Hi,
Thanks Ian.
I've always looked after our cars ensuring they are in top class order and clean. I wash and dry our Yeti at least once each week more often if it's been on a dirty journey. The Yeti had its bodywork and upholstery protected from new with a lifetime guarantee but I still polish it. Our previous Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo also had bodywork and upholstery treated both the Fabia and Yeti bought new came with complimentary car cleaning products as seen below in the pictures.
It's just the way I was taught to be neat and tidy in everything I do; my workshop is tidier than many homes I've been in; our gardens and bungalow are very well maintained; rubbish is immediately disposed of; a short while ago I even pressure washed our bungalow roof. I can't do good work in clutter; my tools and machines are all in top condition bladed tools are always kept sharp; I know how to use an oil can too.
Of all the places to be taught to be neat and tidy I was taught down a deep coal mine from the age of 15 and it's stuck with me. It does take a bit of time to keep things in order but to me it's well worth it; we're all different and I've been in workshops where I've not known to put my feet and had to watch my head for things hanging down but tidiness was roughly beaten into me whilst I was an apprentice.
Our car is our second biggest purchase the bungalow the most expensive but new cars aren't cheap so why not take care of them. Cleaning the car is more of a chore in bad weather but on a rare sunny day I enjoy doing it and it's always nice to stand back to admire our five year old Yeti still looking brand new. It's soul destroying though to spend a lot of time cleaning and polishing the car only for the next morning to see a Pterodactyl has done the usual bombing run it's just the same with the gardens; graft for hours on end only for the local cats; squirrels; birds; and even badgers to spoil everything; my wife and I would never hurt anything but often I've felt like buying a machine gun.
A few of the car care products I use.
Here's the Lifeshine posh holdall supplied with our Yeti.
Here's the Lifeshine holdall supplied with our Fabia.
If the car isn't too dirty I use Williams waterless wash and shine applied with a microfibre cloth then buffed.
Here's the wheel cleaner.
The complimentary car care supplied with the Yeti. Our Yeti has full leather interior and even leather balm is supplied.
A big pack of large micro fibre cloths I buy from Rufforth Auto Jumble I think this pack cost £20 making it excellent value. When I use a new micro fibre cloth I always remove the small tag which is attached by simply ripping it off.
It does take a bit of time to keep the car looking like new but I don't go mad spending forever washing and polishing; a couple of hours each week including checking tyre pressures and fluid levels isn't excessive. Automatic tyre pressure sensors are fitted but I still check the tyres weekly; I won't just rely on an indicator lighting up on the dash; this won't indicate other tyre faults like a split or bulge.
To finally answer your question Ian as to polish making a difference;
Polishing is only part of car care; I used to own my own garage business during my twenties many years ago but these days our car is main dealer looked after having a full service history and anything at all needing doing it gets done; recently a new "special" battery was fitted costing £286 at the Skoda main dealership; our Yeti has the stop/start function showing how modern cars bump up prices of simple replacement parts.
I'm a member of a Skoda forum and there's always lots of discussion about trading in but many Yeti owners are deciding to keep their Yeti because there's nothing currently on the market to tempt them to change. To trade our Yeti in would mean spending around £14,000 an amount that could buy many spares and repairs; our Yeti has already suffered most of it's depreciation during the five years so unless it starts to cost a fortune in repairs it gets cheaper each passing year to own and run; in July this year it needs a new cam belt and water pump and at the same time it will have a service and MOT with the main dealer collecting from our home and returning it all for £826, next year all being well it will be much cheaper again just needing a service and MOT. We travel less than 7,000 miles each year and although we can easily afford to buy a new car would we be just throwing money away to show off to our neighbours? We love our Yeti and its a keeper.
Everything I do I do to the best of my ability with no shortcuts or bodging second best or compromise aren't options. I enjoy grafting and being busy it keeps me young and active.
After two days of 20C it's now 10C so much colder hence I'm passing a bit of time rambling on but today I'll be pottering in the workshop.
Kind regards, Colin.
