Best way to dry your vehicle?

[dumbmoran]

You can say this is more like a poll question but I do welcome any expert opinions.

 

On the Adams Instructional DVD, I see that when Adam is drying the Ferrari with the waffle weave microfiber, he is wiping down the vehicle to remove the excess water.

 

However, on other so-called expert auto-detailing threads, they say that wiping down a vehicle, especially a dark color vehicle, will induce swirls, no matter how high quality towel you are using. In lieu of wiping, they suggest gently blotting the vehicle one section at a time, and to never move the towel across the paint even if it's a gentle swipe because of a high probability of the microfiber/cotton towel picking up some small debris or speck of foreign matter.

 

Happy Detailing!

[Frid]

Ill try it out tomorrow. Last DS I had I think was from ChemicalGuys and it doesn't remove the waterspots. *crossing fingers*

[Frid]

I always use a water blade. If you use it right you will not have a problem. Check my paint out on my cars. In my Album. If it scratched I would not use it.

 

I just used a silicone water blade today on the truck...and to be honest I had better results with that then solely using a microfiber to dry it. Just use the blade to get majority of the water off and then use the WW to get the excess. I had NO waterspots after this time drying and only took me 5minutes on a fullsize truck, it was amazing.

[mbreyer]

Ive always used DS adams or not while and after drying. The only time i really noticed swirl marks was the first and last time i took it to a so called professinal. 25 bucks for a wash and then 4 hrs of polishing to fix was retarded. But there is no way possible to not eventually get swirl marks just plenty of ways to prevent and correct them. Prevention is best cause once you go down the correction road you're adding more variables to add swirl marks. My 2 cents. Plus an all day event of polishing by hand cause i dont trust my unsteady hands with a power tool and my paint is fun after your done but sucks b-alls the whole time

[Bill-V8V]

I just used a silicone water blade today on the truck...and to be honest I had better results with that then solely using a microfiber to dry it. Just use the blade to get majority of the water off and then use the WW to get the excess. I had NO waterspots after this time drying and only took me 5minutes on a fullsize truck, it was amazing.

 

And the first time you get something stuck under the edge of that blade your finish will look like someone took a key to it.

[THE Mook]

And the first time you get something stuck under the edge of that blade your finish will look like someone took a key to it.

 

Please, do not post pics of that! No one wants to lose their breakfast!

 

 

A good pooling technique, a squirt down of DS, Great White, followed by the Sidekick and some WW and a towel is what I have been having the best luck with as far as a "non-damage-inducing dry" goes. Also, using Dylan's new theory of presoak or prewashing jambs and preshooting crannies with WW, REALLLLLLY HELPS. Try it.

 

Less you can touch the paint, the better IMO.

[MAYBEN]

from what I've been reading lately, the WW works really well for assisting the dry off..

[Frid]

And the first time you get something stuck under the edge of that blade your finish will look like someone took a key to it.

 

*knock on wood* would have to be pretty oblivious to let something like that happen.

[Bill-V8V]

*knock on wood* would have to be pretty oblivious to let something like that happen.

 

Not really, it can happen real easy with those. I've fixed the damage created by them before. I've caused the damage with them before too

[Chobbs]

I won't take a chance with the blade. I use a water deionizing system then I can take my time drying. Then I get out the blower and blow out all of the nooks and crannies. Then, out comes the detail spray and the great white drying towel. I also do the prewash of the door jams and the like (thanks Dylan!) before I begin my wash, this lowers the chance of grit in the water drips during the drying phase.

[Frid]

It's harder for me to do the drying like some of you cause I have a full size truck. Have to work alot faster to prevent waterspots.

 

I just find the blade really easy. Seen alot of videos from pro's that use these on ferrari's, lambos etc. I'm sure if they are using them on those vehicles there shouldnt be ne thing to worry about. Not saying you're lieing but maybe the person that used the blade didnt clean it before use, completely clean the car, or some other reason.

[MAYBEN]

Matt, if it dries and creates a waterspot, just hit it with some DS and you're good..

 

you should see what some people do to their Ferraris and Lambos.. a lot of them take them to local carwashes and introduce swirls on a weekly basis..

[Chris@Adams]

Wow, I do exactly the same thing. I also have the master blaster but I sometimes don't want to put the effort into using it especially on the DD.I will not let my wife touch my water blade. I am very very careful using it:thumbsup:

 

Great minds think alike!

[MAYBEN]

let me know your outcome..

 

dry it with the GWDT and a mist of DS or WW, and then after you're done, look the car over and hit with DS and MF..

[savi01]

I too have extremely bad water, and it leaves spots like crazy. I just washed today, and what I did is spray some DS all over, use a leaf blower to blow off a lot of the water, spray a bit more DS and dry off with a MF towel I went back a few minutes later again with the leaf blower to get the water out of any cracks.

[Frid]

I know its a good idea, but what would the neighbors think when they see you doing that lol.

[savi01]

They can think all they want, at least you'll have a clean shiny truck and they wont

[Frid]

xD yeah was just joking.

[694doorbird]

I too have extremely bad water, and it leaves spots like crazy. I just washed today, and what I did is spray some DS all over, use a leaf blower to blow off a lot of the water, spray a bit more DS and dry off with a MF towel I went back a few minutes later again with the leaf blower to get the water out of any cracks.

 

I know its a good idea, but what would the neighbors think when they see you doing that lol.

I have a neighbot that's been using a leaf blower for years to dry his cars, Yea, I always laughed at him... Then I found this place. Now my new next door neighbor gives me funny looks when I haul out the leaf blower!!

[Bill-V8V]

what I did is spray some DS all over, use a leaf blower to blow off a lot of the water, spray a bit more DS and dry off with a MF towel

 

 

No need to use the DS prior to using the leaf blower, just use it after the leaf blower when you are going to take a GWDT or MF to the paint. You would just be wasting DS.

[Fast Eddie]

I have a neighbot that's been using a leaf blower for years to dry his cars, Yea, I always laughed at him... Then I found this place. Now my new next door neighbor gives me funny looks when I haul out the leaf blower!!

All my neighbors laugh at me when I break out my leaf blower and start drying my car, but then again, my car seems to be the cleanest on the block

 

San Luis Obispo auto detailing

San Luis Obispo auto detailing

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[savi01]

I sprayed just a little mist all over before using the leaf blower to hopefully help prevent the spots as it took me a couple minutes to go from on side to another, it seemed to help a bit.

[Chobbs]

Here in Vegas the water is very hard. I am so glad I found these products and this site. I have the perfect no spots solution for me.

 

Wash with Adams shampoo- if it dries while I'm washing, no biggie- it's ok!

Rinse with deionized water from the CR spotless water system.

Blow out all the nooks and crannies.

Spay a light mist of detail spray over the whole car.

Finally wipe the rest of the water with the GWDT.

 

 

With this method. I do not have to rush or worry. Especially because of the deionized water. If it dries on the vehicle- no worries- it does not leave any spots!!!

 

Oh! And my neighbors think I'm totally nuts! Especially when I pull out the 10x15 canopy to keep the sun off the car while detailing. (our neighborhood only has small 1 car garages)

[ud_lose]

Confusious say: don't wash car and pull into garage to detail and point the blower sidekick at ground or you have to wash car again!!

[Laguna]

I do sheet the water and I've heard water blades are a HUGE no-no...

[XQIZT]

Hm. Here's what I did, with no evidence of scratching or swirling. Spray the wet car with detail spray. With the Great White towel, I opened it up, laid in on the car, held only the corners and pulled. Car was dry. Period.

 

I wouln't THINK there is enough weight in the towel alone to create scratches. Hypothetically, the surface is free of surface sand, grit, etc because you just washed and rinsed it...so unless your washing in really windy conditions, you should be ok.

 

I'd be interested in what others have to say.