Anyone else feel odd just for washing your own car?
Discussion
Recently started to notice I seem to be the only one in my area whom still washes my car by hand. Guess everyone else takes theirs out for either a paid hand or regular car wash, but I personally like my car to be properly clean without the risk of any cost cutting practices damaging the paintwork. I also think it's a better way of keeping an eye on the general condition etc. Not that I care massively, but I must admitI'm now starting to feel a bit if an oddball doing it. The missis thinks it's because I'm OCD & too tight to pay for a car wash so I bet that's what everyone else must think. Anyone else starting to find this these days?
I've not got the worlds best cars but one of them is slightly better than the other 2 and so I wash it by hand, keep it clean inside and keep it smelling, er, not like the other two now smell.
So it takes me a long time and we are right next to a main road. I sometimes feel self conscious that people driving by think I am wasting my time polishing a turd.
I shouldn't really care what they feel.
So it takes me a long time and we are right next to a main road. I sometimes feel self conscious that people driving by think I am wasting my time polishing a turd.
I shouldn't really care what they feel.
I dont see why people don't do it more often, if you get into a routine/esthablish what you're doing, it won't take much longer then half an hour. I used to use a £5 bottle of car shampoo, £5 bottle of 'wash & wax', i'd get at least 10 washes out of each. Use normal car shampoo first. then the wash and wax (as its crap at cleaning) to give it a waxed look.
I don't wash my cars that often but when I do, it takes me *hours* because I go all-out on them. To the extent of timing when I wash them to avoid direct sunlight for the water stages, but having it on the cars for the glazing and wax...
It certainly gets the neighbours going; to see someone take that long over a 'simple' car wash. I just stick a few podcasts on my headphones and pretend they don't exist.
It certainly gets the neighbours going; to see someone take that long over a 'simple' car wash. I just stick a few podcasts on my headphones and pretend they don't exist.
Gandahar said:
So it takes me a long time and we are right next to a main road. I sometimes feel self conscious that people driving by think I am wasting my time polishing a turd.
I shouldn't really care what they feel.
I know where you're coming from as mine's not really that special to look at. That said I felt way more self conscious when I had a 350Z, almost like people thought I was showing off and to the point I was almost too embarrassed. Far from it in reality, just trying to keep the corrosion at bay.I shouldn't really care what they feel.
I also end up washing it in the dark if it's taken me that long do a proper job as thankfully we have good streetlights. That doesn't help my cause, but if that's not bad enough I'll often get the hose out at night if I get back late from an outing on salty wet roads to give the arches a going over. Non PHers must think we're barking!
Edited by VeeFource on Friday 26th December 13:23
When I lived up in Kingston, the local Polish lads would do a good job for a fiver. They used to like chatting about the car and seemed to enjoy working on something a little different. In the main though, I enjoy washing my own car and use it as an opportunity to give everything a thorough inspection. It's pretty satisfying to stand back and check the finished result after a thorough wash and wax too!
Edited by e21Mark on Friday 26th December 18:21
It does amaze me how many people dont wash their own cars, a few of the neighbours have valeting companies come round every week or two, I see the queues outside the local car wash so it cant be a time thing, been to my mums had a brew and come back and the same cars were getting washed that had been waiting thirty mins earlier.
I think it is good activity, lots of bending and stretching, out in the fresh air
I think it is good activity, lots of bending and stretching, out in the fresh air
I do feel that I'm regarded as something of an eccentric for washing my own car.
But so what? I think everyone should do it – I consider it to be basic maintenance.
Sure, I could take it to the Eastern European car scratchers up the road. But they're not going to tell me about that stone chip on the bonnet that's starting to rust. Or that there's a nail in my tyre or about that piece of trim that's coming loose. In other words, all the things that you notice when washing your own car.
I prefer to know about that stuff.
And I prefer to have my car washed properly – or at least to my own, admittedly anal, standards.
But so what? I think everyone should do it – I consider it to be basic maintenance.
Sure, I could take it to the Eastern European car scratchers up the road. But they're not going to tell me about that stone chip on the bonnet that's starting to rust. Or that there's a nail in my tyre or about that piece of trim that's coming loose. In other words, all the things that you notice when washing your own car.
I prefer to know about that stuff.
And I prefer to have my car washed properly – or at least to my own, admittedly anal, standards.
Baryonyx said:
My neighbours must think I'm odd as I often wash mine at night.
And me! Quite often my missus comes home at 9 o'clock or later with a filthy car and has a driving test early the next morning. Got a fairly good routine now where I can wash it "blind" and get 99.9% of it clean. This time of year her car is getting washed 3/4/5 times a week.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff