Obsessive compulsive car care habits

[ruthrj]

After start up I always allow the engine to "warm up" at least until the idle kicks down which on my '23 T is about 30 seconds. I bit longer in another car of mine. Always remembering that most engine wear occurs at start up so let everything get circulating before moving. I also use the parking brake every time I shift to park. OCD or just good habits??

I also wait for the revs to drop before shifting out of park. I was in a rush a few months ago, zoned out and made a boneheaded move by shifting to reverse almost immediately after starting the engine. I’ll tell you what, that’s not a mistake you make twice.

I tend to back my car in or pull through spaces now so I don’t have to reverse as much after startup.

Someone here had the same habit and their car got stuck in the garage when their parking brake switch wore out. I see no reason for the unnecessary wear on something that isn't needed.

Agreed, but I have the same issue. I 100% of the time engage the parking brake. Really no added benefit on level ground but I do it anyway. First vehicle was a 97 hardbody Nissan. I hardly trusted 1st gear on that manual in combination with the parking brake to do their jobs lol!

 

[N7turbo]

Never done that in my life and I've never had a car run away on me.

 

[ruthrj]

Never done that in my life and I've never had a car run away on me.

Learning more about myself, glad I opened this thread. Looking back it’s inherited OCD. Grandfather taught me to ALWAYS engage the parking brake prior to shutting off a manual, or before shifting to P no matter what. He built hot rods as a hobby and guess what his custom engraved sign said at car shows?

EYEBALLS DON’T LEAVE FINGERPRINTS

 

[SparkYellow]

I always pull the parking brake after shutting the engine off. What is the reason for pulling it before (for manual too)?

 

[wlong01]

Owning a black car has amplified my tendencies a bit lol. For example, let's say I wash the car the night before. The next morning at work, it rains. I find myself tempted to go out to the car at lunch and wipe the car down to prevent water spots lol. Or a few days after washing the car, there's a fine layer of dust or pollen that I can see. It comes off easily with a rinse from the garden hose, so sometimes I'll spray it down and then dry it.

Get a California duster. Makes short work of dust and pollen.

 

[N7turbo]

I always pull the parking brake after shutting the engine off. What is the reason for pulling it before (for manual too)?

If you let the car rest before engaging it, you aren't really using it.

 

[ruthrj]

I always pull the parking brake after shutting the engine off. What is the reason for pulling it before (for manual too)?

If you turn the parking brake on first before shifting to P (or putting a manual in 1) you ensure the weight of the vehicle is being held by the brakes and not the drivetrain/parking pawl. N7 nailed it.

You’ll achieve the same end result as long as your foot was on the brake pedal the whole time.

 

[SparkYellow]

If you turn the parking brake on first before shifting to P (or putting a manual in 1) you ensure the weight of the vehicle is being held by the brakes and not the drivetrain/parking pawl. N7 nailed it.

You’ll achieve the same end result as long as your foot was on the brake pedal the whole time.

Thank you both! Let's see how long it will take me to change the habit.

 

[Lazy2.5]

I'm very obsessive compulsive. i am always thinking about what sort of little adjustments i can make to it, such as tire pressure, modify or service something, etc. ill often just stare at it as im walking by.

 

[sm1ke]

If you turn the parking brake on first before shifting to P (or putting a manual in 1) you ensure the weight of the vehicle is being held by the brakes and not the drivetrain/parking pawl. N7 nailed it.

You’ll achieve the same end result as long as your foot was on the brake pedal the whole time.

I do this too. I never used to, but my wife has a habit of driving her Civic into a steep driveway, putting the car in Park and then taking her foot off the break just as it goes into Park. A couple of times I'd take her car, and it took more effort to pull the shifter out of Park, and when I got it into Reverse, the car felt like it slammed into gear.

So now, unless I'm parking on level ground, I always engage the park brake before shifting into Park.

 

[7eregrine]

I am completely OCD with my car. My daily driver...which is no longer the Mazda.
I take care, good care, of all my cars. I do a huge interior exterior clean once a year. I mean every nook and crevice. The engine bay too. Condition the leather.
Every car (have 3) once per year.
But my daily? Completely obsessed. Like I was with the Mazda before it became my wife's car.
For mine, I did a clay bay and Ceramic coat 2 years ago. It has completely held up. Any time it gets a little dusty I clean it. The interior is always spotless.
My parking brake gets used every time I park because there's a setting in the car to do so.
I also hacked my car to enable true TPMS monitors and not the hub based kind.
Also let the RPMs drop before leaving in every car, but @Rughrj not doing so isn't a huge deal.
I did get a radial orbital polisher for Christmas. My car doesn't truly need it but it's just something I've always wanted to learn. So I'll practice on Betty, the Mazda, before I paint correct Stormy, the Volvo. Then ceramic coat it again now that I have some experience doing that.

My daily, and my fleet. Notice the hose in the fleet pic. It's there 365 days a year. Anytime it gets above freezing in winter, I also hose the undercarriages of the dailies.

 

[Snake]

Keeping a vehicle as new looking as possible will keep it's value up when the time comes to sell or trade.

I clay bar once every couple of years. At highway speeds, no protectant is going to stop grit from sticking into the clearcoat, not even super-poly-transparent-unobtanium-automobile-sealant.

I will take the time to apply a better coat of wax/sealer about twice a year and then use a quick spray between those applications.

I probably do have some level of OCD but I have used that "gift" to get ahead in certain aspects of my life. For example, everyone knows me as a clean/neat/organized person. Employers like that in an employee.

One must find the good in all scenarios, even the bad ones...

 

[SparkYellow]

@7eregrine Nice fleet! Any more in the garage? My OCD is sometimes about details.

 

[7eregrine]

Only if the bicycle counts!