How picky are you with your car?

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Problem is when buying used cars most people dont care. Dealers are reluctant to fix issues until people bring them to their attention... Like scraped front bars for example, if they fix them then someone scrapes the bar again in the yard or on a test drive they are no better off. Most of the time they will fix the issues before delivery if you ask them to and put it on the contract.

Sadly cars that are driven daily just cannot be kept mint, my FG XR6 I just traded did not have 1 single scratch or dint on it, but it had several stone chips and scrapes under the front bar (simply because I used it everyday).

Theres only so much you can do to keep a car like brand new, they eventually do get the odd nock / dint / scratch.

Exactly. To take it a step further, if I was looking at a car that is 3 years old with 50k on the clock and it was spotless, absolutely mint, I would be suspect as hell about its history. For example any FPV that has k's on the clock and does not have the slightest scrape mark under the front bar has had the front bar repainted for some reason.

[KS290]

I’m pretty pedantic, and that’s why I’m selling my GT. It was getting ridiculous as the kids grow older, not wanting to let them in it for fear of them damaging the interior, not wanting to drive the car if there was the threat of rain, not wanting to leave the car in public carparks and then parking at the far end of the carpark about 200 yards from the shops. Only driving it on journeys longer than say 10kms so the oil would warm up properly.
The problem is this was my daily driver so it had to see rain now and again and I had to take the family out in it now and again. Every little scratch in the interior was getting to me – not bad enough to replace the part, but no longer exactly as new. Same with the odd stonechip. Saying that, it is pretty immaculate, but maybe not to Hulk BA’s standards.....

So now it’s parked in the dry, in the garage, all locked up, cleaned and detailed and waiting for its new owner. Offers please.

[duaned]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I hope you put tyre dressing on the inside of your steer tyres, in case anyone happens to look at them when your parking on full lock.

Hey WTF, I do that!

I'm with the OP in relation to being fussy. After finishing the leather re-trim, I noticed a tiny mark on the seat trim plastic cover where the electric adjuster is. Yep, I replaced it with a new one. Every wash I get my a$$ under the car to clean all the components underneath, springs etc. to keep the immaculate finish inside and out. My paint must always remain silky smooth and shiny. All this for a pratically worthless run of the mill XR6 falcon.
Hey, it' s now got 12,000kms on the clock, still smells like new and it's mine.
Enough said!

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by duaned

Hey WTF, I do that!

[GT 160]

My dreams of a well presented car(s) were quickly destroyed by a duo of 2 yr old terrorists.

[kocho]

I don't see a problem with people looking after their cars no matter what it is. Why have a go at someone because it's 'just a Falcon' or a '95 Excel. Who cares? For some people it's the biggest purchase they've ever made (I know it is for me) so why not look after it?

Someone said that some people on here have too much money on their hands. Fair point, but just because someone takes pride in their car doesn't mean they have too much money on their hands.

I don't think I'd go to the extremes Hulk has stated in his OP. But still, nothing wrong with looking after your things!

[RAPID_BA]

That's my point, not fixing the odd nock dint or scratch will accumulate and then the owner decides to flog it off when its not at their acceptable standard no more. But they let it deteriorate.

Picky people fix or go to extreme measures to prevent nocks, dints or scratches. On a previous car, someone ever so slightly touched the back of my car in traffic. I got out to inspect and he initially denied it, then denial turned to its only a little scratch. I ended up getting him to cough up $600 there and then (don't ask my methods) and I thought its just a scratch I won't fix it. But that scratch ate me inside and I sold the car.

[RAPID_BA]

Originally Posted by duaned

Hey WTF, I do that!

I'm with the OP in relation to being fussy. After finishing the leather re-trim, I noticed a tiny mark on the seat trim plastic cover where the electric adjuster is. Yep, I replaced it with a new one. Every wash I get my a$$ under the car to clean all the components underneath, springs etc. to keep the immaculate finish inside and out. My paint must always remain silky smooth and shiny. All this for a pratically worthless run of the mill XR6 falcon.
Hey, it' s now got 12,000kms on the clock, still smells like new and it's mine.
Enough said!

Your my sort of car enthusiast. I guarantee I take better care with my 95 model LTD than most people take with a new car (that they own)

I used to have a work car not owned by me and it still got a weekly wash and reasonable treatment but not like the cars I own. (Still better than most people how they treat their cars)

[geckoGT]

I think the important thing to remember is many of us here are not talking about not maintaining a vehicle, we do and many of us do way more than the average Joe. The thing is we are not that fussy that we spend large amounts of money fixing what appears to be a manufacturing defect as you described in your OP.

My experience, the difference between a fastidious owner and a normal owner when trading a car in equals 3/5 of bugger all when it comes to trade in value. Most dealers barely look past the build date, VIN number and service records when giving the trade in price.

Personally, I look after my cars well, keep them looking great because I get pride from it. I won't however go as far as replacing tail lights due to manufacturing faults that are only visible if you look really close in the right light or re spraying the front bar every year, not on a daily use car. A restored classic or fine weather weekend toy is a different story, but that won't collect many defects anyway.

[prydey]

i look after my car for MY benefit, not because of what others may think. if there is something that bugs me about it, i will get it fixed, even if it isn't noticeable to others.

its not about resale or other people, its about MY car and ME.

having said that, lately (last 5 years of so), i've been using things that bug me as an excuse to move it on and buy something else. as soon as i mention any little thing now, the mrs just rolls her eyes and says 'here we go again'!

[RAPID_BA]

Some people say I'm over the top. But honestly my mate has a territory 07 model with 140,000km, been keyed, scuffed leather seats, dirty from kids in the back, lucky if he washes it once every 6 months.

He saw my old 95 model LTD with 81,000km and in mint condition, lucky if you find a spec of dust, shiny from any angle. He says why do you want that old car and laughed.

I wouldn't swap it for his rough as guts territory but he thinks he has the better car because its newer. I would be embarrassed to drive his rough car, he would describe it as top condition, HA

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

Some people say I'm over the top. But honestly my mate has a territory 07 model with 140,000km, been keyed, scuffed leather seats, dirty from kids in the back, lucky if he washes it once every 6 months.

He saw my old 95 model LTD with 81,000km and in mint condition, lucky if you find a spec of dust, shiny from any angle. He says why do you want that old car and laughed.

I wouldn't swap it for his rough as guts territory but he thinks he has the better car because its newer. I would be embarrassed to drive his rough car, he would describe it as top condition, HA

Two vastly different ends of the spectrum.

[Windsor342ci]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

Some people say I'm over the top. But honestly my mate has a territory 07 model with 140,000km, been keyed, scuffed leather seats, dirty from kids in the back, lucky if he washes it once every 6 months.

He saw my old 95 model LTD with 81,000km and in mint condition, lucky if you find a spec of dust, shiny from any angle. He says why do you want that old car and laughed.

I wouldn't swap it for his rough as guts territory but he thinks he has the better car because its newer. I would be embarrassed to drive his rough car, he would describe it as top condition, HA

Completely agree Hulk,

People often question my car and the effort I put into it, this coming from owners who may wash they Santa Fe or Great Walls bi-annually.

But you know what, each to their own mate. On the inside I laugh at them and think they truly have no idea, on the outside I nod and say when I grow up I want to be like them....

[GasoLane]

Strange as it may seem there are actually people out there who think a car is a means of transport and not a priceless work of art.

Usually these people are the ones who have a life beyond car detailing. Such as using the car as a taxi for the kids, doing the weekly shopping or actually driving it in the rain!!

(that was sarcasm)

[Fordman]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

scratch ex doesn't solve any problems .

Solves some of the smaller ones for me

Originally Posted by prydey

i look after my car for MY benefit, not because of what others may think. if there is something that bugs me about it, i will get it fixed, even if it isn't noticeable to others.

its not about resale or other people, its about MY car and ME..

I agree with this, Everything I do on my car is for me. It is true that for most people a car is just a mode of transport, its more than that to me but.

Having said that, one of the main reasons this forum is so great is because a group of people with similar interests can congregate and appriciate/enjoy peoples work whether its obvious or subtle.

[ROBBO1981]

i do my best to maintain my car, wash as often as possible vacume, this summer is all about under body work clean up surface rust and do some greasing, i believe that cleaning your car is maintenance and should be done as often as possible.

look after the car and it will look after you.

[rancidpunx]

I am pretty fussy and I hate myself for it. I hate looking after my car and keeping it immaculate only for it to get damaged under circumstances out of my control. I really want to sell my ute so that I dont get upset every time something happens. But then I think about the joy it brings me and not sure I could do without that in my life. I also think about getting a daily that I can keep "Nice" and a weekend that wont be left in car parks, driven anywhere in traffic and will live at home in its own little world. But thats a big expense that I dont really need, or want, just because im fussy.

[AcidTrip]

I can understand peoples obsession with making their car look immaculate because I used to be like that, but when you cover 600 clicks a week in Melbourne weather you get over it. Particularly when that time spent making the car immaculate could be better spent having sex with women or playing the guitar.

Now my Harley* on the other hand is a different story. Keeping that nice and shiny reinforces my above two points!




* Not really a Harley, it's a Hyosung GV650. But a lot of people think it's a Harley V-Rod ... Numpties ...

[Parkway]

I was actually going to ask this question sooner or later.
I'm not as picky as some people though, but I'll be the first to admit that I do have a mild case of OCD.

Here's my story - My carpets cannot be soiled IN THE SLIGHTEST. No one eats, drinks or farts in my car. You touch the radio, YOU DIE! If your shoes go anywhere but the floormats, YOU DIE AGAIN! I get mad when the door is slammed, when passengers yell things at innocent civilians and when my heffa mates are in the car because I use more fuel and the steering stiffens up a bit. I don't mind a bit of dirt on the car, but dirty carpets bug me to heaven. I wash my car every fortnight (by me for fear of whats in the stuff at the auto washs) and that's just my sedan.

My ute is a different story, if not quite the opposite. I don't care too much for the interior as the floor is rubber and has deep dish mats as well. The outside isn't perfect, but I know EXACTLY where each little scratch is and if I find one that wasn't there before, I go into a state where I lock myself in my room and listen to Easy Lover for 48hrs straight. I have marked on my overflow bottle where the coolant is/was at and I routinely check it the next day that it was driven to check if it dropped. I don't listen to music so I can hear if a strange noise arises. I don't like driving it in the rain, leaving it in the sun, crowded carparks, at someone's house overnight, under trees and most importantly, NOBODY, I mean NOBODY drives it but me.

In conclusion, I'm 20, straight edge, all my friends hate Ford and I've never done a burnout. Tell your sister.

[MITCHAY]

Not really. I'd rather spend my time, money, worries elsewhere.

I got the car park dents and gravel rash from road works and the odd scratch here and there.

While I prefer it was in perfect condition I really don't care much as there is really nothing I can do about it.

I could buy a separate car to drive to work but it is not worth the money considering I only really drive to and from work anyway most of the time.

Really wish I still had my TX5 for that, it was a great daily car though not a picture of perfection it was mechanically sound and much more comfy than what I have now

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Parkway

I get mad when the door is slammed, when passengers yell things at innocent civilians and when my heffa mates are in the car because I use more fuel and the steering stiffens up a bit.

Haha you must be my brother from another mother, I am the exact same. I have refused to let a couple of my mates ride in my car because they're too fat and will bugger up the seat.

Originally Posted by Parkway

I lock myself in my room and listen to Easy Lover for 48hrs straight.

Welcome to my world

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by Fordman

Solves some of the smaller ones for me

nah just hides them, scratch x sucks, if your going to get picky do it properly with paint correction

[GreenR]

Besides a house, the car is like the most expensive thing you own. I find it interesting that you wouldn't want to try and take great care of it.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by plarazza

Besides a house, the car is like the most expensive thing you own.

not if you're married


well, technically i don't own her. she does let me out to go to work

[GT0132]

Hulk...are you serious - if you damage a rim you go out and buy a new set of them? That is overkill.

I am pretty pedantic myself but not that bad. I get my front bar resprayed every year if it needs it but I wouldn't go to the bother of having other panels repsrayed because of stone chips - just not worth it. I carry around a spray detailer and a microfibre cloth in the boot in case a bird craps on my paint and some window cleaner if it needs it..Mine gets used weekends only but it still gets areas of wear...I noticed a scratch on the gear surround a few weeks ago - thats life , and not worth losing sleep over

[RAPID_BA]

Originally Posted by GT0132

Hulk...are you serious - if you damage a rim you go out and buy a new set of them? That is overkill.
er

Come check my rims, not a mark on them, if I see a mark ill get a new set.

[homegrown]

Used to be picky.
Now that my little boy can get around I find little dents and marks but not really worried. I guess because I want another paint job

[homegrown]

But in saying that i dont mind the odd chip. Shows that you love to drive it and enjoy it. My mate has a GT replica, spent thousands and thousands and is too scared to drive because of the chance something can happen to it. driven twice in 5 years. Whats the point.

[NAK302]

with some of the replies here, i'm starting to wonder if it's really an enthusiests forum or just a hangout.

[Eleanor]

Originally Posted by JG65TE

you blokes have too much money on ya hands.

Agreed!

Any of you want to pay my electricity bill, phone bill, fuel bill, put new tyres on my car, pay property rates, rego, insurance, feed and clothe my kids, oh God help it doesn't stop....?