Drying the car with a Leaf Blower...

MoreCowbell · 05-05-2006, 03:45 PM

I'm curious who out there has tried this. My father, a true car nut who buys a vette every year and a 3 series every 2, swears by this. I tried it last week and was quite impressed. No need for abrasive towels, etc. Granted, he looks like the village idiot doing this, but I can't fault the results.

Is there a downside I may be missing with this approach?

05-05-2006, 03:48 PM

Hell no! It works great!

Brunotheboxer · 05-05-2006, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMD

Hell no! It works great!

i second that

Arkansas3 · 05-05-2006, 04:16 PM

i don't see the downside. to me it's the same as those car washes you drive through that have the jet-like fans that dry your car when the wash is over. work great.

MIKEYMIKE · 05-05-2006, 04:44 PM

Yea, it works great. But I drive around the block first kinda spirited to get a lot of the water off.

And then I follow up with the leaf blower.

MoreCowbell · 05-05-2006, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIKEYMIKE

Yea, it works great. But I drive around the block first kinda spirited to get a lot of the water off.

And then I follow up with the leaf blower.

I think that defeats the purpose but to each his own...

aphall · 05-05-2006, 05:21 PM

does a shopvac on reverse do the job?

Arkansas3 · 05-05-2006, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aphall

does a shopvac on reverse do the job?

maybe, it would probably take longer because i don't think a shop-vac can produce as high a velocity.

D.D. · 05-05-2006, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIKEYMIKE

But I drive around the block first kinda spirited to get a lot of the water off.

And then I follow up with the leaf blower.

Great!!..Then every piece of roadgrime, sand, dust, can stick to your nicely cleaned car...DO NOT drive a wet CAR!!!!

shimshimhada · 05-05-2006, 07:39 PM

I only use the leaf blower to dry the wheels and get water out of the crevices, but it's excellent for those purposes. I still the waffle weaves to dry the body.

Mr. BMW · 05-05-2006, 10:17 PM

Only thing to worry about is if the blower picks up any kind of debris or sand or whatever. Remember it's essentially a vacuum that is sucking in air and then blowing it out. Probably won't do any harm but I would not use one.

A clean towel or one of those absorber cloths works for me.

damagegoodz · 05-05-2006, 11:14 PM

have you tried the turtle wax magic cloth no scratches and just a wet cloth to ring and it looks as good as the new instant dry product, but yes i've used the blower on the rides in the past

pander5 · 05-06-2006, 10:01 AM

I use the leafblower trick also, first making sure everything coming out of the blower is clean. It does a good job of pushing out any residual water and I wipe that off with a clean WW MF drying towel. The most water comes out of my wheels.

JO3 · 05-06-2006, 02:55 PM

Thats a great idea.... if you want to embed dust and dirt particles into your paint!!

I good set of 100% cotton or soft microfiber, CLEAN towels are much safer for your paint. But it's more work

MIKEYMIKE · 05-06-2006, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.D.

Great!!..Then every piece of roadgrime, sand, dust, can stick to your nicely cleaned car...DO NOT drive a wet CAR!!!!

I don't think so...I just take it around the block real quick

JO3 · 05-07-2006, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIKEYMIKE

I don't think so...I just take it around the block real quick

It's widely known within the auto detailing folks that that is probably the worst thing you could do. You might as well apply your wax with a peice of sandpaper.

difush · 05-14-2006, 12:55 AM

totally agree. I used to do that before but the auto detailing guy tells me the same thing.. which makes sense... dust easily sticks to wet surface and gets stuck there when dry...that's probably where all these swirls on the paint comes from

aphall · 05-14-2006, 07:23 PM

Does that toro powersweep do the job? Anyone have one of these that uses it to dry their car? It's 25 bucks on Amazon right now...

nyyankee · 05-14-2006, 07:50 PM

I know this is off topic but, aphall you have the funniest sig evAr!

"It's no use crying over spilt milk... Unless that was Jack Bauer's milk. Oh you are so screwed."-LAMO!

aphall · 05-15-2006, 02:35 AM

Ha, thanks. Quotes are in the same vein as the 100 random Chuck Norris facts. I believe someone posted a link to 100 random Jack Bauer facts in the Off-Topic forum. There are some pretty funny facts if you're a big fan of the show. If you can't tell... I'm a big fan.

shimshimhada · 05-15-2006, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aphall

Does that toro powersweep do the job? Anyone have one of these that uses it to dry their car? It's 25 bucks on Amazon right now...

I have it, this thing, right?:

I still use my waffle weave MF towels to do the majority of the drying. I use the toro for the nooks and the wheels.

aphall · 05-15-2006, 11:10 PM

Yep, that looks like the one. Hmmm... thanks Shim!

05-05-2006, 03:45 PM	#1
MoreCowbell Lieutenant Colonel 548 Rep 1,702 Posts Drives: 24 i5M60 23 X740 23 Vette Z06 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Westchester, NY iTrader: (0)	Drying the car with a Leaf Blower... I'm curious who out there has tried this. My father, a true car nut who buys a vette every year and a 3 series every 2, swears by this. I tried it last week and was quite impressed. No need for abrasive towels, etc. Granted, he looks like the village idiot doing this, but I can't fault the results. Is there a downside I may be missing with this approach? Attached Images
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05-05-2006, 03:48 PM	#2
CMD Guest 0 Rep n/a Posts Drives:	Hell no! It works great!
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05-05-2006, 04:16 PM	#4
Arkansas3 Private First Class 7 Rep 186 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Nashville, TN iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	i don't see the downside. to me it's the same as those car washes you drive through that have the jet-like fans that dry your car when the wash is over. work great. __________________ 325i \| Sparkling \| Grey Leather \| Premium \| Xenons \| Heated Seats \| Comfort Access \| Sat Prep (which is a waste of money) \| Floor Mats (which my dealer made me buy)
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05-05-2006, 04:44 PM	#5
MIKEYMIKE Lieutenant Colonel 69 Rep 1,516 Posts Drives: 330i 6mt Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: SoCal iTrader: (3)	Yea, it works great. But I drive around the block first kinda spirited to get a lot of the water off. And then I follow up with the leaf blower.
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05-05-2006, 05:21 PM	#7
aphall Captain 39 Rep 776 Posts Drives: 330i rec'd 2/17/06 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 BMW 330i [0.00]	does a shopvac on reverse do the job? __________________ JB \| BBS CHs \| Blacklines \| HO40 \| ACS Rep Roof Spoiler \| H&R Sport \| Hartge Rep Lip \| OEM Strut Bar \| M-Tech Rear
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05-05-2006, 07:39 PM	#10
shimshimhada Brigadier General 502 Rep 4,838 Posts Drives: Portal Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portal iTrader: (2)	I only use the leaf blower to dry the wheels and get water out of the crevices, but it's excellent for those purposes. I still the waffle weaves to dry the body.
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05-05-2006, 10:17 PM	#11
Mr. BMW Major 278 Rep 1,392 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 M3 [0.00] 2006 330i [0.00] 2018 Jeep Grand Che ... [0.00]	Only thing to worry about is if the blower picks up any kind of debris or sand or whatever. Remember it's essentially a vacuum that is sucking in air and then blowing it out. Probably won't do any harm but I would not use one. A clean towel or one of those absorber cloths works for me. __________________ 12 M3 Interlagos Blue/Black 18 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Yeah, it's got a HEMI) 21 X3 Silver/Black(Wife's) 06 330i Monaco Blue/Black (retired) 02 X5 3.0 Topaz Blue/Black (retired)
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05-05-2006, 11:14 PM	#12
damagegoodz New Member 0 Rep 18 Posts Drives: alpwht,sprtz,prfrm pcks, step Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renton, Wa iTrader: (0) Garage List 06 325i [0.00]	have you tried the turtle wax magic cloth no scratches and just a wet cloth to ring and it looks as good as the new instant dry product, but yes i've used the blower on the rides in the past
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05-06-2006, 10:01 AM	#13
pander5 Special Forces - Discretion is superior 32 Rep 1,011 Posts Drives: 335i Coupe Sapphire Black Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 335i Coupe [0.00]	I use the leafblower trick also, first making sure everything coming out of the blower is clean. It does a good job of pushing out any residual water and I wipe that off with a clean WW MF drying towel. The most water comes out of my wheels.
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05-06-2006, 02:55 PM	#14
JO3 Lieutenant 14 Rep 566 Posts Drives: a lot Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CA iTrader: (8)	Thats a great idea.... if you want to embed dust and dirt particles into your paint!! I good set of 100% cotton or soft microfiber, CLEAN towels are much safer for your paint. But it's more work
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05-14-2006, 12:55 AM	#17
difush Enlisted Member 0 Rep 46 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Asia iTrader: (0)	totally agree. I used to do that before but the auto detailing guy tells me the same thing.. which makes sense... dust easily sticks to wet surface and gets stuck there when dry...that's probably where all these swirls on the paint comes from
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05-14-2006, 07:23 PM	#18
aphall Captain 39 Rep 776 Posts Drives: 330i rec'd 2/17/06 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 BMW 330i [0.00]	Does that toro powersweep do the job? Anyone have one of these that uses it to dry their car? It's 25 bucks on Amazon right now... __________________ JB \| BBS CHs \| Blacklines \| HO40 \| ACS Rep Roof Spoiler \| H&R Sport \| Hartge Rep Lip \| OEM Strut Bar \| M-Tech Rear
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05-14-2006, 07:50 PM	#19
nyyankee The Ultimate Posting Machine 42 Rep 419 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 325I Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ft.Lauderdale iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	I know this is off topic but, aphall you have the funniest sig evAr! "It's no use crying over spilt milk... Unless that was Jack Bauer's milk. Oh you are so screwed."-LAMO! __________________ DISCLAIMER: Poster makes no guarantee that the above expressed information is accurate, complete, current, funny, new, spelled correctly, or grammatically correct. The above-stated information is instead provided on an "AS IS" basis, and is subject to revision with or without notice.
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05-15-2006, 02:35 AM	#20
aphall Captain 39 Rep 776 Posts Drives: 330i rec'd 2/17/06 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 BMW 330i [0.00]	Ha, thanks. Quotes are in the same vein as the 100 random Chuck Norris facts. I believe someone posted a link to 100 random Jack Bauer facts in the Off-Topic forum. There are some pretty funny facts if you're a big fan of the show. If you can't tell... I'm a big fan. __________________ JB \| BBS CHs \| Blacklines \| HO40 \| ACS Rep Roof Spoiler \| H&R Sport \| Hartge Rep Lip \| OEM Strut Bar \| M-Tech Rear
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05-15-2006, 11:10 PM	#22
aphall Captain 39 Rep 776 Posts Drives: 330i rec'd 2/17/06 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 BMW 330i [0.00]	Yep, that looks like the one. Hmmm... thanks Shim! __________________ JB \| BBS CHs \| Blacklines \| HO40 \| ACS Rep Roof Spoiler \| H&R Sport \| Hartge Rep Lip \| OEM Strut Bar \| M-Tech Rear
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