UBERMENSCH

I remember about 8 months ago hearing alot of complaints from Armada owners. They were saying that the paint was fading or rubbing off of the front bumpers.

Nexx

iTrader: (41)

same one i have! and no as long as your not on a baseball infield or in the middle of the desert, your not gonna blow dust on your car.

zzrobzz

I guess it doesn't matter if you don't have super black and can't see every ****ing single ****ing scratch and spec of dirt no matter how ****ing small they are.

mikead_99

iTrader: (5)

As long as you dont point it straight down at the ground, which is wet from wash water to help keep the stuff down, no. Does great to get the water out of the weather stripping and mirrors and such.

RUZRIOUS

Yeah i just got my first scrach on my new 06 and i cant stand to see it. it drives me nutz

RUZRIOUS

davidv

iTrader: (2)

No.

After cleaning cars for more than 30 years, I read about the leaf blower on another forum, and had a chuckle. The idea seems stupid. That was before I tried it. Now I’m a “blower” convert. I don't dry the entire 350Z with the blower, just the areas are are difficult to dry with a towel.

Tsyle

iTrader: (3)

yea i read about this problem... so i got a clear bra installed the first week that i had the car... can't even tell the bra is on.

Here's a picture of the car... its only 2 weeks old

Ken Corsun

There is little doubt the the paint on the Z is very soft, the worst I've ever experienced. Other than not following too closely or use a bra of some sort (which to me looks worse than paint chips), I don't see how chips can be avoided. I assuming, of course, you want to drive your car and not just park it and admire it.

That said, you do have to be careful washing the car. The two bucket system is a good one that I use. I dry my ZR in the opposite way then Nexx: I use a chamois first and THEN do a final drying with an air blower designed to dry motorcycles. This blows the water out of the small spaces and joints where no amount of drying with a chamois or towel will get it (around the mirrors, the Z emblems, the door handles, etc. If I don't do this, the water runs out when the car is driven and leaves streaks on the magnetic black surface. Non-black cars may not have this problem to the degree black ones do.

I used Zaino for the first time a couple of days ago with very good results. I'm hoping that I get a little protection for the paint. At least it should make washing and drying the car without scratching it a little easier.

Ken

zzrobzz

Makes sense...I'll give it a try.

novaz

Go for the Zaino treatment.
My new '06 Z already has a few coats on it, and I'll keep adding more after each washing.
Be careful NOT TO USE ANY TYPE OF WATER BLADE to dry your Z. Cotton towels are all that should hit the paint.
Naturally, the Z should always be hand washed since the paint is "soft".
I am total Zaino nut, and use all their products on the Z.
- Car Wash
- Leather Cleaner
- Window Cleaner
For the wheels, I use P21S wheel cleaner and after they dry, they coated with Zaino too.

Miko

iTrader: (2)

I have a gas powered leaf blower, and the thing with that is the exhaust is integrated into the tunnel where air is being blown out, do you guys recommend using it? I mean i'll be blowing the car with exhaust+air...dunno if that's good/bad..

Bullitt Beast

I disagree. There is nothing wrong with the way I drive my car. I drive it the same way I drive my other vehicle and it doesn't look half as bad as this new Z and that car is 4 years old. The fact is the paint sucks. Bad enough that I won't buy another Z. I'm not spending 35K on a car that the paint is this bad on.

zzrobzz

But if you don't follow closely you wont get as many chips. I have a SB w/ 20K miles on it and I only have a few chips on the hood and front bumper.

You have to remember that our hoods are lower than the average car. So following closely absolutely increases the chances of getting chips.

6swhite350z

how are those self car washes? you put in like $2.25 and you get 5 minutes with the high pressure washer, soap brush, wheel cleaners, etc... and in the end you spray your car with the spot free rinse and drive off..

i do this with all my cars.. 5 minutes isnt enough.. usually 15 min is good.. and the results are pretty good as well.. but im wondering if the high pressure washer would mess up the paint on the Z

zzrobzz

Don't Use The Foamy Brush! arrrrghhhhhh!

6swhite350z

why not.. its hella soft

zzrobzz

Ok, well as long as it's hella soft.

6swhite350z

but what about the high pressure washer?

HyperSprite

iTrader: (6)

Good luck with that. Not that I advocate tail gaiting, I think it should be punishable by death but if there are available projectiles, your not safe unless your parked in your garage.

Getting off the freeway with a car 60 feet in front of me, it crossed over the white line onto the shoulder and the next thing I know, BAM, my windshield cracked. I have also had two rocks come up from cars in an adjacent lanes and roll across my hood as well as seeing them bouncing three or four times in front of me with no real options but drive over them wondering if they will be heading down or on the rebound when my bumper gets to them.

I had a clear bra installed the day after my Z was delivered and to this day have no rock chips in the paint but I am on my third windshield. It's not the perfect solution but it's better than nothing.

San Jose is a projectile rich environment!

Chris