Product review: 3m & Zymol glazing polishing/glazing products

[cmayna]

Thought I'd bring up another product review post for those who have been wanting to put a shine onto their classics.

I have used 3M Imperial hand glaze on Red and the GTO for some time now with great results to help smooth out any fine swirl marks and leaving a very nice shine. The only trick is to make sure that you wipe the glaze off before it get's completely dry.

A few months ago some Ferrari geek turned me onto Zymol cleaner/wax which to me has given the 3M product a run for it's money. I can see very small amount of grime on the application rag after I had applied the product telling me that it is cleaning the surface. Application for both products is the same.

Yesterday I did an experiment by applying each product on half of the trunklid. Once polished out I noticed by running my fingers over the surface that the Zymol was a little more slippery as compared to the 3M product. Both did a good job in filling in the fine swirl marks leaving a very nice sheen.

With both products I pre-moisten the application rag, periodically rinsing it well 2-3 times during a complete polish job. For buffing, I use the readily available microfiber towels constantly turning them over. I always plan to consume 5-6 towels for they uickly build up with polish residue.

After I'm done, I'll wash the microfiber towels and application rags so I'm ready for the next time.

If anyone else has experience or opinions on same or other polishing products, do chime in.

 

[gotstang]

I've used the 3M and I know a guy who used to use Zymol on his Chevelle SS. The "real" Zymol, the stuff that you can't get at Pep Boys is EXPENSIVE. I think his wife said a super size bottle set them back $120 in 1997. Well worth it though, the paint job is was done in 1994 or so and looks like it did 10 years ago, and they are still using the same bottle of Zymol once a year. It's a real shame though, he died years ago and it hasn't really been out of the garage since 1997, except for a couple hours a few years ago when my buddy took it to the prom...not every day you see a 700hp blown big block chevelle parked next to a beat up 5.0L Mustang. :rofl

I've got to agree about the 3M though, it's a pain to work with if you leave it on too long. I'd be interested to know what sort of Zymol you used, looks like they make a bunch of different products.

 

[Starfury]

If you guys are interested in top notch stuff, use Zaino. I've seen a couple good comparisons that show it to be glossier and last longer than almost anything else on the market. It's not cheap and it's not available off the shelf, but if I had a car that I really cared about, I'd consider using it.

 

[cmayna]

The Zymol I'm using is in a 16oz container. Liquid is a blue/teal color. Called Zymol cleaner wax. Tad, I have heard about Zaino and it is available not too far away. It is a lot more work for the different compounds they recommend but I bet anyone's $15k paint job would look fantastic. I might try it one of these days on the goat, if not Shag.

 

[Jack1966]

If you guys are interested in top notch stuff, use Zaino. I've seen a couple good comparisons that show it to be glossier and last longer than almost anything else on the market. It's not cheap and it's not available off the shelf, but if I had a car that I really cared about, I'd consider using it.

I waited 6 months after I had my car painted, then I used the Zaino system. It produced a mirror finish smooth as glass. The problem was when I started using a car cover, there would be a slight haze on the finish if the car had been covered 4 or 5 days. The car cover is an expensive indoor one that protects from dust but still "breathes."

I then clayed the car to remove all the Zaino wax and went back to using Meguiar's (#81 hand polish, followed by #7 glaze, and then #226 wax). My mirror finish doesn't haze up now under the car cover.

I've used Zymol on my 10-year old Honda CR-V since new after reading a Consumer Reports recommendation and have been very pleased with it (5 years of that time included Michigan winters).

I tried 3M once and never again--it was too hard to remove.

 

[DeadStang]

The Zymol I'm using is in a 16oz container. Liquid is a blue/teal color. Called Zymol cleaner wax. Tad, I have heard about Zaino and it is available not too far away. It is a lot more work for the different compounds they recommend but I bet anyone's $15k paint job would look fantastic. I might try it one of these days on the goat, if not Shag.

I used Zaino on my daily driver once. I liked the finish, but it's hard to devote that much time to doing the car, and it was hard to keep things pristine in between each step over that length of time.

 

[Starfury]

I got your message, Craig. Weird to find that stuff just laying around.

When I still cared about my paint, I used Meguiar's 3-step system. Cleaner, (optional) polish, and wax. Looked great, lasted a good 3 months in valley heat/cold. Took me basically a full day to do it all, but that's about what you're looking at with any good wax system.

 

[Sacbill]

Took me basically a full day to do it all, but that's about what you're looking at with any good wax system.

Craig: How long does it take you to do Red using either of these systems?

 

[cmayna]

Bill,
I did not time myself on Red but I also did the GTO Sun evening and it took me 2+ hours which is a much bigger car. It's all a matter of preperation and having plenty of clean microfiber towels nearby. Once you get going, It is a pretty good calorie burning project.

After reading Starfury's reply about Zaino, it really started bugging me for I remember reading up on that brand quite a lot. Well it get's stranger yet. I was going through some of my late brother's auto stuff and found..........yes a Zaino Car Show finishing kit, which I had bought for him, who had originally asked me to look into it.

A very detailed kit which requires a lot of steps. One of these winter days I might try it out but Jack1966's comment about the Zaino product fogging up after a car cover application is of a concern for I use a cover on Red due to having cats in the family who love to jump up on the car.