I generally use Autoglym and follow these cleaning insructions. It works for me? Anyone tried Zymol - its pretty pricy stuff and I wonder if it is worth the money.

 

No, I am not an "authority" on Zaino, but have used it & seen it being used. If your car is in perfect shape & you have the time, it turns out great. If you have paint defects & don't have the time to put on more then a couple of coats, it looks like crap. It also doesn't work well in humidity. When done well, it's a awesome product. When done wrong, it just plain sucks. It's like baking a cake. If you deviate in any step in any way, it just doesn't taste well, same for Zaino. Also, Zaino, doesn't offer a real polish.

My point is, this is not a product for a casual detail, or some one who doesn't have time. I'm not talking down in any way, it's just the way things are. If you only want a "one-step" then get a good real one step product. I have not used or known any one to use Zaino's AIO. But most Zaino products are labor & time intensive. They are not easy to apply or remove. If you are uneven in the application, the car will look like it has stripes. You also need to strip everything off the car to use Zaino.

I really hope you take what retailers tell you with a grain of salt. If they were all 100% correct in the sales pitch, every product would be perfect for every thing. Every product will work different on every car. The process & results up here in Rainy Washington, is not the same as some one in Arizona.

Again, if you are down on time, have a Pro Detailer fix it up, then you just have to maintain it, that is far less work.

 

Personal favorite over-the-counter is Meguiar's or Mothers products, if you can only get to a parts store. If you have a Harley-Davidson dealer around, get the wax they sell. It's called S100. It's fantastic on any color, but on a dark color (dark blue, black, etc) it's unreal - you could practically look into the reflection in your door panel and shave. There is a "car equivalent" of the wax, called P21S, which you may come across - it's basically the same thing (someone told me the difference was mainly the size of the container). They're incredible waxes - easy to use and a really brilliant shine. There's a paint cleanser by the same name, which would be a good idea to do (at least every few times you wax), and the combination of the two is really amazing.

 

I've pretty much tried all the major brands. From the over the counter stuff like Meguires, to the mail order only stuff with cult-like followings like Zaino (original and quickdry), to expensive stuff like zymol (i still have some in my fridge!). My newest favorite is a system by Menzerna! It's a synthetic polymer like Zaino.

Like others have said, wash the car and then claybar. Any clay bar will do. Then you start with Menzerna Final Polish II. Then comes the Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze for the wet look. Finally, a coat of the Menzerna FMJ (Full Molecular Jacket). I use a Porter Cable Random Orbital Buffer with various pads to apply, and I use microfiber cloths to remove by hand. Each of these products is easier to remove than the one used before it. The FMJ goes on and off like butter! This system looks at least as good as zaino when you are done, and trust me... it is soooo much easier to use. And much quicker, too! To keep up the shine, use their High Gloss Acrylic Shield and their car wash Shampoo. Keep layering the FMJ if you want for even more shine. Do yourself a favor and pick some up next time you run out of your current stuff.
Here's the whole kit if you are starting from scratch. Or you can get the stuff separately.
http://properautocare.com/reshkit.html

If you want something a little easier (less steps) try Klasse products.
The All-In-One by itself or follow it with the High Gloss Sealant Glaze for a longer lasting shine/protection.
This was my favorite product before I tried Menzerna's new stuff.
http://properautocare.com/klasconkit.html


I'm not affiliated with the above website but I am a long time happy customer.
Great customer service and good prices.

 

I'm thinking of going with the Klasse's kit... but I was wondering if I should get something else (and what) to remove scratches like (between 2.7 and T)
...and deeper [&o]

 

it sucks for the guys with lighter color cars, it doesnt make as dramatic of a difference as compared to black paint, ya know?

 

I started using the Mequiars 3 step (cleaner, polish, and wax) when I had my Ranger. What sold me on it was after I was done, the cloth that I had been using slid off the hood because it was so smooth. It takes a while, and your arm gets tired after aplying and removing each of the three products, but the results are awsome. Especially on my black beauty.

 

Heres a voice from experience. I asked the same question a few months ago for my 2005 red S4 and let me tell you that Greg from Det Im. knowshis stuff! Audi's paint is like a bullit proof vest so you need to use something pretty strong. I have never used Zaino before so I do not know the pros and cons, but for me Menzerna is the way to go. I used Intense Polish with a orange pad, Final Polish IIwith a white pad and Poor Boys Sealant with a red pad. My pads and polishercame from Griots and all polishes from Detailed Image. No pics yet but some are sure to come. Hope this helps out!! Pops from Chicago!!![:@]