Zaino Problem: Help Guys
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From: Nashville, TN
Zaino Problem: Help Guys Well today I decided to clean up the daily driver. The Trans Am is looking good, but the Neon hasn't been washed for about six months. I clean the car, clay it, clean it again, dry it, and then throw some Z5 on there. I came inside to let it haze over so I could buff it off, and as I sit surfing the net, I heard thunder. 
As I go running outside, of course it's raining (
Mother Nature). So I didn't even get a chance to get the Z5 off the car and now it's covered in rain. What do I do know? Never ran into this problem. The paint isn't in the best shape so I'm not worried about dirt possibly scratching it, but my idea was just to drive it with the polish on until it stopped raining and the car was dry again, then just buff is off as usual, and not even worry about any road grime that may be on top of the Z5, then go over it with some spray detailer. Would that work or if not, what should I do?
As I go running outside, of course it's raining ( Mother Nature). So I didn't even get a chance to get the Z5 off the car and now it's covered in rain. What do I do know? Never ran into this problem. The paint isn't in the best shape so I'm not worried about dirt possibly scratching it, but my idea was just to drive it with the polish on until it stopped raining and the car was dry again, then just buff is off as usual, and not even worry about any road grime that may be on top of the Z5, then go over it with some spray detailer. Would that work or if not, what should I do? I'd rewash the car with dish soap after the weather clears, and start over. The road grime will destroy the paint if you try to just buff off the zaino without first washing. it rained on me once while waiting for the polish to dry on my pickup. I just started the process over, came out looking as good as if it never happened. The key is to start on fresh clean paint.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
Don't worry about it - let it dry and then remove it. I've had this happen a few times before and just pulled the car in the garage and let the water dry on the polish and then removed it. Humidity is a killer for Zaino so it may take a while to dry. When I used to attend car shows out of state I would coat the front of my car with zaino and drive it to the show then remove it - worked real well at keeping the bugs off the paint - they just came right off with the polish then a quick Z6 spray and it's perfect! Oh, and my Firehawk is black too - don't worry just let it dry in the garage and remove it as usual - run your finger across the surface and if the polish smears it's not dry enough but if it comes right off go ahead and remove the rest. Hope this helps!
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
Originally Posted by JL ws-6
I'd rewash the car with dish soap after the weather clears, and start over. The road grime will destroy the paint if you try to just buff off the zaino without first washing. it rained on me once while waiting for the polish to dry on my pickup. I just started the process over, came out looking as good as if it never happened. The key is to start on fresh clean paint.
Just curious why you say dish soap? Dish soap doesn't remove Zaino. Zaino is alkaline resistant. His best bet is to just pull the car in a garage or just leave it sit until it stops raining if he doesn't have a garage then remove the zaino once it's dry - you'd be surprised how quickly the car with polish on will dry even with zaino on it in the rain - just my .02 - cheers!
You know, the whole dawn thing that they tell you about that came in the box. Start with the dawn, then the zaino wash, then z5, then z2, then z5 again, etc. etc. Not sure if ti comes with all products, but it was a little letter in mine when I got the kit with everything in it.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
Originally Posted by JL ws-6
You know, the whole dawn thing that they tell you about that came in the box. Start with the dawn, then the zaino wash, then z5, then z2, then z5 again, etc. etc. Not sure if ti comes with all products, but it was a little letter in mine when I got the kit with everything in it.
I know that - I'm a distributor and have been for years. The reason I was asking is because the post says that he already has Zaino on the car so why would you wash it with dish soap if Zaino is already on the car and he got stuck in the rain with the polish on it. Dish soap is only to be used before the zaino process, but it's apparent to me that he already has zaino on the car. So, that being said, why did you say to use dish soap? I'm not trying to cause any problems I am just curious of your logic that's all.
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maybe I misread the post above, but I do believe that he was going to drive the car before buffing the zaino off. The zaino on the car would then be contaminated in my eyes, therefore it would probably not be a good idea to buff polish that has dirt on it. I guess my thinking is that if a car has zaino on it, you don't buff it off and it gets dirty for whatever reason, you probably want to remove that, and start over. If the car just got wet, I guess you could let it dry and buff off, but if it has been driven, probably not a good idea. You follow where I'm coming from?
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Verdad Gallardo Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
I have driven my car to car shows with Zaino on the front fascia and when I got there removed the zaino w/o any problems and my car is black. I did that at the Pontiac Natl's last year. Of course that wasn't driving in the rain but I have done that on many occassions in the dry weather. The dirst, bugs etc. were on the polish on the front of the car and came right off when I removed the polish w/o any impact to the finish of the car. If he was going to drive in the rain then yes I would recommend washing with Z7 as stated already, but he said that was his idea was to drive it and I was saying to leave it sit.
I too have put wax on a car while travelling to a car show, I've never tried that with zaino, but apparently it works with zaino as well. I also usually put a heavy coat on my car before putting the cover on for the winter ( sits in a carport ) and then dawn wash it off in the spring. It usually ends up dirty from dust blowing under the cover, etc. etc. so I never tried just buffing, but apparently it can be done.I wouldn't think that you could just wash, then buff what was originally applied at a later time like that, guess I learned something today.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
Originally Posted by JL ws-6
I too have put wax on a car while travelling to a car show, I've never tried that with zaino, but apparently it works with zaino as well. I also usually put a heavy coat on my car before putting the cover on for the winter ( sits in a carport ) and then dawn wash it off in the spring. It usually ends up dirty from dust blowing under the cover, etc. etc. so I never tried just buffing, but apparently it can be done.I wouldn't think that you could just wash, then buff what was originally applied at a later time like that, guess I learned something today.
Just remember that washing with Dawn when you have zaino on the car doesn't do anything for you. Zaino is alkaline resistant so your aren't helping your car by doing that. When I put the polish on the car driving to the car show it wasn't a lot - just a real thin coat and it did the job!
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I have to drive the car. Its my daily driver Neon that gets me to and from work and I'm not taking the Trans Am out in the rain just so the Neon will look a little better. The paint isn't exactly in good shape, mediocre at best. I was just bored and decided to try to make it look a little better, nothing show car quality just give the paint a little protection and help it shine a little bit. Swirl marks are the least of my worries when the car is scratched up to hell and back.
The forecast calls for rain off and on the next seven days so the only time I'll be able to do anything to it will be when it clears up for a little while. Probably just wash the car to get the polish and the dirt in the polish off, dry it off, and hit it with detailer spray.
This would effectively provide me with the shine and protection from the coat of Z5 I put on the car but get all the polish off that I didn't get a chance to buff off, correct?
The forecast calls for rain off and on the next seven days so the only time I'll be able to do anything to it will be when it clears up for a little while. Probably just wash the car to get the polish and the dirt in the polish off, dry it off, and hit it with detailer spray.
This would effectively provide me with the shine and protection from the coat of Z5 I put on the car but get all the polish off that I didn't get a chance to buff off, correct?
Bruce, what is it that Zaino reccommends to take off all old polish/wax for a fresh start? Is this not a good idea to do once a year? I do clay bar my entire car about twice a year, that I know takes it off, but isn't there something that you can wash it with to remove the old stuff to start clean?
Bruce can probaly answer this with some sort of offical statement but I was always under the impression that Sal Zaino suggested Dawn (whether or not we agree).
I have always washed the car and if it wasn't polished I used a paint cleaner Klasse All In One. I don't have much faith in soaps when it comes to stripping a sealent like Zaino, I prefer to use a paint cleaner or polish.
I have always washed the car and if it wasn't polished I used a paint cleaner Klasse All In One. I don't have much faith in soaps when it comes to stripping a sealent like Zaino, I prefer to use a paint cleaner or polish.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
Originally Posted by Joe DIESO
Bruce can probaly answer this with some sort of offical statement but I was always under the impression that Sal Zaino suggested Dawn (whether or not we agree).
I have always washed the car and if it wasn't polished I used a paint cleaner Klasse All In One. I don't have much faith in soaps when it comes to stripping a sealent like Zaino, I prefer to use a paint cleaner or polish.
I have always washed the car and if it wasn't polished I used a paint cleaner Klasse All In One. I don't have much faith in soaps when it comes to stripping a sealent like Zaino, I prefer to use a paint cleaner or polish.
No official statement needed and if you have Zaino on the car and want to start fresh, use rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. Rubbing alcohol removes Zaino. Sal has never recommended Dawn to remove Zaino - he will tell you himself that Zaino is alkaline resistent and I encourage anyone to ask him yourself he'll be glad to answer any question you have. I have also found that 3M swirl remover works very well at removing Zaino and deep swirls that Zaino just can't take care of. I've seen both work well at removing Zaino if that is what you are trying to accomplish. Good luck!
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Edgewood, MD
Originally Posted by JL ws-6
I guess the dawn thing works for regular wax, not zaino. I guess that means that there's probably zaino on my car from 2001 still..........
If you are referring to the little bottle of stuff & the mixing bottles, no, I've never used it. I just steal mom's garage a couple times a summer for a day or 2 and do it in there. I use the wash to clean the car, then put Z2, Z5, Z2, Z5, and in between each I use the Z6. Car really looks good, other than the paint defects that are from GM. The car stays in a carport with a cover on it, so I usually don't have to wash it more than once a month or so. Then I use the Z wash, then the Z6 spray, which I need to order some more of come to think of it. I'll dust the car and Z6 it before going to cruise nights, but that's about it.