No one on my block washes their cars

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I started thinking about it and realized that out of the 80 or so homes on my block I have only seen 2 other people outside on their driveways washing their cars. There is 1 guy who is really good about it and his truck always looks good. Then there is one other guy who I may see washing his car every couple of weeks. Directly across the street from me are 2 households with 4 cars each. One of the homes has a 22 year old kid who has washed his 3 y/o Honda maybe twice since he got it new.

When I think about it there are only 2 of us that actually maintain their own lawns.

I don't know, I guess these people have a lot more money than I do. Regardless, I enjoy maintaining the things I own. I get compliments on my front yard when I'm out there working on it and people are walking by. You couldn't say that about any of the neighbor's yards. People get into my cars and always remark on how nice it looks.

OK, my little rant is over.
 
I am the ONLY person in my neighborhood who washes his car. It should be no surprise that I’m also the only one who mows the lawn too.

I agree, I take pride in ownership of my property. I see this as something that is becoming extinct these days. That why we need town ordinances that make home owners keep their lawns below a certain height. Because pride in ownership is scarce, people would just let things go if there weren’t ordinances to keep them in check.
 
I've said it before, in the detailing world now there are SOOOOOO many products to choose from, some better than others. But if anyone is taking the time to wash and apply a wax/sealant/coating, they are doing more than ALOT of people are. So no matter what you reach for on the shelf, it's a win for your car/truck/bike/etc. So many people just drive, maybe hit an automatic car wash the odd time. Obviously there are still alot of people detailing their cars, proof of that is the vast amount of brands and products to choose from.
 
It could be a time issue in addition to money when it comes to the yardwork. I know when my kids were younger and I traveled for work more, it was often hard to find time to do yardwork myself.

My neighborhood is similar. We're a small developent of less than 30 homes, but I've only seen two other houses every hand wash their vehicles. I'm the neighborhood weirdo who is frequently seen washing my family fleet.

Another thing in my area is automated car washes are EVERYWHERE. There have always been multiple old school car washes that had coin-op self wash bays, and a bay or two for an touchless and/or a automated car wash with brushes. Over the last year I've seen 5~6 new, huge, brightly/colorful lit tunnel wash places built/open within 2~4 miles of our house in the last 12 months. You can't swing a dead car without hitting a car wash. I really wonder how they will all stay in business. With that kind of conveyance, people who don't really care too much about their car appearance aren't very likely to wash by hand. Especially when most of the new car wash places offer subscriptions with unlimited washes each month.

Personally, I like to do things for my self. It's rewarding and I like the sense of accomplishment of keeping things clean/tidy. Other people have other priorities and don't mind having someone else do the work.
 
I maintain my own vehicles on a frequent and OCD level. I pay for a lawn service. I hate doing yardwork especially in the summer in FL!

I have some neighbors who run through an automated car wash regularly and ALL of them also pay for lawn service.
 
I don’t see anybody out washing their cars. But they look clean so I’m guessing they use swirl-o-matics. Can’t comment on lawns, my health made me farm that task out. There’s a few that do their own lawns here.
 
I have a few of my neighbors as detail customers. Some were frequent tunnel wash customers.

People generally don't take the time for their vehicles.
 
Wash and detail my own truck. Every weekend in the warmer months. I see some attempts of neighbors trying to wash. But for the most part no one does it here either.

Still cut my own grass. A handful also have lawn service deal with their yards.
 
You are on a site that specializes in people who care about their cars. My guess is that’s 2% of the American public… Most people think of their cars as an appliance. They give it the same care as they do their refrigerator… I don’t have a single friend, or anybody in my neighborhood, which is a gated community in Florida, that I’ve ever seen wash their car by hand. If you have a high-end car down here, and you don’t use a car wash, it’s usually detailed by somebody who comes to your house. And I don’t think it’s just the elites down here, for several years, I lived at a major apartment building that was spread over several acres, in about. 15 buildings, and I never saw anybody wash their car there either.
 
Just was thinking, except for the two or three times a year I do a hose wash, no one in my neighborhood would know I wash our cars. I generally rinseless or waterless wash inside my temp controlled garage.
 
Bill D said:
I am the ONLY person in my neighborhood who washes his car. It should be no surprise that I’m also the only one who mows the lawn too.
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Same here LOL. The only time I remember anyone washing their cars was 20 or so years ago when there were a few high school kids that would occasionally wash their car. You would fairly regularly see a few younger adults at the 'wash it yourself' facilities, but they removed ours locally about 5 years ago.

I know for sure I'm the only one that manages the cut grass clippings on the sidewalks and driveways. I REALLY hate driveways and sidewalks with grass clippings and leaves all over the place.
 
I used to avail myself of those before I caught the detailing bug. After, I’d give money but not have them wash my car. I don’t even see that anywhere any more and I can’t remember the last time I saw it.
 
My development has over 200 houses and I've only seen 3 or 4 different houses washing a car outside. I guess most still take it to the swirl inducing tunnel but there are some that actually never wash. My neighbor next door is one of them, only uses the rain as a car wash. The funny part is that her car is always dry while my wife's car outside is full of water beads on it. Last night, for example, it rained. This morning I saw our Grand Cherokee covered in beads (looked really nice) but then I looked at this old Grand Cherokee and it's dry, almost like it never rained. So what makes a dirty car that is never washed and never seen any protection applied dry so much faster?
 
I am the only guy in my neighborhood who washes his car in the winter, in shorts, and a t shirt. I do notice that whenever I go outside and start a detailing session, my next door neighbor all of the sudden goes outside and starts washing his car. He does a half assed job but at least he attempts it.
 
Hell, I don't think anyone else in my whole TOWN washes their cars. Lol

I'm sure I am wrong, but I never see one person in this (tiny) village washing their vehicles.

I was machine polishing the Ram once a few years ago, and the neighbor from down the block walked in the yard and asked me why I was "sanding" my truck.

When I told him what I was actually doing, he just looked confused and walked off.

Same guy who's wife got him a $1500 Cub Cadet snow blower for Christmas about 5-6 years ago. He used it once that winter, and then I never saw it again.

I asked him about it a couple years later, and he said "It was a POS. Wouldn't start right, so I sold it." :doh:


People have NO clue about anything, and it seems they don't want to learn either.......... :dunno:
 
Same here. Some people in my area will sometimes scuff at someone who is taking care of their cars.
 
Neighbor pulled up with his wife and said your going to wash the paint off. Next day he was washing their cars!

I still see him washing it from time to time. I probably see 10-15 peoples at least once in summer washing.


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I used to wash my car every week. I try to do that during the summer. Some of my other vehicles are more hit and miss. I don't have the amount of time I did 15 years ago.
 
The housing estate I live in is about 50% defense housing, and there all RAAF, so a reasonable amount of young families in my neighbourhood. Which means a good amount of car washing is happening. I walk my dogs late in the afternoon, so I know the regulars who wash their cars, about half use foam cannons, they've become very popular recently, the "in" thing.

I know what a pain it is when someone interrupts mid wash, so I usually just nod a hello, if they happen to be using something I like, I let them know, if they're using something crap, I keep it to myself.

On the weekend the guy a few houses up on the other side of the road washed his old Nissan Patrol, and he was putting something on the plastic trim afterwards, curiosity got the better of me, out came the binoculars, it was Mother's Naturally Black. No comment.

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noorth said:
Same here. Some people in my area will sometimes scuff at someone who is taking care of their cars.
Click to expand...

I think this is due to people, in general, viewing cars as nothing but an expensive appliance like their refrigerator or washing machine. Many don't even remember the brand of vehicle they drive, have no clue what type of engine is under the hood, and only get it serviced because the reminder pops up on the dash. Keeping it in marginal running condition is good enough.
 
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