Z through car washes

onzedge · 05-22-2013, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcheng

Drive-Thru Car Wash??? You mean Drive-Thru-Sheet-Metal-Destroyer, right?

LOL

Car washes are for Priuses and Honda Fits -- and lazy folks.

Guard Dad · 01-16-2012, 11:40 PM

For me the Z is spooky low and its rims are WAY too exposed to risk even a touchless car wash. All of the car washes that I've seen lately have some sort of guide or track on the floor and no way am I risking my sport package rims in that environment. But a touchless wash without a track or guide would probably be ok.

I only wash the car every few weeks but I clean it with detail spray a couple of times a week. It only takes 10 minutes and the car always looks great.

marrim · 01-16-2012, 11:49 PM

I bring my Z throught a car wash, but not for long. As soon as its is repainted and new wing goes on it will not go in again. I have the sport wing on now and have no problems. The nismo wing does have a warning about no going throught a car wash. Any wing biger than the sport wing I would not suggest it. I have had no issues with the Z in the car wash in about 60 washes.

onzedge · 01-16-2012, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike S.

I love auto carwashes. Dont hate, my G (with scrach sheild paint) has been through hundreds of times and looks great!

At any rate, any problems with running a Z through because of ground clearance?

I'm talking to you Kenchan! You know which one I go to.

Mike S.

Have you been drinking?

alcheng · 01-17-2012, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onzedge

Have you been drinking?

We Z drivers always keep things legal, but I think HE WAS IN THE CAR WASH!!!

onzedge · 01-17-2012, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcheng

We Z drivers always keep things legal, but I think HE WAS IN THE CAR WASH!!!

nmjaxx9 · 01-17-2012, 01:27 AM

I always make sure I hand wash the Z, but off late with the cold weather when I have been getting lazy and have taken it to the touchless automatic. But I get my washes for free there since the managers daughter is my friend.

DLSTR · 01-17-2012, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmjaxx9

I always make sure I hand wash the Z, but off late with the cold weather when I have been getting lazy and have taken it to the touchless automatic. But I get my washes for free there since the managers daughter is my friend.

+1 here in Germany we do have winter. The car washes at the newest stations are great and you see all kinds of power using them. R8, C4S etc. I hand wash summer, spring and fall. Winter if I can, machine wash(cloth etc) when needed. Plus those machine systems at the stations have a nice under-body wash to counteract the salt etc. There is nothing wrong with that when its necessary and to use a good machine soft tech sytem.

In fact it was washed in a machine at my fave Aral station near Stuttgart yesterday after a nice little road trip! These here also dry automatically. NO hand drying at all. I hand dry after on the site of course. Zero issues thus far and in the winter its nice to have an option rather than by hand when its very bad weather out.

kenchan · 01-17-2012, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike S.

I love auto carwashes. Dont hate, my G (with scrach sheild paint) has been through hundreds of times and looks great!

At any rate, any problems with running a Z through because of ground clearance?

I'm talking to you Kenchan! You know which one I go to.

Mike S.

Haha, the first thing that would rub is the deflector forward of the front tires. I would just take those off during the winter (3bolts and just put some tape over the screw holes to prevent rust or screw them back in if the bolts don't bottom out) and run it through if that was my only choice.

I luv my G (dd) but she will be going through the car wash next wk if temps are too low to wash at home.

happytheman · 01-17-2012, 06:53 AM

Hand wash only for me. If absolutely necessary I MIGHT consider not taking it to a touchless wash system, and go grab a bucket!

onzedge · 01-17-2012, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happytheman

Hand wash only for me. If absolutely necessary I MIGHT consider not taking it to a touchless wash system, and go grab a bucket!

kenchan · 01-17-2012, 06:53 AM

Btw, those screws fall out by vibration if you don't torque them in snug.

NickBaragona · 01-17-2012, 07:18 AM

I used a touchless car wash yesterday, and dried it down and waxed it afterwords. When its 30 degrees outside, it seems to be the best option in my eyes.

UNKNOWN_370 · 01-17-2012, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickBaragona

I used a touchless car wash yesterday, and dried it down and waxed it afterwords. When its 30 degrees outside, it seems to be the best option in my eyes.

This is exactly what I do on cold days. Lol.

UNKNOWN_370 · 01-17-2012, 09:52 AM

I'll do touchless on a very RARE occasion,but only with a good coat of Wax protecting the paint. Most touchless car washes use acid based soaps in order to do a thorough job at removing dirt. Too much exposure to the touchless eats up at the clearcoat.
Meguiars gold class soap or turtle wax ice and a bucket works excellent. A high quality non abrasive microfiber sponge, a nice shade, lukewarm filtered water, high end detail drying cloths, quik detailer, clay, polish, wax and buff the car off with a detailers buffing cloth. Every evening after the wash I dust off the car. Every 5 days, give or take a day or 2, I quik detail and quik wax. After the quik wax, I buff the car out with a detailiers, buffing cloth, done
If regular maintenence keeps the car clean for a long period of time? I may only water wash every 5 weeks give or take 1 week. If I notice I'm getting build-up from having to quik detail or quik wax too often? I will wash sooner.
The interior I vaccuum weekly. I use cleaners on the plastics about every 3-4 weeks. The leather area I use a leather clean cond. Every 6wks.

My car almost always looks showroom or better than showroom. It costs about $180 for the supplies. And I get about thousands of $$$$ in in detailings and washing done when I do it myself.

01-16-2012, 11:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Guard Dad Enthusiast Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: South Orange County, CA Posts: 422 Drives: 2010 370Z Silver A7 Rep Power: 15	For me the Z is spooky low and its rims are WAY too exposed to risk even a touchless car wash. All of the car washes that I've seen lately have some sort of guide or track on the floor and no way am I risking my sport package rims in that environment. But a touchless wash without a track or guide would probably be ok. I only wash the car every few weeks but I clean it with detail spray a couple of times a week. It only takes 10 minutes and the car always looks great. __________________ 2010 Brilliant Silver, Base w/Sport Package, AT7, Katzkin leather, upgraded audio and lots of Dynamat and a bunch of small stuff.

01-17-2012, 06:53 AM	#10 (permalink)
happytheman A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 10,737 Drives: MB 6M Tour/Sport Z34 Rep Power: 1823	Hand wash only for me. If absolutely necessary I MIGHT consider not taking it to a touchless wash system, and go grab a bucket! __________________ --Brantly-- *PowderCoating by Mike/Stillen/PWJDM/Shine Auto/NST* GTR/Michelin /Fast Intentions/Evo-R/Mobil 1/Motul/Z1 https://facebook.com/CentralFloridaZClub

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01-16-2012, 11:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
marrim Base Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: AZ Posts: 183 Drives: 2011 370z White Man Rep Power: 15	I bring my Z throught a car wash, but not for long. As soon as its is repainted and new wing goes on it will not go in again. I have the sport wing on now and have no problems. The nismo wing does have a warning about no going throught a car wash. Any wing biger than the sport wing I would not suggest it. I have had no issues with the Z in the car wash in about 60 washes.

01-17-2012, 01:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
nmjaxx9 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Middletown, Ct Posts: 5,853 Drives: 2011 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 27	I always make sure I hand wash the Z, but off late with the cold weather when I have been getting lazy and have taken it to the touchless automatic. But I get my washes for free there since the managers daughter is my friend.

01-17-2012, 06:53 AM	#12 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	Btw, those screws fall out by vibration if you don't torque them in snug.

01-17-2012, 07:18 AM	#13 (permalink)
NickBaragona Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 360 Drives: 40th 370Z Rep Power: 15	I used a touchless car wash yesterday, and dried it down and waxed it afterwords. When its 30 degrees outside, it seems to be the best option in my eyes.

01-17-2012, 09:52 AM	#15 (permalink)
UNKNOWN_370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: ny'r livn in tx Posts: 8,687 Drives: well over 130m.p.h. Rep Power: 14859	I'll do touchless on a very RARE occasion,but only with a good coat of Wax protecting the paint. Most touchless car washes use acid based soaps in order to do a thorough job at removing dirt. Too much exposure to the touchless eats up at the clearcoat. Meguiars gold class soap or turtle wax ice and a bucket works excellent. A high quality non abrasive microfiber sponge, a nice shade, lukewarm filtered water, high end detail drying cloths, quik detailer, clay, polish, wax and buff the car off with a detailers buffing cloth. Every evening after the wash I dust off the car. Every 5 days, give or take a day or 2, I quik detail and quik wax. After the quik wax, I buff the car out with a detailiers, buffing cloth, done If regular maintenence keeps the car clean for a long period of time? I may only water wash every 5 weeks give or take 1 week. If I notice I'm getting build-up from having to quik detail or quik wax too often? I will wash sooner. The interior I vaccuum weekly. I use cleaners on the plastics about every 3-4 weeks. The leather area I use a leather clean cond. Every 6wks. My car almost always looks showroom or better than showroom. It costs about $180 for the supplies. And I get about thousands of $$$$ in in detailings and washing done when I do it myself.