There are some of us who love the XF and there are those for whom it's just a set of wheels...dirty wheels.

While driving downtown this weekend with my wife and son, I happen to see perhaps the dirtiest set of wheels ever on an XF. We were sitting at a light and an XF passes in front of us on the cross street. My wife says something to the effect "what kind of wheels do they have on that Crossfire, they don't look like yours." I hadn't been looking up, but when I did, I started to laugh. The front wheel (I could only see the one side of course) was pitch black and the rear was a little dim. I paused in my laughter to see if was one of those two different color wheel things (anyone seem much of those on ricers?), but no, this was a case of "break dust gone wild". I resumed my laughing and said, to my girl, nope that's just a bad case of break dust. "No way" was the response, and I had reassure her that this was the case. To which she said, now I understand why you wash them so often!
I only wish I had a picture, it was truly unbelievable.

 

Haha - I know what you mean... A few weeks ago, I spotted a Crossfire in a parking lot that was also filthy. It looked like it had been through a hurricane, a dust storm and then never washed. It was sad to see such a beautiful car with such bad hygiene.

 

That drives me nuts...it is so common around here too.
I see rich snobs driving around in their BMW's, Mercedes', Porsche's and so on with the wheels so dirty it looks like they haven't washed their car in over a month!

 

Me too. I just can't understand why anyone would buy a nice car and neglect it to that point.

 

The solution... Rotex Gold = 95% less dust = less washing.

Yep, I've seen it with cars, houses and more. I guess some people have different values, especially when it comes to taken care of things.

 

What makes me sad is that it happens on higher end vehicles where you are pretty sure they have the time/money to get the vehicle cleaned. But, it's just a 'car' to them. *sigh*

Be good to your belongings... they will last longer.

 

Have also seen it here in my area a SSB coupe that looks like he/she uses it for off roading, mud and dirt film up to the door handles...just don't get it.

 

It is sad when a car as great as a Crossfire is abused like that. You have to take care of your toys.

 

I absolutely hate having a dirty car, especially the interior, and take a lot of pride in prepping and cleaning my cars, but I never mind seeing a car that is dirty from actually being used, including the ones I have spent hours prepping and painting; neglected is something else. I quite like the look of a high performance car after it has just returned from a road trip or track session having been put to the use for which it was intended. But it is a shame when it's obvious that the owner of such a vehicle has no appreciation of what they actually own and doesn't care for it.
As far as my Crossfire goes the reality of it being a daily driver through a British winter and having a daily commute to an office based in the countryside, on roads frequented by farm vehicles means it gets very dirty, very often. Then there are the stone chips, and tyre rubber blobs and brake dust from trackdays, the sand and mud in the boot (trunk!) from mountain biking and camping trips. Basically, I USE it! But I maintain it in the best condition cosmetic and mechanical condition possible as time and finances allow.

This is what it look like at the moment; I'm off to do something about it before the detailing police find me.

 

wow... that is trashed... those rims have me shaking my head in disbelief.

 

wow woody... that car is trashed... those rims have me shaking my head in disbelief.



lucky i don't live in the uk... you would find some stranger attempting to aid with the dirt removal.

 

Don't worry Andrew its only temporary. I've just been out and washed it:

 

ahhh... now i can sleep tonight.

now lookin great !!! love to see that shine.

 

Me too, its the first chance in two weeks I have had to wash it!

Sorry, I should have posted a warning for those sensitive souls from the 'Land of no Dirt'. Go and have a lie down for a while and I am sure you will have recovered in a couple of days.

 

I recall the same phenomenon with the PT Cruiser. When you couldn't get one everyone that did have them kept em really clean and shined up then everybody got one and it became just another car. While the Crossfire not the same league as the PT it still bugs me when I see one that's dirty. No excuse for it! My wife is constantly hounding me, why do you have top wash that car every weekend, its not dirty? Well I can see the dirt. Why do you have to wash the back of the wheels? I haven't figured out a good answer to that one other than "because the manual says you have to."
By the way woody nice job! Dave there is a silver/blue Crossfire running around here that's always filthy was that the one you guys saw?

Pat

 

By the way when I say the Crossfire is not in the same league as the PT don't misread my statement...I had two them and they can't touch the Crossfire. PT's are everyday type drivers nowadays, still a cool car but not a luxury sports car. In fact the day I started wanting the Crossfire was the day I bought me second PT.

Pat

 

I loved my PT too, and it lead a very similar life to the Crossfire, sometimes washed and waxed every week, and other times thrashed round a track and in desperate need of a wash...

WARNING FOR ANDREW - skip the first two pictures

 

Funny I have a pt "wife's car" and my crossfire.
The pt is painted up like a little red express with little red wagon decals and wood paint and all.

 

Even when I ran the Dragon last year and this year I washed the car 3 times while I was down there and yes, sprayed the wheels with wheel cleaner too.