hmale4yu Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Hi there after years literally of researching and thinking back and forth about getting a 370z I finally signed a deal late last year and will be expecting my new 370z Nismo to arrive next month I have a couple of questions regarding looking after the vehicle and would really appreciate if you guys can assist since this is my first Z! Paint & Wheel Protection: The car will be pearlescent white and I have heard that this colour is difficult should there be any scuffs on the car. Do you recommend AVOIDING the cheap but convenient car wash places and doing it by hand at home . Also recommended products you can advise ? Alcantara interior: Is there any tried and tested product that I can use to maintain the interior most notably the steering wheel? Car Cover: I am looking to invest in an outdor car cover; any recommended covers? Or would you guys advise against in case the cover "scratches" the pain when removing/putting it on? Do you think I should invest in protection film at the front of the car in order to prevent stone chips? If so then would it be apparent that I have done this to the car upon casual inspection? Really appreciate if you lot can help out. I'm in the process of buying dash cam and some other stuff as the days count down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEADPHONES Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Congratulations on your new purchase and welcome to the OC. 1. Definately avoid ANY hand wash/car wash places unless it's a trusted detailing outfit using a gentle 2bm wash as a minimum. I'd even ask the dealership NOT to wash the zed on delivery as they will invariably put more defects in the paint from poor washing. As for regular washing at home, there's the gentle 2 bucket method using a microfiber or wool mitt and pat drying with a microfiber drying towel as a bare minimum. If you have time a good prewash (eg Powermaxed traffic film remover)sprayed onto the body followed by a Jetwash rinse is even better before you start touching the paint with the wash mitt. 2. There are many stain resistant coatings for the alcantara from companies like Gtechniq etc. But also remember getting in and out avoiding rubbing hard on the seat bolsters will help keep wear down. Also washing your hands of any moisturizer/cream you may have used beforehand will help stop contaminating the wheel. 3. Car cover may have more risks than benefits unless you have to park under trees with risks of sap and bird bombs. A coat of wax or sealant every few months should be enough to shield your zed from the elements. 4 Protection film will help BUT ensure the fitter is good as there have been stories of damage caused during fitting film as they trim the film on the body using a knife. You could get a 10,000 word reply on different products and methods of detailing but hopefully this is enough to get you started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 I wouldn't buy another peal' white car after the hassles I had with my Nismo. Even really good bodyshops struggle to match it because it's a three stage finish. I had to shell out for a complete bumper respray when I got a one inch scratch in a car park. That said, it's a very nice colour - just be careful. I used a car cover for four years with no trouble or damage to the paintwork. The car just needs to be clean before the cover goes on. They are a hassle to put on and off to begin with, but you soon get the hang of it. My advice would be go for something relatively inexpensive and replace it once a year. I used the Halfords large outdoor cover on my Nismo. It's a surprisingly decent cover for £50. The large size is a good fit for a Nismo Z. Another advantage of a less expensive cover is that you can see if you get on with them without blowing £100s on an expensive one. Raceglaze Alcantara cleaner. Good stuff. I'm not sure about the Mk2 Nismo but the Mk1 was surprisingly good for minimal stone chips on the bumper. My other two non Nismo 370Zs were very prone to them. I think it was something about the shape of the bumper. I tried a lot of different detailing products over time on the pearl white. My favourites regime was - wash, clay, White Diamond Glaze followed by Gtechniq G2 sealant. Hope that helps. Enjoy your new car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmale4yu Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 Thanks for the replies. I only learnt about the upkeep of pearlescent paint in the last few weeks. I was tempted to go for the silver since I think it goes well on the car ; however I think the white makes the car look more expensive and flamboyant despite fact that there are many many white cars on the roads these days Re interior would you recommend the following? https://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product/gtechniq-i1-ab-smart-fabric-anti-bacterial-for-fabrics-500ml/ There is a video out there showing it applied to a convertible rag top and the water droplets fall off rather than absorb into it if that makes sense; was thinking that this may be of use for the seats and lower part of door that is finished in alcantara? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Gtechniq are pretty good products in my experience. To be honest though if you just follow a basic cleaning routine the interior should stay in decent condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmale4yu Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Thanks again I forgot to mention about running in the car? This is my first brand new car so is there anything to know when running the car in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payco Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) I have a Mark 2 Pearl White Nismo and love it. Had a modded 350z beforehand. First and foremost make sure Nissan remove the shipping spacers. Many dealers either forget to remove them or claim they have when they haven't. I am getting mine ceramic coated next month (youtube it) if you are not aware of the process. I use Poorboys interior cleaner applied on a sponge to my interior which works a treat. Make sure you use V Power or high octane fuel. Where are you based ? Plan to change the exhaust as it doesn't do the car justice. Photo of shipping spaces still fitted below. Enjoy the ride. Edited February 22, 2018 by Payco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikeracer Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I recently bought a new Nismo and had the front of the car, roof and side skirts wrapped in Xpel PPF prior to leaving the dealership. I thibk it’s well worth the £1200 or so on a brand new car. With regards to the alcantara, treated my alcantara Seats with GTechniq I1 smart fabric. Can be bought online, spray it on leave to dry and then spray again for the second time. Job done, may require a reapplication after 12months. As previously mentioned make sure the dealer removes the transit blocks on the springs and try and get them to do a full 4 wheel alignment check on the car as some of my settings including castor angle were outside tolerance. Nissan HPC are adjusting mine next week. Enjoy the car 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payco Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Personally I would ceramic coat it rather than wrap it but each to their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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