Honestly wondering???????

[Don]

After roughly 40 years of cleaning cars, starting as a total NEWB, to where I am now, I have noticed ONE CONSISTANT thing....

Out of EVERY SINGLE CAR, that I have detailed, the ones that ALWAYS have the absolutely NASTIEST windows (interior), have ALL been owned by younger (typically) NON-SMOKING Women/Girls.

I DON`T mean ANY disrespect to those women who DO take care of their cars. Women who are into cars/detailing are a rare gift from God. I`m referring to the female population in general. Their houses are usually immaculate (windows included), but the windows in their CARS!!!!

It hit me as I was detailing the car of the 2nd of my two nieces (the KIA), that BOTH the blue Civic AND the Soul had (some) interior glass that APPEARED that cleaning had been ATTEMPTED (with what looks like a dry, dirty - grimy rag), but BOTH were WORSE than the interior glass on a HEAVY smoker`s car.

My wife asked why I didn`t take 50/50 pictures of the windows, and to be honest, I think I was too shocked once the realization hit me, and I missed the opportunity.

Is it simply because cars aren`t a priority to them? Doesn`t NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE due to the severe glare off the haze bother them? I asked my first niece (Civic) about her driving experience AFTER I had cleaned the windows in her car. She said: "It was like driving in high-definition." But she didn`t have an answer as to WHY she let them get that bad. So I asked my 2nd niece (KIA) "Why did your windows get so bad?" She just laughed, but said "I have no idea."

Can ANYONE clue me in as to "WHY?"

 

[Ron Ketcham]

Constant application of a cleaner/dressing to dash and other interior surfaces.

 

[Dan]

Yeah I don’t get how the windows get so bad on some cars. I hate cleaning mine and rarely do but they don’t get that bad.

 

[Don]

Constant application of a cleaner/dressing to dash and other interior surfaces.

From what I`ve seen, it`s not this ^ These are people who simply NEVER clean ANYTHING on or about their cars.

 

[Rsurfer]

If they don`t wash for weeks/months on end, do you really think they would clean the interior windows? I rather crawl under the car and clean the undercarriage than clean interior windows.

 

[Don]

If they don`t wash for weeks/months on end, do you really think they would clean the interior windows? I rather crawl under the car and clean the undercarriage than clean interior windows.

I`m not very "fond" of interior glass either, because I`m NOT a contortionist. Especially windshields and rear windows in small or cramped cars. Which is why "I" tend to do them frequently, so they DON`T get THAT dirty and it only takes a few minutes. Not to mention, I LIKE BEING ABLE TO SEE.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

Hot weather, dash becoming hot, releases the plastizer content of the vinyl dash pad, fogs deposits on glass, was a real serious issue 30 years ago, however even with improvements in the composition of today`s vinyl, some brands models still exhibit such. The pdms dressings used also evaporate and migrate to interior surfaces.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Hot weather, dash becoming hot, releases the plastizer content of the vinyl dash pad, fogs deposits on glass, was a real serious issue 30 years ago, however even with improvements in the composition of today`s vinyl, some brands models still exhibit such. The pdms dressings used also evaporate and migrate to interior surfaces.

All very true, but I believe the OP was talking about the personal habits of the driver rather than technical causes.

 

[Don]

All very true, but I believe the OP was talking about the personal habits of the driver rather than technical causes.

I was referring to those causes as well, but you`re right about the personal habits of the owners also. In addition to the things Ron pointed out, the fact that (all) People BREATHE in the car and water vapor from their breath attaches to the glass, as does sweat evaporating from peoples` bodies (biological contaminates) stick to the glass too. It`s the fact that all these things take quite a bit of time to build up, it shows that the glass is NEVER cleaned, even after it becomes only semi-transparent and the glare from ANY light source can make the glass totally opaque, people STILL DON`T clean the glass AND are actually SURPRISED when someone DOES clean them properly and they FINALLY see how BAD the glass actually was. Worse, even after a demonstration like that, they STILL don`t clean the glass OR chose to have someone else do it on a regular basis to stop it from happening AGAIN.

Not only is it gross, it`s DANGEROUS as heck since your visibility can instantly be reduced to ZERO if light hits the glass "just right."

 

[Dan]

I was referring to those causes as well, but you`re right about the personal habits of the owners also. In addition to the things Ron pointed out, the fact that (all) People BREATHE in the car and water vapor from their breath attaches to the glass, as does sweat evaporating from peoples` bodies (biological contaminates) stick to the glass too. It`s the fact that all these things take quite a bit of time to build up, it shows that the glass is NEVER cleaned, even after it becomes only semi-transparent and the glare from ANY light source can make the glass totally opaque, people STILL DON`T clean the glass AND are actually SURPRISED when someone DOES clean them properly and they FINALLY see how BAD the glass actually was. Worse, even after a demonstration like that, they STILL don`t clean the glass OR chose to have someone else do it on a regular basis to stop it from happening AGAIN.

Not only is it gross, it`s DANGEROUS as heck since your visibility can instantly be reduced to ZERO if light hits the glass "just right."

While true, I`m not in the least surprised. I mean people walk around in pajamas now.

The big surprise for me is where they get the money for their cars and then the money that they have to take them through the local tunnel wash.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

Early 90`s this was a serious issue for Mitsubisi and Chrysler in two sport models. Was brought in to work with two engineers as to why those two models were having such and this was even for those unsold on dealer lots. We found several contributing issues. Among the major ones was the vinyl used, the temps the cars were subjected to as they set on the lots and a major issue was the angle of the windshields! We also found such items as dressings applied, etc.

 

[Don]

While true, I`m not in the least surprised. I mean people walk around in pajamas now.

The big surprise for me is where they get the money for their cars and then the money that they have to take them through the local tunnel wash.

Don`t get me started on that subject. When I was working, I would see cars (older classics as well as newer cars) with HUGE rims = 30"+ (much bigger than those on a semi-truck (which are 22.5" BTW). I asked at a local tire/wheel custom shop, "How much does that &%^& cost?" The response? Just ONE rim can cost $3,000 plus and ONE tire is over $1,000! So multiply that by 4 = a minimum of $16,000 (ALMOST as much as I paid for my Camaro - the WHOLE CAR!). THEN add in the cost of lifting the car/suspension so those monsters actually FIT, and you`re probably looking at $20,000.

To make it worse, I knew - FOR A FACT - most of these people DID NOT have a job even making minimum wage, let alone a job where they could afford such gaudiness.

 

[Desertnate]

As a happily married father of two girls, this has baffled me for years. None of the women in my life seem to even notice it.

As long as they can see out the glass, it doesn`t bother them and they don`t see it at all. My wife will only say anything about it when it gets thick enough she can`t see when driving into the sun. One of my daughters does keep up her car and will actually clean it, but only after it has nearly become a safety hazard. My youngest actually told me once she thought the glass was "just like that"... It is an older car with other imperfections but the glass isn`t perfectly clear.

For me dirty glass bugs me, and I see it right away no matter the lighting conditions. When I point out spots or haze when driving my own car, I`ve had all three women (my girls are grown now) tell me they can`t see what I`m talking about. It`s as if their eyes simply don`t see it. Of course my wife has also told me she doesn`t see the difference between DVD, Blue-Ray, and 4K video too, so there is that...

 

[Setec Astronomy]

"don`t know the difference between a swirl and a squirrel..." Some folks just can`t see swirls, haze on the glass, etc.

 

[Accumulator]

None of the women in my life seem to even notice it...

Huh, totally different experience here, but that just goes to show how 1) ya can`t always generalize, and 2) different people have different priorities.