When did people stop caring about their cars?

RAG · 02-22-07, 05:11

It isn't like we don't have the necessary knowledge to care for paint properly, so when did this country stop caring about their cars? The fact that so few people (maybe 1% of drivers) care for their cars properly is hard for me to understand, afterall, vehicles are most people's second largest asset. Virtually all the vehicles I come across have heavy rust contamination (salt air) and are swirled to heck.

Eurosport94 · 02-22-07, 05:14

I guess people don't seem to care, its just a means of transportation. Its sad when you see the 70k Benz's or BMW's with swirl marks all over and the wheels are caked in brake dust

RAG · 02-22-07, 05:33

Most randoms that approach me regarding a detail insist that their paint is in good shape, and when I suggest that most vehicles around here that haven't had a proper detail in a while have rust (and swirls) in their paint, the customer usually sias there's no way they have any in their paint...of course a quick inspection usually ends that debate real quick like. So maybe it's a combination of ignorance and lack of care.

joshtpa · 02-22-07, 05:34

When you think about it, it is just a mode of transportation. But I would not say people dont care. There are tons of things (gadgets) made for the car, that has made it a billion dollar industry. As far as appearance? I think many people care, but there is a lot of things to do in a day in this day of career people. Many distractions, that make it hard for people to take 2 hours a month to care about the car. They would rather run it through the gas station car wash every other week. Keep in mind, most people keep their car less than 4 years now. That is much different than 20 years ago.

blkZ28Conv · 02-22-07, 05:40

I think most cars today are boring, only distinguishing feature are their nameplates and require very little TLC to do their function - transport on road that in many places in disrepair and constantly crowded.
Beside no one seems to kind about their fellow man/woman anymore. I drive a DD because I refuse to take my classics or garage queen anywhere where others can create damage from neglect or plain jealousy.

abbeysdad · 02-22-07, 05:44

People only stopped caring when you started caring more!
I've always been 'easy' on my cars, but never really babied them. Didn't really wash 'em all that regular. Rarely waxed, let alone explore all the LSP options available beyond the store shelf.

I came off of three, three year lease deals (9 yrs.) and bought this one back in June. Well, I've always gotten the new car fever, but it usually only lasted six or eight weeks. This time it stuck, found this side, studied up, products galore, pc 7424, pads, towels and more!

It was at about this time that I too began noticing how it seemed very few people took care of there cars - inside or out! New cars, old cars, many look like they're rarely if ever get washed...I wonder if they get regular service? Hope I never have to buy one of them!

Point is, I likely wouldn't have noticed a year ago - and frankly, right now with the real crappy weather, I don't pay as much attention as I did back in summer.

Sure like the way mine looked on Saturday after the coin-op power wash and the ONR quick detail! Short lived as it may be.

Looking forward to spring to polish and try Duragloss or Werkstatts Acrylic Jett: Trigger.
Leaning towards Duragloss for the good rep and nice pricing.

Oh and truth be known, a lot of folks don't take care of their homes either! Perhaps the byproducts of a fast food, buy cheap, use once, disposable, polute 'n trash the world culture. (I better stop before this turns into a George Carlin routine).

BMW335i · 02-22-07, 05:49

I would say its just plain ignorance. They can't spot a swirl if they're life depended on it, and they think the tunnel wash is a "treat" for the car.

To be honest, I wouldn't care that much about my car if I had a 1993 civic or something.

I dont think people realize how delicate car paint is. Its 50% ignorance and 50% just not caring enough.

BlackElantraGT · 02-22-07, 05:52

I agree with what joshtpa's saying.

Also, even though a car may be someone's 2nd biggest asset, many don't treat it like a valuable one because the majority of cars decline in value. If people knew it was going to be a collectible, they would treat it with better care and spend more on the upkeep. But most people nowadays probably change their car within 5-10 years, so what's the point of spending all that money on upkeep when it doesn't justify the little extra you get back when you sell the vehicle?

We live in a world where it's getting harder and harder to have extra money left over. If I had only $50 to spend a month between paying a cell phone bill, paying a cable bill, or getting my car detailed, having my car detailed is low on my priority list. And I'm sure it's low on the majority of most people's list unless they could afford it or maybe having a clean car was part of their job, such as a real estate agent or something. I could drive to work in a dirty car and still make money to survive, but if most of my customers did business over the phone, I could have the cleanest car in the world but that won't bring any money in for me.

Setec Astronomy · 02-22-07, 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshtpa

Keep in mind, most people keep their car less than 4 years now. That is much different than 20 years ago.

That's not true, people keep their cars longer today...even the leases are longer.

People are just oblivious. They don't know anything about how to maintain their car, and they feel out of control because of the weather, parking lot dings, traffic accidents, etc. It's hard to feel protective of your car when you (may) have to leave it outside 24/7, it's subject to all kinds of abuse...I think people feel they are just shoveling against the tide...they know they are powerless to stop a lot of the damage, and I think they block it out to some degree so it doesn't eat at them.

Grimm · 02-22-07, 06:08

It's always been this way. Just look at old photographs from the 30's and 40's and you'll see that cars were always dirty and just didn't shine (I'm sure some of it has to do with the archaic photography). I have no idea why it is that way, but it is. I've always said like you RAG, my cars are our second largest expense, and they don't generally appreciate like a house. So if I'm spending so much money, I'm going to take care of it. While I don't go to the extremes that a lot of Autopians do for washing and such, I cringe when I see a new ding from some clueless idiot at the mall. To most people, it's just another thing they bought with their credit. To me, it's something I worked hours upon hours to get, so I'm going to take care of it.

blkZ28Conv · 02-22-07, 06:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

That's not true, people keep their cars longer today...even the leases are longer.

People are just oblivious. They don't know anything about how to maintain their car, and they feel out of control because of the weather, parking lot dings, traffic accidents, etc. It's hard to feel protective of your car when you (may) have to leave it outside 24/7, it's subject to all kinds of abuse...I think people feel they are just shoveling against the tide...they know they are powerless to stop a lot of the damage, and I think they block it out to some degree so it doesn't eat at them.

Excellent points. Maybe we all assume here at Autopia that everyone has a DD, a garage queen and coozy garage to park in every night. But then again when I did not have these things 38 years ago and it was only a new '71 VW Super Beetle, I treated it with as much TLC as I do my vehicle today. I know it's not genetic because my brother drives nice vehicles and could care less if it dirty or clean. As long as its maintained and service properly he's happy.

Maybe "we" care "too" much?

hooked · 02-22-07, 06:14

It's definitely a throw-away society these days. If your dvd player breaks, do you fix it? Or do you just ditch it because it's cheaper to buy a new one than get it fixed? As someone else mentioned, more and more people replace their cars sooner than ever before. With the popularity of leasing, people can get behind the wheel of more expensive cars and replace them in a couple of years, so why worry about maintaining it's appearance? The paint won't look too bad by the time they turn it in, so a couple washes a year will do the trick.

Personally, I bought a new car at the end of 2006 and I've been infected with OCD. One of the main reasons I do it myself, so I can't/don't want to spend money for someone else to do it for me.

Do you guys actually have regular customers that subscribe to a bi-weekly regimen?