Just a nit here. ZFX is an accelerant speeding the bonding process of Zaino polishes and not a sealant.
Correct Quick. ZFX is a non-essential additive for Zaino sealants which accelerates the drying times.
I could be wrong on this but, Z-2, Z-5, etc are not sealants. They're polishes. They do make clearseal which is a sealant. Here is a general question: What is the difference between a polish and a sealant? There seems to be some distinction but with all this new stuff bonding, curing, at a molecular level, etc. I'm not sure what it is. I get the impression that a sealant will last longer? How? and that there is some tradeoff? optical clarity? what.
Z-2 and Z-5 are sealants. Zaino just calls them "Show Car Polishes" as branding. Z-5pro is a bit more of a polish as it has some fillers (used to fill in swirls, not remove them) where Z-2 does not. Clear-Seal or CS is a spray on and spread sealant. It requires no buffing or removal. Nice product for wheels and other hard to detail spots. Interesting technology. A polish will contain abrasives. It is used to perfect the finish of the paint by leveling the surface, thus improving reflection. The smoother the surface (no something you put on the surface, but the actual surface itself) the less will stick to it and the more light it will reflect. Result is a high shine for a longer time. Polishes are rated like sandpapers, via grit. They range from as heavy as 800, a compound, and as light as 3500, a finishing polish. A sealant generally contains no abrasives. Synthetically derived, it will "bond" or "adhere" to a painted surface creating a "mask" or "barrier". This barrier is intended to increase resistance of debris sticking to the paint. To me, lighter colors benefit most from synthetic sealers; they add a "plasticy" shine that only a sealant can add. They make white and silver look dripping wet. Sealants also last longer than naturally derived products like carnauba wax. Add a sealant; you simply have protected the surface synthetically. A wax is a naturally derived product. Brazilian white or yellow Carnauba wax is most common. Carnauba based products look best to me on darker colors. They induce a warm, deep, glow. I combine the two. I seal first, then I wax to add the glow.
Here's how our products fall with those categories: Polish/Sealant: Physically non-abrasive Tropi-Care TC-3 leaves the surface with a silky smooth, crystal clear, high gloss reflection. Its protection repels water from the surface after rinsing during the wash process. Can be easily re-applied to a clean, Wax-free surface to maintained desired protection level. Polish: TC-8 Swirl Cutter exhibits a fine micro-abrasive quality of 40/100. Its best results can be seen removing ultra-fine scratches up to 2500 grit using an orange or white foam buffing pad on the Porter Cable buffer. No protective quality in this product. Wax: Can provide additional depth on darker colors. 2 versions: TC-2 Liquid Carnauba Wax- dark gray liquid spray-on version that will not leave white residue after drying. Tropi-Care Carnauba Paste Wax- can be hand applied on a clean, cool surface as a stand alone product or after TC-3. Our new white carnauba version will soon be available. To round out the exterior paint surface treatment products, the TC-6 Car Wash Concentrate provides great lubricity to safely removing the dirt and grime without stripping paint protection. TC-5 Detail Spray: great for cleaning light dust and dirt in between car washes. Can also be used to restore anti-static quality to paint surface or light water spots/streaking just after drying.
i would second the mini series idea (with pics!)...i know the basics of keeping your car looking good...but i would still consider myself a novice...the more detailed the better!... also if you do something like that...i'd like for steve to have the name of the product being used and the price with it for peeps like me who are going to be buying their stuff in the not too distant future haha
