I love my HHR, but I have to let this go.

I got the car with the intent of hauling my mountain bikes. It does that very well. But in order to get to ANY trails here in ND, I have to drive on dirt and or gravel roads. The first dozen or so times I took the car to trails I immediately washed the car as soon as I got back. I'm over that. I have become resigned to the fact that if I use this car for the purpose for which I intended to use it when I made the purchase, it will get dirty. If it has to go a week with dust on the tailgate, so be it.

Some of you may look at my car and think that I don't care about it. I do, I just can't keep washing it multiple times a week. Heck, winter is coming in ND soon, and I won't be able to wash it anywhere outside of a car wash before long anyway.

 

So? You have a dirty car, what's the big deal? That means you actually used it for something other than driving the kids to daycare. Congrats.

 

The car or ANY hobby should enhance your life.Not create anxiety in it.

When the day comes when i worry about a scratch or dirt I sell it. As long as you enjoy the car dirty or clean keep it.. It's just a car.

 

Car washing will soon become few and far between here in Ontario too. There is nothing like washing your car in sub zero temps and then not being to get into it because it is frozen shut. It will make me a bit sad,but in the spring it will get all dolled up again! A few quick spray offs on the warm days of winter will have to do.

 

Here in the ATL, there is a STRICT water ban, so no car washing here!!!!

Such is life, enjoy the ride, pedal often!!!

Mark

 

I've got a great MTB poster in my office. The caption is:

MORE DIRT... MORE FUN

Live with it and by it!!

 

My panel is going into the dark Nov.3 for a 6 month hibernation and as it looks now it will have less then 2,000 miles on it for this year.Should get 20 years out of it at that rate!

 

Actually you will only get 10 years of driving time.....6 mos a year in mothballs doesn't count ...

Why are you storing it? You going over seas?

 

Just can`t see having my first new car rust away where I live they use pure rock salt as we have a huge salt mine here so it cost them nothing to dump it nice and thick.I have my 96 saturn plastic body daily driver to plow through the salt.Still have my 1980 El camino SS Royal Knight bought it in 81 never winter driven and only 70,000 miles on it.

The HHR has never been driven in the rain yet and is my weekend only ride.I have always thought a new car was about the worst way to spend your money.But after working for GM for 28 years I had to try it once the only difference between it and my saturn is I going to wash it to death.

 

At that rate, it will be a collectors/antique car and possibly worth some $$$, given the miles (from what you say would be 2,000 a year ) and condition of ineterior/exterior