Do you think people really notice??

[Jngrbrdman]

I was just looking at Redcar GUY's pictures of his Camaro and I was thinking of how awesome that car must look out in the sun driving down the street. Do you think people really notice and appreciate the kind of work it takes to get a car looking the way we get them to look? I mean, when I see a car that has a body kit and engine mods out the wazoo I can really respect the time and skill it took to get the car looking so good. Maybe some other people can't see it. When I see a Geo Metro with a 'Type R' sticker on it I know that its stupid and fake, but obviously not everybody knows that. A lot of people wouldn't know the difference between a Camaro RS and the Camaro SS.

Do you think when Redcar GUY pulls up next to someone they think "Gee, that is a nice shiney new car." or "Holy cow! What does he use on that thing to make it look so good?? Is that Klasse or Zaino that he used??" I think most people think we are just driving new cars. I'm using Redcar GUY as an example because his pictures were what got me on this line of thinking. That, and the fact that his car really looks good right now. But so do a lot of your cars. Do you think that when people look at Short Cut's Porsche they see a nice new Porsche or do they see a car that has had a lot of effort put in it? I was just wondering what you guys though.

Personally I don't think that the majority of the population has the foggiest idea what it takes to make a car look as good as we make em look. I think they just see a nice car and they don't notice that they can see the ship number on the 747 that is flying above them in the reflection on the paint. I think the majority of the population is just plain ignorant about what we do. They mostly appreciate a nice looking car but they don't know what is involved with doing it. They think that a good automatic car wash and a coat of turtle wax is good enough. Thoughts?

[bretfraz]

I'd agree with most of your comments, Ginger. On most cars the typical non-car person will not notice or care. They're life rotates in their own little orbit, if ya know what I mean. But there are some cars that by design get more looks and from there I do think people notice the condition. Redcarguy's SS is a good example of that. It's a flashy, kinda "in-your-face" car that appeals to some people by design alone. I'm sure it cataches the eye of many people including those who don't care about cars. The condition of the car is noticed by a subset of those people.

On a parallel thought, there are some places in the country that are more car-centric, where the average person is more likely to be interested in cars and their appearance. So Cal has the rep of being the Car Lovers Capital of the World. The car lifestyle is alive and well there - has been since before WWII. But there are places where the locals simply don't care about cars. You'll have little pockets of enthusiasts but mostly the clueless hoard are driving their little econoboxes and Asian Appliances until its time for another one.

When it comes to specifics like what products are being used, frankly, I don't think many Autopians can honestly tell the diff between most products. We all strive for a certain result and use whatever products we like to get there. But can someone just walk up to a car and say, "yep, that's Klasse. No question about it."? I don't think so. To be blunt, I think the experienced detailers could get amazing results from products bought at WalMart. They don't need fancy boutique products like Zaino to get awesome results. Forget about the masses out there; we all know they have no idea what products we use. If they appreciate the results and make a nice comment, I'm happy. That's all that really matters to me when it comes to the average Joe.

[Redcar GUY]

WOW were do I start!?! well lets see first off, most people think that it is a new Camaro and most of them to notice the SS on the side, some dont..... I Have peole ask me all the time "what wax do you use" and "you can tell it is new" and when I tell them that it is 5 years old they dont beleave me! O well.. I know that the SS is not an Exotic or a Viper or somthing of that caliper BUT! it gets a ton of looks!!!! I hate to brag an it to much but it does stick out like a sore toe, most of the SS Camaros around here are the new frontend style, not the 96-97 style like mine. I go to car shows and people always come and ask questions about the paint and how do I get it to "glow" like that?? I wanted this car for 3 years befor I got it, Now I will do my best to keep it looking the best it can for the rest of its days.........

Idont think that I cant answer this poll fairly with out sounding like a jerk Braging about his car so I will quit now.....

Later

[cvcaelen]

They notice,
give you a glimp,
think you're in a new car

and continue whatever they are doing...
(speaking for my environnement).

The other day ,there was this guy braging about his car(try to imagine: yellow car,giant wing at the back,on the sides shirts about two inches from the ground,on the front something like a snowshovel about a big inch above the ground, rear window a giant "tuned by..."sticker,on the sides "no fear" stickers,...
get the idea?
So he was braging about the horse power , and at a certain point he saw me standing listning, he turned to me and asked if I liked his car.

I answerd:well..., too bad it's not that shiny.
he asked: as shiny as what?
I said: as shiny as that green MPV over there

he stepped into his car and drove away

[snake]

i have people ask me what year my truck is, and when i tell them it's a 98', they say "a 98'!!!". "man i thought it was new". i even had a guy ask me the other day if i had my truck repainted.

after i detail the explorer my wife will have people that she sees all the time ask if she bought a new one. i think most just equate shiny as new.

as far as people knowing or caring about what products or methods are used, i'd say 75%, if not more, couldn't care less. most people ask me how i get my cars looking so good and when i tell them, they say "i just run mine through mr. sparkles". i'm always thinking to myself, "yea i can tell".

redcar guy, you've got an awesome car that i guarantee is always the best looking car anywhere you go. there's a big difference between bragging and being proud and you should definitely be proud.

[blkZ28Conv]

I would say that 99% of the general public have no interest concerning how well a car is detailed. I detail my toys for my personal enjoyment and achievement. I really can not opine about what other people notice because I do not look for their approval. When I do receive compliments on a 95 convertible that looks better than a 2002 I say thank-you but in reality if I was not blessed with the wherewithall to own several cars and given a company car this ultra-clean and low mileage situation would probably not exist. At least not at the same level. I give my utmost respect to those who drive extremely detailed cars daily and do not even park in a garage. These are the people that really deserve credit.

[MikeLS]

the shine and a well cared for car, but they could care less what products were used. Over the past years, I've had several strangers stop me and ask about my car since it is in very nice condition. Every where from mall parking lots to gas stations, people notice an older car that is in near perfect condition on the outside. And the highest form of flattery, a couple of those strangers even offered to BUY my car on the spot because of the condition its in. Gotta love it!

Same goes for my Mom's Maxima that I Zaino. Just a week or two ago she said some stranger came in to her work and asked if she would sell her 1994 Maxima. Her car only has a fraction of the coats on it that mine does, but it still looks great!

So, I know people are noticing how clean and shiny our cars are, but I highly doubt they are asking themselves "Did he use Klasse, Zaino, or Pinnacle" on that thing? Hey, that's OUR jobs to think about when we see other cared for cars. At least that's what I think about a lot...

I must admit, I DO love the attention that goes with having a beautiful, very shiny, and older car.

[Intel486]

I think you need another option

"They notice, but they could care less"

I've had just as many people say they don't understand why I would spend so much time on my truck as people who think my truck is new.

It also depends on your car. My truck probably doesn't get a lotta of attention but they bright red Audio TT that I saw driving down the street the other day was getting a lot of attention! I've seen very well detailed vehicles that probably don't get a lot of attention because of what they are (truck, SUV) and because of what color they are (silver, blue). Red seems to attract the most attention.

[SYKER]

Here in the NYC you would get sick. Most of the car owners lease for 2 or 3 years and really dont care what the hell there cars look like. Parking here is like a mine field for bumpers to get dings and scrapes. I guess people here are more suprised that your car doesn't have any marks on it than the type of shine you have. Serenity Now! Serenity Now!:scared

[Jngrbrdman]

I see where you are coming from on that Intel. A dirty Viper is still a Viper. It would probably attract attention no matter what condition it is in. Redcar GUY's cavalier, that he is probably buffing the hell out of right now, probably won't attract any more attention than a new Cavalier. I still look at cars that are dirty and wonder how people can live with it. A $1200 car is still a $1200 car. Would you wear a $1200 suit out on the town if it was dirty? I think not. People need to learn how to take care of their own stuff before they can respect others. Someone with a dirty car all the time is probably less likely to respect a clean car because they don't understand the effort. I changed the 4th category of the poll for people that believe people feel that way.

[Don2000g]

I would bet than many people do in fact appreciate or notice an Autopian car. I get compliments and stares all the time. They might not really care about which products I use, but they do admire, and for me that's plenty enough.

As for not knowing the difference between different car care products. i would imagine that many of us CAN tell the difference between Klasse and Zaino, especially on dark colored cars. Laters

[emanon]

All I get is that I am crazy for spending so much time, money and effort.