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View Full Version : Best AG Equivalents to Zaino Products?



Sunstealer
03-30-2013, 10:39 AM
I used to be one of the Zaino fanboys. I still think their products are good, but found out other companies have stuff just as good. I have replaced almost everything I bought from them with other products available from Autogeek. I am finally running out of three products that I love and was hoping for some suggestions from Autogeek on what to replace them with.



Z-9 Leather Spray Cleaner - Light cleaning with great leather smell, I use Cockpit Premium on everything else.
Z-10 Leather in a Bottle - Thick leather conditioner, also leaves a great "new" leather smell.
Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss - Very watery tire conditioner that leaves a clean matte finish with one coat, glosses more with additional coats.

Of the three, I really love the tire gloss. It soaks in quickly and has never slung anything off on my vehicles. It also lasts very well through a couple of weeks. The cleaner/conditioner works fine, but the smell is what keeps drawing me back to it. I just hate to pay shipping for one or two products when I can get everything from AG with free shipping. I am getting ready to do a big spring order and am looking for some suggestions.

Thanks,
Jason

VroomVroom
03-30-2013, 11:19 AM
FWIW, those are the exact three Zaino products I continue to buy. I love 'em all. For very quick leather cleaning and conditioning, I really like Z9/10. Forced to pick an alternative, I do really like Poorboy's Leather Stuff, which is a nice one-step alternative. Nonetheless, 9/10 are just terrific - gentle yet effective, and super easy to apply, with a pleasant-enough scent and no filmy residue.

I will say, and I've tried a gazillion products over too many years to count, it gets no better than Z16. The absolute best tire dressing I've ever used, and second place is so far back it's not worth discussing. Perfect matte finish, amazingly durable, no sling. Yum. IME, tires (and glass) are what customers really notice, and with Z16, things look as great after two weeks (sometimes three, in nice weather) as they do on day one.

Zaino drives me a little batty with their small quantities, but when the stuff is genuinely this good, I really don't mind. I try to stock up on three or four bottles of Z16 and two each of 9/10 with each purchase to make the shipping costs easier to bear.

I've done a lousy job of addressing your request for alternatives - sorry about that - but sometimes you just accept quirks and a few extra sheckles for the results you're after.

MI Mike
03-30-2013, 11:24 AM
You may want to check out the Duragloss products, some have said that Zaino is nothing more than Duragloss rebranded. They have the same products.

Duragloss Car Care Appearance products The Wet Look (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss.html)

Pats300zx
03-30-2013, 11:52 AM
I agree with MI Mike. I found no difference in the DG Leather conditioner and Zaino Z10. Same smell, consistency, etc.

Klasse Act
03-30-2013, 12:30 PM
You may want to check out the Duragloss products, some have said that Zaino is nothing more than Duragloss rebranded. They have the same products.

Duragloss Car Care Appearance products The Wet Look (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss.html)

Not sure if its the same thing but they perform the same, this I do know. I have used and loved Zaino myself after years of not "drinking the Kool-Aid" but they lived up to the hype for sure. They're clear seal is something DG doesn't sell here in our country but everything else DG has you covered.

#111 is what Zaino calls Z-5 but then you've got #101 for ease of use like #111 but a nuba look, also #105 & 501 and a product like #601 to make it possible to layer and layer and it also makes the durability better, cheaper than ZFX for sure!

DG tire shine is AWESOME! It dries quickly and doesn't sling.

Once you try DG you'll forget about Zaino and if you need something like Z-CS, well, there's many choices here for that, like Black Fire crystal seal for instance.

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

AllenK
03-30-2013, 01:36 PM
Mother's F/X Tire Shine initially looks better than Z16 to me,and that's saying something. It doesn't last nearly as long though,but it is a lot cheaper. A little goes a long way too.

The DG 253 tire shine is pretty comparable to the Z16,and cheaper as well. It doesn't look quite as nice as the Zaino,but it's no slouch for sure. It's also not as watery and thin as the Z16,and comes in a spray bottle.

Sunstealer
03-30-2013, 01:56 PM
Thanks, I forgot about the Duragloss comparison. Looks like some 253 and 441 will find their way into my cart for the next order.

Dogfather
03-30-2013, 03:00 PM
I went from ZAIO/Z2PRO/ZCS to DG501/111/Opti Seal. I still have some Z9 left but plan on replacing it with Ultima Interior Shampoo Gel. When Z10 runs out I'll try the Duragloss leather conditioner. I understand it has that same smell. I hope it lasts longer though. Duragloss Non Silicone Tire Dressing is one of my favorite products. Makes tires look brand new, not wet and overglossy. Lasts longer than I thought it would too.

Setec Astronomy
03-30-2013, 09:42 PM
I have never been able to get any of the DG sealants to bead like Z-2 or Z-5, but the products that you have targeted, the leather products and the tire shine, I think you will find the DG leather products to be very very similar. I understand the Z-16 has changed to thicker and bluish, but I have an old bottle that's the white watery and smells like lemon, and I bought a bottle of DG 253 and it's white, watery, smells like lemon, and looks just like Z-16 on the tire, you do the math. Oh, and if you like Z-6, DG FC&S IS Z-6, I can't tell any difference between them.

MI Mike---is that Tiger Mike???

MI Mike
03-31-2013, 01:51 PM
If anyone from AG is monitoring this link how about adding Duragloss to the Popular Product Link, that appears to the upper right area of the Forum area.

Klasse Act
03-31-2013, 02:17 PM
I have never been able to get any of the DG sealants to bead like Z-2 or Z-5, but the products that you have targeted, the leather products and the tire shine, I think you will find the DG leather products to be very very similar. I understand the Z-16 has changed to thicker and bluish, but I have an old bottle that's the white watery and smells like lemon, and I bought a bottle of DG 253 and it's white, watery, smells like lemon, and looks just like Z-16 on the tire, you do the math. Oh, and if you like Z-6, DG FC&S IS Z-6, I can't tell any difference between them.

MI Mike---is that Tiger Mike???

Have you added #601 to the mix, just curious?

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

Setec Astronomy
03-31-2013, 05:07 PM
Have you added #601 to the mix, just curious?

Yes, I have. I just never get those Zaino beads from DG (albeit I do usually ZFX my Zaino).