Perfect or Patinated? [PH Article]

[Gally]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...mt=RE:+Perfect+or+patinated?+PH+Blog#topicTop

Been discussed a lot in here but thought it deserved a thread, no not in the detailing section.

Anyway everyone wants to own a shitter, one they can leave anywhere and abuse daily. I was the same whilst owning the Frp, I spent more time worrying than I did enjoying but the fact it was mint was part of the attraction, the love for the car. It also comes down to wealth, one man's 100k is another man's 1k.

I do agree resale is a big thing dependent on cost of car, a proper clean car should achieve more, if it's a 1k track car you're looking for, having whale spunk rubbed into everyday won't matter to you. If you're looking for a low mile M3 or something you might want something that's looked after.


Driven not detailed? Can it be both? A detailed track car? I don't see why not.

 

[Toby]

Protected but driven imo.

I have never been a massive fan of the whole detailing scene but can see the appeal. If you want your car to look clean all the time I haven't got a problem with that. As said, your car should be clean enough for it to be protected from the dirt and grime actually effecting the paintwork.


I think time & effort comes into it. I do have time, just sometimes don't have the effort.
My car probably gets washed 8-12 times a year. Not 52 like some people...

 

[Eddie.]

I loved my RB, I loved how clean it was, and how awesome it looked in late evening sun.

As Gally said, I used to fret over where it was parked and if it was getting damaged.

Now, I run a POS Clio 1.2, it's crap, it's slow but it's cheap to run and good target practise with the football. The BMW will be my pride and joy, something for me to cherish and use often, but not for trips to Tesco.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Driven. As said on PH, a dirty car always has a story to tell.

 

[JD]

Protected but driven imo.

Done, in my eyes. My car gets dirty when I batter it up to the Northwest and drive around the old lanes I use to drive the Clio down when I first passed my driving test.

But when it's parked on the street and I am driving slowly in traffic, hell yes I want it to shine and make people admire it.

 

[Keith185]

Personally imo a car should always be driven and detailed.

It's a car and not a driveway/garage trinket. But even though a car is tracked and driven doesn't mean it shouldn't be detailed and looked after.

Personally I think if you use proper products as Toby mentioned to protect the paint then it doesn't need to be washed and detailed often. About once a month is enough if you do it right imo, and dirt on the body is better than cleaning and taking it off often and in wrong way by washing that will cause more damage.

To me my cars will always be driven how they were designed to and detailed to how they left the factory doors.

 

[DaveDreads]

I think everyone knows my views on the subject, kind of hard to keep a car clean when your dog covers it in filth everyday,
but i'm still a bit paranoid of where I leave it, but that's just because if it's going to get damaged, i'd rather it was me that damaged it.

The only new car i've ever owned was a Golf GT TDI 4Motion,
factory fresh in metallic Black, with full leather and all the toys.

I was a gibbering mess around it, I was always worried about someone breathing on it wrong,
and every time it got a stone chip I died a little inside, eventually in a car park someone smashed their door into the side of it so hard,
that it not only dented it, but stripped the paint off down to bare metal.
Then one morning after staying at my parents house I went out to the car and it had been keyed all down one side.

Nicest car i've ever owned but I never really got the chance to enjoy it for worrying.

I much prefer having a filthy old battle scarred dog kennel.

 

[Jason_E]

I've flopped between one and the other with cars.

I was lucky enough to have a new car as a first car, and as above, I was petrified to leave it anywhere. When I got the Green Bora, I started out with a "Give a f**k" Attitude. But then I realised how clean a previous owner had kept it (And I mean immaculate) and although I hit a deer and was rammed up the arse in that car, by the time I sold it the paintwork was (other than some melted arches and rear bumper scuff) perfect. And once more, was getting annoyed when paint got fucked, which made me more worried.

Then I had the Gold MK1, where the lacquer was peeling in some places and it overall felt everyone one of its years. But, it was a bit annoying driving a shitter everywhere. You kind of feel self conscious turning up to "Non car friends" houses or worse, a job interview.

I did this cycle again with the second Bora, MX5 and now back into a Nice car. Think I've hit a good balance as s**t stabbers keeping using my Golf as their low-tech parking sensor, and it keeps getting new little bumps and scrapes here and there. I've just learnt to not care anymore. You can't have a nice thing in this world, as there is always someone around to f**k it up for you! Sad but true, easiest thing to do is not let it piss you off too much. At least it's not been torched.

 

[NoahRobinson07]

A Mix of both for me, I'm a big advocate for clean cars, but in all honesty, if I didn't have a Mini and had a 10 year old 1.2, I wouldn't be worrying.

The Mini, after a fresh re-spray the front end is having one of those stone chip protecting films installed, no point spending that much for it to be ruined.

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