Is it overkill....

Alexshimshimhae- In all seriousness, I can honestly say that I never wash a vehicle that doesn't really need it by anybody's standards (exception: when something's going in for service I get it spotless), and I've never been so bored that I'd want to detail a car ;) In fact, I can't remember the last time I was bored, period :think:



While I'll certainly agree that it's safer to wash before a vehicle gets really dirty, now that I have my wash technique sorted out I can honestly say it doesn't really matter any more. Which is good news for me as there are always more important things to do.



yakky- Every once in a blue moon, I'll clean just the wheels if they're getting real nasty while the rest of the vehicle is still clean, but most of the time a wash gets precipitated by those dirty wheels getting rained on; at that point even *I* will decide to do a wash when it's convenient. The DI water comes in real handy for those wheel-only cleanups, especially with the right hose nozzle.
 
Accumulator said:
Alexshimshimhae- In all seriousness, I can honestly say that I never wash a vehicle that doesn't really need it by anybody's standards (exception: when something's going in for service I get it spotless), and I've never been so bored that I'd want to detail a car ;) In fact, I can't remember the last time I was bored, period
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If I've offended in anyway--I sincerely apologize; disrespect is far from my intent. With that said I still find it hard to believe that your cars find the audacity to get on your car lol....I don't know why, but when I think of you, I picture some like
images
type garage that we will never know about with cars that somehow defy the laws of the universe xD
 
Barry Theal said:
I washed my car maybe 3 times since January of this year. lol I could care less about my car.
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Heh heh, is that the Lincoln?

Alexshimshimhae said:
If I've offended in anyway--
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No, no, not at all, no worries. It's just that I sometimes think that people might get the mistaken impression that I keep my vehicles spotless all the time or spend a huge chunk of my life detailing, and that's not the case at all. I *do* have a pretty nice garage/shop though ;)
 
Accumulator said:
No, no, not at all, no worries. It's just that I sometimes think that people might get the mistaken impression that I keep my vehicles spotless all the time or spend a huge chunk of my life detailing, and that's not the case at all. I *do* have a pretty nice garage/shop though ;)
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hahaha I can't speak for anyone else, but if anything, I like to just think that you this ability where your cars just kind of stay that way with not so much more of look lol.



I wont ask to see a picture as I understand/respect that you like your privacy lol but I think we can all just imagine with the idea that it's probably what dreams are made of lol
 
Accumulator said:
Heh heh....yeah (saw that one coming ;) )....but posting isn't detailing either :D



In a lot of ways, my activity here is, I hope, more important than having my vehicles concours-ready all the time.
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LOL - well I guess 20,000+ posts it does show you spend a great time of outside of actual detailing and obsession washing a car LOL



Totally agree with you though but I guess there are far worse things in life to be addicted to doing then looking after your car. Spending a few hours week looking after your car is probably better then spending a saturday after noon drinking heavy or doing drugs.
 
paco said:
LOL - well I guess 20,000+ posts it does show you spend a great time of outside of actual detailing and obsession washing a car LOL
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Heh heh, yeah...I say stuff like that myself all the time "If I spent as much time actually detailing as I do posting...". But of course keying in some posts while I'm in my home office doing other stuff anyhow is different from setting aside a few straight hours to spend washing the vehicles. And the truth is, other than one or two of the drivers needing a wash before I could enter them in a show, my vehicles are probably a whole lot nicer than I make it sound...even by Autopian standards ;)

Totally agree with you though but I guess there are far worse things in life to be addicted to doing then looking after your car. Spending a few hours week looking after your car is probably better then spending a saturday after noon drinking heavy or doing drugs.
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Yes indeed, people sure spend time doing far less producive things than detailing. I just hope that people with concours-ready cars also spend enough time on the stuff that's *really* important.
 
[quote name='Rob Tomlin']

Heck, I can barely hold out for an entire week before wanting to wash my car again



I agree with you Rob, I am obsessed with keeping a clean car, not for a car show but for myself it brings me joy when I see my car is clean and smooth as glass and not to mention GLOSS for days...



I saw a video of the most expensive car wash in the world where the detailer said he did a black Porsche and left the paint perfect and the owner sits in his garage drinking a glass of wine and admiring his car, this made the detailer feel good.



I dumped my spray wax in favor of a new prouct a hybrid its like a spray wax/detail spray which can clean shine and protect and has gloss intensifiers and leaves paint slick using polymer technology and can be used on a wet car after washing or a dry car. I used this product last week for the first time WOW the gloss was breath taking, my wife was giving me a hard time because eveytime we got off the car I spent a few minutes admiring the car, the gloss was simply amazing she even had to admit the car looked better than the day we took delivery from the dealership.. I can admit I am addicted/obsessed but if I have a drink and stare at the car in the garage after detailing it my wife may tell me to seek therapy help.



Cleanliness is next to Godliness





In all seriousness Accumulator is right on the money: I was just thinking about this earlier today...I hope that everyone who's keeping their car "carshow ready" is also keeping all the other [stuff] in their life at the same level. I really mean it when I opine that "life is not a car show".
 
Accumulator: I honestly look back on the days when I washed my vehicles all the time as being a lot of wasted time that could've been better-spent.



I have a feeling with time if and when the novelty of my G wers off I will look back and say the same thing..



For the time being:

I can see where for most a car wash once a week might be overkill unless the car sees bad weather such as rain etc.. Two weeks might be the magic number and for others three or four weeks but anything longer Yikes...
 
I'm going to start trying ONR QDs so I don't have to wait until the car is too dirty to wash it but I don't have to go through the whole ordeal of washing it too often.



I'm worried about marring, though. It's so comforting to really get the car wet.
 
My daily driver gets an ONR wash about once a week in the garage when the temperature is under 40 and more like twice a week when it is warmer. It takes me about 30 minutes to wash my car. It is much less work (especially the wheels) since I had Opti-Coat applied last summer. What can I say....I like a clean ride.
 
I wash my car twice a week.My car sits outside 24/7. I live in the Chicagoland area, and its dirty out here. I like a clean car. My wifes car gets washed once a week. The van I used at work gets washed at least once a week, and im not the only driver.If I borrow someones car I bring it back clean. I judge people on how clean they keep there cars. I guess im obssesed.
 
I can't resists commenting here, as most of you will probably flog me for it ;)

Although I have rationalized it, due to circumstantial reasons: Car has to be out (no garage) and temperatures are within 0 - 35F. Hand washing it out is simply NOT plausible! I can't use a garage and it has been snowing at leat once a week lately... plus the car is NOT new, and has its fair share of marring/scratches etc...

When I lived in FL, i would wash it every week/other week. Since I have moved to NE area, I have decided to wash it when the weather permits it... which has greatly extended the times... However, I have always enjoyed the car with clean windows... I don't know why, but to me, a car can be pretty dirty, but it's its windows are clean, it looks much better... So i end up cleaning my windows regularly since it's realtievely quick and ice/snow gets off easily too...



I hope one day I'll get a New car and or a paint job... when that happens, I think washes will become more regular !:) I do envy many of you guyz living in more temperate climates! :)
 
jojo69- I for one won't :nono you for doing what works for you. When circumstances allow, you'll have absorbed a lot of good detailing info here and you'll be well prepared to keep your vehicle nice.



And yeah...keeping the windows clean is a good thing to do no matter what, if only from a visibility standpoint. I have to clean my inner rear windows every day due to dog slobber, and this time of year I'm cleaning the windshields every day too.
 
G37 said:
Accumulator: For the time being:

I can see where for most a car wash once a week might be overkill unless the car sees bad weather such as rain etc.. Two weeks might be the magic number and for others three or four weeks but anything longer Yikes...
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I found a weekly wash helps keep the novelty of the car last alot longer. Plus, I feel it makes the next wash easier. Going several weeks w/out a wash, especially on a daily driver, makes for more elbow grease on the next wash session. I keep cars for about 6 - 10 years (no leasing for me), so frequent washes always make me feel more grateful for what I have...For those that must have a new car every 2-3 years, I wouldn't recommend weekly washes. Why bother?
 
It would seem that how often one washes a car is based on three factors: priority, time, and money.

For the average car-owner (someone who's never heard of Autopia.org, much less read anything in the forums) it what's important to them, and car-care in NOT a priority. Most people have other personal interest, whether family or career related, and hence spend their time and money accordingly. What puzzles me is MOST is that people make a sizeable monitary investment in a vehicle and then don't take care of it, whether cosmetically or mechanically. But, that's their preference.

For most of us who frequent this forum, washing your vehicle IS important because we do care about our vehicle's appearance and the extension that appearance says about ourselves. I cringe to think I have a dirty vehicle, SO, I take the time clean it and have spent a fair amount of money on car-care products and equipment.

BUT, I'm the exception rather than the rule when it comes to my car's appearance. People in my neighborhood refer to me as "the guy's who's always washing someone car" and I am! I had obsessive-compulsive detailing (OCD) long before there was such a term, but because of this forum, I've become more knowledgeable about car-car and spent more money for products of my "hobby" (I prefer to think of it as "the persuit of happiness" as stated in the Constitution!). Some people fish; some golf; I love detailing cars. Call me crazy, but I am happy to associate myself with fellow Autopians (some who are far more OCD'd than me!) who share their interest and knowledge about car detailing.
 
Lonnie said:
... What puzzles me is MOST is that people make a sizeable monitary investment in a vehicle and then don't take care of it, whether cosmetically or mechanically..
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I wonder if the prevalence of leasing factors in here :think:



I have pals in the Jag Club, serious "car guys" who compete in concourses, who turn down offers to detail their daily drivers because "it's just a leased vehicle". I myself would want the vehicle I'm driving all the time to look more respectable, and I actually want *my friends'* vehicles looking better (hence the offers), but they simply don't care :nixweiss They don't even care enough to let me do the work! These aren't low-buck vehicles either.
 
Man, that's just sad. :(



If one of those guys was going to be in a wedding would they tell the tux shop "I don't care if it's dirty and wrinkled, it's a rental?"









pc.
 
Accumulator, your observation about leasing is valid. But, as stated, most vehicle owners still look at their vehicles as a "personal transportation" to get them from Point A to Point B, and not as a financial investment. It's going to be used-and-abused, and then replaced in two or three years anyway. So why car about it?!



However, on leased vehicles when leasees get hit with surcharges for poorly maintained vehicles (usually comsetic) it can be a REAL financial burden at return time and a realization of "I-should-have-taken-better-care-of-my leased-vehicle", plus not paying attention to the fine print and requirements in the lease agreement. Most only look at payments and the fact I can get a more car for less money. It doesn't always end up that way.



Well, this thread (well, my response, anyway) has certainly deviated from its intended subject about how often to wash a car and if someone is crazy if they wash a car more often than once a week. I say, "wash it when it's dirty, if you have the resources to do so." It's your car.



On a side note, Accumulator, when do you get time to detail cars?? I mean with 28,140 posts (and counting), when do you get time to do so if you're posting on Autopia!? If you knew how long it takes me to type this post, you'd cringe. Either you are the world's fastest typist OR you have secretly modified some voice-recognition/typing software and are the world's fastest talker. Now it comes out: Accumulator is the fast-talking voice-over in all those radio commercials that announce the terms and limitations in 10 seconds or less at the end of the commercial. Another couple of accomplishments to add to the list of the World's Most Interesting Man known as Accumulator ,whose cars are so clean and swirl-free it is physically impossible to photograph (hence, we'll never see photos of them in this forum). (Mr. Theil will be jealous!)
 
the other PC- Yeah, it's pretty disappointing. But then when I see how other "serious car guys" treat their *owned* daily drivers that makes me cringe too.



Honestly, I just *NEVER* meet people IRL who take good care of all their vehicles. Never, including people with some nice collections (those with vehicle caretakers are the exception, but their guys don't always do a good job either). It's like Autopia is some parallel universe or something; they act like I'm some kind of neat-freak, which I don't consider the case at all.



And on the rental tux thing, I'm considered *really* weird for detailing rentals that I'll have for an extended period. You can guess what a black Suburban from Hertz looked like, but I was gonna be using it for over a month so out came the Makita...



Lonnie - Heh heh, lots to :chuckle: about in your post..



Yeah, it's a common joke that if I spent as much time detailing as I do posting here at Autopia....[insert your own result ;) ]! But I can post from my home office while, uhm...multi-tasking.



On the "damaged leased car surcharge", apparently they have to me mighty trashed before that kicks in; none of my pals who use/abuse 'em have ever been hit with that even when I thought it was surely gonna happen. Plus, many apparently get freebie "details" (scare-quotes intentional!) when the vehicle's in for service. I gotta say that everybody seems happy- the leases claim they write it off as a business expense (yeah, I can :argue that whole idea, but it's not my beeswax), the leasors make a bundle, so eh... :nixweiss
 
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