Do I wanna be a slave?

... to a vehicle, that is.

I used to keep my rides pristine (to the point of obsession) but the last several years I've been slacking, both my vehicles are ten years old though but well maintained, I won't skimp on that.

So, goin' to look at a Bullitt tomorrow. It'll be the new toy... and I need a new toy, no doubt. From the several folks I've spoken to in tracking it's history say 'show room', 'beautiful' and 'gorgeous'. The performance is what reeled me in.

While I need a little performance spice in my life I'm feeling like this car may own me. BTDT when I was younger, dunno if I ever wanna fall slave to a vehicle again. Mainly don't have the time anymore and am pretty content w/ washing a few times/ year and a yearly detail. This Bullitt will deserve much more than that.

So, what is the GRM perspective in this situation? I know y'all own some awesome vehicles... what's your story?

btw, the Bullitt is black... n I swore off black years ago simply because it's a chore.

You sound underwhelmed already. I'd skip it and look for joy elsewhere with something that doesn't require so much work.

Nobody wants to be a slave.

Well, unless it's a love slave.

1988RedT2 wrote: Nobody wants to be a slave. Well, unless it's a love slave.

Let's stick to cars and leave your private life out of this.

I dunno. If it fits what you want, your budget, and is a super nice example, I don't know if wanting to wash it too often is a good reason to pass it up.

Then again, all my cars have been black for 15 years.

Do you have a garage to park it in when its not in use? Or at least most of the time anyways? If yes.....then it sounds like a good fun car to have around.

I used to keep my cars super duper clean all the time too. That dropped off a few years ago...now, like you, I'm meticulous about maintenance on the DD, and maybe wash it every 2 months or something. A coat of wax each year if I get around to it. Our 3rd vehicle in the driveway maybe gets washed once a year. Probably wont ever wax it, but its pretty much a beater for hauling stuff.

If I'm going to be a slave to a Bullitt, it better be green.

I'm way past that. My cars are ZAV/track rat style now. I've been thinking of doing a proper repaint on the 'rolla to make it nice and shiny again, but it seems like throwing money down a hole. Some bird turds here, some parking lot hit-and-runs there, add track sand to taste, and it'll be right back to how it was.

spitfirebill wrote: If I'm going to be a slave to a Bullitt, it better be green.

I thought it could only be green, to be a Bullitt.

Buy it if it makes you happy. If you don't want to wash it, don't wash it. It's your car (or would be.) That car will never be a collector's item for at least a couple reasons - it's not green (though they did build black ones), and it's been modified. Personally, I don't think any of the new Bullitts will ever be real big-money cars. So...buy it if you like the way it runs. don't wash it, drive it hard. Hell, gut it, cage it and slap giant flares on it. Do whatever you want.

I'd suggest finding a decent coin-op wash and buying a yearly pass or something. That way you can run it through frequently but not slave yourself. It's not the baby's-ass care you did in the past, but so what. It's shiny, you're happy.

It's just a car, man. Even if it's a nice car, even if you're in love with it, it's just a car. It won't love you back any more if you wash it once a week or once a year. It's just a car.

Don't ask me. I drive my old '93 Toyota Corolla any time the roads are wet, unless it's to an autocross or road course event. Then again, if I have a stressful week, my method of unwinding is spending 6-8 hours detailing my car. I find it relaxing and enjoyable, especially when a six-pack of refreshing beer is involved. I have been referred to by my racing friends as a "polisher."

I will say that a Bullit musting will hold its value much better if it is well maintained. It is something of a collector's item. Save yourself the hassle and get a "standard" Mustang GT. It'll be cheaper, and you won't feel guilty if it goes a few weeks between washes.

Would rather have one:

When I clean my cars, I do so meticulously, but as a method of relaxation. The rest of the time, my 911 usually sleeps outside becuase I have a project in the garage. Occasionally I fork out a little extra and have it detailed, but it is usally a once a month deal or $2 at the self car wash en route to Cars and Coffee or another social event.

When I first got it, it did bother me to have it dirty, but I got used to it. I just enjoy having and driving the car and have way to many distraction to obsess over it.

I've always sort of wanted cars that aren't quite perfect, just so I don't go crazy trying to keep them that way. Don't get me wrong, all of my cars are cleaner and better looking than 90% of cars on the road (and as well cared for mechanically as possible), but I don't want to be that guy who flips out when he finds a scratch, or becomes afraid to use the car as intended. My V70 is in pretty great shape, but it's a wagon. It's got some scratches, it will probably get more (although I did have a PDR guy take out a couple noticeable dings). It's going to have crap hauled around in it. Similarly, the S2000 is probably going to get pounded into some cones every couple weekends.

Guess I've turned the corner into old-man-ville. I prefer to spend all my time hooning, rather than fixing/cleaning. It rains often enough, and rain is cleaner than the dirt that is usually on all my vehicles.

When you buy a race car (HINT HINT), all you care about is making sure it lasts the next race. Drop a 1/2 inch ratchet on the fender? MEH!

Honestly though, as with most things, keeping a car clean is not hard and doesn't take time, you just have to take care.

Get the thing professionally detailed each spring (if in a summer/winter area). It'll cost $500, WHOOPDEE DOO. Carry a bottle of "instaspray-wax" and a california duster. If the car is looking a little dirty, give it a quick wipe down of the dust and then instaspray it. Lookin good!

As for the interior, you REALLY shouldn't have to clean it more than once a month. And finally, a high quality car cover that doesn't scratch the paint is your friend.

These are pretty simple steps to take a car looking awesome for minimal effort. We're talking MAYBE 10 hours of total work over the course of a month.

Nah. From here on out I’m planning on buying as many of my cars as I can get away with in that metallic pewter/ sand/ beige color that looks like crap even when freshly washed. I got better things to do.

That said, if the deal was right and I liked the car, I wouldn’t turn it down over the color. No need to feel OCD-level compulsion to keep it spotless- the car doesn't care and 99.9% of people who see it won’t notice the difference beyond “mh. shiny.”

There's two kinds of people into cars: racers and waxers. I fall into the racer category. I prefer my cars less than perfect, that way I don't have to go bonkers keeping them pristine. It's more important to me that it be properly maintained, reliable and fast than it is for it to be shiny.

As always, YMMV.

Racer here. Work put into a car must make it lighter/faster/pass inspection. That is all. As for my DD, it must haul my stuff and my kids around. It must start and stop safely. That is all.

I walked past the bosses new 911 and had heart palpitations over some bird droppings on the windshield. I am not cut out for a car like that.