Oh Lord, Here comes RaymondStantz with a Rant

"RaymondStantz" (RaymondStantz) 01/10/2014 at 15:01 • Filed to: Rant

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It's quite difficult being a car enthusiast out there. I could list all the reasons out, but that list would be rather long winded and boring, even for us here on Oppo. Even so, divisions are wildly apparent within the scene as a whole, even over the most mundane of nonsense. Now note, I'll attempt to make this sound as not ranty as possible, but some frustration may slip in from time to time. Bear with me! It'll all come together at the end. Just you wait. All that being said, I'll focus on one subset of animosity within our world. That animosity towards the detailer.

I don't doubt most people out there like to keep a clean car, unless you drive something that's specifically built to get dirty! It's a nice little show of pride in your vehicle and protects it in the long run. Good stuff. Obviously, as with anything, there are those of us that like to take it to the next level. I like spending a nice, sunny afternoon with all my polishing pads in a row, tubs of wax, and some elbow grease. It's a great way to relax, at least in my point of view. It also saves me loads of work trying to get it clean again. Win, win. End up with a swirl free and deep finish. Lovely. Here's my car when I did my summer detail ages ago.

Normally I confide to detailing forums with this sort of stuff, but sometimes I do wander out to car meets which I apparently help run. Heh. Trust me, it's usually quite a good time and some people do poke fun at me for keeping my car rather clean during the summer months. All in jest of course. No use in not being able to laugh at yourself sometimes, no? However, there seem to be a small group of people who are genuinely quite flustered by this. It's not like I walk around pointing around imperfections in other's cars, but I do like to keep mine looking quite nice. What gives?

Apparently I should stop worrying about my paint and just "drive my car". I don't really know what I've been doing for the past 56k miles if I haven't been driving! Perhaps I just fall asleep at the wheel and magically appear at my destination. I totally don't enjoy mountain passes, winding backroads, and the occasional off ramp taken just a tad too quickly. Perhaps I should stop "because it'll just get dirty again". I should stop eating, naturally, I'll only get hungry again, right? There's a notion that a detailed car can't possibly be a daily driver or driven hard. It's completely bizarre the flak I get for absolutely no reason. Here's more detail porn from when I did up a buddy's car.

Anyway, this is, perhaps, where I truly get onto my soapbox and start spewing some preachy nonsense. Why are some enthusiasts so quick to snap at others? Jest and sarcasm is one thing, but some folks are just downright assholes about it all. Even folks here on Jalopnik and Oppo are quick to show their superiority over their fellow enthusiast. Don't drive a caged E30 LS swap? You must be lame and stupid. Buy a Camry . Well, perhaps that was a tad excessive, but the usual manual v auto, old v new cars, etc. arguments get very tired and old, and ultimately downright divisive. As enthusiasts, we can't afford to divide ourselves any further, especially over petty personal, and I stress personal , choices. At the end of the day, we all love cars, and that's what should unite us, no?

I'll get off my box now. Perhaps I'm a tad insane, but heck, I think we can all agree on one thing, let's continue to strive towards a respectful hobby as a whole. We work hard on our projects, no matter how big or small. It's what makes us enthusiasts. Dedication, hard work, persistence, and passion for all things automotive.

I'll stop whining now.

Thank you.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:06

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I couldnt agree more! I felt a similar displease with me when I reviewed my 13 Civic with an auto... people didnt like that I drive a civic.. I couldnt have a manual.. I couldnt get a Mazda or Subie... yet I love cars.. it really bothered me

TwoFortified > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:08

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We're just jealous that you have paint worth defending still on your car.

My paint looks like shit. Therefore, I don't wash my car much (it would be kind of like polishing a turd at this point).

Once I get it painted though, I plan/hope to change my ways.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:10

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No, you're wrong and you spend too much time cleaning your car.

Ha. Well done, man. I can't tell you how many niches of car enthusiasm I've come across here that I may not "get" myself, but I really enjoy seeing other people engage with their automotive passions, and I've even come to appreciate some of them more after taking the time to read them.

Once again, well done.

bfisch1629 > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:10

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nope, you are right on. the comment sections are full of trolls ranting about how all cars except theirs suck.

the automotive world is so big and diverse and that's the point of Jalopnik and the concept of 'the car guy'. everyone has their own taste and loves what they love. love your bmw? good for you! never cared for them myself. think your scion is the end all of automotive engineering? this is america, why not?

love what you drive and drive what you love. done.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:10

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I don't have words man.. This brought a tear to my eye.

As for keeping my car clean, I've got OCD something fierce.. So the past few years I've just let my DD get dirty. because if I started cleaning it it would NEVER be shiny enough.. Yeah, this monday I cleaned and waxed my DD, BAD IDEA.. I've been cleaning my car two times each day this week (winter in Norway and keeping a car clean = HARD)

CalzoneGolem > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:15

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Ah, your secret ingredient!

CalzoneGolem > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:18

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Personally I don't get detailing. I had to unsubscribe from the subreddit because I just couldn't bring myself to care. That being said. I like our cars to be clean inside and out and I'd never hate on anyone for spending hours cleaning and polishing and whatever it is you guys do.

TheOnelectronic > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:22

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Honestly, I'm of the "It's a car, not a museum piece" mentality, but I cannot understand pitching a shit fit because someone else enjoys keeping their car looking clean and shiny.

People just want a reason for some good old fashioned self-righteous indignation.

RaymondStantz > TheOnelectronic 01/10/2014 at 15:23

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I don't mind that mentality, I've got my share of dings and whatnot from generally careless people. It happens.

Textured Soy Protein > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:27

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More power to ya detailing your car. I'm not that patient. But I do hit up my local auto-wash place that has funny political dueling wash bays .

HammerheadFistpunch > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:28

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For me, a "clean" house/car/whatever means its free of major visual flaws and impediments to function. I love a good shine, but for me if I can just keep the salt off my car and keep the inside free of crap, im pretty happy. As for the part about getting all up ons over some trivial matter is silly. I went from a turbocharged manual subi wagon to a big slow auto blob...because I like the variety of cars and I wanted to experience some new facet of car culture. What it boils down to is, if you care about it, care for it and are enthusiastic about it...you love it. Cars, people, whatever.

RaymondStantz > Textured Soy Protein 01/10/2014 at 15:28

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That's badass dude! Hah.

Sn210 > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:31

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If you get enjoyment out of it, keep doing it. I detailed my civic over the summer. Everyone thought it came out so good, they asked me to do their cars. I was expecting them to ask why I spent so much time on a lowly civic. I've got a list of friends and relatives's cars to do in the spring once everything thaws out. I received bulk orders of wax and speed shine for Xmas too!

oldirtybootz > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:40

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As a detailer, I don't find much pleasure in cleaning my own car anymore. At work it's just that, work, and it's become tedious to me. I love when my car is clean and I do my best to keep it that way, but I don't get any joy from the process, only the end result.

But I do occasionally get the "why bother, it's only going to get dirty again" remarks. In the winter months, it's pointless to clean it every other week like I would like to do. Just a bit of moisture on the ground and every car you drive behind plasters you in sand and salt. So before snow hits I get a nice coat of wax on it to protect it, but the frequency of cleaning it decreases dramatically. It'll be covered in salt tomorrow, why bother.

I think what irks me the most about being a detailer is that everyone expects you to do it on the side or help them out for free. People always say I should detail on the side. The absolute last thing I want to do after I've been cleaning cars(among all the other shit I do) all day is clean another car, even if it means more money in my pocket. And every time a friend spills coffee or gets a scratch they're knocking on your door asking for help.

To the real point of your rant, we should all chill the fuck out and recognize that we're all enthusiasts. We have enough hate from non-enthusiasts who don't understand us and try to eliminate us in a way, that we should stand united. But when it comes to things like stance or donk, it's hard to find that common ground. I'm guilty of it, as I'm sure most of us are. In the end though, we all love our cars and I think in the end most of us can see past the negative camber and 36" wheels.

RaymondStantz > oldirtybootz 01/10/2014 at 15:44

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Well said, on absolutely all points.

oldirtybootz > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 15:54

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Thank you, I try lol. Like I said, I'm sure we're all guilty of it at one point or another. The key is trying to be more open minded. Seeing things from another person's point of view. I was hating on the Golf R yesterday, a few people explained why they thought I was wrong, and in the end I saw their point and have more of an appreciation for the car now.

It's also about having some respect and discretion. I don't like Hyundai, I'd never buy one myself, but if you buy a new Elantra I'll congratulate you, not tell you it's a piece of shit and you should have bought a Focus. I don't like to put people down for the cars they own, since I've been in that situation before. Back in my Motor Trend Forum days, I was in a heated argument with a poster about god knows what and they called my 94 Altima a piece of shit beater and acted as if my opinion wasn't valid because I owned it. Granted, the car was a piece of shit beater, but that didn't sit well with me.

RaymondStantz > oldirtybootz 01/10/2014 at 16:04

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Shoot, quite a lot of people hate on your own Dart. Constantly. For completely idiotic reasons. "OMG ITS JUST A NEON HUE HUE HUE". Truth be told, it's a fun car with some of the better engine choices on the market. The 1.4 just makes me smile every single time.

Casper > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 16:06

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I like to keep my car clean, but I don't enjoy cleaning it. I have a friend who is like you and really likes detailing his cars (even really crappy ones) because he says it's relaxing. I just do whatever is logically the most effective use of time vs reward for condition and maintenance. That's why when I built this latest car I went and had the entire underside of the car undercoated and everything that came off powder coated, and am doing the paint job with a nice clear coat so I can clean up scratches easier and not have to be so obsessive about getting grit off the paint quickly and I can just pressure wash most stuff off the underside easily.

On a side note about "enthusiasts", why does anyone else's enthusiasm about something have anything to do with me? If someone is enthusiastic about something I consider stupid, it doesn't make it less stupid. Likewise, just because we are interested in the same general concept (for instance cars) it does not mean I have to appreciate their tastes or thoughts. There are people who are enthusiastically racist, that doesn't mean I have to care about their thoughts or that they even exist.

Beyond the idea of "enthusiasts", there seems to be a strange idea that if someone declares something an "opinion" it is automatically beyond reproach. An opinion can be wrong, ignorant, or stupid, just like everything else formulated by the human brain. There are some differences of opinion that are improvable and as such will always remain a dispute giving life the definition of a "difference of opinion" but that does not apply to all opinions. Generally the only opinions beyond reproach are those dealing with philosophical concepts that are impossible to create or test, such as scale tests of Communism vs Democracy or the like.

oldirtybootz > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 16:23

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The 1.4 and 6MT combo is the reason I love the car. If it were a 2.0L 6AT I would dread driving it, as I've driven one and it was soul crushingly bad. The 1.4T makes the car feel special, almost exotic.

But yes, that's a perfect example. People can't see past the "lolChrysler" hate so they bash the Dart like all it is a refreshed Caliber. The ignorance I faced while defening my car on that Chrysler 200 FP article was simply astounding.

My old Focus was another car that people blindly hated on. It got flack for not being a Euro Focus, but keeping in mind it was basically an American Corolla, it did it's job admirably in its 3 years of service for me, and I hooned the ever living shit out of it.

George McNally > RaymondStantz 01/10/2014 at 22:05

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I detail my family's vehicles....mine, my kids, my mom, my father-in-law and one of my bother-in-laws has a work truck that I detail (he pays me) while I enjoy doing it (I do it when it's convenient for me)-I couldn't imagine doing it for a living.

I also fix computers on the side....everyone except my kids, my mom and my father-in-law gets charged for that. Usually my college aged nieces manage to download shit that screws up their laptops.....I charge for stupidity.