1-Year Home Ownership Anniversary: Car Wash Partaaay!
Odometer (Legend): 554,447
Odometer (Integra): 239,932
It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been a year since I bought what cars.com Editor Aaron Bragman called a “garage-mahal.” It was Friday, August 26, 2016 when I closed on my new property in Phoenix and it’s been an awesome ownership experience for these first 12 months. In order to celebrate the anniversary, I invited a handful of friends over for a car wash party. I’m accustomed to such parties – I had one at my old place in Scottsdale back in May 2016, and prior to that in July 2013.
Special guests for the weekend of festivities included my friend Brad who spent two days with us mid-roadtrip from Chicago, and Stephen who flew in from Seattle. Neither one was prepared for Phoenix’s 110-degree Saturday heat but I made sure to keep everyone as hydrated as possible. My garage setup worked out perfectly to host a total of 20 people who washed 8 vehicles. I pulled my cars out into the backyard which opened up the entire garage for ‘indoor’ / shaded washing and detailing.
One of the show stoppers was my friend Saifonh’s jet black 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500. We had a wide variety of cars in attendance, though including one of my faves: A first generation Lexus LX450 SUV. We did Brad a favor of cleaning off the bugs he’d collected driving out from Illinois. Thanks to Brad, my Honda lawnmower got its first oil change, and thanks to Peter, it got washed. We take our Honda care & maintenance seriously around here!
Peter also picked up a few pizzas for lunch so we could keep the crowd fed and happy. Roommate James got back to the house from off-roading in his press car flavor of the week: A Ford F-150 Raptor that looked ready to terrorize the neighborhood. He parked it in the middle of the front lawn so it could be the center of attention.
Later in the evening, a few of us went over to the Scottsdale Pavilions car show. I introduced Brad and Stephen to one of Arizona’s wonders: A water fountain in Fountain Hills that for about a decade (when, it was built, in 1970) was the tallest in the world at 560 feet (or, 3 times the height of Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park).
Here is a hodge-podge 3-minute video, along with a few pics!
Thursday evening dinner on the patio at Hula’s on Central Avenue
Picking up Stephen at Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor airport
Giving Anthony’s Subaru Legacy a bath
My friend James’ 2007 TL-S 6-speed in Moroccan Red Pearl was a stunner
More attention for Brad’s Chicago-based 2004 Accord EX 5-speed
James’ TL and mine, nose to nose
Sunset on Saturday at the Pavilions car show
My GS-R arriving Pavs, driven by Anthony and Jon
She looked good rolling past!
Sunday brunch with some of the gang
Stopping by Fountain Hills to check out the main attraction. It erupts (is that a thing?) every hour, on the hour, for 15 minutes.
About to say farewell to my out-of-staters. Thanks for the visit!
drivetofive 
August 28, 2017 at 10:49 pm
Looks like an interesting day washing cars indoors, it’s a brilliant idea if your garage is equipped! I hope that you charged the owner of the Leaf for the power consumed… I had a drive of my first Leaf a month or so ago. The torque that thing had from a standing start was impressive. With the lack of mechanical noise though, it’s got to be a very easy car to get a speeding ticket in. The ride in the deck of the Raptor must have been exhilarating!
August 29, 2017 at 6:28 am
I should have taken Peter’s Leaf for a drive but was too busy helping with the car washes. He’s only had that thing for a week, and it’s a 2011. He says he loves it so far. Yes the Raptor was quite the thrill ride! I’ll be anxious to see what James says in his review. It sure got him a lot of attention this week!
August 29, 2017 at 8:53 am
I had a blast in Phoenix, thanks to you and your friends. Glad the timing worked out so I could meet Stephen on his first trip to AZ as well. Do you think he’s missing the 110 degree heat yet? Haha. Thank you (and James) again for the hospitality! Looking forward to next time, in the southwest, the midwest, or wherever our paths cross. 😊
August 29, 2017 at 9:03 am
Looking forward to it, Brad. Thanks for being part of the whirlwind of activities here over the weekend – and I’m glad we were able to get a few bugs off the 04 EX even though you’ll be collecting a few more in the coming days on your way back to IL. Safe travels and take lots of pics. I’m jealous!
August 29, 2017 at 9:24 am
Congrats on your one-year home owningiversary!!! That car wash seemed like a cool idea- I should have brought the Accord by for a wash and detail!! It’s good to see so much of the Vigor and the ‘Teg, but how is the Legend coupe holding up?
August 29, 2017 at 9:31 am
Hi Tim, we would’ve loved to give your Accord a little TLC! Maybe one day you can take a cross-country road trip out this way like Brad is doing. The Legend coupe is mostly in standby mode until its big 555,555 milestone coming up soon. I’m still coordinating with Josh Clymer (TSX Travels) on that. More to come!
August 29, 2017 at 4:31 pm
LOVE that red TL! Gorgeous color. It looks like a great time at the Hugie House, once again. When Tyson throws a party, it’s guaranteed to be a memorable one! I am anxious to see you in a couple of weeks. Congrats on the one-year anni!
August 29, 2017 at 7:34 pm
For sure! Join us for the festivities next time!
August 29, 2017 at 4:43 pm
P.S. What is the song that starts at position 2:05? Must have.
August 29, 2017 at 7:35 pm
Jason Aldean: “Show You Off.”
August 30, 2017 at 5:19 am
Excellent.
August 30, 2017 at 5:55 am
What does the sticker on the rear window of your sedan say, Tyson?
August 30, 2017 at 6:23 am
Eagle Eye Mark! I put that on (temporarily) to support a Japanese friend’s car club. His name is Kazuhiro and he drives a Legend GS that is a twin to mine, so when he mailed a sticker from overseas I obliged by installing it. I think it will come off fairly soon but for the time being, I guess that makes me kind of JDM. Haha. I hope you’re having a great week!
August 30, 2017 at 8:26 am
That’s really cool!
September 2, 2017 at 7:18 am
Can’t believe it’s been a year since you moved!
Ah nothing like the comaraderie of a communal vehicular baptismal… even better in an enclosed semi automatic assembly line garage with cheap labor 🙂
Topping it off with 2 of my favorite places Scottsdale Pavilions & Fountain Hills, genius. Of course doing it with 20 degree cooler weather would have been more enjoyable but hey you can’t have it all.
Speaking of which I thought Arizonians come to California to escape the heat. We’ve been in LA since Tuesday and it’s been the same or hotter here as Phoenix. Leaving today for Brentwood up north and it’s no different… what up with that!?
Anyway, enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend and see you when we return…
September 3, 2017 at 6:14 pm
Hope your travels are going well. I just got home from a two-nigher in Palm Springs and it was similarly toasty in that area. Even spending a couple of hours by our hotel pool yesterday got uncomfortably warm in the lounge chairs. Safe travels to you and drop me a line when you’re back in town!
September 4, 2017 at 10:19 am
Yay on one year! Congrats! Cheers to another year. This was a fun group! It was worth missing work to hang out.
September 4, 2017 at 11:27 am
Definitely. I’ll have to make it an annual tradition. But next time we’ll do better pizza than Little Caesar’s.