same as above....

 

ABSORBER all the way!!

 

true 100% cotton towel

 

i am not proud of it but most of the time i let it dry on its own, even though i do own a chamois and 100% cotton towels..

 

I usually just hop on the interstate.

 

Absorber.It works great.

 

i always go over it with he water blade to knock off all of the really big blobs of water then i go over it again with a towel to get the leftovers. it just keeps from using a bunch of towels and havin them get soaked and start streakin the car up.

 

First a waterblade, then a chamois, then a towel for the wheels.

 

Water blade for majority, then few spots few with cotton towel.

Love the water blade, best I've found so far.

 

Absorber does wonders.

 

i worked at a really good car wash down in clearwater, fl.....a few porsches and some show cars frequented it. We used damp terry towels..........always remember....dry windows first, then roof-down to the bottom of the car, then doorjambs(these are always overlooked) and rockers, then wheels. if the towel ever touches the ground at any point...chuck it in the wahser machine and grab a new one. also, we would just wash the towels, and grab them after the spin cycle, no drying as the towels work better when they are slightly moist. older towels are better than new. as for any fuzzies left on the car(especially with new towels)...they are no worry, they are usually on glass, which is cleaned with windex after the drying anyways, and any fuzzies on the body are blown off the car within a mile or so anyways. never tried the water blade, but i don't like scraping a n object accross a nice car's hood

 

100% Cotton towels, preferrably white ones that have been washed with a liquid detergent. This is supposed to be the best thing to dry your car with. Who knows...it works for me.

 

i just drive my car quickly around the block....gunning it around the corners usually forces all the large water puddles off the car, and when i get back to my house it takes a few quick wipes w/ a cotton towel to dry it all....no water spots either.

 

I use the California Water Blade followed by the Absorber in spots. Then I let it sit a while so the water stuck under the louvers dries.

 

I use my windshield wipers to go over the car.....

Then finish the job with a shammy(sp?)........

Works Great.......

 

Absorber, then some old hotel towels for door jambs and wheels. Sometimes I'll use the electric leaf blower, it looks COOL when the water blows across the hood.

 

Haha, I thought that I was the only one who uses a leaf blower. My friends laugh when they see it, but it is just like the automatic car washes.

 

same here, I just drive back to my house (4 miles from town)

 

well not to many use the leaf blower huh....

here is what i like and why:

i use the "electric" leaf blower mainly because you can get out all the water from every crevice not to mention there is absolutely no way in leaving streaks, scratches, or water spots if your thorough. 10 minutes and your ready to roll perfectly dry.

downside is you have to have an outlet and not mind being stared at by your neighbors or any common person passing by.

i tried the absorber and it was ok, but it isn't as complete as using the california waterblade.

downside to the waterblade is you have to be absolutely certain you've cleaned your car well and you should wipe off the blade every 3 or 4 swipes...... if you wash your car well and keep her waxed so you have a smooth surface this is the closest thing without using the blower.

i only use towels if i have absolutely nothing else; other than that towels are great for dabing up any small areas you miss; but still leave very fine scratches no matter how soft or clean they are.

driving the car to dry it off is the last thing i would do only if you have too.......as you drive your getting contaminants from the exhaust of other cars as well as dust and debri in the air....as you drive and the water filled with this stuff beads off it is actually scratching your car.....but that may be a little **** for some. the biggest reason is as you drive all the water will come out of the little hard to reach areas drying up leaving water spots that are most noticeable because of all those supposed contaminants from above that you say you don't care about and you will later have to use some detailing mist to remove.

all the above of course is for mostly **** people like myself......some would say it's a sickness; i would agree!

 

Isn't that true for everything. If you haven't cleaned off the car well, anything you drag over it will be bad including a towel or chamois.?

 

thats what i do

 

On my Black car, i use a chamois, soft cotton towels, followed by a mist & shine. But I try not to put water on it if i dont have to. I strive to keep it as clean as it can always be. I get teased from friends because its covered in the shop and I even dust ( with a california duster )it before I cover it.

 

That's a great thing as well, that duster.

 

I dry using several methods just depends what mood I'm in!!
1: blow off water with air compressor then use Beadx & a soft cloth
2: dry with chamois, go for a quick run around the block then chamois up any drips
3: Quick go over with chamois then use beadx & a soft cloth

 

I know this thread is old, but ive tried the Leaf blower method Works great! thanks for the tip kandied

 

definitly use the absorber cause any type or terry cloth will leave fine scratches but i think ima have to try the eletric or maybe even GAS powerd leaf blower for the really wet jobs next summer

 

towels, but i've used the leaf blower trick a few times and its works the best

 

Microfiber...And Nothing Else

 

i thought you didnt wash ur car

 

not very often..but when I do, that's what I use. Plus, I have gotten caught in some rain a few times

 

What, no option for Mr Clean Auto-Dry? That stuff is the best! Only time I touch the car is when washing now.

 

Cayse i tried mr auto dry and it didnt do me any good

 

You might be using it wrong or the filter cartridge needs to be replaced (the one that comes with it only lasts for 2 washes, three at the most).

Load the filter cartridge and fill the sprayer with the soap. Set to rinse and proceed rinsing off the car. Once that's done, set to soap and spray down the whole car. You don't need too much of this, just spray it on until it gets a little soapy and move on. Spraying the whole car should take under 5 minutes. Then get out the wash mitt or whatever you use, keep a bucket of water handy to keep the mitt wet, and wash the car with the pre-applied soap. Make sure that mitt stays wet so the soap can suds up as you wash. Once everything is scrubbed down, set to rinse and get all that soap off the car. Do this quickly so that no water starts drying. As soon as you're done rinsing, set to Auto-Dry and mist the whole car (the cartridge takes a few seconds to fill). Make sure you mist everything, but go quickly, and again, you don't have to use too much. Pretend you're applying clear coat to the car. Since my paint is crappy anyway, as soon as I finished I hopped in the car and did a quick run up and down the highway. BEWARE!! You will barely be able to see out the windshield for a minute as it dries. Fortunately I had some empty backroads to crawl through before reaching the highway so the water could sheet off and I could see again. The electric leaf blower is probably a better choice instead of driving.

 

Same for me.2nd choice-water blade,3rd-absorber/compressed air(especially on Gta wheels).sometimes cotton/microfiber towels.

 

I right now prefer the autodry system warning though, mr. clean does not liek sun light i did it one time in a rush to get to a show and it was in decent sun and it water spotted...bad. I bought a water blade a few years back but jsut dont trust it. Seems a little risky to me But since i worked 2 jobs all year to afford my 3k dollar paint job i won't risk it. Absorber is nice but i've found it still leaves soem water, i usually follow up with the old *** soft towel.

Liek i said though i really like the mr clean system only touching of the car is during the scrubbing, which mine is never dirty to the point i have to really work on it alot.

I will not drive a wet car, i will let it sit till all the water is gone if i use the mr clean. Then use compressed airo to blow out around the gfx, spoiler, seals, mirrors and behind the tails so nothign runs out and water spots

My painter said when he was painting show bikes they recommended compressed air, do you know how long it takes to dry a car with compressed air, believe me i've tried its a pita. I might try the leaf blower though.

Cali car duster is awesome but i usually blow it off with compressed air and then dust it to keep the cali duster from leaving dust. Dust it everytime it comes out and before i go somewhere and once and awhile at shows.

 

MMM leafblower I'll have to try that coz it might save me a fast ride around the block to blow out the cracks & crevises.
I always use BeadX on my Bird but I'm running out! are these guys still in business?(Formula113)

 

i use the california waterblade and then use a chomois and then drive it .

 

I try not to wash my car too often, but when I do I use the California Water blade. I am really **** about my paint as I like to have the best looking one around.

For general up-keep, I usually spray the car in sections with Meguiars Spray Detailer, and then I wipe it off with Microfiber towels. They are amazing!

 

When this thread was started, the Mr. Clean Auto-Dry wasn't out yet. The thread is back from the dead

 

yep, it wasn't an option and as far as drying still can't beat an electric leaf blower...

DO NOT USE GAS POWERED

you will eat your paint.


that is all..

 

You use the electric leaf blower after applying the Auto-Dry. When I did it, I drove the car, but your idea would work wonders with Mr Clean.

 

i would not steer you wrong...

 

'

thats what im gonna try this spring. Im gonna use Mr. Clean and then use the elec leaf blower

 

wash with 3M microfiber detail cloth. It does not pic up trash as much as the common autozone ones. You can dunk it in the water and the trash come off. But as microfivber does, it does not scratch.

To dry, I use the absorber. I have not used the blade since the new paint job. I've been afraid to.

Wax and polish..I use microfiber.

Thanks to this system, I've mnaged to keep the now 2 year old apint looking like its still new. I have hardly any swirl marks!

I flat do not trust towels not to scratch!

 

but you trust the absorber....

if it works good for you stick with it.

 

Well I wash the absorber between uses. Car is always clean when it gets used. I don't trust the rubber of the water blade not to stratch the car.

 

Good Q. I used to see them at every car show locally, but they haven't been to any this year. I thought the same until...

http://www.formula113.com/

I'm gonna try this leaf blower thing when the Spring comes in. I'm tired of having water splshing up on the windshield when after a quick wash before going out.

 

??? I tried the link and emails but not reply? Man thats the best polish & quick detailer I have ever used!! I shipped over$700AU worth a year or so & I'm running out

 

OMG!!! If you use a leaf blower/vac for ***'s sake make sure it's on blow NOT VACUME!!!!

 

it's silicone though... big difference. but i don't blame you, go with what works for you.