How many times are you going to wash it .........?!

[chrisk2010]

Are the words I heard my dad yelling from his front door followed by a click from a zippo and a cloud of smoke hovering in the cold air.
I then attempted to explain I had been looking forward to cleaning the car for two weeks and what appeared to be a wash mit to him was clay mit on my hand. He picked up then Maguires gold class polish and asked if I was going to wax it to which I replied right after I have polished and glazed it. I then proceeded to explain my process that I gave the car a very thorough soaping in every crevice followed by a second pressure wash then went round again incase I missed anything third pressure wash, then the clay mit which he was still examining. He popped out a little later and announced himself with the usual click of the zippo with a well used chamois in hand I quickly nipped to the boot and handed over a spare drying towel before that chammy got near my paint work he laughed and said is this for George ? ( my five month old son ) I laughed back and said no it's to dry the car, his response was a raised eyebrow I didn't he could do that I usually get the deadpan dad gaze.
By the time everything was done and I was replacing some nasty air filters Mercedes said was ok the car was starting to freeze over so I decided it time inside legs hurting, back hurting more and wrapped my around my coffee cup for warmth and to loosen it up my old man said after all that it would be a shame to drive it and get it dirty ! I looked at the clock with an hour left to get ready to go to my sisters for her birthday I said I'm not and booked an uber
Bit of a pointless story but it did get me thinking how things have changed from being seven years old and my dad lining up all the things I need to wash and wax his car and spending a day doing it because let's face it we didn't have iPads in those days and plus ....... George is keeping me up

 

[T5R+]

40 years ago as a "nipper" used to go the car wash with my father every weekend.

It must have had 30+ internal single bays that resembled single garages with probably half a dozen external.

The single arm emanated from the ceiling complete with hose and trigger whilst a coin slot on the wall allowed to select from either of 3 programmes (hot/cold/soap) - yes you ended up having to start it 3 times (prewash, soap wash, final rinse) independently.

Washing up liquid and a sponge in a single bucket were the normal tools along with a chamois.

Today my garage comprises about a thousand pounds worth of gear. On pain of death washing-up liquid or chammy allowed neared the car/bike.......how times have changed.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Dad was very proud of the brighter colour and shine he got when he used metal polish on his paintwork. (He was an Engineer too, shudder)

He never did work out why the paintwork went so dull so quickly.

 

[baxlin]

All my Dad would let me do when I was small was the wheels. I still hate doing them, even though I now have a reputation with family and neighbours for being OTT about car care. I'm a member on Detailing World forum, and very much identify with the OP.