Easiest to use/most durable for a new car? Not too concerned with fantastic looks

bast525 said:
so far I am leaning towards Klasse ..
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I use KSG on one of our vehicles but I *really* don't think it's right for you. It requires a lot of surface prep to look decent and unless you layer it, it doesn't last all that much longer than the Collinite. I use Collinite on one of my most abused/neglected beaters just because it looks great (with minimal work) and lasts so long (with minimal upkeep).



Don't let the multiple steps bother you. The initial step (AIO, 1z polish, etc.) doesn't need to be done very often. You can usually just add more Collinite after a wash.



I read somewhere that the Collinite (or at least their 845) contains "resins" and that they are what gives it such good durability. :nixweiss what's in it, but it sure does work great.



Heh heh, I really don't think any combo is gonna satisfy you more than Zaino's AIO (more aggressive than Klasse AIO so if you want quick results with minimal work, I'd go with that one) or some polish from 1Z ...either of those topped with most any wax from Collinite is gonna look great for a long long time with minimal effort. I know I'm a broken-record, but I know enough non-car-people who love such combos to speak with confidence.



Oh, and it's not like *all* of us do this stuff quickly. I, for one, take a *long* time to do most any aspect of a detail. Experience helps me do the job *better*, but not all that much *faster*.
 
It shouldn't take very long to put on wax. It takes me about an half an hour to put 845 all over the car and another half hour to take it off. Use MF's to apply and take off and it should be a breeze. Put it on your wheels as well and it should make cleaning them easier as well. I've used collinite in the sun without any problem. BUT BEWARE THE THICK COAT- it requires effort to take off.
 
Okay... here is my dilemma. I don't have a lot of spare time on my hands these days... and really, am to the point where I could care less if my car has a show-car, deep and always wet looking finish. Considering I have no garage... all the waxing in the world will only make my car look nice for at most a couple days. I'm more worried about protection... especially during the spring and summer... it rains constantly and the birds and trees and then hot sun all combining to just destroy the clear coat on the car.



Well, are you saying you don't have time to do anything on your vehicle? If that is the case, maybe you should request the assistance of an "Autopian" detailer in your area to just take care of the problem correctly with a yearly contract, which would save you a lot of money in the long run and keep your vehicle looking, Awesome!!

Changeling
 
I am definatley at the point that if I found a body shop I KNEW I could TRUST, to do good work and use good products... I would definately go that route. Problem is I have dealt with detail shops that were supposedly well known and had good reputations and found that I had more swirl marks after they did their thing, and often, they seem to use waxes that do not seem to last that long.



As it stands... finding time to do stuff to the car is definately hard. I mean it's one thing to just do a quick 30 min car wash... but finding time to go to the car wash and be there for a couple hours waxing is very difficult.



I must definately be doing something wrong as just waxing and removing the wax from the whole car is definately taking me a couple hours, but I do now think this is partly becuase I may be putting it on too thick. I have a hard time imagining just correcting this habit will cut my time down that dramatically though.



So Zaino is easier to apply and remove than Klasse and also cleans better and is more effective at reducing swirl marks? I do have a lot of very minor swirls already and would like to reduce these if possible. I like that there is no rush to remove the Zaino... do the whole car THEN wipe off... vs. one panel at a time.



Does the Zaino AIO just not look nice at all by itself?



Also... just to be sure I understand correctly about Collinite... it is NOT a cleaner or polish, correct? So I would want ot use the Zaino/Klasse first and then the Collinite over it?



I will say I am liking the idea of DG AW as a touch up since it sounds incredibly easy and quick to use. Regardless of which 'base coat' I use.









OKAY so... I'm down to Zaino, Collinite, and Klasse. Zaino sounds like the best of both worlds... cleans, light polishing, good long lasting protection, doesn't look to shabby. Collinite sounds like the best non-cleaning wax only. Klasse sounds like it works great but maybe not the best for my car and the Zaino would outperform it for cleaning and removing swirls.



Am I getting all this right?
 
bast525- The Zaino All-In-One has some mild abrasives that are still potent enough to do a *LITTLE* bit of correction (but don't expect miracles; if you want that you'll have to use the 1z instead). The Klasse version of AIO is so mild as to be functionally nonabrasive which is why I'm leaning towards the Zaino for you. By itself it looks OK but doesn't last long (in my experience). But you could wait until after the next wash to add the Collinite if time is short.



Can't help you with just how to use the ZAIO as I've only experimented with it on a small area, didn't try doing a whole car with it.



Putting the Collinite over top of it won't take much time at all, that part goes *VERY* fast and easy. Correct, the Collinite has no cleaners/abrasives; it's a "straight wax".



And yeah, the AW would make for a very nice quick touch-up for after washes.
 
I'd add the suggestion for Collinite as well. Everyone has basically explained everything, so I don't really have anything else to add :) My protection on both cars is Collinite 476S (paste version) used with Duragloss Aquawax after each wash.
 
Okay so Zaino is more abrasive and will do more correction to minor swirl marks than KAIO will.



Zaino on it's own does not last very long as far as protecting the paint.



Zaino would be great to clean and as a 'base' coat for a final coat with something like Collinite.



Converseley, if the car doesn't really need any cleaning and I'm not worried about removing swirl marks, I can just use Collinite.



Collinite will last a long time even on a non-garaged, daily driver.



DG 105 is very similiar to Collinite in that they are both final steps and don't really clean but are rather just a final coat. DG has the advantage of being cheaper and can be bought OTC (or can it?).



Do I have all this correct so far?



What about Zaino being a polymer that can be 'undone' by the petroleum distillates in carauba wax formulas? From 'The Perfect Shine' article on this website.





If I don't use any kind of touch up like AW, how long could I reasonably expect Zaino AIO + Collinite 845 to protect from the elements before needing to reapply? (or just Collinite?)



If I am using DG AW after washing, how long before I would need to start the whole process over with ZAIO and Collinite? (or just Collinite with AW after washing?)







How do Zaino and Collinite apply? Easy to use for someone who doesn't really know what they are doing? Do they require time to dry/cure or just wipe on wipe off?
 
Sorry to confuse you, but....



Zaino seems to pretty durable sealant out there, actually. People have generally gotten 4-5 months, about the same as Collinite. However, the difference is that Collinite is a carnauba, while Zaino is a sealant. Collinite, being a carnauba, will generally perform better against bird bombs. Also, it is much cheaper than Zaino. I personally get pretty confused with the Zaino products, and since it costs so much, it wasn't an option for me.



I don't believe that putting a carnauba over a sealant is really effective. If I were you, I would either do multiple coats of Zaino or multiple coats of Collinite.



Without touch-ups, and assuming this car will be outside 24/7, not too much atmospheric pollution, I would say that 2 coats of either Zaino/Collinite will last you about 4-5 months.



AW by itself can last around 2 months (from what I have heard). I would say that you could probably extend the life of the protection 2-3 months more if you are adding AW after each wash. It's a very general estimate though, because I usually reapply my waxes before that time so I can enjoy the beading :)



I believe that Zaino requires some time to cure. Collinite is very easily applied. Make sure you apply extremely thinly so that you save product and make it easy for yourself when you remove the product. Generally with Collinite, I do the wax the entire car and then come around to buff it off. So I generally let it sit around 30 minutes before I take it off. This is by no means necessary, although I believe that letting the wax sit slightly longer (until it dries) will reinforce the durability.



Hope that helps :)
 
I use both Collinite and Zaino, and without a doubt, Zaino is MUCH easier to work with. It goes on easier, it comes off easier, and it lasts longer. I used Zaino Z5 Pro over th winter on our van. The van is abused, it goes through friction car washes and gets driven alot, without much downtime for me to take care of it, as my wife is always on the go. But, it gets washed, and its slick as a baby's bottom. The collinite looks good, lasts well, but is harder to take off and does not retain its slick feeling as long, although it seems to be protecting longer than it feels slick.



I just had the internal discussion about whether to use up the Z on my car, or continue using up other products till then.
 
My understanding of Zaino All In One is that you can't really layer it... because it is a cleaner it will just remove the previous coat as you apply it.



Also... a lot of people here seem to swear by using a sealant and then a carnauba over it. Personally, I don't know enough to know one way or the other, and really would prefer to be able to use only one and get good protection if possible.



Again, I'm much more concerned with protection than looks, though this site is making me self conscious and making me want to fix the swirl marks the car already has. But of utmost importance is protection... so that hopefully after years have passed with the car being outside 24/7, it won't have faded/peeling clearcoat, rust or anything like that.
 
bast525 said:
My understanding of Zaino All In One is that you can't really layer it... because it is a cleaner it will just remove the previous coat as you apply it.



Also... a lot of people here seem to swear by using a sealant and then a carnauba over it. Personally, I don't know enough to know one way or the other, and really would prefer to be able to use only one and get good protection if possible.



Again, I'm much more concerned with protection than looks, though this site is making me self conscious and making me want to fix the swirl marks the car already has. But of utmost importance is protection... so that hopefully after years have passed with the car being outside 24/7, it won't have faded/peeling clearcoat, rust or anything like that.
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I find the KAIO extremely easy to use and very economical as a little goes a very long way. If you see streaks when you apply it, you're putting too much. It's not abrasive, but it hides swirl marks very good. Go to Sam's and get a pack of 25 mf's for about $11 - use a few as applicators and the rest as buffers. When you apply the KAIO, moisten the applicator with qd or even water so it glides easiers across the surface. Looks great when you're done and if you feel like doing a little more work, P21S Concours makes it look even deeper. I used to use that method on friend's cars, now I use Zymol Vintage as lsp since I have it anyway.



KAIO looks good by itself and it's VERY easy to apply - it takes me 1 hour to HD Cleanse a car and 1 1/2 hours to apply Vintage . . . I can KAIO in 20 minutes and it's plenty good especially for a daily driver that will be kept outside.
 
Ditto on Collinite products. I got wax and sealant and on my Dodge Magnum and on my Porsche Cayman. Drove Porsche during winter and wax was still beading in the spring.
 
Duragloss 601 (polish bonding agent) followed by DG 105 sounds like just what that doctor ordered. Ordered directly from Duragloss, they have flat shipping of 4.95. Will easily last 6+ months, is relatively cheap, (less than 25 with shipping), and can be maintained (if you so desire) with AquaWax after a wash to bring back a great shine.
 
Note that the Zaino All-In-One is different from the non-cleaning/nonabrasive "normal Zaino stuff" that some people might be thinking of. It doesn't last all that long by itself (first hand observation on my wife's A8) and whatever it leaves behind is so minimal that I wouldn't care what it is. I wouldn't hesitate to put wax over the ZAIO right away, but again I'd consider taking a rest after doing all that work and just apply the wax after the next wash. No need to turn this stuff into some marathon session that's not fun (conversely, no need to quit half-way through if you're enjoying it either :D ).



Correct, there's generally no benefit from trying to "layer" products like ZAIO (there are exceptions, but I won't pick those nits at present ;) ).



Collinite is available OTC in some areas, check with marine supply places and auto parts stores. It's inexpensive.



The sealant + wax approach works but so does just using one or the other. I for one have given up topping sealants and I just pick which approach is right for the given vehicle.



You could just add the AW after any wash, no need to redo the preceding steps. You can add the Collinite the same way. I'd only redo the ZAIO step maybe once a year or so; you can refresh the waxes for quite a while with no problem.
 
Accumulator said:
Note that the Zaino All-In-One is different from the non-cleaning/nonabrasive "normal Zaino stuff" that some people might be thinking of. It doesn't last all that long by itself (first hand observation on my wife's A8) and whatever it leaves behind is so minimal that I wouldn't care what it is. I wouldn't hesitate to put wax over the ZAIO right away, but again I'd consider taking a rest after doing all that work and just apply the wax after the next wash. No need to turn this stuff into some marathon session that's not fun (conversely, no need to quit half-way through if you're enjoying it either :D ).



Correct, there's generally no benefit from trying to "layer" products like ZAIO (there are exceptions, but I won't pick those nits at present ;) ).



Collinite is available OTC in some areas, check with marine supply places and auto parts stores. It's inexpensive.



The sealant + wax approach works but so does just using one or the other. I for one have given up topping sealants and I just pick which approach is right for the given vehicle.



You could just add the AW after any wash, no need to redo the preceding steps. You can add the Collinite the same way. I'd only redo the ZAIO step maybe once a year or so; you can refresh the waxes for quite a while with no problem.
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Okay I am getting closer to a final plan here.





I will either go with a) hit it with an AIO once or twice a year(leaning towards Zaino now for the better cleaning/swirl fixing), then go with DG AW after every wash as my 'sacrificial layer'.



-or-



b) hit it with an AIO, then with Collinite 845 or DW 105, and then with DG AW after every wash.



I know b would be better than a, but would a still provide me with a decent level of protection? Would the AW after each wash allow me to go a long time without needing to reapply the AIO? I'm looking for at least 6 months if possible... If I'm AW'ing every wash, is that realistic? If Collinite is as easy to apply and buff out as everyone says, I will seriously consider going with step b unless you guys think that step a would be enough for good, long lasting protection.





Any last tips for choosing between DW 105 and Collinite 845? They both seem to be VERY similiar in that they don't do any cleaning, both look good and last at least 5 months. Only difference I can really see is that one is carnauba and the other is not.





Any final tips for KAIO vs. ZAIO? ZAIO seems to be better since it is more abrasive, which makes me think that if I don't NEED the extra cleaning/fixing, KAIO would last longer?
 
bast525 said:
This clears things up a little more. Though generally, this whole thread has, if anything, made the choice harder than it was before I posted it!
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Heh heh, that's not surprising ;)



So using ZAIO once or twice a year, and then topping with AW after every wash/every other wash, should be enough to keep the paint in good shape for me?
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It's hard to say...the ZAIO is *VERY* mild stuff. Hard to guess what another person's experiences will be and what their expectations are. Plenty of people would be satisfied with that approach IMO/IME.



If you want better results, and are willing to get more involved in this stuff, my recommendation for the next level would be the 1Z brand polishes. But I'd see how this basic approach works for you first. It's a modern variation on the "cleaner-wax, then straight wax" approach that has been working fine for many people for decades.



Any last tips for choosing ZAIO vs. KAIO as far as which is easier to use or protects longer? I'm assuming KAIO lasts longer since it has less cleaning ability?
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Based on my admitedly limited experience with ZAIO (and my infinitely more extensive experience with the KAIO), they'll last about the same...or the ZAIO might even last a *little* bit longer. But in any event IMO it'll be the subsequently-applied product (the Collinite/AW) that provides any lasting effect.



Ease of use is a toss-up as they're both very user-friendly.



Between the two I'd go with the Zaino AIO. I just think it has more to offer.
 
thank you all for all the info.



Yeah... again I'm not really looking for a show car shine with depth and all that stuff that people like... the car sits outside all the time... it's never going to look like a show car for long no matter what I do barring putting on a cover everywhere I go. Not practical for a daily driver.



As for Zaino being mild... that's good... less chance I will do any harm with it. I'm notexpecting to get rid of the swirl marks... if they get reduced, awesome. I do want something that will clean a little deeper than just soap and water, to help get out stuff that has 'soaked in' like sap and bird droppings, water spotting, stuff like that. I know a clay bar would be best... but for now, at least something that will do SOMETHING with these contaminants.





I'm still doing some last minute research but it looks like I will go with ZAIO a couple times a year and AW after washes. That seems to be a great blend of ease of application, easy on the wallet, and easy on my time. As long as someone who knows more than I feels this would really help protect the car and extend the life of the finish.



At some point, I might pick up some Collinite 845 or possibly Duragloss 105 and put that on after a wash, if I really just don't like the look of ZAIO + AW.
 
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