People who are too fastidious with the interior...

[camrycev6]

So I recently posted about a young lady who treated the inside of her car like a garbage can. I thought to be fair, I would bring this topic up.

Personally, I clean the inside of my car (and by cleaning -- I mean dusting, wiping down the cloth / windows, vacuuming, etc.) about once a month. I do NOT let garbage / work / or anything accumulate inside.

I do have a friend, however, who drives a moderate level Acura who won't allow you to drink or eat in his car. You can't have dirty shoes. (or you have to take them off and put them in a bag) Yes the inside of his car looks nice, but I think he is going overboard. I can certainly drink a coke without spilling it all over his car, but I respect his wishes. I still think (and tell him so) he is OCD.

I also knew a girl in college who was very much the same. She had plastic covering the floors, the handles, and just about everything else in the car! She would get upset if you got fingerprints on the dash or the controls!

Anyone do the same with their car (and don't worry -- I will only make fun of you a little bit) or have similar stories?

[CantCMe]

If you have on dirty shoes you gotta put them in a bag? That's nuts...but hey, that's their car so...

[thaikim]

I'm not against drinking in the car heck I do it all the time, but I am a little anal about anyone eating in the car... I've admittedly only done it once when I had to woof down a chipotle burrito 5min. before class and even then I had the door open, my feet out and was eating over the parking lot...

[CantCMe]

I eat in my car all of the time, but if I know somebody is a sloppy eater then they better not eat in the my ride. Heck, I let my kids eat in my car but other ppls children? Hell no.

[EvilJen]

My sister had a boyfriend (control freak) that would run over to the passenger side and wipe the fingerprints off the door handle anytime someone got out. When they broke up, she kicked the side of his truck. (evil)

I work with a guy that's got a very nice 240 but he puts towels down on the leather seats because he doesn't want it to get dirty.

I'm all about taking good care of things but when it gets to the point where you're so protective of a possession that you can't enjoy it, what's the point? (dunno)

[BlackCherry06]

Well, I'm not THAT bad, but I did put down some big rubber mats to protect the carpet and floor mats from dirty or wet shoes. A little dust from time to time doesn't send me into a tailspin, but trash of any kind or food / drink spills are not acceptable.

[FrankDiscussion]

I'm pretty obsessive about my interior, well, my vehicle in general. I work in a fairly large bar / restaurant, so my shoes are filthy by the end of the shift. I place them inside a plastic bag for the ride home. The only person allowed to eat in my car is my two year old daughter, who can usually do whatever she wants. I probably vacumn my car once a week, wipe down the interior as well. I'll do a more intensive detail probably once every other month. The advantage, IMO, to maintaining a strict cleaning regimen is that it really helps with resale value. I traded in my 2001 Miata for my Mazdaspeed 3 almost a year ago, and the interior was immaculate.

[ElGaspo]

clean interior freaks who lay down plastic everywhere on the inside and whose interior is a 10/10....but who change their oil only rarely, don't know how to shift, abuse the clutch and allow the most important part of the car - the powertrain - to go to pot. (screwy)

[thaikim]

Yeah on a similar note I've got a buddy who knows I can be pretty OCD about my car... So just to mess with me every time he comes over he likes to touch everything... Like say I've got the hood open checkin stuff, he'll randomly pull out the dipstick, screw off the oil cap, tap random things under the hood... Just little stuff, harmless but I'm like damn man do you really have to do that... haha

[Prodigy]

I'm also not that bad... the only gripe that I have is getting fingerprints on the door after a fresh wax.
If it's a week after the wax, I could care less.

[mazdaspeedster3]

My wife says I am OCD. I dont think so, I like the cars clean is all. I wash mine after every rain and vacuum it out once a week no matter. Turtle Wax has that new ICE product for interiors, love it. Nothing shiney just cleans up the dash real nice like when you first got your car. I have the all weather matts so hosing them off is easy when you wash the car, wipe them off and put them back in the car. Great. I do the windows every wash as well, hate dirty windows more than anything!

[paylew]

I keep my car clean and use the weather mats, but I'm by no means a clean freak about it. I have a son who rides in the car, it's not worth it to worry about keeping everything clean all the time because it just won't happen... I tend not to drink anything without a lid in the car because I am really clumsy.

[EvilJen]

I'm probably going to get flack for this, but think of all the time you're spending cleaning your car? Aren't there better things you could be doing? Spending time with your family? Going for a run? Driving your car? Knitting sweaters for homeless kittens? (uhm)

[BlackCherry06]

I've got some fingers in my office that need broken....someone wrote "Wash Me" in the dust on my trunklid yesterday. That's on the list of no-no's.

[thaikim]

I'm probably going to get flack for this, but think of all the time you're spending cleaning your car? Isn't there better things you could be doing? Spending time with your family? Going for a run? Driving your car? Knitting sweaters for homeless kittens? (uhm)

Yeah but you could make that excuse for almost any semi-non productive thing... watchin TV, surfing Mazda forums... much more productive things you COULD be doing but hey everyone needs a hobby... Detailing keeps you busy and off the pipe :D

[EvilJen]

Yeah but you could make that excuse for almost any semi-non productive thing... watchin TV, surfing Mazda forums... much more productive things you COULD be doing but hey everyone needs a hobby... Detailing keeps you busy and off the pipe :D

LOL! True. I just can't see cleaning a car once a week. Then again, our commutes are relatively short and the cars are kept in the garage so they don't get too dirty. The house stays clean... the cars sometimes take a backseat. :)

[mazdaspeedster3]

LMAO, not when it takes you 15minutes total and you can do it when it doesnt impeed that time.

[camrycev6]

True... It takes all of what? Maybe 30 minutes tops to clean the inside of a car? Vacuum it, wash the mats, dust / wipe down the windows. All done.

[EvilJen]

Well, shit, we must be doing it wrong cuz it takes a lot longer for me and my husband. (scratch) LOL!

[Antonio DiMarco]

So I recently posted about a young lady who treated the inside of her car like a garbage can. I thought to be fair, I would bring this topic up.

Personally, I clean the inside of my car (and by cleaning -- I mean dusting, wiping down the cloth / windows, vacuuming, etc.) about once a month. I do NOT let garbage / work / or anything accumulate inside.

I do have a friend, however, who drives a moderate level Acura who won't allow you to drink or eat in his car. You can't have dirty shoes. (or you have to take them off and put them in a bag) Yes the inside of his car looks nice, but I think he is going overboard. I can certainly drink a coke without spilling it all over his car, but I respect his wishes. I still think (and tell him so) he is OCD.

I also knew a girl in college who was very much the same. She had plastic covering the floors, the handles, and just about everything else in the car! She would get upset if you got fingerprints on the dash or the controls!

Anyone do the same with their car (and don't worry -- I will only make fun of you a little bit) or have similar stories?

Trying to keep your car immaculate 24/7 is impossible. My phylosophy is that you take the appropriate steps to prevent things getting dirty (waxing, rubber mats, napkins around coffee cup to soak up small splashes) but I don't loose my mind if someone gets into the car with leaves on their shoes or a little bit of dirt. That's what a vacuum is for. And let's face it most of the material they use inside modern cars is relatively stain resistant. I also don't mind if people bring food in the car as long as they put the bag on the floor (my floor is clean so they shouldn't worry).

On the other hand I won't turn a blind eye to someone who wants to put their greasy pizza box or doggy bag on my seat. Or let my kids in the car without a brush off or checking their shoes for dog crap. I also ask my son to remove his cleats before getting in my car. Not for the dirt as much for the chance of those hard plastic lugs marring the interior.

Once my brother's wife brought a oily styrofoam container of italian food in my car (a '95 Protege) and layed it on the seat. They said it was OK, but it ended up leaking through the seam and staining my seat. I wanted to KILL.

I also understand that washing my car is ultimately futile. But I do appreciate it staying clean for a day or two after I clean it. Cleaning it and having mud or rain dirty it up a hour after is just aggravating.

[Antonio DiMarco]

I'm probably going to get flack for this, but think of all the time you're spending cleaning your car? Aren't there better things you could be doing? Spending time with your family? Going for a run? Driving your car? Knitting sweaters for homeless kittens? (uhm)

I don't think it's about wasting time as much as feeding a habit. I htink many car enthusiasts possess some level of OCD. My OCD comes in waves.

One day there was a white scuff on the passenger side of my dash and I almost got into an accident trying to wipe it. ONce I saw it it just kept annoying me like a splinter in my mind.(bang)

[camrycev6]

Trying to keep your car immaculate 24/7 is impossible. My phylosophy is that you take the appropriate steps to prevent things getting dirty (waxing, rubber mats, napkins around coffee cup to soak up small splashes) but I don't loose my mind if someone gets into the car with leaves on their shoes or a little bit of dirt. That's what a vacuum is for. And let's face it most of the material they use inside modern cars is relatively stain resistant. I also don't mind if people bring food in the car as long as they put the bag on the floor (my floor is clean so they shouldn't worry).

On the other hand I won't turn a blind eye to someone who wants to put their greasy pizza box or doggy bag on my seat. Or let my kids in the car without a brush off or checking their shoes for dog crap. I also ask my son to remove his cleats before getting in my car. Not for the dirt as much for the chance of those hard plastic lugs marring the interior.

Once my brother's wife brought a oily styrofoam container of italian food in my car (a '95 Protege) and layed it on the seat. They said it was OK, but it ended up leaking through the seam and staining my seat. I wanted to KILL.

I also understand that washing my car is ultimately futile. But I do appreciate it staying clean for a day or two after I clean it. Cleaning it and having mud or rain dirty it up a hour after is just aggravating.

I agree with you on all of this. I like a clean car, but just like the exterior, I know that over time, things are going to happen. Scratchs, fading, dents, etc., etc. We all just want our cars to stay as new as possible for as long as possible. However, unless you are just aren't going to drive it, that is really impossible over time.

[Knox Joe]

Rules for my cars

1. No food or drink in the car.

2. Anything not in the car when you got in, comes out.

3. Kick dirt off shoes before entering the car.


I may buy some seat covers for the MS6, cause the leather is getting dirty and stained. So I can understand the guy with the towels. But why not just buy some seat covers?

[mckraut]

Well, shit, we must be doing it wrong cuz it takes a lot longer for me and my husband. (scratch) LOL!

Same here. When I clean, I clean clean. Vacuuming, washing the inside of windows, detailing the dashboard and all plastic surfaces, treatment wipes on all leather pieces, etc. etc. etc. My center console even comes out of the car to wipe it down real good.

Now, I only do that once every 6 weeks or so though.


3. Kick off shoes before entering the car.

I do not think it wise to drive without shoes on.

[Knox Joe]

I do not think it wise to drive without shoes on.

I meant kick the dirt of your shoes. lol

[mazdaspeedster3]

If you keep the car clean - cleaning it takes less time. I can wash the outside, dry it, do the windows and dust the dash in less than 15 minutes easy. 2 or 3 times a week (weather permitting) or when brake dust becomes noticeable. I would go to the drive thru but we all know what that causes, unknown damage to your car.

[SwampAss]

I make a mess. I have books/clothes/and wrappers to shit in my car. I make it a point to clean it out once a week though. It never gets messy. Just a little cluttered. I keep the exterior very clean though.

[mckraut]

I meant kick the dirt of your shoes. lol

lol.....oh

[Kain]

I never let a woman on her monthly in my car. Cleaning Alcantara is a bitch.

[mazdaspeedster3]

Tmi!

[EvilJen]

I never let a woman on her monthly in my car. Cleaning Alcantara is a bitch.

Aaaand on that note: *Unsubscribes*

LOL!

[zoomzone]

I'm not against drinking in the car heck I do it all the time, but I am a little anal about anyone eating in the car... I've admittedly only done it once when I had to woof down a chipotle burrito 5min. before class and even then I had the door open, my feet out and was eating over the parking lot...


You can eat a Chipotle burrito in 5 minutes?!?! Very impressive.

[zoomzone]

I never let a woman on her monthly in my car. Cleaning Alcantara is a bitch.

And with that statement, I'm willing to bet no woman wants to be in your car in the first place.

[SwampAss]

Puppy training pads work wonders.

[Kain]

The missus and I ride commando. It's a life choice. Don't judge us.

[happy and angry]

It's all good. God invented plastic upholstery covers for old women and your wife.

[EvilJen]

It's all good. God invented plastic upholstery covers for old women and your wife.

Ugh! That reminds me of the time an elderly lady peed in the back seat of my parent's caddy when I was little. I refused to sit on that side of the car for the rest of the time my parents owned it. LOL!

[Kain]

It's all good. God invented plastic upholstery covers for old women and your wife.

*mumbles something to the effect about the two not necessarily being mutually exclusive, but looks over his shoulder cautiously before doing so*

[Olestra]

I also keep my interior in mint condition by doing the usual wiping, dusting, interior conditioning etc. It looks as clean as when it was new.

My friends know I love to detail my car, if they spill something in the cupholder area, they think I'm going to freak out. But I'm actually ok with it. I'd rather it spill there than on the seat or carpet. When it comes time to clean the car, I just wipe it all up and it's all good.

I went to McD's drive through with a friend when I first got my car. When she got out of the car with the bag of food in her hand, she dropped it right on the door sill and spilled fries all over my carpet. That was not cool! But whatever, can you do... So I understand all the no food/drink OCDers. =) For me, I just don't want to impose my rules on others.

Interior scratches are another story though... Sports bags, stilletos, cleats etc. will wreck your passenger side.

[phillyb]

i only read the first two posts, but there is no fucking way i'm taking my shoes off when i get into someone's car

[jlocurto]

since my car is still new (less than 4 months old) im pretty strict about what i let ppl do in my car
it always ends up that someone leaves their garbage in my car.. and then thats the last time i let them eat in it lol
but over the summer i would work construction so i went out and bought 2 black towels and would put one on my seat after work or after the gym to keep it clean

[ZooMIN3]

I'm like most of you here about keeping your car clean.

There is nothing satisfying than getting into a nice clean freshly detailed ride..brings a smile to my face..lol

As for anyone getting into my car, I'll tell them to dust off their shoes, and to not spill their food in my car... sometimes some will be like, man that's fucked up... I'm like well you go and buy your own car and do what you like smart ass...

Hell I tell them to not slam my door when they get in or out!! hahaha

by the way, what the heck does OCD mean??? =\

[Antonio DiMarco]

I'm like most of you here about keeping your car clean.

There is nothing satisfying than getting into a nice clean freshly detailed ride..brings a smile to my face..lol

As for anyone getting into my car, I'll tell them to dust off their shoes, and to not spill their food in my car... sometimes some will be like, man that's fucked up... I'm like well you go and buy your own car and do what you like smart ass...

Hell I tell them to not slam my door when they get in or out!! hahaha

by the way, what the heck does OCD mean??? =\

...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Most car guys are OCD. Or just plain crazy.(freak)

[NCZ13]

no ive detailed some car guys cars... even some car guys dont keep their cars clean at all.

[ZooMIN3]

...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Most car guys are OCD. Or just plain crazy.(freak)

lol gotcha...(headbang)

i was thinking over the counter drugs for some reason...(doh)

[i12drivemyMP5]

I don't take my car anywhere where there'd be any muddy feet, that's for the krazy truck. No food, no air fresheners or heavy cologne, seat covers whole time, AC on all the time, garage kept & NO SMOKING!..........Still have new car smell from 03.

[mdavis]

I never drive my car and keep it in one of those car bubbles. It's genius!!

[Donas64]

I keep my car reasonably clean. My father is fastidious about keeping cars clean and it rubbed off on me. When he and my mom bought me my 96 G20 as a college graduation gift & first car, he told me if he ever came to visit and it was dirty, he was taking those keys right back.

I wash my P5 and keep it clean. I don't mind drinking or eating in my car but I have a you spill it, you clean it rule. So far no one has spilled anything. My only real rule is absolutely no smoking. ugh! Nothing worse than a car that smells like cigarettes.

[mazdaspeedster3]

It smelled like cigarettes leutenant Dan...

[pdqgp]

When I was single and had nothing really going on responsibility wise, I was a nut about my car. Looking back, it was a waste of time. Kept me happy and busy though.

Now, it's just a fucking car. A nice car and I certainly keep them clean, but not overly anal clean.

Auto carpet is so tough and easy to clean I don't worry about it. My wife spilled coffee and let it sit for a week in our other car, Light Grey interior, and it came out no problem.

I try and vacuum and wipe down the inside once per week. The outside every 1-2 weeks or if I have time in the evenings. I do try and clean it for occasions and trips.

The van, I'll run her through car-washes and shit, but it's just a minivan. I have it detailed twice per year and buffed to brand new so I don't worry about it much at all. I just have to keep the interior nice as that's where we all live when using it.

That's my take.

[EvilJen]

We had our P5 for almost 2 years before we ever waxed it. Go on.... start the flaming. LOL! I guess b/c we bought it used and we lived in an apt. at the time, it wasn't a big deal to us. But now that we have a garage to keep her in, my husband takes better care of her. Thank goodness for leather seats too! They stay really clean.... except for the time my husband was painting and got in the car for a second not realizing he had white paint on the back of his shirt. White paint on black leather. (doh)

[CantCMe]

You and your husband are just nasty (rlaugh)


We had our P5 for almost 2 years before we ever waxed it. Go on.... start the flaming. LOL! I guess b/c we bought it used and we lived in an apt. at the time, it wasn't a big deal to us. But now that we have a garage to keep her in, my husband takes better care of her. Thank goodness for leather seats too! They stay really clean.... except for the time my husband was painting and got in the car for a second not realizing he had white paint on the back of his shirt. White paint on black leather. (doh)

[jred321]

i have yet to wax my car. can't say i really plan on it either. just don't care enough. plus the backs of the front seats have dirt mountain bike tire treads on them from loading bikes in. haven't cleaned my interior yet so not bothering to clean that off, especially since it'll just come back the next time i go biking. it's just a car to me, other things are far more important to spend time and money on

[NCZ13]

what i dont understand is how some of you can pay 20k+ for a car, and not bother to take care of it properly.

take 2 cars. both owned for the same period of time, both the exact same car and color. Only one owner takes the time to use good wash technique, use good detailing products. His paint is generally swirl free, his interior is in excellent condition. the other guy doesnt bother to clean his car, and runs it through the local swirlomatic, or the local handwash who uses the same shammy they dropped on the floor and used on the 15 other cars in front of him. His paint is in terrible condition. deep marks from bad washing and drying technique as well as the wrong materials, completlely swirled finish that is starting oxidize because it was never waxed or protected. Headights are hazed and yellow, wheels have brake dust caked on them.

Whos car do you think will sell better privately? who do you think will make more money back from their car after X amount of time.

A car is one of the biggest investments of your life. why not take care of it?

[EvilJen]

what i dont understand is how some of you can pay 20k+ for a car, and not bother to take care of it properly.

take 2 cars. both owned for the same period of time, both the exact same car and color. Only one owner takes the time to use good wash technique, use good detailing products. His paint is generally swirl free, his interior is in excellent condition. the other guy doesnt bother to clean his car, and runs it through the local swirlomatic, or the local handwash who uses the same shammy they dropped on the floor and used on the 15 other cars in front of him. His paint is in terrible condition. deep marks from bad washing and drying technique as well as the wrong materials, completlely swirled finish that is starting oxidize because it was never waxed or protected. Headights are hazed and yellow, wheels have brake dust caked on them.

Whos car do you think will sell better privately? who do you think will make more money back from their car after X amount of time.

A car is one of the biggest investments of your life. why not take care of it?

One of the biggest investments? These are Mazdas, not Aston Martins. The thing depreciates the minute you drive it off the lot. My car is a means of transportation. It's not something I need to get all "OMG! There's a speck of dirt on it, grab the detailing products!"

If I have to worry about cleaning it every week, then it'll take the enjoyment out of owning it. If people want to dote on their car, more power to them! (alright) But I have better things to do with my time than to worry about the resale value of my car.

Also, with regard to your scenario, person A could take great care of his car, but how many accidents has it been in? How many miles does it have on it? How many dents, scratches, curb rash on the wheels? These factors also affect resale value. ;)

[jred321]

A car is one of the biggest investments of your life.
(rofl)
car and investment do not belong in the same sentence unless the word "poor" is somewhere in there. two points: most people buy cars to get from A to B. if it's still doing that and is all in one piece does it really matter what it looks like? second is most cosmetic problems can be fixed after the fact if you want to get rid of a car. a good detailing can take care of most swirls, brake dust is pretty easy to remove, even a new coat of clear isn't that expensive if you're looking to dump the car. so you can either spend the life of the car obsessing over every little flaw that happens (the most serious of which are going to come from factors beyond your control anyways) or you can relax, treat it as a car, then when it's time to sell spend a few hundred bucks to have it made to look the same as the car that was obsessed over its entire life. most people will pick option B

[Kain]

One of the biggest investments?

+eleventy

If a car is one of the biggest investments in your life, then you're either a regular at Barrett-Jackson auctions or your priorities are seriously fucked.

[jred321]

but how many accidents has it been in? How many miles does it have on it? How many dents, scratches, curb rash on the wheels?
how many assholes start their cars on fire right next to yours?

[evilmonkeyMSP]

(rlaugh)
how many assholes start their cars on fire right next to yours?

[evilmonkeyMSP]

arent investments supposed to appreciate in value? Since when did japanese 4 bangers start doing that?

[Olestra]

I don't see what's wrong with that statement?
Most people will spend 20k on two things in their life. A down payment for a house or a car. I can't think of a third thing that will fit in that category. A car is a luxury but ppl treat it like a necessity so they will spend the 20k to get the car they want over taking the bus and buying something else.

There are depreciating assets and appreciating assets. Unfortunately cars depreciate, but we invest in them anyways because we "need" them. You're not throwing money away by any means because you're hopefully using the vehicle (and not keeping it in a bubble =) but when it comes time to sell it, you want as much money as you can get back from your depreciating investment.

So again, why not take care of something you spent a lot of money on? It makes logical sense.
We just have to moderate, let it get dirty when you don't want to worry about it, but clean it up afterwards.

Edit: it does suck though when I take amazing care of my car and a 96 Caravan rear ends me for 13k damages. =)

[NCZ13]

maybe investments was the wrong word. Either way you (as in a general everyone) pays alot of money per month, and whether or not its a hyundai, or a maserati, why not take the upmost care of it? Yeah cars do depreciate, but there is still a difference in how much you would get back when you go to sell it. My scenario was purely pointing out the difference in how people take care of their cars, not the exact situations the car will go through. IF the cars were to be sold as is, on the spot, who would get more money? look on craigslist, and how many cars are up for sale and are in terrible shape? If they were proplerly cleaned and cared for they could probably ask for more, and people would buy it.

maybe im just crazy because my door jambs are cleaner than most of your cars O_O

[Kain]

I don't see what's wrong with that statement?
Most people will spend 20k on two things in their life. A down payment for a house or a car. I can't think of a third thing that will fit in that category.

Tuition (for yourself and/or children)? Retirement plans? Wedding(s) (for yourself and/or children)?

[NCZ13]

Tuition (for yourself and/or children)? Retirement plans? Wedding(s) (for yourself and/or children)?

true, but your not turning around and selling a wedding again, with both tuition and retirement plans you get money back (with the tuiton comes a degree, which hypothetically leads to a better paying job).

What really bothers me is that half my neighbors wash their cars by hosing them down, and drying them with old bath towels in the sun...

[Olestra]

Ah nice, tuition and retirement
I limiting myself to stuff you can own, but tuition and retirement are good investments. Hopefully ppl are spending more than 20k on retirement. =)

I can't say anything about spending 20k+ on a wedding as I'm not married but alot of ppl think expensive weddings are outrageous.

Edit: What's true about all these things we invest in is that we have to work on them and take care of them or they can easy lead to loss.
A car is not an exception to that.

[Olestra]

What really bothers me is that half my neighbors wash their cars by hosing them down, and drying them with old bath towels in the sun...

It's not your car or your money though. =) Just don't let them wash your car.

[NCZ13]

well consider i detail out of my house, and im always out there either doing my car, or my moms cars, not to mention theres always a different car in my driveway every couple days youd think more of them would approach me asking for some work... but eh, this economy isnt helping my detailing side business at all.

detailing is my stress reliever, I enjoy it, it relaxes me, which is why i take it so seriously i guess.

[15min5k]

Is this thread for real??

[jred321]

there's a middle ground between filthy and immaculate which is where most people fall. to the filthy people the people in that middle ground have cars that are really clean and they won't notice the difference between a middle ground car and an immaculate car because they're both clean. to the immaculate people everyone whose car isn't immaculate is filthy. most people are in the middle ground category and keep their car clean enough and don't notice a car that has super clean door jambs as anything different than their pretty clean car nor will they notice when someone's wheels have a few years worth of brake dust on them.

any car that is used as a DD isn't worth keeping immaculate imho since it's going to be subjected to other's abuse and lack of respect daily. it should be clean enough but doesn't need to be washed and waxed weekly. a collector or weekend car should be spotless unless it's a race car

[evilmonkeyMSP]

Good post....just because all of us arent anal about car care doesnt mean our cars look like shit boxes...nor do we value them any less than you
there's a middle ground between filthy and immaculate which is where most people fall. to the filthy people the people in that middle ground have cars that are really clean and they won't notice the difference between a middle ground car and an immaculate car because they're both clean. to the immaculate people everyone whose car isn't immaculate is filthy. most people are in the middle ground category and keep their car clean enough and don't notice a car that has super clean door jambs as anything different than their pretty clean car nor will they notice when someone's wheels have a few years worth of brake dust on them.

any car that is used as a DD isn't worth keeping immaculate imho since it's going to be subjected to other's abuse and lack of respect daily. it should be clean enough but doesn't need to be washed and waxed weekly. a collector or weekend car should be spotless unless it's a race car

[AAMguy]

my ex fiance tried to eat in my car

hence the word ex.

[mckraut]

I agree with jred and evilmonkey

[KZL_99ES]

my ex fiance tried to eat in my car

hence the word ex.

LOL !!!

[EvilJen]

Good post....just because all of us arent anal about car care doesnt mean our cars look like shit boxes...nor do we value them any less than you

(werd) Adding to that, not everyone has the time to detail their cars, or even wash them on a weekly basis. There are a # of factors involved. Time, priorities and responsiblities all come into play.

Do I love my car? Yes. Do I wash it every week? Shit, it's lucky if it gets washed every other month. But do I freak out if a bird craps on it? No. Does a dirty car make me any less happy to drive it? Myeh.... depends on the level of dirty we're talking about. ;)

[ericrapp]

No eating, maybe some drinking from a closed container as boost seems to happen often, followed by severe braking occasionally. And my filthy handed children are really not even allowed near my cars. This is all based on experience I can assure you. The only dirty seat in my car is well, mine.

[ericrapp]

(werd) Adding to that, not everyone has the time to detail their cars, or even wash them on a weekly basis. There are a # of factors involved. Time, priorities and responsiblities all come into play.

Do I love my car? Yes. Do I wash it every week? Shit, it's lucky if it gets washed every other month. But do I freak out if a bird craps on it? No. Does a dirty car make me any less happy to drive it? Myeh.... depends on the level of dirty we're talking about. ;)My car is very very dirty. But its's awhole lotta fun too.

[Antonio DiMarco]

maybe investments was the wrong word. Either way you (as in a general everyone) pays alot of money per month, and whether or not its a hyundai, or a maserati, why not take the upmost care of it? Yeah cars do depreciate, but there is still a difference in how much you would get back when you go to sell it. My scenario was purely pointing out the difference in how people take care of their cars, not the exact situations the car will go through. IF the cars were to be sold as is, on the spot, who would get more money? look on craigslist, and how many cars are up for sale and are in terrible shape? If they were proplerly cleaned and cared for they could probably ask for more, and people would buy it.

maybe im just crazy because my door jambs are cleaner than most of your cars O_O

Cars, unless they are, rare italian supercars, rarely appareciate.

BUT

The fact that you pay 25,000 for something entitles it to be cared for. I don't wash my car weekly but I try to keep it clean and tidy. I also make sure I remove stuff like bird crap or coffee stains immediately becasue it's acidic and will stain.

I agree with everyone who says that a clean car usually gets sold quicker. I've traded all my older cars and have always gotten top dollar for them becasue the dealer didn't have to do a single thing to them. Ultimately it was an extra 500 t0 $1000 dollars, which is better in my pocket than someone elses.

Plus for me cleaning it is therapy and instant gratification. I also feel peace in a clean car and completely uncomfortable in a dirty one.

FYI my door jambs are also clean :-)

FWIW my wife and I keep our home spotless as well. We've burned through three vacuum cleaners in the last 8 years. :-)

[DeanSweet]

the question is does your car still smell new inside after 5+ years?
That's how OCD I am about my car. :(

-Dean

[jred321]

no, the fart smell overpowers the new car smell very quickly in my car

[Captain GJ]

I'm pretty anal about the interior and exterior. Anyone who knows me would say I'm OCD about it. No eating/drinking in the car. A little dirt on the floor mats, etc doesn't bother me too much and I usually only dust off the interior when I wash the car on the weekends. The thing I worry about most concerning the interior are people scuffing up the door, dash with bags, shoes, etc. The interior of this car scuffs up very easily. I'm really hoping they put some more soft touch materials in the next-gen 3.

I made the mistake of neglecting my last car towards the end of ownership, and it hurt me in trying to get it sold.

[15min5k]

Two Words: Candy Ass

[Antonio DiMarco]

I'm pretty anal about the interior and exterior. Anyone who knows me would say I'm OCD about it. No eating/drinking in the car. A little dirt on the floor mats, etc doesn't bother me too much and I usually only dust off the interior when I wash the car on the weekends. The thing I worry about most concerning the interior are people scuffing up the door, dash with bags, shoes, etc. The interior of this car scuffs up very easily. I'm really hoping they put some more soft touch materials in the next-gen 3.

I made the mistake of neglecting my last car towards the end of ownership, and it hurt me in trying to get it sold.

To dust the dash when it gets too dusty. Works pretty well.