# When You Loose Your Detailing Mojo....



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

... your cars end up like this!!





Neither of my cars have really seen any detailing since last year, the Subaru was last washed in October and the Volvo was last washed in April. However, the summer is here and I am planning a trip to Waxstock at the end of the month so I thought I should really give the cars the TLC they deserve again!

This post will be very different to the detailing posts that I put up in my "hey day" of detailing, but this is what happens when life priorities change... However, as a starter, these are the cars before I set to them this summer 

First of all, the daily driver, my 190k mile Volvo S60 D5 that I have now had for over 7 years 



Outside, a good amount of grime:





Its no longer black, its grey-brown...











The wheels...



Meanwhile, inside is a good demonstration of how a wet winter and dogs are not a good mix with cream leather...























Under the bonnet...





Its a shame to see the car looking like this just now, but a couple of weeks of pottering around should get her looking ship shape again  Mechanically the car is sound and is still serviced above and beyond the manufacturer's recommendations, but it now needs to look the part again 

The Subaru however, will make the Volvo look clean... only 118k on this one but it is the winter workhorse and dog carrier so you can imagine how it is looking now having not been washed or seen any TLC (apart from me changing the oil and filter) since October!!









Under the bonnet - no plastic covers, which is nice, but cleaning this will be a laugh and a half!





Meanwhile, the interior is... well... lived in would be one description, howling would be another! In fairness, the car carries dogs, goes out in literally all weathers and goes off road... Welcome to the dog carrier!

















Can I get my mojo back this summer?

One thing is for sure, this will be a detail with the products and equipment I have - no buying new products, I still have a loads of kit sitting in my office doing nothing so it will be getting cracked out and fired up! Watch this space....


----------



## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

Dave you know the car will get scrutinized so you best make her look he best,expectations are high.


----------



## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

I'm glad it isn't just me that has days where you wonder if you still have the desire to detail.


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

suspal said:


> Dave you know the car will get scrutinized so you best make her look he best,expectations are high.


I'm sure my old girl will be parked out of the way in the car parks :thumb: She'll have done a good 1500 - 2000 miles before arriving in Waxstock, going to Farnborough (Air Show), Canterbury and Cambridge to see friends, then Newcastle then back down...


----------



## Blackmondie (Mar 13, 2011)

Wow, thats just bad 
Can't imagine someone who detailes so much can even stand to drive a car this dirty (interior)


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

I stopped detailing when I started teaching... between that and writing two books, I work around 90 hours a week... the cars therefore get very little TLC anymore :thumb:


----------



## xiphidius (Jun 16, 2013)

No Excuse, you wrote many how to threads to teach others how to excel at this game, I feel disappointed and let down...
Cant you get someone else to do it....that is if your too busy
Pet Hair in your coffee is not good


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

I could get someone else to do it, but I don't like others working on my car so I wait till I have time  ... And when I have time, I have two other distractions...


----------



## xiphidius (Jun 16, 2013)

Do the canine friends count as one or does alcohol play a part
OK ...in the meantime reduce your caffeine levels  spit spit


----------



## stantheman (Dec 23, 2010)

Dave, has anyone told you you're a scruff! lol. But seriously I'm sure you'll get your mojo back soon so don't worry.


----------



## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Please don't even question it Dave, your life looks good, busy and fulfilled, cars can dirty and cleaned another time.


----------



## dooka (Aug 1, 2006)

Is that a small couch or a very big dog ..


----------



## Dipesh (Oct 12, 2007)

I too Dave lost my detailing mojo around a year back! My car was an absolute mess, thankfully now the sun is out, it's coming back slowly. Work took over my life but things are balancing out now. 

It's great to see you still have the Volvo after all these years. Do you remember my avatar pic? You took that the last time we met! I've got less hair now though. Lol!


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

NOW 69...
NOW 69!!!!!!!

The rest I can forgive but...... 


Mine never got quite that bad but its only the last couple of weeks that they started to look the best int he street again :wave:


----------



## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

Dave, that looks a challenge for you! Hope you do get the mojo back. 

Great to see @dipesh and @bigpikle posting too - learnt so much from all three of you

Buck
(CheekeeMonkey)


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

dooka said:


> Is that a small couch or a very big dog ..


Its a large puppy, see here!



Dipesh said:


> I too Dave lost my detailing mojo around a year back! My car was an absolute mess, thankfully now the sun is out, it's coming back slowly. Work took over my life but things are balancing out now.
> 
> It's great to see you still have the Volvo after all these years. Do you remember my avatar pic? You took that the last time we met! I've got less hair now though. Lol!


That pic looks very familiar on an old Volvo for a detailing class some years ago now near Slough IIRC  I remember these meets well :thumb: I'll have the Volvo for a while yet, other important influences on finances mean I wont be spending big on cars for a while (building savings for a house deposit), I said I'd consider a new one at 200k, more likely 250k now and if I get another, it will likely be another S60 of the same model but at the end of the run, like an 08 plate. Not convinced by the new S60 yet, I like my cars subtly styled and understated rather than trying hard.



Bigpikle said:


> NOW 69...
> NOW 69!!!!!!!
> 
> The rest I can forgive but......
> ...


It's Allie's, honest gov  :lol: ... Did you not also see Clannad's Greatest Hits?! :lol:



S63 said:


> Please don't even question it Dave, your life looks good, busy and fulfilled, cars can dirty and cleaned another time.


Life's good, life's good - cruising happily and we're enjoying ourselves :thumb:


----------



## Suba (Feb 2, 2013)

Oh how the mighty have fallen!

;-)


----------



## bazz (May 15, 2007)

them cars look in a terrible state but im sure one day you will get your mojo back and have them both back cleaming


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Suba said:


> Oh how the mighty have fallen!
> 
> ;-)


It's comfy down here  No stress, no worries about picking up a swirl here and there :thumb:


----------



## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Happens to the best of us Dave. Life gets in the way!


----------



## Suba (Feb 2, 2013)

Dave KG said:


> It's comfy down here  No stress, no worries about picking up a swirl here and there :thumb:


How is the teaching going? Has that brought its own stresses? How many years have you been at it now? I seem to remember you have an interest in astronomy - still on the lookout for astronomy kit?


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Teaching brings its own stresses, but I have to say that I thrive under them and absolutely love the job 

Astronomy, I am building up school funds to buy kit for my Astronomy club in school - I started the club last year, now building on it for next year alongside my Electronics club, Photography club and my Chess league  (More reasons the cars never get washed :lol: )


----------



## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

im in for this....

...i know first hand what you can do when you put your mind to a task.

genius type things tend to happen.


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

You should pay a visit one day while I am out tinkering with the cars... doubt your VW would make it down my drive way though, certainly not in one piece!


----------



## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

Dave KG said:


> You should pay a visit one day while I am out tinkering with the cars... doubt your VW would make it down my drive way though, certainly not in one piece!


Ill take you up on that Dave....:thumb: be good to catch up again properly.


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

badly_dubbed said:


> Ill take you up on that Dave....:thumb: be good to catch up again properly.


Watch out for the dogs :lol: And park at the top of the road unless you have good ground clearance, the drainage lines in the farm track take no prisoners! I'll be out on the cars most days during the week when its dry, just give me a shout :thumb: I have a BBQ and like to use it...


----------



## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

Dave KG said:


> Watch out for the dogs :lol: And park at the top of the road unless you have good ground clearance, the drainage lines in the farm track take no prisoners! I'll be out on the cars most days during the week when its dry, just give me a shout :thumb: I have a BBQ and like to use it...


Ping me a wee message on Facebook and ill gladly nip up and lend a hand whenever suits you :thumb:

ill bring food.


----------



## Guru (Aug 28, 2013)

3 pages already and the car is not even cleaned yet?

BTW, I don't think you ever lose your detailing mojo - maybe you just misplace it or put it in a closet temporarily.

Waiting for the updates.


----------



## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Dave KG said:


> I stopped detailing when I started teaching... between that and writing two books, I work around 90 hours a week... the cars therefore get very little TLC anymore :thumb:


That's understandable.


----------



## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

I've let my cars go several months without a wash before when busy, but I can never let the interior get filthy no matter what.


----------



## -Raven- (Aug 26, 2010)

Must be serious is you don't even bother washing your cars!


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

-Raven- said:


> Must be serious is you don't even bother washing your cars!


As said, priorities in life change - its more important to me that the cars are mechanically sound, so the time I do spend on them, I spend under the bonnet these days. But any other spare time is dedicated to life and living - my wonderful wife, my wonderful dogs and the job I love. :thumb:


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

As it happens, I've just rinsed the Volvo down at the local jet wash, and will be giving it a wash this afternoon and start decontaminating and maybe polishing a little section too if I have time... dogs asleep in the sun in the garden, tuckered them out this morning playing frisbee in a long grass field where they chase the thing and then spend ages looking for it :lol:


----------



## wylie coyote (Jul 15, 2007)

Looking forward to seeing this transformation. Really is great to see some of the hallowed names back and posting again!:thumb:

I think you need a rake for that dog hair tho....


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

wylie coyote said:


> Looking forward to seeing this transformation. Really is great to see some of the hallowed names back and posting again!:thumb:
> 
> I think you need a rake for that dog hair tho....


Amusingly I have a good toy for that, one that I use on the house carpets as GSDs shed like crazy! A lint roller for floors :lol:


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Made a start today... http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=342983


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Dave KG said:


> Teaching brings its own stresses, but I have to say that I thrive under them and absolutely love the job
> 
> Astronomy, I am building up school funds to buy kit for my Astronomy club in school - I started the club last year, now building on it for next year alongside my Electronics club, Photography club and my Chess league  (More reasons the cars never get washed :lol: )


you sir, are the type of teacher every school should have several off :thumb:

catch up at some point I hope - perhaps a beer with Gordon as well.


----------



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Bigpikle said:


> you sir, are the type of teacher every school should have several off :thumb:
> 
> catch up at some point I hope - perhaps a beer with Gordon as well.


My school is full of teachers like me :thumb: And we all get on well too, its a happy and fulfilling place to work!


----------



## supraGZaerotop (Jun 23, 2008)

good luck with all that pet hair,


----------

