Blow-drying your car...

Felonious Crud

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Have any of you been tempted to get a blow dryer, rather than relying on a cloth with its attendant swirl marks etc? Not cheap, and frankly a bit weird, but better than adding swirls and streaks to good paintwork.

This kind of thing, for example, a snappily named Air Force Blaster Car Dryer. They even do a heated one (yes, really!). Although I have a garden leaf blower, it's a bit unwieldy for trying to dry a car with, and runs the risk of just blasting it with whatever grit and shite it sucks in.
 

Wack61

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Probably worth it for high end show cars that never get driven but unless you garage it and never drive it in the wet any of the claims for rust and standing water are worthless plus how long does it take to dry your hands in the gents, multiply that by 20-30-40-50 for a whole car

I've got a £200 pressure washer but it's 2 mins to fill a bucket :D
 

CatmanV2

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Rather tempted myself. I find drying by cloth can take too long (i.e. the water has already dried by the time I get all the way round) especially on a warmish day.

I guess a water filter would be a better start.

C
 

Geo

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Blow drying is no problem. Wash car, rinse car then quick blast up to 150mph.......job done! :auto11:
 

conaero

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Tried a leaf blower once....didnt really work and I looked like a nob doing it.
 

2b1ask1

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I have some snake oil in the garage Adam, I'll do you a special deal mate...

Should be left in the cupboard with the hydro-flexiblades...!
 

RoaryRati

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I've been told you should pat the waffle fake chamois (or what ever it is called) when drying off the car - I fail to wet mine when I start and just go round and round the car patting it on, then lifting it off, etc sometimes I use two - seems to vaguely do the trick and my neighbors know I'm nuts in any case!
 

Wack61

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I use a real chamois to dry mine , the mazda came with a lot of circular scratches which need buffing out, job for the summer , 4200 lives outside so get's cleaned once a week, hasn't scratched it
 

Scaf

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I have a similar bit of kit that blows warm air.
1) really noisy
2) takes forever
3) I felt like a knob using it

However it is great for blowing out wing mirrors - wheels - door and bonnet shuts.

A mate of mine has a show standard Harley D and he would not be without his blaster.
 

Felonious Crud

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The same company does a smaller hand-held unit as well, which could be good for blasting the water out from around the tighter nooks and crannies. Eighty quid or so.
 

VMSRTI

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I use a battery operated dewalt blower to get the water out of the wheels, behind the mirrors and a couple other places I know will drip water as soon as I drive it even though I have hand dried it. Works a treat.

When hand drying, I pat the car dry as opposed to wiping it dry. This, along with the two bucket washing system has kept my car swirl free for nearly 5 years.
 

Andyk

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I don't get this....It makes sense for getting the water out of the cracks you can't dry with a towel ( you know the ones that annoy the feck out you on your first drive as they escape and run down the lovely shiny paint) but can't see how it's better than towel as the towel also gives it that shine as in theary its buffing as you dry off and helps that shine. Dry with this and you don't get that surely.
 

highlander

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FGS.....you can't beat a quick blast to roundabout and back then clean/dry the water streaks from the cracks with a micro towel.....job done.
 

Felonious Crud

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Pre the proliferation of fixed speed cameras, there was a pretty thorough brushless car wash at the Shell petrol station near my house in Horsham. I'd get the car washed there and take it for a 130mph sprint down the A24 and back. That generally got it fairly dry.

Anyway, I might be tempted by a small and less weird hand-held blaster for mirrors, wheels and round lights / trim. But then again, I've survived a few years without so am starting to wonder what kind of strange fvcked up world I live in where I find myself having my morning coffee and considering buying a bloody air pump to get water out of my wheels. Jesus. First world problems! I need more coffee. Or less.
 

Zep

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A friend sent me a link for the Metrovac airforce blaster, I was quite surprised at the cost. A pet dryer is the same piece of kit and less than half the price. I think it would be good for mirrors and shut lines etc but it does feel a bit decadent and my neighbours would give me even funnier looks.