I've been reading through the old posts like crazy. I have a brand new Mustang GT in Vista Blue with white racing stripes on order. I'm trying to plan ahead and get the items I'll need before it arrives.

A few years ago I owned a Jaguar X-Type, and dabbled in some detailing. I used quite a few Zaino products (Z2 w/ZFX, Z6, Z7, and their leather products) with great success. I'll likely stick with their products just out of familiarity, but I'm continuing to research what's available these days. I've never clayed or done any actual polishing, just washing/waxing/detail spray. Right now I'm thinking Z5p, ZFX, Z6, Z16...maybe Z2p as well.

My questions:

1) This will be a brand new car that I'll receive roughly 1-2 weeks after it's built at the factory. Factory is close to where I'll be taking delivery, so I don't expect the car to see any railroad time; I'm sure it'll just be trucked directly to the deliverly location. Is a new car like this going to need to be clayed at all?

2) Our winters in Michigan are nasty, salt-filled messes, where it's incredibly tempting to just run through the local automatic car wash. Obviously that's a bad thing...which has me considering this new (to me) Optimum No-Rinse stuff. I'm thinking I could heat the garage up to where it's bearable, and just wash the car in the not-too-freezing-cold garage. Does this stuff "play nice" with Zaino, or will I have to worry that it'll strip it, or that Zaino won't bond well if I'm putting a new coat on after an ONR wash?

I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions, but thanks in advance. :)

It can't hurt to clay it just in case. It won't take long if it's not very bad, so I'd plan on doing it anyway. Make sure you tell your detailer NOT to wash your car though. That is unless you wanted the free dealer installed swirl marks option. For a first wash I'd plan on doing the whole thing. The only thing it probably won't need very badly if you have them not wash it is polishing, however, I'd still run over it with a final polish to restore the paint to a great luster.

And ONR should be just fine on your wax. Plenty of people wax directly after an ONR wash without doing anything, but if you were worried you could always do an alcohol wipe down to ensure that there is no film left on the car. I've found ONR to be great though and have no problems with it.

Winters with salt/sand are tough. In New England it's the pot holes and cold patch that add to the fun. [:@]

My convertible is storaged but I try to keep my winter car clean by going through a no-brush car wash. Does a good job on the undercarriage. The one near me is called the Typhoon and is basically a robotic pressure washer. I have run it through the car wash then brought it into the garage to wipe down with no-rinse.

I find when a vehicle is brand new is the BEST time to do a FULL detail. Wash, Clay, Paint Correction, Pure Polish, Sealant, Wax. Clay takes next to no time on these cars and especially when it's brand new. I'd highly advise it. I'm not familiar with the Zaino line because I simply don't care for it or the people who make it so I won't offer any advice there because I simply don't have the correct answers. I've heard Zaino is one of the main companies that need the iso-alc. wipe down before applications.

ORIGINAL: AJ03SVT

And ONR should be just fine on your wax. Plenty of people wax directly after an ONR wash without doing anything, but if you were worried you could always do an alcohol wipe down to ensure that there is no film left on the car. I've found ONR to be great though and have no problems with it.



Thanks for that info. I'm thinking I'd initially follow the Zaino recommendation (Dawn, then Zaino products), then use ONR for regular washes, with Z6 afterward. Occassionally, I'll throw an extra coat of Z5p or Z2p on it as well. Will a quick alcohol wipedown strip the old coats of Z5p? Perhaps I should just Z6 it after ONR if I'm going to drop another coat of Z5p on...

ORIGINAL: Margarita Girl
My convertible is storaged but I try to keep my winter car clean by going through a no-brush car wash. Does a good job on the undercarriage. The one near me is called the Typhoon and is basically a robotic pressure washer. I have run it through the car wash then brought it into the garage to wipe down with no-rinse.


That's a good suggestion. Would a no-touch car wash tend to use detergent that would strip the Zaino products? I also would like to detail my wife's crossover lease vehicle, but she runs it through an auto-wash fairly often. I'm thinking I could convince her to use a touchless one if I find one nearby, but I'd hate to zaino it up just to have her strip it all off a week later...

Thanks for the responses so far. :)

ORIGINAL: ThumperMX113

I find when a vehicle is brand new is the BEST time to do a FULL detail. Wash, Clay, Paint Correction, Pure Polish, Sealant, Wax. Clay takes next to no time on these cars and especially when it's brand new. I'd highly advise it. I'm not familiar with the Zaino line because I simply don't care for it or the people who make it so I won't offer any advice there because I simply don't have the correct answers. I've heard Zaino is one of the main companies that need the iso-alc. wipe down before applications.


Perhaps I should look into some other products. I've been happy with Zaino in the past, but I'm not married to it (and other than a bottle of Z6, I'd need to buy all new product as all my old stuff was used up). It's a lot of work to initially apply, but on that Jag I had it looked great and seemed to last all winter. I'm not opposed to something that doesn't last quite as long if it's significantly easier to apply.

I'll have to do some searches to find out why people don't like those that make it...interesting.

Try autogeek.net for product reviews.

ORIGINAL: fjc

ORIGINAL: ThumperMX113

I find when a vehicle is brand new is the BEST time to do a FULL detail. Wash, Clay, Paint Correction, Pure Polish, Sealant, Wax. Clay takes next to no time on these cars and especially when it's brand new. I'd highly advise it. I'm not familiar with the Zaino line because I simply don't care for it or the people who make it so I won't offer any advice there because I simply don't have the correct answers. I've heard Zaino is one of the main companies that need the iso-alc. wipe down before applications.


Fjc-checkout my line of products. They are very easy to apply and you will get excellent results. There are a ton of people on this forum that use my line and are completely happy with their purchase!
Perhaps I should look into some other products. I've been happy with Zaino in the past, but I'm not married to it (and other than a bottle of Z6, I'd need to buy all new product as all my old stuff was used up). It's a lot of work to initially apply, but on that Jag I had it looked great and seemed to last all winter. I'm not opposed to something that doesn't last quite as long if it's significantly easier to apply.

I'll have to do some searches to find out why people don't like those that make it...interesting.

Was that a mistake quoting that? ... or you agreed? I'm confused. LOL

Whoops, I quoted that wrong.

My reply was hard to see because it was all jumbled with the rest of the quote.

Here is what I put: Fjc-checkout my line of products. They are very easy to apply and you will get excellent results. There are a ton of people on this forum that use my line and are completely happy with their purchase!

The more I look into this, the more questions I have. :) And themore I'm talking myself into something like a PC 7424.

I enjoy detailing my car when the weather is nice. I won't mind if I have to reapply a carnauba-wax product every 6 weeks or so. This Mustang is going to be my daily driver, though, so I'll need something that'll last longer over the winter months (or be quick/easy to apply when the weather is cold - my garage still gets quite chilly in the winter).

I'm also wondering what special care I'll need to take with the stripes that are being put on (factory ordered). Do you wax those? Will a PC tear up the edges?

Juztang - I'm reading some great things about your products, I'll likely put up a separate post in your forum area with some questions once I figure out all that I need to ask. :)

You can also use a sealant topped with a carnuaba wax and get the best of both worlds. A carnauba wax adds a lot of depth and wetness, but isn't that durable. A sealant is very durable and adds a lot of gloss and reflection, but doesn't have the depth of a carnauba wax. I like to put on a sealant and then top with a wax. I would go with Optimum Opti Seal sealant for winter time, it is really quick and easy to apply and has nice durability. You basically just mist it on an applicator and wipe it on and walk away, the product just dissappears.

As for the stripes, all of my products will be safe for your stripes. You do want to be careful with the PC around the edges of the stripes, you can tape them off if you want to as a precaution.

Gotcha, I was kind of confused !! LOL

So Juztang, it sounds like your suggestion is:

ONR (year round)
Opti-Seal (year round)
Wet Obession (when the weather is nice enough to apply)

Is your spray wax something that could be applyed when it's cold out? Actually, what is the lowest temperature that you'd recommend any of these products be applied at?

What about a quick detail spray, along the lines of Zaino Z6? Can Z6 be used with your products (I have a full bottle of the stuff still)?

Thanks!

I'd get a heater for your garage and then you don't really have to worry about temperatures much. Just allow longer cure time when it's chilly.

As for quick detail spray, Optimum's Instant Detailer spray is very good, and I'm a big fan of Chemical Guys Speed Wipe as well. You can't go wrong with either of those. Z6, like most Zaino products, is far overrated. Zaino is a good package for people who don't want to look for the best individual product, however they really don't make the best of anything.

For the protectant and LSP, I've seen very little better than CG's Jet Seal and 5050 wax for the price. There are a couple of us on here who have our favorite brands, and most have a very good final product. I'm the CG guy, Justin is obviously the OD guy. Wet Obsession is a great product as well, plus, you get the advantage of supporting a sponsor. You really can't go wrong with either of those, so give them a try and see what you like. In the end it comes down to personal opinion, you may like one product more than another.

Yes you can use the Optimum No Rinse, Opti Seal and Spray Wax all year round. The products won't work too well under 32 degrees.

When it is cold I fill a bucket up with warm water and wear a rubber glove to keep my hands warm, this works really well. The Optimum Spray wax and Opti Seal both work great because you can do them quick and get out of the cold with excellent results!

The quick detailer that you have now will be fine. After you use that up, you should look into the new Opitmum Instant Detailer, this adds a ton of slickness and some nice gloss.

Thanks for all the information! I've been a fan of Zaino, but since I need to rebuy everything, I might as well try something new (Zaino has been the only stuff I've used, other than off-the-shelf turtle wax in the "old" days).

I think I'm going to go with the ONR, Opti-Seal and Wet Obsession combo for now and see what results I get. Then when it gets colder, get a good heater for the garage and some of the Spray Wax.

A few more questions:

1) I'm very interested in the idea of getting a PC 7424, and using that for at least part of the waxing process (maybe just buffing it off, but maybe application as well). I have some elbow issues that hand-waxing tends to flare up at times. And, I'd like to wax my wife's new Ford Flex that she'll be getting in the next couple of weeks - quite a bit of sheetmetal on that. Any issues/problems with using it for this purpose? With my factory vinyl stripes, do I just need to keep the PC away from the edges, or will it be fine if it hits the edges of the stripes?

2) What should I do for the actual stripes themselves, is it ok to Opti-Seal and/or wax them as well?

3) If I opti-seal the wife's Flex, then she runs it through a car wash, will that strip the Opti-Seal instantly?

Thanks!

What you are wanting to get sounds good, but I would still throw a polish into the mix, that is an important step in the process. My Light Polish works great by hand or machine.

You can actually use the PC to put on all of the products if you wanted to. The paint is going to look so much better after using the PC. I only use the PC to apply the products, I don't use it to remove. A microfiber towel will work fine, the products come off with almost no effort at all.

As for the stripes you can go over them with the products and it won't hurt them, you can even go over them with the PC. You can tape them off as a precaution if you wanted to, but I polish over them all of the time without a problem.

You need to be careful about the car wash soaps, they are usually pretty harsh and can remove any type of protection you have on there.

The ability to ask questions about your products and get answers within hours is a heck of a selling point, Juztang. :)

Any issues with doing any of this stuff (including polishing) on a brand-new car, just a week or two out of the factory? Or are the warning about letting the paint cure more for post-factory paint jobs/repairs?

Does a car that just came from the factory need polishing if it's never seen an automatic car wash?

Actually I prep new cars all of the time. The first thing I do is claybar and polish them. Even new cars need clayed and polished. Many new cars have railroad dust from being transported. The paint from the factory is baked on so it is cured right away. Claying,polishing, glaze, waxing etc is fine on a new car.

ORIGINAL: Juztang

Actually I prep new cars all of the time. The first thing I do is claybar and polish them. Even new cars need clayed and polished. Many new cars have railroad dust from being transported. The paint from the factory is baked on so it is cured right away. Claying,polishing, glaze, waxing etc is fine on a new car.


Agreed completely.

How long would it take for a newbie like me to do all of this? Assuming I have a PC 7424?

wash
clay
polish
glaze
seal
wax

Of course from the point of washing until waxing, I'd need to not drive the car...

Also, I know I keep reading that you can't screw it up with a PC 7424, but seriously - is there a chance I could wreck the finish?

If it's your first time? Probably at least all day. You'll get a lot faster after a couple of times though.

I've got a bad back so I usually allow myself half of one day and than half of the next day because of products like sealants and synthetic waxes like #21 and NXT need a cure time. I always allow the proper cure time for the products that need it so it really helps doing it half of one day and the half of the next. Without including my breaks, the sleeping, etc I think it takes me about 4 hours on the car plus about half an hour on the inside. I had a 2006 F150 Lariat 4WD Supercrew lifted 10" on 37s. Now that thing took me about 10 hours to get it perfect.

ORIGINAL: ThumperMX113

I always allow the proper cure time for the products that need it so it really helps doing it half of one day and the half of the next.

That's a good point, on the cure time.

Juztang, if I were doing the wash/clay/light polish/glaze/opti-seal/wet obsession, how much time do I need to allowafter certain steps (such as Glazing, opti-seal) for curing?

Wash/clay/light polish/glaze/opti-seal/wax - heck I'm getting winded just typing that. :)

With the Opti Seal, it is different than most sealants, you can put it before or after a wax with no problems. If you put on everything and then top with the Opti Seal last you don't have to wait for anything to cure at all.

ORIGINAL: Juztang

With the Opti Seal, it is different than most sealants, you can put it before or after a wax with no problems. If you put on everything and then top with the Opti Seal last you don't have to wait for anything to cure at all.


Would it make sense to put it on after the glaze, as a base sealant...then wax, then a coat of Opti-Seal to help make the wax last longer? Or is that overkill?

(and thanks for all the quick answers - you'll definitely be getting a good-sized order out of this once I nail it all down.)

You can put it on after the glaze, but you will have to wait 24 hours for it to cure if you are going to top with the wax. I like to top waxes with the Opti Seal, I think it locks in the nuba look and you really don't sacrifice any durability.

I'd just like to thank everyone that answered questions in this thread. You've all talked me into a PC 7424 and a boatload of products. Just placed a big order with Juztang.

I'm sure I'll have more questions once it all arrives (and I get my actual car to work on).

Does anyone have any good links to videos showing how to properly polish/glaze/wax with a PC?

ORIGINAL: fjc

Does anyone have any good links to videos showing how to properly polish/glaze/wax with a PC?


http://www.autogeek.net/dual-action-polisher.html

Here is a great site with videos and a ton of information on how to use the PC, this will help you out a lot.
http://paintcare-n-detailing.com/

ORIGINAL: Juztang

Here is a great site with videos and a ton of information on how to use the PC, this will help you out a lot.
http://paintcare-n-detailing.com/


Great site. This video gives the PC speeds. :) http://paintcare-n-detailing.com/pc_video.html

Can't wait to get my stuff so I can get started!

Thanks much, some good videos there, but they all state to make sure you work the polish until it "breaks down." What exactly indicates that it's broken down? It becomes just dust?