here's a related thread:

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...ighlight=zaino

 

I know the guy mentioned in this thread from the M5 board. His name is Greg and the link to his web site with his comprehensive test of Zaino is an interesting read:

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/gheumann/zaino_test/

 

They are many good waxes and polishes out there....
At one point, I think I counted almost 40 different types in my cabinet, so i think it's safe to say that i tried them all!!

Here are my personal opinions. Keep in mind that this comes from a multitude of different colored cars, but I was one of the first loyal Zaino users...

Zaino is very good stuff. However, like many others, I find that the number of stages/layers and processes are too time consuming. The biggest plus about Zaino is longevity. It lasts longer. This would be great if my car was a daily driver that I drove my cars in all types of weather all year long. It would require less periodic waxing/polishing. However, what I think many people fail to realize is that, most of us, are really **** about keeping our cars clean, parking them inside, and not driving them in harsh weather conditions. Many people will still wax their cars monthly or every few months, but may only drive their car several times during that period. If you are one of these people, than another wax/polish may be better suited for you. In this case, you don't need something that will last a long time, you should use something that is easy to apply and wipe off and makes the car look great. Pinnacle Sovereign, P21s, and even the New Meguiars NXT (ploymer based) would be more than adequate, and I honestly think it would be difficult to tell any of these apart if you lined them up side by side. I also love the Pinnacle products. Their biggest upside is ease of use and shine; downside is longevity (but then again, I am one of the **** types so this is not really an issue).

Something many of you may want to try is Meguiars new NXT formula. Very easy on and off and it is polymer based. It is comparatively less expensive then the other formulas as well. I have tried it and it works great, but I still need to try it some more.

In the end... I don't think you can go wrong with Zaino, Pinnacle, P21s, or even Meguiars or Mother's. It just depends on what elements you expose your car to and how often you plan to detail it. While I love Zaino (I probably still have over a dozen bottles of the stuff), perhaps I am just getting too old because I would rather put on a coat of Meguiars NXT or Pinnacle every 3 weeks than put on the full Zaino process every 3 months.

Thanks! Hope this helps!
-W

 

02TurboX50, very well-said and articulate. I am with you 100% regarding Pinnacle/P21S vs. long-lasting, but pain to apply the multiple coats of Zaino. Most of us probably don't drive their TT as daily drivers or in harsh conditions.

 

02TurboX50... all very good points indeed.

 

One note about Zaino. Once you do the entire process once, you do not need to repeat it as long as you wash the car with Zaino wash so that the old Zaino coats are not stripped off. You wash it and just apply another coat of the Z-2 and that's it. So in effect, it's no different in application effort as any other wax as long as you keep up with it every few months and don't wash with anything but Zaino wash.

 

Here's my .02:

I used Zymol for 15 years on my Porsches, but got tired of the difficulty of application/removal, and the fact that it didn't last very long. I heard good things about One Grand Blitz wax so I gave it a try. It goes on and comes off very easily (apply to entire car, then buff off), and lasts a really long time. Takes 30 minutes to wax car. I love it. Only downside--doesn't smell as good as Zymol.

http://www.carcareonline.com/detail....oduct_id=10201

 

Rockitman-
You bring up a good point about not completely doing the process over again. However, even when I only occasionally drove my car, with weekly or bi-monthly washes I noticed the Zaino would still break down. I could feel it on the paint. The coating would go away. Now, one could argue that just a quick spritz with their gloss enhancer makes it shiny and slick again, but then again, every company offers glass enhancers now.

One thing that has always made me think about Zaino is:
What is really in that stuff anyway. Since it is not sold through a normal retail environment, there are no ingredients listed on the packaging. That always brothered me. Has anyone every left their Zaino in the garage for a few months without moving it. You will notice about a 2" layer of clear oil on top. Is this silicone, is it cooking oil, who knows....

Again, I do like Zaino, and I have purchased dozens of bottles of their stuff. But, again, 1 quick 15 minute coat of Meguiars NXT or Pinnacle Sovergn and I can honestly tell you that I can't see any difference. And I have tried this on yellow, green, black, burgundy, silver, and grey colored cars....

Just my $.02