FBodfather...How does the show team get black to look this good!?!

[franknbeans]

Yeah, don't clay bar your vinyl.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Does Zaino's process hurt the clearcoat? I don't doubt the result -- but I mean, how often can you do this until you're down to the raw paint? The whole clay-bar things makes me a little nervous...

[kanys]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Does Zaino's process hurt the clearcoat? I don't doubt the result -- but I mean, how often can you do this until you're down to the raw paint? The whole clay-bar things makes me a little nervous...

Yeah I am strongly considering buying a bunch of Zaino stuff and doing what you all have done with the layers of polish and such, but is there any risk for permanent damage due to washer error? I love washing my family's cars but I just use regular car was soap and a microfiber cloth, and that is it. It seems I need a 100% cotton one to use with Zaino?

[Thwick]

Clay-barring makes a huge difference. you can feel every little piece of grit come off the surface, and makes the paint look like glass. I did my cobalt(black) last spring, and the results were amazing. I have a few pics, but my camera isnt that great so they dont do it justice.

And dont be nervous about claying, i had never done it before last spring, and its easy enough for anyone to do. But like stated, its time consuming. i did a full detail, inside and out, and it took about 9 hours.... and i could have done a better job on the interior.

The only thing i have to add to the step by step is that if you drop a piece of clay, throw it out immediately.

[kanys]

Originally Posted by Thwick

And dont be nervous about claying, i had never done it before last spring, and its easy enough for anyone to do. But like stated, its time consuming. i did a full detail, inside and out, and it took about 9 hours.... and i could have done a better job on the interior.

The only thing i have to add to the step by step is that if you drop a piece of clay, throw it out immediately.

Cool, thanks for the info. I just go by if you drop anything you use on the car, its trash. Ok well it seems I have exterior down, but what do you guys reccommend for interior? (I am getting the leather/vinyl)

[68vert]

Originally Posted by Eich

That will make the finish you have look like new. But it won't give you the perfect finish.

The only way to get close to a "perfect" finish is to "color" sand and polish out all the orange peel and other imperfections. I put color in quotes becuase you're only sanding the clear coat on modern finishes.

Sanding and buffing the clear normally requires more coats of clear than what the factory puts on. Otherwise, you risk going through the clear. And sometimes by the time the car is delivered to you, the clear has hardened so much that it's difficult to sand and polish. Some clear coats have a limited window of time where it's best to do the sanding and polishing.

Spot on Eich.
I will only add, that a superior reflection is achieved through flatness. In this case, we are dealing with the flatness of the clear. Hence the color or wet sanding with long strokes using various grits while the clear is in the hardning process. If you stand over a vehicle and look at the reflection of objects or lights, and these things are still slightly wavy, the clear wasn't sanded as flat as it could have been. But, no factory paint will achieve this, unless it high dollar. The maker cant afford the time involved.

[Xanthos]

I understand why you all love the Zaino stuff - and if I had anywhere near the time...

But I usually only have about an hour to wash the car, maybe once a week. I use armorall ultra-shine wash and wax and just wash it with the stuff. Gives it a decent shine considering it takes about 30 minutes to do the entire outside, and then about 30 minutes to vacuum/shine up the interior.

For the time crunched, I feel this gives a really nice result compared to the time put in.
- Xanthos

[mcernik]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Does Zaino's process hurt the clearcoat? I don't doubt the result -- but I mean, how often can you do this until you're down to the raw paint? The whole clay-bar things makes me a little nervous...

Originally Posted by kanys

Yeah I am strongly considering buying a bunch of Zaino stuff and doing what you all have done with the layers of polish and such, but is there any risk for permanent damage due to washer error? I love washing my family's cars but I just use regular car was soap and a microfiber cloth, and that is it. It seems I need a 100% cotton one to use with Zaino?

Zaino does not hurt the clearcoat, it doesn't remove clearcoat like a polishing or rubbing compound. The idea of taking care of the paint not wrecking it. Do you need to clay the car? No! Does it make a difference, heck yes. The claybar kind of "pulls" contaminents from the paint removing it before you seal it in with a protectant. It makes your starting surface crazy smooth. You can clay a car before putting TurtleWax on if you want it's not a Zaino specific thing.

Do you NEED 100% cotton towels to use Zaino? No! These are all just suggestions to keep your paint in the best possible condition. Supposedly some towels with polyester can scratch the clear coat. If you don't use cotton towels with Zaino will you get the "glow" that others post about? Absolutely!

Its just a matter of how anal you want to be.

[SAE05]

This being a basecoat clearcoat, the color goes on very flat. Controlling the mil thickness of clear is key. In this case the clear could have gone on heavy which based on process parameters is very marginal.

Any of you familiar with the 04-06 GTO clearcoat thickness, that was one of the thinnest I have seen in a while. Chip ahoy.

It is quite easy to wet sand that clear with 1200-1500 grit paper then polish it out. I have done it many times. In this case you would not color sand unless it was an acrylic or a single stage finish prior to clear.

I have see some great factory paint and this being the car that it is, perhaps those manufacturing process engineers spent extra time dialing it in.

[themossman]

Originally Posted by JameSS

Very easy to obtain, just takes time and LOTS and LOTS of coats of ZAINO!!!

You will obtain that mirror finish you are looking for. This is without a doubt the best stuff I have used.

Here is the link: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

another vote for zaino...

zaino is as good and safe as it gets and EXCELLENT support. Sal Zaino called me direct when I sent an email with an 'issue'....can't beat that for service!

My M3 after several coats of zaino....



and a shot at dusk to show 'depth'...when I see these pics...it's got me consider switching my 'silver' order to cyber grey....

[JMAN311]

^^^ Nice looking ride themossman Based on your current ride I agree that you should switch to the cyber gray.

[TomServo]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Does Zaino's process hurt the clearcoat? I don't doubt the result -- but I mean, how often can you do this until you're down to the raw paint? The whole clay-bar things makes me a little nervous...

NO, Zaino is a POLISH, not an abrasive product. I have used nothing but Zaino since 1995.

Go visit their web site for more info. I had a quetion some years ago and posted it on the Corvette Forum. Out of the bule I get an e-mail from Sal Zaino himself. Talk about a car guy, none finer as are their products.

[Moose]

There are many opinions as well as a good number of products available for maintaining the appearance.

Personally, I prefer Zaino. Here are a few cars I've detailed using Zaino:

[matt55]

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