Zaino application

Leo,

I'm not a pro detailer but I do pretty good work on my own vehicles. I use the Meguiar's products.

Here's what they say about claying:

http://www.meguiars.com/faq/_index.cfm?faq...section=_47#_47

Very similar to what's on the Zaino site:

EVALUATING YOUR PAINT FOR CLAY
How do you know if you need to use Z-18 ClayBar? After thoroughly hand washing and drying your car, stretch a piece of saran wrap over your hand extending past your fingertips. Gently slide the saran wrap across the finish of your vehicle. Does the surface feel bumpy or gritty? These bumps are contaminants attacking the finish of your car. Removing these surface contaminants (rail dust, road tar, bug residue, paint over-spray, brake pad dust, hard water spots, etc.) will improve both the look and health of your car's paint.


Unless, there's contaminants, no need to clay.


Good FAQ's on the meguiar's site and some on this one:

http://www.autogeek.net/exterior.html

Cheers,

-bob

 

I love Zaino Bros product as well, but I never used their clay.
I been use Clay Magic for 3yrs I love it. Specialy get off salt and other junk accumilated during winter driving around Mid-Atlantic area.
Link to Clay Magic I tried Mathers and Meguiars but I did not like it at all.
Since your located Bay Area and pre-expose to sea salt wind so, I would say do Clay it before apply the Zaino, The paint is pre-fresh dont uses any compound.

 

I put a few coats of Zaino on my one month old Prius and I had
the clay bar but I did not use it. The finished results looked and felt as smooth as glass to me.

 

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They probably said that because some new cars might have been sitting on the lot for months, picking up rail dust, etc. Your Prius was probably only on the lot for a few days.

Use the hand in a plastic bag test. If it feels rough, clay it.