This past weekend, I tried applying Zaino for the first time. It didn't turn out very well, and I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong.

Starting out, the car was relatively clean, but a little dusty. The sun was in and out; it was around 65 degrees that day. Here's what I did:

1. Get car completely wet.
2. Wash car with Liquid Dawn.
3. Rinse car completely.
4. Wash car with Z7.
5. Rinse car completely.
6. Claybar car using Z7 as lubricant.
7. Wash car with Z7.
8. Dry car thoroughly.

At this point, the car was looking great. I took a picture:


I then mixed two ounces of Z-5 with eight drops of ZFX, shook for 90 seconds, let it sit for ten minutes, shook for 15 more seconds, and applied a thin layer with a Zaino #314 applicator. I sprayed the applicator with some Z6 before starting. It took the whole 2oz. mixing bottle to do one coat -- is that about right?

About 40 minutes later, I started buffing it off with a clean, white, 100% cotton, made-in-the-USA bath towel which I purchased specifically for this purpose. It left some light smear marks which I was able to fix with the towel and a little more elbow grease.

I activated another two ounces of Z5, and while I let it sit, I sprayed on some Z6 and wiped it off immediately.

Then I applied the second coat of Z5, let it sit for another 30-40 minutes, and buffed it off. This time, it left more pronounced smear marks which did not buff off no matter how much effort I used with the towel. I let it sit a while longer, but that didn't help.

So now my car has smear marks all over it. I didn't take a picture of that, and it's dark right now. I'll try to get some pictures, but in the mean time, does anyone know what I did wrong?

If I wash the car with Z7 again, will it take off the Z5 so that I can start over, or should I use Dawn again?

My plan had been to apply two coats of Z5 and a top coat of Z2, with Z6 between each coat and Z8 on top of the Z2, but I didn't get that far.

 

OUCH!

No... the 2oz if for 3 coats. Your coats on the car should be barely visable as you apply it. Then within minutes it will start to show.

The instructions say to fill 2oz. But that's WAY too much. I can Easily get away with 1oz. and even THAT has extra.. You could try 3/4oz.

At that rate (2oz per coat as you were doing), you would be getting only 4 coats per bottle.. Costly..

 

So is that the problem? Did it swirl because the coats were too thick?

And my other question -- will a Z7 wash strip off the Z5, or should I use Dawn again and start from scratch?

 

Common noob mistake. To much Zaino. Wash the car again. You should be able, at the least, to get two coats out of an ounce of Zaino.

 

Sal should really put that in his instructions.

Thanks for the help, guys.

 

BEST Instructions i've found is:


http://www.lazaino.com/ApplyZaino.htm

 

Thanks, those look like good instructions.