Why I like detailing

C

Carl Anderson

New member
For me detailing is a hobby. It is something I enjoy doing. And unlike other hobbies such as sports, detailing doesn't leave me feeling empty. Both the college and professional football teams that I follow lost this weekend; one was crushed 38-0 by the top ranked college team in the nation. After spending several hours watching each game I felt empty. However, this morning I washed, dressed the tires, and then QD's our three vehicles with Final Inspection. It was a beautiful day, and when I completed this task I sat back and admired the look of Klasse topped with Souveran on my wife's Lexus RX 330, Wolfgang topped with Souveran on our Mazda Tribute, and finally Klasse topped with more Klasse on my Jet Black BMW. All of these vehicles look better than on the showroom floor, and though I know it won't last, any time I want I can recreate this good feeling. And almost never do I feel worse after doing this relaxing activity than when I started.
 
I know just how you feel, after I'm done detailing my car it's time to step away, light up a smoke and just enjoy the view and smile!
 
Just did the full out interior on mine:



cleaned carpet, scrubbed with brush & vacuumed

conditioned leather and vinyl (Lexol & Vinylex)

foam brushed/simple green all nooks and crannies

all glass mf/stoners



Can't wait to drive it to work, looks sharp, and was time well spent.
 
Detailing is enjoyable to me because it really takes your mind away from the everyday worries of life. The only thing that I am concentrating on when detailing is my car, and how to get the best results possible. Nothing else matters at that moment.



The icing on the cake is the fact that you have something "tangible" to show for all your hard work and attention to "detail"!



:xyxthumbs
 
I've never been able to sit and watch a game from front to back...maybe 20 minutes at most....too hyper...but I have found that detailing calms me...makes me slow down and focus...and the results are so rewarding.



I had a full plate this weekend but made time for a wash and touch up on my dad's car. Just that 45 minutes out of two days improved my disposition.



Or..maybe I'm getting high on the fumes...who knows.





Peter...in Denver
 
All I can say is, its complete satisfaction(when I do it correctly)..

And without you all, I would of never known.
 
there's just something about having the nicest cars on the block that is so satisfying. :D



like some of us here, detailing has become a way of life for me. i guess i have what you can call an autopian lifestyle: washing and detailing the cars, always trying not to introduce marrs or scratches, parking the car far away from other cars, giving advice to friends on how to keep their car nice, bugging them to let me detail their cars, etc etc. and thanks to autopia, at least i know i am not crazy! :D although you should never clay your car when very pissed off. :o
 
I can definitely attest to the stress relief of detailing. I never cared about cars, and still don't give a hoot about racing or sports cars like many of you auto buffs. (I'm more the luxo barge type. Heck I prefer a nice minivan to a Porsche or 3 series BMW :D!)



Nor do I care to get involved in the mechanics of the vehicle. I don't even change my own oil. But there's something soothing and satisfying about polishing paint. And combined with the idea that I'm preserving the value of my car is the benefit derived from the exercise.



All in all, a worthwhile change of pace for a lazy, deskbound guy like me.
 
i spend seven months a year away from my family. i have turned detailing into a way of tranferring my energies into a positive. while i am away i use my truck as a way to feel close to my family. my boys love our pickup and we detail together when i am home. although i am concentrating on doing a good job i feel as if i am home when i am working on my truck. somehow the better i take care of the truck the closer i get to my family when i am away. maybe it does not make sense to any one else. it makes sense to me. also, as sQuashed said without you guys i would never have known. detailing has made me a happier man.
 
Detailing is great for stress relief - like others have said, I don't think of nothing else when I'm detailing, just the thought and anticipation of standing back and admiring the finish at the end of it - that's all that goes through my mind... all my day-to-day troubles are forgotten for a few hours.



Mind you... if a bird happens to drop a bomb 5 minutes after I've finished, the stress levels soon rise again! :D
 
I have to agree with all of you. I feel great and I swear my car (truck) drives better after detailing. My only problem I keep taking stuff apart to clean it better....LOL.
 
Like many have said above in this thread detailing is a great way to get away from things for several hours and just have time to yourself.



As a hobby Detailing is something that I can never really get tired of. My own cars got boring after awhile which is why I started to do some advertising and this summer my hobby has gone from a relatively expensive habit to extra income on the side. I find every car a challange and each very rewarding in different ways.



With my wedding in a week and my new build house being completed in less than 4 weeks I can tell you that the financial benefit of detailing has also helped immensely to lower stress levels as both major events close in.



Andy
 
I agree, I was depressed for some time. Don't want to get into detail, But I'm all better now. Detailing helps it's recreational in many ways. I could always use a wow you did that, nice work, the car looks so shiny and new. These compliments give me a lil' boost and make me feel good inside. I even find mowing the lawn recreational, you get instant gratification when you are done. Nice neat lines in the lawn, hedges look nice and clean, all edges are trimmed around walk ways. there are not many things that make you feel this way after a few hours work. :up
 
Like many people, I have a very stressful job (contract software developer). For me, detailing my car is is a great stress reducer. While choosing products and tools can be very complex, the detailing tasks are relatively simple but very focused. To me, this focused work takes you away from your frenetic activity of work and family life.



One of the biggest benefits is that you get an immediate sense of accomplishment. Unlike a lot of things, where it's not obvious that you've added value, you can see the results of your detailing work. Clay a section of your hood and you can feel the dirt leave the paint. When you wash, polish and wax your car, it brings out its inherent beauty. It's immediate. In an odd way, it confirms that working hard makes you successful.



Regards,



Dan.
 
I love detailing my trucks for the same reason as others even though my family doesn't quite understand. The only problem is that since I have started coming to Autopia "I SEE DIRTY CARS!!":shocked
 
Well I'm never satisfied after I have detailed a car even doing a full detail for 10 hrs. When I do a costumers car that a costumer only spends so much $$ on, after its done I do not feel satisfied at all because I could do so much more. BUT I do enjoy the work

I guess I been working on old cars to much, it pays the bills! I wish I "always" had nice cars to detail instead of old cars. old cars are to much work for the $$ aloud.



You dog done city detailers have your choice of cars to work on, me I'm luckily to get one new car once a week. Old cars with dog hair, food on carpet, I do mostly to pay the bills but I'm not complaining I like it.



Oh the full eclipse of the Moon tonight was so cool
 
I enjoy detailing just because I like a good looking car. It's something people notice. It's also something I can do with my car that won't affect the warranty. I would love to add a bunch of mods to the car, but I'm not brave enough to take the chance on what might happen, nor mechanically inclined enough to fix things myself. And it would be more expensive for me than detailing supplies (which aren't cheap, as you all know!)
 
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