Tuesday, April 10, 2007

A Clean Car Drives Better

My car has been dirty for 2 years.
Of course, I exaggerate... slightly.

I'm terribly claustrophobic and the the thought of being trapped in my car at a drive-thru car wash raises my heartbeat to dangerous levels. Seriously... panic attack inducing.
So what's a girl to do when she's tired of endlessly nagging her darling hubby, whose own excuses run to 'lineups are too long' to 'not perfect weather conditions'?
Drive a dirty car. Or at least that was my problem until someone kindly turned this doofus (yes, Rhi, I am a doofus too) on to the DIY CARWASH. I had no idea!! Before you mock me mercilessly, remember if you please, that I spent too many years in water-starved Bermuda (Spend precious drops of water on your car? Think not!) where pressurized water from hoses for 2 bucks just did not exist.
Since my enlightment three weeks ago, I've been to the DIY no less than 8 times (seriously, I've lost count, but I should add, I have two vehicles), have my favorite bay (#1 has the best colored suds foam) and have gotten my pre-rinse, foam-wash, rinse, wax routine down to 2 twoonie cycles from 3. (foreigners: a twoonie is a two dollar coin).
For a twoonie, I get to hold a hose that ingeniously pivots from the ceiling, press gently on the trigger and WHOOSH, feel the power!! *insert manly Tim Allen grunt* I love it! Then I race around my minivan like a woman possessed with the washy brush which spews a rainbow of candy colored foam - cotton candy pink, minty green, blueberry blue - in under 2 minutes (who needs a gym?) Is it hot in here or is just me?
Obsessed? Yes, but I'm making up for two years of filth. Now if only I could catch an obsession for housework.... yawn

Ironically, my folks owned a car wash when I was a kidlet. Not a drive thru, per se, they weren't invented yet. This was a full service, get out of your car while a team of foreigners with green rags polish it inside and out in under 10 minutes kind of car wash. Perhaps it's in my blood?

Supersonic Car Wash ~ A Clean Car Drives Better.
My mother still has a few sheets of the old letterhead stationery, some 35 years later...

13 comments:

Amy Ruttan said...

Too funny, but you have an excuse you lived on an island, a beautiful gorgeous island that had no snow and salt and yucky deposits such as that.

I just don't go into the car wash with my husband because he thinks it's make out time.

Seriously, I'm going to the DIY and tell him to DIY as well. ;)

Wylie Kinson said...

Jaysus H., Amy... you crack me up!

Anonymous said...

It feels good to drive a car which is clean from its exterior to its interior. This way, you also protect your car from damages and scratches. Well cleaning a car doesn't mean that you have to bring it to a shop, you may also DIY. By doing so you can save some bucks. Here's a tip: Carpet cleaning: For older stains, combine 2 tablespoons detergent, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and one quart warm water. Work into stain and blot dry. After that cover the spot with a clean towel or paper towels. When the towel becomes damp, replace it with a dry one. That's only some of the things that you can do. Well I'm really particular with cleanliness of my car, that's why I see to it that all mercedes sl450 parts are always clean, so as to preserve my car.

Wylie Kinson said...

WTF?? Where did that last comment come from??? Do car companies really scan people's blogs to auto-comment on?

Rhian said...

cracking up - can you imaging getting paid to lurk and attack?
What i was GONNA say is i have this irrational fear that if i wash my car it'll fall apart. For Real. I'm pretty sure those buried deep dirt particles are what keeps it from losing the bumper. Dirt Glue.

Anonymous said...

Argh, Wylie -- I've gotten a comment here or there like that one above from the parts blog, and since I use comment moderation, I reject 'em. I don't get a lot of spam, but I do get a little, and I like being able to zap it! :) Also I get a few comments here and there of the really freaky sort -- they're spam, too, but they're "I'm Going to Save the World from All its Evil", ranting-type comments. I don't publish those, either. If those numbnuts think my blog is evil, then why are they posting a comment on it? Don't they know that posting a comment on a blog in Blogger makes the blog more visible, not less *wink*?

Hee hee, cool beans that you've got a clean car! Hubby and I have a Jeep, and Jeeps are opposite of cars -- they drive better when they're dirty. I guess that's a good thing, as much as Hubby and I like to run ours up in the mountains. :-D

Man, I can't think of a damn thing to blog about. I've got blogger's block. Gonna try to figure this thing out. Maybe I'll think of something to say today. ;)

Sparky Duck said...

this kind of screams OCD. Though Mrs Duck is also horribly claustrophobic so I get the auto car wash thing, kinda.

Wylie Kinson said...

You nailed me Sparky!

Nicholas said...

There used to be three car washes within a few minutes of where we live and one by one they all closed down. Now going to the car wash is such a performance that it doesn't happen very often. Result: dusty car.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

We just had a snowstorm over Easter weekend here on Canada's east coast. I might be persuaded to put the car through the car wash, but it might freeze a few hours later and then where would I be?

Unknown said...

OMG the car company is stocking you!?!?! I think there is a book in there somewhere. Has to be...

Anonymous said...

Here in Dallas I go to the car wash where they do it for you. Cost about $20 for the works and is worth every penny. Unfortunately I procrastinate going there too.

Wylie Kinson said...

Kirsty - are you referring to the car detailing places? We have a few round here, but I'm too cheap to it. Hey -- there's a good father's day gift from the kids!

Christine - LOL! I'll leave that to Stephen King.

Nicholas - you need a Jeep, like TL. Then it won't be a problem!

Julia - yup, it's pretty nasty in Ontario too. Which is why I've been going to the DIY so much! Snows, melts to icky dirty wetness that dirties the car, another carwash! The only days I missed where the below zero bastards.
Gah-- can you imagine how obsessed I'll be this summer?