How to dry a black car?

[Fullboogie]

With my former black '08 GT, I was fairly meticulous with doing the clay bar/polish/wax routine, and the car was always garaged indoors. Nonetheless, I always had very light scratches in the paint, I'm guessing from using cotton towels to dry it.

Over the time I owned the car, I tried everything under the sun - chamois, the Absorber, microfiber towels, etc. They all ended up doing the same thing, which is wiping the water around the surface but not actually absorbing/drying the water. Which is why I ended up using cotton towels.

Now that I have my black GT500, I'd like to start out right. Is there anything out there as good as cotton towels for drying, but that won't induce scratches in the paint?

Every time I buy a black car, I swear I'm never going to buy another one. I'm on my fifth one, dammit.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

Lawn blower is the best thing.

 

[zinc02gt]

With my former black '08 GT, I was fairly meticulous with doing the clay bar/polish/wax routine, and the car was always garaged indoors. Nonetheless, I always had very light scratches in the paint, I'm guessing from using cotton towels to dry it.

Over the time I owned the car, I tried everything under the sun - chamois, the Absorber, microfiber towels, etc. They all ended up doing the same thing, which is wiping the water around the surface but not actually absorbing/drying the water. Which is why I ended up using cotton towels.

Now that I have my black GT500, I'd like to start out right. Is there anything out there as good as cotton towels for drying, but that won't induce scratches in the paint?

Every time I buy a black car, I swear I'm never going to buy another one. I'm on my fifth one, dammit.

It starts with the right waxes... Use a boutique wax. Something found on autogeek.net or detailersdomain.com. I personally like Dodo Juice, but for your average person Natty's is some great stuff.

Next you need quality MF like this http://www.pakshak.com/waffle-weave-micro-fiber-towel-24x36-1.html

That is what I use.


What your supposed to do after washing the vehicle is this.


Rinse any soap/suds off the vehicle.
Turn the hose off and take off any attachments.
Get a steady stream going. Not very strong, but enough to push water.
Start from the top and sheet water with the hose. A good wax will sheet water almost dry.
Do this on every panel going from top to bottom.
Come back with a leaf blower and make sure you hit every crevice, badge, and panel.
You should be able to blot dry with the MF towel.



Less touching, less swirling.

 

[bullitt 736]

^^^ Yes.

 

[Fullboogie]

I tried the leaf blower with my black Lightning, and was never satisfied with the results.

Are the "better" microfiber towels truly better at absorbing water than the ones you find in the auto stores?

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

Yes, look at some of nastystang113 threads in keeping it clean.

 

[DDTCM]

Sheet rinsing is a major help and the blower works great.

 

[mikeysgt]

I'm in the same boat as you. My mustan has a lot of swirls from using cotton towels when I first purchased it. Too late to start keeping it swirl free now. Just bought my fiancé a black granite equinox and I've been trying my best to learn the right way to take care of it and wash it correctly. I bought a microfiber drying towel from wal Mart and it doesn't absorb too good. I always have to go back with a good microfiber towel I bought from chemical guys and do a quick spray detail to get rid of the streaks.

I need to buy one of the waffle weave ones and see how they work.

 

[Fullboogie]

That's exactly my problem, Mikey. El Cheapo microfibers just push the water around, and I end up with hard water stains everywhere. I guess I'm going to try the "expensive" ones and see if they are any better.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73574&highlight=microfiber+towels

 

[mikeysgt]

Im about to order this one and give it a try.

http://www.detailersdomain.com/Uber-Waffle-Weave-Drying-Towel-24-x36_p_575.html


Already started using the two bucket method with grit guards on both and a sheepskin wash mitt also. Huge difference from the stuff i used before to wash any of my cars. Trying to keep this new one swirl free for as long as possible

 

[NastyStang113]

http://www.detailersdomain.com/Metro-Air-Force-Master-Blaster-Car-Dryer-8-HP-MB3CD_p_344.html

End of story!

 

[BlackOutUT]

http://www.detailersdomain.com/Metro-Air-Force-Master-Blaster-Car-Dryer-8-HP-MB3CD_p_344.html

End of story!

Interesting...

 

[VTXFrank]

I had to learn this on my Honda Civic. Honda already uses water based paints and the Black '09 Civic SI I owned was swirled up like a mofo in no time. After I got serious about learning how to keep it swirl free, after buying and using a G110v2 with quality pads to fix the paint, I went to a local detailer who only does high end vehicles. He told me the best way to dry a black, or any color, vehicle is:

1. Do it in the shade
2. "Sheet" rinse if there's a decent coat of wax on it.
3. Use an electric leaf blower with a 200+mph rating. (I got one from Home Depot for $45.)
4. Then use one of these to BLOT dry the car. (NOT the chamois one!)

Rinse out the "Absorber" and wring it out while still leaving it partially damp. Never let it dry out! Places like the hood, roof and trunk that have horizontal surfaces, just lay the "Absorber" on the car over any areas that still have water. Let it soak up the water and then lift it off the paint. Don't use it like a traditional towel and drag it over the paint.

On the vertical surfaces like a door or fender, fold the Absorber into a usable square the is a bit larger than your hand. Then press it against the wet areas going from top to bottom again, not using it like a traditional towel, but using it to blot dry the wet areas. In places like the side mirrors, where water is always hiding from you, just to run down the side of the door when you go around to the other side, "feed" a corner of the Absorber underneath the mirror, into the area where it meets the door. Just hold it there and it will PULL all the water out of the area! Same goes for the recessed areas around the rear, side windows.

Anytime the Absorber gets really wet, just wring it out. After each use, hand wash it in the sink to remove any stains or dirt. Rinse it out very well, then put it up damp. Never let it dry out. It will NOT mold.

If you don't have a leaf blower, just use the Absorber. It will take longer, but the results will be the same. ZERO swirls/scratches.

Trust me, this thing soaks up water faster than Lindsey Lohan can snort coke off a toilet bowl seat.

 

[Fullboogie]

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73574&highlight=microfiber+towels

Holy crap - I thought you were crazy in the prior post telling me to look up Nasty's threads. I'm looking at the list, and there's only one page of threads. I'm thinking WTF, this guy's drunk.

Then you post the link above, and I'm totally confused - where are all these threads?

I just realized that for some very strange reason, this section (keepin it clean) was set to show posts for the last 30 days only! None of the other sections are set to do that, so I've not been able to see everything.

Apologies for starting this thread, then. I just thought this was a section that had very little activity! Thanks for all the input, guys.

 

[Kaldar142]

http://www.detailersdomain.com/Metro-Air-Force-Master-Blaster-Car-Dryer-8-HP-MB3CD_p_344.html

End of story!

i have one, it kicks ass.


Get the car super detailed (intense polish and like 5+ coats of wax) and when you use this thing to dry your car, im not even joking it just shoots all the water off the car O_O

Also, running just the 'hose' water onto the car will help the water fall of the car, then you use the blower. I have a black Z06 as well so i'm super particular about it.

If you use quick detailer (meguiars quik detailer) every wash or every other wash, it makes washing and drying the car the NEXT time even quicker and easier.

I can go for a LONG time without any swirls before i start to accumulate a few, then its time to poli$$$$h

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

Nasty and Seer have been very helpful and full of guidance. No problem man, i will always look out for a fellow texan.

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

You touch it? You scratch it! PERIOD! End of story. I don't care what ANYBODY here or elsewhere tells you. Black will show the scratches from merely touching it with any force applied.

Air dry and repolish/seal/wax. Even then, you will need to polish it with a buffer/polisher to a mirror shine if you are extremely anal.

/end thread

Enjoy Black! j/k

 

[Fullboogie]

^^^ No kidding. When I had the new car out yesterday to check out the job I'd just done blacking out the turn signals/marker lights, my 9 year old girl comes riding up the driveway on her bike. I jumped up and said "Don't ride near my car!" Of course, she looked at me like I was crazy.

 

[zinc02gt]

You touch it? You scratch it! PERIOD! End of story. I don't care what ANYBODY here or elsewhere tells you. Black will show the scratches from merely touching it with any force applied.

Air dry and repolish/seal/wax. Even then, you will need to polish it with a buffer/polisher to a mirror shine if you are extremely anal.

/end thread

Enjoy Black! j/k

You sir are wrong. It will only mar if you touch it with the wrong products ESPECIALLY with as hard as the S197 platform's clearcoat is. Black is the best color for just about every car, but you have to know how to actually take care of the paint and it just the same with every color. The other's just hide it better.