What do you use to dry car? | FerrariChat

What do you use to dry car?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by robert biscan, Nov 30, 2003.

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  1. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
    5,066
    Nashville and Palm b
    Full Name:
    robert s biscan
    i normally use "the absorber" drying skin. It works great but in the cold it doesn't pick up all the water like in the summer. What do you use?
     
  2. davem

    davem F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2002
    8,210
    Stepford, Connecticut
    Full Name:
    dave m
    Electric leaf blower to start is best. Seriously it works very well. Dont use gas powered as those 2-strokes stink literally, an might get oil spray on car?
     
  3. Those methods are ok but there is better ones, As being a detailing fanatic IMO that the best way to dry your car with out inducing swirls is to go over the whole car once soap is washed off with just the hose no nozzle to sheet the all the water off and not leave beads of water all over. Then after then just get the rest of the spots off with a waffle weave microfiber towel.


    You can get these at:
    www.properautocare.com
    www.premiumautocare.com
    www.topoftheline.com
    www.autogeek.net


    Good detailing forums:
    www.detailcity.com
    www.autopia.org
    www.showcargarage.com
     
  4. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,459
    Black Hawk, CO
    Full Name:
    Sunny
    Waffle weave microfiber for drying after a wash, smaller non-waffle microfiber for touch ups with a quick detailer.

    Properautocare.com gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me. Most of what I need is on there and they've always treated me right. I was tied for 2nd place in the 2003 sizzling shine contest. The car I tied with and the other I los to were both 1-2 year old cars with a fraction of the mileage on mine. Ho hum... :)

    Sunny
     
  5. ty (360mode)

    ty (360mode) Formula Junior

    Sep 25, 2002
    807
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Tim
    water blade
     
  6. F328 BobD

    F328 BobD Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2001
    2,327
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    BobD
    An old soft towel.
     
  7. bgomez

    bgomez Karting

    Nov 3, 2003
    59
    High volume water without sprayer followed by electric leaf blower and then the big blue drying towel. It's essentially a waffle weave microfiber towel that works much better than the absorber or p21S drying towel. I finish by using a small microfiber towel and quick detail spray. One Grand's Show Off is my favorite.
     
  8. shelbee

    shelbee Guest

    I have been using the product called "water sprite" towel where you can get it from performance (while I had my P-cars) works great, washable and work in dry and wet, does not leave the swirl marks especially on the black paint and get all the water at once or max twice wipe.

    www.performanceproducts.com

    http://www.performanceproducts.com/ProductPage.aspx?ProductName=Water+Sprite&productid=106701&producttype=10

    Personally I don't like waterblade since if there is a dust, it will scratch the car.

    Hope this will work,

    always nice to wipe the final coat with Griot's garage speed shine with microfiber cotton towel.

    Shelbee
     
  9. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    I'm with Bob, I use the oldest, softest, 100% cotton towel in the house. Everyone knows they are for the car only.
     
  10. TCM

    TCM Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    552
    Tyngsborough, MA
    I use the Absorber. Works well and is cheap enough to have many for different purposes (one for car paint, one for wheels and engine). The water blade is great until a spec of dirt gets trapped on it, then look out. Mega scratches!!
     
  11. aawil

    aawil Formula 3

    Aug 10, 2002
    1,282
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Aaron
    Me too.
     
  12. EVartanian

    EVartanian Formula 3

    Mar 19, 2002
    1,179
    Sunny SoCal
    Full Name:
    Eric
    Waffle-weave microfiber towel for me as well. I got mine from Griot's (this is the one ---> http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?L1=L1_1000&L2=L2_1003&SKU=11117 ) and I am extrememly pleased. A bit pricey, but I am truly amazed by the abilities of this towel. It blows away the old cotton towels I used to use. Drying the car is now a pleasure. (Oh yeah, I have no affiliation with Griot's)
     
  13. red-riot

    red-riot Karting

    Nov 14, 2003
    203
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Jon
    P21s drying towel followed by my t-shirt or whatever shirt I might be wearing....Finish up with a microfiber and a quick detailer from Ultrafinish.
     
  14. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
    5,066
    Nashville and Palm b
    Full Name:
    robert s biscan
    does the microfiber work outside at 45 or 50 degrees?
     
  15. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2002
    6,370
    Toronto / SoCal
    Full Name:
    Rob C.
    I use a water blade to get the main water off and the final drops with a synthetic drying cloth like an 'absorber'. Works great and is really fast too.
     
  16. ty (360mode)

    ty (360mode) Formula Junior

    Sep 25, 2002
    807
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Tim
    if there is dirt or debris, everything can cause scratches, not just a waterblade.
     
  17. 308 GTB

    308 GTB F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 7, 2002
    11,166
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Barry Wolinsky
    Like Bob and Jim, I use an old, soft 100% cotton towel.

    Barry
     
  18. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
    3,928
    Redmond, WA
    Full Name:
    Willis H
    I get the water to sheet off the car with low flowing water. Any residual drops get blotted up by the Absorber. Waterblade works great on the windows but I'd never use it on the paint.
     
  19. shelbee

    shelbee Guest

    True, therefore I use low pressure to get all the dirt off
     
  20. sindo308qv

    sindo308qv F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    3,575
    miami.fl.
    Full Name:
    sindo
    Same here, leaf blower. If that's not available then "Absorber" synthetic chamoise. Saw one of those silicone Blade things but I would be hesitant to use that.
     
  21. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
    13,337
    Ex-Urbia
    Full Name:
    Jack
    Have any of you found any at-home water purifying systems for your car? We were talking recently about it, but I was curious if there's anything (affordable) on the market. Supposedly you can let the car air dry.
     
  22. Dr_ferrari

    Dr_ferrari Formula 3
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 2, 2003
    1,067
    Pocono Sportscar
    Full Name:
    Jim McGee
    Actually, the 7 mile run between exit 11 and exit 10 on interstate 84 I find works best, :)

    Otherwise "the absorber" is the dryer of choice.

    best regards, Jim
     
  23. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,459
    Black Hawk, CO
    Full Name:
    Sunny
    Why does water spots leave a film in the center and etch the paint around the edges? Anyone try to figure that out or why the stain at the edge is more difficult to remove than the stain or film left behind if using unpurified water?

    Pure water or not, if the sun is intense enough, I'm trying to prove a theory that refraction of the light to the edge of the drop based on the natural shape is what causes the intense etching in our paint. Out here in sunny California, I'll spray any car you like with purified water, beaded with your favorite synthetic or wax, and we'll allow it to sit there and see what happens. You won't get any film left behind, but you better believe there will be something left behind if you don't move that water around on the surface.

    I left my car damp after a night time wash, the temperature hit the upper 40's and since its near the coast, there was a nice coat of dew on the top surface for weeks on end, this night was no exception. Except, the entire car was still wet, it had barely evaporated in the 7 hours outside. No stains, water spots, or film left behind. Had this been during the day, you bet I would have had water spots, and film from not using purified water. Whats the element in this equation? The sun and heat.

    I have a black car and have become much more than a fanatic and pessimistic in keeping it clean. Microfiber is the best natural or artifical cloth you can use readily available for the consumer to minimize the scratches besides using an air compressor to continually push the water off the surface. This is the ideal method.

    P.S. Every material will leave scratches, the difference is what you can and can't see to the naked eye. Water blades are nasty things as are beach towels. Use lots of water or lubricant and the smallest denier fabric you can find (microfiber in this case, currently available to consumers at 200,000+ fibers per square inch).

    Sunny
     
  24. vraa

    vraa F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    3,493
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Mr. A
    100% cotton soft.. makes..

    [​IMG]
     
  25. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,459
    Black Hawk, CO
    Full Name:
    Sunny
    Looks great and a great angle! But no offense when I say, show me pictures from different angles in various state of sunlight and intense flourscent/halogen/black light and I'll be a believer. :)

    Sunny
     

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