Help me help my dad...

T

tanha

New member
My dad owns a black '03 anniversary edition Z06. He insists he bought it as a collector's item, and that it's an investment for my sister and I when he passes. Anyway, the car is a garage queen, only driven on Sundays if it's not raining or snowing and there's not a football game on :grinno: - but I'm certain he doesn't take care of it like he should. I know he refuses to wash it because he "doesn't want it to rust", and says he "waxes the dirt away". I have no idea what he really uses, and since I live in a different state, I can't just go poking around in his garage anymore.



My dad's birthday is coming up, and I'd like to buy him some detailing products. Trouble is, I'm not sure what to get him. I know he won't change his ways in terms of not washing the car. I was thinking some sort of QD might be nice, one with both cleaning and protecting ability, and a stack of good plush MF? Something for the interior? Or maybe a nice, high-end wax? Any suggestions would be appreciated! TIA!
 
washing won't make a new car rust.



you can't keep a car clean on QD alone...



and waxing the dirt away is just destroying the paint.
 
but I know how stubborn some people can be, the only thing I can say is good luck, and hopefully the paint will still be recoverable some day.
 
I'd suggest the poorboys bucket system. 179.95



Poorboy's World Deluxe Wash Bucket Kit w/Dolly

A $213 Value!



* 1 Five Gallon Blue Bucket w/Handle

* 1 Grit Guard

* 1 Dolly

* 1 Seat Cushion

* 1 Quart Super Slick & Suds... car shampoo

* 1 Quart Spray & Rinse... wheel cleaner

* 1 Quart Bio-Degradable All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate(APC)

* 1 Pint Spray and Wipe... Waterless wash and Quick Detailer w/ sprayer

* 1 Pint Spray & Gloss... Gloss Enhancer and Quick Detailer w/ sprayer

* 1 Pint QW+ Quick Wax Plus ...quick wax and booster w/ sprayer

* 1 Pint Trim Restorer ...Trim Cleaner and Protectant

* 1 Pint Natural Look... Interior Dressing, cleaner & protectant w/sprayer

* 1 Pint Bold N Bright... Tire Dressing w/ sprayer

* 1 Pint Leather Stuff... Leather cleaner, conditioner, & protectant

* 1 Pint Bug Squash... Bug, Tar and Sap remover

* 1 24" x 36" Poorboy's Wolrd Waffle Weave Drying Towel

* 1 Poorboy's World Mega-Mitt ...plush interior detailing mitt w/ thumb & cuff





DELUXE KIT NEW!

For the frequent detailer who loves a good deal and only the best products. Includes 3 (THREE) each of:



16" Velvet Smooth Glass Towel

16" Work Towel

16" Super Thick and Plush

16" Mega-Plush

21 x 36 Velvet Smooth

24 x 36 Waffle weave

Mega-Mitt









Just $105.95

(a $138 value!)
 
tanha said:
I was thinking some sort of QD might be nice, one with both cleaning and protecting ability, and a stack of good plush MF? Any suggestions would be appreciated! TIA!
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Grab some Fast Clean and Shine for a cleaning QD and some AquaWax for quick protection! And maybe some 303 for the interior.



Got my Dad some AW for Father's Day and so far he loves it...
 
If he's afraid of water, maybe look into a "waterless wash' like S+W and such.

If price is no object, maybe look into the DF Towels MF or the Autopia Concours Buffing Towel



"Waxing dirt away" scares me. :eek: Have you seen the car after he "cleans it? I'm guessing that it's swirled badly. It does remind me of a Turtle Wax wax that was around a while back that said you didn't need to wash your car before waxing with it. Hmm... I don't think I've seen it for a while.... :D
 
Maybe by buying a lot of stuff for him, he just might be forced to change his ways and start taking care of the car like us autopians do :) Maybe you could try to convince him that rust isn't a problem when washing the car. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that when dirty substances are trapped inside the crevices of the car and it comes in contact with water, there is a higher chance of rust occuring. Maybe try telling him to just try washing the car first before waxing and he well notice a big difference now that there is a good paint prep job. Good luck convincing your dad! :)
 
Yeah, I know he's got the wrong idea about how to clean his car. I'm certainly not going to be the one to try and tell him otherwise though! :) I haven't seen the car in over a year, but I do vaguely remember that it had some marring.



The Poorboy's Deluxe Wash Kit sounds nice - for someone else. I know he'd never touch half that stuff.



A waterless wash does sound like a good idea, which is why I was thinking along the lines of a cleaning QD. But I'm still new to detailing, so I needed some help/ideas.
 
While I'm well aware of the folly of trying to "educate" one's father :rolleyes: You might point out that the 'vette is fiberglass ;) As long as he doesn't get the metal subframes wet there's nothing to rust...



Otherwise, I'd look into one of the waterless washes.
 
Waterless wash sounds like the best idea. I know Poorboy's makes a good one, but I'd like to get him something with "prettier" packaging, since its a gift. Any suggestions?
 
Because it's a gift - I'd like it to look nice. There's a high possibility he won't use it anyway, and it will sit in his garage for years. If it looks expensive, maybe one of his friends will "ooh" and "aah" over it while he's showing off the car, and maybe that will persuade him to use it. It's a status thing, I guess. So I'd like a good waterless wash in a classy package.
 
A car as an investment? YIKES!! I don't think so. If he was trying to set your sister up I think he would have been better advised to sink that money into some mutual fund or savings bonds at the very least :think2



That said, I think you have some pretty good tips in the posts above on keeping it clean.
 
Asonyexec said:
A car as an investment? YIKES!! I don't think so. If he was trying to set your sister up I think he would have been better advised to sink that money into some mutual fund or savings bonds at the very least :think2
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That's besides the point, I was giving some background on how my father feels about his car, as well as how he cares for it. The car may appreciate eventually, as it is an anniversary edition, and there are plenty of people out there who collect Corvettes. As for setting my sister and I up - not that it's anyone's business - we're doing fine, thanks.



So, my question now, is this: Who makes a good waterless wash that comes in classy or nicely styled packaging?
 
does he even know what rust is? rust is iron combining with oxygen. air causes rust just like water does, so unless he's planning on storing the car in a vacuum, he isn't accomplishing anything.
 
If he doesn't want to use water I would get him the PB spray & Wipe and some good MF's and tell him that you heard that this is the new thing the Corvette club guys are swearing by. This way its not like your teling him what he's doing is wrong.
 
Guys, if you're going to bash my father, don't post in this thread. We all know that he's doing the wrong thing. I'm trying to slowly change his ways - its not going to happen overnight.



I'm not going to pour S+W into another bottle. There is a slight chance he might like what I buy him and want to get more of it.



I guess if S+W really is the best choice out there, I'll get him that, but is this really the best stuff?
 
There was no attempt to bash your dad just suggesting a tactful way of telling him a new way of doing something. As you stated you don't want to tell him he is doing it wrong .



[quote name='tanha']Yeah, I know he's got the wrong idea about how to clean his car. I'm certainly not going to be the one to try and tell him otherwise though! :) I haven't seen the car in over a year, but I do vaguely remember that it had some marring.
 
blackrex said:
There was no attempt to bash your dad just suggesting a tactful way of telling him a new way of doing something. As you stated you don't want to tell him he is doing it wrong .
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I wasn't referring to anything you said. There's been a few unhelpful comments by other members that were leaning towards derogatory.



I'm NOT trying to find a way to teach my father how to care for his car. I'm just looking for gift ideas that he might be interested in using. The waterless wash and some nice plush MF seems like the best idea, now I just need to choose a waterless wash.



Does anyone know of a good detailing how-to book? I thought the Autopia e-book in paper form would be nice to give him as well, but it doesn't seem to be available in paper format.
 
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