Join Early Retirement Today
View Poll Results: Roughly How Often Do You Wash Your Car(s)?
weekly or more often 13 7.30%
every other week 15 8.43%
monthly 32 17.98%
every other month 14 7.87%
quarterly 26 14.61%
well less often than quarterly 78 43.82%
Voters: 178. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Poll:How Often Do You Wash Your Car?
Old 09-21-2018, 07:03 AM   #1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,204
Poll:How Often Do You Wash Your Car?

My Dad dragged me out to help him hand wash and dry both family cars every weekend year round whether they needed it or not. I guess I’ve rebelled as an adult. I’d like to think today’s clear coat helps some with washing and waxing?

I know it varies by use, season, local climate and color. And I know the poll options are broad, but breaking it down to exact days (e.g. 14-28, 28-42) seems silly. Just whatever is closest ball park.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is online now   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 09-21-2018, 07:13 AM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 5,803
approx monthly, more in the summer, less in the winter (DH likes to hand wash, I will occasionally sneak thru the car wash in the winter to get the rain and slush off)
__________________
Give a Man a fish, he will eat for a day.
Teach a Man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.
pacergal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 07:26 AM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,682
Once a year, in the spring, is enough for me. I drive very little, about 3,000 miles per year, so the car is rarely on the road. And when it is home, it is kept in an indoor, heated garage, protected from the elements.
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.

"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
scrabbler1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 07:28 AM   #4
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
folivier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,986
We have the $15/month package from a local carwash place. Up to 2/day, so whenever we go to town we run it through the carwash.
The old Jeep Liberty? very seldom does it get cleaned.
__________________
You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
folivier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 07:34 AM   #5
Moderator
Aerides's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,879
Another factor in frequency is (or should be): Color

I had a lovely black SUV for a while, but realized it looks like it's been 3 weeks since washed when it's only 3 days.

Now I have a metallic slate gray, and it can be 3 weeks and look 3 days (unless you look close or run your finger over it).

My desired frequency would be every 2 weeks, but it's probably more like "eh, when it gets bird poop on it".
Aerides is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 07:45 AM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,320
My dear children cured me of my obsession regarding having a beautiful car. First the interior when they were little and now the exterior as they drive the cars. Perhaps I will reacquire it when they all have their own vehicles. So for now I put quarterly depending on how hard the last rain was.
6miths is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 07:54 AM   #7
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Fedup's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Southern Cal
Posts: 4,032
Not frequently, my husband would like to wash it more often. But I would vote more than once in a blue moon, but less than one quarterly. Also we’ve been parking our car outside to make room for space to do home improvement, so it’s not the cleanest.
Fedup is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:09 AM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Tampa
Posts: 11,230
Sports car a few times a month. Other car about once a month.
__________________
TGIM
Dtail is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:21 AM   #9
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 629
Almost never, unless I am using it for a special reason. I live on a gravel road and as soon as I wash it it is dirty again. In the summer, dusty. In the winter, muddy. I gave up trying to keep it clean a long time ago.
SheitlQueen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:23 AM   #10
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
MRG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
After a snowstorm.
MRG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:27 AM   #11
Recycles dryer sheets
Lukeee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 145
Quote:
Originally Posted by 6miths View Post
My dear children cured me of my obsession regarding having a beautiful car. First the interior when they were little and now the exterior as they drive the cars. Perhaps I will reacquire it when they all have their own vehicles. So for now I put quarterly depending on how hard the last rain was.


Lol. Ditto. I’ve gone from 1x per week to realistically 6-10x a year.
__________________
Person who will often put his foot in his mouth and not realize it.

2020 or bust!
Or
Perhaps 2021...2022...NVM
Lukeee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:29 AM   #12
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Huston55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: The Bay Area
Posts: 2,736
Every two weeks-ish. Black car parked outside; gets dirty/dusty looking quickly.
__________________
You may be whatever you resolve to be.
100% x 10% > 10% x 100%
Small pensions & SS cover essentials
Huston55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:44 AM   #13
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 17,203
You did not include the choice of "when it needs it"...


I have gone months without washing... but sometimes I can do it twice in a month if it gets really dirt for whatever reason...


I do not hand wash anymore... too much trouble... back in my 40s I loved my Acura TL and clay barred it and put on polish... it looked great... now I just run what I have through the car wash and live with the grit being in the cracks...


I will clean off all bird poop and tree sap ASAP... and I have hosed it down sometimes 3 times a week to get rid of leaves and other gunk...
Texas Proud is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:45 AM   #14
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
street's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 9,417
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack View Post
My Dad dragged me out to help him hand wash and dry both family cars every weekend year round whether they needed it or not. I guess I’ve rebelled as an adult. I’d like to think today’s clear coat helps some with washing and waxing?

I know it varies by use, season, local climate. And I know the poll options are broad, but breaking it down to exact days (e.g. 14-28, 28-42) seems silly. Just whatever is closest ball park.
LOL! WOW sounds like my early life also.
street is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:53 AM   #15
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,362
By hand? Never once in.y 66 years. Car wash once a week
__________________
Living well is the best revenge!
Retired @ 52 in 2005
marko is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:53 AM   #16
Recycles dryer sheets
MOSAT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 77
We had two black cars at one time, seemed like I was continually washing them so they looked nice. I gave up on my everyday commuter, after about ten years and washed it only when DW told me how awful it was getting to look. I vowed no more black cars regardless how sharp they look!

Now we have a silvery gray, doesn't show dirt much so it gets washed about once a month or after a beach trip to get the salt off.
MOSAT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 08:55 AM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Teacher Terry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 7,002
Once or twice a year.
Teacher Terry is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 09:01 AM   #18
Dryer sheet aficionado
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 37
We have two cars. While years ago we used to make a real effort to make our junkers look better and used rubbing compound, polish, wax etc. as we got older, had kids, and got new(er) cars, we started to ignore it. But my car started to look quite bad, with serious scratches in the paint from dumb things like kids using shovels to get snow off it and stuff. So a couple of weeks ago I started thinking, something has to change here. I called up a detailer. He wanted $800. But I'm FIRE'd, why shouldn't I do this? My car is from 2011 and it's embarrassing to me. My wife's car is from 2006 and she keeps saying it looks awful.

I watched a bunch of videos, figured out how to get rid of scratches with 3000 and 5000 grit sandpapers, and went to work. I spent a little bit of money on a random orbital polisher, bought a bunch of supplies and now both cars look fantastic. I watched videos on how to hand wash cars and again, bought some supplies for about the price of one 10 pack of car washes. These will last us way longer and if we do this every other week, we will keep our cars looking good and our paint protected.
smoghat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 09:06 AM   #19
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,204
Quote:
Originally Posted by MOSAT View Post
We had two black cars at one time, seemed like I was continually washing them so they looked nice. I gave up on my everyday commuter, after about ten years and washed it only when DW told me how awful it was getting to look. I vowed no more black cars regardless how sharp they look!
We bought a new black Audi TT, but we knew what we were getting into and consciously decided we'd do it once - we'll try most things once. It was hand washed and waxed it's entire life to minimize swirl marks, and it looked great when we traded it in - but we'd never do it again, as we expected when we bought it. It's hard to beat the look of a pristine black car, especially at night, but it's more work than most colors.

Glad we checked that one off...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 09:32 AM   #20
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Austin
Posts: 375
Any time my car change oil. Even though it’s free car wash at the dealer, which is 10 minutes away.
HillCountry is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How Often Do you Wash Your Hair Katsmeow Health and Early Retirement 41 09-08-2015 10:40 PM
My car after its annual car wash.... thefed Other topics 11 05-21-2008 10:50 PM
how often do you check your portfolio balance poll wstu32 FIRE and Money 28 01-14-2007 12:20 AM
Poll: How often do you rebalance your portfolio? Lusitan FIRE and Money 7 05-06-2006 11:51 AM
Car Wash renferme FIRE and Money 11 03-25-2005 05:58 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:58 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.