My morning: Is anyone as obessive about keeping their car clean as I am?

[prostock69]

I admit, I have a problem. It's called Obsessively Cleaning Camaro or OCC. Two days ago, I washed and waxed our car after it had been professionally buffed and polished. No more tiny scratches in the clear coat and the blemishes we had were fixed. Randy, you are the man!!! It's in pristine condition and I want it to stay that way for a while. Is that asking too much? I've always been this way about my cars. However, I've taken it to a higher level with Cam. She's not allowed to get dirty. And if by chance she does, she can't stay that way for more than a day. No, I don't have OCD. I keep a clean house but I'm not obsessive about it. Right now, my floors need mopped and I have laundry to do. But I keep finding myself outside cleaning our car instead...

Anyways, I woke up this morning to a beautiful day. Put the kids on the bus at 7:00 a.m. Hit the shower and decided today is the day I start back on my diet and hit the gym. It's suppose to be sunny with a high of about 70. Not a cloud in the sky. The roads are completely dry. So I go get the car out of the garage, let it warm up in front of our town home about 10 mins. What a nice rumble she has. Ooh! I can't wait to drive her!

We live in a horseshoe shaped complex with two entrances/exits . As I'm nearing the end of our street to pull out on the main street, I notice water everywhere on the other side of the road (it's divided by a median with trees). I look down the street and there is a city worker flushing the fire hydrants on the other side of the street. Crap! (not what I actually said). They haven't done my side of the road so I drive towards them and pull back into the other entrance of our complex. Now I am pissed but not at them. They are just doing their jobs. Mainly at me for having OCC. I had my heart set on working out in the gym this morning. I could go back and do it in our house. I have free weights and a ton of videos. But I want to go to the gym! So I drive completely around, past our home again and decide to take a chance and drive past the workers. I didn't get the car wet because of the median keeping the water on the other side! However, how am I going to make it back home without getting it wet? Solution is to kill 2 hours working out at the gym and running on the bike path on the other side of town and hope by the time I come home the streets will be dry. Besides, it's no nice out, it would be a crime to spend all morning inside.

First bad thing: On the way to the gym, there was a 3 car accident at the intersection where I turn to go to the gym. There are ambulances and and fire trucks everywhere. That gave me a bad feeling. I hated seeing three cars mangled like that. Looks like someone ran a red light and there were injuries. Glad I wasn't in that mess. Could have been if I left earlier! Now I am a little stressed. I should have stayed home but it's too late now.

After working out I head across town to the bike path. I pull in and park in a spot near the grass and the path that leads up to the bike path. Before shutting off the car, I decided to move because I got a bad feeling. So I back up and park in the middle of the parking lot away from every one else and the grass. I found an end spot with a curb on the passenger side. I feel confident no one will screw with my car. So I proceed onto the path. I jog down to the bridge and back. About a mile. As I am approaching the parking lot, I hear mowers. Crap! (not what I actually said). The city workers are mowing the park's grass. I approach my car and there is now a fine layer of grass/dirt on my car from the mowers spitting it in the air all around me. Damn! Damn! Damn! (not what I actually said) Of all mornings to pick to work out! It gets better: While backing out of my spot, I thought I scuffed my rim on the curb (in a hurry to get away from the mowers) BUT I didn't. Just the tire. I'm seriously pissed now. After calming down, I decide to stop at Krogers because I need a Diet Coke and some chocolate. I ended up getting steaks for dinner tonight and ground-up beef brisket for hamburgers (if you haven't tried this you MUST! Ground beef brisket makes the BEST hamburgers!!! - ask the butcher to grind it for you. 7 mins on each side in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat for medium doneness and the juices will be dripping down to your elbows!) So much for my diet! I did get chicken breasts though. I'll start eating those tomorrow.

I'm finally on my way home with the sun roof back jamming to Def Leppard thinking about what else to make for dinner tonight. I turn on the main street where I live and to my relief, it is dry! Yeah! But when I turn into our complex, the street and parking lots are completely wet and full of puddles! They flushed all the hydrants where we live! By the time I pull up in front of our house, I'm cussing like a sailor! I unload the groceries, grab my detailing spray and a brand new microfiber towel and go out and clean up the sides of my car. Luckily the dirt was limited to the bottom part under the doors and on the rear panels behind the back tires. Sigh. I'm putting her back in the garage once all the puddles dry where she is staying until next Wednesday. Tomorrow, the landscape guys will be mowing and weed-eating our grass at our complex all morning and day and we are supposed to get rain Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon and Tues. :(

So am I the only one like this? Please tell me I'm not.....

[cdn2usa]

Your not and I am glad you helped to put a label on what we suffer from. But I would add OCCD Obsessive Compulsive Camaro Disorder.

[2010 SSRS]

I am definitely with you on keeping the Camaro clean, I hate to take mine out of the garage and get dust on it

[ZED SLED]

I'm also obsessed about a clean Camaro, but don't do that workout crap, unless you count 12oz. curls. That stuff would drive me crazy.

[DangerZL1]

You're not alone. I don't have a Camaro, but I think anybody who's just spent money and a lot of time detailing their car would want it to get dirty if it's avoidable. Our company has landscaping in the median of the road in front of the campus. They frequently water it automatically in the mornings in the Summer, which gets the street pretty wet. I can't repeat what I say as cars in front of me are spraying water/dirt on my clean car on the way to the entrance. It makes me angry, but there's nothing I can do about it. I feel like I've wasted my time when this happens, because I'm back to having a dirty car again.

I have a friend who's on the opposite end of OCD over a car. He had a Toyota pickup he bought used, and was proud when he said he'd never washed it in over 8 years of ownership. He wasn't kidding. He thinks differently now that he's got a newer and nicer Jeep, which he keeps clean.

[jtzako]

I try to wash the car once a week, delays for rain taken accordingly. I do remove bird poo as soon as I see it though. I dont think that is obsessive but compared to some people I know it is down right nutty. ) (they never wash their cars)

[hrpiii]

there is nothing obsessive about enjoying your ride and having it look clean. It is a reflection of yourself and how much you enjoy your camaro. Now I will just go wipe the dust of it for the eight time today. (and yes, it's under a cover)

[jagan323]

Yeah, i own a Black Camaro... and I just cant stand anything making it "Non-Black" lol. You aren't alone. Every Camaro Owner I know keeps it nice and Shiny =D

[nova]

At least once if not twice a week it gets the full treatment

[ninety6]

Originally Posted by prostock69

Before shutting off the car, I decided to move because I got a bad feeling.

This happens to me ALL the time. Sometimes finding a spot AWAY from everyone is harder than the "normal" people who stress out to find the closest spot.


nice read though, ha. especially the part about the hamburgers. it has nothign to do with camaros or being clean, but

[reefdiver]

I too suffer from OCD. However, after getting my Camaro last year it has worsened! At least we have comfort of knowing others have the same issues. I didn’t go to Camaro fest due to the assumption my car would get really dirty, might be vandalized, or a chip from the highway. After seeing photos my fears were reality. I guess I’ll have to buy a trailer. LOL

[critteral]

Ground beef brisket makes the BEST hamburgers!!! - ask the butcher to grind it for you. 7 mins on each side in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat for medium doneness and the juices will be dripping down to your elbows!)


Great, just great! now I'm hungry and will have to try this tonight!

[Tessa]

I like to keep mine clean - because it's been so cold I've been taking her through the car wash (touch free!) - I think I've washed her more then I ever washed my old car in the 9 years I had it...
I can't stand seeing the layer of dust or pollen but I don't have time during the week to wash her by hand and I'm not spending every day in a carwash so.....I live with it (but grudgingly...)

I would take her thru the wash daily but whats the point? She's gonna get dirty again...I just wait til shes looking a little less then "still awesome" and then go....I can deal with a little dirt as long as it's not too bad...

I do look forward to the summer and getting to hand wash her on a nice sunny day tho....never could say that about a car before....

[Maurdib]

I own a black one, nuff said