...I really haven't been maintaining my car lately? I'm at college now, so my car is parked outside 24/7. I go home a lot 'cos I'm only an hour away but when I'm there...I just never seem to have any time or desire to detail my car. I'm always spending time with my family or my really close friends who live at home, and having a clean car takes a backseat. My friends at home help keep me sane 'cos I'm pretty lonely here, and I spend as much time as I can with them while I'm home, so I never really seem to have time to detail my car. The last time I so much as washed it was back in August when I did a full detail and Opti-Coated it. I took it to the track last weekend and realized that it was indeed...quite dirty. I had to get all my stuff out of it when I got to the track and I removed several empty coffee cups, miscellaneous trash, about four jackets and a blanket, plus other stuff I have in there. I used to never keep anything in my car and tried to keep it spotless but now...it's just not too much of a priority. I mean I love having a clean car and would prefer it to look nice but that just doesn't seem possible now. And then I feel bad 'cos my parents are like "you really need to clean your car" and since they bought it for me I feel like I probably should. But I just feel like cleaning it would be futile, as soon as I get back to college it'll get covered in dust and pollen and the interior will get dirty from people climbing in and out of it. I feel like as long as I don't let anything permanently damage it I'll be fine...I am still super careful with drinks and if there's bird poo on it I'll use ONR at QD dilution and get it off. Dirt and dust wash off, grass and debris vacuums out, and I can pick up trash in it. I've got it Opti-Coated and I have 303 Aerospace Protectant on all the interior surfaces so I feel like everything is at least protected. Am I the only one who is at the point where having a clean car has just taken a backseat to other things? It feels weird coming on here and posting about detailing when I'm driving around in a filthy car. Also I'm running low on a lot of detailing supplies so even if I wanted to detail it I don't have all the necessary materials to do so. Plus my dad has been using my towels and he just drapes them over stuff in the garage to dry them, so I'll have to buy new drying towels before I feel safe using them on my paint. Kind of a random post, but I needed a break from my homework hah.
When driving a clean car comes first, nothing comes second! Waterless wash and some MF towels are your friends. Give yourself a nice Christmas present and just give it a GOOD in and out wash, and top up the sealant with a quick wax to make sure it lasts during the rest of the season. EDIT: Just so we're clear, my first comment in this response is a joke! (I'll add a smiley so you guys understand that. lol.)
Its perfectly fine when you have a very important priority - school. I am a restorative detailer by trade and own/operate a regional detail supply service - I will not even begin to clue people in to the last time I was able to "love" my car. Its OK, we are here for you .
School comes first............ If you have some time then yes, wipe the car down etc, nobody is going to fault you.
I feel for you. I don't own my own car but the last time I took care of my parents vehicles was more than a month ago. I'm planning to get back in the game when my life gives me the time to. Too much midterms, and things to worry about for now. I could use a weeks break... Studying for back to back midterms made me nocturnal. Schools first and then family and lastly hobbies. Don't kill yourself to detail, you need a break.
hah thanks guys It's like an experiment...I feel like to a degree I have OCD with my car so I'm seeing how dirty I'll let it get before I go insane and detail it hah. I'm thinking that when I'm off school for a month on Christmas break I'll clean it, by then I'm sure it'll be gross and covered with road salt and such and will certainly need a good cleaning. I have to give Opti-Coat credit though, it's been on there for two months and in those two months my car has been outside the entire time, beading is still just as strong as day 1 and dirt still doesn't stick to it as much as before. Actually I would have better beading if I actually washed it
Let's face it, there are a LOT more important things in life than a clean car. My truck is FILTHY right now because I've got other (more important) things going on with family. But don't get me wrong, it will get washed this week. In the end, there's only so much I can take
You're not the only one man, I work from 7am to 5:30pm and from 6:30pm to 10:00pm I am studying for my GMATs. This past weekend was my first weekend in ages that I actually had a brief blip in time to wash my car.......life happens.
Not sure about you guys...but I become moody, have anxiety, and am irritable if my car is dirty. I'm much happier when it is clean.
A dirty car bothers me quite a bit but like everyone else said, there are more priorities in life than a clean car.
I've been pretty busy with school as well, but yes sometimes there are things that are more important. With that said, Opti Coat is a damn saint. No wax, sealant, etc, I have ever used compares to the way it makes my car bead and stay clean/protected.
I was going to correct my new truck to 90-100%, but then I decided to just polish it lightly and move on in life, do not get me wrong I am not slipping..... but its a truck, im going to use it on a ranch and as a DD, it is not my STI which i was very anal about...... that and I have more important things to do......
I think around this time of year there are a lot of people in you position. I myself have gotten too wrapped up in school to pay much attention to my car. At least you have Opti-coat on yours to keep it protected in the meantime
heh. My car is past dirty and at the "disaster" stage Actually it still looks alright on the exterior...there's a layer of grime on everything but the Opti-Coat has really done a good job of keeping the majority of the dirt from sticking. Interior...not so nice. It's at the point where I'm not particularly bothered by it anymore... (PS the Marlboros are the unfortunate result of leaving all my cigarette rolling stuff at college when I went home last weekend Also gave up smoking in the car...parents would smell it and then my life would be over.)
