Dirty Cars - Winter 16/17
Discussion
I cleaned, clay'd and waxed my car about 4 weeks ago with the intention of not cleaning it through winter, this is mine as of tonight;
No before images.
Sometimes the temptation to clean gets too much...
Edited in an attempt to sort image rotation.
No before images.
Sometimes the temptation to clean gets too much...
Edited in an attempt to sort image rotation.
Edited by tjdixon911 on Thursday 24th November 21:09
tjdixon911 said:
I cleaned, clay'd and waxed my car about 4 weeks ago with the intention of not cleaning it through winter, this is mine as of tonight;
No before images.
Sometimes the temptation to clean gets too much...
Edited in an attempt to sort image rotation.
I think your fuel nozzle aim is out. No before images.
Sometimes the temptation to clean gets too much...
Edited in an attempt to sort image rotation.
Edited by tjdixon911 on Thursday 24th November 21:09
Bit of spray n pray?
Has this become a debate over whether cars are best enjoyed or wrapped in cotton wool ? The mud+orange Exige pic from a few pages back is a few years old. I decided to run it as a daily for a couple of years, no matter the weather, for no purpose other than my own amusement. It's sporting mud and snow rated tyres, partly due to a very harsh winter the year prior, but mostly due to my living in a rural, agricultural area where around the next corner could be a load of mud, beet toppings from a trailer, gravel washed by a storm, whatever. I washed the car twice a week from necessity: I needed to see out the windows. So that pic shows a max of 3 days commute.
It was great. I think I went everywhere a little bit sideways and mostly had the TC off to avoid the nuisance effect. When it snowed the kids would fight over who would accompany me up the hills 'to do that sideways thing'.
During this time it gained reliability mods like unrated rad, intercooler, and so on.
In the end, it got impressively stone chipped. I resprayed it and got it venture shielded again. I needed to resume school runs and got a more normal daily.
Those were a great couple of years of driving though.
It was great. I think I went everywhere a little bit sideways and mostly had the TC off to avoid the nuisance effect. When it snowed the kids would fight over who would accompany me up the hills 'to do that sideways thing'.
During this time it gained reliability mods like unrated rad, intercooler, and so on.
In the end, it got impressively stone chipped. I resprayed it and got it venture shielded again. I needed to resume school runs and got a more normal daily.
Those were a great couple of years of driving though.
ALBA MELV said:
Taken about an hour ago but not exactly a "special" model.
Perhaps not, but you are well equipped with a set of steelies and winter tyres I see I've been arguing on a local news page on Facebook the past day with middle aged locals about winter tyres. Some lassie got her leg smashed in a 3 car crash on a slippery road. Everyone's blaming the council. I suggested winter tyres would be a responsible investment. Cue loads of numpties bleating that they either can't afford normal tyres let alone winters (so why are you on the public roads then you t
ts?) or that they've tip-toed around in 2nd gear for 30 years and have never had winter tyres, therefore 90% of drivers don't need them and anyone who has them must be a dangerous speeder.I think it's time for a compulsory euthanasia programme.
Yes indeed Sir. The company I work for wouldn't stump up for winter tyres so I got myself a set of steels and picked up some part worn Vredestein wintrac tyres in the summer months which were a year old and had 7.5mm tread left for a billy bargain.
It's the muppets that expect traction on 225 wide tyres with 3mm remaining in the snow that make me laugh. That and the procession of sheep dawdling up the dual carriageway at 20mph in the snow as I drive up the overtaking lane passing them.
It's the muppets that expect traction on 225 wide tyres with 3mm remaining in the snow that make me laugh. That and the procession of sheep dawdling up the dual carriageway at 20mph in the snow as I drive up the overtaking lane passing them.
JakeT said:
SWoll said:
I don't understand either what there is to love about it TBH.
I spend 2-3 of hours every few months doing a proper job of cleaning, polishing, waxing and then every week or two spend 30 minutes giving it a wash. Total cost of products used is about £50 and will last me a couple of years easy.
Detailing has become daft I agree but there are certain concepts that are worth following if you actually want to look after your car, and I respect people who take pride in the appearance of their cars and themselves. Suggesting that their is no evidence that things like claying or paint depth make any difference and take days to accomplish is just silly and another attempt to justify personal laziness.
Quite why people seem so proud of driving around in a cars covered in an inch of st is totally beyond me though. Do the same people also go weeks on end without having a wash or brushing their hair because it's 'cooler' not to care? Or not bother cleaning their house unless visitors are due?
Very odd.
I think for some it is the fact that they're using their car for what it is meant to be used for, and not tucking it away for the winter. I've spent over £300 on detailing bits for my car over the past few years, but I don't wash it all that much in winter. Mainly because I get frustrated at the initial dirt. Once it's a bit of a mess I really don't mind. Just my two pence. I spend 2-3 of hours every few months doing a proper job of cleaning, polishing, waxing and then every week or two spend 30 minutes giving it a wash. Total cost of products used is about £50 and will last me a couple of years easy.
Detailing has become daft I agree but there are certain concepts that are worth following if you actually want to look after your car, and I respect people who take pride in the appearance of their cars and themselves. Suggesting that their is no evidence that things like claying or paint depth make any difference and take days to accomplish is just silly and another attempt to justify personal laziness.
Quite why people seem so proud of driving around in a cars covered in an inch of s
t is totally beyond me though. Do the same people also go weeks on end without having a wash or brushing their hair because it's 'cooler' not to care? Or not bother cleaning their house unless visitors are due?Very odd.
I clean mine in the summer quite regularly, when it will stay clean and look good.
When it's dark and salty and the thing gets dirty again two miles up the road, I don't see the point.
In winter, it gets washed every couple of months and that's it.
jamieduff1981 said:
Perhaps not, but you are well equipped with a set of steelies and winter tyres I see
I've been arguing on a local news page on Facebook the past day with middle aged locals about winter tyres. Some lassie got her leg smashed in a 3 car crash on a slippery road. Everyone's blaming the council. I suggested winter tyres would be a responsible investment. Cue loads of numpties bleating that they either can't afford normal tyres let alone winters (so why are you on the public roads then you tts?) or that they've tip-toed around in 2nd gear for 30 years and have never had winter tyres, therefore 90% of drivers don't need them and anyone who has them must be a dangerous speeder.
I think it's time for a compulsory euthanasia programme.
Couldn't agree more regarding looking after tyres on a road car properly regardless of whether you're running winters/all weather general purpose tyres. Far too many idiot drivers go around never checking the condition or pressure of their tyres for months and months on end until they fail an MOT or crash. However, I look at winter tyres a bit like convertibles in this country. Yes, for a few weeks of the year (when it's consistently less than, what, 2 degrees?) you're going to look like a genius (just like you would in the muggy fortnight we call summer in your 'vert). I've been arguing on a local news page on Facebook the past day with middle aged locals about winter tyres. Some lassie got her leg smashed in a 3 car crash on a slippery road. Everyone's blaming the council. I suggested winter tyres would be a responsible investment. Cue loads of numpties bleating that they either can't afford normal tyres let alone winters (so why are you on the public roads then you t
ts?) or that they've tip-toed around in 2nd gear for 30 years and have never had winter tyres, therefore 90% of drivers don't need them and anyone who has them must be a dangerous speeder.I think it's time for a compulsory euthanasia programme.
Then the weather will suddenly change as it does here and it'll hit 10 degrees and you'll be rolling around on noisy, hard tyres with an unsuitable tread pattern and poor grip until you can get home and swap them out. Unless you've got an F1 team at home, it's going to take some time to change them over every time, too. Then as you spin up the last wheel nut on your all-weather wheels, it'll abruptly start snowing again. And on it goes. I can think of a single time in the last 10 years where I really, really needed winter tyres, and had to massively drop the pressure in my all-weather tyres to get home because the gritters got caught out, that was in the severe weather of 2008-9 as I recall. Since then, I carry a set of chains for the driven wheels. Every damn year I've had the chains they have proved totally unnecessary, of course.
Around that time and IIRC it was also 2010 when we had severely cold weather I was running a Discovery 3. In the correct "Snow" setting, it was epic. People trundling along flashing you for overtaking (perfectly in control) as they grovelled along in ordinary cars (yes you still had to stop too!) was a highlight.
I went to get a curry from the local takeaway because there was absolutely no way that, even if they got into our village, they could get up our road, let alone driveway. There were a few Mercs and BMWs in ditches, but otherwise, no signs of any cars anywhere. But when I came out of the curry house, driving through the mini roundabouts out front, in a beautiful ballet of on the limit traction and grip was a Morris Minor - one of the best bits of road driving I will ever see, I am sure.
I went to get a curry from the local takeaway because there was absolutely no way that, even if they got into our village, they could get up our road, let alone driveway. There were a few Mercs and BMWs in ditches, but otherwise, no signs of any cars anywhere. But when I came out of the curry house, driving through the mini roundabouts out front, in a beautiful ballet of on the limit traction and grip was a Morris Minor - one of the best bits of road driving I will ever see, I am sure.
quoteunquote_sir_ said:
jamieduff1981 said:
Perhaps not, but you are well equipped with a set of steelies and winter tyres I see
I've been arguing on a local news page on Facebook the past day with middle aged locals about winter tyres. Some lassie got her leg smashed in a 3 car crash on a slippery road. Everyone's blaming the council. I suggested winter tyres would be a responsible investment. Cue loads of numpties bleating that they either can't afford normal tyres let alone winters (so why are you on the public roads then you tts?) or that they've tip-toed around in 2nd gear for 30 years and have never had winter tyres, therefore 90% of drivers don't need them and anyone who has them must be a dangerous speeder.
I think it's time for a compulsory euthanasia programme.
Couldn't agree more regarding looking after tyres on a road car properly regardless of whether you're running winters/all weather general purpose tyres. Far too many idiot drivers go around never checking the condition or pressure of their tyres for months and months on end until they fail an MOT or crash. However, I look at winter tyres a bit like convertibles in this country. Yes, for a few weeks of the year (when it's consistently less than, what, 2 degrees?) you're going to look like a genius (just like you would in the muggy fortnight we call summer in your 'vert). I've been arguing on a local news page on Facebook the past day with middle aged locals about winter tyres. Some lassie got her leg smashed in a 3 car crash on a slippery road. Everyone's blaming the council. I suggested winter tyres would be a responsible investment. Cue loads of numpties bleating that they either can't afford normal tyres let alone winters (so why are you on the public roads then you t
ts?) or that they've tip-toed around in 2nd gear for 30 years and have never had winter tyres, therefore 90% of drivers don't need them and anyone who has them must be a dangerous speeder.I think it's time for a compulsory euthanasia programme.
Then the weather will suddenly change as it does here and it'll hit 10 degrees and you'll be rolling around on noisy, hard tyres with an unsuitable tread pattern and poor grip until you can get home and swap them out. Unless you've got an F1 team at home, it's going to take some time to change them over every time, too. Then as you spin up the last wheel nut on your all-weather wheels, it'll abruptly start snowing again. And on it goes. I can think of a single time in the last 10 years where I really, really needed winter tyres, and had to massively drop the pressure in my all-weather tyres to get home because the gritters got caught out, that was in the severe weather of 2008-9 as I recall. Since then, I carry a set of chains for the driven wheels. Every damn year I've had the chains they have proved totally unnecessary, of course.
The midlands aren't known for prolonged freezes.I live in an AB53 post code though, and Aberdeenshire in general can consistently hover around those temperatures. It's been around -5deg C in the mornings when I've left for work and by the time the sun has done all the warming it's going to do, it'll be up to about +3 deg.
It's more the dazzling tranferal of responsibilities onto the local authorities that bemuses me with some of my locals. I'd have thought that ensuring you were ok if the council driver didn't show up would be socially acceptable, but it's much more fashionable to head out ill equipped, crash then point the finger at someone else!
Any way though - our other car this winter is now fully road legal and has had 2 days' use since starting relatively clean from its stay in the garage. This is why I don't waste time cleaning cars:
With AWD and suitable rubber it's taking all the local icy slopes the MPSS clad XFR-S was getting bum-puckering on with ease.
jamieduff1981 said:
ALBA MELV said:
Taken about an hour ago but not exactly a "special" model.
Perhaps not, but you are well equipped with a set of steelies and winter tyres I see I've been arguing on a local news page on Facebook the past day with middle aged locals about winter tyres. Some lassie got her leg smashed in a 3 car crash on a slippery road. Everyone's blaming the council. I suggested winter tyres would be a responsible investment. Cue loads of numpties bleating that they either can't afford normal tyres let alone winters (so why are you on the public roads then you t
ts?) or that they've tip-toed around in 2nd gear for 30 years and have never had winter tyres, therefore 90% of drivers don't need them and anyone who has them must be a dangerous speeder.I think it's time for a compulsory euthanasia programme.
jamieduff1981 said:
If your profile's up to date I'd probably agree with you. The midlands aren't known for prolonged freezes.
I live in an AB53 post code though, and Aberdeenshire in general can consistently hover around those temperatures. It's been around -5deg C in the mornings when I've left for work and by the time the sun has done all the warming it's going to do, it'll be up to about +3 deg.
It's more the dazzling tranferal of responsibilities onto the local authorities that bemuses me with some of my locals. I'd have thought that ensuring you were ok if the council driver didn't show up would be socially acceptable, but it's much more fashionable to head out ill equipped, crash then point the finger at someone else!
Any way though - our other car this winter is now fully road legal and has had 2 days' use since starting relatively clean from its stay in the garage. This is why I don't waste time cleaning cars:
With AWD and suitable rubber it's taking all the local icy slopes the MPSS clad XFR-S was getting bum-puckering on with ease.
But if its that dirty after 2 days imagine what it'll be like after 2-3 months of no cleaning? The midlands aren't known for prolonged freezes.I live in an AB53 post code though, and Aberdeenshire in general can consistently hover around those temperatures. It's been around -5deg C in the mornings when I've left for work and by the time the sun has done all the warming it's going to do, it'll be up to about +3 deg.
It's more the dazzling tranferal of responsibilities onto the local authorities that bemuses me with some of my locals. I'd have thought that ensuring you were ok if the council driver didn't show up would be socially acceptable, but it's much more fashionable to head out ill equipped, crash then point the finger at someone else!
Any way though - our other car this winter is now fully road legal and has had 2 days' use since starting relatively clean from its stay in the garage. This is why I don't waste time cleaning cars:
With AWD and suitable rubber it's taking all the local icy slopes the MPSS clad XFR-S was getting bum-puckering on with ease.
I can't stand it when every time I open the door, boot or brush against it in a car park I end up with filth all over my hands or clothes that inevitably ends up all over the interior when you get in. At least cleaning it regularly means it doesn't build up to that extent IME.
SWoll said:
But if its that dirty after 2 days imagine what it'll be like after 2-3 months of no cleaning?
I can't stand it when every time I open the door, boot or brush against it in a car park I end up with filth all over my hands or clothes that inevitably ends up all over the interior when you get in. At least cleaning it regularly means it doesn't build up to that extent IME.
OK Swoll I think we get it, you don't like dirty cars but perhaps no need to labour your view on a dirty pictures thread!! I can't stand it when every time I open the door, boot or brush against it in a car park I end up with filth all over my hands or clothes that inevitably ends up all over the interior when you get in. At least cleaning it regularly means it doesn't build up to that extent IME.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff