# You're a detailing geek when....?



## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

Ok so you know you're a detailing geek when what??

1 - You notice swirl marks and beading on random cars

2 - You watch other people cleaning cars and cringe

3 - Sponges and drying blades make you angry :lol:

It me when I realised that I have the word 'Autoglym' added to the predictive text on my phone! :lol:

Oh yeah and the fact that you look forward to decent weather so you can attack the car with your latest collection of gear. :thumb:

What else.......


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

1. you spot swirls on cars on tv
2. you LIKE rain so you can test beading and sheeting
3. you carry around the plan for your next detail in your head weeks in advance
4. you have more cupboards in your garage full of detailing stuff than for tools...


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## Bratwurst (Jan 23, 2009)

I sit at work looking into small carpark. Every now and again I see a car and think to myself 'i'd love to polish that up'.

Getting a geek rep in here, coz I'm now starting to say to people I'd like to polish some of the cars. 

I've been called 'sad' a lot recently. Doesn't bother me though coz I have a very clean car, they have manky cars, and they want me to clean them!...


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

you join a detailing forum! end of conversation :lol:


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## col85 (Jan 28, 2009)

Alex_225 said:


> Ok so you know you're a detailing geek when what??
> 
> 1 - You notice swirl marks and beading on random cars
> 
> ...


lmao!!! iv just started a thread in off topic about some valeter outside my work

im a without a doubt a detailing geek haha


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## Knight Rider (Jun 17, 2008)

Ha Ha :lol:

Think that'll be most of us!


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## Gandi (Dec 18, 2007)

When you take a "basic" wash kit to work with you just encase you get the chance to wash your car.
When that "basic" kit consists of 2 buckets, shampoo, mitts and natural sea sponges that you paid 20 euros for in greece, wheel cleaner, various brushes, APC, bottle of QD, tyre and trim dressing, assortemt of Towles and Cloths and some Spray wax/sealent to top up the protection


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

I'm in denial! Daren't say more, I'll just get accused of protesting too much!

Regards,
Steve


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## Jody 4444 (Mar 12, 2009)

Since i have joined this site i have spent more money on products than anything else, and i cant help myself when i am in a car park and cringe at some of the cars its now taking over my life LOL !!!!!!!:lol:


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## col85 (Jan 28, 2009)

i also had to explain to my work mates why i was stood watching them from the window,

one guy said " yeah your cars is always so clean and shiny, and the water just runs off it. Do you use teflon or something"


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

1) have the end of the garage
2) come on here reguarly 
3) watch beading in the rain
4) enjoy cleaning not a chore...
5) moan when its raining as you cannot wash the car.
6) moan when its sunny as the panels are to hot...

7) being called mad and sad...although getting nice comments from females a) thinking ur crackers but then taking it back saying tis beautiful...

8) forgotten what my edit was going to :lol: it will come to me...got it now....when you notice orange peel even on your gadgets and are like  just like today when i noticed my Senns have a little orange peel on...


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## [email protected] (Sep 6, 2008)

All of the above I can be gulity of to be honest.


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## Omnic (May 13, 2009)

haha, so much fun reading this topic!
I obviously recognise me being a detailing geek :lol:


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## vRS_Pagey (Jul 6, 2009)

Alex_225 said:


> Ok so you know you're a detailing geek when what??
> 
> 3 - Sponges and drying blades make you angry :lol:


I love my drying blade!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## rx8passion (May 20, 2009)

When me missus tells me to stop looking at cars in tescos car park and saying " damn look at the swirls on that ..... would love to get the machine polisher on that !" Think the last straw was when I commented on how nice the tesco trolley would come up if I got a chance to detail it. Now officially banned from going shopping with me missus. See always an upside to this site lol.


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## mellowfellow (Jul 11, 2009)

you see shiny cars on the road and try and guess what LSP they used...... sealant or wax.


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## mellowfellow (Jul 11, 2009)

Gandi said:


> When you take a "basic" wash kit to work with you just encase you get the chance to wash your car.
> When that "basic" kit consists of 2 buckets, shampoo, mitts and natural sea sponges that you paid 20 euros for in greece, wheel cleaner, various brushes, APC, bottle of QD, tyre and trim dressing, assortemt of Towles and Cloths and some Spray wax/sealent to top up the protection


i always carry kit in car "just in case " !
It crosses your mind to buy a £6 sponge from Z****...lol


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Bigpikle said:


> 3. you carry around the plan for your next detail in your head weeks in advance


Or dreaming about the next detail stage by stage, and what products at what stage...every night until said detail is carried out...

:wall::wall::wall:

:lol:


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## mellowfellow (Jul 11, 2009)

It me when I realised that I have the word 'Autoglym' added to the predictive text on my phone! :lol:

Rofl @ this one . ! :lol:


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## firebod (Mar 25, 2009)

Oh how I chuckled to myself when reading this, then the painful truth hit me..... you buggers are following me around:lol:


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## Kriminal (Jan 11, 2007)

1. You don't have room in the boot for anything else.....apart from detailing stuff

2. You get excited about trying a new car shampoo !


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## col85 (Jan 28, 2009)

buying new wax when u still have 50% or more of your previous wax left


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

col85 said:


> buying new wax when u still have 50% or more of your previous wax left


i do this...already have 5 and think about where and how i can use them reason for my bonnet wearing totally different wax...just because i was to impatient to try it....


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## [email protected] (Sep 6, 2008)

Does it mean I am a detailing geek when watching the telly and say things like "Look at the state of the swirls on that bonnet??" Like I did watching The Bill last night when CID pulled up in their Mondeo?


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## ATypeR (Jul 20, 2009)

Erm...when you get sick of seeing people do it so wrong that you start to do it as an excuse for a business, when really you know it's mainly to appease your habit 

Oh and hello, first post and all that :wave:


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## packard (Jun 8, 2009)

Some weeks you spend more of Detailing items compared to food...

You feel you may need to put chemical warning signs on your garage as you have so many chemicals in there...

You purchase yet ANOTHER 5ltrs of "stuff" as "just in case measure"....

A i'll only be a couple of minutes turns into hours outside....


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## CupraRcleanR (Sep 2, 2007)

You keep looking out of your window to see how good the car is looking.


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## DanSN117 (May 5, 2007)

You maintain a constant 15 degree angle to a car infront on the motorway just so you can have a look at the reflections on the doors.


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## [email protected] (Sep 6, 2008)

CupraRcleanR said:


> You keep looking out of your window to see how good the car is looking.


Further to that you keep looking out the window even when you get up in the middle of the night for the toilet!


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## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

all of these are true, also
cringing badly and giving a sarky comment like "in your dreams" to the foreign "hands on" team of "excuse me, car wash?!" people that "work" cleaning cars in supermarket car parks!! they must use about half a litre of water to soap and rinse the car and a very bad old sponge!


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

shinybluevec said:


> Does it mean I am a detailing geek when watching the telly and say things like "Look at the state of the swirls on that bonnet??" Like I did watching The Bill last night when CID pulled up in their Mondeo?


Exactly what I did. It was a MK3 green mondeo and the bonnet looked bad under the flood light! lol


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## greenwagon (Dec 31, 2008)

Have your car as your screen saver on your PC and smile at it as you say goodnight 

Put a glass door in the lounge next to the conservatory so i can look at 2 o my cars from my chair 

paint the garage door the same as your car


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## rx8passion (May 20, 2009)

When you print out half a dozen signs and laminated them, saying "PLEASE DO NOT WASH MY CAR" . Then leave them on the passengers seat, on the backseat,dashboard, boot, rear parcel shelf, every time you put your car into the dealers for a service.


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## range rover dea (May 27, 2007)

i think you have got it bad when washing it be tween showers with the neighbours looking out of there window:detailer:


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## rx8passion (May 20, 2009)

Damn we are a sad lot lol


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## dean j (Mar 30, 2007)

My neighbours black Mitsi L200 is so hollogramed, it makes me not like him. It aint bloody clean mate!!!

I gave my neighbours Saab 9-5 a clean (wash, clay and 2 coats of 1000p. Looked lovely!), and 2 weeks later he took it to the Albanians! " i wanna keep on top of it from now on." I hope someone nicks his car!


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## scooby73 (Mar 20, 2007)

All of the above^^^^^^


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## Coxy914 (Jan 14, 2007)

...when you spend 40 hours cleaning/polishing/detailing a car and then don't use it again for 8 months with the fear of getting it dirty again!


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## [email protected] (Sep 6, 2008)

rx8passion said:


> When you print out half a dozen signs and laminated them, saying "PLEASE DO NOT WASH MY CAR" . Then leave them on the passengers seat, on the backseat,dashboard, boot, rear parcel shelf, every time you put your car into the dealers for a service.


Did this with dads Jetta when it went in for its first service, they insisted it was part of the service, I insisted I would kil the person that put a gritty sponge anywhere near it!!



Coxy914 said:


> ...when you spend 40 hours cleaning/polishing/detailing a car and then don't use it again for 8 months with the fear of getting it dirty again!


DOne this as well, every time I clean my Vectra its put away and sometimes not used for a month, its missed the entire winter last year!


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## Serious (Mar 19, 2008)

You get angry when people who say "that's shiny what polish have you used"


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## outcastjack (Apr 20, 2009)

you wake up on satuday morning after its been pissing down all night and the first thing you do is go and take a picture of the beading


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## outcastjack (Apr 20, 2009)

The Cueball said:


> Or dreaming about the next detail stage by stage, and what products at what stage...every night until said detail is carried out...
> 
> :wall::wall::wall:
> 
> :lol:


I thought i was the only one sad enough for that =D


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## mellowfellow (Jul 11, 2009)

Or constantly reading DW instead of watching "other stuff".


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## Reds (Jan 14, 2009)

...When you're a passenger in your wife's car, screaming like a baboon in heat when you drive past the local Bosovan grit in a bucket place and see some muppet having his practically brand new Gallardo "cleaned".

...or you've taught you're 8 year old daughter to spot swirl marks.


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## xyber (Jan 4, 2008)

when you have a week off every years around may/june with the intension off spensing atleast 3 days of it on the car getting it ready for summer

you look at random things and think, i bet i could polish that

your mates know not to ring you on a Saturday untill 1700 ish if the weather is good as you will be "cleaning that fXXking car again"


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## ksm1985 (Dec 27, 2008)

i get slagged off all the time

i jus hate a filthy car


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## lockley (Mar 8, 2009)

Last night i was stood in the kitchen going through my detailing stuff as you do:lol: yes detailing my detailing boxes:lol:

the fridge caught my eye while holding a bottle of srp,so the fridge had 2 coats of srp topped with 2 coats of FK1000p, What a finish i tell you the metalic flakes popped right out of the dark grey finish,the missus came in to the kitchen and just laughed and walked off:lol:

i just couldnt resist :buffer:

regards nathan

http://www.imprezatypera.com
For Everything impreza


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## NeilG40 (Jan 1, 2009)

lockley said:


> i just couldnt resist :buffer:
> 
> regards nathan


you machine polished the fridge?:doublesho


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

rx8passion said:


> When you print out half a dozen signs and laminated them, saying "PLEASE DO NOT WASH MY CAR" . Then leave them on the passengers seat, on the backseat,dashboard, boot, rear parcel shelf, every time you put your car into the dealers for a service.


that actually made me laugh out loud haha



reds said:


> ...or you've taught you're 8 year old daughter to spot swirl marks.


lol!! start them young


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## Reds (Jan 14, 2009)

NeilG40 said:


> you machine polished the fridge?:doublesho


"He's hardcore! He's hardcore!"

I've got to say that my bathroom tiles are looking a bit dull and lifeless...


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## Lump (Nov 6, 2008)

lockley said:


> Last night i was stood in the kitchen going through my detailing stuff as you do:lol: yes detailing my detailing boxes:lol:
> 
> the fridge caught my eye while holding a bottle of srp,so the fridge had 2 coats of srp topped with 2 coats of FK1000p, What a finish i tell you the metalic flakes popped right out of the dark grey finish,the missus came in to the kitchen and just laughed and walked off:lol:
> 
> ...


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## Reds (Jan 14, 2009)

ant_s said:


> lol!! start them young


She has the shiniest bike in school :thumb: (two coats of Blackfire )


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## lockley (Mar 8, 2009)

Reds said:


> "He's hardcore! He's hardcore!"
> 
> I've got to say that my bathroom tiles are looking a bit dull and lifeless...


Funny you should mention tiles,auto glym glass polish is great for tiles works a treat on mine :thumb:

regards nathan

fridge pics i will take in a few hours

http://www.imprezatypera.com


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## deanchilds (Dec 11, 2007)

You spend over 8 hours detailing a bloddy van!


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

...when you sign up to DW


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## Auto Detox (Dec 22, 2007)

you spot swirls on a car on TV then........

Rewind the sky+ thingy to see how bad they were & if they had holograms aswell ( not me though I dont do this... honest  ha ha )

Baz


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## NeilG40 (Jan 1, 2009)

Reds said:


> "He's hardcore! He's hardcore!"
> 
> I've got to say that my bathroom tiles are looking a bit dull and lifeless...


I must admit though I was wondering the other day if I could use my kestral on the kitchen floor


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## lockley (Mar 8, 2009)

*the Fridge*

well as promised the fridge srp x2 and topped with FK1000P

























Also autoglym glass polish on the kitchen tiles:thumb:









sorry about the pics its quite dark in the kitchen:wall:

regards nathan

http://www.imprezatypera.com


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## Lump (Nov 6, 2008)

your now even sadder for taking pictures to show :lol:


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## LJB (Dec 28, 2008)

I think the fact we all have read this thread and can relate to it shows we are all geeks


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## Fin2982 (Feb 20, 2009)

What.....no sungun shots 



lockley said:


> well as promised the fridge srp x2 and topped with FK1000P
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

Bigpikle said:


> 1. *you spot swirls on cars on tv*
> 2. you LIKE rain so you can test beading and sheeting
> 3. you carry around the plan for your next detail in your head weeks in advance
> 4. you have more cupboards in your garage full of detailing stuff than for tools...


like the new z4 they had in the studio on Top Gear last night?

I actually pause and rewind top gear now when I see major swirlage LMAO


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

CupraRcleanR said:


> You keep looking out of your window to see how good the car is looking.


hell yeah! I find any excuse to keep goin into the kitchen to look at the car on the drive


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## divine3779 (Jul 12, 2009)

My Mrs constantly throws a dolly when I'm on here. She especially hates it when we go to our local for a drink & i slope across the car park (it's a hotel) to a tasty car & check it for swirls in the flood lit car park.


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## Fastmonkey (Aug 4, 2006)

You slow your driving down so you don't generate so much brakedust on your newly cleaned and sealed wheels that you took off to clean.............

It's a burning hot day but you won't park under that shaded tree because of the sap fallout.........

You'll park in a space miles away from the place you need to go to minimise parking dents, even my wife does this now.......


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## Dubbed (Aug 31, 2006)

Fastmonkey said:


> You slow your driving down so you don't generate so much brakedust on your newly cleaned and sealed wheels that you took off to clean.............
> 
> It's a burning hot day but you won't park under that shaded tree because of the sap fallout.........
> 
> You'll park in a space miles away from the place you need to go to minimise parking dents, even my wife does this now.......


Thats so what i do!! :lol:


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## TomW (Jun 29, 2009)

lockley said:


> well as promised the fridge srp x2 and topped with FK1000P
> sorry about the pics its quite dark in the kitchen:wall:
> 
> regards nathan


I think we have a winner 

Since joining Dw (very recently) I have become much more OCD. I do many of the things some have already mentioned:

a) standing outside in the rain to watch how well the car(s) are beading
b) carrying a constant 'next detail proces/which products to use' list in my head for the next time
c) getting tetchy when the weather is crap because I can't do a planned wash/top up etc.
d) eyeing up neighbours cars to see which I'd like to have a go at
e) _almost_ using my Dodo SN drying towel to dry myself after a bath 
f) etc


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## edsel (Aug 22, 2008)

You're filling the car and the Bosnian car wash guys look at your car approvingly, well you THINK they're admiring your work.

When the Tesco car cleaner asks "car wash" and you mutter "I'd rather stick needles in my eyes"


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

ive detailed not the fridge quite yet, laptop, tv,ps3, my watch, dog tags erm, desk (a while back), denon amp and my other hifi oh and the sub...and my logitech remote


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

Ninja59 said:


> ive detailed not the fridge quite yet, laptop, tv,ps3, *my *watch, *dog *tags erm, desk (a while back), denon amp and my other hifi oh and the sub...and my logitech remote


i read that differently lol.... thought he said "my dog"


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## sam_boss260 (Jun 11, 2009)

When you tackle the glass shower screen with Glass Polish and the Rotary... and yes it came up a treat and the wife was very happy too!!

And the list continues;
- You inspect every other car in traffic trying to spot swirls
- You keep the mental list in your head of the next car you are going to detail, but even worse when you actually write it down.
- You keep a tally of the next lot of detailing products that you want to buy
- You are always on detailing sites around the world instead of doing your job

I think that is enough !!


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## Whitty_1811_d (Jun 5, 2009)

you set your facebook status to "has NOT cleaned the car today! " and you get 15 comments asking if your feeling ok and what is wrong 

jesus it's not like i clean it EVERYday just most days so what if it's raining it's just an extra rinse !


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## Eddy (Apr 13, 2008)

lockley said:


> well as promised the fridge srp x2 and topped with FK1000P


great turnaround :thumb:

no 50/50's though:tumbleweed::wave:


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## backzilla (Oct 31, 2008)

when you detail a friends car and leave the Basic Washing Technique guide on the passenger seat after for them.

When you want to hurt the guys at tescos for asking you if you need your car cleaning.


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## J1ODY A (Nov 28, 2008)

when you look through the showroom/gallery & do need to read the description because you already know what process has been used to clean it!!!


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## ross-1888 (Feb 22, 2009)

when you explain to some one how to wash there car correctly and they just look and smile.


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## RefinedDetails (Dec 17, 2006)

mellowfellow said:


> It me when I realised that I have the word 'Autoglym' added to the predictive text on my phone! :lol:
> 
> Rofl @ this one . ! :lol:


I know for a fact Duragloss and Swissvax are in mine!

Sometimes even I have to stop and say to myself "you are such a geek". Most people, even customers, don't understand the obsession until the work is complete!

I think most people are guilty of most of the above mentioned "issues" of detailing addiction lol.

I'm terrible for:
1) Spot the swirls
2) Cringing at water blades & sponges
3) Cringing when Fairy Liquid and car washing comes into the same sentence!
4) Wanted to machine or just give a car a coat of LSP as its looking sorry for itself (especially a really nice motor and the owner just does not care!)
5) Sitting in traffic in the rain watching the car was a new favourite of my addiction lol. I was sat in traffic northbound near Sandbach on the M6 and I was just perving on the bonnet and also the well looked after Sierra RS500 in front  - until some grubby Multipla (in my opinion the ugliest car ever made) decided to anger me for the following 30 minutes of traffic jam!


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## FrazzleTC (Jul 4, 2009)

Recently I detailed a Jaguar XJ pedal car which I was given for my third birthday and has been in my room ever since. I gave it three coats of SRP to take away swirls and a coat of EGP over the top.


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## gt5500 (Aug 6, 2008)

I was just about to say whats with all the sponge haters? but then I realised you know you are a detailing geek when you get into arguments over wash media, or use the words wash media when describing a sponge.....:wall:


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## pa_lav (Nov 6, 2008)

Driving home miles out of the way just to catch a glimpse of the car in a shop window.:car:


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

-Mat- said:


> i read that differently lol.... thought he said "my dog"


going blind...lol...maybe its all that light whilst :buffer: :lol:


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## Cheesy231 (Apr 6, 2009)

wanting to punch a life long friend when he calls a polish a wax + vice versa


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## Ultimate Valet (Aug 28, 2006)

... i decided to clean the stainless steel cooker hob, followed up with 2 coats of Swissvax. Now looks great and alot easier to clean! Not the cheapest of products to use.


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## Torby (Jul 20, 2007)

..when driving in the rain, you pull yourself close to the steering wheel, just to see the beading on the bonnet, and the drops being pushed off by the wind..


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## Reds (Jan 14, 2009)

Torby said:


> ..when driving in the rain, you pull yourself close to the steering wheel, just to see the beading on the bonnet, and the drops being pushed off by the wind..


I was doing this yesterday. Supernatural is awesome :thumb:


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## Edstrung (Apr 6, 2009)

When u know u cant go up that hill and round the bend past 27mph because the wind and angle of bodyroll past that will make all the beading ecrete and roll off!


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## -JP- (Jan 27, 2009)

...When you see cute fluffy animal in tellys animal documentary, and first thing you think is "that would be a good washmitt"


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## Kriminal (Jan 11, 2007)

....when you lose days off your life, washing, polishing, and waxing !  :thumb:


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## mellowfellow (Jul 11, 2009)

-JP- said:


> ...When you see cute fluffy animal in tellys animal documentary, and first thing you think is "that would be a good washmitt"


ROFL @ this one !! good one mate . :lol:


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## Fastmonkey (Aug 4, 2006)

Torby said:


> ..when driving in the rain, you pull yourself close to the steering wheel, just to see the beading on the bonnet, and the drops being pushed off by the wind..


Properley laughing at that :lol:


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

RefinedDetails said:


> 3) Cringing when Fairy Liquid and car washing comes into the same sentence!


how about -

"don't use fairy liquid for washing your car"


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## alfiejts (Apr 13, 2009)

Torby said:


> ..when driving in the rain, you pull yourself close to the steering wheel, just to see the beading on the bonnet, and the drops being pushed off by the wind..


I'm a geek! :wave:


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## Edward101 (Jun 5, 2009)

Torby said:


> ..when driving in the rain, you pull yourself close to the steering wheel, just to see the beading on the bonnet, and the drops being pushed off by the wind..


LOL, thats so true.. oooh and when your a passenger looking at the wing-mirrors as water flicks off


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## Stuhil (Jun 5, 2009)

...when your wife changes your pet name to "Detailing boy"...


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## Mucky (May 25, 2006)

i havn't read the whole thread but mine is

when you notice the swirls on your stainless steel kitchen sink,and you try your products on the shower screen


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## Hudy82 (Aug 9, 2009)

Mucky said:


> i havn't read the whole thread but mine is
> 
> when you notice the swirls on your stainless steel kitchen sink,and you try your products on the shower screen


 Was in the tea room at work this morning making a brew and found myself thinking flippin eck the swirls on this teaspoon, it gets washed regularly with a brillo pad


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

When you notice swirl marks on your step daughters shiny red laptop and decide to get the blackhole on it. Then upon noticing that the swirls are filled/masked, seal the blackhole in with FK1000P


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## Needs a clean (May 24, 2008)

....When your wife's user name on a social networking site is: Married to a car cleaning maniac!:lol:

or when i was preparing my gear for going fishing today, i decided to APC my fishing rod, and then give it 2 coats of zym0l!:lol::lol::lol::lol: You should see the gloss it has left on the Carbon Fibre!!!!!


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## Liambo-235 (Jul 14, 2009)

When you spend ten hours detailing your car then leave it in the heated garage for 13 days because you don't want to get it dirty.

Also driving back from my work (where i detail my car) and drive at around 20mph to reduce risk of brake dust, then wipe them clean once i get home.


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