Hey guys...looking for suggestions here:

I have two cars and I'm looking for the best way to improve the finish on one and protect the finish on both.

My cars:

95 Z28, black factory paint.

This car is pretty clean but has the 'usual' spiders/swirls in the finish. I'd like to get a deep clean shine and protect it.

02 Monte Carlo SS, black/silver virgin factory paint.

Picked this car up last week. Want to know the best way to keep it smooth and looking new.

I've always kept my cars clean and waxed but never achieved a show finish - I found this forum and realized I am a novice.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

Dave

 

For the 95:

you need to use the 3M Foam Polishing Pad Glaze Swirl Mark Remover #39009...
see following tips...

3M Foam Polishing Pad Glaze use By hand:
Simply apply a small amount (about the size of a quarter) to a cotton diaper or piece
of cotton towel and rub back and forth into about a 1'X 1' section using light to
medium pressure until it starts to dry out. Then take a second towel and lightly rub
back and forth until the polish residue disappears and the gloss comes up. If there
are still some swirls visible you can repeat this step until they are minimal. I prefer
using a less aggressive product a couple times instead of using a more aggressive
product once. After you have done the entire car you can Dawn wash and reapply
your favorite wax/polish or Zaino Z-1 and Z-5/Z-2.

3M Foam Polishing Pad Glaze use By orbital:

Use a 100% cotton bonnet or a foam bonnet and apply the polish in a thin lined
growing circle starting from the center and spacing the growing line about an inch
from the last round all the way to the edge. Place the bonnet flat on a panel and
activate the polisher and begin working the entire panel using light to medium
pressure. When you have worked the panel thoroughly then take a clean towel and
wipe the residue off in a back and forth motion using light pressure. Then simply
move to the next section. When the entire car is done do a Dawn wash and Zaino.

For the 2002, all you need is totaly non-abrasive polish system, www.zainobros.com

Also, you need only to wash both cars with an all cotton wash mit or cotton toweling and use really good towels to wipe off polish and use a detailer spray very often again with good towels. Fieldcrest Charisma towels are the best you can buy, white color only, only washed in liquid detergent, no powder detergent.


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96 Black Impala SS
Authorized Zaino Showcar Polish Distributor
www.zainobros.com
Remember #3

 

Dave,
I have tried several different polishes/waxes on my black vehicle. They never lived up to what I expected or the time that I put into them. Zaino has really been the best that I have ever used. It has a deep wet shine and just keeps getting better every time I use it. Hope this helps.

George

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***Authorized Zaino Bros' Show car Polish distributor***
george13@adelphia.net

 

Thanks to both Kevin and George for responding and for the product recommendations.

George - I received your e-mail and will be in touch sometime in the near future.

Can you e-mail back with your phone number as well?

Thanks again to you both.

Regards,

Dave

 

The 3M product is a great idea, you may want to consider the 3M Imperial Hand Glaze instead though. Stay away from machines on both cars, they both deserve to be treated as the fine machines they are so do not rely on a buffer unless you absolutely must. Instead take the time to do it safely by hand. As far as caring for them, specifically the black paint (my z is black also) see my other post - I pasted it at the bottom of this one. It's really lengthy but has some great info.


From the Appearance section:

I have spent many many hours researching this. I'm confident that I can get a better than zaino shine and better protection with wax. The key is to use a multistep process (just like you do with zaino). First you need to clean the car, for this a good mild fine cut cleaner wax (with a mild buffing compound) meguiars makes a good cleaner wax, zymol is ok. (only use PROFESSIONAL grade meguiars though like what you can find in a paint shop). Then I'd use a acrylic polymer (someone else mentioned this also). As far as acrylics go, meguiars makes a good "sealant" it's like #4 or maybe #6 I think (I'm too lazy to go out to the garage), Klasse All in One makes a great acrylic sealant/cleaner too. From there I glaze the car (glaze is used in a very broad sense, some people refer to glaze as "nutrients and oils to feed the paint" others refer to it as a kinda "fill in" for swirl marks and what not and still there are others who define glaze as an abrasive) I use the Klasse sealant glaze for this job - it works extroadinarily well on dark cars (mine's black) and you can layer it for a real deep shine (just like zaino). Klasse's glaze is a combo consisting of a sealant (just like what you put on in the previous step) AND a glaze. Then I finish with a coat or two or three or ten of plain old high quality carnuba wax. For the carnuba wax I generall use some One Grand Blitz Wax (try putting this one using your hand, make sure you hands are clean and take off your rings of course). Now, to maintain that shine I do NOT wash the car regularly. Instead I dust it off frequently with a car duster and then spray it down with Meguiars #34 final inspection (a spray on "wax" or gloss enhancer) and then I just put on another coat or two of blitz wax. Whenever I wash (if the car is neglected or gets really dirty driving down a dirt road or something) then I may reapply the sealant, glaze and the wax if I have time, if not then just the blitz wax. A couple hints:

*I do not use a cleaner/abrasive on the car every time I wax it. In fact if I keep a good coat of wax on the car I may not use an abrasive for a year or more.

*always apply waxes and especially abrasives (cleaner waxes etc) in a straight back and forth motion.

*acrylic polymers are great for protection and longevity, they may last 6 to 9 months but the best shine is obtained with several coats of plain old carnuba wax which will last more than a month but certainly won't make it to 6 months.

*clay bars are not new and they are not that special. They are abrasive believe or not and can be very harmful in the wrong hands. If you do use the clay then make sure you keep the paint well lubricated with a spray like meguiars #34.

*forget zaino, this process or one similiar to it will provide protection which equals or surpasses zaino. Also you can get the same deep, rich shine by doing with wax what you do with zaino - put on a who helluva lot of coats.

***DO NOT EVER buy waxes and car care products from autozone or walmart. Only use professional grade products.

If you follow all these steps you will be amazed with your cars paint, I know I am and my car must have the worst, most chipped, factory paint job ever. I don't mean to flame any of you zaino users either, whatever you use to care for your care is fine because it's your car. I'm also sure zaino is great stuff. I just wish people would do a little more research on conventional waxes and I know they would find that they can get just as good a shine "the old fashioned way".



------------------
~Will
96 Z28
"fastanuff!"

 

Lost-

You're kidding, right?

 

In a word, no. I don't put on more than two coats of the glaze and never more than three of the carnuba wax and then one coat of the carnuba every so often to keep the car maintained.

------------------
~Will
96 Z28
"fastanuff!"