Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Happy New Year - Car wax update

[Doug and Terri Anderson (dnt]

Nice post Adam – super informative.

DOUG

 

 

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From: Adam Green [mailto:FlatCrank [at] gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2012 5:01 PM
To: DOUG
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Happy New Year - Car wax update

 

Zaino is still one of the top shelf products.  I read a UK site review of a "beta" product being demonstrated on a car and the results were, well, just as good as anything I've seen in the last five years or so.  Maybe the beta is now a released product.

 

Anything I might suggest is little more than consolidated information, compile from sites like autopia.org (arguably the galactic central headquarters of the Q-tips brigade.)  

 

I imagine you already know autopia, but if not and you choose to spend some quality time there, you'll soon decipher their acronyms and shorthand, then sort out the various factions and followings.

 

I use any old brand of clay bar with a soapy "lubricant", then Klasse products for polish/wax/seal.  Two coats of sealant.  Any 100% synthetic "quick" detailer (zero Carnauba) and a clay bar to freshen up, remove surface debris, poop, etc.  303 on plastics, wheel well liners and trim.  Painters tape to shield the edges of glass, just an organic windex alternative on glass, vinegar cleaner takes off chemical film on in the inside glass, 

 

Soffener to rejuvenate leather seats every year or three, Lexol for cleaning.  I use bags of microfibers from CostCo.  Some get rinsed and reused, mostly they're a one-time and discard rather than try to clean.  I choose cool weather and stay in the garage for shade, I use a "two bucket" washing method, boar's hair hand brush and water filter to wash and rinse.  

 

About the only time paint is damaged is when people are "cleaning" it.

 

I use Raggtop for the Cabrio  (recently sold) with satisfactory results.  I used the Porsche products for the cabrio, too, but they didn't seem to work all that well, hence I took the advice of a local Concours guy (Cook's) who specializes in Ferrari cabins, upholstery, coachwork, etc. to use Raggtop.  The only other thing is to weather a breathing mask and nitrile or other gloves -- these are chemicals which will remain in your blood, so treat them a little more seriously than we did as kids (when petrol/gasoline was a "perfect" handcleaner ...)

 

I've started using a couple of those wheel wax chemicals that claim to keep off brake dust.  I've not found one that's particularly better or worse than the others -- they all seem to do a good job and somehow stick to the wheels even when the wheels are starting to soak up brake heat after some laps on the track, so that's a nice plus.

 

Each to his own.  I'm happy to have the car lathered in a synthetic chemical that resists ozone/uv/acid rain/bird poop/etc. and never looks great.  I keep the "important" cars in a partial wrap of plastic paint protection film from 3M and chemicals used then are just to create the illusion of a scratch-free outer layer.  I loathe paying someone $1000 to $2000 to detail a car -- that's money better spent on running costs.  So I have reconciled my inner OCD self to driving the cars in an adequately tidy state.  I decided a couple of years ago to just keep the dirt and grit from accumulating on the leather and all will be well.  Every now and then I'll strip the chemicals with an organic detergent (doesn't promote rust, won't attack boots or seals) then clay the car for anything that's made its way through the chemical force field.  I tend to avoid too much in the way of polishing -- I leave it to the wax and seal process using Klasse to create ample "wet look" depth/gloss/shine.  I guess I like the acrylics because they're relatively idiot proof.  I guess I should update every now and then.  

 

If anyone has compiled new information and found there is a real "innovation" then I'm all for better living through chemistry.

 

Adam

On Sun, Jan 1, 2012 at 4:11 PM, Doug and Terri Anderson <dnt [at] dock.net> wrote:

Happy New Year everyone

 

OK - Now back to work. 

 

10 years ago – the car wax to beat was ZAINO BROS.

 

Is it still as popular?

 

If not – what took its place.

 

Onward

 

DOUG

 

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