No one on my block washes their cars

[Honda Fan]

I started thinking about it and realized that out of the 80 or so homes on my block I have only seen 2 other people outside on their driveways washing their cars. There is 1 guy who is really good about it and his truck always looks good. Then there is one other guy who I may see washing his car every couple of weeks. Directly across the street from me are 2 households with 4 cars each. One of the homes has a 22 year old kid who has washed his 3 y/o Honda maybe twice since he got it new.

When I think about it there are only 2 of us that actually maintain their own lawns.

I don't know, I guess these people have a lot more money than I do. Regardless, I enjoy maintaining the things I own. I get compliments on my front yard when I'm out there working on it and people are walking by. You couldn't say that about any of the neighbor's yards. People get into my cars and always remark on how nice it looks.

OK, my little rant is over.

[Bill D]

I am the ONLY person in my neighborhood who washes his car. It should be no surprise that I’m also the only one who mows the lawn too.

I agree, I take pride in ownership of my property. I see this as something that is becoming extinct these days. That why we need town ordinances that make home owners keep their lawns below a certain height. Because pride in ownership is scarce, people would just let things go if there weren’t ordinances to keep them in check.

[Silly Rabbit]

I've said it before, in the detailing world now there are SOOOOOO many products to choose from, some better than others. But if anyone is taking the time to wash and apply a wax/sealant/coating, they are doing more than ALOT of people are. So no matter what you reach for on the shelf, it's a win for your car/truck/bike/etc. So many people just drive, maybe hit an automatic car wash the odd time. Obviously there are still alot of people detailing their cars, proof of that is the vast amount of brands and products to choose from.

[Desertnate]

It could be a time issue in addition to money when it comes to the yardwork. I know when my kids were younger and I traveled for work more, it was often hard to find time to do yardwork myself.

My neighborhood is similar. We're a small developent of less than 30 homes, but I've only seen two other houses every hand wash their vehicles. I'm the neighborhood weirdo who is frequently seen washing my family fleet.

Another thing in my area is automated car washes are EVERYWHERE. There have always been multiple old school car washes that had coin-op self wash bays, and a bay or two for an touchless and/or a automated car wash with brushes. Over the last year I've seen 5~6 new, huge, brightly/colorful lit tunnel wash places built/open within 2~4 miles of our house in the last 12 months. You can't swing a dead car without hitting a car wash. I really wonder how they will all stay in business. With that kind of conveyance, people who don't really care too much about their car appearance aren't very likely to wash by hand. Especially when most of the new car wash places offer subscriptions with unlimited washes each month.

Personally, I like to do things for my self. It's rewarding and I like the sense of accomplishment of keeping things clean/tidy. Other people have other priorities and don't mind having someone else do the work.

[Paul A.]

I maintain my own vehicles on a frequent and OCD level. I pay for a lawn service. I hate doing yardwork especially in the summer in FL!

I have some neighbors who run through an automated car wash regularly and ALL of them also pay for lawn service.

[Texchappy]

I don’t see anybody out washing their cars. But they look clean so I’m guessing they use swirl-o-matics. Can’t comment on lawns, my health made me farm that task out. There’s a few that do their own lawns here.

[Paul A.]

I have a few of my neighbors as detail customers. Some were frequent tunnel wash customers.

People generally don't take the time for their vehicles.

[PA DETAILER]

Wash and detail my own truck. Every weekend in the warmer months. I see some attempts of neighbors trying to wash. But for the most part no one does it here either.

Still cut my own grass. A handful also have lawn service deal with their yards.

[glen e]

You are on a site that specializes in people who care about their cars. My guess is that’s 2% of the American public… Most people think of their cars as an appliance. They give it the same care as they do their refrigerator… I don’t have a single friend, or anybody in my neighborhood, which is a gated community in Florida, that I’ve ever seen wash their car by hand. If you have a high-end car down here, and you don’t use a car wash, it’s usually detailed by somebody who comes to your house. And I don’t think it’s just the elites down here, for several years, I lived at a major apartment building that was spread over several acres, in about. 15 buildings, and I never saw anybody wash their car there either.

[Texchappy]

Just was thinking, except for the two or three times a year I do a hose wash, no one in my neighborhood would know I wash our cars. I generally rinseless or waterless wash inside my temp controlled garage.