F20C_S2k

Every time i find myself washing and drying my car it takes about 2 hours, it is such as hassle since it's black, and i find that drying it takes far too long, and i am not very good at it because water always drips out of the gas lid, the driver and passenger door, and the side mirros. It is very annoying. Plus the chamois i bought, which was expensive, does not seem to work as good as people say they should. Then i tried microfibre towels for the exterior, like people said and that was worse than the chamois.

My problem is that, how can i dry my car faster without using a leaf blower or any stuff like that. I have heard of the california blade, but i dont kown where to buy those and i am very skeptical about using it. Any advice would be appreciated

My second problem is: When i do finally dry my car, when it's in the sunlight it seems that the paint has a kind of haze to it. I am not sure how to explain but it's weird. i figure if i wax it then it would look as good as new. I have never waxed a car before, and well i am just not sure how to apply it and what i need to apply it with, or techniques by hand.

Please Help, and info would be nice. thanks

kboardsurfer

yeah broa. thats the way black is. Man it suck at day but at night it look hella good. yeah, the best dryer is the california blade
i got 2 cause it works so good. you can find them at costco for about 20 bucks.

wanabe

a few comments:

1. never wash or dry in sunlight... you can get water spots that will be very hard to remove- and you can damage your finish.

2. yes, it takes at least an hour- and more like 2 to properly wash, and clean a car (interior and exterior).

3. if you have a good wax or synthetic finish, the drying is much easier...

4. i use an old fashioned chamois with no problems- you just have to wring it out thoroughly any time it starts to get wet (i also use the water blade sometimes, when i am in a hurry- but be careful to always make sure it is completely clean- wipe off the blade before each use to avoid scratches).

5. my car is always cleaner than showroom... after cleaning, it stays covered unless i am driving it. then once or twice a week i detail spray the car (takes about 5-10 minutes).

6. i have a blower, but find that i prefer to chamois.

the alternative is to let the finish get damaged- and a black car that is properly maintained is a work of art (imo, of course)!

PWRMKR

You realy need to lay down some Wax.


Zaino Application: https://www.s2ki.com/article/articleview/126/1/29/

xviper

Black is Hell! I've owned 2. I have silver now and I DO use the Water Blade, leaf blower method and this works great for me. Only takes me about 45 minutes from beginning to end:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...893#post1304893
The haze you speak of "may" be caused by your chamois. I used to get this too. There are oils in these chamois that are left on the paint that causes this. I stopped using them many years ago. However, a good shine will minimize this hazing.
Again, black is HELL!

stenoslave

And to lessen the chance of swirls and fine scratches on black, get a 100% all-cotton wash mitt, which seem to be harder and harder to find these days.

Kwando

Get a good 3' X 3' chamois. But you have to prep the new chamois. Wash it in warm water for 10 minutes. This is to remove the preservatives they use. After that it's just a matter of soaking it before using it on the car and washing it when finished.

I also use a chamois. I use 3 when washing and drying my car. 2 for the body and 1 for under the trunk and inside of the gas cap. I trick to prevent wash drips for the mirrors is to blow between the hinges. After washing keep the car in the garage for 4+ hours and your car should be spotless.

Nin009

I like to use a synthetic chamois like the Absorber or Water Sprite II. Micro Fiber with a waffle weave will also work for drying. I like to dry with the leaf blower to get the water out of the cracks then finish with the Water Sprite for the top half of the car. I use a 100% cotton towell to get the lower half, door jamb and trunk gutter. Then I dry the wheels. After that I dry under the trunk lid and under the hood.

Like others have said, dry in the shade and get a good coat of wax/polish on you car. Do not wax in a circular motion. This gives light every opportunity to reflect off a swirl or scratch. I wax the top of the car in a front to back motion. The sides up and down. Remove the wax the same way.

What color is your car? A good starter wax is P21S. It is fairly easy to put on and looks great. On a down side, I don't think it is very long lasting. With P21S you may have to wax every two months or so depending on environmental conditions. Zaino offers great shine and protection, but the initial prep work is very time consuming if you want to do it right. After that, it is very easy to work with and you can apply every 5-6 months.

F20C_S2k

Thanks for all the replies. i guess i'll just buy one of those california wiper blades, they seem to be pretty good. As of right now it's really hard to wash my car in the shade, so if i was it in the sunlight when it's not really hot what are some tricks or tip you guys have?

One last question: I think i read one time in this forum that when you use your chamois, after you are finished with it you should rinse it off then keep it damp in a ziplock bag. I tried this and it was horrid!! The chamois didnt even work, it was sooooo slippery, and i could not even wring it because there would be so many air pockets.

So how are you supposed to prep a chamois to dry the car, i have only had one good experience with the chamois i have, and i dont even know what i did to make it work. The first time ever i used it, it would really dry, it would leave streaks of water. I am pretty sure i am not doing anything wrong or am i??

Flyin Wedge

If you let the chamois dry out between washings it will start to tear.Some of these items on the market used for drying cars need to be used a few times before they start working well.I bought a chamois type product and the first five times I used it,it looked as if soap was coming out of it every time I'd wring it out,but now it works great.