Wes,
Sounds like you have a nice car. There's a guy on the AutoGeek.net detailing forum that has the same car and same color paint. I love that color blue.
Anyway, I'll try to give you a little information because I know searching can be time consuming sometimes.
Washing - Foam gun is a good option if you have money to blow. Otherwise, a two bucket system will suffice (one soapy bucket, one rinse bucket). Get yourself a sheepskin or cotton chinelle mit. Always work from the top down and if possible, use a different mit for the bottom areas than you would use on the top areas. Another thing that I think is awesome is a bug scrub pad. You can find it on AutoGeek.net. It's a yellow honeycomb brick that when you dunk in warm soapy water turns into a soft scrubber that you can use on your paint w/o scatching it all to hell. It comes in handy when washing the front bumper, painted areas behind the wheels, side mirrors, and any other places that get gunk on them.
Drying - Get some big microfiber drying towels. Most places that sell MF towels will have some large towels specifically for drying.
Clay - At your local parts store, you should be able to find a clay kit. Most common is
Clay Magic. This is used to get out all of the airborne contaminants that have bonded to the paint.
Polish - If you have money, the best investment you can make in detailing is a buffer. Most people here use the Porter Cable 7424. On AutoGeek.net, they sell them in kits that come with pads and products so it makes it a little cheaper vs. buying seperate. I like Poorboy's products when it comes to polish. The nice thing about them is that they are cheap, can be used in the sun, and they perform great (although, I still prefer to use them while my car is in the garage). Their polishes are awesome and easy to use.
Protection - Depending on what you're looking for, you can either go with a sealant, a carnauba wax, or both. Sealants last longer but don't have the warm look of carnauba. Carnauba doesn't last as long, but you get a warmer, deeper, wetter look. For the ultimate protection and look, you can use both. But, you have to use a sealant UNDER a carnauba. You can apply as many coats of each as you want (the more the better) but just make sure you use carnauba last.
Klasse Sealant Glaze is the longest lasting sealant. I use it and like it a lot but it can be hard to remove sometimes. Just use some quick detailer if you should run into that problem. My new favorite carnauba is DP Max Wax. I have read that it goes on like butter, and I thought that was always an exaggeration. Well, I can tell you it's not. It really does go on like butter. It comes off so SUPER easy. It is by far the easiest wax I have ever used and it looks awesome!
To remove products like polish, sealant, & wax get a lot of microfiber towels. These are best for removing product w/o marring or scratching the paint. The most important thing to remember for a great looking car: PREPERATION IS THE KEY! The more time you put into your paint before you apply the protection, the better it will look.
Good luck w/everything and be sure to get some pictures up here so we can see your new ride! All the products I've mentioned can be purchased from AutoGeek.net. That's where I buy all of my stuff and haven't had a bad experience yet. But like other's have pointed out, there are many places where you can get great detailing products that can't be found at your local parts stores.
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