Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Aesthetics Zaino/Meguiar's Silver 'Tour Showdown WITH RESULTS/PICS!!!

So in the directions it says that it has to stay on the car for hours? That makes you wait a while to go out and enjoy your car. When I wax my car in the garage I apply it to the WHOLE car and then take it off. It does say that your supposed to a section at a time but those are suggestions, not directions. I'd like for each of us to do someones fender at SZ2002, preferably a black one, how does that sound?

Zaino doesn't have to stay on for hours, just until dry. In the sun on a 90 degree day in AZ it only takes 15 minutes. In MI with 90% humidity, it can take hours. It really isn't a big deal as it only take 15 minutes to apply a coat and 15 to take off. Just watch a game or movie in between.

Or do before you go to bed and take it off in the morning

Okay, Friday was the big day to prep for the showdown. Here's the skinny on what the Meguiar's entry into the fray had done:

Wash with Dawn, regular old blue stuff.

Meguiar's claybar kit (claybar and Quick Detailer).

Meguiar's Step 1 paint cleaner in red bottle.

#7 Show car glaze

2 coats of #26 yellow wax

E1 Wet spray

I drove from NC to DC again last night, so some Quick Detailing is needed and a final hit with the E1 Wet will happen at the event.

Here's to a fun lunch and some insight for the CEG!! I'm really looking forward to it.

Here's the page I put the pics up at, they're large and I linked to them to keep load time down on this thread. The web based tools at Earthlink suck so don't ask me why the page layout is as bad as it is. You can go and make up your own mind as best the pictures allow...

Bigwalton's Zaino vs. Meguiar's shootout page


Here's the skinny on what went down: Antonio, myself and thepakrat were on hand. Some of the others cancelled at the last minute. We parked the two cars next to each other and started comparing.

The photos were taken from as close as possible to the same angles on the same sides of the cars. I relize now that the auto white balance was on, so a couple of the pics have a slightly different look/light from one to the other, but you should be able to get the idea really well anyhow.

The consensus answer from ALL three of us was that there's VERY little difference, if any between the two. Antonio hadn't washed in two weeks, but his ride (as always) was very clean and he hit it with Z6 right there. (BTW, the GC coilovers are low as H3LL!! They looked amazing!)

Some of the specific things we looked for were the quality of reflections, feel and metallic effect.

The reflections were identical, no question, this was the closest feature of the two. It was impossible to tell one from the other in this respect, the shot of the front bumpers and the rear pass. door show this really well I think.

The feel is extremely similar, almost unnoticably different. They were equally smooth, but the Zaino seemed a "harder" smooth, while the Meguiar's was a little "softer", that's the best description I can think of. One comment was, "I've finally felt something that felt like Zaino."

The metallic look to the paint was where I thought there'd be a lot of difference. There wasn't. Actually, Antonio himself was the first one to say that he actually thought the Meguiar's was more metallic. Keep in mind, that the Zaino is on a '99 and Meguiar's a '00, so I don't know if that would affect this at all.

Everyone's free to make up their own minds here and disagree with me on whatever they want. I've seen them both now in person and I've never been more certain that there's no appearance reason to switch and pay the extra $$$. I've never had a protection issue with Meguiar's and until something happens to prove the protection isn't as good, I'm going with what I've seen to work. Remember, I LIKE spending money on my ride, I WANTED to get Zaino, I just don't do something for the heck of it though. I would have been happy to tell you that Zaino had blown my Meguiar's away! I know you just have to take that on faith, but I couldn't be more sincere in saying it, so take it for what it's worth.

Now flame away

bigwalton,
Sorry i couldn't make it.

I've been using meguiar's for about 8 years now and reluctant to use anything else. BUT with so much Zaino talk, I finally caved and got it. I will post a comparison of the 2 after I Zaino this week.

Good luck with your move.

My Spring Zing 2002 should be touted to have the battle of the finishes! The silver ones, JVT and myself comparing Zaino and Zymol on T-red. JVT, is a spring clay job fair? It's time to do that for a mid-life detail on Ross. If not, I'll skip it next spring.

I will have to try the Eagle 1 Spray. Mother's streaks badly, Meguiar's has a bottle that leaks horribly. I love the Zaino Z-6, but wouldn't mind seeing a good one that I can buy at the local store (HATE mail order).

I don't think the picture are fair,
I don't support either one way or another but...

Looking at the Zaino pics they came out darker in some shots.

From looking at the SHOTS of the Side Door with your reflection, that is a perfect example of why that shot is not fair.

Unless the Sun Was directly above you then you guys aren't getting the same light.
Thus the Zaino is looking darker.

Maybe I am nuts for thinking this but it's my 2 cents.



EITHER way. FISHE IS Envious. of the 2 nice Rides.

You are Both Winners.

(shameless spirit booster of the day thread)

need some black tours

mmmm mmmmmm mmmmmmm nothin gets me hot like my car shined to pefection, black is such a pain in the arse but its a beautiful thing when its just right!

It think you have just found the "difference." All the pictures were taken in the same light. On silver at least from the pictures, and from the comparison IMHO zaino "darkens" the silver giving it more depth as you can see in the 1st and last pictures. Also, in the last picture you can see the eric's image is more visible(son the zaino car, then the meguair's car. Just like eric said the car has not been washed sinced the week before last. All I have done is wipe it down with water.