Obsession

[CRTZL1]

Originally Posted by MYDLIFECRISIS

So I've had my Camaro for almost 5 months now. I've become very obsessed with keeping it clean, so much so, that I didn't want to take it to my mother-in-laws tonight. The reason is this: it rained yesterday, and the father-in-law mowed the lawn today. I knew there would be grass clippings all over the driveway, plus a big puddle at the beginning of the driveway. My wife asked if I would drive there, (we bring our 2 year old over on Wed nights because he loves her spaghetti). Anyway, I said I didn't want to, and it hurt my wife's feelings. I will admit that I'm not how I said I would be once I bought this car. I think ahead to the destination and decide if I want to take the Camaro or not. I promised I wouldn't be this way, but I am. My wife is upset about this, and wishes I would come around to being able to take our family more places in it. I see her side, but don't know how to turn this situation around. It's almost like I can't enjoy this beautiful machine like I should, because of the obsession of keeping it clean and looking new. Am I the only one...and I think I need to change this. HELP!

Hey man! ...
I had the same exact problem as you. Only difference is I was like this with every mustang I owned, 6 to be exact. I would never drive the car if there was a rain cloud forecasted or insight, and for the kids they weren't allowed in my car unless the shoes were off and no candy or food was in sight.
I spent many hours cleaning,detailing, washing and waxing it was really ridiculous but a passion. Winter would come and car would be put up and I literally would have put a thousand or two miles on for the year! Just ridiculous for the passion I had for these cars, I felt as if I couldn't even enjoy the car, not to mention my wife was just fed up with how it just sat there..... Well fast forward about 6 years or so and I finally decided to make the switch to the camaro , one of my things was I'm actually going to drive this car and enjoy it. Another was I need it to be an automatic with the awesome paddle shifters cause I'm sick of shifting gears, probably cause I'm getting older. Well with all that said I drove the car fell in love and found myself getting back into those bad habits and I just wasn't haven't it.... so immediately I drove my new Awesome car in the rain and I've been driving it ever since. It will go away for the winter and will never see snow but at least now I will be driving it through the good whether, rain or shine. And you know what I'm a lot happier cause of it..
So to sum it up I'm a Very anal guy and if I can do it so can you, just force yourself and take it from me after a couple weeks or so of being lose you'll be a million times happier your enjoying your beautiful ride, trust me!!!

One other thing I'd like to throw in, I notice you have aspen grey like myself... that was a great choice come to find out.. not only does the car look amazing when cleaned and detailed but it's the first color car that I truly believe looks great dirty as well, and I say this cause you can barely tell it's dirty when it is!!!
GOOD LUCK MAN!!!

[AdamEL]

I feel your pain. I'm completely obsessed with mine, too. And that certainly includes keeping it clean. I don't have a garage yet [but will 6 months from now], so my car gets dirty in just a few days time. And it gets filthy if it gets rained on. But it just gives me an excuse to wash it. I'd say I'm WAY more obsessed with people damaging it. It's already been scratched twice and the door dented by another a**hole's car door [of course, I fixed all of these blemishes immediately after they happened]. And all of this has happened in my apartment's parking lot. But don't sweat the dirt, man. Get it dirty and clean it up.

[heRS]

Take that work truck of yours and haul a load of gravel over to the folks' and fill that puddle. Bring your leaf blower with you and blow the grass off the driveway. Problem solved. Except for the dust that would blow up... bad idea.
You have to learn to laugh at yourself and your idiosyncracies. I don't know if I spelled that right or not but you have to laugh at yourself or you'll die crying. Your car will clean up. Your wife never forget how you made her feel.

[JustRaf]

I was never been this anal about my car but this is the disease I am suffering right now. I spend countless of hours cleaning my car. When I eat out the at fast food chain I should seat down near to window so I can see whats going on the parking lot and I always think about her what mods etc... Love this car!!

[DFWHD]

Originally Posted by big papa

My Camaro is not my DD. I often want to take my car somewhere, but I think ahead of the parking situation, and wanting to avoid door dings, I choose to drive my truck. Kinda the same thing, but I have other vehicles to get me around. Not sure how people can be that protective if thats your DD. You don't say if you have another car.

Same here - I also consider weather and how many people are going. If more than me and one passenger, I take my Expedition.

[Sir Nuke]

Originally Posted by skipinminn

DUDE cleaning it after it gets dirty is as much fun as driving it to get dirty SHOW IT OFF :0 Let her drive it to Grandma's. OR Buy her ONE say a LS and use hers to go shopping and get dirty Problem Settled

[ZED SLED]

Teach her how to properly wash a car then tell her if she wants to go somewhere and it gets dirty, have at it. It's the same as a remote TV. Why have one? I'm not so lazy I can't tell my wife to get up and change the channel.

[alyssasdad]

Man......You are not alone. I myself am going through the same thing. I was getting so bad that I would actually not even drive it on pretty days in fear of it getting a paint chip or for Gods sake it might get brake dust on the wheels!!! I am very very very anal. To the point of stupidity and insanity!!! I would be so scared of getting a scratch on it then Id grab a microsoft rag and wipe on it and put scratches on it myself!!! Then get the PC out and repolish and rewax!!! I mean I had serious problems. Then....I had to tell myself....Its a car.... drive the damm thing and enjoy it!!!One of the best things that could ever happen to me....happened. I turned onto a road not knowing that they had just done a repaving job on it!!! I got so mad,I was making up cus words!!! Even though after I cleaned it up there was no damage or paint issues I learned...stuff happens. I made a promise right then and there. Im going to drive the car(still not in the rain since its not my DD) and wash it once or twice a week,and thats it. No more. Im not going to be out there everyday inspecting and wiping on it like a mad man any more!!!Its been hard but I know Im going to be a happy man for it!!!

[bhall82]

This thread is full of fail


These cars are mass produced and a dime a dozen. Drive the damn car and enjoy it. WGAS if it gets dirty that mean you're enjoying your car!!

[Blackkaz04]

I was like that with my last camaro....never wanted to get it dirty with so much time and money invested.....20k in mods, it was a blast to drive. Funny thing was, I didn't drive it much. I have already put more miles on my IOM in 1 month than I put on my other camaro in 7 months.

These cars are fun to drive. If you just let them sit and don't enjoy them, you'll be wondering why you own it which leads to people selling. so, DRIVE IT!

[djxrated81]

Originally Posted by bhall82

This thread is full of fail


These cars are mass produced and a dime a dozen. Drive the damn car and enjoy it. WGAS if it gets dirty that mean you're enjoying your car!!

in the end its just a car....a really sweet ass car but like others said dont let it run your life, especially when family is involved!! I have black and if i was that anal which i used to be, i would probably be divorced, and black gets dirty by just walking by it in the garage!! so try to pull back the cleanlyness and make up with the wife.....then clean your car good luck

[Blackkaz04]

I couldn't stand black.....! hahaha never again.

[djxrated81]

yeah it sucks but when its clean for that first 15 minutes it look SICK!!!

[BowtieBelle]

Originally Posted by bhall82

This thread is full of fail


These cars are mass produced and a dime a dozen. Drive the damn car and enjoy it. WGAS if it gets dirty that mean you're enjoying your car!!

This. Not taking a two year old to her grandma's because of some grass clippings is absolutely ridiculous, OP, I'm sorry. Park on the street if you're that worried, but come on. If I was your wife I'd be really irritated too. It's a car. They wash. I live on a gravel road and my car still looks amazing. Come on...