Making my car perfect has become a sickness

Toy_Cam_Ed

Toy_Cam_Ed

Buffed out
I'm constantly working on my car, washing, buffing, polishing, waxing, and everything else you can think of. At a minimum, I wash twice a week (usually 3 times or more) with my home-spun foam cannon, rinse, blow dry, then use a quick wax. I get out toothpicks and search for nooks and crannies that most people would never see. The slightest imperfection bothers me. If a bug lands on my car while detailing, I blow it off vigorously while cursing.

I'm thinking I should go pro if I care this much. I have much to learn, but I'm a quick learner, have machine skills, common sense, and a desire for perfection.

Am I nuts, or just someone that should think about detailing as a job?

Anyway, back to my original thought. Some people call me crazy for wanting my car to be it's best at all times, but it makes me happy. When I start in the morning, it's like therapy to me. I put on the radio to a good hard rock station, drink a couple diet cokes, some cigs, and go crazy. But it's always the end result that makes me the happiest.

And yeah, I need a DA machine. My arms are shot from days of buffing by hand. I thought I would get used to it, but I realized I can only take so much. (at my age)

Thanks for reading my somewhat long winded post. But I would like some opinions, and how you may have handled things.
 
we are all a little OCD here when it comes to our vehicles. for me its a big stress reliever after a long work week. nothing for me to be out there saturday morning at 5:30 am detailing the jeep. we all love good looking vehicles, and the means to achive them. a hobby with a passion if you would. not many understand. i have way to much money in car care stuff, but i love my hobby.

for others here it a way to make a living. a thankless job for thoes that dont understand what it takes to make a vehicle look its best. i worked at a dealership many years a go, and its lowest job on the ladder. including the pay.

so enjoy the forum and its many "detailing nuts". you will learn a lot and make many friends!
 
To quote Troy, "uh... yeah. " You probably wouldn't be here otherwise.

Of course, I'm wondering - only 2-3 times a week? ;)
 
that makes you a detail padawan learner. our desire is to become jedi detailing masters like the many you'll see here at AF. "mind well what you learn at AF, save you many headaches it can" . may the oc detail force be with you.
 
Don't worry, I'm the same about my vehicles. My neighbors at first thought I've went nuts, but they understood. Now if I've gone over a couple weeks without washing they wonder what's wrong with me. They tell me even when it's "dirty" to me it looks clean compared to theirs. :lol:
 
when i lived at home my dad would always say, "son, your going to wash the paint off that car" or years ago, one of the small neighborhood kids came up to me and said "why are you always washing your car? my dad never washes his." :lmfao
 
PA DETAILER said:
when i lived at home my dad would always say, "son, your going to wash the paint off that car"
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Yeah, I've heard that one before.

But what really bugs me is when I see someone with a really nice car, but it looks like it hasn't been washed in years. :dunno:
 
I am out every night after work it seems like, cleaning or doing something to one of the three vehicles we own. My neighbors are over thinking I'm nuts, because they always ask if they can bring theirs over next? To bad their willing, but not wanting to pay.
 
07gtcs said:
I am out every night after work it seems like, cleaning or doing something to one of the three vehicles we own. My neighbors are over thinking I'm nuts, because they always ask if they can bring theirs over next? To bad their willing, but not wanting to pay.
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When ever a neighbor asks me the same, I always respond, "Sure I need the extra money"
 
Toy_Cam_Ed said:
I'm constantly working on my car, washing, buffing, polishing, waxing, and everything else you can think of. At a minimum, I wash twice a week (usually 3 times or more) with my home-spun foam cannon, rinse, blow dry, then use a quick wax. I get out toothpicks and search for nooks and crannies that most people would never see. The slightest imperfection bothers me. If a bug lands on my car while detailing, I blow it off vigorously while cursing.

I'm thinking I should go pro if I care this much. I have much to learn, but I'm a quick learner, have machine skills, common sense, and a desire for perfection.

Am I nuts, or just someone that should think about detailing as a job?

Anyway, back to my original thought. Some people call me crazy for wanting my car to be it's best at all times, but it makes me happy. When I start in the morning, it's like therapy to me. I put on the radio to a good hard rock station, drink a couple diet cokes, some cigs, and go crazy. But it's always the end result that makes me the happiest.

And yeah, I need a DA machine. My arms are shot from days of buffing by hand. I thought I would get used to it, but I realized I can only take so much. (at my age)

Thanks for reading my somewhat long winded post. But I would like some opinions, and how you may have handled things.
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Once you get a machine it REALLY becomes a sickness! Think of AutopiaForums like your weekly/daily addiction meeting. You are in good company!
 
Todd Helme said:
Once you get a machine it REALLY becomes a sickness! Think of AutopiaForums like your weekly/daily addiction meeting. You are in good company!
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I will warn ya though once you get a machine and start getting proficient, you will start perusing random parking lots looking at vehicles thinking to yourself "I can get that out." Or, well, that's just me :lol:
 
Yep...you're not alone. I've always been a clean car freak. Attended car shows with my cars all of my youth and would spend hours cleaning them.

It wasn't until 2006 when I bought our first black vehicle and I was a mental mess driving a swirly car...hated life. It was then I searched out detailing forums and this place has been a life-changer/game-changer for me.

I have since learned the 'proper' way to care for my cars after researching here and now I own 2 orbital buffers and a truckload of Poorboy's products and my cars have never looked better.

My wife thinks I have issues, but as you said...it's truly 'therapeutic'. I can have a crappy day at work, come home and spend a few hours cleaning the car and suddenly life is good.

Nothing beats seeing the instant results when you're done. And I love a weekend when I can spend all day claying/polishing the car to a nice smooth, glossy finish.

Enjoy yourself...it's perfectly normal to obsess over a clean ride.
 
It's great to see there are others like me. I'm actually thinking about starting a part time detailing business. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm a quick study and have common sense. I pretty sure I can handle it.

Keep the replies coming, they're great to hear.
 
Nizmo said:
I will warn ya though once you get a machine and start getting proficient, you will start perusing random parking lots looking at vehicles thinking to yourself "I can get that out." Or, well, that's just me :lol:
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I cannot tell you how many times I have stuck in traffic, looking for swirls!
 
My wife thinks I'm one sick puppy, total OCD . Both are cars look great and wish I had more to do to them but they just need a couple washes a week and QD. So I asked the girl across the street if I could clean here car. I have a pc2454 but this week I bought a flex 3401 CCS pads, an a four inch backing pad and pads for it. Optimum hyper spray polish and compound , Some new clay bars,chrome polish, ocw & interior protectant, optimum car wash. Optium Micro fiber cutting an polishing pads.also some Harley stuff. She my be right.
 
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