Apartment dwellers

slvr-bullet

New member
Hello All,



After moving into an apartment, from a house, I can no longer enjoy detailing my car :(



I had purchased a whole load of equipment and supplies a few months before I had moved (wasn't planned). This was a year and a half ago.



I've resorted to going to the DIY washes (yah I know it's a bad thing) only, hand dry the entire car and finish up with either Zaino Z6 or Z8 (car has been previously treated with Zaino products).



Now with summer coming I want to detail my car but can't at the apartment.



I was thinking of, well probably more like will, buying some ONR. But what about polishing and all that other good stuff?



I have a PC just sitting in a case and products begging to be used.
 
Surely you know some friends or relatives that will let you do your thing at their place? If not, make some new friends by offering to detail their car in exchange to do yours at their place.
 
? why can't you detail at the apartment complex?



I lived in one once and just ran a drop cord from my apartment to my car about about 70 ft away, no one ever minded to much....
 
Might have to hit up the car washes late at night so u can bucket wash :xyxthumbs
shiny_car.jpg
 
I just bought a condo about a year ago and feel your pain. There is a very simple solution to your problems though...



ONR washes and an extension cord from home depot. Chances are there is an electrical socket to be found somewhere. Its annoying as hell when everyone looks at you like your nuts (especially living right by the model where people are constantly visiting!) but you make due with what you have.



That said, I still prefer to do my more in depth detailing stuff at my parents house which is

~20 miles away. As the previous posters chimed in, I have to imagine you have a friend or family member with a garage.
 
Robb said:
Might have to hit up the car washes late at night so u can bucket wash :xyxthumbs
shiny_car.jpg





I've bucket washed mine in the middle of the day when the attendants were there. As long as there aren't a ton of people waiting to use the bay I'm in, I'll keep doing it. If someone says somethign to me, then I'll just go to one of the 3 or 4 other ones within a few miles of that one. Most of the time though, I just go there and clean the wheels and wells up and just spray off the heavy dirt. ONR is where it's at with all these watering restrictions around these parts.
 
Shade is the biggest issue for detailing in apt complexes. Sometimes you can luck out depending on the time of day, though.



Fortunately, the on-site stuff I do doesn't happen at apts too often.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.



Doing it at the complex is definitely not an option. I live on the 6th floor of a high rise and my balcony faces out to a yard so no 70ft extension cords here :)



Might be able to wash the car in the underground parking but I mught get weird looks..lol :D



I'd rather not but I think my only option is to trek to my parents place early in the morning and do it in the driveway once in a while for a full detail job.
 
I forgot--



The other thing I do when I have no access to an outlet--it's a bit ghetto, but it works lkike a charm.



I use a Coleman Powermate w/ a 12V jack in it. Plug a Coleman power inverter into that and voila--cordless buffer. I use a 6" craftsman (shameful for this site) so it doesn't draw a ton of power. I don't know if a PC will draw more.



It gives me enough time to polish and glaze a car.
 
You don't have an electrical plug in for your parking spot? In Toronto? Seems a bit odd for winters especially. :nixweiss:
 
slvr-bullet said:
Thanks for the suggestions guys.



Doing it at the complex is definitely not an option. I live on the 6th floor of a high rise and my balcony faces out to a yard so no 70ft extension cords here :)



Might be able to wash the car in the underground parking but I mught get weird looks..lol :D



I'd rather not but I think my only option is to trek to my parents place early in the morning and do it in the driveway once in a while for a full detail job.



take a lap around your building. Theres bound to be a socket out there somewhere. I found my target hiding behind some bushes in a flower bed.
 
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