Losing the willpower

Y2KSVT

Y2KSVT

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Since I found AutoGeek, I've been hand washing both of our vehicles with the 2 bucket method. I'd seal/wax them both, a couple times a year, and last summer I used a coating for the first time on my car. I've found that my motivation to get out in the garage has lessened significantly in the last year. I can't say that I exactly have a lot of time on my hands, but I was usually able to find some time in the evenings to clean at least one of the cars, after the kids went to bed.

I understand this is a forum of enthusiasts, so no sympathy expected here. Looking to see who else might be, or might have been in this position, and what they did. I'm debating whether I turn into what I thought I never would, and that's a guy that gets in line at the local tunnel wash. At least I'd get more than a few washes per year, but would obviously sacrifice the integrity and gloss of my paint. I have cabinets full of detailing supplies and tools that would pretty much go unused, but I'd be able to spend my time doing other things. I'm at a crossroads..
 
No harm, no foul. Do whatever works best for *you*

I spend way more time on my wife's car than I do my own. For good reason. It takes priority...blah blah blah. This could turn into a long rant. haha

Anyway. My own daily driver is neglected. Clear coat failure is the reason.

That said, I don't spend much time washing my own cars. Daily, as noted above. The Jeep is more of an occasional use vehicle, so I don't even see it often (stored in a different city). So that gets a coin-op wash once every 1-2 weeks. Just a quick hose down. My little "racecar" hardly ever goes out. I'll rinseless wash that one every now and then.

I try and do rinseless on the wife's Kia once a week, but finding the time is harder these days. I'd rather spend the time hanging out with my wife.

With your vehicle being coated, you might be okay going through a tunnel (touchless style, not brush) wash. I remember one member did a long term test back in the "early days" of coatings, I believe with Optimum, and he did nothing but tunnels. The coating held up pretty good.

Long story short, do what you are comfortable with. Never mind what some 'Geeks will tell you. :)
 
Yep. Three teenagers at home and a more than full time job. Finding the time to do this is not easy. I pretty much gave up on exterior maintenance in the winter. To dark, cold, and wet. And the cars get covered in road grime within 1/2 mile of leaving the house. I do a few washes and hose them off or pressure wash on occasion. No point in removing the grime to to have it immediately replaced by new grime.

The good news is that with a coating or a good sealant less effort should be required. With a good sealant I can usually wash my car in 20 mins, maybe less. Longer, warmer days certainly help.
 
How old are your kids? My 2 1/2 year old loves being outside when the weather permits.
 
I can actually sympathize. First I stopped doing other people's cars and will only do mine.

A lot of times I just don't feel like cleaning up the car on a weekend. In fact this very scenario came up this weekend...

I had the choice to wash my car which isn't filthy or do some needed spring house cleaning. I choose the house since the car wasn't in terrible shape. I'm now under the mindset that it doesn't need to be spotless every day. It will be ok if I don't get to the cars every week. They have good protection on them and they aren't going to melt and fall apart. That's the whole reason we have spent time and money researching and buying the right products.

So go ahead and slack a little.

But I will never take my car to the swirl-o-matic as long as I can pick up a hose and bucket LOL
 
May I suggest getting your children involved with your vehicle washing. Have fun washing the grocery getter.

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Y2KSVT said:
Since I found AutoGeek, I've been hand washing both of our vehicles with the 2 bucket method. I'd seal/wax them both, a couple times a year, and last summer I used a coating for the first time on my car. I've found that my motivation to get out in the garage has lessened significantly in the last year. I can't say that I exactly have a lot of time on my hands, but I was usually able to find some time in the evenings to clean at least one of the cars, after the kids went to bed.

I understand this is a forum of enthusiasts, so no sympathy expected here. Looking to see who else might be, or might have been in this position, and what they did. I'm debating whether I turn into what I thought I never would, and that's a guy that gets in line at the local tunnel wash. At least I'd get more than a few washes per year, but would obviously sacrifice the integrity and gloss of my paint. I have cabinets full of detailing supplies and tools that would pretty much go unused, but I'd be able to spend my time doing other things. I'm at a crossroads..
Click to expand...
If you're more passionate about other things or time with your family, do that! Do whatever makes you most happy. But I must object to all the swirls and possible scratches a tunnel wash will give you. Use a touchless or a coin operated hose one and then if you feel like spending a little time outside a few times a year, you could do a contact wash to remove whatever the touchless ones might not.

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My boys are 7 and 4. My youngest has an interest in cars. Well, Disney Pixar Cars, that is! I could see getting them outside with me when they're a little older, but with as little as we seem to be home, I'd rather let them ride bikes and play on the swing set at their age. My wife and I both work full time jobs, so by the time we're home together we have about 2 hours to eat, play and take baths before they're off to bed, and that's when they aren't in baseball or soccer. I try to practice violin (another hobby) when we put them to bed, so it's after 9:00 by the time I'm done with that, and then I like to spend a little time with my wife before she goes to bed. I guess I'm trying to have it all, which I've come to the conclusion is not possible. I did a rinseless wash on my car about a month ago and I was exhausted after it. It's typically at about 11:30pm, when I'm trying to quietly take a shower without waking my wife, that I contemplate if this is what I want to be doing. I'm glad there are others that can relate!
 

I do understand this and have run into similar issue with my time during the week. But I have a desire to take care of my vehicles so I set aside time early on the weekends during my days off to wash and care for vehicles. Any reason you can't do this and wash 1 vehicle per day so you limit the time it takes? Once I am protected I can wash a vehicle in 30-45 min easy. So I gladly get up earlier to make it happen.
 
That's something to consider, Troy. I'd just have to get it in my head that it needs to be done, and like you, make it a point to get up early. I'll weigh all of this before I hit that first tunnel wash!
 
I'm a morning person, so I do all of my detailing work when the sun comes up on the weekends. I'm sometimes done before anybody else is up in the house.
 
I too was "burned out" for the longest time. I ALMOST wrote a post on all my detailing forums telling everyone on there that they were insane and out of their minds for spending so much time/effort/money on a CAR!

BUT, I realized that I too, was just as guilty and I recognized the burn out for what it was. It was partially because I had no one NEARBY to share my passion. I made the mistake of years ago NOT LETTING my kids help me wash my (at the time) truck - which in actuality was a beater that they COULDN'T hurt. I should have let them do what they wanted, my son was almost as thorough cleaning the tires and rims as I was - didn't have a clue what he was doing - but he was enjoying himself. I regret what I did, but you can't change the past and I have to live with it.

I STILL sometimes have trouble getting up the energy to even wash my own car, but once I get going, usually my enthusiasm returns. I don't wash in the winter as others have mentioned because it's too hard to do it RIGHT and the odds of causing damage are so much greater, I WILL occasionally take it through a touchless to knock off the big stuff, but that's about it.

Be easy on yourself.
 
I have been so frustrated lately because of all the rain we are having. Can't keep a clean car and a waste of time trying to.
Time to get the motorcycles ready to ride and then I get a phone call from the doctors office. My EKG showed I have had a recent heart attack.
Time to put everything on hold and see a Cardiologist.
Can't die from a dirty car! lol
 
Everyone burns out now and then. When keeping your vehicle clean becomes more of a chore than fun it is time to back off and do something else. We won’t judge you (much). Lol
 
I reserve Saturday mornings and I work very fast and expend a lot of energy detailing the cars. It is my aerobic exercise for the week because I'm occupied with work, family, etc. for all other times.

Detailing is my exercise, I work up a good sweat, get fairly winded and don't let up on the accelerator. Even something as mundane as cleaning and detailing the windows can be turned into decent aerobic exercise. Everything is organized and laid out on the cart and on a portable table I setup so I can bang out three cars in under 4 hours. Most of the time I use spray wax as my QD drying agent. Door jams, under the hood and every other part of the vehicle gets attention. The interiors are sometimes neglected if I'm running short on time.

Periodically I hit the paint with a DA, clay and paste wax, etc. Those are all done with precision and intensity, too. My upper body strength and flexibility is pretty decent for my age, too.
 
@OP:
Don’t worry: you’re not alone
in this mindset.


•Nowadays, I mostly concern myself
with getting bug guts and bird crap
off the vehicles ASAP.

-Having the vehicles in a *”#### and Span”
condition is dependent on how I view the
concept of inverse proportionality; and,
the affect it could have on any given day’s
familial activities—planned, or otherwise.


*
59AB1EEF-9948-45D5-B1D2-BA443EF1B1BD.png



Bob
 
FUNX650 said:
@OP:
Don’t worry: you’re not alone
in this mindset.


•Nowadays, I mostly concern myself
with getting bug guts and bird crap
off the vehicles ASAP.

-Having the vehicles in a “####(k) and Span”
condition is dependent on how I view the
concept of inverse proportionality; and,
the affect it could have on any given day’s
familial activities—planned, or otherwise.


Bob
Click to expand...

Translation: If Bob's too busy, the car can wait. :cool:
 
I'll bite...
I didn't see if this was the case, but if you're trying to be meticulous with your daily drivers, I can certainly relate. I gave up on that years ago.
However, once I got the garage queen (I'll drive it only when it's nice... a few times a week in the nice months), it is very therapeutic for me to go out after the kids are down, and clean something on it.
It sounds like that's the violin for you. I also have a few other hobbies to choose from, and obviously one takes a back seat when I feel like doing another.
In the end, I feel it's ok to have multiple hobbies, and pick the one I feel like doing at the time, without getting burned out on one. The other will be there when I want to pick it back up.
 
Tunnel wash ! Noooooooooooooooo!! I sure less frequent washes by hand will treat your paint better than one trip through the swirl o matic. I wash my truck with a really soft boat brush and dry it with a chamois mop when I can't give it a proper bath. 30-40 min and done. Still better than than swirl mart.
 
Think I'm just gonna be on maintenance cruise control for a bit, no more polishing/coating for a while unless something truly interesting presents itself.

The constant researching, scheming on what I can get done when, all in the interest of curiosity is getting tiresome...and expensive.

Gave away an unopened 50ml Gyeon Pure kit recently and the primary feeling as I put it in the mail was...relief.
 
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