I drive a 2007 Honda Odyssey. We bought it used in 2011, when we came back from China. It has a slightly dented back sliding door, and a dented back left fender, both things that happened in parking lots while parked. It’s a great vehicle, we keep it because we love the flexibility of a minivan for our summer travels, camping, and for things like helping my daughter move at universtiy, as well as for traveling comfortably on long trips. That said, it mostly travels 2.8 kilometres (1 and 3/4 miles) to and from work.

In a decade of owning this van, I’ve probably washed it in a car wash about five or six times, and I’ve probably washed it myself less than that. I’ve never scrubbed the hub caps, and never waxed it. Two nights ago on my walk, I saw a guy in his twenties wiping his very reflective, shiny car with a soft cloth. He was wiping what looked like an already perfectly clean part of his trunk, stepping back, then wiping it again. There was not a spot on the car that didn’t look showcase clean, he had definitely spent a fair bit of time making the car look new.

I’ve never cared for a car enough to do that. To me it’s not a prized possession, it’s a mode of transportation. I’ve never understood the lure of car wax, and products to make your car, hub caps, and fenders shine like prized jewellery. It’s just a car. It gets you from point A to point B.

I find it fascinating that people invest so much time, energy, and money in taking care of the outside appearance of their vehicles. It obviously brings them pleasure, while to me it seems like nothing more than a chore I’d rather not do, with results that I don’t really care for. I see others do it and think of it as a never ending battle that is fleeting and thus totally unrewarding. I just don’t see the appeal.