Drying Methods

[iScott]

I don't know about you folks, but I am really sick of using drying towel/shamee things to dry off my car (if blowers aren't available). So I was really considering buying one of these: http://www.calcarduster.com/autoOriginalCaliforniaWaterblade.asp. What do you think? Anyone have one?

[Lnzbug]

I got one of those and used it once. Or rather tried to use it once. Our cars are too curvy. It's pretty stiff and hard to conform to the car. Plus your car has to be super super clean or you can scratch the finish.

[EvilinaDM101]

I don't know about you folks, but I am really sick of using drying towel/shamee things to dry off my car (if blowers aren't available). So I was really considering buying one of these: http://www.calcarduster.com/autoOriginalCaliforniaWaterblade.asp. What do you think? Anyone have one?+

Great question Scott! I was wondering the same! I'm getting tired of the old towel/shamee thing . . .

[manoverboard987]

you've gotta try the Mr. Clean AutoDry system. the soap itself eats dirt and brightens up the wax, and then you spray the car with Pur filtered water, which leaves no waterspots when it dries. i've been using it ever since i got my beetle (which, holy crap, was 3 years ago this june) and i've had no results to the contrary. never used a towel, shammy, blade, anything.

i'll never use another method. (unless i'm up here at college, in which case the DIY place has a spot-free filtered water rinse that works the same way.)

[iScott]

you've gotta try the Mr. Clean AutoDry system. the soap itself eats dirt and brightens up the wax, and then you spray the car with Pur filtered water, which leaves no waterspots when it dries. i've been using it ever since i got my beetle (which, holy crap, was 3 years ago this june) and i've had no results to the contrary. never used a towel, shammy, blade, anything.Berry, berry intresting. Do you have the reg one of the Pro version? And how did you get the filtered water?

[manoverboard987]

Berry, berry intresting. Do you have the reg one of the Pro version? And how did you get the filtered water?

just the regular one - the filter is built in to both of them and you just switch the setting from rinse to spot-free.

i think they recently made the regular setup cheaper, too.

the differences between the regular and pro versions are that the pro has a more powerful rinse setting (for blasting bugs off and whatnot) and a quick disconnect for attaching it to the hose. i've never needed either, since the soap pretty much dissolves the bugs, and we have a separate hose nozzle thingymabobber that i hafta screw back on when i'm done (or else i get yelled at).

[iScott]

or else i get yelled athaha... Sweet. Unless someone posts some miracle washing method or something; I'll do that. Many thanks, once again.

[callisto9]

i use the blade and towels. i don't mind the xtra work. the blade (i think i have the same brand you linked to) isn't stiff, but yes, it's kinda hard to use since our cars ARE so curvy. if you go the blade route, get one on ebay - much cheaper!

[FineExampl]

The blade is near useless on the cars except on the door, rear window, and hood.

[spdbump2001]

The waterblade leaves fine scratches on my black car. And yes, it was perfectly clean. Brand new out of the packaging and rinsed with water before first use. They aren't really scratches but more like straight swirl marks.

I now use a microfiber drying towel. Any car care site has them. Griots Garage, Autopia, Autogeeks, etc. Get the biggest one or at least two regular sized ones. You'll dry your car in minutes!

[Whitacre]

I am gonna second the Mr. Clean AutoDry.

I have been using that for about two and a half years now, and works great everytime...see my photo thread on the bottom for the latest results...of course having a new car doesnt hurt the finished look either!

[FineExampl]

Costco....20 microfiber towels $10. Nuff said! :D

[spdbump2001]

Costco....20 microfiber towels $10. Nuff said! :D

That's a great deal and I have some of those. But they're more for polishing and dusting as they don't have good absorbency. The drying microfiber is a waffle-weave type. There is a difference! http://shop.store.yahoo.com/autopia/inf-microfiber.html

[GINA]

I have the blade, I use it just to get the majority of water off, then I get a microfiber and get the rest by hand. Although I am looking into a Mr. Clean auto dry

[BeetleCouture]

I have the blade but if you don't get every drop of water off then you get spots (I made the mistake of letting my brother dry my car while I washed his for the prom on Thursday.) Just make sure to get the rest of the water because on a Black car like ours it definitely makes a difference.

[iScott]

on a Black car like ours it definitely makes a difference.You said it, sist'a.

[marvins_dad]

I got the blade for quick drying of the water then follow it up with my P21s drying towel...which is basically an overpriced Absorber synthetic shammy.
http://www.superiorcarcare.net/p2dryintow.html

The blade is good at getting sheets of water off the car fast so you don't spend as long pushing water back and forth on the car until you absorb it all.

[iScott]

I bought a California Waterblade. Let's just say it is bad ass. I HIGHLY recommend it to all of you, friends. With this tool and a drying cloth, drying is super easy. The blade is nice and flexible and the curvature of our beautiful cars poses no problem. The only problem areas are the small nooks and crannies. Wish I would've gotten one sooner.

[GINA]

Just make sure you clean it before and after you use it, you don't want any foreign objects on the blade or else it's scratch city for Noir'a!

[marvins_dad]

Took you long enough to decide on that major purchase:D j/k

[iScott]

Took you long enough to decide on that major purchase:D j/kI forgot about it until I was wondering through WallyWorld and I actually had some extra money to get it.

[thunder bug]

I had used the same blade for 7 years now and it is the BEST .It gets the majority of the water off.The whole ideal is that your towel is not soak just damp when your done.:thup:

[ghostRder1]

This sounds like a useful thing to own and make drying easier.
I'm on the lookout for one of these.








bandit
http://newbeetle.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8228

[thunder bug]

Even 7 years ago I think I paid 16.99 and I still have the original holder it came in.I believe its a California water blade brand.

[ghostRder1]

Even 7 years ago I think I paid 16.99 and I still have the original holder it came in.I believe its a California squeegee brand.

Okay thanks for this.. I'll be looking.

[iScott]

Update: The water blade is still the coolest product. Pretty much ever.

[Mr.Yellow]

I have this body safe squeegee it works great. i got it from Griots Garages, this great local auto care supply store. they have an abundance of stuff

http://www.griotsgarage.com

[hyakugojyuuichi]

I just use a high quality 100% cotton towel and that works great. Also, Zaino recommended them http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=TOWELS&Store_Code=Z The car has better bath towels than the rest of the family.:p

[dunno513]

I bought one of those california water blades for my dad about 12 years ago since he was the only one in the family who actually dried the car off after. I saw it recently still in the original clear package it came in hanging on his garage wall.

For me personally I have always just drip dried. Weather in New England is way too variable to worry about water spots.

Recently I purchased a simple power washer, lower psi on the washer scale, and it mixes the soap for me. It burns thru soap, but for the aggrivation of mixing it in a pail, I will waste extra, I just need to get cheaper, non concentrated soap, cuz $6/quart of maguires is a little rich for my blood since it uses that in 3-4 washes. I can now clean my car in less than 5 minutes from start to finish including cleanup.. Soooo nice.

[13Beetlejuice13]

my dad had one of those waterblades, it worked well on my civic when i had that, haven't tried it on the beetle though.

[LadybugEwa]

I use an old-school 'natural' shammy, and a lot of elbow grease. It takes a while, but we can use the bonding time, and I can use the exercise ;) No spots either.