Cleaning Obsession

[theonecraw]

I've had some awesome iconic automobiles in my time but never have I taken to cleaning one as meticulously as the California. As well as the usual bits inside and out I clean the mudflaps, wheel arches, roof, all the sills and engine bay (including the engine) every week. My neighbours must think I am a complete mentalist.... Anyone else got a similar obsession?

 

[BerndRos]

Errrrrr.....in a word no.

Mine gets a spray wash once every six months if it's lucky. It gets used though.

 

[GrannyJen]

Oh,

I got ever so obsessive about Albert being cleaned.

However the butler threatened to quit so I calmed down

 

[WelshGas]

No, just when it needs it.

 

[IanE]

Ours gets an external "professional" valet annually and a wash by me as and when otherwise. We keep the inside clean on an ongoing low key kind of basis

 

[Meoncoast]

Keep ours spotless all the time

 

[Victor]

I prefer using the van than cleaning it, we clean it as and when required.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Only a read door is worth a regular cleaning not to get messy when opening/closing it

 

[Keith Smith]

I have tried to keep our Cali pristine but living in farming country it's not practical, which is a shame as this is the first vehicle I've felt any emotional attachment to since I bought a Golf GTI in 1981.

 

[jts46]

theonecrew,
how do you clean the engine? and what product do you use?

 

[theonecraw]

@johntowers46 I use a combination of Autoglym and Gunk.

This video shows you how (covering the electrical bits is the most important and cling film does a great job) -

I use the Gunk product for the really stubborn areas.

 

[Borris]

Ours is Black! So it needs cleaning again after just five minutes. However I resist the temptation and have trained myself to clean it thorouhly only once a month. I am now becoming a little more relaxed about it and don't worry so much about what it looks like between washes.
However, if there is a next one, it will not be Black!

 

[Sp0_0k]

After owning a black car over 7 years, never again.
Surprised how clean white Cali stays. Each rain just washes dirt off and you don't see those marks of dried water that always mess black cars

 

[Astronomy]

I've had some awesome iconic automobiles in my time but never have I taken to cleaning one as meticulously as the California. As well as the usual bits inside and out I clean the mudflaps, wheel arches, roof, all the sills and engine bay (including the engine) every week. My neighbours must think I am a complete mentalist.... Anyone else got a similar obsession?

You would get on well with my Mrs..

 

[Tommy Gun]

Black... Out of all the colours, it probably looks the best when clean & the worst when dirty IMO

 

[Freeley]

I like to keep it nice but after 6 years of ownership I'm a bit more relaxed about cleaning regimes now. Ours is rarely used other than holidays and the odd weekend away but it's amazing how dirty it gets just sitting on the drive.
I like to make sure it's spick and span before a holiday though

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[Sp0_0k]

What really concerns me is practical cleaning. Dirt is getting into the bottom rail of the side door and it was even making sounds when sliding. How to properly clean it?

 

[theonecraw]

What really concerns me is practical cleaning. Dirt is getting into the bottom rail of the side door and it was even making sounds when sliding. How to properly clean it?

I blast in those hard to get places with my hose. Somebody might have better way though?

 

[briwy]

What really concerns me is practical cleaning. Dirt is getting into the bottom rail of the side door and it was even making sounds when sliding. How to properly clean it?

Brush and vac

 

[rcsb]

Perhaps this is slightly off-topic...

I have moved to the coast and keep finding that sea gulls have left a messy present on my Cali. This means either I have to clean it more often or I put up with that. At the moment the van is parked on the street (until I find a more permanent home for it and us). Any suggestions for encouraging these pests to use a toilet somewhere else?

Thanks

Rick

 

[theonecraw]

Stick a scarecrow on the roof

Or maybe one of these - https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk...5exfTqQJKJ2mdxJFbvYoBW1Qc86mxSALakaAh7A8P8HAQ

 

[Roger Boeken]

after 4 months and 3000 miles our T6 engine still looks like brand new and spotless..

 

[Borris]

Perhaps this is slightly off-topic...

I have moved to the coast and keep finding that sea gulls have left a messy present on my Cali. This means either I have to clean it more often or I put up with that. At the moment the van is parked on the street (until I find a more permanent home for it and us). Any suggestions for encouraging these pests to use a toilet somewhere else?

Thanks

Rick

One of these should do the trick.

Seriously, I have had a similar problem. Mrs B will insist on feeding the birdies in the front garden right next to where our shiny black Cali is parked. Grrrrr! Obviously, having just feasted on the various offerings put out for them they look around for something nice and shiny to dive bomb. So far this has resulted in three visits to the body shop to have the damage caused rubbed down and re-polished. So don't put up with it. You must clean it off asap.
Two years ago my wife's car had to have the whole roof including the steel sunshine roof resprayed at vast expense after one of these feathered fiends dropped an egg on it. Egg is lethal as the protiens contained within eat straight through the laquer and paint PDQ if not cleaned off immediately.
I have just resorted to buying a "Maypole" campervan cover from Ebay for around £65. If you are able to use one of these on the street then it appears to do the business. Excuse the pun. Curiously they don't seem to be interested in leaving their calling cards on the cover as after leaving the cover on whilst we were away for six days there was no sign on the previous activity. Without the cover squadrons of them would make their attacks all day long and I was forever out there cleaning it off.
Good luck.

 

[WelshGas]

Perhaps this is slightly off-topic...

I have moved to the coast and keep finding that sea gulls have left a messy present on my Cali. This means either I have to clean it more often or I put up with that. At the moment the van is parked on the street (until I find a more permanent home for it and us). Any suggestions for encouraging these pests to use a toilet somewhere else?

Thanks

Rick

Unfortunately no advice for moving the Seagulls on, but Bird droppings not good for paintwork. Have you considered some sort of roof cover, unless you use it daily?

 

[rcsb]

Thanks everyone, food for thought. I am thinking of sticking an outline of a bird-of-prey on the roof. I'll let you know if this works. Otherwise I guess it will have to be a roof-cover and the hassle and the need to remember to put it on and take it off.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again.

Rick