Well, the time has come for me to wax my M for the first time. This got me wondering about technique - so the questions I have are:

What is your technique for washing your M3? Do you use any "secret" or special products for washing? (I'm not talking about the quarter-op wash you do, I mean the at home, with tons of love wash)

What about drying? Chamois? Squeegy thing (California blade I guess)? Other?

And then what? I know it needs wax, but my previous experience is a little lacking, so this is where I need some suggestions, products, methods, and anything else that will give my pride and joy that beautiful healthy shine.

Keep in mind, I am not a show car kind of person, so I will not be making it beautiful every day (like that Accord in the Zaino thread). But I have great pride in my M, so I want it to look great and have some protection too.

Thanks a bunch,

Krivit
95 Black M3

Krivit,

I use Meguiar gel car wash (the pink thingy) and a cotton scrub to wash, and chamois to dry. I've heard a lot of good things about the CA water blade, will try that next.

Simple Green for the wheels, and a lot of crouching by the wheel to get the brake dust off.

303 Aerospace protectant (or Vinylex) for vinyl and Lexol for Leather. I use the protectant on my exterior plastic trims too.

I personally use the Zaino for wax (or polish or sealant). I've tried Blitz, Meguiar, EagleOne so far. Zaino is the easiest to use so far, and still produces shine comparable to Blitz's. They have somewhat an odd way of applying it though. I use the Z2, Z5, and the Z6. Go to zainobros.com for info, they're pretty anal about prepping the car and their application.

-E-

I usually use a chamois for drying, although I've heard good things about the Absorber (or something like that) that apparently holds more water between squeezings. I can't seem to get the CA water blade to work for me; maybe I'm just an idiot.

For the moment, I'm using Zymol for wax, mostly because it's readily available. I'm planning on going to Zaino when I remember to order it and have the time to do the long, involved initial application.

For my wheels, I just use a wheel brush from Autozone with soap and water to get the brake dust off. I keep Simple Green away from my aluminum wheels, and I keep all tire cleaners away from my tires (lost two sets of motorcycle tires by using that stuff...dries the rubber right out).

Check out this site. http://www.carcareonline.com/

They have a lot of good articles on how to properly detail your car. I purchase all of my detailing supplies from them. If you have any questions, give them a call and they will make sure you are buying the right products for your car. (of course, I'm not affliated, yadda, yadda, yadda)

HTH,

Aubrey

I just tried out Zaino, and it is great. The shine is tops, but the best part about it is how easy it is to apply and buff. I use the Absorber, which does seem to hold more than the chammy, although the chammy is just fine.

I've tried:

Klasse
Zaino
Finish First
Meguires Medallion
Blitz

Finish First and Zaino are practically twins, but since Finish First is cheaper and has fewer steps, I've stuck with it over the past year. For the ultimate shine, I apply several coats of FF over the course of a month or so, then top it off with the Blitz wax (carnuba based, excellent shine).

I've found that the synthetic polymers out-last and out-protect the natural carnuba waxes. IMHO, better for a daily driver. The shine may not be quite up to par with the 3M hand glaze/Blitz wax combo that Larry recommends (carcareonline.com, mentioned above), but it lasts WAY longer, and is far far easier to apply and remove.

Klasse used to be awesome, but they've changed their formulation to a more environmentally friendly base (solvent). Hasn't worked as well since this change, maybe 5 years ago or so.

Are there any online or mail order dealers for zaino??? I know you can purchase direct, but I don't like the hassle of actually mailing an order form in.....

I also use the Meguiar's car wash (the pink stuff), the Absorber for drying, and 3M Hand Glaze/Zymol for wax.

Make sure your car wash "soap" doesn't remove the wax on your car unless you want it to. To remove wax you can use Dawn detergent, but you must wax right after that wash because your car will be unprotected.

I got one of those California water blade things but I don't trust it after a couple of uses. I think it'd be too easy to end up making a scratch on the paint because you either a) get something (dirt)stuck under the blade and then swipe it on the paint or b) accidentally hit the finish of your car with the plastic handle on the blade. Not to mention, you still need to follow it up with some other kind of drying chamois because the blade just can't get everywhere effectively.
What I do now is make a quick pass over the car with the absorber without stopping to wring it out, which gets the large drops of water off the car much like the water blade. Then I follow it up with a more thorough usage of the absorber, wringing water out as needed. This works pretty well.

The Hand Glaze works well to remove minor swirls and scratches but you don't want to use that more than every 6 months or so.

I really like the Zymol. It's easy to apply and works well. Bonus: it smells like coconut!
I've never tried synthetic polymer protectants but I've seen Frayed's car so I can vouch for the appearance!

Have fun cleaning the car, it's a great way to take closer look at places of the car you normally might overlook or ignore.

Griot's Garage offers the best car care products that I have ever used. You should at least give them a try once. Their Best Of Show Wax is unparalleled. www.griotsgarage.com

Hey Frayed,

So you've actually done a direct comparo of the Zaino system versus Imp Glaze/Blitz? Love to hear which combo was better for scratches and overall shine :)

scott


Originally posted by frayed
I've tried:

Klasse
Zaino
Finish First
Meguires Medallion
Blitz

Finish First and Zaino are practically twins, but since Finish First is cheaper and has fewer steps, I've stuck with it over the past year. For the ultimate shine, I apply several coats of FF over the course of a month or so, then top it off with the Blitz wax (carnuba based, excellent shine).

I've found that the synthetic polymers out-last and out-protect the natural carnuba waxes. IMHO, better for a daily driver. The shine may not be quite up to par with the 3M hand glaze/Blitz wax combo that Larry recommends (carcareonline.com, mentioned above), but it lasts WAY longer, and is far far easier to apply and remove.

Klasse used to be awesome, but they've changed their formulation to a more environmentally friendly base (solvent). Hasn't worked as well since this change, maybe 5 years ago or so.

I know you can only get Zaino from Zaino directly, but I don't know where to get FF. Can anyone help? BTW- I've been using Meguires California Gold (Steps 1, 2 and 3) with a Porter Cable Random Orbital Polisher with good results (much better than Zymol). Also, have been using Griots Machine #3 to remove scratches -- expensive, but it works really well.

Ian, thanks for the compliment, although I think that a freshly zymoled bimmer beats a zainoed or ff'd bimmer in terms of depth of shine, yours included. :)

Scott, for overall shine, I think Carnuba-based waxes like Blitz or Zymol, in combo with 3M Imperial hand glaze is hard to beat. Multiple coats of Zaino or Finish first gives an incredible shine, but it gives more of a clear 'wet look' vs the soft, deep luster of Zymol. This is why some use a quality polymer like FF or Zaino, topped with a coat of Zymol or Blitz. . .best of both worlds, and lasts months instead of weeks, even through multiple car washings (although you would have to re-apply Zymol after several weeks).

As far a covering the fine 'sider-web' scratches, both 3M hand glaze and FF do an excellent job. Bear in mind that both actually 'fill-in' scratches rather than remove them. The difference I have found is that 3M Imperial Hand glaze doesn't last that long, and the scratches come back quickly.

Bottom line: for a daily driver, I pick Zaino or FF for ease of use, results and longevity of protection and shine. BTW, I used the Blitz/Hand Glaze combo for four years on a black bmw, and only recently switched to FF, over the past year.

Michael, try www.finishfirstpolish.com.

All that said, is seems that waxes/polishes, like your choice in motor oil, is a lot like religion. . . not trying to convert anyone, just passing along my experience.

One other note. I'm somewhat of a traditionalist. I wanted natural, tried and true high-end Zymol and Blitz waxes to be better. It just wasn't the case for my needs.

Originally posted by frayed
Finish First and Zaino are practically twins, but since Finish First is cheaper and has fewer steps, I've stuck with it over the past year. For the ultimate shine, I apply several coats of FF over the course of a month or so, then top it off with the Blitz wax (carnuba based, excellent shine).


frayed,

Just wondering based on what fact that you claim Zaino &
FF are twins?? (Not challenging your statement, but just
really curious...)

Frayed, thanks for the comments - I'm not kicking myself for buying the porter cable or the blitz/imp. glaze anymore :)

I've got a BIG (1x a year) buffing session coming up, with a couple different machine polishes to try out, and now I'm considering FF or Zaino to help protect the freshly buffed clearcoat, with the occasional Blitz on top for tha supa-shine...

scott

Originally posted by frayed

Scott, for overall shine, I think Carnuba-based waxes like Blitz or Zymol, in combo with 3M Imperial hand glaze is hard to beat. Multiple coats of Zaino or Finish first gives an incredible shine, but it gives more of a clear 'wet look' vs the soft, deep luster of Zaino. This is why some use a quality polymer like FF or Zaino, topped with a coat of Zymol or Blitz. . .best of both worlds, and lasts months instead of weeks, even through multiple car washings (although you would have to re-apply Zymol after several weeks).

As far a covering the fine 'sider-web' scratches, both 3M hand glaze and FF do an excellent job. Bear in mind that both actually 'fill-in' scratches rather than remove them. The difference I have found is that 3M Imperial Hand glaze doesn't last that long, and the scratches come back quickly.

Originally posted by JT-KGY


frayed,

Just wondering based on what fact that you claim Zaino &
FF are twins?? (Not challenging your statement, but just
really curious...)

I have no idea about the chemistry, but they are both equally easy to apply, to remove, and give results that are virtually indistinguishable. I just favor FF b/c I can order w/o using snail mail, it's cheaper, and is only a two step process.

Zaino may be better, but I couldn't tell.

i've used finish first, and i'm on blitz now.......but i reallyrealy like finish first, no complaints but blitz seems to be pretty good too, but a combo of th both is definitely awesome =)

i use meguiar's goldclass car wash

So far - I haven't used a better wax than Zaino - I believe for those lucky folks up in New Jersey, you can stop in their place and buy directly but not sure...might want to shoot them an email. Also - I wouldn't trust anything but 100% cotton on my car!
Later
Nick

I only wash my car with water...and lots of it! No car shampoo unless I'm going to wax it because shampoo will remove the wax.

My M3 has only seen rain twice so it doesn't get too dirty with crusted-on gook and mess but even if it did I would still use only water unless it had a layer of oil on it.

I never wash my car if it's been in the sun and gotten hot because the cool water hitting the hot surface will remove wax too. Try this if you care to find out; after waxing your car pour some warm water (about 130 degrees) on the hood in a small place. Then spray cool water over a larger portion of the hood and see if the place where you poured the warm water didn't remove most of the wax...the water beads will be far larger where you poured the warm water!

I use Race Glaze wax (Made in Wisconsin of all places) because I find it is equal to the best I've ever tried and I've tried them all! I've even done tests using different waxes in 12" taped out squares on another car of mine to see how they hold up. I wax my M3 about once every three months. When I apply the wax I apply it using practically no force and applyint it with a foam filled cotton wrapped applicator. I apply it in straight lines...going with the length of the car. In certain places on the car I'll use my fingers and or hand to apply the wax. I touch the surface of my car like I would a girls body...nice and lightly! I always wash, dry, apply wax and remove the wax in a straight line, instead of using circular motions. This is important! I run the length of the car instead of side-to-side. The reason for this is because "if" you do scratch the finish, light refracted at the scratches will make the scratches far more visable if they are circular versus straight.

Anytime you touch the car's surface, for whatever reason but especially to wash, dry or wax, it will put microscopic scratches in the finish or clearcoat. I always apply the lightest amount of pressure possible to do the job...especially when washing because that is when you have the most abrasive particles on the finish. I use lots and lots of water! Another thing, I let my car become soaking wet for at least fifteen to 20 minutes before I ever begin washing it. This allows anything that may be crusted on or hardened to become softened up. Bug guts are a good example. I just keep spraying the car with water to keep it wet.

I have gone back to using soft 100% cotton towels to dry my car. I just never could get used to the man-made Absorber type material though I did use them for about a year or so trying to like them!

I use Meguiar's Gel for the tires. I use Race Glaze Conditioner for the moldings.

My car's finish looks just as good today as it did when I bought it new with no microscopic scratches...visable to the naked eye. It's my way of taking care of it! And it works for me...

Bob ///M3

Bob - Thanks for the great tips for washing and waxing! You educated me on a few that I hadn't thought about before. Thanks again.

Wash and wax: Zaino
Polish: 3M Imperial Hand Glaze
Vinyl: Vinylex
Leather: Lexol Cleaner and conditioner
Tires: Meguirs tire gel
Plastic: Meguir's plastic cleaner and polish
Rubber: Meguirs rubber cleaner and conditioner
Dusting: The California duster
Trim: Forever Black
Mitt: Lambswool (separate for wheels and car)
Drying: The Absorber

FYI: You can order Zaino's from Eckler's 800-327-4868 and use a credit card for the same price. It is also excellent on boats (Z1 and Z5).

http://www.geocities.com/~dawgstats/bmw/fullside.jpg

wash: Zaino Z7
clay: Clay magic (don't waste your time with other brands, this is considerably better)
polish/wax: Z5 & Z2
Dash: Meguire's Prof. formula 40 or Zaino leather conditioner
weather stripping: Zaino tire/trim protectant
wheel polish: Blue Magic
leather conditioner: Zaino leather conditioner
carpet stain cleaner: Oxyclean mix
dusting: cali duster
drying: Kanedo (japanese brand, like absorber, but little textured and doesn't leave the little water beads behind)

3M professional products are great to use as well such as Swirl remover, Imperial hand glaze, wax..

... also, for zaino products, call or email zaino and they can tell you if there is a distributor near you. i'm in cali and drove down to my distributor to get the products right away.

Originally posted by syclone
drying: Kanedo (japanese brand, like absorber, but little textured and doesn't leave the little water beads behind)



Syclone, where can you get the Kanedo?

I use Meguire's Soft gel wash and have had no trouble with my Californis squeegee. I do wipe it after every swipe to make sure there are no contaminates on it and after the car is all done, I go over the cracks and seams with a cotton towel. Works great for a daily driver.

Originally posted by frayed


Syclone, where can you get the Kanedo?

I think he meant "Kanebo". That brand is readily available in Asia. Not sure about here though. It looked and felt like the absorber.

The little water beads that the Absorber left behind kinda bugs me a little bit. I hate to run through the same area over and over again to get a streak-free finish. Any alternatives?

-E-

Bump up!

Bob, since you bumped this thread, let me update my wax experience.

My experience with Zaino is limited, throwing one coat on from a bottle a friend had when I was back in NY, when I had my Honda S2000. I then bought FF, as there was a group buy through the S2000 guys. I've gone through a whole can of the stuff over the past year, then. . .

I was over at eclou's place, for suspension work. He has been using P21S waxes. His car looked awesome.

I looked over the review on thewaxtest.com (P21S trounced the competition in certain categories). I then talked with Larry Reynolds (www.carcarespecialities.com). Larry is a seasoned Concours guy, having competed for many years. As it turns out, he won on the order of 25 out of 28 contests he entered. His secret?

3M Imperial Hand Glaze, followed by P21S Paint Cleanser, followed by P21S wax. Needless to say, I ordered a P21S starter kit.

I am blown away by the results. Kicks the living daylights out of FF. No kidding.

I would suggest to anyone interested in it, to peruse his site, and give him a ring. He's a great guy (and an accomplished racer too)
------------------------

On a sidenote, I noticed that after having used FF for a year, a synthetic polymer, that while the paint got 'shiny', it lacked the depth of shine that I wanted. In talking with Larry, he said that synthetics really have no components that 'wet' or 'moisten' the paint. He explained how our paint is actually porous, and needs care much like dry skin in the winter.

In the end, I went from natural, organic carnauba-based waxes, to polymers, back to carnauba. I'm now a believer in the carnauba-based waxes, although they do not last as long. . .

Actually, I'm a HUGE fan of the quarter hand wand car washes, but only if it has hot water. I go at about 2.30am with about $10-15 in quarters, a bucket, good car wash soap, a jack, and a ton of towels. I jack up each side of the car and clean the crap out of the wheel wells and the bottom of the car. I then spray down the car with the soap out of the wand and let it sit while I fill my bucket. I wet the car down once more then do a through hand wash. I use the crappy spray on wax out of the wand as the first rinse, then do a final rinse with hot water on full blast. Next I dry the car from top to bottom. After I have the car 99% dry I'll drive about amile down the street to blow out the cracks. I stop under the brightest lights I can find and wipe the car off with a damp towel and Meguiars 34 (Instant detailer). This gets all the remaining water off and the 34 prevents any road dust from hurting the paint. I drive the car home and park it in the garage. If I'm going to wax the car the next day I skip the second drying session. Either way, I 34 the car again in the morning. Sometimes I'll just throw on a quick coat of wax (I used Zymol Concours the last couple of years, but am switching over to exclusivly meguiars products..thanks BJ). I start with 34, then a quick coat of wax, clean the windows, dress the trim and tires, touch up any spots with 34, and off I go. If I'm really doing the car I'll start with 34, address and problem areas with proper attention, use a product like HD Cleanse or a good paint conditioner, the use a Meguiars polish, and finally a coat of top quality wax. The dress the trim and tires, do the windows, and touch up any spots. I always take the time to clean my door jams, under the hood, and trunk jams so that they are clean enough to eat out of them. You might say that I'm anal about it. A wash takes meabout 3 hours, a quick wash and wax is about 4, and a complete exterior is around 6 hours. And I havent even touched the interior yet. If I'm prepping the car for a concours I have 18-20 hours in it. Regular maintenence is key to keeping the car in top shape, it will also prevent you from spending 40 hours on making the car look new every 3 months. I wash once a week and wax once a month. I deep clean as I see that it is needed.

Good luck..and feel free to drop me a note anytime. One of my best friends ran the best detail shop in Ohio for a long time ( I can see it from out my condo window..how's that for interesting moving luck...) and has taught me everything he knows. If I get a question I can't answer I can just call him up.

Brian

Larry Reynolds' detailing views are <b><font size=20 color=red>VERY</font></b> old school. His practices are better suited to show cars and not daily drivers. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the guy. He knows his stuff. He's just too old school. He recco's against using clay. I agree on a certain level. Clay is OK to use on a yearly or bi-yearly basis. As for IHG blitz, after one rainstorm, all your swirls and scratches will re-appear. IHG is just a glaze. The oils fill in your scratches and give the extra shine, but it is very very temporary. It's alot of work for such a short payoff. If you don't ever drive your car, than ihg and blitz are a good combo. I would recco to use an abrasive polish to permanently remove your swirls, and follw up with a quality carnuba or polymer.

Zaino is good but it's lack the warmth of Carnuba. Klasse is excellent, but I have a hazing issue with it. The advantage of klasse is that you can top it off with carnuba to obtain the depth and warmth, thus giving you the best of both worlds. Zaino cannot be topped with carnuba.

I would recco zaino. It's newer technology. All the products work together to help retain gloss, slickness and durability. Their clay is excellent as are thier leather and tire products.

Here are some tips:

How to wash your car properly:

Use two buckets to wash your car. One with clean water, one with car wash soap. Use three mitts when washing. One for the top parts of the car(everything above the middle of the doors). Use the other for the areas below the middle of the doors. These areas are dirtier, therefore the mitt will be dirtier. You don't want to drag a dirty mitt over your vehicle's paint unless you want scratches and swirls. The third mitt is for your wheels.
Before washing, rinse your car with free flowing water to loosen the dirt. Next, take your mitt for the top parts of the car, dip it into the soapy bucket, glide it over a section (half the hood, half the roof etc) of the paint in back and forth motions as air would flow over the vehicle. Immediately rinse it off with free flowing water. Dip the mitt into the clean water, swish it around a bit to remove the dirt from the fibres, ring it out, dip into soapy bucket, and repeat on next section of car.
All of this should be done in the evening, or in a shaded area. Otherwise you'll get nasty water spots.
Dry the car off with a wizards water bandit or a p21s super absorbing drying towel. Leather chamois are crap. If necessary, follow up with a Fieldcrest charismas to dry. The cheap towels in can tire/pep boys etc are no good.
Hope this helped.

How to apply wax properly:

I recommend using Blitz wax by One Grand. It’s the best carnuba for daily drivers. Use foam applicators and apply it in front to back motions, as air would flow over your car. Wax the whole car, and then let it sit for 20 minutes so that it can haze. Once it’s hazed, buff it off with a 100% cotton towel. I buff off the wax in the order that I applied it. This MUST be done in the shade (I do it in the garage), or you will have serious problems. I recommend using Fieldcrest charisma towels. The crappy towels in pep boys, etc, will only scratch your paint.

Wax is not abrasive. It will in no way harm your paint. Just don’t use too much wax on your car. No car will accept more than 1mm of wax. So whether you apply the whole can on one car, or a tenth of a can, you’ll still be getting the same protection. If it’s taking you forever to buff off, then you used too much. I only need to use one 13” x 13” towel to buff a whole car. That’s how little residue I have to buff off.

Wax your car once a month or once every two months, but no less. Once a year, strip off all the old wax to avoid wax buildup. Use dawn, or a mildly abrasive paint cleaner to do this. If you use dawn, wash with car wash soap right after to remove the residue that dawn leaves behind. Then go ahead and begin waxing again for the year.

If you want some zaino tips, let me know.

David,

I'd like to know exactly what information Larry puts out there that isn't accurate. While the information provided by Larry is 'aged' or 'old school,' how has detailing changed over the last x years to render his advice outdated?

On the other hand, I approach his views as well seasoned, well reasoned, and a VERY conservative starting point. I've then branched out and experimented from there. For example, he recommends against power tools. However, I think this mostly applies to the novice with a high-speed, rotary polisher, not so much slow random orbit Waxmasters, which don't generate heat like rotary units.

Your advice on Blitz matches Larry's.

Interesting sidenote, Larry is buddies with Sal Zaino, and the owner of Liquid Glass (same stuff as FF). He stocks none of these products.

On Klasse, I haven't had good luck with this stuff since the company went to a less volatile carrier. The new stuff cannot match what they used to offer.

Jeff

Originally posted by frayed
David,

I'd like to know exactly what information Larry puts out there that isn't accurate. While the information provided by Larry is 'aged' or 'old school,' how has detailing changed over the last x years to render his advice outdated?

Jeff

I never said his info was inaccurate. And I never it said it was outdated. It's still good advice, but it is old school. The technology for today's paints are continuously evolving. The types of products that need to be used, the application methods etc will change with this tecnology. New products are constantly entering the marketplace.

And yes, Larry and I do agree that blitz is good wax. IMHO, I think blitz is the best carnuba for daily drivers. But IHG is a waste.

And no chemical cleaner can do what clay does.

Don't take my post personally. I'm not attacking Larry's credibility. Like I said b4, he knows his stuff. He has won concours events, I haven't. But I'm still entitled to an opinion regardless.:)

David,

No personal attacks intended, nor could I detect any in my post above. I wasn't defending Larry, just giving my thoughts on his published car care advice. :)

Just after the facts, that's all; looking for more textual background to your opinion on the aged nature of Larry's advice. You recommend Zaino (which you believe represents new technology) and use of clay (not new technology). So, is that it, lack of an endorsement of Zaino and the conservative route on clays? I just want to be clear on your reasoning.

In addition, I remain confused by your post. You recommend against IHG and Blitz for a DD, then point out that Zaino lacks warmth (which I think it does in my very limited experience), but then you recommend Zaino b/c it's new technology, but then recommend Blitz with detailed application instructions. ??

IHG is a filler, sure. But you can always move to any one of various swirl removers that do have an abrasive component. . .

I use it a few times a year, seems to have a rejuvinating effect. I use 3M swirl remover for a little bit more aggresive action, but I heard Meguires is good too.

Jeff

Guys,

Don't take this so personally. There ae a ton of different methods to skin the same cat. I have won concours with my methods, while some people scoff at it. Just as your methods may work for you, they might not work for the next guy. YOu do need to pay attention to the part of the country that you live. What might be perfect for Texas won't work for Ohio and vise versa. The sun affects each car and each area of the country differently. I will say one thing, there is nothing I hate more on a car than dirty wheel wells and side skirts that haven't been cleaned all the way to the bottom edges. Dirt on these areas shows you a lazy detailer.

Brian

Originally posted by BMLRacer
Guys,

Don't take this so personally.

I'm not actually. I can certainly accept different techniques/methods for car care, as there is no one size fits all technique, just as different racers can get around the track as fast as each other but with vastly different brake pad wear.

I will say one thing, there is nothing I hate more on a car than dirty wheel wells and side skirts that haven't been cleaned all the way to the bottom edges. Dirt on these areas shows you a lazy detailer.


Goddamnit, you been peaking under my wheel wells again? :)

Jeff

LOL, Jeff...I'm so anal about wheels wells, the bottom of the car, under the hood, and especially the door jams that it hurts. I'm religious about waxing my sway bars for christs sake. I've pretty much accepted it as a sickness, but it does offer me an advantage at keeping up on maintanence. I an able to pick out slight leaks before they become issues because I make sure there is no extra grime to have to dig through.

Brian...and go clean the bloody wheel wells...

Let me clear things up:

<b>You recommend Zaino (which you believe represents new technology) and use of clay (not new technology). So, is that it, lack of an endorsement of Zaino and the conservative route on clays? I just want to be clear on your reasoning. </b>

I'll have to go back and re-read his car care articles again. It's been a while. Larry says alot of things that are so true and so correct. And then thier are some things he says that are considered old school. Like I said b4, I'm not trying to discredit him in any way, I'm simply stating I don't agree with everything he says.

<b>In addition, I remain confused by your post. You recommend against IHG and Blitz for a DD, then point out that Zaino lacks warmth (which I think it does in my very limited experience), but then you recommend Zaino b/c it's new technology, but then recommend Blitz with detailed application instructions. ??
</b>

I never recco'd blitz. I gave application instructions because some people don't want to use Zaino, or they love carnuba too much. They mind as well apply it properly if they are going to use it.

And yes, I did point out that zaino lacks warmth. People should know what their getting into if they are going to buy it. I'm just giving a heads up. Sorry if you were confused. :)

Come and join the detailing forum I am a part of. Here is the URL: http://www.autopia-carport.com/ForumIndex.htm .

This is the best detailing forum on the internet. It's moderated by two Concours winners who have almost 50 years of detailing experience between them. You'll find that alot of people on that forum don't follow Larry's views. They are also not big fans of Liquid glass and FF.

Just my two cents but when I say I'm wash my car I really mean I'm detailing it. I'm not sure About the other stuffs. But I use no soap to wash the car to remove any light contaminates using a really soft wash mit. Then I dry it using the California water blade. Then go over the whole car with a chamois. Then I use meguires medalion paint cleaner. Once is usually sufficient but if it doesnt feel like glass then I do it again. Then I use a light polish like 3m imperial hand glaze, then quickly go over the whole vehicle with Meguire's #7 show car glaze. Followed by either #26 hi-tec yellow wax or the Blitz or even the Zaino, depending on your preference. Then I use the Meguire's Mirror glaze Polymer sealant. I really love this stuff it keeps the finish glass smooth and over time really helps keep the crud off. Without it I was washing once every other week. Now the thing stays beautiful all the time. And for small jobs or on the go cleaning You can't go wrong with their Final inspection. I got 2 bottles in my car along with a nice clean flannel finishing rag. This combination has made my 10 year old factory green paint. Outshine and outlast even the newest of Vehicles. Although I must give credit to BMW, They really know how to make quality long lasting paint.

I use a Griots Garage shampoo with a wool mit. I hose all the residue off and use the Calfornia Water Blade to get the water off, and I use a cotton towel to get the hard spots and the excess water.

Next, to get the car really pretty, I use 3M Hand Glaze to get all the old wax off, and any impurities. Then I use P21S (great stuff!) carnuba wax. The way that I do it is I move the pad in one direction (horizontal). After waiting a little while I take one rag, and go over it vertically. With just a soft, even sweep to evenly displace the wax. I let it sit for a tad longer, then I buff it out in large swirls.

Then the car looks brand new - out of the factory!

I love reading everyone's posts, but <b>damn</b> I get more confused with each new choice offered.

No garage. Occasional rain. Dust from the nearby hills. Bird poop galore. Two children, great wife, lots of chores. Daily driver in a big city. No time or place to spend nearly as much time as I read here.

My solution has been to visit the "touchless" car wash, which does an adequate job. I really want to do my own cleaning and detailing, so I need help in navigating a middle road.

I like the idea of natural (vs. synthetic), need a long-lasting shine, and can hit the car with a hose every weekend. My time is most precious, the car's finish almost as precious, and the fewest number of steps the most valuable (especially with a three-year old "helping" me out).

Perhaps what we need is to get together and have "wash-fests" or somesuch. Get out the barbeque... Coming soon to a state near you!

I just switched to Zaino. I used to use Griot's Best of Show wax. My car is a daily driver and one day long session of Zaino when it was still warm with touch ups of gloss enhancer leaves the car looking great.

I think the the Griot's BOSW works really well, but doesn't last. I find that it needed to be reapplied every month or two to retain a good shine, where Zaino doesn' t look as good right off the bat, compare both in a week and the Zaino looks really great.

It took me a bit of experimenting to get my zaino technique down, though. It really likes a light touch, and microfiber polishing clothes definitely help out with swirl marks. Zaino does a better job of filling in swirl marks than BOSW, too. Just gotta be really light on the final coat.

I don't think Zaino would be the best thing to use for a concours class car, others here are right, it doesn't have the depth of a good carnuba wax, but in terms of protecting a daily driver, it's great.

If you're really patient, Zaino works really really well on wheels, too. Makes them nice and shiny and much easier to clean... of course, ymmv, depending on what finish your wheels are.

If anyone wants to get together for a detail session in the bay area, I'm up for it... it'd be hard to plan though, based on the incremental weather, maybe it'd be something we could do during the spring when we can plan on no rain. I can host at my place in Sunnyvale, though.

-kit
97 m3/4, hoping to get the newer H&R adjustors today

Thank you for the delightful offer. I think it'd be great to have a Bay Area Washfest, starting with a trip to Kragen (or something similar).

Better even if we do it in a park which has a hose so the kids can play (or a quiet neighborhood).

Just another thing to make the springtime something to look forward to.