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Zaino vs Meguiars - Zaino AIO, Z2, Z5, Z6 vs Meguiars Scratch X, NTX 2.0

24K views 32 replies 10 participants last post by  PDC 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am excited about this test because there is so much controversy surrounding the issue on detailing forums and I think it will be nice to finally figure which of these two products is the best. We just completed the final test between Zaino, FUKKEN, Chemical Guys, and Meguiars. It's clear that Meguiars and Zaino came out on top. There were some good results from the last test, but after prepping the hood for the next trials, there were even more interesting question.s First of all, all the studies conducted use the same standards as you can see here.

Once again, I will not be revealing which product is on which zone until the testing is complete. This will allow all members to give their honest opinions without bias.

First of all, some questions from the last testing. I want to point out an exaggerate a few things I found interesting from the last test. I started off cleaning the hood with a solution of water, dawn liquid soap, and a clay bar. I cleaned the entire hood with this solution and the clay bar. I then proceeded to wash the hood about 25 times with dawn liquid soap. This is not an exaggeration, it took a little over 25 washes in order to get the hood perfectly clean so the water action was the exact same in both zones (see video below).

After I got the zones perfectly clean, I performed a drag test, which surprised me. The drag test on the clean hood were lower then all the zones, except for zone one. The drag test was .41. This raises a question, do some waxes / polishes actually cause contamination to actually stick to the paint over time? It has been shown that a perfectly clean surface is smoother than one that contains certain products over time. Zone 1 of the last test was still pulling a 0 on the drag tests while the other zones were actually higher than a perfectly clean surface.

Another thing that I found very important with the last testing was the affect of multiple coats and imprinting. Using a single coat of one product while using multiple coats of another product will greatly influence the results. This is why I will ensure that we use the same amount of applications of each product. If we use 5 coats of Zaino, it's only fair to use multiple coats of Meguiars. In addition, since Zaino is a multi-step system, it's also only fair to make sure we use Meguiars multi-step suggests, such as using scratch X before the polish. Now this study is going to appeal to the die hard detailers.

In these tests we are looking for which product lasts the longest.

In this study we will be testing:

1. Zaino (Z-AIO, Z-2, Z-5, and the Z-6 (Spray).,

2. Meguiars NXT 2.0 and Meguiars Scratch X.

Application:

Zaino: First coat with ZAIO, Second Coat Z2, Third Coat Z6, Fourth Coat Z5

Meguiars: First coat Scratch X, second Coat NXT 2.0, Third Coat NXT 2.0 Fourth coat NXT 2.0.

Application Time:

This time is based on the time to read the instruction, apply the product, and remove the product.

Meguiars NXT & Scratch X:
Shake bottle, apply with special applicator, allow to dry, and wipe off. Total application and removal time: 25 minutes per coat + 15 minutes for the ScratchX. I let the wax / polish sit longer this time around.

Zaino: Shake Zaino AIO, apply thin coat to paint and allow to dry. Wiped off after one hour. Apply Z-5 using same process and allowed to dry one hour. Removed the Z-5 with a few terry towels. Applied the the Z-6 Gloss Enhancer as per directed and then a coat of Z-2. Total application and removal time: 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Testing Parameters:

Please note, from here on out, all tests will be performed side by side when possible.

Every Saturday or Sunday:

1. Wash and thoroughly rinse the hood.

2. After wash and rinse, perform a soaked hood bead test.

3. Take a video of each zone being spayed with water to see how each zone repels the water.

4. Dry off hood and perform drag test.

5. Perform water bottle bead test with ten sprays on each zone.

6. Dry off hood and perform a rain simulation bead test (gently spray the hood to simulate rain).

Baseline drag tests for this trial:

Cost Analysis:

Meguiars NXT 2.0 + Scratch X: $18.00 18 fl. oz + $12.00 for Scratch X.

Zaino: Z-AIO $26.95 16 fl oz., Z-2 $14.98 8 fl oz., Z-5 $16.95 8 fl oz., Z-6 $9.95 16 fl oz. Total for Zaino: $68.83 (without shipping).

I will open this topic up for discussion in a little while.
 
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#29 ·
I assume Zaino doesn't sell it directly in NJ because their business is located in NJ, and they would have to collect Sales Tax on sales to NJ residents. I suspect they don't want to get involved with the paperwork. It not because the State prohibits it.

The distribution network is pretty much "underground"..... at least it was a few years ago. Maybe they've dropped it by now. But you could usually find one or two people in your state that could sell it.
 
#32 · (Edited by Moderator)
I had to make an update to the ratings in this test. I needed to correct for ease of use on the Meguiars due to the fact that it leaves White residue in cracks and on black plastic, which is very annoying. I didn't have any cracks or seams on the hood, so this wasn't an issue on the hood, but after applying each polish on the doors, which has both black plastic, cracks, and many seams, I wanted to update my ratings accordingly.
 
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