# Zaino - Mid Term Review



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Well, the Zaino system has been on my car for a good while now - easily two to three months, and I have been trialling the products as to how well they last, ease of use and how well the "system" works together. As it has now been on my car for some time now, I decided to go for a small review of its progress thus far before it sees out the rest of the summer... to be replaced by Duragloss later in the year for assessment and comparison.

*In General*

Generally speaking, the Zaino system has a lot to offer, not least the durability of the system which is right up there with the likes of Collinite waxes. This is a big plus point for Zaino, and while it looks pretty much as any other LSP on well prepped paint (as the wax test highlighted), it also has the ability on my car to keep it looking cleaner for longer than waxes which is a huge plus point... Expense of the maintenance products, especially Z7, do count against it however and Zaino really do need to address the size of bottles Z7 is sold in as well as the temperature dependant application which in this country rules it on several months of the year.

*The Good*

There is a lot of very positive points to the Zaino system, the most prevelant for me being the durability... Layer three layers of Z2 and you have durability that blasts most waxes into the weeds (with the exception of Collinite) and lines up very strongly in the sealent market also - only really Autobalm showing better performance here and this is under more rigorous testing conditions.

On my own car, the Zaino shows itself to be highly durable when washed regularly with its maintenance shampoo, the Z7. Water sheeting during rinsing is superb, very complete, although if you like tight little beads you will be disappointed with what the sealent system has to offer... However, if its slickness you are after then Z2 is very slick indeed, bettered only by Z8 which when topping Z2 boosts the already good durability and enhances the slickness... One could argue a little enhancement to the glassy look on the paint, but really it is very hard to quantify. Only one product I know of that is slicker, and that is Duragloss Track Claw.

On my dad's car, durability is a different story - not washed often and left to sit next to a beach a lot, the salt air takes its tole on the Z2 and Z8, and two months durability was about all it could muster suggesting its not an ideal winter LSP when there's a lot of salt on the roads... however, this still outperforms a great many LSPs and highlights how generally durable the Zaino system is. Its not the best, but it is very good.

Z8 is a huge plus point for Zaino as it is just so easy to use to top up your protection - spray, wipe, buff. Whole car can be done in five mintes, and it does enhance the slickness slightly and it certainly is a worthwhile product to have in your armoury.

Overall, the product range on paint is showing itself to perform very well and while it draws no more looks that other LSPs (as you would expect given its all in the prep), it makes a strong case for itself lining up not just against its peers in its own price bracket but also lining up and holding its head high with far more boutique and expensive brands such as ***** and Swissvax.

*The Bad*

It is not all good news however, and I do have some gripes with the Zaino system. The first one being the expense of the Z7 maintenance shampoo ad the fact it is only available in silly wee bottles. Come on Zaino, if nearly every other manufacturer can supply shampoo in reasonable sizes (gallons), why must Z7 be in tiny bottles? Indeed, this is a bigger down side than at first it may seem as its giving away a vital cost advantage to its main rival - Duragloss. 901/902 is much less expensive but just as effective and in the grander scheme of things Duragloss for me offers everything Zaino can but with a lower price tag. Now Zaino is strong in the market place, so this will be of little worry to it, but should not become complacent and assume itself the best sealent system out there as Duragloss is well up there with it, and has its own tricks up its sleeve.

Another issue is the finnicky nature of the main sealents: Z2 and Z5, and ZAIO to a greater extent. When the temperature falls, they just will now cure and remove easily which essentially rules them out in Scotland as anything other than summer application for ease of use, and in the winter you would be as well forgetting about it unless you have a heated garage... I suspect also the durability is not quite enough to get you through a whole autumn/winter/part of spring that it would need to between the easy application times. Zaino Euro is in development, but in my eyes, this needs to be brought to the market asap as Zaino stand to loose out as the cold weather approaches as the sealent market is starting to gain popularity... however, Duragloss is set up and ready to go with a system that works in just about any temperature, and stand to take a huge chunk of the market unless the temperature issues with Zaino can be resolved... IMHO at least.

*The Ugly*

My biggest gripe thus far with Zaino however is its lack of protection against bird bombs... the paint on my car will etch quite easily, but I find good waxes such as Collinite seem to offer decent protection against this. Alas, with Zaino I am finding much more damage from bird bombs to my paint, and the need to re-polish sections even when said bomb has only been on the paint a few hours. This suggests to me that the sealents aren't as good at protecting against this particular environmental pollutant as for example Collinite and it would be good if this was investigated to see if an improvement to the protection offered could be given in this instance as this for me has been the biggest disappointment with Zaino.

*Overall*

Well, I haven't been backwards about being forwards with my complaints here - Zaino is not faultless. However, I am confident that Zaino could take on board my comments and those of others and actually look into resolving some of them and this for me is a big plus point of the manufacturer - willingness to listen, something ***** would do well to note rather than putting themselves on a pedastel and assuming their greatness.

However, the negatives of Zaino outlined above are very much outweighed by the positives as the system is still a delight to use and have on the car and the biggest advantage is just how clean the car stays compared to wax systems. I'd happily recommend Zaino, and will happily use it in my detailing and it will likely see more service on my own car once this assessment is finished in the next couple of months...


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## Silva1 (Sep 16, 2007)

Great Review again Dave :thumb:

Nice to hear your opinion


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

Interesting durability results with your dads car, it's funny because on my own car, Zaino can easily double the durability I get out of Collinite 915, and virtually double that of two layers of Z Vintage.

I think most sealant systems are not without fault when it comes to bird bombs, I always thought that waxes did better in these situations?

Either way, I've not had a particular issue with bird bombs, I always QD off as soon as I find them and have not had any etching in the 2 years I've been using the system.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Neil_S said:


> Interesting durability results with your dads car, it's funny because on my own car, Zaino can easily double the durability I get out of Collinite 915, and virtually double that of two layers of Z Vintage.
> 
> I think most sealant systems are not without fault when it comes to bird bombs, I always thought that waxes did better in these situations?
> 
> Either way, I've not had a particular issue with bird bombs, I always QD off as soon as I find them and have not had any etching in the 2 years I've been using the system.


Hmm, the bird bombs is something which has most caught my eye as a disappointing factor... I can park my car at work in the morning, come out at lunch and find a bird bomb, remove it (using Z6 soaked in a piece of tissue to absorb the matter off, just lay it on and lift and repeat until gone and then QD the area very gently) and find that it has etched. Not had this issue with waxes, or with Autobalm which is a sealent.

Durability I am finding good, but not the levels hype suggests (quel suprise)... Very good for sure, I'd rank alongside 476S given how it has performed on the cars I've used it on - credit and praise indeed.


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## OrangePeel (Feb 19, 2007)

Thank you very much for that report Dave, as honest and as objective as we would expect.

I have had my finger hovering over the Zaino button for some weeks now, and still it hovers... I am not overly (read not at all) familiar with the Duragloss range and will investigate further to satisfy if nothing else my own curiosity. Similarly the Colonite waxes and after the results of the "Wax Test" i perhaps need to look down further avenues of investigation rather than being swayed by the latest "must have" products.

Thank you again Dave for this and all your other insightful posts and tests.

Neil


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

I should also say I have gone from September to March/April and the system is still going, that is why I haven't really been that bothered about temperature problems with the product because it worked perfectly for me and that is doing 500 miles a week.


With colly 915 I was forced to top up three months in, which didn't prove an issue in terms of application, but I really did not like having to be outside in freezing weather because the LSP had failed half way through winter.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

OrangePeel said:


> Thank you very much for that report Dave, as honest and as objective as we would expect.
> 
> I have had my finger hovering over the Zaino button for some weeks now, and still it hovers... I am not overly (read not at all) familiar with the Duragloss range and will investigate further to satisfy if nothing else my own curiosity. Similarly the Colonite waxes and after the results of the "Wax Test" i perhaps need to look down further avenues of investigation rather than being swayed by the latest "must have" products.
> 
> ...


If you're hovering over what to buy, come see the products at a detailing meet - you tend to find me at them, regardless of where they are! :lol: But as you are local to me, you'll most likely find me at the next Scotland detailing meets and you're perfectly welcome to try out the products I have from Zaino, Duragloss and Collinite.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Neil_S said:


> I should also say I have gone from September to March/April and the system is still going, that is why I haven't really been that bothered about temperature problems with the product because it worked perfectly for me and that is doing 500 miles a week.


Mild southern winters 

But seriously, I will be interested to see how it copes with the significantly higher quantities of salt and crud we get up here as this is the main reason I test products out on my dad's car which gets blasted with salt air a lot at a beach...

I have no doubt that in good to fair conditions, your average British winter for example, Zaino would last through but I have my doubts in more severe conditions based on what I have seen thus far... the only LSP I have that is really lasting on my dad's car (and I mean really standing the course) is Bilt Hamber Autobalm... But Collinite for me has got the measure of Zaino in my experiences of both of the systems, in the conditions I put them through (varied on multiple vehicles).


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

Hmm not sure about that, this did include substantial periods of having salt stuck to the car, not friendly weather in the least.

Indeed I went through a winter with the Colly 915 in similar types of weather and that lasted a significantly shorter period of time.

There is no doubt that some LSPs will suit some conditions more than others, but there is no doubting the performance of Zaino in the durability stakes, don't take my word for it, take the hundreds, if not thousands of people worldwide.

Ask GlynRS2 how similar a fresh coat of Z Vintage looked to 6 month old Z2 Pro on his RS4


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Neil_S said:


> Hmm not sure about that, this did include substantial periods of having salt stuck to the car, not friendly weather in the least.
> 
> Indeed I went through a winter with the Colly 915 in similar types of weather and that lasted a significantly shorter period of time.
> 
> ...


Neil, I am not arguing the point of its durability and suggesting it is low - read my initial post, where it says that I believe its durability to be high.

What I am saying is that *in my experience* it does not have notably higher durability than some other LSP systems I have tried, Collinite being one of them and Autobalm being the other. Simply my findings which I am sharing, which are different from some other findings 

What cannot be argued is how the systems performed for me personally, which is what I written above and I stand by my review of it. Its good, but its not the best. Its very good in fact, of that there is no doubt, but there are products out there that have the measure of it.


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## Johnnyopolis (Oct 25, 2005)

An interesting and balanced review Dave and one I will take on board.

Its interesting to read about the durability and this is something I will speak with the guys in the states about as I am sure they have quite harsh winters in certain parts of the states, so I will investigate some feedback over there about how the products work and applying them. I think I saw a post on here where Tony had been washing the car and the water was freezing and then it went in a garage and he machine polished and applied product etc.

Those birds in Scotland must be fed on some hardcore gear, as like Neil I dont have the problem you have experienced with bird bombs down here... It must be down to the Southern Shandy Drinking birds not having the same diet as the Hardcore Scottish ones... LOL

While I think about it, have you ever read the Guru Reports that was published on waxes and sealants? Its the one here http://www.gurureports.org/specialreports/waxtest.1.html If not I am more than happy to get you a copy as it talks about not only Collinite, Autoglym, Pledge but also Zaino too 

Cheers,

Johnny

Here is the link to the cold one... It was a Rolls Royce Phantom - http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=722508#post722508


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## Griff (Aug 11, 2007)

Another here that doesn't have a problem with bird lime marking the finish cleaned some off today not sure how long it had been on but was dryish and left no mark, I can't comment on durability as mine hasn't been on long enough, Just a quick question, Did you apply some Z-CS? is that supposed to give even better durability
Tom


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## hartzsky (Dec 23, 2007)

As far as Z7 car wash goes, in my opinion its not really part of the system and you don't need it. Just a car wash they sell. Yes, it's a small container and not very economical but really has nothing to do with the core of sealants they sell, which is why people buy in the first place. The durabilty claims (hype) will vary from person to person, depending on which part of the country you live in and how much rain, pollution, humidity etc etc etc, that your particular vehicle faces. I might get 4 months someone else might get 6. In addition, I have used a few sealants in the last 10 years, and Zaino is the only one that actually lasted for an extended amount of time, while everybody else "claims" 6 months protection, sadly they don't even come close to that number. And you could say the same for carnuabas, they "claim" it lasts X amount of days or months and most are long gone before that time hits


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

interesting Dave as I have found with Zaino. It works best with a good wax ie BOS or in my case dodo double added over the top. i find the zaino gives the durability underneath as well as bringing out the fleck in most paints where as the wax protects the zaino from bird droppings / fallout etc. nice work as usual. Also I feel the specialised shampoo is a bit of a gimick megs gold class is just as sensitive and far more cheaper/accessable. this goes for all "mild" specialised shampoos not just Zaino as I reeally like using it if the truth be told. it smells great!


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## L200 Steve (Oct 25, 2005)

Do you have a link to where you applied the Zaino system to both yours and your fathers cars? It only seems two minutes since you mentioned getting Zaino, surely a very short space of time to be judging product longevity? 

I'd speculate that most people who've applied this product recently will still be getting the full Zaino benefit for many months to come.

Is it really that cold up in Scotland that you are struggling with Zaino application already? Strange

I'm yet to suffer from the product failing to cure due to cold, but that may be down to me planning my detailing around weekends when the weather has been fair rather than than being forced to detail in arctic conditions through having used a product that only lasts weeks rather than months?? The Zaino system ideal for this purpose, as it has lasted head and shoulders longer than other rival products in my experience.

Strange findings about the bird bombs, as I too have never been victim to etching whilst using the Zaino system, but have whilst using other product ranges. This kind of leads me to assume that different people need different products to get their specific LSP of choice. I have found that Zaino gave me a lot better 'hard shell' protection against the environment than any other LSP, and gave me this protection for longer than any other product.

Again, my findings with products like Collinite seem to differ greatly from yours, with me not being this products biggest fan. I may have just been unlucky with it, but I have always found the tins to go rusty internally after only a couple of uses of the product. I have also always found that the Collinite waxes (845 and 476) to leave a surface behind that seems to trap contaminant into the wax layer. For some reason I always seem to have to clay more regularly when using Collinite (or Megs 16 for that matter) than with any other product that I have used?

Zaino does seem to be a system that one or two people have stuck with throughout most of my time in detailing (Neil S and Brazo), I can understand why:wave:


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

To be honest, I'm somewhat surprised to see the Zaino on Dave's Dad's car is not lasting the course compared to Autobalm - but I shouldn't really seeing as that's the reason BH do the ASTM B117 test in the first place.

As for trying to compare 'bomb' proofing ability - you'd need to be comparing the same birds, fed on the same diet, otherwise it's pointless since their acidic levels vary dramatically.

As I've recanted before elsewhere here, I had a nasty looking tri-splat which after tackling as soon as I could, it was looking like I was done for, and facing a polish job.
After a thorough wash, the "damage" was no longer visible, and subsequent liquid farts from some feathered 'friends' on unprotected paint, left for a good week (dry for 80% of the time, and experimenting) left no traces of staining.

So, talking about bird****e in general terms is one thing, but trying to make comparisons can prove to be misleading.
From my example above, you'd be a fool to leave the crap on any longer than the time you see it, to getting home (if you've no supplies in the boot), but could be forgiven if you inferred that not dealing with it asap would result in no damage.
Just thought it worth pointing out that it's best not to make assumptions from what you read, all the time.


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

L200 Steve said:


> Do you have a link to where you applied the Zaino system to both yours and your fathers cars? It only seems two minutes since you mentioned getting Zaino, surely a very short space of time to be judging product longevity?
> 
> I'd speculate that most people who've applied this product recently will still be getting the full Zaino benefit for many months to come.
> 
> ...


Don't think it's cold temperatures Steve, that Dave's Dad's car is failing on - more the saltiness of the water.
I'm presuming you've not tried Autobalm?
TBH though, surely as Zaino are Jersey based, iirc, they'd have much harsher/colder weather for longer periods of the year over there - yet all the images of cars in their gallery and testimonials seem to be in warm sunny conditions, and no mention how well it fayres on daily driving vehicles at the coast or during winter.
Is that deliberate on the customers' behalf, or could it be selective inclusions for the gallery/testimonial pages?


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## Johnnyopolis (Oct 25, 2005)

PJS said:


> TBH though, surely as Zaino are Jersey based, iirc, they'd have much harsher/colder weather for longer periods of the year over there - yet all the images of cars in their gallery and testimonials seem to be in warm sunny conditions, and no mention how well it fayres on daily driving vehicles at the coast or during winter.
> Is that deliberate on the customers' behalf, or could it be selective inclusions for the gallery/testimonial pages?


Or maybe it could be that people want to take pictures of their pride and joy in the best light... A cold snowy winters day or a Sunny meet in August....

I know what I would choose :thumb:

Johnny


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## Cliff (Mar 4, 2007)

Nice review Dave :thumb:
I like Neil have not suffered any problems with bird etching finding Zaino the best protection from the little critters from anything I have tried. Perhaps they are eating something different in Scotland 

As far as lasting through the winter my XC90 has had a very stern test. the car was machined last August and 3 or 4 layers of Z2 was added.
Due to a change in circumstances the XC90 has not been looked after by myself since Jan bar one wash which I gave it in May. There was still beading evident and the actual shine still looks great.
Of course if I was still on top of it it would have had additional coats by now but as a stern test it shows that after one whole year Zaino is still evident and still looking good.


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

good to see your thoughts after some use Dave :thumb:

If there is one thing I have come to realise, its that no product is perfect, and everyone will have different experiences with the same products  I have had the same +ve rinsing/sheeting experience, but so far no bird bombs, so cant comment on that. I know I could have bird mess sit on UPGP for up to 2 weeks and it came off with a simple soak and rinse, to leave no etching, so its not just a wax thing 

If we are considering systems as a whole, rather than just specific sealants, then remember Z-CS. If its anything like the 2 immediate competitors OS & UPGP (which I own) then it should be no problem using in colder weather, as you wipe on and walk away, with no need to dry before buffing etc. None of these like water while they are being applied, so not perfect, but even during heavy winters there are dry winter days when a wipe over with Z-CS is easy, and you can add long term protection in 5-10 mins per vehicle. Of course extra products like Z-CS make it less good VFM.....

Always good to add user experiences to the mix so we can make more informed choices


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## Mr OCD (Apr 18, 2006)

Interesting comments Dave... I agree with your findings as I have done similar testing with my own car with Zaino over the last few months.

I was pleased with the product but like you mention one of the gripes is temperature - You cant just apply a layer of Z2 / Z5 when you feel like it as it can take hours for it to cure in some cases when the air is damp / cold. When its warm / fair its no problem at all... 

There is also the problem of using 'foams' to pre-wash the vehicle ... I experience the same problems Steve had with his LS200 with foaming agents clinging to the car even when using small amounts of foam + zaino shampoos... 

I was also pleased with how the car looked but in my eyes just didnt quite have that gloss that a good wax can provide even though the paintwork 'feels' slick and looks good.

As as result of these findings I still feel its one of the best sealants available but my own car is now wearing several layers of high quality wax on top of the zaino and I can 'see' the difference clearly but even so I will offer this system to customers if they request sealant over a wax as I've yet to try a better sealant system.


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## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

PJS made a valid point and one that shouldn't be underestimated. Depending on time of year and the location of the bird, it's diet will vary enormously. It would be obvious therefor, that the acidity of the bird bombs will also be different. Now we all have similar birds throughout Britain but if Dave is experiencing a higher percentage of a type by living near the coast, then the chances are that he may well be having a more severe problem than a lot of us. I have found that it's not so much the smallish birds that do the damage but the larger birds on a dryish diet.

Is this an ornithology forum or a detailing one:lol:


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

L200 Steve said:


> Do you have a link to where you applied the Zaino system to both yours and your fathers cars? It only seems two minutes since you mentioned getting Zaino, surely a very short space of time to be judging product longevity?
> 
> I'd speculate that most people who've applied this product recently will still be getting the full Zaino benefit for many months to come.
> 
> ...


Steve, look through my posts and you'll find I've been using Zaino in testing from early this year, easily enough in my opinion to assess its durability - this inclused the new Zaino Euro although in fairness I had that on a car very early that I had to describe it as simply a Zaino Trial sealant - this was one that found its way onto my dad's car. Trust me Steve, all products have been tested as I have stated :thumb:

Perhaps it is not the cold, perhaps it is the damp however it is certainly clear that the product curing does struggle in weather conditions that I have experienced it in - this is not be be argued, this is *my* experience which I have taken time to share... now practically, it is not always possible to wait for a fair weekend to apply one's sealent, simply not always possible and this is a major fall down IMHO for the Zaino system. Hence why I have clearly stated so.

Re: bird bombs, this is again my findings... Now I suspect the birds up here aren't really easting food that those in Yorkshire aren't, but perhaps this is the reason for differing experiences. Again, this is something I have noted and something which has left me disappointed with the system in this regard. Simply my experience, Steve, which is not up for debate - I'm glad you have had better experiences but I feel that my experience here is worthy of sharing.

Now - I stress, in case my initial post is being misunderstood which I suspect it is by some, that I am very impressed with the Zaino system, and I can happily recommend it. Yes, I have found what I regard as flaws and durability which while very very good is not _the best_ as often purported. I stress that this is *my experience*, and while this has clearly sparked debate, my experience of the products is simply my experience and I am sharing it as I share with all of the systems I use... though I do understand that Zaino seems to have fans that wish to defend its corner, I can but write truthfully my experiences of a product system.

To summarise my response here - I view my assessment of this product as sound, and fair. I have had the products on test easily long enough for assessment. That my assessment does not fully agree with yours is to be expected, we're different people with different working conditions on out vehicles. However I stand by my assessment as being a fair and thorough representation.


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

dave...do you suffer water spoting with the zaino? i dont dare use it on my roof bonnet as i get aweful water spots and dont with other products


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

sharing our opinions and findings is why this place exists and these types of reviews add to the richness here. We wont all agree (for sure ) and we wont all experience the same results, but it helps us make the most informed decisions we can - keep them coming everyone


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

Absolutely agree with Damon and apologise if my comments seemed a little obtuse, I was trying to offer my experience of two years in using the products.


What I still find strange is the problems that L200 Steve and Mr OCD have experienced with the foam. My reason is because Zaino for me has always foamed and washed very well.

I also find the bird lime problem interesting, I think in coastal areas the bird lime from experience does tend to be stronger than inland birds, seaguls are the worst 

In regards to water spotting, I've never really felt I got any worse spotting than I did with other LSPs.

With Zaino I get what I get with other LSPs and that is spotting from where beads have formed and then the sun has dried the water. It is always cured when washing like with other LSPs however.


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Only foamed the Saab once with Zaino on it and I got the exact same issue with the 'clingy' foam experience. FWIW I also experience the same thing with fresh applications of Ultima but never with any other sealant or wax, and I've tried a few 

As for water spots, I've not seen any issues I havent had with every other product, and nothing to have me worried yet. Last 4-5 days the car has woken up soaked and covered in beads and then sat in a lot of sun and had them dry. There has been some very slight water spotting but TBH the Audi sitting next to it has looked pretty much the same wearing DG and now Zym0l again....early days though.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

With regard to water spotting, I cannot say I experience anything worse than I experience with many other LSPs - indeed, if anything I find it less of an issue with Zaino as it doesn't bead as well, larger beads which tend to roll off as opposed to tight little beads that you get with a high end ***** wax for example... The tight beads allowing lots of tiny water spots, where as this seems less of an issue with Zaino.

I've not tried foaming as I dont have access to foam for the maintenance of my own car so its never been an issue though note with interest how it seems to affect different people in different ways and wonder what may be the cause of it - different water harndesses perhaps.

A healthy debate is always a good thing  I am aware that all products have their fans, I'm not really a fan of any per se, and tend to voice my opinions rather openly and am never known for being backwards about being forwards with my thoughts... Which alas does leave me open to criticism from people defending their pet products, but that is perfectly fair enough as we are all entitled to opinions and thoughts with regard to product systems and every opinion is equally valid... I share my experience with them, how they have performed for me and compared with other products which I have also used, and as always stress they are simply my experiences, for what they are worth.


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## isherdholi (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks for the informative review Dave.

Quick question: Is it necessary to use the Z7 shampoo once Zaino has been applied? I know this is a review of the Zaino system, which includes a review of the shampoo, but I'm just wondering, if I wanted to put Zaino on my car, do I need to bother with the Z7 or can I just use some of my Meg's Gold Class (which I still haven't been able to finish) or Shampoo Plus (which I plan to by once the Gold Class has finished!!)


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

As far as Z7 is concerned, it isn't strictly necessary, I'd advise you use it if you want to add more Z2 or Z5 pro layers after the original appication, but otherwise not strictly required.

Z7 is a very good shampoo and I use it, but I have others I like, such as 901 which have worked very well in cleaning a Zaino sealed car.


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

I agreee with Steve I have been using Zaino for over a year and a half now and I must admit on the focus I could see it working for months without any special treatment now you dont get the fancy beading but every wash you can see the car is still protected.


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## L200 Steve (Oct 25, 2005)

Neil_S said:


> As far as Z7 is concerned, it isn't strictly necessary, I'd advise you use it if you want to add more Z2 or Z5 pro layers after the original appication, but otherwise not strictly required.
> 
> Z7 is a very good shampoo and I use it, but I have others I like, such as 901 which have worked very well in cleaning a Zaino sealed car.


I no longer have the time to wash my Hilux as often or as thoroughly as I once did. I get round this and round the foaming by pre soaking with TFR pumped through the Karcher instead of using SSF etc..

This not only seems to clean off the many 100's of miles of road grime with ease, but also does not seem to have had negative effect on the Zaino.

I've topped with such products as NXT2 since having the Zaino system applied, but am certain that it is still the original Zaino system that is offering the protection to my paintwork.


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## neil b (Aug 30, 2006)

Dave KG said:


> Steve, look through my posts and you'll find I've been using Zaino in testing from early this year, easily enough in my opinion to assess its durability - this inclused the new Zaino Euro although in fairness I had that on a car very early that I had to describe it as simply a Zaino Trial sealant - this was one that found its way onto my dad's car. Trust me Steve, all products have been tested as I have stated :thumb:
> 
> Perhaps it is not the cold, perhaps it is the damp however it is certainly clear that the product curing does struggle in weather conditions that I have experienced it in - this is not be be argued, this is *my* experience which I have taken time to share... now practically, it is not always possible to wait for a fair weekend to apply one's sealent, simply not always possible and this is a major fall down IMHO for the Zaino system. Hence why I have clearly stated so.
> 
> ...


Have to agree with dave on the bird bombing issue i just detailed(fully prep) my astra on saturday and its wearing three coats of z2 plus wipe down of z8 now just been to the beach with the kids foran hour came back to the car and i have had 4 bombs from seagulls on the bonnet lucky i carry z6 with me so spray z6 on a mircofibre then sprayed z6 onto the bombs let soak in for a couple of mins before wipe off,after wipe off there was ecthing in the paint work where the bombs had been,now thats just a 2 days since z2 was applied,so me thinks its down to the acid in the bird bombs that is just eating away the layers of z2 plus z8 on contact abit like tfr.So i am away out ao polish the bombs out with zaio and reapply z2 plus z8 so not happy at have to go away and do this to a sealant thats just be applyed two days ago but he thats the joys of keeping your car spot less


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

What do those gulls eat up in that part of Scotland


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## A20 LEE (Feb 20, 2007)

I'm a huge Zaino fan, it wasn't for owning a high end wax it would be my first choice. The down side for me was spotting. My car lives most of the day on an industrial estate and gets covered it dust/fallout. Add rain the a bit of sun later and i had big problems with spotting. Since moving the a wax, i've not had a single spotting/fallout problem.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Neil_S said:


> What do those gulls eat up in that part of Scotland


People :lol::lol:


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## Griff (Aug 11, 2007)

Neil_S said:


> What do those gulls eat up in that part of Scotland


Gurdas


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Griff said:


> Gurdas


....and Iron Bru

clearly a potent mix :lol:


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## drive 'n' shine (Apr 22, 2006)

PJS said:


> Don't think it's cold temperatures Steve, that Dave's Dad's car is failing on - more the saltiness of the water.
> I'm presuming you've not tried Autobalm?
> TBH though, surely as Zaino are Jersey based, iirc, they'd have much harsher/colder weather for longer periods of the year over there - yet all the images of cars in their gallery and testimonials seem to be in warm sunny conditions, and no mention how well it fayres on daily driving vehicles at the coast or during winter.
> Is that deliberate on the customers' behalf, or could it be selective inclusions for the gallery/testimonial pages?


I know with my brief conversation with Tony back in May he was saying about the weather/climate in Singapore i.e. lots of acid rain, and apparently it is one of the few sealants that seems to offer any form of longevity over there.


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## lanciamug (May 18, 2008)

Thanks for that review Dave, a bit of science in detailing as usual, also your legal terminology seems to be coming on well! 

On a more pedantic note, I'm a chemist not a biologist but isn't bird poo alkaline rather than acidic? It's worth clearing up in case someone has the bright idea of trying to neutralise it. (I would suggest vinegar rather than Bicarb!)


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## neil b (Aug 30, 2006)

lanciamug said:


> Thanks for that review Dave, a bit of science in detailing as usual, also your legal terminology seems to be coming on well!
> 
> On a more pedantic note, I'm a chemist not a biologist but isn't bird poo alkaline rather than acidic? It's worth clearing up in case someone has the bright idea of trying to neutralise it. (I would suggest vinegar rather than Bicarb!)


Bird poo is white because they excrete waste in a different way than we do. Their urine/waste is a lot more concentrated to conserve water more effeciantly hence the pastyness. They excrete uric acid which just happens to be pasty and white.


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## organgrinder (Jan 20, 2008)

Dave KG Said:


> Steve, look through my posts and you'll find I've been using Zaino in testing from early this year, easily enough in my opinion to assess its durability - this inclused the new Zaino Euro although in fairness I had that on a car very early that I had to describe it as simply a Zaino Trial sealant - this was one that found its way onto my dad's car.


Is it possible that the longevity of Zaino Euro has been compromised in some way in an effort to get it to cure more quickly in the cold and damp?

It is certainly my intention to try it over the winter to see how it lasts although mine is now wearing 3 coats of Z5 topped by 4 coats of Z2 and I will be using Z-CS over the winter to try to ensure it lasts the course.

In terms of temperature, I have found no problems in cool early morning applications but I did have a problem (if doing the wheels first and coming back an hour later is a problem) when the air was damp towards the end of a day and I will steer clear of applications at this time of day in future.

I don't have any bird bomb experience on Zaino at present but I have always had a problem with the young seagulls in Spring: whatever they eat cuts through every LSP I have used. This Spring, with CarLack NSC, 3 coats of CarLack LLS and 4 coats of CG 50/50, the paint was etched slightly after about 3 hours on a warm day. Other birds have never given me any problems (apart from the ex wife that is).


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

I think regular Z-CS applications on dry days will be the answer to any winter durability issues... Used Opti Seal and UPGP successfully last winter so Z-CS should be no different IMHO 

Its meant to be extremely durable anyway so should do the job I would think?


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## ads2k (Jul 12, 2006)

Nice review Dave 

Many thanks for taking the time as always to right your views.


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