Losing the detail "itch"...

Plus the fact you and I have four door crew cab pickups, I know my truck being black is a pain in the ass.
 
Tpr1634 said:
Plus the fact you and I have four door crew cab pickups, I know my truck being black is a pain in the ass.
Click to expand...

Mine is an extended cab so the doors are a bit shorter. Black can be a pain. I had a black ride in my youth....every speck of dust really stands out!
The truck is stealth blue granite so it's not so bad.
 
I haven't even washed a car in at least 2 months. Mainly, it's because I just hate not having my own private space.

Actually, detailing is one of the main reasons I decided to have a house built. I wanted:

- A certain size garage (> 2 bays)

- A certain distance from my neighbors,

- Privacy! Being on a street where I'm not "on display" when I'm in the driveway. I hate being in my complex entry-way now where EVERYONE who pulls in has to drive past me and look. So, I wanted a house in a cul de sac.

- No HOA nannies or rules telling me what I can do in my driveway

- A flat driveway to detail. Now I'm on a 30° slope if outside.

So, once I get in my new place and get everything organized - and can actually wash and correct a car in the garage - I'll be more involved.

But, I've given up on buying a ton of products. I haven't ordered much in the past 2 years or so.
 
I know the feeling all too well. Before my car I had an F250 Crew Cab and I never wanted to detail it. I would wash it every once in a while and maybe would wax it every couple of months. Luckily it was gunmetal so it never really looked dirty. I think it is just a truck thing MiVor.
 
Wow, I wasn't even thinking of a pro detailer burn out....or even a 'hobbiest' that takes on a few jobs here and there that tires of it all.
For me it's just been a new (to me) passion rash to keep it as new as I can, as long as I can. Like new car smell, I think it's a virus that comes with the 'new' ride. This happened on my last ride too and it was some time before it wore off. Maybe I've developed more antibodies to fight off the infection?! So maybe I'm almost cured. lol

Maybe I'll go to the coin-op pressure wash today and see how it feels.

UPDATE:
Well I stopped at the coin-op on the way home and hosed her down...then came home and gave her a DG rinseless (spray) wipe down. I also treated the tonnaeu cover with the DG product. She looks happy.

I even treated the windshield with Rainx.... but it's been very warm for this time of year so no excuses...but I'm pretty sure the snow will come and last nearly forever.
 
Oh okay....so I scratched....but it didn't really itch so maybe I'm not quite totally cured yet but getting there. (and no I'm not in therapy....yet)

LOL
 
Paintxpert said:
That is the main reason I am largely off from December to February. Although, I did do 3 cars in Dec. I dont turn work away. Never did and never will. I do charge a premium in Winter because I stream HOT water and heat the shop. Sounds like many have seasonal affect disorder. We all have that to some degree. I used to be motivated to work by the bills I had. Notice I say used to have. "Detailing" done correctly, can be one of the most rigorous careers "short of rock pounding" out there. It can be trying on your body and your mind. That is why I wont do over five cars per week. I pick and chose the work I do now. Lately, I wont do any interiors just because I am growing tired of 42 years of slobs. I never forget the main reason I began "paint correction" it was for me. 42 years later I still do it mostly for me, and the gratification of it. Paintxpert Shine Since 1969!
Click to expand...

i love your outlook.
i happen to be in a position now where my 'detailing' is not my primary income - and honestly its been quite the blessing because i can turn down work that i just don't feel like doing or that i feel the expectation will not match the price point they want to pay.

i even decided to buy car parts instead of a hot water carpet extractor because i decided i simply don't want to take on those types of jobs

i have only been doing this a few years but i started for the same reason as you stated,,,for myself, for the gratification i receive in transforming someone's vehicle to a better condition
it still baffles me how someone can spend 35k or up on a vehicle and not take care of it...but then again i would have no supplemental income if that was the case

ironically ever since my thanksgiving orders, I've actually had the itch to detail more than all year previously
I guess i just want to use some of these new products

heck, im even giving away a free detail or two over the holidays locally

but to the OP i definitely lost the itch earlier this year...but thankfully this forum and the reviews and work people post help keep the itch fresh
 
If you Search: "Auto Polishing" from Google, I usually come up first or second. That is the main reason it is hard for me to give it up. I figure I have over 5000 cars under my belt, in 42 years. My bones crack like a marionette. But "Paint Correction has yielded me everything I have today. I have to be thankful for the effort I was able to expend over the years. Again, this career is not for the light at heart. Its up to the man above, who ultimately blows out our candle. Here is my car from High School, owned over 40 years. BLACK of course! Even if I give up detailing, I still have six cars of my own to keep up with. I am afraid I have caritis. Happy Motoring! 100_0745.jpg100_0244.JPG000_2867.jpg
 
Spring will bring back the urge. Winter (although not much in the Northeast yet!) saps the desire for me. Always seems like a losing battle, and detailing in freezing cold is not fun.
 
We have had so much rain this year and driving more so you get out of the habit.

The wife was doing some spray painting in the garage and got overspray on her car. I will have to take care of that and polish it anyway.
 
With the recent sales that has been going on I have been able to try new products and pick up a new polisher. With the warmer still going on it has helped with keeping the itch alive :)
 
WOW... I'm so glad I'm not alone! I haven't even logged onto the site in about two months :(

First, we get hit with water restrictions. Then, in the middle of a wax comparison test, Sunny So Cal started getting some dumb, but much needed, intermittent rain. I had to reschedule a paint correction on an older Porsche, plus a follow up on a Camry (both were scheduled months ago! - and neither has been done).

Add to the rain, my hands developed some skin condition, and I haven't detailed in what seems like forever.

Junebug said:
...I'll keep the wife and kids cars up, but mine will get a wash every 3-4 months - maybe! It just doesn't thrill me anymore, I've decided to spend my free time now walking, hiking and target shooting.
Click to expand...

I think I'll start doing some of the same! Sounds like a good idea, and my doctor would agree.
 
I haven't been able to detail as much as I want to as well (I haven't lost the drive, but the weather is against me). Due to the relentless rain/snow of Fall/Winter, it's been challenging just to get a bi-weekly maintenance wash in (at least weekly in the summer, when the weather is good). I just can't justify spending hours detailing just to drive it in the rain the next day and have it look filthy again. Every day I wake up and check the weather in hopes of a 2-day break to justify washing her. Since my application of the LSP's for my "LSP Face Off" post, there hasn't been a break in the weather longer than 10hours (overcast at best)!

As this is to be the first winter my Jeep SRT8 would sit outside year around I was concerned about falling branches/ice, etc. I figured the least I could do is double check all my drainage tubes (sunroof and cowl) as they regularly get clogged with droppings from the tree above (now that I park outside there's a little more maintenance to keep in mind of). Luckily, only one was clogged with a micro-acorn-looking-seed. I ended up looking up my local laws to see if I could erect a winterized car shelter/tent called a tempo (for protection) and found out that they are permitted but not in the driveway (sigh) but only behind the front most part of the house (i.e. back-yard). I had noticed that the previous owner had laid out gravel and cleared the area for a tempo to be installed I noticed the fence was also easily removable and wouldn't be an obstruction (lucked out). I decided to rent a tempo for the winter as I'll only be living in this house another year at most. A crew of guys came and installed the Temp the following week (did a great job - it's not going to blow away or get crushed by snow), and it's larger than I expected.

Now I can look forward to detailing and avoiding driving it in the rain/snow if I don't absolutely have to. It also gets rather warm inside the temp after parking so I could actually get away with a RW just after parking it. :)


Mind you it's not beautiful...'

(Photo taken today. Can you believe it no snow in Canada?! Well Montreal at least...)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top