisive Polish)
- Menzerna FMJ (wipe on, wipe off) - at least 2 coats
I maintain with Menzerna FMJ afterwards (usually after every other wash)
Pics of said polished 9 year old, 105K+ mile car.
A:
Is anyone a fan of Zymöl?
A:
Solar,
I was a huge fan of the expensive mail order zymol, never liked the store line. BUT, I learned when I had an m100 daily driver the wax just didn't hold up and found myself waxing every coule months, just too much.
Chris
A:
Is anyone a fan of Zymöl?
not bad stuff, but I would be careful with long time use on the starshield. I have found that Zymol, turtle wax, simoniz, and some other of the older brands give that yellow tint to the 3M clear bra which is similar to the starshield due to the carnuba percentage they contain.
A:
What do you mean by long time use? Leaving it on too long before buffing it off or using carnuba products on the Starshield exclusively instead of acrylics?
A:
i mean years of layering
A:
I liked the way the Zymol pre-cleaner makes the garage smell like chocolate. (as pointed out by my daughter) But the wax didn't hold up, and I switched to Griot's machine polishes before using various other waxes.
A:
Just to add fuel to the fire, we are launching Prima Epic next week. It has a glossy wet look which I personally find stunning. As for durability, I could talk all day long about personal and independent test results, but the bottom line is repeated independent lab testing has proven at least 25 washes before noticeable decline in product performance. That is like washing your car once a week for six months.
Although I don't endorse this application method, I have applied it in the direct sun without any depreciation in performance or ease-of-use.
A:
Nick,
Do you have spec sheet with applications instructions on this stuff yet? I assume it's a sealant?
I'd probably give it a try.
Chris
A:
Nick - I can wait to try it !
I'll add even more fuel to the fire.. I'm going to be testing Optimum's New Sealant as well. Look out current crop, there's gonna be a few new kids on the block it appears :-)
A:
Yes, it is a sealant. Here is the text from the back label. What is doesn't say is that when the product fully cures in 24-48 hours, it gets much harder and slicker.
PRIMA EPIC
Prima Epic is a long-lasting synthetic wax with a brilliant wet-look shine. The combination of resins and polymers creates a barrier which protects against UV and environmental damage. The super-slick finish is extremely dust resistant. Epic is easy on, easy off. Layer for extra slickness and protection. Avoid plastic and rubber trim.
Directions:
SHAKE WELL. Seriously, SHAKE WELL. Use only on clean, cool paint and out of direct sunlight. With a clean applicator or soft pad, apply a very thin coat over the entire painted surface. Wait at least 30 minutes and remove with a high-quality microfiber cloth. For increased wetness and durability, additional coats can be applied after 24 hours. Avoid plastic and rubber trim.
A:
The plastic and rubber trim notation. Any problem using on starshield Nick
Chris
A:
Nick - I see that you also carry UPP. I really liked the ease on , ease off removal of it and really liked the slickness, but the slickness NEVER lasted for more than a week. How does your EPIC stack up against the likes of UPP, Zaino, NXT, Wolfgang etc. ? As well will it come as a spray bottle like optimum car wax ? or in another form ? Can i get a sample ? :-)
A:
The plastic and rubber trim notation. Any problem using on starshield Nick
Chris
No problem at all on the SS. It actually isn't bad on the plastic and rubber trim either. It is more of a CYA thing.
tumbler, you should be impressed by the slickness. That was one of my goals with the product.
As for a spray version, we are actually bringing out a spray wax which we are marketing as a wax-as-you-dry product. It is based on the same polymer structure as Epic. It is a pretty impressive spray wax/QD, so we were torn as how to sell it. I'm not convinced on the market staying power of spray sealants. I think people like putting something on their paint, letting it dry, then taking it off. We also felt the wax-n-dry market was underserved. The product is called " Prima Hydro" and it pretty-much crushes anything currently on the market.
A:
What is the price point going to be on the Prima line? Will it be competitive with others? I.e. in the consumer range or a step up in the "prosumer" range? You've definitely piqued my curiosity. Let us know when its on the site so we can buy it up
I've put NXT Tech Wax on my Exige. It is pretty glossy but its not quite as nice on the Yellow as I would like. It seems to work better on darker cars. How will the Prima Epic compare, will I notice a significant improvement over NXT on my bright colored car?
A:
I used Klasse All-in-One over my entire Elise, including the star-shield. Then I applied Klasse sealant onto the car. I find it hard to believe there is a better product. Just my .02.
A:
Price will be comperable to other premium brands. Four Star is a good example. Their UPP is $22.95 which is the same price as Prima Epic. The Prima polishes are a few dollars less.
I've used Epic on a yellow Ferrari 355 and the look was bright and wet. I haven't tried it on Solar Yellow, but I expect it will be similar. I have a pic if that will help.