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Model 3 Performance First Wash

FailsafeFPV | 2025-12-28 17:53 | 138 views

Hi guys, I've recently purchased a new model 3 performance in Ultra red and have had the whole thing covered in Xpel Fusion in the UK. Not owned a new car before so want to keep it looking great. Don't have a pressure washer. People seem to reccomend Autoglym. There is an Aquatech car wash place with snow foam so debating on going there but have seen some pics on here about discolouration on door seals. Does anyone have any tutorials or reccomendations for the first wash/how they keep Xpel looking good on a model 3. pic for attention. Thanks

Comments (24)
starkiller_bass 2025-12-28 18:18

If you’re not absolutely CAKED in grime I would highly recommend looking into Optimum No-Rinse wash. Two buckets, no hose, no pressure washer, car looks flawless after. Easy to do in a driveway, parking lot, even in a garage.

FailsafeFPV 2025-12-28 18:27

Thank you! Yeah it's not that bad. Just want to keep on top of it. What products do i need/have you got a guide or vid to follow?

Dolo12345 2025-12-28 18:36

You bought xpel PPF and have no idea how to do a car wash? RIP $8k. You’ll wanna watch a ton of this guys videos: https://youtu.be/_hqGhhRj8UE you need xpel ceramic boost on top of that thing pronto as a sacraficial layer, PPF like that can stain permanently pretty easily without weekly care

Salt_Command8829 2025-12-28 18:39

Is Xpel PPF?

Dolo12345 2025-12-28 18:41

You need a proper setup including foam cannon, pressure washer, etc don’t kid your self. You will get more dirty past the point of a ONR wash. If you don’t get that dirt off eventually it’ll stain the PPF.

FailsafeFPV 2025-12-28 18:41

Yeah tbh its the first new car I've got of this nature so I'm still learning. Appreciate it I'll take a look.

FailsafeFPV 2025-12-28 18:45

That's what I thought, what products do you reccomend? Was thinking of getting a AVA Easy P57 XL Bundle for pressure washer and snow foam etc

FailsafeFPV 2025-12-28 18:46

Correct, Xpel Fusion PPF.

Dolo12345 2025-12-28 18:56

That’s perfect. https://a.co/d/cBw93Da pump sprayer https://a.co/d/3wEEq4w eagle edgless https://a.co/d/bn1dOiv smaller for spot https://a.co/d/gLXxJzf ONR v6 https://a.co/d/cdtQ21F mitts (I use about 10 for one wash) https://a.co/d/9WfTLNT blower You’ll also want Koch chemie snow foam and also active foam for dirtier days. You also need a blower to dry to car for washes for waterless wash (ONR sprayer). ONR goes into the sprayer and like someone else said, this can be in between. Usually spray ONR, blow off, spray again, 500GSM micro fiber dry/polish off. You want to avoid wiping without blowing off as you can scratch the PPF. Most days I can clean daily with ONR spray and blow (no contact, takes 5 mins for clean car). ONR is great at different dilutions for all problems. In the sprayer I use wash dilution. Works great on glass, PPF everything. Basic goal: less contact and if contact make sure blow dry off containments first before any contact Ceramic boost goes on after car is clean. DO NOT SKIP CERAMIC BOOST.

Bakura_1993 2025-12-28 20:45

I also got a full PPF on my new M3P with ceramic coating specifically for PPF. Just wanted to ask if I should a pH neutral snow foam and pH neutral shampoo? Because the products I've left from my previous car are not pH neutral. I have King Carthur Control Snow Foam and Tershine Purify S (shampoo). Used those primarily as well as other products like heavier degreaser specifically for the winter season. That car was ceramic coated only.

slynas 2025-12-28 20:52

If car is ceramic coated; Acid based shampoo Some kind of ceramic topcoat, like a spray on rinse off like gyeon wet coat. Wash it the second you see salt crap sticking to lower half Don’t go for loads of chemicals to get the heavy off, do that with water. What people fail to realise is, the longer dirt is wet, it breaks down and will rinse off easier after 5 mins. Dilute some no touch wash and use that as a prewash if it’s bad. The less you touch Tesla paint, the better.

Dolo12345 2025-12-28 21:48

So a bit of a double edge sword. Don’t use acidic enough products and you’ll leave dirt that’ll eventually stain even with contact wash. Also neutral products like snow foam are great but requires MORE contact than say active foam so more scratches over time. Modern professional ceramic coatings are tough. Don’t shy away from using active foam. Just make sure you have the tools to handle it (pressure washer to get ALL soap off, it can hide in handles etc and cause soap stains).

starkiller_bass 2025-12-28 21:50

Isn’t the useful life of ppf only like 3 years? This seems like a lot of work to protect the protection

Bakura_1993 2025-12-28 21:58

Thank you for taking your time and explaining. Great answer! Struggled to find the balance on my previous car and I think that's what cause som unnecessary scratching down the line. Will use more active foam and degreasers as needed during winter and more neutral products during the summer.

Salt_Command8829 2025-12-28 23:54

Looks fantastic. How much was that in the UK? I’ve found this video my most useful for my latest approach to car washing: https://youtu.be/2sMcia0ZLmc?si=WsENzpVIpiXhnjTs

First-Guide 2025-12-29 20:50

Tesla paint sucks and is thin. Mine is 90 microns 😐. I got mine Graphine coated a month ago and although it makes it easier to wash, still will get scratches and nicks. I should've gotten ppf. Love my black diamond but will never do that color again lol.

FailsafeFPV 2025-12-29 20:58

Thank you I've got the above ordered and some xpel ceramic boost!

Psice 2025-12-30 01:53

Bro, just ask Gemini 3.0 Pro or ChatGPT thinking if you give them a detailed prompt explaining your situation or concerns, you will get very informative and accurate info back.

FailsafeFPV 2025-12-30 09:14

About £3.8k for the whole car, done at car polishing co! I appreciate that thanks will give it a watch!

FailsafeFPV 2026-01-02 18:01

https://preview.redd.it/lcjtsgdt6zag1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72d356a32e41c15cfbeb2d6b598ed4adeff60cf9 Thank you basically everything has arrived and I'll be doing the first wash tomorrow, hopefully will go well. Any tips or reccomendations? Was going to snow foam once, then rinse, then snow foam again and use ONR to wash. I also then have ceramic boost for when im done.

Dolo12345 2026-01-02 18:58

https://youtu.be/HE_1SesZf7w https://youtu.be/yc67384KvzQ https://youtu.be/_hqGhhRj8UE https://youtu.be/iiJJ9yCyOhU https://youtu.be/EeEkCTuuPkE Those should get you started I’ll reply with something later text wise. I would browse through all the videos to see if any are relevant. ONR is usually for daily or whenever maintenance (bird dropping or don’t wanna wash full car etc). For weekly maintenance wash it won’t be needed. I didn’t have you buy a drying rag like you see in the videos, but the blower will be fine for paint/PPF (it’s super hydrophobic, more so with ceramic boost already added) and the glass you may use a micro on to wipe off (can’t scratch glass as easily so it’s safe).

FailsafeFPV 2026-01-02 19:23

Appreciate it, what should I use for shampoo/the contact wash section of this, would this be ONR? Just watching the vids now.

Dolo12345 2026-01-02 19:31

Snow foam would be for both prewash and contact. So snow foam on, rinse, foam back on and do your contact. Don’t be afraid to refoam since some may fall off while doing contact or do sections at a time. On dirtier days you can do active foam prewash and snow foam contact. Make sure to do a good rinse and get all the cracks. The soap can def get sticky to the surface after a while and needs a pressure washers touch. Soap stains are a thing haha (leaving unwashed soap on for days).

FailsafeFPV 2026-01-02 19:35

Perfect thank you! and then ONR for when I don't want to do a complete full wash. Following that I top up the ceramic coating? As you can see from this pic it's quite dirty! I've bought some "Koch Chemie Green Star Universal cleaner" for doing wheels at a later date, obviously i'll do those last. I have a bucket as well so would i just load that up with some water and snow foam solution too so I can keep dipping my wash mitts in there too? Anything else to consider? https://preview.redd.it/k7k44bmfnzag1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=455e56faaf0d5a38afe0a452280465c4c4bf2b89

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