Detailing:Pleasure or Pain??

[BlkTac05]

With the birth of this new Detailing Forum ( thanks AG ) I'm curious as to everyone's opinions when it comes to detailing. As this Forum grows it will become a melting pot of people with various backgrounds & experience. Pros, semi pros, enthusiasts, weekend warriors & first timers ( just to name a few ) will all flock to this community to seek/exchange information, teach, motivate, inspire & inform each other. So my question is this..........
Deatailing: Pleasure or Pain???????????
As for me, my first detailing experience started back in the mid 80's. Back then , I was driving a black 1986 Iroc-Z28. It was my first sports car. A real "chick magnet". Looking back, I cringe when I think about how I used to care for the exterior. You know.....Going to the "do it yourself" car wash & SCRUBBING THE HECK OUT OF IT WITH THAT SCRUB BRUSH. ( ouch!) One day, my friend came to me & said his girl friend really loves my car & wants to wax it for me. ( wax? what's wax? ) So I did what all teenagers did back then. Washed my "roc" & drove it to the beach so everyone else could look at it. (lol) My friend shows up with his girl friend. ( in his yellow formula firebird ) She bounces out of his car in a white,skimpy & I mean SKIMPY, bikini. I'm still not sure what was hotter that day. The weather, my "roc" or her in that skimpy bikini! (lol) My friend turns to me and says......"stand back & enjoy the show". (lol) So I did!! (lol) It was the best day ever! (lol) She caked my car with "Rally Cream Wax" & twisted & bent her little body in all sorts of ways as she "waxed & buffed" my car. She put on quite a show that day! When she was done, my "roc" looked pretty darn good. I was hooked! From that day on, I became interested in detailing. 20 years later, detailing for me has evolved into a pure passion! I love to detail. I find it a relaxing & quite enjoyable process. I've since developed a "detailing product fetish". Just love quality detailing products. You name it, I've used it......just about. People laugh at the size of my ever expanding detailing arsenal. It's massive. But I truely love it!!! So to me.............Detailing is a PLEASURE!!:D

[BlkTac05]

Just to add........In my "non detailing" everyday life, I work 11-12 hour days, 6 days a week as the Operations Manager for a well known company. To this day, I wake up on the morning of my day off feeling like a kid on Christmas morning anticipating spending "quality time" in a "rubbing frenzy" on my black truck. A passion for the process is my motivation. It's not a "hey look at my truck" kinda thing. However.........I don't mind having the shweetest looking black truck in West Texas! (lol) Tomorrows plan will be a good wash, some FX-100 & a nice layer of Souveran. I can't wait!! Welcome to the addiction!

[cwcad]

My addiction started with the purchase of my Black truck. I told my self that if I was going to purchase a Black truck I must make the commitment to care for it. Have kept my word to myself.

Detailing has come to be a work of pleasure. I like the fact that I can see the results immediately. I like the fact that it gives me a feeling of accomplihment. It does not hurt my feelings either when someone comments on the way my truck looks. It really has given me a feeling of pride.

Aside from the fact that I have learned how to care for my vehicle it has given me a way to take up my time. To give my time something that has meaning. I spend six months a year unemployed. During that time my boy spends every minute with me as I detail. While I am employed I am away from home. When I work daily on my truck, wether home or away, I feel that my boy is with me when I working on the truck. That feeling alone is enough to keep me detailing for the next few years until retirement.

[Matt]

My "addiction" started out when I got my '96 Z28 (first car), which will be exactly 3 years ago on March 10th.

I wanted to keep it looking good, because the car was immaculate when I got it...especially for a '96. I started talking to my friend who worked in a detailing shop, and he told me to go buy a clay kit and some Mother's wax. I did it, followed the instructions, and DAMN I couldn't believe how smooth the paint was. After that, I was hooked.

Then I started posting in the detailing sections of the F-Body boards I frequently visit, then I got referred to detailing-specific forums. After that, my wallet began to empty :p

Let's just say between that and getting my job here at Autogeek, my garage is overflowing with detailing products! HELP! :D

But anyways, I really enjoy detailing my car. It's nice to be in the garage waxing it and have silence for awhile, and making my pride and joy look beautiful.

[BlkTac05]

It's good to see there's like minded people here. Has anyone ever used their kitchen appliances as a "test bed" for new detailing products? (lol) You should see me fridge! (lol) Right now, it's got 2 layers of WG on it. Very nice!! (lol)

[Matt]

It's good to see there's like minded people here. Has anyone ever used their kitchen appliances as a "test bed" for new detailing products? (lol) You should see me fridge! (lol) Right now, it's got 2 layers of WG on it. Very nice!! (lol)

HAHA! :D

[prairiedad]

driving a crew cab diesel and 3 kids i get plenty of pleasure going through the wifes cabinets borrowing all kinds of nifty kitchen items to detail with. heck, in my demented sort of way i thought we get better gas milage from a freshly detailed truck. yes i guess you could say its a passion!

[5000XD]

For me its more like a painful (money wise but also hurting fingers and hands in the process) passion which gives me lots of pleasure when done....

[highwaystar]

Pure pleasure, I enjoy the process and the results.

[Neothin]

I love spending an afternoon (and sometimes into the night) in the garage bonding with the car. We talk about how it's been, what she likes on here, and if i've been treating her well lately.

[5000XD]

I love spending an afternoon (and sometimes into the night) in the garage bonding with the car. We talk about how it's been, what she likes on here, and if i've been treating her well lately.

Is there a doctor in the house? ;)

[MasterShineBoy]

Both, I have been neglecting my car lately though, this weekend I am giving her the works!

[Mike T]

It started when I bought my current car. I had no other choice but to get the black. I absoluteyly can't stand to see the slightest bit dirty. I have never spent has much time cleaning a car. My family thinks I'm nuts! my last car got a wash about every six months.

[5000XD]

My family thinks I'm nuts!

lol, same here. My dad tells me I should have bought 2 X-Runners, one for daily driving and one for in the living room where I could polish it constantly :o

[joe.p]

lol, same here. My dad tells me I should have bought 2 X-Runners, one for daily driving and one for in the living room where I could polish it constantly :o
LMAO..;)