About 2 months ago i put a coat of carnuba wax on my 4runner. After washes, the car always looked shiny, but the paint never had that glossy, new-car, mirror type look. After hearing such rave reviews on Yotatech, I just put in an order with Zaino for their polish bundle. The website says to wash the car with dish soap (which is definitely not recommended on a regular basis), as it will remove any wax before the application of the Zaino polish. I've done this twice so far, but I still see some beading on the hood during a wash or after it rains. I assume this means the wax is still there. Can I start claying and applying the polish, or do I need to do something else to get rid of the wax?

 

Once is enough.

The best clay I have found is not the Zaino, it is the Griots Garage clay that Corey recommends. I use it in the Corey Cable buffer with the clay holder pad. You will not believe the result.

I have seen a car that was done with the Zaino clay and it sucks compared to the Griots Clay in the buffer.

Now, the Zaino polish is the best, easiest stuff I have ever used on anything. You will not ever use anything else once you try it.

Gadget

www.GadgetOnline.com

 

If I clay now, aren't all the contaminants (that are supposed to be lifted off by the bar) trapped underneath the wax?

 

The clay will take it all off. The water-beading you are seeing is most likely due to a really clean surface...you don't always need wax for the water to bead on your paint.

 

Waxes don't actually "trap" any contaminants like paint does. You can have multiple layers of wax on your vehicle and the clay will still pluck the contaminants off the surface.

 

I'm just confused as to how I can get the contaminants out of the paint if there is a layer of wax in between the paint and the clay bar?

 

The Griot's clay bar is your friend
Believe me, it will take off all the surface junk, even with wax on your rig.
Been there done that...

The best way to really clay as Gadget said is to use the Porter Cable attachment made by Griot's Garage to hold the clay bar.

For more info on this, please click on the detail site in my sig.
It wil explain how to use the stuff.

 

why? is dish soap bad?

 

Dish soap is a wax stipper.
Many of us use Dawn to strip off our old wax when we do the wash right before waxing time.

Never use this stuff when you do your normal rig washing ritual.
I use Meguiar's pink carwash gel right now, and have been using it for the past 10 years or so.

For rinsing off your rig, I highly recommend one of these.

 

I've heard this other places, but this is a quote straight from Sal Zaino website:

"I would definitely recommend you remove the wax buildup on your paint. Just use Liquid Dawn (hand dishwashing liquid) as a car wash. It has a high alkaline content which cuts right thru carnauba wax, paraffin, silicone oils, etc. This will get your paint finish squeeky clean and wax free.

I don't advise making a habit of washing your car with Dawn. But for this scenario it's fine. High alkaline products like Dawn are tough on polishes. It will never harm the paint finish though. A car wash is made specifically to clean without removing durable polishes."

 

That's even a Runner in the pic!!

 

THANKS. I'll always try to use that type of rinse, too!!

 

WOW! This Zaino stuff really works. I just got a digital camera over the weekend. I'll post some pics soon. 3 coats of Z5 and 2 coats of Z2 (with Z6 gloss enhancement spray in between each, of course) later, you can see every single metallic fleck in the anthracite paint. The chrome logos shimmer as well. I really hope that this look doesn't go away after a couple of washes. I noticed the beading of the water on the Zaino covered hood is quite different from that of the conventional carnuba wax I had on there before. There are many, many more beads that are much tinier. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

Ok, now the clincher question...

Where do you get the Zaino, Groit's Garage Clay, The Porter Cable Attachment for the Clay Bar, and of Course the best deal on the Porter Cable Buffer?

My white 99 is dull and refuses to "really" shine even with Meguire's.

 

For links on how to order the Griot's stuff, please see my detail page in my post above from my sig file.
The clay, Speed Shine lube, and clay bar attachment are all there for ya.

 

Corey, are you sure you are not confusing a rinser and a stripper

 

I have always said that once you go Zaino you will never go back!

www.zainobros.com

Gadget

www.GadgetOnline.com

 

She's even using the "sheeting" metholidgy to rinse off the rig

 

Corey, you do realize that you are a very sick man don't you?

 

Bamachem, if you are going down the Zaino route, don't bother with the Porter Cable polisher, you will waste more Zaino than you'll use. You can purchase Zaino here http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc it take roughly an ounce of Zaino for every layer, you put this stuff on REAL thin! The Zaino clay works well, make sure you have a REAL good layer of lubricant or you will scratch your paint. Follow the direction on Zaino's site for the official process. Also, the cotton towels work best with Zaino, god knows why, but I tried everything else in my arsenal and the 100% cotton towel folded over a few times is the trick!