Wednesday 23rd December 2015

I like 'em dirty: PH Blog

Forget the bucket and sponge - a dirty car shows you care more about driving, whatever the weather

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I'm all for a clean car. But at this time of year you're on a hiding to nothing attempting to keep it clean. Unless you're one of those weirdos who thinks a zero miles Ferrari as an object d'art in the air conditioned underground man cave is preferable to one being ragged sideways around a track. 

Winter muck means it's being used!

The other week I took the PH Fleet BMW M4 for a two-day road trip around Norfolk, visiting Schnitzer, Zenos and Lotus. At the former it got a valet for shooting alongside their matching Austin Yellow ACS4 but it took all of a few miles to return to the grimy look I'd arrived with. There are dirty cars and there are cars that drive on rural roads through the winter - those familiar with the latter will appreciate the difference. And futility of even trying to keep the paintwork clean. You could do three laps of a winter's M25 and not get a layer of grime to match five miles from a Norfolk B-road. 

Anyway. This time of year it's too miserable to be outside obsessing about clay bars and all that nonsense. I say embrace it. There comes a point where a dirty car just looks cool, especially an already brooding and aggressive one like an M car. It does tone down the rather lairy paint in the case of the M4 too, adding to the shock value of quite how loud it really is when you do eventually run a jet wash over it. Weirdly I find myself getting extra fastidious about keeping the interior clean at this time of year, devoting time I'd have spent on the paintwork to weekly hoovering sessions and obsessive clearing of accumulated roadtrip rubbish from door bins and cup holders. 

Grimy GT3 - yes!

I've driven supercars in the winter too and I love the way you get a very visible demonstration of the way the air - and dirt - is directed over the car by the aerodynamics. The white GT3 we had last year was a good example, the feathered grime on the leading edges of the rear wing and its supports after lapping South Wales oddly beautiful in its way. I imagine the wing vents on the 991 GT3 RS do rather exciting things with spray with the blanking plates removed too - if there are any owners out there with photographic evidence please share! 

In fact, if you've just got a shot of your car resplendent in its winter patina let's have it. I recall someone sharing a shot of an F40 with a proper coating of road grime on it last time this was discussed - a high bar for sure but let's see what you've been up to!

Dan 

Photos: Dan, Roo Fowler

[loskie]

I used to AI cows and in the winter went to up to 28 farms in a day. Covered 60000m per year.Winter was the busiest time. I had a theory that after 14days the car could get no dirtier. We ran bog standard base Astras (1991 to 96). st would accumulate in the wheel arch just allowing room for the wheel and no more.

[Shaw Tarse]

So far this year the weather hasn't been good for dirty cars.
I think it was who CRA1G posted a really dirty photo a few years ago?

[IknowJoseph]

My first reply started a new thread, so..

Mine was pretty grim at the Goodwood Sunday Service, but much has been washed off by the rain since:



The 918 had also been through a puddle or two. Filth:

[mmm-five]

This was about a month after I bought it - and thought I'd have a trip out to Wales whilst everyone else was at home recovering from a heavy New Year's Eve.




This was after about an hour on Oulton Park's rally stage.

[Impasse]

[Nick Caisley]

Used daily . It's like a skip inside too

Edited by Nick Caisley on Wednesday 23 December 17:35

[ELothian]

My first Range Rover was always immaculately clean as it was so unreliable it spent more time with the dealer than at home! It was very embarrassing as it was too clean so I had to reject it!!

The second one only needs to go for routine servicing and as a result is always filthy for the winter. Country roads and tracks make it impossible to keep clean so why bother. It's also better as it shows it's used for its intended purpose rather than a Chelsea Tractor.

My wife's GTR hasn't been washed since we bought it - shows it's used daily and when I had to drive up a track today the puddles weren't a problem ??

The MX5 however is kept clean!!

Edited by ELothian on Wednesday 23 December 17:49

[AlexHat]

Mine isn't half as dirty and whilst I'm off over Christmas I was going to wash it whilst it still is amazingly mild. If there's one thing I hate is washing a car when it is freezing. That said I may just leave it now....

[Impasse]

Wouldn't be a "mucky" thread if I didn't dust off this old Polaroid:

[herebebeasties]

[RS Grant]

Two of my favourite pictures I've taken are these two of my old ST205 GT4 after a long run in the hills one winter a few years back.


Cheers,
Grant

[Willy Nilly]

loskie said:

I used to AI cows and in the winter went to up to 28 farms in a day. Covered 60000m per year.Winter was the busiest time. I had a theory that after 14days the car could get no dirtier. We ran bog standard base Astras (1991 to 96). st would accumulate in the wheel arch just allowing room for the wheel and no more.

Let me guess, you gave up AI-ing cows because you have bad shoulders

[myhandle]

Road trip-dirt can look good, neglect-dirt does not. Similarly high-speed stone chips can look good, unrepaired parking damage does not. On the subject of repair, the red 964 in the photo has the badge on the engine cover in the wrong place. Should be higher.

[kambites]

I'm trying to remember the last time I washed the outside of the Elise. I think it was 2013 but it might have been 2012. My cars are for driving.

[jamies30]

Few years old now - washed the car, took it out for a run to shake the water off a bit.

[kmack]

I agree that some cars (particularly expensive cars) look good dirty but it cant be good leaving salt on the car throughout the winter months without a regular rinse...

[loskie]

Willy Nilly said:

loskie said:

I used to AI cows and in the winter went to up to 28 farms in a day. Covered 60000m per year.Winter was the busiest time. I had a theory that after 14days the car could get no dirtier. We ran bog standard base Astras (1991 to 96). st would accumulate in the wheel arch just allowing room for the wheel and no more.

Let me guess, you gave up AI-ing cows because you have bad shoulders




No the pay was rubbish. It was in the days of the Scottish Milk Marketing Board. Fairly enjoyable job though. Times have changed now. Used to AI 4500 a year which was a lot in those days. Never had shoulder problems but I am quite tall so maybe that helps. One ex colleague has severe tendonitis after 25 years. I only did it for 6.

[NicheMonkey]

[coldel]

So when you get in from a walk or whatever covered in grime and crap you wear it with pride and refuse to wash yourself for the next week lol

I love driving, if the car is dirty, I just get up that extra early to clean it!

[thespannerman]

I never used to wash my old Focus, it showed up the dents too much! I do the same with my daily driven Vectra, it serves a purpose and I'd rather save the money for the MX5...

As for the MX5, it gets cleaned a tad too often. I have alot of love for the water droplets that form on clay-barred, waxed paintwork! I've put it in the next door neighbors garage this week so I can go polish, clean and rustproof it when the festivities get boring!