Sweet!jono wrote:ok next Saturday when time permits i will take a couple more pics and post them.
What Did You Do With Your Kizashi Today?
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Speed_Racer
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:58 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City
Just bought a window tint groupon for SuziTwo. They do good work so I'm excited for a sharper looking ride and a cooler summer.
'12 Kizashi,'03 SV650,'04 DL1000
I washed, clay bar-ed, compounded, polished, and waxed my Kizashi yesterday. Took well over several hours.
It was the first time I ever used a clay bar. I had an unopened Meguiar's clay bar kit for over a year sitting on a shelf so I finally put it to use. Using the clay bar is an interesting process. It pretty much removes contaminants you can't see, but can definitely feel on the car's finish. You only see them once they are on the clay bar. ~tc~ once wrote that it isn't really worth waxing a car without claying it first and I must agree. Once you see how much the clay bar removes and how much smoother the finish becomes after using it, you'd see why you'd want to clay before waxing.
The hand-applied compound and polish was not as impressive. Probably because of a combination of the products being too old and that I hand applied them. They took off blemishes like outlines from old bird droppings but did little to nothing about scratches and swirls. You really need a D/A polisher for that. I got one today so the next time I compound and polish, I hope to have better results using the polisher and better compound and polish.
I shamefully had not waxed the Kizashi before until yesterday. Part of the reason was that my random orbital waxer was in my brother's garage in California until recently. The car now has a good coat of wax on it and it really brings out the sparkle in the metallic black finish.
Now I just have to get that ugly door ding fixed with paintless dent removal.
Anyhow, here's a picture of what the clay bar picked up from just several passes on a section of the roof.
It was the first time I ever used a clay bar. I had an unopened Meguiar's clay bar kit for over a year sitting on a shelf so I finally put it to use. Using the clay bar is an interesting process. It pretty much removes contaminants you can't see, but can definitely feel on the car's finish. You only see them once they are on the clay bar. ~tc~ once wrote that it isn't really worth waxing a car without claying it first and I must agree. Once you see how much the clay bar removes and how much smoother the finish becomes after using it, you'd see why you'd want to clay before waxing.
The hand-applied compound and polish was not as impressive. Probably because of a combination of the products being too old and that I hand applied them. They took off blemishes like outlines from old bird droppings but did little to nothing about scratches and swirls. You really need a D/A polisher for that. I got one today so the next time I compound and polish, I hope to have better results using the polisher and better compound and polish.
I shamefully had not waxed the Kizashi before until yesterday. Part of the reason was that my random orbital waxer was in my brother's garage in California until recently. The car now has a good coat of wax on it and it really brings out the sparkle in the metallic black finish.
Now I just have to get that ugly door ding fixed with paintless dent removal.
Anyhow, here's a picture of what the clay bar picked up from just several passes on a section of the roof.
- 024.JPG (211.77 KiB) Viewed 5614 times
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
Yeah, and the paint on the Kizashi needs clay more than any of my other cars ever have. Usually, I could clay bar every other wax, or maybe 1 out of 3, but the Kiz is BAD every time.
The paint also seems to "absorb" the wax - I would recommend going over it again shortly.
The paint also seems to "absorb" the wax - I would recommend going over it again shortly.
2011 Sport SLS with nav Black Pearl Metallic
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sx4rocious
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:31 pm
I agree. Having a SX4 and a Kizzy, I always thought it was rather ironic that the entry-level SX4 has WAY better paint than the flagship Kizashi that is 3 years newer. I attributed it to the difference in color (Techno Blue, and Vivid Red) but given everyone on this forum seems to be disappointed with the paint quality, maybe they changed something in those 3 years. My SX4 shows nary a paint chip or swirl while the Kizashi is peppered with both....~tc~ wrote:Yeah, and the paint on the Kizashi needs clay more than any of my other cars ever have. Usually, I could clay bar every other wax, or maybe 1 out of 3, but the Kiz is BAD every time.
The paint also seems to "absorb" the wax - I would recommend going over it again shortly.
Agreed. My 1998 Suzuki Sidekick had a very good coat of paint. No problems with chipping or damage despite regularly offroading it. It was my first car as a teen so I neglected the finish as well and did not do much other than wash it. Even then, the finish was much better than the Kizashi's which gets much more attention.sx4rocious wrote:I agree. Having a SX4 and a Kizzy, I always thought it was rather ironic that the entry-level SX4 has WAY better paint than the flagship Kizashi that is 3 years newer. I attributed it to the difference in color (Techno Blue, and Vivid Red) but given everyone on this forum seems to be disappointed with the paint quality, maybe they changed something in those 3 years. My SX4 shows nary a paint chip or swirl while the Kizashi is peppered with both....~tc~ wrote:Yeah, and the paint on the Kizashi needs clay more than any of my other cars ever have. Usually, I could clay bar every other wax, or maybe 1 out of 3, but the Kiz is BAD every time.
The paint also seems to "absorb" the wax - I would recommend going over it again shortly.
The Kizashi is a great car with many benefits but the paint and finish is dismal. It's the worst of any car I've ever even heard about.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
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glorybound4
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:43 pm
- Location: Altoona Pa.
I'm going to the dealer to have the rockford fosgate 10"woofer replaced, it's defective. I have the Zurich repair plan, that covers it. The Speaker is 209.00 USD.
I took a 240 mi. trip this easter weekend and had fun passing on the highways. The Kizashi easily cruises at 85 mph. Great car.
I took a 240 mi. trip this easter weekend and had fun passing on the highways. The Kizashi easily cruises at 85 mph. Great car.
2010 kazashi SLS AWD
2012 SX4 Crossover
2008 SX4 Crossover
2006 XL-7
2012 SX4 Crossover
2008 SX4 Crossover
2006 XL-7