Blow dry or wipe dry?
 

When you wash your car, do you blow dry it off, or wipe it dry? If you wipe dry, what do you like to use? If you blow dry, what product do you use? A friend of mine uses his normal garage compressor with the blower attachment. This seems to me like it would take a long time, as the blower attachment is relatively small (at least mine is). I'm kinda thinking about getting one of these https://www.metrovacworld.com/Vac_N_%20Blo_Automotive_VNB-83A , but seems kinda pricey for something to just dry my cars.

What's the brain trust say in this matter?

Wipe with a synthetic chamois. Even with a leaf blower I find it takes way too long to sufficiently dry with air. Though I just got a much more powerful blower, maybe I need to try again.

I leaf dry all the cracks and areas likely to drip, then wipe the whole thing down....

I think I've seen some of those water ionization systems for about $100 more than that blower. I'd invest in one of those before I spent the time blowing water off the car.

Wipe then I go for a "spirited" drive around the block.

leaf blower. wear ear plugs!

This! I then use microfiber towels to finish it.

Blown with a towel finish? What the hell am I reading about? Cars or Porn?

Maybe both James.... Maybe both... ;)

Is there a difference?

I've been thinking about something like that as well - since I hate washing (actually drying) cars. I wonder with a blower if you might push moisture into some crevice (like under the window trim) where it wouldn't ordinarily go.

Actually, from what I've read and discussed with a couple friends is that blowing is much better at getting water OUT of those crevices you don't want it in...

I hand dry. It annoys me when I'm "done" and working on the interior or tires or whatever, and see the drip come running down from inside the mirrors, from around the trunk or crevices around the tail lights or spoiler. Then, if you don't catch it in time, you've got a nice water stain down the side of your freshly cleaned car.

Coincidentally, I was paging through the February 1984 Road & Track (that has the '84 Carrera road test) and saw an article about car care that stated, "A chamois should be avoided because it will pull wax from the body." The article is titled, "The Perils of Pristine."

Thanksgiving morning (years ago) I'm up at 7AM on the balcony with a coffee to listen to the birdies wake up...
And Braaaaaaaaaa! Idiot neighbor blow drying his truck. :mad:

I used to be a synthetic chamois guy... now I do spray wax and a microfiber cloth, still use the chamois on the windows.

Once I tried this, I decided I will never hose down a car again.
http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3626-Ultimate-Anywhere-Spray/dp/B006FUT0CS

I use terry cloth cotton towels. We have hard water and it's important to wipe the car dry. Every drop that evaporates leaves a little white outline of itself.

yup. not a great neighbour.
i do the blow dry in the garage. usually during working hours.

any other method (of drying) is more intrusive, by virtue of having to actually touch the paint. no?

The ex-gf thought it was amusing to get the dog hyped up to well above plasma reactor ape***** levels, and then let him loose with all his hound dog fury on a backyard squirrel at 6am on Sunday mornings.
Not once. Not twice. Not three times. It was a routine thing.
But, I'm the jerk, naturally.
(Did I mention she doesn't live here anymore.)

I use a drive through car wash the does a great job, and has a pretty efficient dryer at the end. I finish off the drips and drops with The Absorber. Those things are really amazing.

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