Need to buy equipment to wash my new Z

[xyzdx]

Hey all, what equipment do you recommend for washing the car? Let me know if you have a preference on equipment and products. My car will have full ppf and ceramic coating. I don't have anything to clean it yet at all.

Reply here for the best car washing tools, equipment and products you could recommend!

 

[5amp5on]

Tommy’s The Works $39.99 unlimited wash membership has served me well.

 

[Mugzilla]

Depends on how crazy you want to get.

Me?

https://www.nissanzclub.com/forum/threads/wax-on-car-i-want-ceramic-what-steps.4101/

Pressure washer. Foam cannon. Use Meguiar's gold standard soap in it. Foam cannon the car. Let it sit. Wash the wheels, tires, and wheel wells. Pressure wash the soap off. Re-foam the car.

Microfiber cloths in a bucket of soapy water. Use towel ONCE. After washing awhile top to bottom, set dirty cloth to side. DO NOT REUSE.

Use super soft drying towel on GLASS. Then, wring it out, and dry rest of car. Use detailing spray as drying aid. Use blower to get water out of the mirrors and crannies.

Go for drive. (2-3 miles) . Use detailing spray to get water runs off of car.


I polished my car with DIY detailing's gold standard and a waffle pad. It was sooooo much easier than using the drops of polish and blowing out the pads.

I used CMX surface prep to remove anything that was left.

I ceramic-ed my car with Adams. (Their 2 years stuff.)

I HIGHLY recommend doing the polish and ceramic yourself. It was so stupid easy and satisfying.



FULL PPF is stupid popular here. I will be the opposing voice: PPF on a sub $50k car is dumb. It adds no value. It is akin to not fornicating with your GF to keep tolerances tight for the next guy. (But, if you want it and it makes you happy, it ain't wrong.)

I would recommend PPFing the first 12" of the hood. That's where I get the mini rock chips. BUT, it is a car I love to drive, and love to wash.

 

[xyzdx]

Depends on how crazy you want to get.

Me?

https://www.nissanzclub.com/forum/threads/wax-on-car-i-want-ceramic-what-steps.4101/

Pressure washer. Foam cannon. Use Meguiar's gold standard soap in it. Foam cannon the car. Let it sit. Wash the wheels, tires, and wheel wells. Pressure wash the soap off. Re-foam the car.

Microfiber cloths in a bucket of soapy water. Use towel ONCE. After washing awhile top to bottom, set dirty cloth to side. DO NOT REUSE.

Use super soft drying towel on GLASS. Then, wring it out, and dry rest of car. Use detailing spray as drying aid. Use blower to get water out of the mirrors and crannies.

Go for drive. (2-3 miles) . Use detailing spray to get water runs off of car.


I polished my car with DIY detailing's gold standard and a waffle pad. It was sooooo much easier than using the drops of polish and blowing out the pads.

I used CMX surface prep to remove anything that was left.

I ceramic-ed my car with Adams. (Their 2 years stuff.)

I HIGHLY recommend doing the polish and ceramic yourself. It was so stupid easy and satisfying.



FULL PPF is stupid popular here. I will be the opposing voice: PPF on a sub $50k car is dumb. It adds no value. It is akin to not fornicating with your GF to keep tolerances tight for the next guy. (But, if you want it and it makes you happy, it ain't wrong.)

I would recommend PPFing the first 12" of the hood. That's where I get the mini rock chips. BUT, it is a car I love to drive, and love to wash.

Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for. Im getting full ppf cause its the midnight purple. Also, people don't care if they open their car door against yours...

 

[Mugzilla]

Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for. Im getting full ppf cause its the midnight purple. Also, people don't care if they open their car door against yours...

Go with the highest pressure / GPM pressure washer you can find.

I bought this foam cannon off amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HC898GM?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_5&th=1

I tried a higher end foam cannon (brand escapes me). Both cannons performed the same. Don't expect shaving cream consistency.

This ceramic:
https://adamspolishes.com/products/...Zv_5OOZpWY6yk6Ld_MoCE9JadS2XFdNJJKAhhQkYeBmyk

Watch their videos. They were entertaining and educational.

DIY detail gold standard polish:


(Remember; it is a "New" car. You don't need super paint correction)

 

[ill-legal?]

Go with the highest pressure / GPM pressure washer you can find.

I'm going to have to disagree on this, specifically because of the PPF. If he catches a corner or exposed edge with a pressure washer it could lift...and then it just becomes a dirt magnet / trap. On a car that isn't wrapped or PPF'd, I can understand why people like them, but in this circumstance I'd skip it.

In my experience, I found the pressure washer to be more hassle than it was worth...too much set up and tear down time, the hose itself was annoying and constantly getting caught under a tire, and it took up extra storage space in the garage. The foam cannon part was fun, and made for some cool pictures and videos, but eventually I just wanted to get to the clean and shiny part faster so I sold mine after a few months.

Otherwise solid advice, I'd add that investing in a quality microfiber wash mitt and a collection of microfiber towels is well worth it, I love the PFM towel from Griot's Garage for drying (I also use an air blaster around all the body panel gaps, the grill, the hatch/tail light area, wheels, etc). They also make a really nice PFM Dual Weave microfiber for cleaning glass. And if you're spending the money on nice towels, buy some Microfiber Wash (again, I like Griot's) and make sure to wash them separate of any other towels/laundry, using hot water in the wash cycle, and drying on only LOW heat. Proper care will ensure your towels last a long time!

Additional products I like include several of the Chemical Guys soaps (Honeydew Snow Foam is great if you go the foam cannon route, but I use it just as a basic car wash soap) and I use their VRP for a tire shine but will be trying something else once I finish the current bottle. Big fan of Griot's as you can probably tell from above, I have a 6" DA and a 15" long throw, along with their BOSS polishes/compounds/pads as well. Adam's makes good products as well, currently using their leather and interior dressing. I use Ultima Waterless Wash Plus concentrate (make sure to mix with distilled water only) for a quick detail spray.

 

[haohmaru]

Excellent decision on getting PPF and ceramic coating, your car will look brand new for years and washes are going to be so easy. I got just ceramic and the car looks washed with a foam spray, rinse and quick drive down the highway.

here is my setup for a full wash though. Everything here except the sprayer and tire dressing was recommended by the detailer. I’ve used the Carpro silica spray on my WRX, stuff is amazing and so easy to apply. I’ll never go back to wax.

Dura dressing on the tires, applied correctly, is a god send. They look shiny all year with just a quick wash. A pain to apply, but 100% worth it.

To clean the tires and wheel, I just use dish soap and elbow grease. There is no spray on earth that has ever gotten wheels fully clean, I always have to wipe them, so I save the money and just use plain Palmolive. It’s 100% safe for the wheels, which are also ceramic coated, and the tire dressing.

Autofiber Microfiber Drying Towel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9SKGV5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Autofiber Flat Out Microfiber Towels
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKLP1JVL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

CARPRO Lift - Pre-Wash Snow Foam
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S9WP5BK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

CARPRO Reset - Intensive Car Wash
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K71AY1W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

CARPRO HydrO2 Lite Touchless Sklica Sealant
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076KVF6W3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

DURA-COATING TECHNOLOGY, Tire Dressing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T6J47FD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Harbor Freight Pressure Washer
https://www.harborfreight.com/1750-psi-13-gpm-corded-electric-pressure-

 

[Tranzor Z]

Full PPF? Someone's got money.

 

[JimmyRocket]

When hand washing always use the 2 bucket method. As far as products, I'm a fan of Jay Leno's. His microfiber towels are very good too.

 

[Tranzor Z]

When hand washing always use the 2 bucket method. As far as products, I'm a fan of Jay Leno's. His microfiber towels are very good too.

What's the two bucket method?

 

[haohmaru]

What's the two bucket method?

Clean bucket with soap and a dirty bucket with water to rinse with. Clears any debris from the sponge / micro fiber towels between wipes.

 

[Tranzor Z]

Clean bucket with soap and a dirty bucket with water to rinse with. Clears any debris from the sponge / micro fiber towels between wipes.

My Z is black and I can verify the two bucket system is not necessary.

 

[haohmaru]

My Z is black and I can verify the two bucket system is not necessary.

it’s probably overkill. They sell screens for buckets so any dirt falls below it and doesn’t get back on the mitt.

 

[Trlsmn]

Hey all, what equipment do you recommend for washing the car? Let me know if you have a preference on equipment and products. My car will have full ppf and ceramic coating. I don't have anything to clean it yet at all.

Reply here for the best car washing tools, equipment and products you could recommend!

The best thing I’ve found for a water/soap nozzle!

 

[Gadgetech]

How far you want to go? Vehicle detailing is a hobby for me. This is my setup below

I use a variety of products from Gyeon to Pinnacle and a lot of stuff in between. MF towels out the wazoo. Paint polisher, different compounds, coatings. Agree with a statement above that it’s fairly easy to ceramic coat a car with consumer grade products.

Are you picky? Plenty of YouTubers out there talking about process and products. Way more products than you’d believe.

Re PPF: I’m a fan. Didn’t do whole car but a lot of it. If you have the 2026 Heritage car, I don’t blame you one bit. It’d be very hard to blend that paint without it being obvious something was fixed.