What got you started detailing/washing your car?

[Nappers]

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

Paying $300.00+ for a new car and wanting it to look good when it depreciated enough to flop upside down on the loan so I didn't have to transfer as much to the new loan, perpetuating the cycle of "carry over" LOL.

I like a clean car, said it many times...Used to use dish soap, old towels to dry and waxed in the sun and used old towels to "scour" the wax off. RUNNING WITH SCISSORS!!!

I ran across Meguiars Online and have changed my ways and still learning how to do stuff, my cars look 100% better than before.

Aaron

[ZoranC]

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

What got me started? As they say "Necessity provides great motivation" and "If you need it done right you gotta do it yourself". Years ago single stage paint on my pride and joy at that time ('91 Toyota Supra Turbo) did not look shiny red anymore but dying pink. And I did not know anybody that was leaving impression of knowing what they are doing. That summer I cut my teeth on the Cyclo and assortment of products. Let's just say you would have laughed at me if you saw what I was doing. But in the end car was shining better than the day I bought it.

What brough me to MOL? I stumbled upon it. It's not like it is advertised around nor it is obvious from Meguiar's main page that there is huge community / support resource lurking in the back. No big flashing sign 'Enter Here'. So once I did my first reaction was 'I wish I knew about this sooner'. My second reaction was to sign up for class. That happened to fall on my birthday.

[dvtldav]

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

I washed cars at a service station when I was in college in the late 60's and my boss showed me how to do it the right way (at least I thought it was right then). Clean tires & wheels, spray car down w/power washer, wash w/mitt, rinse, chamois dry, wipe out door jambs, trunk, under hood, do interior, wash windows, armour all tires. In 1970 when I bought my first new car, Dodge Coronet Metallic blue w/ black vinyl top, I wanted it to look the best in town. Wish I had known about Meguiar's then. Blue Coral was a royal pain

[Jeepster04]

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

Anyone ever go back and read their posts and think you sounded stupid or rude? I was trying to find my first post and I actually said "I didnt know Meguiars made so much ****." I didnt mean that megs made ****, I just meant I didnt know megs made so many different products in general. Either way, I was a newb and wasnt use to posting on forums.. I think it made me look immature.

Im pretty sure this is my first post.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14756

[fuje]

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

Started with the GF's father's Maxima in 1987 and have not stopped since. I do it to relax mostly and everything by hand. It takes longer and you always leave a little for the next time

[AeroCleanse]

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

I went to a big auto show in England when I used to live there, must have been about 5 or 6. Then I always wondered why cars looked so dirty in comparison. Started washing my parents car..something I do to this day.

[rebelde33]

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

I was into cars since I was 12 (when I started learning how to drive) but never knew about detailing until last August when we got a new car. I was on an art website and saw someone posted a photo of a really shiny white Corolla and asked what he did to make it shiny. He gave me all the details and advised me to join this forum which was great help and I came to find a lot on it. I am still learning new things too.

[Raymond]

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

I've been obsessed with cars from the day I got my first HotWheels car as a baby, that developed into RC cars, model cars, more HotWheels cars, video games with car racing, movies with car racing... eventually into real cars and everything that comes with them. Not sure when I first realized I was enjoying cleaning my cars, but it didn't take long. I appreciate cars, and I like to show that appreciation by keeping them in the best condition as possible. Every car I've driven, my first '04 Mustang, the '88 MR2 I learned to drive in and still have, my new '04 Mustang (replaced my first one I unfortunately totalled)... they were/are all cleaned multiple times a week to make sure I was happy.

I can't help but laugh when I look back at the days were I helped my parents clean our old Dodge Caravan with a bucket full of watered down Dawn dish soap, scrubbed using an old sock or a washcloth, and then dried with a bath towel... man that poor car. But I think it's all part of the learning process, I started finding more information on proper car care though my Mustang and general automotive forums that I freqent, which led me to start buying the "name brand" stuff whenever I went out to the auto parts store.

My first Meguiars product was the "Smooth Surface" claybar kit and Gold Class liquid wax combination, as was suggested to me on my V6 Mustang forums. Now I'd say 75% of my always-increasingly-large detailing supplies collection are Meguiars products, and I have nothing but good things to say about them all.

Oh, and I found MOL by chance... someone linked to it on the SVTperformance forums in their detailing section, and I was like WOW a forum full of people who use the same products I do! So I joined up, and learn something new on here every day.

[roushstage2]

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

Anyone ever go back and read their posts and think you sounded stupid or rude? I was trying to find my first post and I actually said "I didnt know Meguiars made so much ****." I didnt mean that megs made ****, I just meant I didnt know megs made so many different products in general. Either way, I was a newb and wasnt use to posting on forums.. I think it made me look immature.

Im pretty sure this is my first post.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14756

Yeah

[mrdj]

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

I got started by washing our families '59 Ford. It was a two-toned kind of green and white and my dad and I washed it in the shade in the back yard. My dad had a nice wash mitt and chamois but wasn't concerned about anything but keeping it clean. We put on a coat of Turtle Wax maybe twice a year. My first car was a '53 Morris Minor that my uncle got when he was in the Air Force in England, but I didn't get Car Crazy until I got married and moved to California. When I saw the condition of the majority of cars here compared to Minnesota I thought WOW. It was then I got more serious. I took the big leap when I got my '03 MINI and the club had a class at Meguiars. I finally found out about the 5 step program, got a G100 and became certifiably Car Crazy. Thanks to Mike and all of you I have the nicest vehicles on the block. Even my wife points out orange peel and swirls and thanks me for keeping her Pilot looking like new. My MINI was in an accident and is no more but I feel so confident that I am replacing it with a Black Honda Civic. I am even hoping to get to the new advanced class that is now being offered. I only do the families cars, but want them to be the best!