TRIED to give products away at work. Interesting.

WaxAddict

WaxAddict

New member
So I thinned out the herd a tiny bit this week, placing some really nice products in a Tupperware box and went off to work to give the stuff away. Interestingly, aside from two folks, most people didn`t even know what the products were.

One person lifted a like-new bottle of Best In Show wax and gave it a cursorily look, and said "oh my god, I`d never be inclined to wax my own car". Another person asked if the 1/4-full bottle of Menzerna 1000 was "like a wax?". Assuming this was a question, I started to explain, and was cut off mid-sentence with an eye roll.

It would be one thing if the parking lot at work were full of Daihatsus and work trucks, but it`s definately not the case. Corvettes, Teslas, Beemers, nice new Subarus and Hondas, all going to sh!t.

I realize we Autopians are on the fringe, but come on people, take care of your belongings!
 
When a vehicle is often the second most expensive thing someone owns next to a house, it makes all the sense in the world that people should take care of them. It blows my mind how most people treat theirs like disposable appliances. :(
 
I donated very good Detailing products to my Jag Club`s annual raffle a few times. Good, universally useful stuff like MFs, QDs, etc. that cost a fair bit and took me a while to decide upon. Got some things from vendors who heard I was donating towards a good cause.

But sigh...it got discouraging to hear people act like they had zero interest in the stuff and only took it because "well, I had to go up there and claim my prize...don`t know what I`d do with it..you want it?" Basically just threw away [resources] and got rewarded with frustration. Never again...now when a charity gets something from me I just give cash directly. Too bad, the raffles could`ve been FUN, my wife and I always liked winning and getting to select something appealing, but it often seemed like we were the only people who genuinely did.
 
Bill D said:
When a vehicle is often the second most expensive thing someone owns next to a house, it makes all the sense in the world that people should take care of them. It blows my mind how most people treat theirs like disposable appliances. :(
Click to expand...

While I don`t assign value based on what something cost, and don`t think that (Autopian) Detailing is really necessary to keep a vehicle serviceable, I do believe in the aspect of "Mottainai" that encourages "respect for one`s stuff". ALL of one`s stuff.

And/but...I wonder how many people really OWN their vehicles these days anyhow. Most folks I know IRL just lease, and, to my amazement, I`ve yet to hear of anybody getting charged for treating them like [crap]. I wouldn`t treat rented/leased/borrowed stuff much different from "my own", but I do hear lots of "it doesn`t matter, it`s just leased.." as if other people do pretend that they differentiate. Truth is, IMO, those people didn`t treat "their" cars any better, they just use leasing as an excuse to justify it. I mean, sheesh...I don`t touch the paint on rentals between washes; right is right and wrong is wrong and character is what you do when it`s just you and your conscience.
 
Yep, whether owned or just leased, folks tend to treat their vehicles worse than a refrigerator these days. I just got done adding another later of Souveran to mine. :)
 
Bill D said:
Yep, whether owned or just leased, folks tend to treat their vehicles worse than a refrigerator these days..
Click to expand...

Heh heh, for that matter, a lot of refrigerators I see are, uhm...well, I`d hesitate to consume anything that`d been in there.

OK...I gotta ask..."another layer of Souveran to.." one of your cars or a refrigerator?!?
 
Accumulator said:
Heh heh, for that matter, a lot of refrigerators I see are, uhm...well, I`d hesitate to consume anything that`d been in there.

OK...I gotta ask..."another layer of Souveran to.." one of your cars or a refrigerator?!?
Click to expand...


To the fridge! LOL. We all know it will last longer on it than a car. Still goes super easy on and off with the fridge like it does a car.
 
Bill D- Heh heh, figures, you crazy Autopian you ;)

Ah, it occurs to me that you must not have dogs :D Ours need *CLEANED* regularly due to the nose-smudges (hope that`s all it is :D ).

Our glass-fronted one in the kitchen just gets cleaned with Glass Cleaner and/but the vinyl-faced ones get ONR-ed. I did use some old Meg`s A12 on a metal filing cabinet once though. Gee, that was nearly 20 years ago and even that CleanerWax is still on there looking shiny. Maybe that`s just from the ONR dusting though...
 
Nope, no dogs, but I’m sure wiping the fridge would be a multiple times daily routine for me if I did.
 
Heh heh, with these two (who are currently after me for...something..) *everything* seems to be a multiple times daily routine :rolleyes:
 
I`ve had some really good luck giving away detailing supplies on Craigslist. I do a purge every few years and have gotten some very appreciative people.
 
The refrigerator discussions are ironic, because I was thinking as I wrote the post that people generally clean their stainless appliances, cast iron pans, vinyl fencing, gutters, floors, etc - and they learn how to do it effectively. But the car can eat a bag of sausages. If there`s a $6 tunnel that will wash a thing for you, without you lifting a finger, why WOULDN`T you do it?
 
People dont care. Ive often tried to give some stuff away and most people said that the only way they will take is if i use the stuff on there car.
 
Bill D said:
When a vehicle is often the second most expensive thing someone owns next to a house, it makes all the sense in the world that people should take care of them. It blows my mind how most people treat theirs like disposable appliances. :(
Click to expand...


Nowadays vehicles are designed and built like disposable appliances.
 
WaxAddict said:
The refrigerator discussions are ironic, because I was thinking as I wrote the post that people generally clean their stainless appliances, cast iron pans, vinyl fencing, gutters, floors, etc - and they learn how to do it effectively. But the car can eat a bag of sausages. If there`s a $6 tunnel that will wash a thing for you, without you lifting a finger, why WOULDN`T you do it?
Click to expand...

well, if there were a $6 option for gutters and fences, I would probably go that route personally.
 
I’ve been selective when I’ve thinned the herd, meaning I offer to people I know have similar interests. That said, I’ve never had problems giving products or equipment away. ;)
 
My friends talk about me and my “detailing supplies” in the same tones as you would use for an alcoholic and bottles of liquor. I’ve given them some of my extra mystery box goodies and the Meguires kits that I got as a free gift. They accepted my gifts but I don’t think they ever got used. One did call me when the plastic on his car started to fade. At least I’m the “resident expert” on something. Lol. I don’t judge them for their dirty cars and I try to keep my comments about their cars from being of the disparaging type, but it would be a nicer world if people cleaned their cars at least once a year.
 
Yeah it’s just our thing. My coworkers don’t care if their cars clean or not. Makes mine look extra shiny though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top