What got you started detailing/washing your car?

[Ryan L.]

Hey all,

I've always wondered why we are all here. So why did you start detailing/washing your car? And why did you first come to MOL?

I personally started washing cars when I was about 10-11 years old. The main reason back then was because my mom would pay me to do it, what 10 year old wouldn't want to get paid to play around with water? Then I got more into it and realized that I could get paid and have a better looking car than most on the street. Then I just wanted to keep making it look better and better and here I am today.

My first post on MOL was this one, on August 13th, 2006. It was regarding the Quik Clay Kit. I remember when I was at the Honda dealership with my mom after picking her car up from service, I was looking at the products they had there. I noticed the clay kit and asked what it was and what I did. $32.99 later I bought it and use it on my moms car. I remember using the Meguiar's RX thing on their website, which is what got me introduced to MOL.

Whats your story?

Ryan

[southpactire]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

My husband (the car craziest in our family) came home from one of the local car lots with a beat up "95 Mustang GT Convertible last spring. It was just trashed and he got it "dirt cheap" I can attest to the dirt...we had to pull out all the interior, including the carpet-which was not even salvagable. After we got the interior put back in and the top replaced I started researching detailing it. I found a bunch of Meguiars products in our garage from one of his old project cars, so that is what led me to MOL. I have been practicing and learning on the project cars, but am really looking forward to attending next Saturday's Open Class to make sure I am learning "correct procedures". Easier to do things right the first time, than have to correct your mistakes

[Intruder]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

After trying multiple products on our Fire department vehicles we exclusively switched to Meguiars. After seeing how good they did there, I decided to start using them on my vehicles.

My detailing enthusiasm didn't really kick off into full swing until I bought a new truck for myself, now it is second nature.

EL

[Murr1525]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

Well, Dad got me started of course, and he used mostly Meguiars. (though slightly incorrectly it turned out after reading here).

Then I needed a product to deal with the swirls/roughness on my fiance's car... picked up some ScratchX (and used it completly wrong it turned out after reading here).

But learned enough to get me hooked, and that was just before I got my own new car... So of course almost everything that touches my car is Meguiars now.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

I always had the clean car bug. What got me started on Meguiars was when we had the opportunity to get our first Caddy. It was real nice. A neighbor of mine said that since we have a "fancy" car we have to step up our waxing. I asked him what did he use. It NXT. Went to the store picked up some Gold Class wax, and some cleaner wax. Went on line for the prescription and the rest is history.

[Rando Cammando]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

When i got my first car. I used to go to carwashes and one day i looked down and seen swirls, scratches and thought WTF. So i went to autozone and got some scratch x thought it didnt work at first then i found out i wasnt doing it right, so i still gotta sctratch x the car thats this weekend this was 3 yrs ago since this happened. LMAO

[corvetmike]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

I bought a new PT Cruiser in 2004 and I wanted to learn how to correctly take care of the paint. A friend of mine (cafemoc) had gone to one of Mike's Saturday clinics and suggested that I sign up on MOL and take the class. I have been to a few of Mike's classes and I only use Meguiar's products.

The PT Cruiser still looks brand new inside and out.

[pcmark]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

Like others here, I dress well, keep a clean house, so a detailed car goes with it. Plus, cars cost a fortune nowadays, so it's crazy not to care for such a big investment. And, I enjoy doing it!

[CarbonBlack]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

I have always loved clean cars.
I got into cars about 5-6 years ago. I started out liking classics, then evolved into exotics and foreign cars.

(turns out that "foreign cars" are made in america, and ford/Chevy's are made overseas)

That love of cars evolved into a love of detailing about two years ago.
I had a gift card for Wal-mart, and I couldn't find anything cool in the video game section, so I went to car care and bought my first Meguiars product (plastx).
From then on, i was hooked, and the rest is history.

[stealth]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

My Dad got me started. I then got a job @ a hand car wash/wax shop. Work experience, continuing education & pride of workmanship has kept me enjoying the craft. I'll never forget that metal tin of Meg's hand paste wax #16 my Dad introduced me to.

[Lydia]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

I used to clean my Dad's van when I was younger, then my sister showed me the RX thing and I found the forum. It's history from there. I think this was my first post here.

I've actually been here longer than Ryan?! Wow, I'm surprised.

[Skuz]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

In the early '90s, I helped my father with the family car's bi-annual waxing day using a wax called Blue Diamond. In '95, I got my first car and decided to keep it as clean as I could. I didn't know much back then and used almost exclusively cleaner waxes. I was very satisfied with my results then. Even all swirled up, my car looked better than 90 % other cars around.

Then in 2005 I bought my first new car, a black one. That's when it really kicked off. I used OTC products exclusively and did not dare buy that NXT Tech Wax which was (and still is) the highest priced wax at the local stores and the packaging made me think of a "wax for ricers", looking real good for a car show then disappear.

Following my car purchase, I started lurking in car forums and read a few posts in their detailing sections. Many praised NXT so I finally decided to shell out the bucks and try it.
Man, was I impressed ! The trunk looked real darker and the colorful flakes really popped out, so I did the entire car and haven't changed my LSP since. I didn't even know about other steps back then.

Following that discovery, I wondered if that Meguiar's company had a website. I was amazed at what I found : product descriptions, videos, forums.

That's where I learned about the other steps you could do on a car to make it look even better. I was afraid of that clay thing and thought it was an optional step for hardcore detailers until I actually tried it on my old car. I've been following these forums almost everyday since. Still working by hand, my car does have a few swirls, but looks real good to me.

[dietoremain]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

My buddy allen would continuously talk about detailing his car and stuff. And well I bought my truck off my dad and decided to take care of it. A few years later it looks better than it ever has and has over 123,000 miles on it. Runs like new of course(toyota ftw).
Now im a weekend detailer now and then for a few extra bucks and polishin paint is just darn fun! especially when you see the look on the owners face.. or my own after im done with my truck haha.
yep!

[Jeepster04]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

My brother got me started back when he got his new Jeep at the age of 16. We just did a basic wash, clay, and DC 1-3 on it. I was 12 at the time and Ive been addicted since.

I now know more than anyone else in my family about detailing. My brother knows how to take care of his Jeep, but doesnt know how to remove swirls and how easy they are to induce into the paint.

[roushstage2]

Re: What got you started detailing/washing your car?

I always washed my parent's cars using Dish Soap/Laundry Soap, helping out. Then I got my car, and started doing things the right way (maybe not completely right, but I was trying). Then I wanted my car to look better than everyone else's. I was using everything I could find at Wal-Mart, and finally headed over to NAPA and that was that!

Here's my first thread/second post: http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ead.php?t=6894

It is amazing the questions I was asking when I first joined!!!