When you are finished detailing the car, take a few minutes to look at it from a variety of angles. Think it over. Then ask yourself, "Does it look 'right'?"

So why do we do it? It is a lot of work . Family, friends and neighbors question your sanity. No matter how good a job you do, there is room for improvement. And the harder you work, the quicker it is undone by a mud puddle or tree sap.

Some people justify it by the envious reactions of friends and strangers who wish their cars looked half as good. Others point to the resale value of a car in excellent condition and insist that they are merely protecting their investment. Individuals who use left brain reasoning will tell you that a properly detailed car lasts longer.

But those who use such reasoning are missing the point. And if you consider washing your car to be a chore, then you are, shall we say, "not with the program". The real reason can be found in the automobile experience itself. Anybody can own a car. But having respect for the machinery by keeping it new despite the ravages of time, - well, that takes someone special.