Lazy Autopians? Ones who know better...

C

chromecarz00

New member
So this thread is trying to find out if there are any autopians other than me who know that they should keep good care of their car, but just dont have the money or time or just dont get as much pleasure from doing it as much as they should and cant keep at it for hours at a time. Sorry about that run on sentence but thats basically me.

Anyone simliar in any way?
 
I think we'd all like to look after our cars as best we can. Right now I don't have a garage to keep mine in, I was able to set up one of those portable/tent garages, but it doesn't compare to a heated garage. Even when I was a teenager making only a little more than min.wage, I never had trouble buying the products. I now make better money and I have a credit card I can use for emergency parts and repairs that I don't have the ability to do myself. I know that over an hour on a polisher can make your arms feel weak, and waxing by hand loses its fun after about ten minutes. My main frustrations are the weather, such as a week of rain, or when products don't meet my expectations, like tire shine products that are gone after a few drives. I occasionally will not have the time I'd like to spend on car upkeep, due to overtime work, or picking up shifts that others can't do. Sometimes I stand at my front door and look out at the car and nod my head, as I look at the dirty wheels and mud spun up on the quarter panel after one drive on a wet road. I always find that once I get out there, I'm okay. Once I get going I don't stop until I'm happy with the cars appearance. All in all, it's a pleasurable experience for me, and I've never found money to be an issue. There are very expensive pro-detailer products, but you can keep your car nice and clean using consumer brands, which are priced reasonably. The products also last quite a while, follow the directions, a little goes a long way.
 
I know exactly what that feeling is like. I had a mint condition Mustang GT Convertible. I was beautiful and the paint was kept as swirl-free as possible, although it was always a battle (black paint). I sold the car close to the end of summer since gas prices were killer and I was spending around $25-$30 a day on gas alone.



Right after, I completely lost my passion for detailing because I picked up a winter beater in the fall. Although it's not beat up or anything, I think the silver paint has something to do with me not seeing the need to go after it. The cold weather was another factor. I ended up selling all my detailing stuff. I might go after a 350Z or CLK500 in the spring/summer so maybe the detailing bug might come back.



I still enjoy seeing the C&B's though.
 
I generally just try to maintain my commuter vehicle during the winter months. I usually focus on a full detail around springtime. My wife's car is a early nineties Accord( her city car/school car) with typical Honda clearcoat failure, so that gets washed and thats it. I am also hampered by not having a dedicated garage.
 
you guys are depressing me!!! but in some way, we can all relate. To not take away from the high standards that define 'Autopian', I myself am not one. Both my black are cars outside are both sitting pretty with a sealant or wax and both interiors are looking pretty good that doesn't mean I spend an hour each day wiping little smudges off. I simply don't have the time either. I do some cars on the side and I don't cut many corners while doing it. Colder winter months and/or getting rid of a newer car for an older one is plenty of reason to put your passion on the back burner.
 
I'll admit I haven't polished or clayed my wife's car in a couple years. It's garaged, and with proper washing it doesn't look bad, but not its best.



Also I'll admit I don't wash the wheelwells in the winter; here in snow country it doesn't seem to make sense.
 
Haha this thread should be called Autopian confessions ;)



I agree with the other guys though, I just don't have time to detail all my families cars to perfection. I'm still young and very focused on my career, school, and family to really get worried about layering a sealant or a carnauba topper. That's also the reason why I recommended my mother and sister to get lighter colors that don't show the defects as much. They usually take their cars to a tunnel wash in town which I actually feel does an adequate job of cleaning and waxing the car given the time/money ratio. I've taken my black acura there and it's not pretty, but I knew I had to do polishing after wards anyway.
 
Well as a younger autopian, I usually dont have a problem with energy or enjoyment from it. But I also am a full time student, college athlete and work quite a bit. So needless to say, I spend more time on the forums than I do actually working on vehicles.
 
My wife and I each have 2008 black cars, which I am lucky to be able to garage. I do a full autopian detail on them in November (Before the rainy season) and in May (after the rain).



I have found by using 1) Pre-soaking with a foam gun, 2) Washing with the "two bucket" method 3) Using "leaf blower" drying and 4) Using a big blue mf with Mothers QD to get the last water off the car, the vehicles stay in great condition.



But I will admit......having two black cars is a m*****f****. An average car wash takes about an hour for each car. Then I have the classic, autopian, "What the f?" when I see that odd hologram or slight swirl starting to appear. I miss my days in the Army. Since we had nothing to do during the weekend other than drinking, we spent incredible amounts of time on keeping our rides looking good. If you have never seen that before, go take a drive around a military housing area on a Saturday and see how many people are detailing their cars. It's almost comical.



Of course, what used to crack me up was when some moron would wax his car and drive around in the heat to "bake it on," then wipe it off at the end of the day. These were usually the same morons who would drive around with the window sticker still on the driver's side window so they could show off to everyone they were able to afford to buy a new car. Jack As***!
 
I try to wash my car once a week but it's more like once every few weeks. But I'll detail it once a year. When I first joined Autopia I got into the habit of trying to buying all the new hot items. These days I stick with OTC products and order some items once in a while.
 
The biggest road block in my road to a garage full of detailed perfection is life. I am at a point in my life, where finding the time to take care of my own vehicles is a big challenge. Just like women, proper car care takes a lot of time, energy, and money. Even though i absolutely LOVE my cars, their cosmetic condition is forced to be lower on the priority list.



Living in a state with radical weather is no help either. I have much more free time in the summer, so the beauty of my garage tends to run with the seasons.



Interesting thread. We talk so much about proper car care, but it is in fact much harder to do than autopia makes one believe.
 
My car is pretty hammered during the school year, as I park in crowded areas with no garage. Regardless of how carefully I wash it, it seems to pick up swirls from people rubbing against it, wind blowing debris, etc.



I do the best I can with glazes and wax, and just look forward to going home for the summer when I can finally polish it out and treat it right.
 
Well, I'm a "seasonal detailer" when it comes to my vehicles, meaning I really only keep them clean May through September. Winters are just too brutal here & I don't have access to a heated garage, so I don't detail in the winter. Frostbite and hypothermia aren't worth it, not to mention ONR freezes which pretty much defeats the purpose. I put multiple coats on Collinite 476 on the car when we had a warm day back in October, so it should be good until late April hopefully. The car now is completely greyed out & you cannot see any paint at all whatsoever.:(



I keep my windows & headlight & tailight covers though b/c I need to be able to see and to be seen.
 
Living in a cold snowy wintery kind of place really does take a lot of the fun out of it this time of year. I do have a garage but it faces northeast so it stays REALLY cold in there.



We are supposed to warm up into the low 50's for a few days (but still have freezing temps at night) so maybe it will get nice enough to give it a nice wash. I hate doing it halfway. It's either a nice complete wash or nothing.
 
I think we all care much about our cars and cars in general that is why we are here on Autopia but just because we might feel like we are not doing enough or could do more does not mean we don't care, like tibbsonaphone said some of us don't have garages and or the money to get all the supplies we would like to have. And also a big factor is the weather.
 
Is this confessional still open?



Bless me, for I have offended those around - it is wintertide at my plot of land and I have neglected my vehicle's appearance contrary to the manner ascribed by the Temple of Autopia.



I have tried. While not burdened with the ravages of my northern living brethern, I am beset by a brace of wet fronts. I have lovingly hand applied cleansers and anointed with oils the curves of my casted obsession on those occasions thought to rainless for sundry days. To do more often would be folly and I ask for forgiveness.



As penance I shall beatify the paint of my garaged love with liquid polymers and hope for better days ahead.
 
Wow, it got up to like 35*F here today, so I went to a coin-op wash & sprayed off all the dirt. The car was horribly filthy, but just about all of it came off, thanks Collinite!
 
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