A couple weeks ago I went away for a camping trip which I think I really needed - It's been a while since I went anywhere and that time away, switching off and getting back to basics, seemed more of a requirement than a luxury. It wasn't a long trip but I managed to relax a little at times and spent most of it gazing out at a panoramic view, sunrise or hiking. Of course, to get to those views I needed to hit some trails, do some off-road driving in my four wheel drive, and whilst that brings enjoyment it also brings some hard work later. Cleaning.
I guess that's the payoff for fun and four-wheel-drive adventure, cleaning, and whilst I could leave it I'm not that way inclined - I look after the things I have because I know what it's like to have nothing and so...Cleaning my four wheel drive happens.
Yesterday was the day, what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? It was a heavily overcast and slightly rainy day - A perfect day to generate an excuse not to do the work...But I got to it and three hours later had a sparkling clean Landcruiser...Inside and out. I know, three hours! I'm meticulous though, hence the time it takes, and I'll be honest, I get some satisfaction from seeing the vehicle sparking clean. Besides, I wash my vehicle's under cover so there no real excuse, try as I might to find one.
Cleaning my Landcruiser is a fairly big job. It's big and is a very high vehicle and so a step ladder is required to reach the roof and windshield; My OCD nature won't allow me to simply leave it, out of sight out of mind. Nope, I am thorough. It's made a little more difficult now as I've got a suspension lift on it also adding a few inches of height. So there's a lot of step ladder moving and climbing which sucks...But it has to be done.
My Landcruiser and off-road camper trailer on the way out to my camping trip a few weeks ago...Looking clean, but it didn't stay that way. Nothing a good three hour wash can't fix though.
I just plod away at it though and little by little it gets done, my satisfaction increasing as it gets clean and the job draws to an end. That's when the back pain starts but I have pills for that.
I'm a bit pedantic when it comes to car washing so can be found opening doors and cleaning inside the door-jambs and sill-panels and the various drips that seem to come out of nowhere...Nope, I don't like them messing up my hard work so prior to drying the vehicle I use my compressor to blow the water out of all the crevices...Dry means dry, not sort of dry with drips all over the place!
Today I got done then realised I had to go to the supermarket which was a bit stupid...Overcast day and some rain you know...Clean car. Not a good match. See the issue? I manned-up though and hit the market wishing all the while my pristine vehicle would remain so...A few spots got it...But I wiped them up as soon as I got home so it was all good. Crisis averted.
One of the views I gazed at on my camping trip - It was worth having to wash my Landcruiser for.
I know it probably sounds quite pathetic but I really get a good feeling from having a clean vehicle; I see it as a reflection of myself in that I like to present as the best version of myself and a clean vehicle helps me to do so. A small thing, but one that has stayed with me throughout life. It's a little like saying please and thank you and showing courtesy, humility and kindness - It makes me feel like a better version of me.
How about you; Do you have a car-cleaning malfunction like me? Do you have to have a clean car or can you leave it and not care? Do you clean inside and out consecutively or alternate it? Do you use dishwashing liquid or the purpose-made carwash stuff...Please tell me you don't use dishwashing liquid! Tell me below about your car washing regime, or your complete disregard for a clean car...I just hope my OCD can handle the latter. 😊
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
I'm pretty bad. People comment when my vehicles are not clean, "what's this?? Dirt?" OCD and all the acronyms that describe everything has its place.
I have it cleaned.
I used to have my vehicle's cleaned a while back, not my four wheel drives, my other more sporty ones. In fact, there was a place that debited $50 from my account for membership per month but I could drive in and get my car washed anytime, as many times as I liked per month.
I went four times usually...That's four pretty cheap car washes. It was production line washing but all by hand (paid staff bugger all probably) and it came out well. They had a cafe there and I'd go and work for a half hour, eat toasties and drink coffee. It was all quite civilized, and tax deductible.
I've had cars that I literally never washed, but not many. I kind of enjoy the process I suppose.
The place you describe is about what I'm familiar with. $50/month is a good deal!
There's a place in Long Beach with as many air compressor hoses as vacuum's, you never had spots on mirrors or fail lights or anything, they wiped and forced air dry cars. Good stuff.
I agree. Clean cars. All the time.
I figured you'd have the same there. A good concept really. I think the most I went there was about six or seven times in a month but yeah, my car's were always very clean. Although...Probably not as clean as I would have made them. It came down to what two hours of my time was worth I guess.
When I have my own driveway I do like to get in a real good cleaning every 5-6th time. Clean the inside real good down t the q-tip final touches.
You must be me...Lol. That's a once a month or two thing for me though. Mostly it's an exterior wash with a monthly interior clean thrown in. Nice to have a clean car I think.
I have to have a clean car. My first car at 16 was a junker, but, it ran nice. It looked pretty nice when I washed and waxed it and so, I did. I saved up until I could afford to buy a new car, cash. I had a car that ran, so if I wanted it, it was going to be cash.
It was so beautiful and shiny and new! So, from then on, I just washed my car with the same habits as changing your bedsheets. Once a week, needed or not.
Me likey this comment. Are you me?
The needed or not thing is what I do also - It just feels good to have a clean car and who doesn't want to feel good?
Exactly. There is something feel-good about driving in a clean car. I have a nice car, but, even my junker was treated royally - and rewarded me by never breaking down.
On top of that, it always smells nice when I get in. Thank you and have a great day!
Have a great weekend yourself!:)
Get a Bulldog and you are done having a clean car 😂 .
We talked about it but living in Germany you are done having a car period since it is getting unaffordable in the near future if the gas prices keep going up. It is so ridiculous what we have to pay over here. I wonder if all European countries face the same issue. Then people are kept at home not due to the Corona crap but due to not being able to pay for gas anymore.
Gosh I'm bitching again...sorry 😂 ...nice clean up 👍 😄
Yeah I know your fuel prices are up...It sucks really as electric cars are not affordable just yet (here anyway) and so what is a person to do?
I tried to get a couple people to carry me around in a palanquin but they didn't like the pay (it was none) and left my employ to become UberFood drivers...Strange really, they make bugger-all doing that too because Uber make all the money.
The net result is I have to keep driving my car and paying for fuel instead of the cheaper enforced labour/palanquin scenario.
I'm a bit miffed.
Lol, understand, the daily stresses we face 😄. Thanks for cheering me up.
You are right with the electric car crap though. I wondered as well how the hell they think people should move around? Get a horse again?
You can't afford a damn e-car here neither, nor the gas for you regular one 😂.
I'd be ok with riding a horse around...I'd probably start robbing stage coaches and steam trains though.
Your Car are Beautiful, i hope it's must have given you good feelings each you looks at it😍, having beautiful and clean belongings is a thing of joy
It is a nice car, and really clean now through a little hard work and effort. Thanks for commenting.
I’m so and so about my car. When I wash it, well, most of the time we wash it together, because we do both cars at the same time, we hand wash them at home with the proper car wash stuff. Never heard of anyone using dishwasher liquid, is that a thing?
But I am not really that fuzzed about drips and drops after I dry it with a leather~thingie. And I’m also not too particular about the interior. I can go for quite a while before vacuuming. I guess being a windsurfer, hauling wet boards, sails, masts etc. in it, which tends to come with sand in all nooks and crannies, made me feel that way. It goes without saying that our car is quite old, but we do take good care of it. You would definitely not enjoy the sand.
I had an aunt who used dishwashing liquid to wash her car...All the rubbers went hard and the paint faded away. I've known others to do it but I try to distance myself from such nutbagggery. 😉
I'm a wash by hand using the best car washing products I can find guy. Each to their own though.
Just the mention of all that stuff with sand on it makes me cringe a little, but I was brave and read it all the way through. Lol.
Calling me dirty ?
Only if you are an unwashed car which, I'm pretty sure, you are not..Or are you.
I'd never presume to call you dirty Britt, the term is far too negative for a colourful character like yourself. I hope you're well and are having a great weekend of doing what you're doing. Running around after that family of yours I'd guess. I hope you find some time for yourself also.
What kind of window tinting did you use? I am debating on what to put on my car 20% or 35%
On my Landcruiser I have 35% and on my town-car I have 20% which is too dark. It's actually not legal.
When I had my suspension lift done I had to get an engineering report done and then go over the pits (hoists) at the Service SA inspection centre at Regency Park...They did a full roadworthy check over including testing all the window tint...This is 35% legal tint remember. It failed, meaning it was too dark. They passed the car but he told me to keep the certificate in the car in case the cops pulled me over.
So...Maybe not an issue for you if you don't care about that sort of thing, but best to keep it legal in my book. Also, that 20% tint on my other car is too dark at night...In back streets that are not lit so well one can barely see out considering the reflection of light from the instrument cluster, NAV and audio system.
It's always your choice of course, but considering you asked...See above.
What about something in between like 28% or split, 20% in the back and 35% in the front? I did wonder if 20% was to dark at night, thanks for clearing that up.
I think 35% is the threshold for non-commercial vehicles with total blackout being permitted for commercial vehicles, food vans, ambulance etc. Most won't give you a receipt for the work if it's under 35% also I think, or they are very clear about the implications of it. I guess people like us don't attract the attention from the police like some young punk with a 20 year old WRX doing 85 in a 50 so we probably get away with it. Still, 20% is still too dark for sure. I wish I'd done 35% on my town-car.
Keep in mind the factory window tint your vehicle (probably) has. That's what tips my Landcruiser over the edge. The privacy glass in the rear windows. I have a darker tint on the front two to balance it but it's still not perfect. But yeah, it's a thing that needs some thinking about as it's costly to have to do it twice...Or get defected.
If the camping is good for your mental health then it is absolutely a requirement and not a luxury. There are some pretty epic views to be had when you go where no one goes :)
I'm perfectly happy to leave my car and not care XP the kids will often ask me if they can wash it for extra pocket money and they usually do a pretty good job (with dish washing liquid XP). The only times I've ever cleaned it were when the kids were really little and it would need at least a tidy at least once a week as they ate in the car and when really little didn't always remember to take wrappers/serviettes/etc out when we got to where we were going, and when we'd been to the beach (in which case it got at least an airing and then if I remembered/cba a vacuum after everything dried out otherwise it reeked of wet dog forever).
Nooooooo...ooooo...oooooo....ooo...o! Please say it isn't so!
P.s. Nooooooo!
I'm sorry that your anguish causes me immense amusement XD
Evil bloody woman. 😜
Well, the roof of my previous red car had turned green towards the end, so I dare say I am not as inclined to cleaning my car as you are :D
Ah yes, the old red rood that actually turned green scenario. A clear sign that one is not too keen on washing cars. 😆
I can totally relate to you!! When I used to live in the UK I used to valet my dad's car. I must have done a good job because dad trusted me with his special BMW's Mercs and Range Rovers from a very young age.
I was always the same with my own cars when I lived in the UK and I even opened a valeting company.
Since living in Russia, I am unable to work on the cars as I did in England. It's illegal to clean my own car in Moscow, due to pollution and I guess they want to keep people employed. I am allowed to polish it thou.
WTF? Are you serious?
unfortunately, yes :) I can use a waterless cleaner, but I guess that you probably share the same opinion towards that kind of product :) If I want to do it myself, I need to go to our country house out of the city.
Do you clean your engine?
Yep, you guessed right, waterless cleaners are like washing ones car with beach sand. Lol.
I clean the engine yes, although it's all shrouds and no visible engine exists really. I keep the engine bay tidy though.
it's crazy, that was our reaction too
Weird. Makes me glad I live in Australia.
yes...very
Making me jealous...if I had one wish right now I would love to do a camping trip through Australia. Still thinking of our road trip there, best time of my life. Hope they open up the borders soon.
would love to see a photo of your camp set up
It's a great place to travel around, so many nice things to see and a lot of characters to meet. Aussies are generally pretty affable too, so easy to get a long with. I have posted about my camp set up before...I tried to find the post but could not...[I post a lot so there was a lot of scrolling]. I might do another someday.
I´ll try to find it, although I know how a good aussie camp set up looks like ;)
Miss Australia and you Aussies. Fingers crossed that we will be able to come over next year and see all our friends again.
You'll make it back someday, we all just need this pandemic thing to disappear for good!
Nope. Definitely a dirty guy here. I don't clean my cars often or well either, lol.
I'll run them thru the car wash when the windows get covered enough to write on, and vacuum them out once every year or two maybe... For sure not the detail job you are doing. For me, they are simple a box with wheels to get me and my stuff from point A to point B. Nice views though!
Lol...You're killin' me man...That stuff goes against the grain for me...Drives me bonkers. 🤪
What a beast and a nightmare to keep clean, when your using it's full capabilities, the challenge I have when detailing a car typically the Merc is I have a 10 step process or something like that, rinse, snowfoam, rinse, decontaminate paint, rinse clay bar...etc etc the finally my latest purchase ceramic wax and a polish on that - also next week Dorothy comes back with fully refurbished wheels powder coated, straightened- which i didn't even realise needed doing, then diamond cut lips, can't wait, thank you @galenkp
Yeah, it's a beastly-good ride and I love it...Big as hell though and hard to clean!
I used to use Meguires products all the time, went to AutoGlym and now use Bowden's https://www.bowdensown.com.au/ which I'm really loving. I have Opticoat on the paintwork so it's pretty resilient - It can be set on fire and not mark the paint (seen it done) so it is really good when it comes to bug splatters and bird shit. It means I don't clay bar it but that's ok - The industrial fallout comes right off the Opticoat.
It seems you're like me when it comes to car washing...Doesn't surprise me. I do everything as best I can though I guess, no point doing things by halves.
#comebackdorothy
I've got a mix, of products, from Turtle wax shampoo and hybrid ceramic wax to chemical brother, also auto finesse and autobrite direct snow foam.
One of the decontaminants is called Purple rain - the car looks trippy when it runs. I want some of the fire proof one, i'l check out Bowdens Own too.
Yes weirdly OCD and detailing works...if you can walk away from the vehicle
Here's a link for you: https://www.opticoat.com.au/
ta muchly