Washing your own car - a dying hobby?

[Welly]

Yeah I know, true, I just get annoyed more a people's inability to do things right, you know like look properly at the mileage and advertise what it says FFS

And the fact it seems like the oil filter was side-stepped, as you say a MDFSH aint worth much despite 90% of motorists feeling like it's the be all and end all of car ownership, if only they understood.....

[steve_earwig]

They should've done what the dealer's near us did when I was a kid - set all the odometers back to zero "to avoid confusion."

[Bailes1992]

Picking up my new company car within the hour too which means I have to officially hand the Duster over to Becca.

[Bailes1992]

2014 Ford Mondeo Zetec Business Edition 1.6TDCi.

Well... I never saw that coming.

[trufflehunt]

They should've done what the dealer's near us did when I was a kid - set all the odometers back to zero "to avoid confusion."

Reminded me of that old story from the 80's.
A dealer told his mechanic to sort out the milometer of a 3 or 4 year old Golf, that was showing about
75,000, compared with the much more valuable figure of around 30 to 40K.

The spanner guy got his head under the dash, wriggling around to get the right position.
He shone his torch up towards the back of the speedo, and then he spotted something.
A small piece of paper, with writing.
"Oh no, not again...".

[Bailes1992]

Company Mondeo was taken off me and I've been given a 2014 Focus Zetec 1.6TDCi with 85k on the clock.

I often wonder if I put too much thought and money into looking after my own cars with premium fuels, slowing right down for speed bumps & pot holes, using engine oils that are focused more on protection and performance than fuel economy, 5000mile oil changes, gearbox oil changes when the 'box is 'sealed for life', only driving the car hard when it's hot, ensuring I never ride the clutch, applying power smoothly and progressively as not to load up the DMF etc etc.

When I got rid of my 2015 Focus last month on 60k it drove like the day I bought it brand new. However, this Focus has done just 1/3rd more mileage than the Focus I just got shot of and is less than 6 months older but feels like it's 10 years older in comparison. The engine is loud, clattery and taps from the top end, the turbo whines loud, the gearbox is stiffer than my Focus was, the DMF is worn so the car shakes on idle and makes a screech when you pull off slowly, the clutch is right at the top of the pedal and has slipped when accelerating hard on the motorway on two separate occasions, the fuel tank breather is blocked so I can't get more than 6 or 7 litres in at a time without the pump cutting off and that's not to go on about the battered exterior and the smoked in interior with the fag burn on the passengers seat.

So no, I don't think I put too much effort into looking after my car.

And to get back on topic... yes I will still be washing it myself.