Spring Cleaning Weekend

[Intrepidation]

This weekend is/will be fantastic weather wise. Low to mid 50'a, sunshine, and a gentle breeze.

Can't waste the whole weekend indoors that's for sure, so it's time to get a head start on spring cleaning for the cars.

What's done:

• Vacuumed and cleaned the interiors of both cars
  
• Detailed the Intrepid's interior (vents, switches, cracks, etc.)
  
• Cleaned the dirty off of the door frames
  
• Cleaned the dirt and grime off of the lower inside edge of the doors
  
• Cleaned and organized the trunks
  
• Added P/S fluid to the Prizm
  
• Cleaned the gunk off of the P/S fluid reservoir
  

What's on tap for tomorrow:

• Adjust the serpentine belt on the Intrepid
  
• Thoroughly wash and detail both cars
  
• Detail the Intrepid's wheels
  
• Finally put the "3.5 High Output" badge on the plenum...if I still know where it is.
  

On Monday after my meeting I'd like to go to the junkyard and get a floor mat retainer or 3. Now that I now how the are assembled I want to add a second on on the driver's side floor mat so it stays securely in place. I hate how it moves around...so annoying. Might do it for the passenger side as well, though it's less of an issue since usually its just me in the car.

So what about you? Is the weather nice where you live and if it is do you have an plans?

[caddycruiser]

Good work!

PERFECT weekend for this...especially here in the east. My new truck will be getting at least washed, the glass treated with protectant and a base coat & some sealant on everything else. Leather treatment, etc. inside if I feel like it, but it's so nice, no reason not to.

Not a heat wave, but warm, sunny, and just plain nice without rain in site for several days. Time to clean

Edited March 7, 2010 by caddycruiser

[RjION]

No snow, no slop, no salt, and yet the weather is nice most every weekend for car cleaning and yard work.

[vonVeezelsnider]

This is sorta spring cleaning and errand month for me.

The 09 is new and doesn't need anything

The Cobalt needs a full interior detailing which I will do as a favor to my brother

My Impala, well since I'm driving it daily now I am making a laundry list of stuff that needs to be fixed before the GMPP kicks in in June.

The Malibu is fine, except it still needs new struts, a new ISS, and copious amounts of DynaMat.

[Satty]

Jetta-Ran it through the car wash earlier today

Cooper-Not a damn thing

Century-Traded for a copy of MLB 2k10 this afternoon

[ocnblu]

I really need to clean up the Cobalt. I sprayed the lugnuts with WD-40 a while back to keep them from rusting from all this road salt (it worked), but now I hope it's time to get rid of the crappy residue and shine 'er up a bit.

[caddycruiser]

No more snow. Just no more snow. I'm saying it now. No more. Can't. Just keep getting warmer. Please.

You know, just as everyone I work with says "now that you bought a big truck...you know it's done snowing, right?" Yeah, and...

As far as cleaning, already SO glad I went back to a white vehicle. It shows stuff, but as far as paint defects, etc. and basic cleaning, easy as pie and bright & cheery. Of course, the new light beige interior is a lot less susceptible to dust, fingerprints, etc. showing but will be more work keeping the seats from not discoloring with jean dye transfer and so on. Still, light & bright works for me and already is easier...especially on a godzilla truck, as big as the Av.

Edited March 7, 2010 by caddycruiser

[daves87rs]

Washed em'

Started working on the inside of the cobalt.

I'm not detaling the wife's this year, don't have the tools I need to clean it right (interior). It's neading the Ziebart for that.

The other two I'm detailing myself.

[Intrepidation]

I adjusted the belt on the Intrepid before calling it a day. Spent a fair bit of time using a fine paint brush to clean out all of the crevices in the interior. Tomorrow is wash time. Major waxing will hold off until I get myself a Porter Cable buffer, and a driver's door. Also need to get a new set of lugnuts. The Gorilla locking nuts are fine but the two piece ones from AutoZone (which I will never, ever buy again) are junk, most of the caps have come off.

[mustang84]

It's still a bit too early to clay & wax the LS. The forecast is calling for snow showers toward the end of the week. However, I need to get the winter tires off soon...I doubt we'll have anything measurable for the rest of the season.

[Intrepidation]

Now for the obligatory photos!

[Intrepidation]

[Satty]

Please, for the love of god, remove the steering wheel cover on the Intrepid. I realize it has like half a million miles and the wheel itself probably looks like $h!, but aftermarket covers look tacky on everything.

[/pet peeve]

Otherwise, lookin good.

[Intrepidation]

It's actually in good shape thanks in part to the steering wheel cover protecting it. You should see what the old cover looks like...that would have been my steering wheel. That, and I like the thicker diameter of the wheel with the cover on. When I hunt down a leather LH wheel it'll come off.

[Satty]

The Century had one of those and I couldn't stand it. Didn't bother taking it off in the 3 months or so I owned it, but it always annoyed me because it felt weird and looked terrible.

[Intrepidation]

I like it, because like I said, I think the LH wheel is a tad too skinny for my taste.

Next time I may try out a leather wrapping kit...but it depends on how close the color matches.

[Satty]

A pair of leather driving gloves would make the wheel feel bigger and, as a bonus, you'd look cool.

[Intrepidation]

I wouldn't feel cool.

It's low on the list but I would like a leather wrapped 300M wheel at some point. I'd like to nab one with genuine walnut trim on it, but just to say I have it (they're rare), wouldn't go in the Intrepid.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Those wheels really bring out the look of your Intrepid!

[caddycruiser]

I moved a little slower than I hoped today, so just got the truck washed, clayed, and a 1st step coat of an all-in-one polish & sealant. I usually go further than that, but it was almost already 5 and I was pooped. Did the leather a little bit ago, with my favorite Zaino "Leather in a Bottle". I'll continue the paint sealing & shining in probably 2 weeks, after the clear bra is on and we have another nice weekend.

Pulled my roof rack cross bars off too, so at least got that done also.

Ah, so purty. The Camaro got a bath too, and the same leather care.

The white is working for me. When it's dirty, you see it--and it really was after a week with some rain--and you just keep wiping or washing until it's back to white. Simple. Doesn't show much in the way of surface marring either, or at least nothing like a dark color. Stays cool, too. Good stuff. After just a week my beige driver's seat was already showing some dye transfer from jeans, I think, but cleaned that quickly.

Edited March 8, 2010 by caddycruiser

[ocnblu]

White is really a nice color. It is easy to clean, and the most durable of all paint colors because the sun bounces off of it instead of heating it up and allowing chemical etching from bird poop, tree sap, etc.

[caddycruiser]

White is really a nice color. It is easy to clean, and the most durable of all paint colors because the sun bounces off of it instead of heating it up and allowing chemical etching from bird poop, tree sap, etc.

I didn't realize the heat factor so much until today...sun beating down on it...but it still was cool to the touch. Nice.

Of course, it shows dark stuff, scuffs, marks, and so on, but I don't even have to worry about fingerprints now. Good stuff.

[Intrepidation]

Steel Blue FTW

[Satty]

Silver is a bitchwhoreCincinattif@#k#### to keep clean

[Intrepidation]

Black is the worst...but I want to own a black car at some point.

Silver doesn't show imperfections like darker colors do.

[caddycruiser]

Silver so far has been GREAT on the Camaro...looks good, gets insanely filthy and remains silver, and even unlike white, takes more than a lot to show any kind of imperfections. If it weren't for the being silver factor, yeah, it's easy.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Out of every vehicle we've ever had in my memory the one that has shown dirt in the best light has to be the Dark Silver Metallic color on my 07 Impala. The Red on the Malibu ain't bad and neither was the Bronzemist color on our 02 Venture.

That being said, the Slate color is terrible for showing dirt and so was the Navy Blue color of our 05 Venture.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Both of my cars got a quick bath today to wash off the winter's remnants. It's funny how long it takes to just "wash" the Fleetwood compared to the G6!!

[caddycruiser]

Both of my cars got a quick bath today to wash off the winter's remnants. It's funny how long it takes to just "wash" the Fleetwood compared to the G6!!

Hah! A little bit...yes. I used to cut my hands every time, washing up & around the rear wheels, with or without skirts in place.

Some cars are quick, some are not. My ex G8, for instance, was quick & easy without many "trap" places, vs. even the Camaro. I think easiest of all that I've had would by my G6 coupe. No trim, no spoiler, open 5-spoke wheels, smooth flowing bubble lines, just quick & easy, and White Diamond making it that much more so.

[Intrepidation]

A clean and well maintained car is a happy car.

[caddycruiser]

A clean and well maintained car is a happy car.

A few years back when I used to do detailing on the site...hey, I think I still have a website...I had at least 1 or 2 people who were always so pleased afterwards, I'd get calls back "it even runs nicer now!" Heh. Sometimes, sometimes, yes

[Satty]

Silver shows bugs, mud, blood, pretty much anything dark that can get on a car. Small scratches and light dirt dont show up, but the other stuff does.

[daves87rs]

Just worked a bit on the Balt...washing Cavvy #2 later....granted, she has seen very little winter. Dust, maybe.....

Silver shows bugs, mud, blood, pretty much anything dark that can get on a car. Small scratches and light dirt dont show up, but the other stuff does.

Mine look fine....

Oh, and DF, she looks good!

[regfootball]

intrepid looks fantastic, DF.....! what kind of wheels are those again?

[Intrepidation]

Thanks reg! They're 18" Mille Miglia Uno wheels.