alexxn

So it's time to give my brand spankin new Polished Metal TSX a bath. Being this is the first darker color car I've had in a while what's best to use to dry ? Towels or a synthetic chamois ? If either the towels or chamois specifically what brand, etc should I get ? Last thing I want is fine scratches if I can help it.

Thanks in advance !

AZuser

Leaf blower.

But if you're looking for a towel, use a waffle weave towel and blot dry.

Jesstzn

I use waffle weave or the plush blue towels you can get at Wal MArt for $8 .. no need to blot .. never scratched a properly washed one yer by wiping.

Also change to a sheepskin mitt to wash .

anx1300c

iTrader: (2)

WalMart does have some decent MF towels cheap.

alexxn

Unfortunately no leaf blower

So those California water blades or the Synthetic chamois aren't any good ?

Anything specific I should look for in a MF towel ?

Jesstzn

California water blades or the Synthetic chamois aren't any good stay away from them


For M/F towels read my post above.

Exceldetail a sponsor here sells excellent WW drying towels .

izmyttz

hmm i like the California water blade..as long as it's the California one. The other ones are crap. They take me from using 4 towels drying my TL to only 1.5

exceldetail

Open hood and rear deck. This will help water runoff, thus making for easier drying. Dry roof area, then vertical panels, then hood and rear deck.
Swipe a few times with a 24x30'ish size waffle weave. This main towel will pick up 95% of the surface water. Follow closely with a second associate towel (which your holding in the other hand. You have two hands, you might as well use them!) This will pick up any remaining streaking the first towel left.
I find it worthy of mentioning, all waffle weave towels dont perform perfect at first. They actually need a little moisture to assist in wicking the water. So after a few swipes, you will find the waffle weaves ability to absorb, increases.

Jesstzn

The CW is wonderful till you get that 1 grain of grit under it then its not too wondeful any more ..

Jesstzn

I use close to the same method .. matter of fact using the 2 towels I bought from you. Before I start I take the nozzle off the hose and with a gentle stream I run water all over the car for a final rinse and this also pulls about 90% of the water off the car if it is waxed.

I fold one in 1/2 longways and holding it by the folded corners I do a quick walk around the car pulling it over 1 side of the hood, windshield, roof, rear window, trunklid, other side of the roof, other side of windshield snd the other side of the hood. Then I go down the sides the same way etc.

Next I 1/4 the second towel and do the windows then hood, roof and the rest of the car to pick up any thing left. I use and old M/F drying towel to do the door, trunk hood edges.

Last another old M/F to dry the wheels.

If its really hot out I'll pull the folded towel over 1/2 the hood, roof, rear window and trunk and immediatly follow with the second towel etc..

exceldetail

Dangit.......glad ya got my back Dale!
See, thats the beauty if AZine....we all look out for each other......

Jesstzn

Young kids .. someone always has to babysit them ..

BTW of all the drying towels I have .. some pretty $$$$ my go to are the 2 I got from you .. they are the softer and work the best.

VQPower37

CWB FTW ... i just bought i last week i have already used it like 4 times its amazing

SweetJazz

Electric Leaf Blower followed by Quick Detailer (QD).

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

anything you use to dry your car can scratch it up if one grain of grit gets cought in it....period...however, you wont catch me dragging one of thoes california blade things over my car....you might beable to get away with it on a silver or white car, but not kbp or black that for shizzle....

Jesstzn

just remember when your looking into the lights in a parking lot at night sometime down the road and you wonder where those long scratches came from .. its the water blade.

I proved the marring on my fully polished out black Passat .. I dried the car with ww towels all except the roof and I used the water blade on it .. 10 washes and it was very visable.

RalphiieP

iTrader: (1)

is a leaf blower really a good way to dry?

Jesstzn

One thing I should have added is if you have a TL as soon as you start to dry the car .. fold the mirrors in .. that will dump most the water that hides in there .. less to run down the door later.

MWalsh9152

^great tip, I'll have to try that tomorrow

Mokos23

hair dryer

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

a hair dryer doesnt have enough juice to dry a car in a timely manner....

exceldetail

A hair dryer would work on that beautiful young lady in your avatar though!!

SweetJazz

Thanks Jesstzn. Even with the leaf blower I still get some water spots on the door from the mirrors. I will try it out.

Jesstzn

Wont dump it all out but a lot goes out ..

Malayalee King

iTrader: (1)

its awesome, it gets all teh water out of the crevices so you and the car wont have tears coming out after you drive around in what you thought was a dry car haha

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

i dont have a leaf blower, but i do use a compressor to blow out all the cracks and mirrors so i dont have the streaking after i drive for the first time....

exceldetail

Same here......Thats my M.O.
The leaf blower scares me. I had an assistant once who thought it was terrific, I told him not to bother bringing it anymore.......I always feared it was stirring up dust......

MD03CL-S

iTrader: (1)

I'm still a noob and learning when it comes to car care, but does anyone have any experience with Meguiar’s Water Magnet® Microfiber Drying Towel

http://www.meguiars.com/?car-drying-...t-Drying-Towel

jlspeed29

4 thumbs up!!!

THIS SHOULD BE A STICKY!!!!

This is by FAR the ONLY way to dry a car!!!

I use the 2 towel method as described above and it works PERFECTLY!!!
I used it on my new 335i with no water spots or anything!

1 Use the big monterey towel from excel and follow with the MF Riptide towel (associate towel)

xmrgoodcatx

iTrader: (1)

Definitely recommend drying with a waffle weave over chamois I made the switch and it was night and day I use a micro chenille wash mit but sheepskin is definitely a good choice too. I also wash with a two bucket system, first bucket has the grit guard.

jlukja

I also made the switch based on what I've read here. I was skeptical until the first useage. I picked up a WW from Patrick and haven't looked back.

phatbastard

I use the california water blade to get most of the water off of the car. And then use a microfiber towel to get the water the water blade missed.

exceldetail

EEEEEks!

Beavisboots

I've used a CWB,an Absorber and an air compressor to dry thousands of cars over the years. It works great for me. However I wouldn't recommend using a CWB if you don't have a good coat of wax. As stated in a previous post, anything you use to dry your car can scratch it. A leaf blower is a little scary. I don't know about stirring up all that dust....

Another thing with the water blades is you need to make sure your car is completly washed. I only use it on the roof, hood, windows, and upper side panels. The lower panels and bumpers tend to collect tar and debris that may not come off without the use of other cleaners. Another trick with the water blade is to only make one pass with it.

After I've used the water blade i wipe the entire car and all jams with the absorber. Followed by and air compressor on stubborn spots that hold hidden water. I then use the absorber to pick up the excess water blown from the cracks. Make sure to keep the absorber damp but also ring it out a few times.

I then tend to move on to windows, wheels, and tires. Finally I remove any bugs and tar from the bumpers and lower panels. (not always needed)

As a finally step I use a waterless car wash called SPOT Delivery. Its made by a company in philly called Ardex. Its light pink in color and smells awesome. A very fine mist over all painted panels. I use a 3m Microfiber cloth to wipe it over the entire surface and flip the towel over to dry it. Its meant for showroom cars but works great right after you wash. It can also help remove water spots. It doesn't hurt any wax or polish. Meguires makes something similar called Quick Detailler. Works ok but not as good as SPOT Delivery.

Sorry for the long post for just adding my . I am anal with my car and when I clean it I CLEAN IT!

Joe

triggerman

I use a absorber and a small bucket of clean water to rinse the absorber.I rinse the absorber about four times while drying the car.

Jesstzn

Be very careful with the Absorber too ... you notice the traction ( resistance to pulling ) it has on the paint and with no place for that one grain of grit to go your going to get marring ..


I used the Absorber for a long time till I polished out my black Passat to swirl / marr free and saw what it can do to paint.

JimiThng

this may sound like a waste of water (which it is) but, after i completely wash the car, i remove the nozzle and wet dry it. let me explain, i use a continious stream of water all oever the car and the water sheets off of the cars surface (a good wax job helps this also) leaving minimal amounts of water on the surface and requiring MAYBE one microfiber towel to dry the entire car. after this i KNOW the cars surface is free of 99% dirt and debris, i then use a California Waterblade and follow that with my handy microfiber towel.

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

reply #10 covered the removing the nozzle to rinse the car "dry"....

after all the drying you just did, why on earth are you dragging the wb over your car....throw that thing in the trash before you do something bad to your clearcoat....

exceldetail

Vin, he can keep it for glass!

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

yea, i guess it would work pretty good for initial glass drying, i never thought of that...maybe i will start using the shower squeegie for my windows...