Anyone else annoyed trying to dry the car after a wash?

[BarracksSi]

Not convinced that a Filter can be as effective as Reverse Osmosis systems that they typically use in a "Spot-free water coin-operated wash bays"

However, if it works for you, that great .. far more convenient at home

see: http://www.purewaterproducts.com/articles/spot-free-car-wash/

I don't know what sorcery it used, but it worked as good as they said on the box. I still used a chamois (microfiber or leather, it didn't matter) and sometimes a silicone water blade, then dab up the trickles of water at the corners of windows and such, mainly to keep the water from collecting dust and leaving it behind when it dried.

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[SCOPESYS]

I don't know what sorcery it used, but it worked as good as they said on the box. I still used a chamois (microfiber or leather, it didn't matter) and sometimes a silicone water blade, then dab up the trickles of water at the corners of windows and such, mainly to keep the water from collecting dust and leaving it behind when it dried.

I still favour the Leaf Blower. Running, even a Micro Fiber cloth on dry paint, "can" leave micro scratches, and you cannot get the water out of the slits and crevices with a cloth, whereas the Leaf Blower can literally "BLOW IT ALL AWAY"

 

[CT0760]

I get a good wash with wax and I guess i like drying it myself with a towel some more after the car wash uses the blowers, feels like I take extra care of my car, (maybe its still new to me and I love it), I get what you mean, sometimes even after making sure its all dry the side mirrors still drip some but the wax prevents it from leaving marks that cant be easily wiped off later, (I usually drive on highways so the speed can help)

 

[BarracksSi]

I still favour the Leaf Blower. Running, even a Micro Fiber cloth on dry paint, "can" leave micro scratches, and you cannot get the water out of the slits and crevices with a cloth, whereas the Leaf Blower can literally "BLOW IT ALL AWAY"

I've never owned a leaf blower, so I had to make do. My old man made me rake the leaves instead. "You want your buck-fifty, you'd better WORK, son!" He got real pissed when I tried drying the car with the rake.

 

[SCOPESYS]

I've never owned a leaf blower, so I had to make do. My old man made me rake the leaves instead. "You want your buck-fifty, you'd better WORK, son!" He got real pissed when I tried drying the car with the rake.

Maybe it's time to get one then.

If you can send $28K+ on a new car, you can surely spend an additional $40 on a small but adequate leaf blower, to get the water out of the cracks, and get the car dry without micro-scratching it.

 

[civicdabest-foo]

I clean a BMW 7 series now and then. Even this "luxury" car gets water deposited in various nooks and crannies.

The Civic has worse sealing I agree, dirt accumulating on the door sills shows this.

Drying a car is a must for the detailer. Drying a car correctly is a learned art. Some tips:

1. Dry from top down, whatever method you use, start with the roof.

2. Everyone's tap water has minerals in it. Don't let the water coming out of the garden hose dry out on the car.

3. Wash car under a shade or indoors and only when the hood isn't warm. You'd be surprised how quickly water can evaporate from even warm glass.

4. Use smooth flowing water (i.e. not misted or spraying) coming straight out of a hose to sweep down all the fine water particles on the car surface, see Youtube videos on the sheeting effect.

5. Like people have said, use a leaf blower to blow out the nooks: i) side mirrors, ii) door handles, iii) well where the wipers attach to the hood, iv) crevices between sheet metal like where the door meets the pillars.

If drying the car is a chore for you and you can afford to waste a few gallons of distilled drinking water, fill up a gardening can with distilled water and "knock out" all the garden water from the top-down and let distilled water dry out indoors.

Whatever you do, never let tap water dry out on the car.

 

[civicdabest-foo]

I'll add one more thing in a separate comment: California Car Duster brand Dry Blade (on glass only)

 

[Aurelleah]

This might be my #1 complaint about the car at this point after a year of owning it - it's not sealed very well and I get water leaking like crazy everywhere after washing it. I'll spend a ton of time with the air gun trying to blow it out of all the crevices and cracks but as soon as I drive away and get up above 40 or so I end up with streaking all over the car, stuff blows up onto the windshield from the front end somewhere, etc. Super frustrating!

if youre getting waterspots from the small droplets like that, your water's probably hard/has minerals. They have filters you can get for your hose; you can also get a home water softener. I let the leftover water in the jambs/etc do its thing and I never have issues with spotting cause my city water doesnt have a high level of dissolved minerals.

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