Zaino'd the CX-5

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2019 CX-5 GT-R
I've had the CX-5 almost 3 weeks now and decided it was time to give the car the full Zaino treatment. For those unfamiliar with http://www.zainostore.com/, they make synthetic car polishes that are amazing. I've been using their products since 2005 on my Mazda RX-8 and love the results I've gotten so figured I'd do the same for the CX-5


The Zaino lineup:

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First step was to wash the car to get it ready:


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after washing the car, it was time to break out the clay bar. In reality, you could use any clay bar, I just happened to use Zaino's I had ordered one last week when purchasing a few things from them.

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For those who haven't clay'd a car before, the idea here is to run the clay bar over the paint and it will pick up grime and contaminants that are on the paint. The trick to doing this is to 'lubricate' the paint as you go, I chose to use soapy water but quick detailer spray also works.
You want to run the clay bar in straight lines over the paint after you've wet that area. Work in 3x3 sections and take your time. Running the bar over the paint should feel a lot like gliding a hockey puck across the ice. If you have more resistance than that, spray more liquid or you could scratch the paint. Once you've clay'd the area, wipe it down with a microfiber and move on to the next section.
Also, you can clay any part of the car, chrome, mirrors, paint, etc.


After claying the hood and driver side doors you can already see the bar has picked up some contaminants off the paint (little black specks)

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Once I was done with the entire vehicle, it was time for another quick wash. I say quick because the car is not only clean from the previous wash and clay but it also has a ton of dried soapy water on it so this part goes relatively quickly. No picture needed for this.



Next up is the science project that is Zaino.
Zaino has 2 primary polishes, Z2 and Z5. I chose to go with Z5 for this round as it's a little better for dark colors and can even help fill slight swirl marks. I've always used Z5 as a 'base' for my dark colored cars and future applications are usually always Z2 as it has greater optical characteristics (aka shinier)

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The small blue bottle is Zaino's ZFX, which basically helps the Zaino 'cure' (dry) quicker. This is good for areas that are more humid but I've always added a few drops so I don't have to wait too long between coats.
Unlike traditional wax, you can leave Zaino on for extended periods of time before wiping it off.
I mixed up half a bottle (1 ounce) and that should be enough for probably 3 coats. The key to Zaino is to use it sparingly as a little bit goes a LONG way.


This is what I used for about 1/4 of the hood to get started.

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The cool thing about Zaino is you can work a small section at a time and then just keep moving your way around the car. It took me about 30 minutes to apply a coat to the entire car and then I left it on while I went inside to take a break and watch some TV.
45 minutes later I went back out to the garage to check on it.
I ran my finger across the hood; if it came cleanly off, it's ready. If it smears it still hasn't fully cured so go back inside and have a cold one.
Fortunately for me it was ready so I took a clean microfiber and started wiping the polish off. It should come off fairly effortlessly.

Once the polish was off, I grabbed the Z6 quick detailer spray and wiped the entire car down. This helps remove any polish you might have missed plus gives you an extra layer to build on before you keep moving on.


At this point, I checked my polish and despite being a little heavy handed with the first coat (which I have a tendency to do), I still had plenty of polish left.


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After this, it was time for a 2nd coat of Z5.
Another 45 minute wait which I used to go inside and watch the Yankees game (stupid Astros!)
Wiped the polish off and then wiped it down with more quick detailer.

2 coats of Zaino Z5 and the car was done!
I took a few minutes to wipe down the glass, add a little tire shine and rolled it out of the garage for a quick picture. Unfortunately there was a ton of shade at this point but you get the idea.


The finished results!
Nothing better looking than a freshly polished car. :D



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Next weekend I'll probably get the front windows tinted and a few weeks from now I might even do a few more coats of Zaino Z2 just to give it that super wet gloss look.
 
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Looks sharp. Thanks for posting this.

I struggle because I have a 1/2 mile long potholed dirt driveway before I get to pavement. Tires and the lower extremities of the car are tough to keep clean. Now I have the CX-5 and not my truck, I'm wishing I lived on the main road.

Sp how long did this take, start to finish?
Can this be broken up into sections?
Could you run this process beginning to end on part of the car (say the hood & front quarter panels) and then do the rest of it the next day?
I've read that one should not use a clay bar if one is not experienced with it (although I have no idea how you don't use one but get experience.) What's your opinion on that?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Nice work Jedi54. I'm a big fan of Zaino. I used it on my 2004 Infiniti G35 Coupe and 2009 Nissan 370Z when new and about once a year as maintenance. Both cars were covered with Covercraft car covers during the day and garaged at nights so they weren't subject to the blazing SouCal sun for 9-10 hours each day or dew accumulation overnight. I got regular compliments on both cars about how they still looked new several years into ownership.

That being said, I'm also about 15 years older now and the CX 5 is a much larger vehicle so the thought of the very labor intensive Zaino process has me rethinking what to use on my new CX 5. The first time I did my 370Z included a Dawn dishwashing soap wash, clay bar treatment, another wash to remove any clay residue, and then three coatings of Zaino. This was basically an all weekend project !

My next (hand wash only for all my cars) CX 5 wash will include a clay bar treatment and I am going to try the Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax. I'm in retirement mode now so the car won't be sitting outside much and the Meguiars is getting good reviews. I'll probably continue to do my own oil changes, air filters, cabin filters and those kinds of maintenance jobs but while my brain still thinks I'm a 16 year old gearhead my body is starting to tell me otherwise.
 
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That being said, I'm also about 15 years older now and the CX 5 is a much larger vehicle so the thought of the very labor intensive Zaino process has me rethinking what to use on my new CX 5. The first time I did my 370Z included a Dawn dishwashing soap wash, clay bar treatment, another wash to remove any clay residue, and then three coatings of Zaino. This was basically an all weekend project !

I'm in the same boat. Zaino is good stuff. Due to drought conditions washing cars with hose and bucket is often prohibited in the summer. On my last vehicle (Black BMW Z4) I gave Optimum products a try, particularly Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax. Nice gloss, long lasting, never a single swirl (on a black car, no less). I'm sold. Since we're not under restrictions yet I used Optimum Car Wash + Spray wax to get a good base down before I switch to rinseless.
 
Is Zaino Z5 essentially an all-in-one product? I ask because it says "Polish" on the bottle, but also lists UV protection. I've always thought that after polishing a car, it's best to apply a coat of wax/sealant for chemical and UV protection.
 
Nice work Jedi54. I'm a big fan of Zaino. I used it on my 2004 Infiniti G35 Coupe and 2009 Nissan 370Z when new and about once a year as maintenance. Both cars were covered with Covercraft car covers during the day and garaged at nights so they weren't subject to the blazing SouCal sun for 9-10 hours each day or dew accumulation overnight. I got regular compliments on both cars about how they still looked new several years into ownership.

That being said, I'm also about 15 years older now and the CX 5 is a much larger vehicle so the thought of the very labor intensive Zaino process has me rethinking what to use on my new CX 5. The first time I did my 370Z included a Dawn dishwashing soap wash, clay bar treatment, another wash to remove any clay residue, and then three coatings of Zaino. This was basically an all weekend project !

My next (hand wash only for all my cars) CX 5 wash will include a clay bar treatment and I am going to try the Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax. I'm in retirement mode now so the car won't be sitting outside much and the Meguiars is getting good reviews. I'll probably continue to do my own oil changes, air filters, cabin filters and those kinds of maintenance jobs but while my brain still thinks I'm a 16 year old gearhead my body is starting to tell me otherwise.

I followed the same pattern - spent hours, washing and detailing my 68 and then 01 Corvettes when I was much younger. Now I use 3D waterless car wash to save the liquid gold-like-costing water and a lot of time. Once a week (20 minutes, tops) is all I need. Of course, when either car is at work, it is covered, so it always looks freshly washed and clean.
 
Looks sharp. Thanks for posting this.

I struggle because I have a 1/2 mile long potholed dirt driveway before I get to pavement. Tires and the lower extremities of the car are tough to keep clean. Now I have the CX-5 and not my truck, I'm wishing I lived on the main road.

Sp how long did this take, start to finish?
Can this be broken up into sections?
Could you run this process beginning to end on part of the car (say the hood & front quarter panels) and then do the rest of it the next day?
I've read that one should not use a clay bar if one is not experienced with it (although I have no idea how you don't use one but get experience.) What's your opinion on that?

Thanks for any advice.
ouch, that 1/2 mile must make it difficult to keep the car clean.
Total time was maybe 4.5 hours but 2 hours of that was me sitting inside watching the Yankees game while the polish cured.

This can definitely be split up over time and one of the advantages of Zaino is you can actually leave it on over night and it'll still wipe clean off so if you start one day, you could in theory finish the next. I've never done sections at at time but what you could do is wash, clay, wash one day and then the next day polish.
I've heard the same about clay bars but honestly it's super easy, just make sure the car is clean and you lubricate as you go and you'll be fine. It's super simple.

Nice work Jedi54. I'm a big fan of Zaino. I used it on my 2004 Infiniti G35 Coupe and 2009 Nissan 370Z when new and about once a year as maintenance. Both cars were covered with Covercraft car covers during the day and garaged at nights so they weren't subject to the blazing SouCal sun for 9-10 hours each day or dew accumulation overnight. I got regular compliments on both cars about how they still looked new several years into ownership.

That being said, I'm also about 15 years older now and the CX 5 is a much larger vehicle so the thought of the very labor intensive Zaino process has me rethinking what to use on my new CX 5. The first time I did my 370Z included a Dawn dishwashing soap wash, clay bar treatment, another wash to remove any clay residue, and then three coatings of Zaino. This was basically an all weekend project !

My next (hand wash only for all my cars) CX 5 wash will include a clay bar treatment and I am going to try the Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax. I'm in retirement mode now so the car won't be sitting outside much and the Meguiars is getting good reviews. I'll probably continue to do my own oil changes, air filters, cabin filters and those kinds of maintenance jobs but while my brain still thinks I'm a 16 year old gearhead my body is starting to tell me otherwise.
good to see a fellow Zaino user!
I skipped the Dawn wash this time as the car is only 3 weeks old, I know it hasn't been waxed and figured the clay bar should remove most of what's on the paint. How long did you have the 370z for? e
Those are fun cars.
Yeah, the first time I used Zaino (2005) it almost turned into a weekend project as I was new to it and still trying to figure it out but now I've got it pretty much down. I can wash my RX-8 and do 3 coats of Z2 in under 4 hours. It's basically 1 hour for every coat but the CX-5 is a little larger so it took a little more time.

I LOVE covercraft covers! IF you look closely in the picture where I"m washing the CX-5, you'll see another car in the garage under a Covercraft Form Fit cover. That's my RX-8 that lives in the garage and is always under a cover.
Also have a Noah cover for when I take it out or drive it to the office.

I'm in the same boat. Zaino is good stuff. Due to drought conditions washing cars with hose and bucket is often prohibited in the summer. On my last vehicle (Black BMW Z4) I gave Optimum products a try, particularly Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax. Nice gloss, long lasting, never a single swirl (on a black car, no less). I'm sold. Since we're not under restrictions yet I used Optimum Car Wash + Spray wax to get a good base down before I switch to rinseless.
no car washes allowed? dang, where do you live Alex? Even here in Commiefornia they let me wash my cars.
Is Zaino Z5 essentially an all-in-one product? I ask because it says "Polish" on the bottle, but also lists UV protection. I've always thought that after polishing a car, it's best to apply a coat of wax/sealant for chemical and UV protection.
correct, it's a polymer polish that also has UV protectant.

Wow, looks nice. Come do my car?
Back in the days on the RX8 club I remember hosting a Zaino party with some local forum members where we Zaino'd 5 RX-8's in one day.
my arms damn near fell off but we had pizza and beer so it was at least fun.
 
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ouch, that 1/2 mile must make it difficult to keep the car clean.
Total time was maybe 4.5 hours but 2 hours of that was me sitting inside watching the Yankees game while the polish cured.

This can definitely be split up over time and one of the advantages of Zaino is you can actually leave it on over night and it'll still wipe clean off so if you start one day, you could in theory finish the next. I've never done sections at at time but what you could do is wash, clay, wash one day and then the next day polish.
I've heard the same about clay bars but honestly it's super easy, just make sure the car is clean and you lubricate as you go and you'll be fine. It's super simple.

Thanks for that. I keep reading different ways folks detail their CX-5s. So far I've just washed and detailed the trim. And that driveway is frustrating. But what are you gonna do? The 2 other folks who are down here in the hollow and I keep talking about getting gravel delivered (I've got a tractor to spread it), but it's not cheap. And it doesn't last forever.
 
Thanks for that. I keep reading different ways folks detail their CX-5s. So far I've just washed and detailed the trim. And that driveway is frustrating. But what are you gonna do? The 2 other folks who are down here in the hollow and I keep talking about getting gravel delivered (I've got a tractor to spread it), but it's not cheap. And it doesn't last forever.

You're just going to have to be resigned to having the dustiest CX-5 around.

But so what? You've got the CX-5 AND you live in the sticks. The best of both worlds, imo.
 
You're just going to have to be resigned to having the dustiest CX-5 around.

But so what? You've got the CX-5 AND you live in the sticks. The best of both worlds, imo.

Yeh, but I see those shiny cars you all are posting...

I've actually thought about stashing a bucket of water & a sponge at the end of the driveway to knock off the dust before I get on the pavement. All I really want is to be the envy of my fellow Walmart shoppers.
 
Jedi54, I had my 370Z for just shy of 10 years. I have been driving sports cars or sports coupes all my life, including a 1984 RX7 GSLSE which was a lot of fun. But I am going to buy a second home in the mountains and figured that I needed an SUV with AWD so chose the CX 5. I wish it had about a 300 HP normally aspirated engine but it performs pretty well with the 2.5 Turbo. I just have to remember when I go around the sweeper onramp for the freeway that I'm not in my 370Z anymore (wiggle)
Regarding Covercraft: They are expensive but also have a 4 year warranty. My experience has been that after about 3 years the stitching on the seams will rot out and start to fall apart. Covercraft will replace it but only give 1 year warranty on the replacement. So you end up getting about 6 years of service for each cover that you buy which is a pretty fair deal. I suggested to them to contact their materials supplier and come up with a thread for the seams that is more resistant to weathering or deterioration and increase the cost of the cover by $10 or whatever the better thread costs but they ignored me. I suppose the seams could also be restitched if you could find a place with a sewing machine that wanted to do it. That would likely give another year or so of service.

Avoidin Deer - Maybe one of those small garden sprayers that can be pumped up by hand and are used for insecticides or fertilizer can be filled with water and a little car wash soap and lashed to the tie down hooks in your CX 5. You could give your car a quick spray on the dirty areas and towel dry when needed.
 
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Avoidin Deer - Maybe one of those small garden sprayers that can be pumped up by hand and are used for insecticides or fertilizer can be filled with water and a little car wash soap and lashed to the tie down hooks in your CX 5. You could give your car a quick spray on the dirty areas and towel dry when needed.

Well, daggone, aren't you the clever one?

That's a pretty good idea. Heck, I could even stash it in the woods at the end of my driveway and just leave it there.

Thanks!
 
AD, if you don't want the mess of water, but just want to get the dust off, you could use a strong 12V compressor with the right nozzle. You'd also have flat repair capability with a plug kit. :)
 
AD, if you don't want the mess of water, but just want to get the dust off, you could use a strong 12V compressor with the right nozzle. You'd also have flat repair capability with a plug kit. :)

That would get rid of the majority of the dust, but a light layer would remain due to static electricity.
 
That would get rid of the majority of the dust, but a light layer would remain due to static electricity.

Yup, it's no substitute for a wash, but it would make it look better in the Walmart parking lot!
 
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