Topic: Drying a car?

[Turbo Bob]

How do you dry your car after you've washed it?

When I'm putting polish on, I always find water in some parts such as mirrors or other door gaps that drips and ends up in the polish, which then screws up the application/removal.  How do you make sure the car is totally dry, and what do you use to dry it?

[CanuckG35]

One really helpful tip..........once you are finished washing your car, take the nozzle off your hose and rinse it off from the top down.  This will create a sheeting effect and will reduce the amount of water on your paint by about 75%. 

For drying, I would highly recommend picking up a couple of MF waffleweave drying towels.  They soak up a ton of water and will not harm your paint.  If you want to remove the water in hard to get places like the mirrors or wheels, you can use an air compressor or leaf blower. 

[Turbo Bob]

One really helpful tip..........once you are finished washing your car, take the nozzle off your hose and rinse it off from the top down.  This will create a sheeting effect and will reduce the amount of water on your paint by about 75%. 

For drying, I would highly recommend picking up a couple of MF waffleweave drying towels.  They soak up a ton of water and will not harm your paint.  If you want to remove the water in hard to get places like the mirrors or wheels, you can use an air compressor or leaf blower. 

Cool, thanks.

[KGCCS]

You can also use regular high-plush mircofiber towels and they will do a very good job of drying the vehicle without leaving any streaks.

[PlanB]

I use an air-compressor, it is the only way to ensure that you aren't marring and/or adding scratches to your clear-coat.

Be careful with MF towels.  They are great and work very well (super cheap at Costco too), BUT, unless you are VERY thorough with your initial wash process, you run the risk of picking up small bits of debris and/or contaminant (grease/oil/ect...) from any areas you didn't get clean during the initial process - you will then unknowingly be rubbing this debris into your clear-coat while you are thinking you are drying your car. 

[ktm525]

I go for a high speed spin. at 100 km/h+ the water slides right off.

[safristi]

..Canuck remind me again why i would want to be sheeting on my car...i have pidgeons fer that..........

[rrocket]

This is what I use to dry my cars.  Blow out the door jambs and mirrors before drying to get trapped water out.

http://www.autogeek.net/waffle-weave-drying-towel.html

[CanuckG35]

^ Yep, MF Waffle Weave towels are hands down the best thing to use to dry your car.  And if you use the tip I mentioned at the first of the thread, drying your vehicle is much quicker!!

Speaking of waffle weave MF towels, eshine currently has a special on for buy one get one free.  These are the ones that I personally use.  Love em!

http://www.eshine.ca/the_dehydrator_drying_towel_20_buy_one_get_one_free-458.php?cat=81

[No H2O]

How do you make sure the car is totally dry, and what do you use to dry it?

By sliding the edge of my cloths between the crevices of body panels.

I use soft cotton face cloths; white...so that I know they are clean. If I drop one on the ground, it becomes an oil rag. They come in packs of 12 and are cheap.

[rrocket]

How do you make sure the car is totally dry, and what do you use to dry it?

By sliding the edge of my cloths between the crevices of body panels.

I use soft cotton face cloths; white...so that I know they are clean. If I drop one on the ground, it becomes an oil rag. They come in packs of 12 and are cheap.

MF is softer than cotton...and less prone to scratch.

[No H2O]

MF is softer than cotton...and less prone to scratch.

Could be, but my paint isn't scratched from numerous washings last summer.

Those MF drying cloth prices....they have to get serious for a $1 item from the Pacific rim.

[rrocket]

MF is softer than cotton...and less prone to scratch.

Could be, but my paint isn't scratched from numerous washings last summer.

Those MF drying cloth prices....they have to get serious for a $1 item from the Pacific rim.

Maybe it's the combo of special German paint and special German cotton that prevents the scratches??   

[No H2O]

Maybe it's the combo of special German paint and special German cotton that prevents the scratches??   

Must be.

[rrocket]

Maybe it's the combo of special German paint and special German cotton that prevents the scratches??   

Must be.

I do agree though, some of the prices are $$.

By far the softest, best MF I've ever used are the "Cookie Monster" ones.  You just can't believe how soft these things are.

http://www.eshine.ca/the_cookie_monster_buffing_towel_v20-453.php

[CanuckG35]

MF is softer than cotton...and less prone to scratch.

Could be, but my paint isn't scratched from numerous washings last summer.

Those MF drying cloth prices....they have to get serious for a $1 item from the Pacific rim.

In all honesty, I could pretty much guarantee that your Porsche has scratches from washings and using a cotton cloths on them.......just saying.  Porsche's typically have very soft paint are are easily scratched.  In any case, cotton towels are definitely not good for your paint.   

[safristi]

[/quote]

By sliding the edge of my cloths between the crevices of body ..........

.
[/quote]


  you're making me HOT..............

[No H2O]

In all honesty, I could pretty much guarantee that your Porsche has scratches from washings and using a cotton cloths on them.......just saying.

Maybe, but then I've never owned a black car and will never own another dark coloured car again as you see everything on them. All car finishes get scratched or we wouldn't be re-polishing them, even the ones using magical drying cloths.

As with many things, they are preying on our fears. Really, a $1 patch of cloth made off-shore costing $20.  I'll bet you could find those in a non-auto package for a lot less.

I prefer spending my coin on polishes, etc where there is a much bigger difference in performance between consumer and professional grades.

BTW, since everybody is pushing a store, I get my stuff at AutoGeek. They have sales and free shipping from time to time. The exchange rate is a bonus at the moment.

http://www.autogeek.net

[Turbo Bob]

As with many things, they are preying on our fears. Really, a $1 patch of cloth made off-shore costing $20.  I'll bet you could find those in a non-auto package for a lot less.

Have to agree.  Pack of MF AUTO cloths, $20.  Pack of same cloths without a pic of a car on the packaging, $6.  Nuff said.

[CanuckG35]

In all honesty, I could pretty much guarantee that your Porsche has scratches from washings and using a cotton cloths on them.......just saying.

Maybe, but then I've never owned a black car and will never own another dark coloured car again as you see everything on them. All car finishes get scratched or we wouldn't be re-polishing them, even the ones using magical drying cloths.

As with many things, they are preying on our fears. Really, a $1 patch of cloth made off-shore costing $20.  I'll bet you could find those in a non-auto package for a lot less.

I prefer spending my coin on polishes, etc where there is a much bigger difference in performance between consumer and professional grades.

BTW, since everybody is pushing a store, I get my stuff at AutoGeek. They have sales and free shipping from time to time. The exchange rate is a bonus at the moment.

http://www.autogeek.net

True that all paint surfaces can become scratched, no argument there.  But why dry your car with something that WILL 100% scratch your paint?  A plush MF towel, when used properly, will NOT scratch your paint.  I can assure you that there is a huge difference between a $1 cotton towel and a $6 plush MF towel.......just like there is between OTC products at Canadian Tire and a Detailing shop.

You seem to want to spend your money on removing paint imperfections as opposed to preventing them.  Seems a little backwards to me.