How many just "wash"???

[CJFusco]

I'm a washer. I wash and clean the interior of my Porsche once a week (usually Sat. or Sun.); it gets a clay/polish/wax once a year, and then coats of wax 3 or 4 times a year.

Last week I even washed my Volvo, even though it hasn't been further than my driveway in about 3 months...

[masraum]

I wash my cars about 3-6 times a year. They are all daily drivers and get hit with plenty of rain and road spray. If I was worried about keeping them clean, there would be times that I'd be washing the darn things every 2-3 days.

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

I use Simple Green on the wheel wells, let it sit whilst washing the rest of the vehicle and then just hose it off.

If you are really anal, you need to pull back the plastic liner behind the front wheels. I did that once on my Jetta once for some reason and I must have washed out about 2lbs of dirt and debris. I didn't do the other side though.

I'll wash my car once every 6 weeks much to my S.O.'s chagrin. She's a neat freak which makes it a challenge being with me at times.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Can't stand a dirty car. My weekend therapy is getting up at 6 am, when it's cool and calm, and washing our cars. Even my truck, which I despise and lives outdoors. When our cars are dirty and I don't have the time to clean them, it drives me nuts. I appreciate a clean car, even if it's nothing special.

However, I don't go all out on my truck. It gets a wash, vacuum, and vinylex or dusting. The wife's SRX, however, that's a different story. In the last month it's been shampooed, clayed, paint cleaner, wax, Leatherique, Vinylex, Spot Shot............ Just in time for my wife and kids to get it dirty again.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Jack Olsen

No need to feel badly about it.

I will say that when I see a beautifully detailed car, I kind of want to change and become someone who can (and will) do that. But 'I yam what I yam,' you know?

The car gets dirty. I keep the trophies clean.

Do auto-X, rally,and concours trophies count? I ended PCA membership by not renewing my 40th year dues. Other clubs before that. 4 Porsches, 40 years, I covered all the bases except the track. The trophies? Tossed, for the most part...all ancient history. Sure had fun at the time though...

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Neilk

If you are really anal, you need to pull back the plastic liner behind the front wheels. I did that once on my Jetta once for some reason and I must have washed out about 2lbs of dirt and debris. I didn't do the other side though.

I'll wash my car once every 6 weeks much to my S.O.'s chagrin. She's a neat freak which makes it a challenge being with me at times.

Ohhhh...that dirt and debris? Traps moisture, creates the beginning point for tinworm! Good going to get it out of there Neil. VW design or engineering really flubbed on that one!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi, My name is Dan and I am a washaholic. (I'm with you Matt)

Here's one of the signs you are ill: I HAVE to wash; and preferably wax, my cars BEFORE I take one on vacation or it is in the back of my mind the whole time. Mind you, this is right before it is going to get covered with bugs on the front. In my case, the driving vacation "car" of choice is my black Dodge Ram Quadcab 4x4 - no easy effort to wash and wax that big mutha'.

On all my cars I follow my Dad's advice, "The Sun is gonna eat whatever is there to be eaten. If its only paint then its going to eat the paint." So I wax at least one panel on my cars EVERY time I wash them- which is weekly. I default to waxing or, "claying and waxing" the hood, roof and trunk as they are most directly exposed to sun and the air is full of nasty crap in a place like L.A.. My cars always look pretty fresh and nice and I require them to!

[grudk]

I hate washing, and waxing more so. The 'daily' gets rinsed with a hose once a month...maybe. Washed when it's truly disgusting or when I accumulate enough negative feedback from wife/friends. The Porsche gets a quickie wash after track events. Can't recall the last time I waxed. If any of you waxing guys want to come over and do it for me, knock yourselves out. You know you want to...

But I do bathe daily...with soap, even

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by island911

YOU CAN SEE MY HOUSE FROM THERE!

I'm with Jack, I wash my cars every few months... they get vacuumed if they are lucky.

I would love to detail my cars but no way I have a whole day to dedicate to the project. I got a house and a yard and myself to take care of.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

... My weekend therapy is getting up at 6 am, when it's cool and calm, and washing our cars.... When our cars are dirty and I don't have the time to clean them, it drives me nuts. I appreciate a clean car, even if it's nothing special.
(

Matt, I couldn't agree more. I know it is a sign of...something, but I don't care.

I am most happy when I get up early on a Saturday, eat, take my big dog Sooner out for an hour long walk (all before my girlfriend has gotten up) then take him in front with me to supervise while I mow & edge my lawns, spade the dirt around the flower beds, then (a California weirdness coming here) wash down the drive and the street in front of the house and pick up all the fallen leaves. Then I wash my cars (includes some waxing). NOW I am ready to have a relaxed weekend. Sure it all takes a few hours but I am a happy camper then.

[MRM]

I couldn't agree with Jack more. Waxing and detailing is torture to me. So many other things to do. I enjoy spending a half hour on a sunny afternoon washing Baby and making her shine, but anything more than that is wasted time and I get the urge to go for a drive. Or take a nap, or grill some ribs, or do something else that's not nearly as strenuous as detailing the car.

[many944s]

[QUOTE=Porsche-O-Phile;3462230]
Have you ever wiped down your spark plug wires with protectant? I have. It's an affliction.
QUOTE]

Guilty.
If it is plastic, or rubber (except belts) it gets attention from protectant:
Hoses, AFM cover, intake boot, front cover, Headlight motor cover, coil cover, wires, weatherstrip at top of firewall, just to name a few. And that's just on the 944! Thankfully there isn't any plastic under the hood (or bonnet) of most of the other cars

What's worse, is I usually wipe down the Indy car once a week. It just isn't good karma to have dust on a car that's gone 200mph

Is there a help group for this affliction, or will I be facing an intervention soon?

[BeyGon]

OK, I am even taking Friday off to clean my car for the Drive to Ventura.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by BeyGon

OK, I am even taking Friday off to clean my car for the Drive to Ventura.

Me too!

[nostatic]

"Wax"? I think that's something my g/f does...

I'm with Thom on the 6 month plan. Give or take a year...

[Seahawk]

For the 964, I pay a detailer once a year to go through the car inside and out...I hate the act of detailing, nothing could bore me more.

I then wash it and use spray wax about once every 3 months. The fact that I live at the end of a gravel road helps quell my attention to detailing.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I have always wondered what it is about cars that makes people, even completely non-car guy types lust after them? A 911 is typical of the kind of car people lust after even though they may know nothing about cars. They will get themselves deep into debt to get that car they were lusting over. They will go deeper into debt to put certain wheels on them and a high end stereo....and then...? They take NO care of them whatsoever. What other things do people spend so much money and desire on and then neglect that investment? I don't get it.

[nostatic]

1. A car is not an investment.
2. People neglect houses all the time
3. I've seen people neglect $5K bikes, musical instruments...the list goes on. You just see more cars than the other things.

[BeyGon]

Last winter I was driving the 911 to work on that day it rained, I pulled into a gas station and there was a Bentley GT, just as wet and dirty as my car, I thought if he can drive the GT in the rain what am I worrying about. Then I realized, he was going to have someone else clean it up and I would be at home that evening cleaning my car.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

YOU CAN SEE MY HOUSE FROM THERE!

I'm with Jack, I wash my cars every few months... they get vacuumed if they are lucky.

I would love to detail my cars but no way I have a whole day to dedicate to the project. I got a house and a yard and myself to take care of.

Same here! Cant waste a whole day cleaning my vehicles. With all the contruction around here and where I work, its gonna be a mess in a day or two anyway.
Although I keep my dually alot cleaner than my 944. Mine get a wax, maybe 3 times a year.
My only pet peave is the windows. I'm a clean window fanatic.