Today, July 6, is Helping Hand Car Wash Day in Japan. The origins date all the way back to the year 755 and is related to the holiday Tanabata, traditionally held on July 7. Without getting too deep into the backstory, Tanabata is supposedly the one day a year when two star-crossed deities, Orihime and Hikoboshi, represented by stars in the night sky, are allowed to meet, but only if it doesn’t rain. However, if it rains on the day before Tanabata, legend has it that it’s because Hikoboshi is washing his oxcart in preparation for meeting Orihime. You gotta pick your date up in a clean ride, right? The purpose of Helping Hand Car Wash Day is to encourage people to consider others, just as Hikoboshi diligently washes his oxcart for his loved one.
What selfless car-related thing do you do for others?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your best story about buying or selling a car via auction?”.
The winner this week is Ian G., who we think deserves this award simply because he had to endure being tased while trying to bid on an NB Miata. It probably isn’t easy to take 1200 volts as you wait in literal and figurative agony to see if you’ve won an auction for your dream car. And the fact that Ian could keep his mind on the auction while getting shocked is a testament to his devotion to his car. Priorities!
When Cars & Bids was still new in 2020, I often checked it out for good and local deals. I spotted a red Miata NB2 I liked that was just 30 minutes north of me, and I thought I should keep an eye out for this one. Fast forward to the day of the auction close: I was part of a leadership team in the largest prison in my state, and on that day, we were learning about and trying out our new tasers that would be used inside. We were in a classroom setting, and I had my laptop open to the site for the class and to keep up with the auction since it was still a deal one hour prior to closing. And just so happens that when the gavel was about to come down (and with my luck), I was called to be the first to be tased among the team.
So before I went up on stage, I made a bold final bid offer since I was going to miss bidding while it was my turn, and I went to get tased (bro). I was given a scenario where I was laying down on all fours, simulating being tripped and still chasing bad guys. I was crawling on the floor and… zap! The dual prongs deployed onto my back and butt, and I was riding the lightning for five seconds that felt like five minutes.
It was a crazy feeling; for those long five seconds (“or less, you’re free”), you cannot move your body—essentially paralyzed. LMAO! I was sweating and trying to finish the exercise and was told by my fellow coworker that I kept yelling out, “Did I win? DID I WIN!?!” 🙂
It was an excruciating experience. I eventually made my way back to my computer to find out I won! LMAO! I still have that red NB2 today (the 7th NB ever sold on that site).
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
I taught every of my friends who learned to drive how to change a wheel on a car with the included kit, and I will teach it to everyone that would ask me! It is a task that seems daunting to a lot of people, but in the end, it didn’t even matter, it is no more than a series of simple tasks with a couple of “remember to stay safe by blocking the car wheels” or “remember to stay safe by lifting the tire from the bottom and never putting fingers between the car body and the tire”. Then we can actually take care of an uncommon but shitty problem like a punctured tire that always happen on a shitty day.
And yeah, I still do even if modern car are less and less inclined to carry such a kit, because sometimes they can end up helping someone else too.
Over the years I’ve gotten really into spreading knowledge of cars to other people, just so they gain a little more insight and appreciation for their rides. I find it fulfilling when I am able to help a friend sell their car for more than they think it’s worth.
For example, my neighbor was going to donate his Infiniti G37 IPL 6MT because the rear frame was rusting out. I told him that car enthusiasts would gladly buy his car and replace the subframe, and that he should try and sell it at an unheard-of price. I wrote up a nice FS posting and he received over 50 interested parties, and sold the car to the first guy who reached out.
I also helped a friend sell their 2009 Camry V6 XLE; it might be a boring car, but V6 XLE is not as common as one might think and most people might mistake it for a Lexus ES350 once inside. I helped them write up a good posting and the car sold for a very reasonable price to a hassle-free buyer.
I volunteer at a Repair Cafe effort and help fix bicycles and other mechanical items. I have recently started offering automotive-related advice; one of the organizers had a strange noise coming from his Ford C-Max, and I took some time to help him diagnose it to be old shocks. I declined any payment, but he quietly slipped me a gift card which I felt was completely unnecessary.
I volunteer for my kids’ Scouts troops and was Merit Badge Counselor for the Automotive Maintenance merit badge. Hands-on requirements was to change the motor oil as well as swapping out a spare tire, and I volunteered my Mazda Miata and Mazda Lantis for both troops to perform on. To see the light turn on in their heads is an awesome feeling.
Use my turn signal BEFORE I change lanes or turning. I know, it used to be such a low bar.
I was going to post a funny comment, but hands down, this deserves it. My hats off to you; I hope you win!
i just got a free Peugeot 205 rally car handed to me by one of my best friends (doesn’t have time to finish it) so he’s got the selfless thing down in a way I can only aspire to. but honestly i’m always ready to help my car friends and drive cross country to pick stuff up, do repairs and whatever but Jimbo(fake name for privacy) takes the cake!
plan is to paint it, button up the build and hand it back to him all shiny and ready.