Z Energy

Z Energy, known simply as "Z", is one of New Zealand's largest fuel companies. British-Dutch company Shell exited the fuel distribution market in New Zealand in 2010, and was acquired by Infratil and the New Zealand Super for $891 million. Initially, in 2010 the branding remained as Shell whereas the holding company was renamed from Shell NZ to Greenstone Energy. In May 2011, after surveying 17,000 customers, the company was renamed Z Energy Ltd. and the service stations simply branded as "Z".  As of June 2013, Z energy owns Chevron new zealand,l and therefore all Caltex service stations. The Caltex brand remains separate. Almost all Z stations have Washtec Car Washes. Sadly, a large number of stations removed their car washes whilst still under Shell, thus the older Ryko machines were lost. The only ones where Car Washes survived were usually ones with newer machines already.

## Wellington Airport, Wellington (former Caltex)

This site was originally a Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser 4000. When Z took over the station, they replaced it with an orange-brush Washtec Softcare Evo. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018.

The site used to belong to Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser4000The site used to belong to Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser4000
## Mirimar, Wellington

This site originally had a Washtec Softcare Evo. It first came with Shell's red, yellow & blue brushes since the Shell days. The brushes were replaced with orange ones when Z took over. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018.

In early 2020, the Evo was replaced by a 2017 Washtec SoftCare secondhand from the site in Wellington City, which closed down a few weeks prior.

## [GONE] Wellington City, Wellington

This site had a Washtec Softcare back in the shell days, with shell's brushes. The brushes were changed to orange when Z took over. In 2017, the machine was replaced with another brand new SoftCare (though still an older model with the old style dryer).

This Z sadly closed permanently in 2020, and has been demolished. An office tower, which will be the new headquarters of BNZ, will be built on the site. *The Car Wash from this site was relocated to Z Mirimar.*

## Boulcott, Lower Hutt

This was the last Shell site in wellington to have an old car wash. It had a touch-free Ryko Monarch II. When Z took over in 2011, it was replaced with a Washtec Softcare. I have been lucky enough to get a couple of photos of the plant room for this car wash. In 2018, new-style brushes were installed. In December 2021, the machine was replaced with a brand new Istobal M'Nex 32 with plain dark-blue brushes.

## Remutaka

This site is a former Caltex that became a Z in 2022, though Z (who own the Caltex NZ brand) had been operating the site since early 2021. The site originally operated Mark VII Merchandier and PDQ Laserwash 4000 touchless systems prior to Z Ownership. In 2021, Z replaced the wash with a brand new Istobal Tracer touchless system.

## Masterton

This site has always had a Washtec Softcare Evo since the Shell days. The brushes were replaced with Z took over. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018.

## Johnsonville

As per other sites, this Z had a Washtec Softcare installed back int he days of Shell. The brushes were replaced when Z took over. They were replaced with the new-style brushes in 2018. In 2019 This Car Wash was replaced with a brand new Washtec Softcare, fitted with the new-style dryer, colour LED lights and the addition of jet sprayers. Photos coming soon.

The NEW Car Wash.
## Porirua & Mana (now gone)

Both of these are sites that once had car washes, but got rid of them. I do not know what was installed at Porirua, but Mana once had a Ryko UltraClean. There's no photos of this available whatsoever.

## Paraparaumu, Kapiti

This site has had a Washtec Softcare since the Shell days. the brushes were replaced when Z took over, and then replaced with the new-style ones in 2018.

## Levin

This site in Levin once had a Washtec Softcare Evo, but it was removed before Z took over. The wash bay survived, and when Z took over, they decided to convert to a self-serve Jet Wash bay.

## The Plaza, Palmerston North

Things don't change once you leave Wellington. This Palmerston North site by The Plaza Shopping Centre is the same story - Washtec Softcare Evo installed under Shell, brushes changed when Z took over. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018.

## New Plymouth

I visited this site in 2018, but didn't get any photos. This site is one that had ditched its Car Wash prior to 2008 whilst under Shell Ownership. A new Washtec Softcare was installed in the bay around 2010-ish by Shell.

## Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth

I visited here in 2018. This site didn't have a car wash under Shell (of it did, it was Demolished prior to 2010). When Z took over, a new bay was built and a Washtec Softcare installed.

## Stratford

I passed through this area just south of New Plymouth in 2018. The oldest Streetview data is from 2010, and shows the site with a Washtec SoftCare Evo, installed under Shell. The same machine is still in place, but has had a couple of brush replacements since Z took over.

## Napier

Finally, an interesting site. This Shell had a very very old Ceccato car wash, with multi-coloured brushes. it was removed in 2009. When Z took over, as the wash bay was still there, they installed a Washtec Softcare Evo. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018.

## Lincoln St/Edgar St, Hamilton

I passed this site in 2021. It has a Washtec SoftCare Evo, which was installed when the site was still under the ownership of shell.

## Pukekohe, Auckland

I last visited this area in 2018. However, the position of the wash bay means that it cannot be seen from the road, and therefore not on streetview....

However, if you look up the Carl's Jr next door to the Z on Google Maps, for some reason there is a picture of the car wash on the photo tab! This photo proves that the car wash here is a Washtec SoftCare Evo. It was installed sometime between 2012 and 2015. This site was a brand new build, so there was no previous wash here.

## [GONE] Auckland Airport - Mangere, Auckland

This is a site I visited on a number of occasions when flying to and from Auckland International Airport. This site originally had a Ryko UltraClean with Yellow Brushes. It was replaced with a Washtec Softcare Evo in 2009, and was subsequently re-brushed when Z took over, and then again with new-style brushes in 2018.

This is one of the only places Google Maps with any kind of image of a Ryko UltraClean at a Shell. there used to LOADS of Ryko's and other old machines at Shells, but were pretty much all replaced or removed around the time Google Streetview started, so we just missed out on seeing them!

Sadly, this Z station closed at the beginning of 2020. What will become of the site is unknown.

## Manukau, Auckland

I visited the area last in January 2018. This is one of many sites in which Shell had removed the Car Wash prior to 2009, and the wash bays at empty until Z took over. The new machine is a Washtec SoftCare, which was installed with Orange brushes. In 2018, the brushes were replaced with the new Blue-Orange design.

## Shirley, Christchurch

I visited this site in February 2023. The site was originally home to an old Ryko machine in the days of Shell. At some-point (either under Shell or N) it was replaced with a Washtec SoftCare, which remain to this day.