MAJOR Rant: Nissan Black paint on the Z stinks

[Mugzilla]

I'll do my best to not get a time-out, or get the thread locked with my pottymouth.

I've had my 2024 Sport 6MT since April 2024. I love the thing. It has been babied, and garage-kept. I bought a 2004 Buick couch-on-wheels to drive in the winter. When I first got the Z, I clayed it, and applied Meguiar's Hybrid ceramic wax. It works great. (I applied it to my Durango at the same time. I clay-mitted the Durango in July 2025 and the wax is still working on an outside-stored NJ vehicle.)

From Jan-March of this year, I washed, clayed, applied wax remover/surface prep, de-ironed, re-surface prepped, then used DIY Detail's gold standard polish with a waffle pad and a DA buffer. All little rainbows and scratches magically went away.

https://diydetail.com/products/gold...Yg-wiQIvOcAOCqZavjan34cz9hh4b52mh7PCCdzbZbUlE

I then used surface prep AGAIN to remove all polishing debris. I then applied Adams Polishs advanced ceramic coating.

https://adamspolishes.com/products/...wwdgFLSiKYXZw5k18GchMPAPXdibzxaGTzjkM-rcFMWoZ

Yeah, there is the little-bottle 10H marketing hyped ceramic. Honestly, I was scared poopless to apply real ceramic due to the threat of an 8 year long high spot.

The application was simple, and easy. I DID leave a high spot that I found 4 months later. It came off no hassle.

That brings me to my RANT. Yeah, it is a black car. someone digs a hole in dusty dirt 1 mile away and it shows up on my paint. i know that and accept it. The car is for driving. Washing her is theraputic.

What I CANNOT abide is PAINT THAT WHEN BIRD POOP SITS on IT FOR 3-4 HOURS ETCHES THE FRIGGING PAINT!!!! I removed the poop 3-4 hours after the pooping occurred. (Estimate because it was dry.) I detail sprayed it. Next day, I foam cannon washed her.

THE PAINT IS ETCHED!

Now yes, I'll probably get the following comments:

- Should have used POWERFUL ceramic.
- Should PPF my car.

But seriously Nissan. WTH?! I am so pissed. Yeah, I curbed a rim. Yeah, a rock dented my dash HOOD. BOTH are understandable. $#!+ happens. But having a car that can't survive poop?!

 

[bpeckham]

I get this on my blue/black two-tone car. Right after removing bee or bird poop, there will be a spot like this. Then I'll drive the car to work, it'll sit in the sun all day. Next time I look, the spot is gone. Is it the heat? The UV? IDK, but right after cleaning, my heart sinks, then a day later it's fine.

For example, there is no trace of this.

 

[Mugzilla]

I get this on my blue/black two-tone car. Right after removing bee or bird poop, there will be a spot like this. Then I'll drive the car to work, it'll sit in the sun all day. Next time I look, the spot is gone. Is it the heat? The UV? IDK, but right after cleaning, my heart sinks, then a day later it's fine.

I'll try it. She HAS been in the garage mostly since the poop-ening...

 

[JasonZ]

Paint correction might fix it. My black 2024 Performance sat on the lot outside for about a year, and the paint was not in good shape at all. I took it in for PPF, and when they did a paint correction before applying the material, and ALL of the imperfections, water spots, and swirl marks completely disappeared. But, that cost $7,000 so it better be perfect and protected...

 

[staying_tuned]

Hey man the spray on ceramic is kind of terrible when it comes to anything more than great hydrophobic beading and shine. For real protection try legit ceramic. I use CarPro UK 3.0 on everything and I have zero discipline when it comes to removing bugs or poop. I just double-bucket wash when anything gets disgusting looking and it’s back to new looking. I refresh each spring with their spray on reload product. Then every 3 years I clay and reapply a new coat of ceramic. The entire Z can be done in half a day and a proper ceramic coat will resist dust a lot better as well.

 

[Bumflik]

I feel your pain because I endure and go through it as well. I will no longer own black colored cars. I had 2 yes (2) black Type R FK8s. Never again. But I still got to deal with it cuz I have the black roof. Japanese paint if it ain't Lexus or Mazda sucks. It's soft . Nothing on par with the Big German 3 which use Hard paints and of course spend up to 17,000 dollars on the painting process.

 

[Mugzilla]

On another note, how does one rock dent a dash...?

Oops. Dented my HOOD. I had painless dent removal done. They used the touchup paint to fill in the divvit that went to the bare metal. Might someday look in to having the paint bloop sanded down.

 

[Bumflik]

I'm lowered so rock chips a hoy happens everytime I hit the expressway. I just do touch up paint and keep it moving. The universe is full of objects big and small making contact. Se la Vi.

 

[itszed]

Oops. Dented my HOOD. I had painless dent removal done. They used the touchup paint to fill in the divvit that went to the bare metal. Might someday look in to having the paint bloop sanded down.

Oh. Well, that makes more sense. But I'll admit I was expecting a good story...

 

[MCN1SMO]

I had etching on my roof within an hour of a bird droppings. it was the black plastic piece near the rear hatch glass

 

[haohmaru]

I don't trust modern car paint on cars in these price points. I know you don't want to hear this, but I took mine to shop within a week of buying it and spent about $2700 on the following:

• full decon, with iron remover, clay bar process
• engine bay cleaned and dressed
• door jambs detailed
• interior detail
• 3 stage paint correction 90% scratches removed
• spot wet sanding
• CARPRO DQuartz ceramic coating base layer
• CARPRO CQuartz Finest Reserve, top layer
• wheels ceramic coated face and inner barrel
• brakes ceramic coated
• engine bay plastics ceramic coated
• all glass ceramic coated

I like to detail my own car too, but I had a friend who always had his cars (GTR, Audi RS7, Cadillac Blackwing) done at this place and it always looked new.

All I need to do now is wash the car and hit it with a spray of the CarPro Hydr02 Lite.
The car always looks new and washing is snap.

They offered PPF for another $2500, I couldn't spring for it.

 

[SavedByFaith_]

I don't trust modern car paint on cars in these price points. I know you don't want to hear this, but I took mine to shop within a week of buying it and spent about $2700 on the following:

• full decon, with iron remover, clay bar process
• engine bay cleaned and dressed
• door jambs detailed
• interior detail
• 3 stage paint correction 90% scratches removed
• spot wet sanding
• CARPRO DQuartz ceramic coating base layer
• CARPRO CQuartz Finest Reserve, top layer
• wheels ceramic coated face and inner barrel
• brakes ceramic coated
• engine bay plastics ceramic coated
• all glass ceramic coated

I like to detail my own car too, but I had a friend who always had his cars (GTR, Audi RS7, Cadillac Blackwing) done at this place and it always looked new.

All I need to do now is wash the car and hit it with a spray of the CarPro Hydr02 Lite.
The car always looks new and washing is snap.

They offered PPF for another $2500, I couldn't spring for it.

Respect to a fellow CarPro enthusiastic

I do CarPro everything and it's a game changer

Granted, the full body PPF helps overall

 

[haohmaru]

Respect to a fellow CarPro enthusiastic

I do CarPro everything and it's a game changer

Granted, the full body PPF helps overall

The Hydr02 Lite alone is amazing. Just did my WRX that had no wax left, after 1 spray the water was beading up and sheeting off. I use the Hydr02 Lite on the Z everytime I wash it. I'll never bother with wax again.

 

[thesilverbullet]

Welcome to the new world of water based paints. Remember the early delays for paint issues…. It’s not nissan - its the tree huggers / EPA…

to fix the bird crap - use a fine cut polish like MEGUIAR'S 210 Mirror Glaze Ultra Pro polish by hand. Be careful - the paint is less durable on the painted plastic parts.

The same crap happens to my ‘23 rdx.

chevy had tons of issues when they switch over to water paint. Co-worker had issues with his honda crv…

less is more. The less paint correction / cleaner the better. find a paint protectant or good old pure non-cleaner car wax and re-apply after every wash. Reduce the frequency of washing it - that’s where the problem starts. The less you touch it the better.

i don’t know what toyota used on my black ‘14 taco, but the paint is like the day i bought her. it’s unbelievable- it laughs at bird sh!t. never hit her with anything other than wax / modern day protectants. Currently using cerakote that i found at walmart.

 

[KCZ]

Depending on the diet of the particular species, bird poop can be very acidic and it doesn't take long to etch paint or stain almost anything. Having said that, I don't think Nissan uses great paint either. I put PPF on the front of my Z and ceramic coated the rest.