qksilverjc

I have a Silver 2.7T now and I am about to order an "03 Ming Blue. The car is outside for the weekends from May til November. It has been my practice to get up early and wipe off the dew or rain with a California wiper blade and a synthetic Griots chamois. The car is usually washed Fridays so it's pretty clean. Will I be taking a chance of putting swirl marks in the dark blue using this procedure. I don't like the water drying on the car but I certainly don't want to scratch it. What do you suggest?
Thanks

Europa

There's always a possibility that even the slightest amount of dust is enough to scratch the paint.

Troy H

maybe even worse (blowing sand, pollen, etc. depending on where you live). I always say that unless you've just washed your car, you should resist the temptation to dry it. Rain, being much more pure than tap water, will spot considerably less than if you left your car to dry in the sun after a wash. It will spot some, yes, but I'd rather spot clean some water spots with vinegar than to swirl my whole car up drying the water off.

That's my $.02.

Ted K

so, I'd recommend wiping it down with a terry towel, but spraying it first with One Grand Show Off detailing spray. Then, if you do get some scratches, you can detail the car several times per year and get rid of them.

Troy H

car swirled to hell. Detailing spray or no, without a good rinsing, doing what you suggest is just going to drag whatever is on the paint around and around. I've tried the quick-detailer car wash before and I was very sorry I'd done so.

RickM

I like a clean car as much as the next guy, but risking swirls and scratches in order to avoid some temporary water spots seems like a strange inversion of priorities. I'd say don't obssess about whatever spots might be caused by morning dew, and just live with it.

<i>Having said that,</i>, if morning dew and the resulting water spots would really bother you, don't go out with a towel every morning to wipe the car down; go out with a hose and rinse the whole car off first, then wipe it down. Wash first if there's anything more than just light dust. If you're gonna be obsessive, ya might as well do it right. :-p

36T (The Return)

..especially if you don't use it correctly. I don't care what the ad says, pretty sure it will leave fine swirls and streaks/scratched in your paint if you chatter it across your paint. Your best bet is to by a Big Blue MF Towel or any high quality waffle weave MF towel used for drying. You will be amazed at how fast you will be able to dry your car, and won't have to worry one bit about scratches.

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Troy H

Silicone alone cannot scratch the paint, so only a poor wash job will let the CWB scratch the paint, as will be the case with the BBT or anything else you drag around to dry with. Only a leaf blower will avoid this.

RickM

The blade is silicone. Very soft. <i>Totally</i> nonabrasive. If you think it will cause swirls and scratches, all this tells me is that you haven't used one.

Ted K

Hard water stains can be permanent. Have a harder time getting them off my wife's car than swirls.