DOOL Discussion Group

Topic: Is this weird?

This past Sunday our neighbor across the street pulls his car out of the driveway and parks it in the street (at the end of the driveway). Then he proceeds to pop up a canopy, I think it was 6 or 8 legs with a blue top and wash his car. When he first did it I asked my husband what he was doing and he said maybe he was going to wax the car. Nope, he just washed it. Weirdest thing I think I've ever seen. LOLOL

If it's warm/hot outside, the water will dry on the car before you can get it dried off and it will leave water spots.  I always wait until evening to wash the car because of this, even though our driveway is shaded.  Just the heat can make the water evaporate too fast and leave spots.

This problem is lesser now that we got a new water softener, and I use the house water (softened) to wash cars instead of the well water (hard).

Using a tent (canopy, whatever) seems a bit stuffy, though.  He should just wait until later in the day.  And/or get a water softener.  And some of those absorbent towels like swimmers use to dry off with.  Gotta have those too.

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It would around 6 ish I would say. It just seemed strange to me as he had never done that before. They are definitely sun people. They have a boat and where out on it all the time! DeniseC1989

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Posted by: Kat
Date posted: Thu Oct 2 16:34:34 2008
Message:
You mean he parks the car UNDER this thingy and then washes the car? Well, you should always wash your car in the shade. Always. Not just to wax the car. The sun and water and soap will leave streaks and could ruin the paint, depending on what paint he has. But you always wash a car in the shade. Maybe this is his reasoning.

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Leave it to Kat to know this, lol! cgem eom

No, but really, Cgem, it can leave spots because the sun dries the water/soap too fast! LOL! Kat

Yep, Kat is right and it doesn't even have to be direct sun. If it's too warm out, above 85 degrees F; say, then the water evaporates too fast and it leaves spots. My dad washes his vehicle at least twice per week, year round, so I come from a long line of 'water spot avoidance' stock, lol. (Otherwise known as Obsessive-compulsives).~Carissa

What we do is actually wash the cars once or twice a year, wax them with that really good stuff we have. You do need to wash to remove the residue that gets on your paint. And wax and use straight strokes, never circular! Even with abuffer, go straight, never in a circle.Then, we dust them with a California duster - they are awesome! I also use this stuff called Prima Slick - you spray it on and wipe it off with a micro fiber cloth. Always remove the tags off the cloth because the tags can scratch. Our cars NEVER see the rain. Rain can ruin a paint job. Thats why we have the old Jeep to drive in the rain. HAH! Kat

Here is the name of the wax we use if anyone is interested in really good stuff- its by P&S premium carnauda wax...www.pssales.com Ken got it from the detailer at work. I'm always on the lookout for new car products. Kat

Thanks Kat, I will look up that wax.~Carissa

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Posted by: HockeyChick
Date posted: Thu Oct 2 16:28:42 2008
Message:

I'm not sure if it's weird.  I need more info, LOL.  Was he under the canopy, or was the car under the canopy, or both?

If he was under it, maybe he wanted shade from the sun.  If the car was under it, maybe he didn't want any birds to poop on the car since he was working so hard to keep it clean?

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I didn't think of the bird poop angle. We have lots of birds and lots of tree branches shading the driveway, though, and I've never had a bird poop on my car mid-wash. One would have to be unlucky, lol. The hawks do sit on the basketball goal and poop on my daughter's car, if she parks beneath the goal. Hawk poop is, um, largish...~Carissa

We don't have any trees in our area (one of those new subdivisons where they cut down all the trees) so I'm not sure that's the reason why. DeniseC1989

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Posted by: cgeminime2
Date posted: Thu Oct 2 16:18:41 2008
Message:
Maybe he is allergic to the sun?

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I hardly think that is it. They have a boat, went swimming almost everyday over the summer. DeniseC1989

I seriously think he was just showing off. LOLOL Like I said I've never seen anything like it before. DeniseC1989

Overexposure to the sun? LOL What kind of car is it? cgem eom

It's a new Chrysler M? I believe. I'm pretty sure he was showing off. He apparently bought a new riding lawn mower yesterday and when I got home last night he had it out and all the kids hanging around it reving the engine. DeniseC1989

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