Personally, I take car "grooming" or house-keeping, as a very
serious hobby. I DON'T allow anyone else, however professional they
claim themselves to be, to touch my vehicle.
Yes, it can be time consuming, as does Golfing, Fishing, Mahjong,
..etc. But if it interests you, and you enjoy cleaning up your car
and keeping it sparkling clean and showroom shiny, you will find
the kind of time it requires.
Periodic wiping of interiors is a good regime to follow, but
externally, I don't rely on wiping (depends on what sort of soiling
it is) as I rely on the layer of wax I lay down every 2 weeks.
Waxing is very important in our climate due to acidic rain. Laying
down a layer of wax every 2 weeks prevents dirt from adhering to
surface, makes tar spots easier to remove, and protects your
vehicle's paint surface from the acidic rains we get because of
Sumatra's slash and burn die hard habit.
Regular waxing also creates a pretty tough buffer against minor
scrathes, making micro scratches and other types of accidental
scratch, easier to buff over and fill with wax molecules. I typical
waxing takes about 2 hours, including interior cleaning and
shampooing adds another 2 hours. Yes, that's half a day.
Ready to commit? If you love your ride, you will be ready to
commit.
