Losing the willpower

[DMW]

I'm a morning person, so I do all of my detailing work when the sun comes up on the weekends. I'm sometimes done before anybody else is up in the house.

[Don M]

I too was "burned out" for the longest time. I ALMOST wrote a post on all my detailing forums telling everyone on there that they were insane and out of their minds for spending so much time/effort/money on a CAR!

BUT, I realized that I too, was just as guilty and I recognized the burn out for what it was. It was partially because I had no one NEARBY to share my passion. I made the mistake of years ago NOT LETTING my kids help me wash my (at the time) truck - which in actuality was a beater that they COULDN'T hurt. I should have let them do what they wanted, my son was almost as thorough cleaning the tires and rims as I was - didn't have a clue what he was doing - but he was enjoying himself. I regret what I did, but you can't change the past and I have to live with it.

I STILL sometimes have trouble getting up the energy to even wash my own car, but once I get going, usually my enthusiasm returns. I don't wash in the winter as others have mentioned because it's too hard to do it RIGHT and the odds of causing damage are so much greater, I WILL occasionally take it through a touchless to knock off the big stuff, but that's about it.

Be easy on yourself.

[Chopper280]

I have been so frustrated lately because of all the rain we are having. Can't keep a clean car and a waste of time trying to.
Time to get the motorcycles ready to ride and then I get a phone call from the doctors office. My EKG showed I have had a recent heart attack.
Time to put everything on hold and see a Cardiologist.
Can't die from a dirty car! lol

[rlmccarty2000]

Everyone burns out now and then. When keeping your vehicle clean becomes more of a chore than fun it is time to back off and do something else. We won’t judge you (much). Lol

[Route246]

I reserve Saturday mornings and I work very fast and expend a lot of energy detailing the cars. It is my aerobic exercise for the week because I'm occupied with work, family, etc. for all other times.

Detailing is my exercise, I work up a good sweat, get fairly winded and don't let up on the accelerator. Even something as mundane as cleaning and detailing the windows can be turned into decent aerobic exercise. Everything is organized and laid out on the cart and on a portable table I setup so I can bang out three cars in under 4 hours. Most of the time I use spray wax as my QD drying agent. Door jams, under the hood and every other part of the vehicle gets attention. The interiors are sometimes neglected if I'm running short on time.

Periodically I hit the paint with a DA, clay and paste wax, etc. Those are all done with precision and intensity, too. My upper body strength and flexibility is pretty decent for my age, too.

[FUNX650]

@OP:
Don’t worry: you’re not alone
in this mindset.


•Nowadays, I mostly concern myself
with getting bug guts and bird crap
off the vehicles ASAP.

-Having the vehicles in a *”#### and Span”
condition is dependent on how I view the
concept of inverse proportionality; and,
the affect it could have on any given day’s
familial activities—planned, or otherwise.


*


Bob

[PaulMys]

@OP:
Don’t worry: you’re not alone
in this mindset.


•Nowadays, I mostly concern myself
with getting bug guts and bird crap
off the vehicles ASAP.

-Having the vehicles in a “####(k) and Span”
condition is dependent on how I view the
concept of inverse proportionality; and,
the affect it could have on any given day’s
familial activities—planned, or otherwise.


Bob

Translation: If Bob's too busy, the car can wait.

[DTruck]

I'll bite...
I didn't see if this was the case, but if you're trying to be meticulous with your daily drivers, I can certainly relate. I gave up on that years ago.
However, once I got the garage queen (I'll drive it only when it's nice... a few times a week in the nice months), it is very therapeutic for me to go out after the kids are down, and clean something on it.
It sounds like that's the violin for you. I also have a few other hobbies to choose from, and obviously one takes a back seat when I feel like doing another.
In the end, I feel it's ok to have multiple hobbies, and pick the one I feel like doing at the time, without getting burned out on one. The other will be there when I want to pick it back up.

[Whitewater25]

Tunnel wash ! Noooooooooooooooo!! I sure less frequent washes by hand will treat your paint better than one trip through the swirl o matic. I wash my truck with a really soft boat brush and dry it with a chamois mop when I can't give it a proper bath. 30-40 min and done. Still better than than swirl mart.

[BudgetPlan1]

Think I'm just gonna be on maintenance cruise control for a bit, no more polishing/coating for a while unless something truly interesting presents itself.

The constant researching, scheming on what I can get done when, all in the interest of curiosity is getting tiresome...and expensive.

Gave away an unopened 50ml Gyeon Pure kit recently and the primary feeling as I put it in the mail was...relief.