mikeyc6

I wish I could be like I was in my late teens or early twenties when I loved to spend a day washing and detailing the car. Now, with a family and two kids, it's just harder to find the time and when I do, I don't feel like getting worn out fooling with the car. Don't get me wrong, I still do it. My C6 is almost always spotless, but I'm looking for ideas that might help make carwashing a little less of a "chore".

I've already tried letting the kids (6 and 3 years) "help" me, but after about 2 minutes, they start to get restless and start to throw the mits, sit down in the dirty water on the driveway, and just generally be disruptive as most kids that age would be. It's fun while it lasts and I do teach them how to do things each time, but eventually I have to just play with them for a little while and then let them go out in the yard to play so I can get something done.

Short of hiring strippers to help me wash the car (I suspect I'd get caught at that), does anyone have any ideas for making the "job" a little easier to bear for those of us who may no longer have the patience (or the knees/shoulders) for it? And no, I have not considered taking it through a car wash. I'll wash it from my wheelchair hooked up to a morphine drip before I do that. And unfortunately, I'm not aware of any decent detailers in my area who do that stuff.

Thanks,
Mike

FunDriver

Hmmm...that's a tough one. Could the wife help control the kids while keeping you company? Maybe if you didn't include the kids you could at least get through it faster and get it over with. Or maybe if you bring out a beer and listen to a game on the radio it will seem less tasking.

Have you thought of getting a car cover? That may help reduce the time between washings. And a California Duster might help there too.

It seems to me that the simplest answers lay in either finding a means of enjoying the job more or reducing the number of times to do the job.
In either case, I hope you find a good solution.

C8-Chris

try mister clean auto dry system. all you have to do is wash the car and it air dries, spotless. i trust it on my black c6...just make sure you check the filter, and if you have really hard water, you wont get as many uses out as you would hope. but that saves the extra step of drying.

Stangar

Good description of the problem but I don't have a recommendation to help other than you can think about me as I have been washing the same car since 1989 and drive it almost every day since I bought it new (1989 Mustang). I give you permission to think of me washing that same car even though it is not a new Corvette. Maybe that will supply a better view and appreciation of the task. Get out there and wash!
P.S. Yes, I am a long time lurker. I've driven the new Corvette numerous times at "Auto Show in Motion" and "The Drive" Las Vegas. P.S.S. Don't worry I will not buy a new Mustang. Believe me the new Stang has way more DNA from my old Mustang than it should. LOL

C-INRED

Ummm....don't drive it?

BigJoe

You haven't filled out your profile so we don't even know what color car you have. If it's black or blue or other dark color... good luck, you brought it on yourself. If it's silver or white just put on a good coat of Zaino or RejeX and you'll only have to wash it every 2-3 months (assuming you are not in a rainy area - missing profile again. ) Just use a detail spray and a soft cloth when you need to.

Rocketman50

When we had kids at home, I would do the yard stuff and chores early Sat and Sunday morning. Then i had late morning one day to mess with my car...that was the way it was and nobody screwed with it.

BigJoe

2 posts total. Both off subject and in the wrong forum... not a good start...

Hoonose

Deal with as best you can now.
Then retire to Havasu later on.
And I'll help you clean it.
It rarely, if ever rains here, so car cleaning is an infrequent job.
Next month it will be one year without a car wash for my daily driver C6!
(Daily driver unless rain is pending.)

Illinicane

How about a good car wash place? That's what I do, as I just don't have the patience to do the car myself. You can then do some detailing afterwards, like armorall on the tires, or just some interior work.

Good luck!!

Wayne O

Although my 3 kids are old enough they don't require the attention you need to give yours, I know the feeling. To make it worse, I live at the end of about a half mile of a dusty, dirt road. Going either way I'm had...the car gets dusty at best. I wash my car frequently.

Although I once swore I would never use one, I've taken to using the California Duster on occasion. Most often, my car isn't dirty, it's just dusty. I try to keep the Duster as clean as possible; violently shaking-out the dust....I've even washed my older Duster. I just bought another one (less than $10.00 at Walmart). I don't use it everyday either.

Keep you clean car covered, even if it's parked in a garage....it helps.

Hire a competent neighborhood kid to wash and wax your car.

Personally, I like the idea of hiring strippers....some good clean fun with soap and water and who cares if the car is clean. It might end up being an expensive car wash but....money isn't everything.

Rocketman50

Big Toe...you need a hobby...

crazyeddie

You can cut the drying step at least in half by blow drying the car. It's much quicker than towel or chamois drying. If you have a nice coat of Zaino or Rejex or any other polish, the water will blow right off-- eddie

C6 NOIR

Buy black! You'll get over that attitude real quick.

VET4LES

I like the stripper idea.

hazchris

I would definately go with the strippers !!

Patman

In the summertime when I'm in a hurry and am washing my car in the morning before work, I give it a quick wash and then drive it right away to blow off most of the water, then I stop and spend a couple of minutes wiping off the last few water spots. It definitely saves a lot of time.

I agree with the original poster and am also sick of washing my car. Unfortunately I own black, which means I need to do it a lot.

johnodrake

I don't much like washing either. I've had my C6 for 3 months now and haven't washed it yet. 3 Coats of Zaino, yes but no water! I remove the "dirt" with a cali duster and finish with detailing spray - 20 min. That said - it isn't a daily driver and I don't drive it in the rain and such.

glennhl

I use Rejex and I don't clean the car that often. It's my daily driver, but here's the trick, use a car cover. You would be surprised how clean your car will stay if you keep it covered. If I get rain, I carry a towell and wash off the car after the rain stops.

Only work I have to do is to keep the wheels clean, they really get dusted.

ZBoater

I was able to find a guy who does "mobile detailing" and comes to my house to wash it. He has a van and even brings his own water with pressure washer, vacuum, etc. Really nice guy, been doing work for me for years. He uses all my stuff (soap, wax, mitts, microfiber cloths, Porter Cable, etc.) because I want to make sure he uses "known" items. I pay him $25. Its about 1/2 hour worth of work for him, and I usually sit around and shoot the breeze with him. I started doing it when I hurt my back and couldn't wash my own 350Z (Superblack, really hard to keep clean). Then my back got better but I got lazier. I've done the Vette several times myself (I did the "first" wax ), but every so often I give the guy a call and he hooks me up. Sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day.

Check for "mobile detailers" in your area, interview a couple, check references, and make sure they use your stuff (especially washing mitts and microfiber cloths). You can always spend 15-20 minutes of "quality" time giving it some finishing touches while you watch your kids play...